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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JANUARY 2021 9 By Rascal McDonald Hi, let me introduce myself. My name is Rascal. I am a six-pound Yorkshire Terrier and I am 13 years old, but young at heart. I have lived with my special person, Connie McDonald, since I was a puppy. She keeps telling me that she named me appropriately, whatever that means. She says when I was a puppy I would jump on the couch and take my siestas as soon as she left the house. Occasionally, I would get caught and get "the look." I would get "the look" many times growing up for simple things like chewing up her favorite stuffed animal, digging in the trash, dragging her bra around the house, or not coming when I was called. I still don't come when I am called, but I have an excuse. They say it's a Yorkie trait so I can't help it. It just comes naturally and is beyond my control. My favorite day of the week is Thursday when our gardener comes to the yard. I get so excited when he is here, mowing the lawn and making all that noise. I get to run around the house and bark all I want while he is here because my special person knows how much I love that day. I feel just like a puppy again. My special person has loved me greatly through the years and has taken such good care of me. In my advancing years, I am beginning to slow down now. The legs don't move as quickly, the hearing is going, and the eyes are getting cloudy; and for some reason, I sleep a lot. I had to have my remaining six teeth pulled last August for my health the vet said. My special person wasn't too happy because she said all her COVID-relief stimulus check went to pay the bill. But I'm doing ok. Actually, life is good now. I get that expensive, all-meat dog food since my teeth are gone — no more kibble. And I even get lunch now because I don't have kibble to nibble on throughout the day. And this COVID thing isn't too bad either. I get my special person at home a lot more so I can sit in her lap and get that special attention she calls 'spoiled.' I follow her from room to room to outside and we go on a lot more car rides. I still get dragged on short walks, but I love the beautiful grounds and all the rabbits at Solera Diamond Valley. I think of myself as four feet tall when I'm walking with my special person until a much bigger dog comes up to me. But I will stand my ground. I have to protect my special person. After all, she's looked after me all these years. I know that I am loved. Life is good. Pet Of The Month Interview By Sherrie Chaparro, Resident For some reason, these days I find myself drawn to book series. Perhaps it's because there is enough unpleasant novelty in the world right now without delving into new books with new plot lines and new characters. After a point, the characters become as comforting as my cozy lounging clothes and a portion of mac and cheese. Here's what I've been reading lately: The Dublin Murder Squad series (six books) – Tana French A police procedural set in a Dublin homicide unit. Although the murder at the heart of each book is always compelling, I also liked the varied characters and character development of the narrator throughout each book. Interestingly, the narrator changes from book to book, and is usually someone who was a minor character in a previous book. Vera Stanhope series (nine books) – Ann Cleeves Another police procedural, these books are the basis for the television series Vera. I am seven books into this series now and must admit they are becoming a bit formulaic. However, I have yet to guess the murderer. I am not sure whether that speaks to my detective skills or the writer's creativity. The Last Hundred Years Trilogy – Jane Smiley For those of you who like family sagas, I highly recommend these three books. Jane Smiley is an excellent Pulitzer prize winning author, and thus far I have enjoyed all her books (except for Greenlanders). This series focuses on one Iowa family and their family farm, starting in 1920 up to the present. It was fascinating to read about character traits passed from generation to generation, and how a character's past affects his current life and actions. More Book Reviews

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