Travels with my Aunt – With apologies to Grahame Green – by Juno

Juno is an award-winning canine blogger who recently was unable to attend the Juno awards as dogs are not allowed on the red carpet. She lives in Summerland, BC with her Mamaw and Papaw, Kathie and Ken.

My auntie Sheila came to stay the other day. She will be here for most of the week. Sheila is Papaw’s sister, eleven years older than him, so that means wiser? Hmm . . . will need to think about that.

I love having company, specially family members who love dogs, and . . . me! Recently widowed, and having cared for her husband, Bill, for a number of years, she is now able to come and visit us in our little Town of Summerland.

She is a jolly sort, full of stories and ideas, and she loves to cuddle on the couch, though like many other humans, she gets hot after a while. She seems very impressed with our new home as we now approach ten months living here—time flies!—A big house-warming anniversary is just around the corner. Oh, did I mention that my birthday is also on the horizon; I am almost four years old.

Sheila and Mamaw enjoy chatting together—they never run out of things to talk about. She and Mamaw spend time perusing local shops—especially shoe stores. We went out to a local music event last night. Te Mandolin player fell in love with me. His dog is named Monty. We enjoyed a local block party yesterday. All this, in just a few days. We have not been idle.

Back to Summerland, and the dog parks. Sheila is a bit wobbly on her feet, so no challenging hikes for now, like ascending Giant’s Head Mountain—it’s a pretty small mountain I say. The weather is hot once more, so we pace ourselves physically. Papaw has got everyone playing Connections in addition to Wordle—we all hope to keep Dementia distant. We watch movies and TV together. We plan to watch Beaches tonight. There are, sadly, no dogs in Beaches—how do you have a beach without a dog? Really!—but there is music, great music—the film is a 123 minute showcase for Bette Midler.

Funnily enough, the two main characters in Beaches first met in 1958, und  er the boardwalk (cue music) in Atlantic City. (This is the same year that Papaw was born.) Through all sorts of twists and turns, and after considerable turmoil, misunderstanding, and rivalry, the women forge a beautiful friendship together.

I titled my blog “Travels with my Aunt,” a 1969 novel by Grahamme Greene. Greene was a master storyteller, a chronicler of relationships—warts, and triumphs together. That’s why we continue to read him. He re-creates life in our imaginations, as we learn, and love together.

Friends, and family . . . There is a difference between the two. You can choose the former, but you inherit the latter. There are many crossovers between these two types of relationships. What is common between the two is they both take work, regardless of circumstance, through times of ease and disease—even in my down-to-the-ground doggie world.

There are all sorts of dogs in the dog park: some move fast, some move slow; some are more aggressive and others more   reclusive; Some dogs are fit and furious, while others require quiet tender loving care. The charism required of us all, is kindness. “Kill ‘em with kindness,” someone said. What a strange phrase—but it works.

Welcome Auntie Sheila. Let’s enjoy each other’s company. And come back, again, and again.

Juno