Late in the Afternoon

Dan and I did a full day of yard work, under Jake’s supervision. I left his leg braces off today since he was just lounging around on the grass – mostly sleeping but occasionally greeting neighbors and kids in strollers, or inspecting our progress on the plantings. As much as I love the “big idea” postings in distinctive places, these kinds of days are my favorites. Like the saying goes, “music is the space between the notes”.

Always Remember to Respect Your Mother, Pt. 2

Jake got to meet the Nuggets’ mascot, Rocky, last week. Since today is Mother’s Day, here’s an old photo of my mom with Rocky. My parents came out to Colorado for a visit when I worked for the Denver Nuggets. I’m not sure about the exact date. I think it was sometime during the 1995-96 season. Why doesn’t Rocky ever age? More postings of Mom here and here.

“Cause when love is gone, there's always justice
And when justice is gone, there's always force
And when force is gone, there's always Mom…Hi, Mom!”

“Oh, Superman” by Laurie Anderson

Hope & Glory

Welcome to the one year anniversary of “That Soft Dog”. This blog was only meant to last a couple months but here we are. Jake returned to the Furry Scurry today. When we went last year, it seemed like the start of a very sad, short process, with a predetermined outcome. Now it feels incredibly optimistic. Two years in a row. Should we even dare shoot for three? Maybe this is a good indication of why it’s foolish to worry about the future.

Like Cats and Dogs

During the peak of Nuggets-mania in 2009, I took Jake down to the Pepsi Center and shot a pic of him wearing a Walter Davis jersey in front of the arena. I had this insane idea about doing a photo shoot with Jake and the Nuggets’ super-mascot, Rocky, on the court. I worked for the team from 1986 to 1996 and still have many great friends there. I figured it would be a “slam dunk” (sorry, couldn’t resist). But we ran out of time. The Nuggets were out of the NBA Playoffs before I could line the shot up. And of course, there was no way this dog would be around for the 2010 playoffs. Wrong. Here’s Jake inside the Pepsi Center before the doors opened for Game 5 vs. the Utah Jazz. (And don't forget, he's already been on Invesco Field. What's next? Maybe the pitcher's mound at Coors Field?)

Lesson learned: Dream big and ignore the shot clock.

Years Could Go By

Well, it looks like we made it to a major milestone. One year ago today, Jake was diagnosed with cancer. The prognosis was only 2 to 3 months. I got him 9+ months longer than I thought. His birthday, my birthday. The anniversary of my mom’s death and the anniversary of him coming home weeks later. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s. What a great time of year to live in Denver. Lawns are greening up. Flowers are blooming. Enjoy some springtime colors from the front yard while Jake and I celebrate with a short walk on his bionic legs.

Everything Will Be Alright Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of Jake’s cancer diagnosis. My dad just happened to be visiting from Florida that day and was one of the first to hear the sad news. Oddly enough, he’s back in Colorado this weekend. Much better situation today. We took a quick afternoon walk over to Mayfair Park for a few pics. I think Jake may be getting bored of these photo shoots now. Do you blame him? More dad-related stories here and here, if you’re interested.

Up on the Catwalk

More photos from Project Ruffway...Jake drags me across the runway…

The amazing team from CSU Animal Cancer Center...

Jake meets my new girlfriend, Miss Colorado (just kidding)…

Ready for the Floor

Project Ruffway, the benefit for the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation, was a blast. Jake was a pro. A little shaky walking up the 3 steps with his leg braces but once he was on the runway, he was in his element. Dr. Hardy from the CSU Animal Cancer Center introduced him as a cancer survivor, which got the crowd energized. I bet he thought, “Hey, that applause must be for me!” So right on cue he did a couple laps, generously doling out love to the VIP’s sitting around the edge of the stage while the cameras flashed.

There are lots of party pics at the MetroMix and Blacktie-Colorado websites. I’ll post some others soon. There are so many to choose from. 9News was also there to shoot footage for a follow-up feature on Jake’s battle with cancer. April 18th will be the one-year anniversary of his diagnosis. A lot can happen in one year.

Daytime Drama

Jake appeared live on Colorado & Company this morning (his third time on 9News). He was promoting tickets to Project Ruffway on Friday night. It’s a fashion show that raises funds for the CSU Animal Cancer Center. Buy a ticket and help support the research programs that have made it possible for him to actually attend this year!

