Pretty Pelusa needs pampering

Pelusa means "hairy" or "furry" and it's an apt name for the little rescue poodle I took in to foster last Friday. Unfortunately, her abundant fur was matted, so when I took her to the vet for grooming, health evaluation and shots I asked for a "puppy cut," an all-around short cut.

From early on in life, Pelusa's furry coat got her in trouble. She was owned by a Mexican family who said their children were allergic to her, so they tied her out in their yard for six years and pretty much forgot about her except for feeding her and getting her shots. She behaves as though she has never been petted, never been offered a treat, never been exposed to other dogs, never cuddled in a lap. If you throw a ball for her, she flinches as though she's accustomed to people throwing rocks at her. Her perpetually worried expression makes me want to hold her and reassure her, make her feel safe. She's frightened of my other three dogs and carefully avoids them, especially the Yorkie and the Dachsund, who chased and barked at her at first.

Sometimes having four dogs in the house reminds me of Middle School.

But day by day she is getting braver. Yesterday she barked once at the Yorkie, as though to say "Back away, b**ch!" That was the first and only time I heard her bark. This is not a yappy little dog.

She sleeps on the floor next to my side of the bed at night and during the day on a cushion under my desk, and follows me everywhere I go. Walking her is a bit of a challenge. Because she was tied to a tree all her life, she runs in circles. But she loves to be walked, and I'm convinced she'll "straighten out" (pun intended) eventually. Whoever adopts her is going to have to watch where they walk so they don't stumble over her.

If I had my druthers, I'd place her in a home with only a couple of humans and no dogs. Let her be the adored one after all those years of neglect, with someone who'd never think of tying her to a tree in the yard and forgetting about her.

Today I'm thankful for...

• This morning's spectacular sunrise.
• God's grace and generous blessings, beyond anything I could have wished for.
• Fall weather,  my favorite of the whole year.
• My Captain, still at the helm after 23 years.
• My son's upcoming wedding and the beautiful young woman who will soon be my daughter-in-law. I even get a step-grandson out of the deal!
• Music in my life. Friends to play and sing with, the best guitar teacher in Guaymas, all the opportunities flowing my way.
• Good health. It could change tomorrow but for just for today, I feel great!
• My little dogs, who always lighten my mood and brighten my day.
• Mexico, where I'm happier than I've ever been before.
• Another successful year publishing our antique guide, and remaining contentedly self-employed.
• The return of the Snowbirds. Every day another newly-arrived friend arrives, so happy to be warm.
• My gradual growth in learning Spanish. I'm still far from being fluently bilingual, but progress is what I'm after, not perfection.
• My own home, after a lifetime of renting and dreaming.
• Blogging. I may have neglected this space lately, but I'm back.

~ Happy Thanksgiving ~

Have a party, invite the world

A few months ago our music group discovered a new way to present a show—online! StageIt.Com offers bands and soloists a unique opportunity to perform live for an unlimited audience. Fans buy tickets for the show (which is NOT recorded, a one-time-only event) and can also tip the artists, make requests and chat.

"It's a way to tour the world without leaving home," says Evan  Lowenstein, who founded StageIt. Here's an explanation of how StageIt works, if you're curious.

Peter, Leslie and Bob, doing Leslie's song about Long John the Dentist

We have a sort of "extended family" of musicians here, with Bob and Leslie at the core; they're long-time professionals who've performed and toured with innumerable stars, including the Mamas & Papas. This year they added Peter Pope Jones, a British solo guitarist known for his infectious humor and boisterous voice. Peter's also a luthier, building his own fabulous guitars, and the go-to man for all of us who want to maximize our axes.

Peter Pope Jones kicks off our StageIt extravaganza

And then, this summer on my birthday, they invited me into the fold as well. They produce local shows, do recording in their home studio (recently worked on a CD for Peter, and I got to sing back-up), and perform biweekly at the Fiesta Hotel and every Saturday night at Evie's Restaurant. At both venues, a tip jar is their only source of remuneration. Leslie has been heard to say that she only wishes they'd come to Mexico ten years earlier. But they're not getting rich performing here.

Trailer Trash Royalty singing country songs

The jury's out on whether something like StageIt would make any difference economically, but that was hardly the point. Here was a chance to try something new, work through the learning curve and possibly find a wider audience. And it looked like fun. So B&L set up a webcam at Tilley's Bar, which is actually the front patio of a local couple's home, not an actual bar. Bruce, our host, was celebrating his 77th birthday, so they organized an all-out blast of a potluck party, with four different bands and five soloists (including me) performing and todo el mundo invited.

Bruce (in the red Hawaiian shirt) dances with friends

A couple of popular Mexican groups were included: The Twins, comprised of a large family of musicians with two generations of twin brothers, and Manuelito, one of the cutest and most talented Mexican singers I've heard. Sam Rainwater sang several of his original songs recently recorded on his latest CD, "Dressing for Life," which he'll introduce next Saturday at a party at the Fiesta Hotel.

The Twins

Manuelito

Sam Rainwater

I was taking pictures with my iPhone and they're pretty fuzzy, but next time I'll shoot with a real camera. We definitely plan to do it again, maybe with a more manageable slate of artists, probably back at Tilley's. And since it's a live show (watch it as it happens or you can't see it at all), I'll announce it ahead of time here and explain how to get tickets. And I've learned there's an app that will enable me to embed a show on Facebook so there's a way to keep it after all (once I figure out how)!

Big Frank gets soulful