Thanks to an enterprising pal, Daisy’s face is now being marketed in the form of a greeting card. Currently, they’re only available in a few boutiques in Silverlake. I’ll keep you posted when they can be ordered online.

Other exciting news: Daisy got a new couch. Sure, I picked it out, paid for it, and had it delivered, but it’s hers. The addition to my studio apartment actually made the place seem bigger. By replacing the overstuffed chair and ottoman with the smaller 40’s style peach-colored settee, I gained a few feet of real estate. And now that Daisy seems to prefer the new/used couch above all else, I’ve reclaimed some legroom in my day bed. Daisy is like having a roommate; negotiating for space is an ongoing battle.

When I went to look at the couch, which was in Granada Hills, 50 miles up the 405, one of my Dog Park pals rolled with me. We’d been looking for an opportunity to do a mini road trip to see how our mutts got along in the car. Jeanine and her cattle dog Casey were excellent company. Daisy and Casey wrestled in the back seat while Jeanine and I prattled on in the front. The only mishap was that when we went into the shop Daisy consumed a forgotten box of fiber cereal. Jeanine laughed it off.

 After shopping, we took the beasts to Laurel Canyon Dog Park (http://www.laparks.org/dos/parks/facility/dogparks/laurelCynDogPk.htm). This really is one of the nicest off-leash dog parks I’ve ever visited. And just as a reminder that we are in LA, we saw a doggie birthday party being set up. Streamers and balloons sectioned off a part of the park, a mobile groomer arrived, followed by a gourmet dog bakery truck. We were going to hang around for the rock band and poodle strippers to arrive, but instead we went to Trader Joe’s for more cereal.

Other news: Elroy, my friend Z’s cat, had surgery last week. It was upon return from her mother’s funeral Z discovered that Elroy had a fur ball lodged in his intestines. The problem had gotten worse and he was unable to digest food. He’d lost weight, was dehydrated, and was going downhill fast. Z consulted her regular vet who gave her some pills and said come back in a week. She wrote out a check and took Elroy home. But after a day, Z didn’t think her kitty would last a week. In search of a second opinion, she consulted another vet who recommended she see a specialist. However, before Z went to the specialist, he said he would take x-rays and do some stop gap procedures. In tears, Z agreed and wrote out a check. When she got to the specialist, he said he couldn’t use the other vet’s x-rays and estimated that surgery would cost $7,600.00 to $10,000.00. That’s when I got the call.  

 Z’s one of my best friends. She’s an incredibly bright woman, reasonable, rationale. But on the heels of burying her mother, having to decide the fate of her beloved cat was just too much to deal with. Between sobbing and wailing she told me news. Ten grand was a bundle. “That’s how much my parents paid for their house!” cried Z. Mind you that was decades ago, yet still it was a sobering comparison. It’s terrible to have to put a dollar value on one's pet. Yet truth be told, for pets and people, death has a price.

Mid conversation, the delivery guys showed up with the couch. “Call me back,” I said. 

I waited for hours without word. So, fearing the worst, I called Z. She answered on the first ring, slight slur in her voice yet a much brighter tone. Apparently, the specialist came back with a second, more reasonable estimate--$3,600-$5,200. Z agreed. Elroy went under the knife and Z went home to knock back a few cocktails.

Update: Elroy is fully recovered. He is now required to eat a special diet and take anti-fur ball medicine. Z is thrilled to have her baby back, to have its hunks of white fur floating on every surface, attaching itself to every piece of clothing and furniture.

Daisy has spent every night on the peach couch. Hence, I have reclaimed my bed all to myself. Yes!

Casey ended up eating the box of cereal we bought to replace the one Daisy ate. And then, just to confirm none of us is perfect, it ate a third box.