- On Tuesday the Wife power washed the deck. This is usually my job but she insisted on doing it. She did a better job than I've done in the past, which may explain why she wanted to do it.
- We finally, after over five years, buried Iago's ashes in the garden next to Homer.
- I washed my car for the first time in forever. It still looks dirty. I think I just washed off the first two layers of dirt and left two or three on the car.
- I walked three times this week totalling 22.6 miles (36.4 km). I am happy with this distance and my blood pressure, which has been high since we returned from our travels, is back down to my 'normal' range.
Showing posts with label Iago. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iago. Show all posts
Sunday, November 09, 2025
Weekly Ephemera #160
Saturday, August 01, 2020
A Week Later ... And An Almost Tragic Bunny Tale
It's been a week since Iago left us and it is strangely silent in our house. I can't go into the kitchen without checking to see if he has water in his bowl even though the bowl has been gone for a week. At 6 am and 5 pm I have to check myself since I no longer need to feed him.
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| Iago's paw print ... full of love. |
I am sure he is still with us in spirit ... he is definitely here in hair. The vacuum canister was half full with black dog hair when I cleaned this week. It will diminish over the next couple weeks as the last vestiges of Iago are sucked out of the carpet.
Along with the mourning of Iago's passing there was some bunny drama this week. If you follow me on Twitter you have already heard but for those who don't, here is the story. We have rabbits in our backyard. This year they started digging holes in the grass. After chasing them away a few times I made a pile of stones on the deck that I could throw at them to get them to quit. This week I saw a rabbit digging in a hole. I went out on the deck and threw a stone and missed it by about a foot. It didn't budge. I grabbed a second stone and threw it. I didn't think I was a good throw and I expected to hit it on its back but to my horror I hit the rabbit square on the head. I could hear the stone thunking it's poor little bunny skull. The rabbit staggered around a bit and laid down. It's head slowly went back until it was staring straight up. I think at this point it went unconscious. A few minutes later it lowered it's head and just sat there. After about fifteen minutes I went down the stairs and, seeing me, it hopped off into the bushes. I felt very relieved.
I don't think I could ever hit a rabbit's head at 20 - 25 feet like I did. Heck, when I toss the remote to the Wife less than ten feet away I usually miss by three feet. But, if I see another rabbit digging ... I will try to be less accurate as my heart wouldn't be able to take it really.
Sunday, July 26, 2020
Santiago 03/10/2007 - 07/25/2020
Last night we made the hard decision to put down our dear companion Santiago. He had been suffering from all sorts of old dog ailments for the past three years and, while we tried our best to keep him healthy and comfortable, on Saturday he reached the point where we couldn't help him anymore.
We adopted Santiago - I called him Mr. Iago - from one of the Wife's friends. We named him after both the Camino de Santiago and the Wife's favorite character from Ernest Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea". He was five years old when we got him. He's spent his first five years being a farm dog. Unfortunately he had a taste for the neighbor's chickens so we took him in to keep him out of trouble.
Iago was such a laid back pupper. Nothing bothered him. He was unflappable. The only thing that would set him off was when he saw a raptor circling overhead. He would run around the yard barking at it until it flew away. Other birds, big or small, would not even get a second glance from him.
He wasn't much into toys. You could throw a ball and he would bring it back but after the third throw he would be done. He did have a plush candy corn that he liked but he would only grab it when he had to go out to do his business. We started calling it his "pee pee corn".
Iago was not a smart dog - in fact, he was as dumb as a box of rocks - but he was the sweetest dog I've ever had. He loved licking hands, chewing ice cubes, eating hibiscus flowers, and hunting rabbits in the backyard.
In 2017 he developed laryngeal paralysis. This made it hard for him to breath. If he got too excited he would weeze and almost passed out. His heavy breathing became the background noise in our house. Later the same year he developed issues in his rear end - a possible result of being hit by a car as a pup. He was started on opioids and anti-inflammatory meds to control the pain.
Over 2019 and 2020 he slowly lost control of his rear legs. He became incontinent and would spontaneously poop ... often in his sleep. He could walk but his rear legs were becoming shaky. He also began suffering from short seizures.
