Three years since Kali crossed the bridge

December 30, 2024

It’s been three years since Kali crossed the bridge.

It was the afternoon of January 1, 2022 when our vet and dear friend Tanya came to our home to administer to Kali and help us send her over the bridge with her angel wings. It was a very peaceful transition for Kali who was never in any pain as far as we could tell. But at about 12 or 13 years old her tank was empty, her legs were wobbly, her eyes were clouded, and at times she seemed confused. I will always treasure the memory of Kali laying down with her head in my hands as she took her last breath with Holly and Tanya sitting next to me and Kali on the carpeted floor.

As this third anniversary comes and goes, like every other day since, I will harken the imagery and fond memories I have of Kali. Her story has been told here in this blog since the day after she arrived from Taiwan – May 24, 2014.

The evolving tag line of this blog also chronicles major milestones in our life with Kali:

Originally the tagline was “Kali’s New Life in America”.
Then it became “Kali’s New Life In The Mountains” when we moved to the Sierra Nevada Foothills with Kali, and also with 9 week old Kloe.
When Kali crossed the bridge the tagline became, “Life At Th Golden K Without Kali”
And most recently it is “Life With The Red Girls“

From the moment we picked Kali up at SFO until the moment of her last breath Kali was easy going, did everything I asked of her, and was through mutual choice, always by my side. She was not destructive; she never chewed a shoe or furniture. She never had “accidents”, and always greeted visitors with a smile and wagging tail.

Besides being my ‘heart dog”, Kali was my friend. She was my confidant and knew my deepest secrets and fears. She calmed me with her presence and was always patient with me. Except at meal time! With Kali, all bets were off when it came to meal time. Meal time was her favorite time of the day, every day until the day she passed. Meal time was not negotiable with Kali. She fired laser beams from her eyes to my heart when meals weren’t prepared on time; or at the time she felt was THE time. When it came to food Kali did not have a sense of humor. “Feed me, feed me, feed me” she would chant until the bowl full of delicious was place under her nose.

The mythical Rainbow Bridge has various origins. One of the more popular origins is the “The Rainbow Bridge Poem” by an unknown author. I’ve always appreciated the concept and imagery of a place where pets go after they die. A place where they are restored to good health and run and play in the sun while they wait for us, their beloved pet parents, to join them. The last two paragraphs of that poem bring me peace when I think of my Golden Kali.

[The pets] “all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. Her bright eyes are intent. Her eager body quivers. Suddenly she begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, her legs carrying her faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Golden Kali lounging in her domain and name sake, The Golden K

Bedtime Preparation

August 27, 2023

Being creatures of habit The Red Girls and I have many rituals and routines. Morning, mid-day, dinner time and bedtime. There are steps, dialogue and processes carried out in much the same way each time. One of those is bedtime preparation.

Bedtime preparation includes letting the girls outside to pee. There is more to this than just the action of peeing… Kloe is usually first out. As soon as she hears the door open she’s on her feet heading out for her nightly patrol of the property in order to”secure the perimeter”. Kloe is the protector of the Golden K and Koda, Holly, and I are lucky enough to be part of her pack. Some nights I have to go back out and look for her usually finding her perched high on the deck performing sentry duties. She’ll reluctantly follow me back in even though she’d prefer to stay on duty.

Koda usually needs some “encouragement” to go out. Typically she’s fast asleep with no interest in peeing or doing anything other than to stay where’s she’s at to slumber the night away. I call to her, “C’mon Koda, get busy!” Get busy is our term for “go pee”. “Come on, Koda. Time for bed. Get up. Go out and get busy”. Usually nothing changes. I try another tact, “Your sissy is outside patrolling. She may need some back up if she finds any intruders”. Koda asleep with thought bubble over her head: “Zzzzzz”. I walk to her and nudge her with my foot. She immediately rolls on her back in a prone position with all legs in the air. I stick my foot under her back; she pretends not to notice. Finally, she will pop up and comply. I’m not a fan of this part of the bedtime prep! And Koda is probably not either.

The girls eventually arrive back at one of the doors and ask to come in (unless I have to go get Kloe). They then retire to their mats set out next to our bed, or if hot, a cool spot on the laminate floor.

As they come in, and in an effort to discourage any lallygagging, I proclaim, “First come first serve. Sometimes just to mess with them I’ll say, “Last come last serve.” My humor is usually lost on them…

Cuddle Time

First come first serve refers to the first one on their mat gets to cuddle with me first. Cuddling usually involves me down on the floor next to them. I’ll pet them softly, hug them with my whole body, and whisper secrets and sweet nothing in their ears. Kloe, wide eyed, stares deeply into my eyes sometimes emitting small grunts to tell me she loves me too. Koda’s squirms a bit and tries to lick my face. In both cases both of them are usually content and glad to be left alone to go to sleep.

In her later years Kali would typically lay in the middle of the room, whether hot or cold, with plenty of space around her.

So now get ready for full disclosure….. Kali and I would spoon.