One More Time

Two more medical visits this week. Dr. Hedlin at Aspenwood Animal Hospital takes x-rays to confirm that Jake has torn the CCL on the other rear leg. We were expecting that eventually. It’s pretty common. However, the left rear leg (the first one to tear) is actually stabilizing a bit so we’re happy about that. Surgery is still not an option due to the chemo, so we’re back to OrthoPets (at their new, expanded building) for his second leg brace. As usual, Martin and Amy Kaufman, and their staff were fantastic. And I can’t believe that we’re just two weeks away from the one-year anniversary of the cancer diagnosis. He was supposed to be gone last summer. So what if he wears two braces for walks now? He’s still here and cancer-free right now.

Red Frame/White Light

Multiple photos and posts, all from one day. Broke my own rules but sometimes you gotta color outside the lines. And why not? I almost used a different photo of Jake here…one of him “smiling”. But then I saw this one. Eyes closed like a Robert Mapplethorpe portrait. Like he is taking in a deep breath or saying a prayer? Lord, make me a bird so I can fly far, far away?

The Red and the Black

In 1968, a group of contemporary artists named “Art for the Cities, Inc.” had a concept for 9 abstract sculptures in D.C. Burns Park. These were meant to be temporary but four sculptures still remain today. So, why some and not others? Here’s Jake in front of two of them. They’re both called “Untitled”. The closest one is by Wilbert Verhelst made of plywood. The furthest one is by Roger Kotoske, made of plywood and fiberglass.

Denver Parks #27

Jake travels by car along Colorado Boulevard frequently. Here’s another park that we’ve driven by thousands of times. It’s a triangle between Colorado, Alameda and Leetsdale. It’s almost halfway between his two houses. Today was the first time we’ve ever stopped here.

I've Seen That Movie Too

Here’s the finished video from the interview that Jake and I did at Orthopets. We taped this on my birthday when my nephew, Grant, was in town. They asked me to do a testimonial about the leg brace for his torn ACL/CCL. We still can’t do surgery on his leg, due to the chemo, so this is a great alternative.

OrthoPets Customer Testimonial: Mike and Jake from OrthoPets on Vimeo.

Quick Painless & Easy

Jake took another round of his chemo today. Just 3 pills of a drug called Lomustine (CCNU). We put them in this cool treat called Pill Pockets and he wolfs them down. It’s not even a big deal at this point. No visible side effects. We’ll go back to his vet in a week to recheck his bloodwork.

Heart Shaped World

Our neighbor down the block, Gina, stopped by with a surprise Valentine for Jake. She’s quite talented. She drew his portrait a few months back and created an awesome thank you card when we dropped off more art supplies one day. I love the paper-doll cutouts of Jake on this piece. Once again, she captures the leg brace perfectly.

A Photograph of You

I was flipping through the latest issue of Denver Magazine and came across Jake in their party pics. These were pictures from the K-9’s Against Cancer walk back in October. It was so cold that day but I’m glad we did it to support the Bow Wow Buddies foundation. They raise funds for the CSU Animal Cancer Center and of course, Jake is still here today due to their efforts. We’re going to help them out with another fun event called Project Ruffway on Friday, April 9th. More details soon!

Gone Daddy Gone

My dad was in town for one night and he stayed with us. Check out the Father's Day post if you want to see a goofy pic of us. We love when Papa Bob comes to visit. Jake gets lots of treats and we usually get a few Ben Franklins, too. It was a fast trip. He had to leave the house at 5:30 am for his flight so this was the only time we could snap a quick photo with Jake for the blog. Dan even let me turn the Christmas lights on for a quick sec to add some light to this early morning shot. I just realized that Dad's last visit to Denver was on April 18, 2009. The same day Jake received his cancer diagnosis. We're fast approaching the 1-year anniversary. Not bad for a dog that was only supposed to be here for a few months.

Get the Balance Right

Jake went to Aspenwood Animal Hospital today for another blood draw. His lab results are great. Everything seems to be in a normal range. I’ll call CSU ACC next week to arrange for the delivery of Jake’s next round of chemo pills. It’ll be a slightly smaller dosage this time around, followed by another blood test in a week.