On Saturday he refused to go down the stairs. The final straw was when he struggled to go up two stair treads. We knew it was time. We let him go so he wouldn't suffer anymore.
The Wife and I will miss him. The house is already so quiet without his heavy breathing. We are comforted that he lived so long - thirteen years and four months - and we could give him a good life in our home. If someone ever asks me to describe him in a few words I will simply say he was a very good boy.
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| The day we got Santiago. |
Iago was such a laid back pupper. Nothing bothered him. He was unflappable. The only thing that would set him off was when he saw a raptor circling overhead. He would run around the yard barking at it until it flew away. Other birds, big or small, would not even get a second glance from him.
He wasn't much into toys. You could throw a ball and he would bring it back but after the third throw he would be done. He did have a plush candy corn that he liked but he would only grab it when he had to go out to do his business. We started calling it his "pee pee corn".
Iago was not a smart dog - in fact, he was as dumb as a box of rocks - but he was the sweetest dog I've ever had. He loved licking hands, chewing ice cubes, eating hibiscus flowers, and hunting rabbits in the backyard.
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| Iago being a trooper with snuggle bear. |
Over 2019 and 2020 he slowly lost control of his rear legs. He became incontinent and would spontaneously poop ... often in his sleep. He could walk but his rear legs were becoming shaky. He also began suffering from short seizures.
On Saturday he refused to go down the stairs. The final straw was when he struggled to go up two stair treads. We knew it was time. We let him go so he wouldn't suffer anymore.
The Wife and I will miss him. The house is already so quiet without his heavy breathing. We are comforted that he lived so long - thirteen years and four months - and we could give him a good life in our home. If someone ever asks me to describe him in a few words I will simply say he was a very good boy.
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March 10, 2007 - July 25, 2020 Santiago aka Mr.Iago, Old Man, and many other names. |
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Sometimes I'm Too Honest ... And An Update.
I was suppose to go in to get my teeth cleaned today. My original appointment had been postponed due to Coronavirus. I get to the office, they take my temperature (normal range), and give me a questionnaire. One of the questions was "Do you have a runny nose?" It's allergy season. We have had moderate-high to high pollen counts for a few weeks here in Nebraska. My eyes are itchy and, yes, my nose runs. I marked Yes.
That honesty killed my appointment. I'd not mentioned my seasonal allergies to my dentist before so there is no note of them in my record. So, in the day of covid-19, that was enough to stop my cleaning in its tracks. *sigh*
My allergies are now part of my record so when I return next week, my teeth will finally be sparkling white.
Also, an update for my last post. On Mother's Day I talked about the little bunny babies in a hole in our yard. I'd placed a paver over the hole to keep Iago out. Well after that post I looked off our deck and noticed the paver had moved nearly a foot off the hole. Looking closer I saw the hole was empty. Not sure what happened. Either Momma bunny moved the paver and removed her babies or Iago move the paver and had a snack. I think it was most likely the latter. His farts reeked that night.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
SnOmaha
We had nine inches of snow last night. This was combined with strong winds to give us blizzard conditions. This made me think two things: I would be clearing snow Sunday morning and I would have awesome snowshoe conditions on Monday.
Clearing the snow was a workout. Even with a snow blower it was tough. The blower kept bogging down and, in places, the drifts were higher than the snow blower. Under the snow was a layer of ice (it rained before it snowed) so deicer was spread. I have some strap on spikes that keep me from slipping - amazing how very tiny 1/8 inch spikes are enough to keep you on your feet. I'm not sure I could have cleared the snow with only a shovel. That would have sucked. The nearly two foot deep drift on our deck ... will probably stay there until it gets warmer and it melts on its own.
Homer never liked the snow. I had to scoop snow off the yard to get him to do his business. Iago loves the snow. He likes sticking his head in the snow while he walks - we call it snow plowing. He often comes back in with snow on his nose. The snow in the yard is almost up to Iago's belly.
The snow we got on top of the snow we already had on the ground and the blustery conditions gave the fields behind our house a cool texture, especially early in the morning while the sun was still low on the horizon.
