Best Friend

Our sweet 'granddog' just went to heaven.  Scott shared these words on Facebook: “People let me tell you ‘bout my best friend...'.  Thank you so much for the wonderful memories Jackson! Now you can chase balls as long as you want in dog heaven!" Jackson came into our lives 12 years ago when Scott moved into an apartment with his friend Justin whose girlfriend had just given him this cute little puppy.  Jackson lived with them until Justin decided to move to Hawaii and couldn't take his dog.  For awhile Jackson lived with Justin's parents but in May of 2010 he came to our house for a visit and has stayed for 8 years.

    I love Jackson because of all he meant to our sons.  I believe that Scott and Matt both learned unconditional, unselfish love as they took care of Jackson.  When Scott moved to Portland, Jackson came too and enjoyed living in a house with 3 young men and 2 young dogs for a couple of months!  He was definitely the 'old man' of the group but still participated in puppy play time enthusiastically.  When Scott decided to move into an apartment, he very unselfishly asked Matt to keep Jackson at our house in Eagle.  The stairs and close quarters in the apartment would have been difficult for 'Geriatric Johnson' as Matt lovingly called him.  Scott was thinking only of what was best for the dog he loved so much and missed every day. Matt loved and took care of Jackson these last months, taking him to the pet store and allowing him to pick out his own favorite toy to take home, buying expensive dog food, and loving that boy every day.  It was Matt who sat with him during his last hours while we waited to talk to Scott before a final decision was made. 

There are so many things to remember about our boy Jack - 

First of all he was absolutely ball crazy! 

That boy would chase a ball for hours and hours.  It didn't matter if another dog was around, Jackson was totally focused on his ball even when another dog got 'real friendly'! 

His love of fetching could be transferred to a frisbee.  He was a skilled catcher, leaping into the air to our delight and seldom missing! 

Sticks were fun too!  Jackson just loved having something in his mouth.

He loved his comfy bed. 

And he adored walks on the beach 

Baths were not high on his list of favorites things!

He didn't much like his yellow rain slicker, even though I thought he looked very 'Oregon-ish'! 

Most of all he loved his 'boys'.   

Those boys were always good for a game of tug-of war! 

Or maybe one of them would throw a stick... 

 Sometimes they used a magical machine to make the ball go a long way! 

Our sons taught him to balance a ball or a dog treat on his nose ....another of Jackson's talents!  Maybe not his favorite game but he tolerated it!

Plus boys were the best for snuggling down for a nap!

I am so thankful that I live in a world blessed with dogs!  And I'm glad our sons' lives (and our lives too)  have been blessed by this particular 4 legged mutt!  

This little song has always touched my heart.  It certainly describes our boy Jack, Jack Sprat, Samuel L Jackson, Sir Turd Burlington, Faxsoms, Stink Puss Johnson.....our much loved

  Jackson Lewis

I look up and I see God, I look down and see my dog.

Simple spelling G O D, same word backwards, D O G.

They would stay with me all day. I’m the one who walks away.

But both of them just wait for me, and dance at my return with glee.

Both love me no matter what – divine God and canine mutt.

I take it hard each time I fail, but God forgives, dog wags his tail.

God thought up and made the dog, dog reflects a part of God.

I’ve seen love from both sides now, it’s everywhere, amen, bow wow.

I look up and I see God, I look down and see my dog.

And in my human frailty…I can’t match their love for me.

World Cup 2018

Our family has a love of the World Cup!  It started in 1994 when we had young kids who enjoyed playing soccer.  George won 4 tickets to a World Cup game in Los Angeles so the 6 of us flew down.  Since Scott was only 6 years old, the two of us missed the game and went to Knott's Berry Farm instead.  George, Mary, Matt, and John saw a semi-final game - Sweden and Brazil

1994 - Brazil won

In 1998 we were living in Spain when the World Cup was in France.  Because Scott had not gotten to attend last time, he and George took the train to Bordeaux to see Croatia and Romania play.

1998 - France won

In 2002 John was invited to visit his friend S J in Seoul, Korea during the first World Cup ever held in Asia.  Yes, he got to attend a game as well - Costa Rica vs. Turkey.

2002 - Brazil Won

John enjoying the World Cup in Seoul, South Korea
2002

In 2006 we tried and tried to get tickets to some games in Germany but had to settle for watching it at home.  We went to a good friend's home to watch.  Unfortunately they were big Germany fans and we were all rooting for Italy. 

2006 Italy won

In 2010 we didn't even try to get tickets for games in South Africa but this was probably our favorite World Cup ever.  We nervously watched at our home in Eagle as Spain won in overtime.

2010  - Spain won

Loving every moment of Spain's win!

World Cup 2014 will be one of my best memories ever!  I was in Kenya with no TV or internet access for most of the games.  Each day one of the Kenya Keys staff workers would stop by the office, check the scores on the internet and come and report to me.

The student we sponsor invited me to go with him to a bar to watch Nigeria vs. Argentina with the warning that I could not cheer if Messi scored.  I'll never ever forget being in that bar in Kenya, the only white person and the only woman!

2014 - Germany beat Argentina in the final

Johnny and Monica were living in Buenos Aires for the 2014 World Cup and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere in that football crazy country!

Now here we are in 2018

Again we aren't going to the World Cup but we have our predictions recorded. And the DVR set to record the most interesting games.

  It's a miracle that we all are cheering for the same team......

ARGENTINA!

Here is their cutest fan! Vamos Argentina!  

Finally #38

Somehow I skipped making a post about Guide Dog #37.  We only had him for a week.  He was an active guide being boarded but who preferred being in a home, as they all do!  It was way back in December when we had #37 so #38 was a welcome addition to our family.  He is 'pre-matched' which means that he has completed his training and they know the visually impaired person he will guide.  In July, I will take him back to the Guide Dog Campus where he will spend a week brushing up on his guiding skill before meeting his 'forever person'.  Then they will spend 2 weeks on campus learning to function as a team.

