The Dog-Walking Experience

It was a year ago today that the Trusty BoulevarDog left us. She has been much on Your Boulevardier’s mind on this anniversary weekend, in part because the Subcompact Loaner is spending a few days Chez Boulevardier. To re-enter the rhythms of dog ownership -- the joys and the complications thereof -- has been an eye-opening reminder of the Trusty BoulevarDog’s absence.

The now-absent dog-owning experience comes into particular focus in the twice- or thrice-daily walks that the Subcompact Loaner requires. She has been an enthusiastic walker these last couple of days, particularly for an animal of her tiny size. Walks of three miles have been undertaken without complaint or signs of exhaustion. The walks require the packing of poop bags (and a flashlight in the evening); the constant scanning of fellow pedestrians to determine those who do desire, or who do not wish, canine contact; the instant camaraderie that a dog-walker shares with other dog-walkers; and more. These factors, and others, make walking with a dog more complicated, but also more joyful and mindful, than walking on one’s own.

(On these walks, both on Stanton and Anita Avenues, our town’s patchwork of sidewalks, and the complications therefrom, have also become painfully apparent. But Your Boulevardier has complained enough about that subject of late.)

There’s an outing-related complication with walking the Subcompact Loaner that did not exist with the Trusty BoulevarDog: the Subcompact Loaner is tiny and, frankly, snatchable. The Trusty BoulevarDog was a good companion for a walk to the grocery store or the barbershop because she could be tied up outside without issue or complaint. She was mellow, but because she was medium-to-large in size and bore markings similar to those of a German Shepherd, she was not messed with by strangers. The Subcompact Loaner, by contrast, is less than 10 pounds in weight, light-colored, fluffy, and just plain cute. Sadly, a dog with those characteristics cannot be left outside a shop for 20 minutes without tempting fate. Sadly, not all people who claim to be dog-lovers are upstanding citizens. Look at all the abandoned dogs at the pound if you disagree.

This is a roundabout way of saying that walks with the Subcompact Loaner tend to be single-purpose outings: to walk the dog. They can’t be combined with dining out, or shopping, or other errands. That is a shortcoming of the Subcompact Loaner -- not a shortcoming of her own making or fault, but a shortcoming nonetheless that must be considered.

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Rereading this post from the top, two things strike Your Boulevardier. One, the post is more about the Subcompact Loaner than about the Trusty BoulevarDog. That’s as it should be. The Trusty BoulevarDog is remembered with love, but she is no longer here; the Subcompact Loaner is, and therefore deserves the attention. This does not, in Your Boulevardier’s opinion, take anything away from the Trusty BoulevarDog or her memory; it simply acknowledges the real world in which some of us are fortunate to live. Memory is a lovely thing, but life is more lovely.

Second, this post might be interpreted as complaining a bit about the Subcompact Loaner. That is not Your Boulevardier’s intention. She’s a fine dog and an entertaining companion. She has many positive attributes, including a skill for lap-sitting that Your Boulevardier finds comforting. She has a joie de vivre that's hard to match.

People frequently ask Your Boulevardier if he plans to get another dog. The stock answer -- which is true -- is “Not for now. It’s nice to be able to simply turn down the thermostat and lock the door when leaving the house. And it’s nice to not have tumbleweeds of dog fur rolling around the floor.”

But it also must be said that having another heartbeat in the house is life-affirming, and by re-experiencing it this weekend its absence is more clear. And there’s nothing that compares with the welcome a dog gives one when one returns home, even if one has ony been gone for a few minutes. There were countless delights in living with the Trusty BoulevarDog, and it’s a delight to host the Subcompact Loaner.

So, the next-dog question remains open. This post will close with a favorite photo of the two dogs. The contentment of them -- and, frankly, the humor of one large dog pouring out of its bed while a tiny dog disappears into its bed -- gives Your Boulevardier a happy feeling on a rainy, melancholy day.

