Catching up on your archive, Wendy. Another enjoyable read. My husband's family always had dogs & I had one through my teen years, but we have held off getting one for our family. Our two boys are dark on us for depriving them! They did go to boarding school though, which for them, was a wonderful experience, and gave them the independence (albeit supervised) they craved. I think it has helped them appreciate home and family all the more.
Thanks so much for taking time to explore the archive, Ofifoto! I wasn't sure when I started here back in June what I would cover, or even whether I would be able to write each week, but thanks to the positive feedback and the inspiration of reading others' work, I'm brim full of ideas!
I agree you've got to be in the right situation to own a dog. We didn't have one in London when our daughters were young. It was only when we moved to the sticks and they were older and we knew we could be in the house during the day that we got our first dog. She'd stand by a hedgerow for ages, pointing, when she sniff something out, but be too strong to move on! Popeye is brilliant. But there's always the conundrum of what to do when you go away, and it's a big commitment, especially if you're the one having to do all the walks. (Sounds like it would have been a burden to have one while your children were away.)
Borrowing a friend's dog for walks, or offering to house-sit them, seems popular among some of my friends who don't want the commitment of ownership but do love dogs.
Glorious photos, brimful of feeling. And as a dog person (not dog mom), I wish sweet Popeye years of fun. We have Abigail Thomas in common, my favorite so far being WHAT COMES NEXT AND HOW TO LIKE IT.
I thought I'd replied to your comment, Rona, then realised I'd put it on its own further down the thread, so I'm moving it here to the right place:
Thanks so much, Rona. I love the way you write. Big fan of dressing comfortably, too!
And yes to Abigail. Absolute inspiration. So good for the soul. I’m recommending her books to family and friends. I find it hard to choose a favourite of her memoirs, because each has a different but overlapping focus.
I’m in the middle of her Still Life At Eighty at the moment (written during lockdown) and relishing every page. “I look at my watch. It is five-thirty. Where is everyone? Silly question. It’s 2020. Nobody is coming this year.” (p82)
Oops Wendy! I went to restock this and muddled it with you more recent post. Ugh I don’t know how to edit something I sent off! Please pardon me! But cheers all the way.
Must mention artist/musician/performance artist Laurie Andersons’ ( was married only Reed) poignant film Heart of a Dog for this. It slays me and lifts me at the same moment.
Thank you, Michelle, that trailer has brought a tear to my eye. I will watch the film. I love Laurie Anderson.
Coincidentally, one of mine and Ian’s first dates in 1986 (re my other post which you also kindly commented on) was to see Laurie Anderson in London. She had projections in the background during her concert of sperm swimming to meet egg. Seemed very pertinent in retrospect!
Love this, Wendy, and loved learning about you, your family and Popeye. And I’m following all the recommended links! Beautiful and touching writing, Thank You!
Oh that is lovely to hear, Jolene. Thank you so much for reading and taking time to comment and share. And I’m so glad you enjoyed the links to other writers, too. I think especially when people are starting out here it can feel like casting pebbles. But then those pebbles make ripples!
You might enjoy my essay Teddy Bear Eyes, about the hoarded house I grew up in and all its random contents! Including my grandmother's quinine pessaries, which led to an essay of its own!
Thank you Kate, really glad you’re sharing more of your writing here and it was a no-brainer to give your first piece a mention, when looking back on what had made a lasting impression on me. Not sure how Cherry originally found it/you, but I was glad of her tip off!
I hope the child/dog encounter wasn’t too serious? We have to remind the grandchildren that not all dogs are as friendly or patient as Popeye is.
No. I volunteered at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand and Thai Thai was one of a litter of 6 or 8. Who knows what he is. He looks very much like a "potcake" I had, a street dog from Turks and Caicos. I wrote a children's story about Thai Thai, https://nancyjainchill.com/thai-thais-very-curly-tail/.
I love this piece. The pictures. I've had too many dogs come and go and, now, I'm down to one, an unusual situation for me. I watch my Thai Thai as if I could will his forever being-ness.