An Ordinary Day

Nothing earth-shaking happened today. Just a leisurely afternoon walk at our favorite park (which was the first photo in our series of Denver Parks, btw). And sometimes that’s all you need, huh? I like this simple photo. Warm afternoon light. Sleepy eyes. Horizontal pose. Grass like hay. His brace and boots look so athletic. Like he finished a marathon or a couple rounds in the ring.

The Girls Want to Be with the Girls

My niece, Catelin, turned 21 last August. For her birthday, I created a gift certificate good for 2 plane tickets anywhere to celebrate it with me and Dan. She goes to school at Ole Miss and still had a few days left on her holiday break. We made an impulsive decision. Always the best kind. I burned some airline miles and flew her and a friend, Jenny Claire, out to Denver for a short but action-packed visit. We took them shopping. Lunch at the new Earl’s. Dinner at Vesta Dipping Grill and to see Cats (in a limo, no less). Post-show drinks at the top floor of the Hyatt. More shopping. Movie at the Landmark with VIP seats. Cocktails at Jing. Brunch at Elway’s. Even more shopping. Tickets to a Nuggets game in a Pepsi Center suite. And of course, we took the standard “front of the house” photo with Jake. Her brother, Blake, came out last year to see Blink 182 and got one of those, too. I also flew her youngest brother, Grant, out in December for my own birthday but somehow I spaced out taking a pic of him with Jake. Guess that means he will be back out soon so I can complete the set!

Denver Parks #26

When we came out of REI, we spotted another park sign right across the Platte River. Jake might as well start off the new year right with another one to add to the series. We visited 25 (which is about 10% of the Denver Parks system) in 2009. I think we may actually be able to do at least another 25 in 2010. For some reason, Jake eats snow all the time now.

(The Angels Want to Wear My) Red Shoes

Dan and I took Jake for a quick shopping excursion today. We were searching for some canine footwear called Bark'n Boots Grip Trex and we found them at Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI). Their huge flagship store is located on the Platte River near downtown. The structure is an amazing historic landmark that was built in 1901. It was originally the Denver Tramway Powerhouse building, which housed the boilers and engines used to generate electricity for the city’s streetcars. Only service dogs are allowed inside so Jake didn’t get to check out the 45-foor climbing wall. He and I waited outside while Dan went in to purchase them. And of course we had to try them on right away. The boots are great for hiking and cold weather. They seemed to give Jake a lot more confidence. He even did a bit of a gallop ahead of us a few times as we walked down the bike path next to the river. That was the most I’ve seen him run since he blew out his ACL. Worth every bit of the $60 we paid.

Heads Will Roll

We went outside today and noticed this. Sometime last night, someone came by and knocked off the head of the lighted dog that Dan bought at Home Depot. Correct, that was Christmas night! Now who would do that? And why take the head and leave the rest??? A bit sad but it also made us laugh, considering the pics I’ve been taking of Jake next to this electric dog lately. Maybe his telekinetic powers are finally starting to develop, just like Carrie or Jean Grey.

Every Day Should Be a Holiday

Jake unwraps a new toy. Mele Kalikimaka!

The Day Before the Day

It snowed in Denver last night. Appropriate and quite festive. Everything is covered in white but it’s bright and clear today. Over 300 days of sunshine here, if you want to believe all the tourism statistics. I think it’s true. Jake lounged in front of the wrapped Christmas presents this afternoon.

And apparently still not amused by his electrical doppelgänger (which is just a fancy word for “evil twin”) in front of the house. Bizarro Superman? Serena? Maybe we just need a goatee so you know which one is which.

The Gift

Earlier this week, OrthoPets called to ask if Jake and I were doing anything today. They were producing a new promotional video for their company and wanted to interview a few patients on camera. Well, it also happens to be my birthday but this year is only #49. The big bash will wait until 2010 so no plans today. And anyway, I’m always up for a good pet-oriented cause when someone asks, especially since the leg brace has really made such an improvement in his mobility. My nephew, Grant, was flying in from Memphis to celebrate with me and Dan. Jake and I went to the airport to pick him up, then drove straight to OrthoPets for the interview. Later that night, the four of us made a great dinner at home. I kept thinking back to when I got Jake’s cancer diagnosis back in April, and how I didn’t think he’d make it to his own birthday in July. Now 5 months later, he’s still in remission and helping me celebrate mine. Best gift I could have. So when someone asks you what you want for your birthday or for Christmas, what do you say? I know my list has evolved this year.