Four Castro Valley Murals

Your Boulevardier spent some time over the weekend walking in San Francisco's Mission District and was swept away by the many stunning murals in the neighborhood. Then he realized: though they're not as eclectic, Castro Valley has a few murals of its own. Four are documented here; can you name others? Please click on the photos for larger images.


This mural is on the side of the former Valley Truck, 2625 Castro Valley Boulevard. The place is now a Budget Rent-A-Truck location (Your Boulevardier misses Valley Truck's giant tire sign), and the rental agency has chosen to mar the mural with its drop box and signage. Still, it's a fun mural and very appropriate for the business that formerly resided here.


This natural - perhaps hyper-natural - scene is on the garage door at Castro Valley Companion Animal Hospital, 2509 Lessley Avenue. (It's the same place that has the whimsical three-dimensional sign.)


Another veterinarian's office - this time Boulevard Pet Hospital, 3489 Castro Valley Blvd. - has a fetching collection of animals painted all over its building. The menagerie seems to expand each time Your Boulevardier walks by. (This is where both Chat du Boulevardier and the Trusty BoulevarDog received their care; at times, Your Boulevardier hopes to see their images immortalized too.)


A scene that could easily be at Lake Chabot is actually painted on the wall of Blenzers, 20668 Rustic Drive in Castro Village. Your Boulevardier is surprised that more people don't sit under the eaves at these tables on warm days, but the awnings at Starbucks seem to be more popular.

Humble Thanks

Your Boulevardier is grateful for the outpouring of support and kindness he has received from you, the readers, over the untimely passing of the Trusty BoulevarDog. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences. Some more photos of her will be posted here in the coming weeks, beginning with this one; she's relaxing with her friend, the Subcompact Loaner, last summer. It's amusing to note which dog took the big bed and which took the small.



Her departure does not mean the end of this blog. Indeed, a goodly amount of material has been collected for future postings, and more regular installments should begin appearing soon.

Trusty BoulevarDog - RIP

Yesterday afternoon the Trusty BoulevarDog took ill again. The circumstances were almost identical to the problems she had exactly six weeks ago: she looked tired and weak and uncomfortable, almost in the blink of an eye. Dr. Schuchman's office was called, and an early appointment was made for today (Saturday, January 17, 2009).

Your Boulevardier spent most of Friday evening on the floor with the dog, stroking her ears and talking to her. She looked confused and unhappy, but not in pain. She drank a little water but didn't move any more than necessary. She was moved into the bedroom around 11:00 p.m. -- literally slid along the floor using the blanket on which she rested -- and lay very still overnight. (She stood a couple of times but did not walk more than a few feet.) Your Boulevardier slept fitfully and had a strange dream about her, the content of which will remain private.

Mon Petit Chou arrived this morning and helped to transport the Trusty BoulevarDog to Boulevard Pet Hospital. She was brought immediately into a treatment room, then transferred to a different room with an ultrasound machine. A look inside revealed large tumor had grown, and subsequently ruptured, in her abdomen. Dr. Schuchman said a recurrence this rapid indicated that her quality of life would not be improved with further treatment; he advised that she be euthanized, and we agreed. She lay on her side; I knelt at her face and looked into her eyes as the drugs were administered. Mon Petit Chou and a kind vet tech stood at her back; all of us stroked and comforted her as she slipped away. All of us wept.

She was a fine dog, a good companion, faithful, much loved. She preferred people to dogs, but became fast friends with a few other canines, including Mon Petit Chou's Cavachon, codenamed Subcompact Loaner. She was not without her faults: she was a prolific shedder, and incapable of fetching.

Walks on the Boulevard without her will not be the same.

Below is a video of the Trusty BoulevarDog playing with the Subcompact Loaner a few months ago. Be sure to watch to the end.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

When Kris Noceda interviewed Your Boulevardier for his flattering article in The Daily Review, he started with a few general statements: "You blog about Castro Valley, you have a dog, you drink a lot of coffee ..."