Clearing the snow was a workout. Even with a snow blower it was tough. The blower kept bogging down and, in places, the drifts were higher than the snow blower. Under the snow was a layer of ice (it rained before it snowed) so deicer was spread. I have some strap on spikes that keep me from slipping - amazing how very tiny 1/8 inch spikes are enough to keep you on your feet. I'm not sure I could have cleared the snow with only a shovel. That would have sucked. The nearly two foot deep drift on our deck ... will probably stay there until it gets warmer and it melts on its own.
Homer never liked the snow. I had to scoop snow off the yard to get him to do his business. Iago loves the snow. He likes sticking his head in the snow while he walks - we call it snow plowing. He often comes back in with snow on his nose. The snow in the yard is almost up to Iago's belly.
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| Cool windswept snow texture. |
The snow we got on top of the snow we already had on the ground and the blustery conditions gave the fields behind our house a cool texture, especially early in the morning while the sun was still low on the horizon.
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| Sunrise over the snow covered field ... and electrical pylons. |
I mentioned last post that we are seeing a lot of snow this February. Another thing we are getting more of is icicles. Not sure why the conditions are so good for their formation but they are everywhere.
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| Long icicles outside our front door. |
Tomorrow (and maybe Wednesday too) I will be enjoying the new snow. Hitchcock snowshoe number two ... here I come.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Eagle Visitation
A while back we had a bald eagle fly over our backyard sending Iago into a fit (I posted a picture of the eagle on Facebook). You see, Iago runs around and barks every time a large bird of prey flies over. It's the only time he isn't unflappable. He isn't as bothered when the birds are on the ground. I looked out the window yesterday and saw this in the field behind the house:
Today The eagle was back with its mate I presume and checked out the remains of the carcass:
Just another cool thing about living along the migratory routes of birds.
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| Bald Eagle munching on a carcass. |
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| Pair of Bald Eagles behind our house. |
Thursday, December 19, 2013
I Am From France
Iago's had a sore on his paw the past few weeks. He's been licking it incessantly so he went to the vet this week. He was put on antibiotics, anti inflammatories, ... and the dreaded cone of shame.
He's handling it pretty well. He does get it caught on things every now and then. The sore has improved over the past few days so I've been removing the cone when we can keep a close eye on him and keep him from licking it. Hopefully it will be off for good by next week.
Note: If you don't understand the title of the post, here is a clue.
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| Can I get HBO with this thing? |
Note: If you don't understand the title of the post, here is a clue.
Sunday, September 01, 2013
Santiago Matamosca
Our dog Iago, his full name is Santiago, is really ... special. Santiago is Spanish for Saint James. Saint James has an important history in Spain.
Based on all the Camino stuff I've posted over the last few years you may know that there are a couple of incarnations of Santiago in Spain. There is Santiago as pilgrim. He is dressed in a simple robe, a hat, and carries a staff and a gourd of water. He is a peaceful pilgrim and dresses as his followers dress.
The second incarnation of Santiago dates back to the reconquista, when the Spanish christians forced the moors off the Iberian peninsula. During the battle of Clavijo on 23 May 844 the legends says that Saint James appeared riding a white horse and helped the Spanish forces defeat the moors. From that point forward, Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and was called Santiago Matamoros. This name translates into Saint James killer of the Moors.
So, which of these incarnations does Iago fit. Is he the peaceful pilgrim dog? Yes he is. Iago is very submissive and peaceful most of the times. But he also has displayed Saint James' other incarnation. Iago has displayed a dogged prowess in hunting ... flies. So now, Iago has a new name:
Based on all the Camino stuff I've posted over the last few years you may know that there are a couple of incarnations of Santiago in Spain. There is Santiago as pilgrim. He is dressed in a simple robe, a hat, and carries a staff and a gourd of water. He is a peaceful pilgrim and dresses as his followers dress.
The second incarnation of Santiago dates back to the reconquista, when the Spanish christians forced the moors off the Iberian peninsula. During the battle of Clavijo on 23 May 844 the legends says that Saint James appeared riding a white horse and helped the Spanish forces defeat the moors. From that point forward, Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and was called Santiago Matamoros. This name translates into Saint James killer of the Moors.
