Our friend Bacchus crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Tuesday. It's so hard to lose a friend. Vale, Bacchus. Sleep well, and dream wonderful dreams.

We're still in Mexico, going back to Tucson on Monday. Probably, we'll only stay there long enough for both of us to get groomed, and then come back here for another couple of weeks. Even if we lived here, we'd have to go back to Tucson every two weeks for grooming. Both of us. Actually, at this point, I don't know whose hair looks worse!

Bao has been constipated. This is something new, and not much fun for either of us. He can't understand what's wrong. He squats and looks up at me as if he's saying, It always used to work. What's going on?

I'm thinking it's partly old age, and partly dehydration (getting Bao to drink enough water has always been an uphill battle) It's not chronic, only every few weeks. People (including the veternarian and Bao's wonderful groomer Ginny) have suggested different things. Tinned dog food, for example, to increase his water intake. But he hates it. Milk of Magnesia works, but usually not until 3 am. which is inconvenient.

Suggestions, anyone?