The third comment took Your Boulevardier back at first, but he must admit that it is so. Coffee spots do hold a certain appeal, and make regular appearances in these pages. They're good spots to people-watch, and they hold sentimental value: The Trusty BoulevarDog was a regular habitue of Java Bob's when Hanna Carbone owned it, and her photo was taped up next to the cash register. Your Boulevardier remet Mon Petit Chou at Peet's a little over a year ago. An April 2007 post on the topic of unleashed dogs that garnered a bit of debate began with a visit to Valley Java.

But one digresses. Coffee is on the mind today because Your Boulevardier saw yet another article about the effects of coffee on the human body.

If your cup of joe starts talking to you, chances are you're a caffeine addict. People who drink a lot of coffee or other caffeinated beverages are more likely to report hearing voices or having out-of-body experiences than those who go easy on the strong stuff, according to a new study.

Perhaps the colorful characters Your Boulevardier encounters on the streets of the City of Lite are merely hallucinations.

The Trusty BoulevarDog is Back!

The Trusty BoulevarDog, accompanied by Your Boulevardier, walked all the way to Castro Valley Boulevard and back today, a distance of about 2 miles. A stop at the Post Office was made, and a social call was paid to the Boulevard Pet Hospital. She did pause for a breather in the sun at Starbucks while Your Boulevardier checked email on the wireless Internet connection.

Those who were out today know that we are in a spate of unusual weather. By the appearance of things, today should have been cold: the sun was low, the skies were blue and clear, and the trees were barren. But, in fact, a warm wind gusted from the east, making the air quite temperate. Your Boulevardier began the walk wearing a light jacket and long-sleeved shirt, and shed a layer by the stroll's end. A blue-grey Volkswagen Beetle cruised the Boulevard with its convertible top down. Roofers working on the Citibank building took advantage of the dryness. And perhaps most emblematic of the day, a couple was encountered on the walk: she wearing a light-blue parka, he a t-shirt and short pants.

Delicious Irony

Your Boulevardier walked past the McDonald's construction site on Castro Valley's Fast Food Island today. The forms for the foundation are up. And a pile of Wendy's wrappers and cups could be seen on the lot. Construction workers can be big eaters.

(More posts are coming, and Your Boulevardier hopes soon. However, the holidays have interfered with the writing and reporting, if not the exploring. One other bit of news to be shared at this time: the Trusty BoulevarDog had her stitches out on December 26 and is well on the mend.)

TBD Recovering Nicely

The Trusty BoulevarDog saw Dr. Scuchman today, and the good doctor seemed pleased with her progress. Both of her incisions were inspected (she also had a cyst removed from her ankle) and looked good. The pathology report on her spleen tumor was read, and the news was not encouraging; however, the prognosis in cases like hers varies widely from dog to dog, so no conclusions can be drawn. All who know her agree that she's an otherwise healthy dog with a great attitude, and Your Boulevardier believes that will serve her well whether she lives six more months, or six more years.

Below is a picture of her resting in the sun at Chez Boulevardier this afternoon. (A wise move, since the weatherman predicts that sunshine will be in short supply for the next week or so.) Her blue-bandaged leg is visible, but her abdominal incision is not.

At Home with the BoulevarDog

The Trusty BoulevarDog came home on Monday afternoon and has been resting comfortably and sleeping quite deeply all day. One thinks that the time at Boulevard Pet Hospital, while healing, has not been restful for her; she is generally not a fan of other dogs, but it is hard to get away from them at a veterinary office. One suspects she did not get much rest that was not created or induced through chemical means.

She has taken two brief walks on our street to relieve herself and has been eating heartily. For now, she is forbidden from climbing stairs (Chez Boulevardier has many) so we are restricting our activities to one floor of the home. The restriction from climbing is due to the five-inch incision on her belly; it needs to heal up before strain is put on it, not to mention the many ligated blood vessels inside her abdomen that formerly were attached to her spleen.