So, which of these incarnations does Iago fit. Is he the peaceful pilgrim dog? Yes he is. Iago is very submissive and peaceful most of the times. But he also has displayed Saint James' other incarnation. Iago has displayed a dogged prowess in hunting ... flies. So now, Iago has a new name:
Santiago Matamosca ... Saint James Fly Killer
Saturday, June 08, 2013
I Just Want To Sleep In
I wanted to sleep in today. Nothing extreme really. 9AM would be fine.
I was doing great until I woke up to the sound of a howling coyote. This was a fist ... or maybe a second for me. It's been so pleasant at night lately that we've been sleeping with the bedroom window open. The coyote must not have been very far away because he came in loud and clear. Iago, being the strange dog he can be, barely showed any interest.
A few hours later it was Iago's turn. He gets fed at 6AM every morning and, if I don't wake up on time, he will get up, stare me in the face, and smack the bed with his tail which makes a very loud thumping sound. If that's not enough, he's also learned he can make a racket by shaking his tags ... which he does when he wants attention. Unfortunately he isn't the most accurate at telling time so sometimes he wakes me up at 4:30AM ... or 5:00AM ... or 5:30AM ... or all of the above. Today it was only at 5:30 AM and 6AM.
I fed Iago and let him do his business and went back to bed just to wake up soon after when the neighbor decided to use his weed whacker at 8AM. From that point on Iago kept getting up and staring at me like "Are you going to get up or what?"
I gave up at 8:30 AM which isn't far from 9AM but my sleep wasn't very restful after 5:30 AM. I went out and made breakfast. Iago, who had seemed very interested in me getting up , promptly fell asleep on the floor.
Maybe I'll have better luck sleeping in tomorrow ... yeah ... right ...
OK, my Saturday whine is over. Please carry on.
I was doing great until I woke up to the sound of a howling coyote. This was a fist ... or maybe a second for me. It's been so pleasant at night lately that we've been sleeping with the bedroom window open. The coyote must not have been very far away because he came in loud and clear. Iago, being the strange dog he can be, barely showed any interest.
A few hours later it was Iago's turn. He gets fed at 6AM every morning and, if I don't wake up on time, he will get up, stare me in the face, and smack the bed with his tail which makes a very loud thumping sound. If that's not enough, he's also learned he can make a racket by shaking his tags ... which he does when he wants attention. Unfortunately he isn't the most accurate at telling time so sometimes he wakes me up at 4:30AM ... or 5:00AM ... or 5:30AM ... or all of the above. Today it was only at 5:30 AM and 6AM.
I fed Iago and let him do his business and went back to bed just to wake up soon after when the neighbor decided to use his weed whacker at 8AM. From that point on Iago kept getting up and staring at me like "Are you going to get up or what?"
I gave up at 8:30 AM which isn't far from 9AM but my sleep wasn't very restful after 5:30 AM. I went out and made breakfast. Iago, who had seemed very interested in me getting up , promptly fell asleep on the floor.
Maybe I'll have better luck sleeping in tomorrow ... yeah ... right ...
OK, my Saturday whine is over. Please carry on.
Monday, June 03, 2013
Iago: Bird Dog
I was looking out the window into our backyard this afternoon. The Wife was coming in from doing some gardening. Iago was following her up the stairs to the back deck. I noticed he was carrying something in his mouth. I intercepted him at the slider and told him to put it down. Being a very obedient, when he's not being a box of rocks, Iago opened his mouth and dropped ... a baby bird. Homer had caught a bird when he was a puppy too but wouldn't release it until we bribed him with a treat.
At first I thought the bird was dead but then it started moving around and flapping its immature little wings. I picked it up and was going to drop it over the fence when it got away and fluttered down to the lawn. Iago ran down and picked it up again. I yelled "No!" and he dropped it again and actually came back up on the deck.
I managed to pick it up again and dropped it over the fence. Then I went over to a fir tree we have and picked up the other baby bird - they appear to be baby doves - that was sitting in the grass under the tree and I dropped it over the fense with its brother/sister before Iago found it too.
Our back yard is full of bird nests. We have two or three robins under the deck that should be coming out soon. We also have wrens in a tin bird house. We'll have to keep our eyes open and protect them from Iago the bird dog.