The first night he was here I discovered that he was fascinated by a commercial on TV that featured many different breeds of dog.  I was watching a show and petting his head when the commercial started and suddenly dogs appeared on screen.  It immediately caught and kept his attention. My neighbor told me that her dog also loves that particular commercial...and any dog food commercial.  Funny dogs!

We've only had him for 24 hours but so far we agree with the sentiments expressed in this cartoon.
#38 is definitely a 'Good Boy'!

Two Dogs and Two Sons

Matt came to Portland to visit and brought our 'granddog' Jackson.  Technically Jackson is Scott's dog but it didn't seem wise to move him to an apartment in his advanced years so Scott wisely sacrificed and allowed Matt to keep Jackson in our house in Eagle. Scott isn't suffering too much from dog withdrawal since his roommate Logan has a Golden Retriever named Gus.  Gus and Jackson are good buds and we all enjoyed spending time together.

We did have one 'dog-less' night at the movie and thoroughly enjoyed "Solo".  Look at Scott!  He agreed to pose for me and didn't even make a weird face!  I have years of photo albums with Scott looking, well for want of a better word, interesting!

One evening we walked down by the St. John's bridge which is close to Scott's new apartment.  I had never realized that there is a beautiful park right under the bridge. 

On Memorial Day we loaded two ecstatic dogs into the car and drove to the coast. 

Perfect day for a walk on the beach! 

And a hike to this spectacular look out point.

What a wonderful day!  I love the Oregon Coast, especially with all these guys to share it with! 

Old Age Hiking

I knew that if I went all the way to Madagascar I wanted to see the famous land formation unique to the island. I learned that these areas are called 'Tsingy' which literally means 'walking on tiptoe'.  Tsingy is pronounced 'chingy'. Getting to one requires a long trip on a rutted, muddy, dirt road.  It took us 9 hours to go 250 km or 155 miles.  The glimpses of life in rural Madagascar that we passed along the way made the time zip by.

Now I had read that the hike to the top of the Bemaraha  Tsingy was 'strenuous' but I walk 4 miles every day so I wasn't a bit worried.

The harnesses that we each had to wear should have given me some clue that this was no ordinary hike.

This was a climb! 

 Up on narrow ledges 

 Clipping into steel supports for safety

 And then going down into deep labyrinths

Occasionally it was so narrow that we had to take our backpacks off to continue. 

I was tired!  At one point we came to a fork in the road.  One way took us directly to the top of the Tsingy while the other took us a longer way through a grotto.  Since I am one who doesn't like to miss anything, I said, "Oh let's go through the grotto."  I know our guides didn't think it was a good idea but they didn't argue with me.  More climbing up and down, more narrow passageways, then a fun crossing of a suspension bridge.  George would not have liked this at all!

And a bit more hiking

....and finally we got to the very top. 

We survived!

 And it was quite spectacular!  Now we just needed to hike out.  And remember it wasn't all downhill from here.  Again it was up and down and up and down!
Believe me when I say that I felt every one of my 64 years!  On the way out we passed a group of older (probably about my age) Italian women who were taking the easy hike to the bottom of the Tsingy.  With their limited English they pointed at me and asked, "You - Big Hike????".  When I told them that yes I had done the hike, I was applauded!  I didn't know how to explain that while technically yes I had done it, it wasn't pretty! Our local guide said that I was the oldest person he'd over taken on this hike!

Antsirabe Stars

Just before I went to Madagascar I read an article in our church magazine and was 

touched by the story of Rakotomalala and Razafindravaonasolo and their two-hour one-way bike ride to attend church meetings.  

When my cousin emailed me with the plans for the first week-end we were in Madagascar, I learned that we would be attending a District Conference in Antsirabe, the very city that was mentioned in the article.  Although Rakotomalala and Razafindravaonasolo now attend church in their own village, they would be traveling to Antsirable for the conference.

When we arrived I used my best detective skills and tried to find these two.  I had cut out the article from my magazine hoping to get their autographs!  I did find them!

Now both of them are returned missionaries.  He served in the Madagascar Mission while she served in the Congo.  They had no idea that they were famous the world over!  I did get their autographs and these cute photos!

The cutest thing was just as we were about to leave, Rakotomalala introduced me to his mother, who spoke no English at all.  I showed her the photo of her son and he explained that it was in magazines in America and all over the world.  She grabbed that paper right out of my hand and rushed over to show her friends.  A mom is mom no matter where she happens to live! 

Lemurs and Fossa

If you have seen the movie, "Madagascar" then you know about the dreaded fossa and the adorable lemurs!  Mary and I got to see both!

There was a fossa who occasionally comes to the lodge where we stayed in the Kirindy Forest and we got to see him.  Not my favorite animal for sure.  He looks like a giant rat head on a cat body.  And just like in the movie, they do eat the rather adorable lemurs!

Some lemurs are nocturnal like this cute giant mouse lemur. He was active on our night hike.

We managed to snap a photo of him the next day when he was just trying to take a little nap.

Most photographic of all were the Verreaux Sifakas. Seriously cute!

We also saw Red Fronted Brown Lemurs

And Red tailed sportive lemurs. 

Unforgettable moment - one group of lemurs, called a conspiracy of lemurs in case you were wondering, seemed friendly.

Our local guide said that occasionally they will come down and drink water offered to them.  Our other guide from Tana said that he had been to this place many, many times and had never seen that happen. 

Well, it did happen!  Slowly and cautiously they came down from the trees.

They even drank water from the shell we held out to them.

It was a moment that neither of us will ever forget!