Loved this Wendy - and yes, it's so poignant when you have a no-longer-young dog (I couldn't bring myself to type 'old dog'!). And thank you for nudging me towards the penis-in-pate - hilarious!
Thanks Fi! Ah, yeah – he's doing very well *for his age*. We all adore him so much. Granddaughter had tears in her eyes asking that question; and so did I, answering. I think existential questions are on her mind as Ian's mum is currently in a nursing home.
And yes! Ros Barber's piece is a fantastic read. And what a genius headline :D
Popeye sounds like a perfect companion and what a great photograph! The haunting question of anyone with such a friend is how long they will live. Comes close to home with a 14 year old adopted lab mix. And glad you discovered Abigail Thomas' A THREE DOG LIFE. I was thrilled to subscribe to her new Substack.
Thank you, Jill. Popeye is our hero! And trust a six-year old to ask an existential question! I hope both our “elder” dogs stay fit and healthy a good while longer.
Yes, I can’t quite believe I’ve managed without Abigail Thomas in my life until discovering her via Substack. She is right up there with my favourite writers now, and I find her such an inspiration. All her memoirs are wonderful, as is her Substack.
Catching up on your archive, Wendy. Another enjoyable read. My husband's family always had dogs & I had one through my teen years, but we have held off getting one for our family. Our two boys are dark on us for depriving them! They did go to boarding school though, which for them, was a wonderful experience, and gave them the independence (albeit supervised) they craved. I think it has helped them appreciate home and family all the more.
Thanks so much for taking time to explore the archive, Ofifoto! I wasn't sure when I started here back in June what I would cover, or even whether I would be able to write each week, but thanks to the positive feedback and the inspiration of reading others' work, I'm brim full of ideas!
I agree you've got to be in the right situation to own a dog. We didn't have one in London when our daughters were young. It was only when we moved to the sticks and they were older and we knew we could be in the house during the day that we got our first dog. She'd stand by a hedgerow for ages, pointing, when she sniff something out, but be too strong to move on! Popeye is brilliant. But there's always the conundrum of what to do when you go away, and it's a big commitment, especially if you're the one having to do all the walks. (Sounds like it would have been a burden to have one while your children were away.)
Borrowing a friend's dog for walks, or offering to house-sit them, seems popular among some of my friends who don't want the commitment of ownership but do love dogs.
That’s lovely Wendy and he definitely has collie in him! What a gorgeous dog, and so lovely your grandchildren have had that experience
Thank you, Lily! As I mentioned on your own wonderful post, we benefited massively from our experience with our previous dog. Popeye’s a gem.
Glorious photos, brimful of feeling. And as a dog person (not dog mom), I wish sweet Popeye years of fun. We have Abigail Thomas in common, my favorite so far being WHAT COMES NEXT AND HOW TO LIKE IT.
I thought I'd replied to your comment, Rona, then realised I'd put it on its own further down the thread, so I'm moving it here to the right place:
Thanks so much, Rona. I love the way you write. Big fan of dressing comfortably, too!
And yes to Abigail. Absolute inspiration. So good for the soul. I’m recommending her books to family and friends. I find it hard to choose a favourite of her memoirs, because each has a different but overlapping focus.
I’m in the middle of her Still Life At Eighty at the moment (written during lockdown) and relishing every page. “I look at my watch. It is five-thirty. Where is everyone? Silly question. It’s 2020. Nobody is coming this year.” (p82)
My favorite is WHAT COMES NEXT… but she is never less than compelling.
Oops Wendy! I went to restock this and muddled it with you more recent post. Ugh I don’t know how to edit something I sent off! Please pardon me! But cheers all the way.
Thank you, Michelle! I added the other link in the Note comments.
Ahhhh, so indelibly sweet!
Must mention artist/musician/performance artist Laurie Andersons’ ( was married only Reed) poignant film Heart of a Dog for this. It slays me and lifts me at the same moment.
https://youtu.be/8PLWVXICQyM?si=MJ8Ntq6L-36BqkPR
Cheers!
