New addition to the family

No, I didn't bring a new doggy back from California!

Actually, my sister who lives there adopted this cute, adorable, sweet, lovely, precious.........sigh....., anyway...she adopted this baby Chihuahua while we were there visiting. Her name is Sofia, and she is so small that she fits in one hand.

This little one was passed around as a last leftover from a backyard breeder's litter to first one person who didn't want her, then to his friend who didn't want her, then to a friend of his who gave her to his grandmother who also didn't want her. My sister knows the grandmother's family, so that's how my sister got her. And get this; the backyard breeder is expecting another litter! OMG...it's enough to make our heads explode!

But, let me tell you this little one is now very much wanted! The day after she came to live with my sister, we went to a nice little family-owned pet supply shop in San Jose and bought the best food, chewies, a crate, a baby-gate, harness, lead, collar...you name it, and she bought it. Of course I was there supervisng the whole time; "No, don't get that food...it's made by a company who doesn't care where the ingredients come from," or, "Get this shampoo, it doesn't have any nasty chemicals in it." Yes, she got the full benefit of my experience ;>

Anyway, we are just happy this little one is now safe and happy.

We had a wonderful time there as well. Nice, cool weather as usual. We rode horses on Salinas State Beach one day, which I had been looking forward to. There were 3 dead California Sea Lions washed up on the beach, which was not expected, but nevertheless I see similar things like that whenever I go to CA, and I am always surprised when I do. However, we also saw a wild deer running through the dunes, which was very cool. And we also saw a live Sea Lion swimmiing in the waves.

Of course at Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey there are rafts that float about in the Bay that are there for the purpose of allowing the resident Sea Lions to take refuge on them while they are swimming in and out of the marina. They help them to get out of the way of the incoming and outgoing boats. Plus, it provides plenty of entertainment to those of us who stand on the piers oooing and ahhhing at them for hours upon hours. Also, there are always plenty of tourists from other countries standing about asking, "Do they always do that"?

The answer is always, "Yes, and be sure to go up to San Francisco's Pier 49 to see hundreds more of them, and don't forget to donate to the Marine Mammal Center while you're there"!

We left CA eight years ago to come live here in Arizona, and the Monterey area is the only place I had ever really liked then and now. I had lived in Northern CA for 31 long years. I always felt that there was something real about the Monterey area that can't and won't get "californiaized." However, it's not for lack of trying on the state's part!

So be sure and visit, and don't forget to donate to the Marine Mammal Center while you're there, and to any Chihuahua Rescue you see along the way!