December Photos

Album:  December

Artist:  George Winston

The past few weeks in December.

My elder sister had a BBQ for my mom and I to enjoy at her house.

After eating our fill...

I took my mom back to her house.

Hana 2007 - 12-10-19

Romance D'Amour

Hana died in the late morning of 12-10-19

She was about 12.5 years old.

She also had a congenital heart condition.

She had been lying in the sun on the backyard grass in a comfortable position...

as she took her last slumber

(It was a beautiful sunny and warm day).

Bandi was with her.

She is to be cremated and placed in an urn on my mother's fireplace mantle...

along with her paw print in clay, and this picture.

She had a good life...

especially since all our dogs are gotten from the Humane Society.

She was exceptionally gentle.

Hana always had free access to the house and the backyard through doggy doors.

She and Bandi always slept in my room in especially comfortable beds...

or with me in mine...

whichever was their preference.

Some will say she was spoiled.

I say that dogs deserved to be spoiled.

They have the best characteristics of humans...

without having the worst.

I hate that dogs only live for a relatively short period of time.

That is why they should be treated especially well.

For the full extent of their lives...

they are like children.

They have open and loving hearts.

They are my favorite "people".

They are family.

------

You want to know the heart of a man...

look to how he treats his dog.

If a dog does not trust a man...

neither should you.

------

Canines were tamed thousands of years ago.

Now...

it is they who tame humans.

Through their open love and affection...

they bring out and cultivate these same deep emotions in us.

New Snow / We Are Now A 5 Generational Family

Song:  The Paris Match (Tracy Thorn Version)

Group:  The Style Council

(This is the perfect slow dance song)

The steps of Bandi in new snow.

At first she didn't know what it was.

Bandi loves the snow now.  She will lie down and relax in it.

She has a double coat with the inner layer of fur trapping air...

which makes her well insulated.

She is a golden lab.

Hana will go out for a while...

then she will come back inside.

The first two generations

(The Old Guard)

My mother will be 81 in a couple of months.

I will be 60 yrs. old in a few days

(Me with the mountain man beard...

and yes, a beard really does keep my face and neck warm in cold weather...

and no...I am not drunk.  

The picture was taken just after I had blinked.

My eyes were just opening again.  

Picture taken by iPhone sitting on a counter on a timer).

Just in case you were wondering...

yes, although I am half Japanese...

on the outside...

I manifested the British / Germanic / Nordic bloodlines of my father.

My elder sister and her husband on the ends of this photo.

My younger sister's son's daughter...

just had a daughter.

My younger sister wanted us to take a snapshot on the day of her birth

so she will be able to see what we looked like at that time...

when she gets old enough.

My mother is now a great great grandmother.

My Mother's First Swim / Grilled Steak For Lunch

Song:  Autumn Full Album

Artist:  George Winston

My sister had my mother try to hold her hands on the seat and try to flutter kick.

And she did it.

She then had her try again to swim / walk to the bar of the treadmill.

And then try again with a little more current.

And then again.

My mother then went to the far end while my sister swam

against the current.

The current was still fairly low but it allowed my sister to stay in place as she swam.

My mother was trying more flutter kicks...

as my sister then tried the treadmill against the current.

It was time to prepare for lunch.

My mother loved her time in the pool.

She will swim with my elder sister at her house three times a week.

And while visiting my younger sister...

she will swim at an indoor public pool with her two to three times a week.

And...

twice a week...

I have my mother weight train.

She is almost 81 years old now...

but she still loves doing things.

My mother is excited about swimming often at my elder sister's house.

My mother dried off and then changed into dry clothes.

My sister prepared the steaks for lunch.

My sister started up the grill.

My mother enjoyed the warmth of the sun as my sister prepared to grill the steaks.

It had lightly snowed in the mountains a few days ago.

My eldest sister's eldest son is known as the MMA Yogi.

He now trains others in Yoga (Professional gig at a high tech company)...

still trains in Jiu Jitsu...

and has done some modeling gigs...

and he has a Pod cast he is just starting.

My sister cut up my mom's steak for her.

After eating lunch...

I took my mother home early as I was tired.

I will be making shrimp somen and a large salad tonight for her supper.

My sister's and I split up taking care of my mother

so she always has someone with her...

24 / 7

I make supper...

and usually breakfast for her...

and, except when she stays at my younger sister's house (Usually three days a week)...

I have the night shift

(Usually from 5 PM through 9 AM).

My mother is having a great time. 

She loves the variety of things she does...

and with swimming now included on a regular basis...

she is getting much more exercise.