She received a visit from mon petit chou today; the two were very happy to see one another. And, though Your Boulevardier is a bit anxious about the fact, the chien sans rate will spend a few hours at home alone this evening while Your Boulevardier visits Bijou in Hayward. A report will follow.

Monday Morning Meanderings

Basking in his newfound fame, Your Boulevardier took to the streets this morning sans chien. (She will come home this afternoon.) The usual haunts were visited: Peet's, where a skeleton crew scrambled to keep up with orders; and the Post Office, where a line of impatient patrons stretched out the door at 9:30 a.m. and parking had begun to get, shall we say, creative.

Around town, a few bits of weekend randomness were noticed. The corner of the curved awning at XOTek Windows (at the intersection of Castro Valley Boulevard at Nunes Avenue) had, apparently, been struck by a tall vehicle; stucco lay in chunks on the sidewalk below, and scrapes were visible in the fascia. Across the street, the large concrete refuse container by the Blockbuster Video bus stop had been pushed from its moorings to a random location. (For what it is worth, the container on Redwood Road in front of Safeway, near to Peet's, was shoved from its appointed spot months ago and has never been relocated.)

Your Boulevardier walked up Castro Valley Boulevard, then turned north on Lake Chabot Road a piece. He noticed that the former professional office buildings across from Eden Hospital are being deconstructed from the inside out. While Sazio's Italian Restaurant, Sushi-Ya, and Theadora's Salon seem to cling to existence (though Yelp describes Sushi-Ya as closed), the establishments surrounding them are vacant and stripped to the studs, while the exterior remains largely unaffected. (Gutted like a fish, a sushi-eater might say.) A peek along the culvert behind the buildings finds that the structures' innards have, for now, been tossed out back; from the street, the parking lot looks clean and tidy. This demolition strategy confuses Your Boulevardier, since the debris will need to be hauled back through the buildings before it can be trucked away -- unless, of course, the buildings themselves will be demolished, in which case heavy equipment can be used to scoop up everything. But if that's the case, why bother with the interior demolition in the first place? Why not do as was done at McDonald's -- simply crush the buildings and pick the valuables out of the rubble?

Update on the Trusty BoulevarDog

The Trusty BoulevarDog was visited at Boulevard Pet Hospital on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday she did not look well at all; her legs were weak and her entire abdomen was wrapped in a bandage. Two of her legs had been shaved to receive IVs. A third leg was bandaged because, while she was anesthetized, Dr. Schuchman removed a cyst from it. Still, she seemed glad to receive visitors (Mon Petit Chou was along, providing much-needed emotional support); she drank some water and ate a bite of food.

Today was, quite happily, another story. She was visited shortly before noon and was out of the abdominal bandage. She was walking with much more vigor; her eyes were brighter and her tail was wagging. A very brief, very slow walk on Castro Valley Boulevard was taken; she tired rapidly but made the trek. She also received visitors from out of state, as Frère de Boulevardier and his family were in town. She made it clear that she did not want to spend another night in the kennel of Boulevard Pet Hospital, but she was overruled.

However, the Trusty BoulevarDog will return to Maison Boulevardier tomorrow -- minus a lot of blood, the leg cyst, one spleen and the baseball-sized tumor that had grown on it. Whether the tumor was benign or malignant is not yet known -- a biopsy is in the works -- but we do know that the growth is out and for now the chien cher is on the mend.

Your Boulevardier is happy and relieved, and exceptionally grateful for the kind wishes of his readers.

Trusty BoulevarDog Takes Ill

On our regular morning short walk today, the Trusty BoulevarDog became suddenly ill. She slowed down to the canine equivalent of a crawl, and looked quite tired and unhappy. She made it home (very slowly) and went immediately to rest, foregoing breakfast. She is now in the care of the good Dr. Schuchman at Boulevard Pet Hospital. As the situation becomes clearer, Your Boulevardier will post updates.

