Mentor Fresh

A very dear friend of mine who died recently used to raise Pekingese. Don’t ask me why Pekingese, I always just attributed it to a personal eccentricity, like her devotion to Yuban brand coffee.

Still, she did everything so well that her Yuban was delicious and her dogs were cool – as cool as Pekingese could be, anyhow.

She used to feed the Pekes boiled beef liver. I used to make fun of her for it.

I mean, come on, boiled beef liver? The smell alone makes you long for the meadow-y freshness of the Hollywood Freeway at rush hour.

And really, it’s enough of a bother to fix food for people, cooking a canine menu is just de trop, reminiscent of elderly spinsters with a bajillion cats all named Mr. Whiskers.

But I digress.

Her dogs, like my friend, lived for a very long time.

(Unlike she, the Pekes obviously had an excellent quality of life, but this is a happy blog so we’ll leave it at that.)

For all the ways I imitate her, both deliberately and inadvertently, the one I want the most is to have an average lifespan of 20 for my dogs.

Yes, I said “average”.

Yes, I said “20”.

Tasmania was 26, Brandy was at least 22 but we never knew for sure. Doozer was 24-25ish. That averages out to a hell of a lot more than 20 so don’t get on my case here. It’s Auntie-math, and anyhow I made my point.

What?

What do you mean, why am I telling you all this?

I’m sorry, I thought you asked me why I’m boiling beef liver in a rainstorm when I have to keep the windows closed so the whole house stinks of boiled beef liver.

I also have some Yuban brewing. You’re welcome to stay for a cup.