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America, February 9, 2010

Segundo: The Best 37th Birthday Present Ever

What more to ask for?
 I turned 37 years old today, which means its only 3 short more years till I'm 40. Or mid-life. Halfway from birth to death. And I couldn't be happier.

Just three years ago, I was a whole different person on my birthday. No wife, no kid, no house, and no dog. I was young and free, sporting a fine Puerto Rico tan. But I was all alone.

Today, I am much different person. I'm blessed with a wonderful, loving wife, an angle child, our own (affordable) home, and the amazing Snow Dog Taxi. Today, I am so much happier than 3 years ago.

Introducing Segundo

What might a happy man want on his 37th birthday? First, it took me a bit to figure out which year this is for me - was I turning 37 or 38? So maybe I could ask for the mental quickness of my youth.

But better than that, in fact the best birthday present ever, is this, the second addition to our family. I have the great honor of introducing Segundo:

Even though Segundo is the masculine form of "second" in Spanish, don't think this is a boy-child. Amy and I are hoping for healthy - everything else is bonus. So keep your blues and pinks at bay till the August birth.

With any luck, we'll be hearing more than heartbeats soon enough.

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America, February 5, 2010

Snowpocolypse 2010: A Taxi Dog Delight


Snow Dog Taxi on patrol
What happens when you mix 30+ inches of snow and one Taxi Dog? You get happiness that can only be expressed with a yelp of delight. That's how "Snow Dog" Taxi greeted the great Snowpocolypse 2010 in Washington DC.

First out the door as the snowflakes started, Snow Dog Taxi is in love with the white fluffy stuff from above. She knows it means extended exploration of the neighbourhood as her owner shovels the sidewalk. She can also cross streets without care, as cars are rare, and when present, slowing to a crawl to keep control.

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America, January 10, 2010

Driving 35 Hours with 1 Year Old Hanalei


Which way to go?
Just think about this for a minute - driving 35 hours with a 1 year old daughter. Any parent starts to cringe, preparing for a tale of crying, seat-kicking, marriage-ending woe. You'll read about that in some other place, for here, I have only happiness to report.

Amy, Hanalei, Dog Taxi and I - that's 2 parents, 1 child and 1 dog, drove from Washington DC to Atlanta, to Vero Beach and back to Washington DC over Christmas without a single scream, tantrum, or pork rind. Yeah, I'm in shock too.

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America, October 28, 2009

Petworth Dog Walk Halloween 2010


Freaky dogs in DC
2010 marked the second year of the Petworth Dog Walk Halloween - a celebration for dogs and their owners. Domku Restaurant in the Petworth neighborhood hosted pooches from all over Washington DC in a fun and furry competition for the best costumes and tricks that dogs and their owners could perform.

And the best way to really appreciate the tail wagging good time is to watch this video:

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America, October 17, 2009

Portland Brewpub Beer Tours


Looks like beer-topia!
Beer - is there a better reason to visit Portland? For Amy and I, that was reason enough to celebrate her birthday in Portland, Oregon. She had never been, but heard all my stories of good times in the land of hops. My tales of beer-topia, where every bar is a brewpub and bathrooms are denoted by sign of barley or hops - guess which is which!

To help us navigate such tricky beer house rules, we enlisted my good friend Dieselboi, of VBC Brewpub Tour fame. Accompanied by his loving and patient wife, the four of us went beer tasting.

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America, September 12, 2009

Taxi Dog Pool Day in Washington DC


Jump in Taxi Dog!
What's the best day for a dog in Washington DC? Doggie pool day!

After Washington DC's pools are closed for the season, usually around Labour Day, the DC Department of Recreation opens a pool or two for doggie swim day, before the city drains the pools. The pooch pool time is greatly enjoyed by both dogs and their owners - check out the photos!

Also check out Dog Taxi transforming into a canine seal - barking as she eats all the pool's water:

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Kenya, August 21, 2009

Moving Up in Upper Hill, Nairobi


A new Nairobi skyline sprouts
Back in the 1960's, the Upper Hill section of Nairobi was the enclave of the rich. It had nice homes surrounded by gardens above the bustle of Nairobi proper, but still very close to the city. After independence, many of the white landowners turned their property over to Kenyans.

By the time I first visited in 2004, it seemed a run-down neighbourhood. Those old homes were not kept up, and the gardens long gone. In fact, the Upper Hill seemed downtrodden enough to have a hostel there, Upper Hill Campsite, where I stayed. Now flash forward to 2009, and Upper Hill is on the up and up.

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