At first I thought the bird was dead but then it started moving around and flapping its immature little wings. I picked it up and was going to drop it over the fence when it got away and fluttered down to the lawn. Iago ran down and picked it up again. I yelled "No!" and he dropped it again and actually came back up on the deck.
I managed to pick it up again and dropped it over the fence. Then I went over to a fir tree we have and picked up the other baby bird - they appear to be baby doves - that was sitting in the grass under the tree and I dropped it over the fense with its brother/sister before Iago found it too.
Our back yard is full of bird nests. We have two or three robins under the deck that should be coming out soon. We also have wrens in a tin bird house. We'll have to keep our eyes open and protect them from Iago the bird dog.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Nineteen Days In ...
Another week has gone by and things are moving slowly forward. I did a couple walks around Omaha this week - a total of about twenty-one miles. The weather was wonderful and my feet feel back to normal. Overall, I'm feeling pretty good body-wise.
Iago is calming down and his routine is starting to mesh with ours. I think I've mentioned that he used to be a farm dog but he ran into trouble when he would get out and kill the neighbor's chickens. I thought it was funny when the Matron of Honor and Best Man gave him a chicken toy for Christmas. I also mentioned that he didn't play with toys much. A week or so ago I managed to get him to play with the chicken. He just needed to get over his fear of the squeak. Well, the Wife saw first hand how Iago handles chickens: He pins them down and, as you can see, tears their heads off. The chicken is now in the trash.
I want to touch on some Comments I received on Homer's Travels over the past week. First I want to say that the reaction I got from my Fallen Star picture took me by surprise. I didn't mean to bum everyone out. It just caught my eye while I was out for a walk. I have to be frank and say that most of the things that catch my eye, especially during the winter, can be a little depressing but I find beauty in those images. I will try to post some more uplifting pictures but you all have to be prepared for less uplifting pictures as well. Sorry.
The other comment was posted by my blog friend GeekHiker. He commented about my lack of plans. I do have things planned but they are all short term things. I'm going to a "Camino de Santiago Conversation" at our local Backwoods outdoors store where I will share my experience with other Camino walkers and people planning to do their own Caminos. The Wife and I are going ice fishing with family at Lake Cornelia. We are joining the Matron of Honor and the Best Man up in Minnesota for some dog sledding (!!!). I'm going to do the Trek up the Tower for the second time. We are going curling for the third time ... maybe we won't be in last place this time. And there is roller derby to watch.
Lot's of little things. The only project I am working on is preparing for the Camino (I just figured out how I'm getting from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid in time to catch my plane home). I still have things to buy and all the walking I'm doing is preparing me for the Camino. But that's it so far.
I am not much of a volunteer type of guy like GeekHiker who helped build houses in Fiji. We have no vacations planned this year ... though there is one domestic one that may materialize this summer. I am still sorting through the pictures I downloaded from Flickr which I work on here and there - I guess you could call that a project but it's not much of one.
I'm just letting this year take me by the hand and lead me around. Time will fly or it will crawl. In the mean time, I have chores to do.
I want to touch on some Comments I received on Homer's Travels over the past week. First I want to say that the reaction I got from my Fallen Star picture took me by surprise. I didn't mean to bum everyone out. It just caught my eye while I was out for a walk. I have to be frank and say that most of the things that catch my eye, especially during the winter, can be a little depressing but I find beauty in those images. I will try to post some more uplifting pictures but you all have to be prepared for less uplifting pictures as well. Sorry.
The other comment was posted by my blog friend GeekHiker. He commented about my lack of plans. I do have things planned but they are all short term things. I'm going to a "Camino de Santiago Conversation" at our local Backwoods outdoors store where I will share my experience with other Camino walkers and people planning to do their own Caminos. The Wife and I are going ice fishing with family at Lake Cornelia. We are joining the Matron of Honor and the Best Man up in Minnesota for some dog sledding (!!!). I'm going to do the Trek up the Tower for the second time. We are going curling for the third time ... maybe we won't be in last place this time. And there is roller derby to watch.
Lot's of little things. The only project I am working on is preparing for the Camino (I just figured out how I'm getting from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid in time to catch my plane home). I still have things to buy and all the walking I'm doing is preparing me for the Camino. But that's it so far.
