Orion – One Year Old

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Orion, a miniature schnauzer born on October 20, 2008, is one year old today. He came to live with us from the Pikes Peak Humane Shelter on December 18, 2008.

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I would have taken him for a haircut to celebrate his birthday but there is a dog flu epidemic in Colorado Springs right now, and I want him fully inoculated before he goes to the groomers’ again. Besides, I don’t think Orion thinks going to be groomed is much of a celebration.

His favorite things are eating, playing with his packmates, riding in the car to play-dates with his BFFs Cheney and Brody, playing with his squeaky toys, playing “Where’s Jack,” and giving Puppy Wakeup Calls.  He is much stronger than one would expect of a dog his size, and quite athletic. I don’t pick him up very often, since I am not into carrying dogs, but whenever I do I go “oomph.”

He has been a very healthy puppy.  I was concerned at one point because his permanent teeth came in and the deciduous (baby) teeth didn’t fall out.  His vet recommended waiting and seeing what would happen and the deciduous teeth finally fell out about two months later.  This was a big relief: I didn’t want him to undergo surgery to remove the teeth, but it was disconcerting when he would yawn and remind one of the movie, “Jaws.”

I hardly ever call him the demon puppy anymore.

Statue of Liberty

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Reviewing photos taken on the Staten Island Ferry made me realize how much my camera needed cleaning, and that my own efforts to do so were making things worse. Fortunately, we found Chrysler Camera Repair, across the street from the fabulous B&H photo superstore, and were able to get our cameras cleaned with a couple of hours turnaround on our last day in Manhattan. (I retouched this photo to get rid of the worst specks.)