Lucy, you've got some catching up to do...

Ola Lola's "bar dogs" - Amber in the red collar, Jazz in the blue - sleeping on the deck...

and playing in the ocean.


Thanks to all our regular readers/addicts for your patience. It's been an amazing week with E. here and Amber and Jazz moving here. We've been very busy getting reacquainted and just spending time together. Jazz and Amber are getting used to their new home, learning about the road in front of Lola's, learning and getting comfortable in their new roles as "bar dogs," learning to play on the beach and in the ocean, and shedding their winter undercoats.

We also spent part of the time we've been entertaining a friend and a friend of the friend from Michigan. More about that in future posts.

E. and I spent a lot of time working on "things" for the future of Lola's - a planning and testing the new menu to put in place when E. comes back for good in May, ordering Ola Lola's T-shirts (we'll let you know when they're in; you'll be able to order them on-line or at least via e-mail), getting new signs made.

Short story, I haven't had a lot of time (or inclination) to write.

But early this morning E. flew back to Michigan. All four of us - E., Amber, Jazz and me - start a new phase of the adventure. E. is headed back to Michigan without the dogs. She will have a couple of months (we're not sure exactly how long) back there without them. Now I have the dogs (as much as I love them, they are a poor poor substitute for E.'s presence and company) and their needs will define a greater portion of my life.

The first eight weeks of separation from E. were almost impossibly difficult. I don't even want to think about how hard the next weeks are going to be. We were standing in line at the airport this morning, waiting for E. to go into the security screening. Right up til then I was in total denial about her leaving. Then, after she left, the ten minute drive home from the airport was the longest ten minutes maybe I've ever spent. The drive down "off the mountain" is usually comforting and relaxing. This morning I started crying as I started down the hill and cried all the way home. I guess ( I HOPE) I'll stop soon, but I'm not counting on it.