Thank you, Michelle, that trailer has brought a tear to my eye. I will watch the film. I love Laurie Anderson.
Coincidentally, one of mine and Ian’s first dates in 1986 (re my other post which you also kindly commented on) was to see Laurie Anderson in London. She had projections in the background during her concert of sperm swimming to meet egg. Seemed very pertinent in retrospect!
Love this, Wendy, and loved learning about you, your family and Popeye. And I’m following all the recommended links! Beautiful and touching writing, Thank You!
Oh that is lovely to hear, Jolene. Thank you so much for reading and taking time to comment and share. And I’m so glad you enjoyed the links to other writers, too. I think especially when people are starting out here it can feel like casting pebbles. But then those pebbles make ripples!
You might enjoy my essay Teddy Bear Eyes, about the hoarded house I grew up in and all its random contents! Including my grandmother's quinine pessaries, which led to an essay of its own!
On it!
“Those pebbles make ripples” yes! I’m really looking forward to reading more of your posts this weekend over a cup of tea!
I love this piece about Superego, Wendy, and all the pictures! Moomins are a favourite around here too.
Children and dogs - what could be more lovely? Except mine are off dogs at the moment after an unfortunate event a few weeks ago.
A lovely surprise too, at the end, to see you recommend my piece. Thank you.
Thank you Kate, really glad you’re sharing more of your writing here and it was a no-brainer to give your first piece a mention, when looking back on what had made a lasting impression on me. Not sure how Cherry originally found it/you, but I was glad of her tip off!
I hope the child/dog encounter wasn’t too serious? We have to remind the grandchildren that not all dogs are as friendly or patient as Popeye is.
He came back to the states in March 2017 and they estimate the litter was born in the previous November. So he's middle-aged!
Well he sounds like he has a good mix of genes - maybe part piglet with that curly tail! - so hopefully years more companionship.
Ha! I love that. Part piglet.
No. I volunteered at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand and Thai Thai was one of a litter of 6 or 8. Who knows what he is. He looks very much like a "potcake" I had, a street dog from Turks and Caicos. I wrote a children's story about Thai Thai, https://nancyjainchill.com/thai-thais-very-curly-tail/.
Ah, I see! What a cool way to find a new pup - and one that inspires a book, too. How old is Thai Thai?
I love this piece. The pictures. I've had too many dogs come and go and, now, I'm down to one, an unusual situation for me. I watch my Thai Thai as if I could will his forever being-ness.
Thank you Nancy. It was a joy to look back through albums for those pictures of Popeye. He is a beaut and so treasured.
Granddaughter and I both had tears in our eyes discussing her question, which hardly bears thinking about. But good on her for asking it.
May our precious dogs live very long lives. I’m looking up Thai Thais. Is that a ridgeback?
Loved this Wendy - and yes, it's so poignant when you have a no-longer-young dog (I couldn't bring myself to type 'old dog'!). And thank you for nudging me towards the penis-in-pate - hilarious!
Thanks Fi! Ah, yeah – he's doing very well *for his age*. We all adore him so much. Granddaughter had tears in her eyes asking that question; and so did I, answering. I think existential questions are on her mind as Ian's mum is currently in a nursing home.
And yes! Ros Barber's piece is a fantastic read. And what a genius headline :D
Popeye sounds like a perfect companion and what a great photograph! The haunting question of anyone with such a friend is how long they will live. Comes close to home with a 14 year old adopted lab mix. And glad you discovered Abigail Thomas' A THREE DOG LIFE. I was thrilled to subscribe to her new Substack.
Thank you, Jill. Popeye is our hero! And trust a six-year old to ask an existential question! I hope both our “elder” dogs stay fit and healthy a good while longer.
Yes, I can’t quite believe I’ve managed without Abigail Thomas in my life until discovering her via Substack. She is right up there with my favourite writers now, and I find her such an inspiration. All her memoirs are wonderful, as is her Substack.