The joyous life of Casey Charles Jones–thief of balls, connoisseur of sidewalk-aged pizza, sworn enemy of squirrels and new best pal of every person with a smile and a scritch to share–ended gracefully today at 10 to 3 after
From day one we’ve called Casey a ginger dog, but “autumn leaf dog” would do as well–and applies to his stage of life. At 10, he’s as chipper as ever but has spinal arthritis and is well on his way
It’s not every book club that gets to savor wine, apps and conversation while watching the sun set over Lake Ontario. I lucked out with this group of dog-minded readers. If only you could see the whimsically mismatched earrings one
My Casey, who fancies himself a rodent slayer, is not what you could call a dog of letters. I can count all the words he understands without using all my fingers. If he could tell a story, it would be
The weeping woman sat front-row center, cheek pressed against her husband’s lapel. She had come to hear my story of “overcoming depression,” as I said in those days. When I got to the part about sobbing on the kitchen floor
A good dog, a jaunty hat, a silk scarf that seems new because I found it at the bottom of the scarf bin. Shoes to stride in (take THAT, osteoarthritis!). No Maxi-pad. Let that sink in. If you are a
August 21 was my day. No, not my birthday–I’ll be 73 for another two months. The day I share with the rest of us who had the good fortune not to die young and now have our very own place
I’m a complicator, except when Casey is beside me. Every day is his best day since… well, yesterday. Today is his high tide of happiness until tomorrow brings more kibble in his bowl, more cheese flecks to lick from the
I’m an author and keynote speaker who found happiness at 65—a story I tell in my new memoir Starter Dog: My Path to Joy, Belonging and Loving This World. In a former life as Editor of Chatelaine, Canada’s premier magazine, I disclosed my struggle with depression and helped kickstart a national conversation about mental health. I’ve been married more than 50 years and am a firm believer that road trips go better with a dog in the back seat. I’ve learned plenty about staying well from people with diplomas on their walls but my best mental health coach is a rescue dog named Casey.