The Power of the Pole

Your Boulevardier, accompanied by the Trust BoulevarDog, trekked into downtown Castro Valley this afternoon. (The reason for this journey will be revealed soon.) Upon arriving at the intersection of Castro Valley Boulevard and San Miguel Street, he noticed telltale piles of white ashes in several places on the street. It did not require much more investigation to notice that a PG&E crew was hard at work on San Miguel, just north of The Boulevard and across the street from Blockbuster Video.

According to a flagman who was directing traffic (while conversing on his Bluetooth headset), a car had taken out the first telephone pole on the street last night. The crew was replacing the pole; a crane and several trucks' worth of electricians were on the job.

It's never good to be in a serious collision, but if one must be in a crash, it is perhaps less awful to do so within 50 yards of a fire station, as this person had done. Emergency response would be swift, no matter the hour. Your Boulevardier hopes that nobody was hurt in the collision, but it takes considerable force to damage a telephone pole so he is not optimistic. If readers have more details, please provide them in the comments.

More Fall Color

The Trusty BoulevarDog seemed eager for a longer walk this morning, and Your Boulevardier was more than happy to oblige. Rudy's was visited, along with the bank and the post office and Peet's. The sun was out, the air was crisp and cool, and our town was quiet and peaceful. Two photos of fall color were captured; the first depicts an ornamental pear near the CHP Office, and the second shows some Japanese Maples and a birch tree along the odd little chunk of Lake Chabot Road south of I-580. (Apologies that Your Boulevardier does not have time at this moment to search out links for the specific trees.)

Exercises in Transitions

Your Boulevardier, accompanied by the Trusty BoulevarDog, walked the Main Drag this morning from Castro Valley Boulevard's West End to Midtown. Some random observations, cleverly strung together:

Canine and human noses were pressed to the glass at Le Saigon Bistro, which by appearances is soon to open. The new restaurant, across from Pete's Hardware, features high-backed leather chairs, a dramatic red back wall with a pass-through to a gleaming kitchen, and a feng-shui friendly fountain just inside the door.

Speaking of fountains, the water feature outside of El Rancho Steak House has once again been soaped by bubbly vandals.

Speaking of ranches (ah, now one sees how this transition business works), a cowboy in full Western regalia -- broad-brimmed hat, slim jeans, knee-high snakeskin boots, and, for goodness sake, spurs -- was noted at the Post Office this morning.

Speaking of the Post Office, Your Boulevardier notes belatedly that the coin-operated stamp machine has been removed. With it goes the last place in town to get shiny gold dollar coins for gifts, not to mention postage for personal communications.

Speaking of personal communications, an Alameda County Sheriff's officer (I don't believe she was a deputy sheriff, because she was driving a dark blue department pickup truck and not a cruiser) was seen talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device as she drove down The Boulevard this morning. Grabbing that one final opportunity before the laws change, one supposes.

Speaking of final opportunities, this is the last tortured transition for today. Your Boulevardier thanks you for reading!

Ups and Downs

Your Boulevardier and the Trusty BoulevarDog took advantage of today's bright, cool Sunday morning to stroll the West End. Some things in Castro Valley are looking up, and other things in Castro Valley appear a bit downtrodden. A brief catalog of observations:

Upside: Some time was spent at Valley Java, which was as bustling and busy as ever. A new railing around the outdoor seating area provided a hitching post to which the Trusty BoulevarDog could be secured while coffee and a blueberry muffin were procured. It's good to see a locally owned independent coffee place busier than the forlorn Starbucks on Stilts at the corner of The Boulevard and Lake Chabot Road.

Downside: Properties along The Boulevard are in need of maintenance, especially vacant ones. The former rental yard on John Drive, the vacant gas station at the corner of Stanton Avenue, and the landscaping in front of Tony & Ted's Liquors all look pretty shabby.