I am not much of a volunteer type of guy like GeekHiker who helped build houses in Fiji. We have no vacations planned this year ... though there is one domestic one that may materialize this summer. I am still sorting through the pictures I downloaded from Flickr which I work on here and there - I guess you could call that a project but it's not much of one.
I'm just letting this year take me by the hand and lead me around. Time will fly or it will crawl. In the mean time, I have chores to do.
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Five Days In
The Wife's brother called this morning. He suffered a minor heart attack and is in the hospital. Seems like the health issues that have plagued our families since last August are continuing. Hopefully he will do well once the doctor's have a chance to thoroughly look him over.
Iago is doing well. He's adjusting to his new surroundings quite well. Many people, myself included, were concerned that changing his name would be confusing for him but, after being in our house for a week he already answers to his new name.
He sleeps on a dog bed on my side of the bedroom. He's been having trouble sleeping through the night. He gets up a few times each night just to make sure we are still in bed. He walks over to check on the Wife first then he checks to see I'm there before getting back into his bed.
One strange thing about Iago is that he doesn't know how to play. He will run after a thrown ball, bring it back, and drop it at your feet (Homer never learned to drop things) but he grows tired of it quickly. The Matron of Honor and Best man gave him this chicken toy. Iago will hardly touch it. He thinks about picking it up but then it squeaks and he walks away. He behaves the same with all of Homer's old toys. He doesn't even like chewing on his nylabone. Iago is his own dog.
As for me, I started the year right with a couple of nine mile walks. My feet are feeling pretty good. I'm walking with some new custom insoles and they feel pretty good so far.
I really don't have any major projects besides keeping the house clean ... or trying to now that we have a shedding dog living with us. I've started buying things for my next Camino. Little things that I'll talk about later. I'm still recovering from losing the backup drive. I now have three or four copies of everything (computer, external USB drive, NAS, and online backup service) - a little overkill maybe but something I should have done a long time ago. I'm using the loss to reorganize my files into a more logical system. I downloaded all the pictures I'd uploaded to Flickr, all 6,640+, and I'm slowly sorting them into folders and renaming all the files. Fortunately I had copies of my best pictures up on Flickr. Sadly most of the pictures of the Wife and I were not on Flickr and many good pictures of ourselves, friends, and family are gone now.
That's enough rambling for now. Ready for week number two.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Welcoming Santiago
Today we got a new family member. Almost three years since we lost Homer, the sounds (and smells) of a dog are once again gracing our home. The new dog, a five year old black lab originally named Chalmers, has been rechristened Santiago (Iago for short).
Santiago is a farm dog who, unfortunately for his former owners, had a taste for chickens. He'll have to learn how to be a house/backyard dog. This shouldn't be a problem since, due to his taste in fowl, he was confined to a pen most of the time. Having the run of the house and our backyard will give him a bit more space.
He's already ran around the house a few times, knocked over the terracotta soldiers (none broken, all out of reach now), lifted his leg on the Christmas Tree (well, it is a tree), and rolled around in the snow. All part of getting adjusted to his new home.
His owners say he is good on a leash. If this turns out to be true, and it seems to be true so far, I may do what I never did with Homer: take him on some of my hikes. This way I can get my walking and Iago's exercise done together. I also have to take him to the dog park, something I did with Homer only on rare occasions - he didn't seem to like being around other dogs, they annoyed him.
He's a bit different from Homer. That is an adjustment I will have to make. I'll have to stop comparing him with Homer. That's habit that will be hard to break.
He's already ran around the house a few times, knocked over the terracotta soldiers (none broken, all out of reach now), lifted his leg on the Christmas Tree (well, it is a tree), and rolled around in the snow. All part of getting adjusted to his new home.
His owners say he is good on a leash. If this turns out to be true, and it seems to be true so far, I may do what I never did with Homer: take him on some of my hikes. This way I can get my walking and Iago's exercise done together. I also have to take him to the dog park, something I did with Homer only on rare occasions - he didn't seem to like being around other dogs, they annoyed him.
He's a bit different from Homer. That is an adjustment I will have to make. I'll have to stop comparing him with Homer. That's habit that will be hard to break.
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