Upside: Work has resumed in earnest at the future Saigon Bistro (next to Valley Inn). A workman was there this morning, in fact. New windows and granite facing on the building's front are in place. The windows were obscured so Your Boulevardier could not see what has been accomplished inside, but he noted construction-related vehicles in front of the shop earlier this week so he assumes that progress is being made.

Downside: What in the world is going on at Carry Outee? The lot looks more like a dumping ground with each passing day.

Upside: The Rowell Ranch Rodeo is coming, and businesses around town are preparing for our anachronistic Western festival with window paintings, posters, and other decor. Your Boulevardier, it should be known, is a fan of horses but not of rodeo, and looks forward each year to the Rodeo Parade. This year it is on May 10, and as always the real entertainment begins at around 9:30 when the Castro Valley Community Band warms up the crowd.

Downside: The Daily Review has apparently decided to distribute its newspaper for free in some neighborhoods on an occasional trial basis. (If there is a pattern, Your Boulevardier cannot detect it.) Sadly, people who are not in the habit of receiving a newspaper at home are also not in the habit of picking them up from their driveways or yards, so dozens -- perhaps hundreds -- of yellowed, pathetic-looking papers are littering our streets and sidewalks.

Upside: a new business has opened next to Knudsen's Ice Creamery: Jazzy Crafts. Your Boulevardier has not yet visited -- the grand opening was just yesterday -- but it's always exciting to see people pouring their entrepreneurial ambitions into our town. Best of wishes to the proprietors.

Downside: Your Boulevardier notes with a sigh that election season appears to be upon us. Oblivious to irony, sign-posters for Dennis Hayashi and Loni Hancock have been busy piggybacking their placards onto the signboards that tout vacant real estate about town. Is this honestly the association that these candidates want?

Short Cuts

Your Boulevardier paid a visit to the Village Barbershop this morning for a trim. It was a good morning to do so; many youngsters were there, getting their pre-Easter haircuts. We must look good for the grandparents!

Upon arrival, Your Boulevardier found two of the three working chairs occupied by clients on booster seats -- brothers, it turns out -- one of whom received a certificate from Al Proietti acknowledging his first official haircut. The cuttee admired a picture book about the Pixar movie Cars as his mother asked the preternaturally patient Al to take a little more off the bangs. The older brother, a blonder chap a few chairs away, carefully scrutinized his new haircut and declared it "good." Both boys received lollipops for their exceptional behavior and were treated to a dance by an electronic rabbit singing "I Feel Good."

Later, when Your Boulevardier was under the scissors of the indefatigable Limbo, another rookie arrived, accompanied by his father and a younger sister in a stroller. This young fellow also got to be Al P.'s patron, and got his trim as his proud father snapped photo after photo. All of the waiting patrons -- most of whom appeared to be six or eight decades past their own first haircuts -- observed the process with avuncular grins on their faces. Watching them was almost as much fun as watching the haircut itself. As this went on, the Other Al, the Bicycling Barber, arrived in his space-age outfit, rolling his Bianchi into the back of the shop.

After his haircut, Your Boulevardier and the Trusty BoulevarDog retired to Peet's to read and watch the comings and goings of Castro Valley's Caffeinated Citizenry. A blonde lady parked a bright yellow Smart Car immediately in front of the shop, and the vehicle was the talk of the town for a while; people peered in the windows and asked questions -- how much did it cost ($17K), how long did you have to wait for it (6 months), who makes it (Mercedes Benz). The weather may have been taking a turn for the cooler, but the hint of impending spring glowed in the generous, curious, friendly attitudes of the people of our town.

Birdland in Castro Valley?

Your Boulevardier has been chained to his desk -- fortunately these days, not literally -- but today he did venture forth briefly to walk with the Trusty BoulevarDog to the post office and Trader Joe's.

The Chinese Pistache trees along the Boulevard near Redwood Road are about to burst into fall color. Their seed pods are already ripening to a torrid fuschia, and on Tuesday afternoon around dusk the trees were loaded with tiny singing birds, eating their fill.