Me on the outside with her back pushed up against my chest. My arms and sometimes a leg would complete the spooning position and we’d lay there. I warned you – full disclosure! :). Sometimes we’d lay there quietly just breathing, usually in unison. Other times we talked softly to one another. Kali was a great listener! Occasionally I would fall asleep and wake up minutes later or longer, with a smile as I headed to my own bed.

Thinking of this the other day it hit me!

When I lay and cuddle with Kloe and Koda it’s for them. I’m protecting them, my babies. Of course I take great pleasure out of this 1:1 time, but my intentions are for them. To make them feel loved, safe, and protected. With Kali, our cuddle time was for me! Cuddling and spooning with Kali made me feel safe. It made me feel secure. My entire body would relax. If there was any stress in my day it would all seem to dissipate at once. Although I know Kali enjoyed our special time together I now realize that it was her giving to me. Not the other way around. What a gift! Who rescued who, right?

Even though Kali’s been gone for over a year and a half I continue to learn from her. I know our relationship before she crossed the bridge and now is not unique. But, my Golden Kali was about the most special gift one could ever hope for!

Kali in her later years

Nature versus Nurture

March 25, 2018

Its that nature versus nurture discussion. Is Kali who she is because of her genes or past experiences?

Her Loyal Highness

February 5, 2017

We arrived at the airport’s international terminal for arriving fights and waited to meet Kali who traveled with 23 other rescued Golden Retrievers from Taiwan to SFO. The crates were wheeled into the terminal and the adopting families found their pup, wheeled the crate outside to the designated parking area to take them out of their crates, greet them, and take them to their Forever Homes.

It was almost three years ago when I stood in the evening air of that parking lot and opened the crate and we welcomed Kali into our lives. It was a fourteen hour flight so she needed to pee real bad. I hooked her leash on to her collar. She she pulled me a few feet, squatted, peed, and everything that has happened since is documented in the archives of this Golden Kali blog site.

It was remarkable how quickly Kali assimilated to her new life. We bonded instantly and for the first few days she was constantly by my side day and night and for the most part has stayed there ever since that night.

A lot has happened since then. The tag line of this blog post changed earlier this year from Kali’s new life in America to Kali’s new life in the mountains. The biggest events have been our relocation from the SF Bay Area to the Sierra Nevada Foothills and we adopted nine-week old Kloe in May, two weeks before we moved. So a lot has changed for my Golden Kali and she has been there by my side, never complaining, always loving with unwavering loyalty.

Yesterday was the rare day that we would leave Kali and Kloe for the day. We would be gone to long to leave them home by themselves so we arranged to have them stay with Marty and Jen, our close friends who live nearby and who also have two dogs who are playmates with Kali and Kloe. We arrived at Marty and Jen’s around 8:30, drove into the property and the gate closed behind us. Kali and Kloe eagerly jumped out of the back of the Outback and began sniffing and running. Kali mostly sniffing and Kloe mostly running; Tazing actually in anticipation of a full day of play with her her buddy Jaynee, our friend’s three year old Queensland Shepard mix. We chatted briefly but needed to get on the road. I gave the girls a kiss and we began to drive off.

I’ve never observed any separation anxiety in Kali. We’ve been fortunate that I work mostly from home and Holly has worked off and on part time so there is almost always someone home. But there have been many times that we have left Kali, and now Kali and Kloe alone for a four or five hour stretch. Although they’re both very happy to see us arrive back home there is never any signs of distress or evidence of acting out in the house or the yard.

Holly tells me that when I leave the house for whatever reason Kali will lie down next to the door I left through. She’ll stay there for a long time (presumably waiting for my return) until finally moving to her bed or onto some other area of the house or yard. So there is clearly still that bond and desire from Kali to be next to me if she has the choice. Truth be told it’s the same for me with for her… So yesterday as Holly and I got in the car I told Kali to stay and she watched us drive down the gravel path towards the gate. She stayed back where I left her as I punched in the key code and the gate slowly opened. I looked back through the rear view mirror and Kali’s body language told me she realized I was leaving. She began trotting towards the car as we headed out the gate.

Kali looked beautiful and regal trotting after me. She was earnest and determined.

The gate is on a timer and I realized it wouldn’t have closed in time to keep Kali inside so I stopped the car and got out. I placed her a few feet back from the gate and again told her to stay. She knew what I wanted, and she really really tried to stay, but as I walked back to the car she followed. I started walking back up to the house. “Come on Kali” I called. “Let’s Go”. Kali eagerly followed me back to the front porch where Marty was holding onto Kloe. The irony here s that Kloe was not inclined to follow the car because a full day of Tazing with Jaynee is way better than just about anything else. Kali was the one who needed be held in order stay back. Marty grabbed her collar and she reluctantly watched as I jogged back to the car, open the gate, and drive off.

Kali has spent the day at Marty and Jen’s before. Both her and Kloe have stayed overnight there. So I know she is fine and I know she doesn’t have any anxiety. She just wants to be with me. It’s a very special bond we’ve had since that evening almost three years ago that I opened her crate at SFO brought Her Loyal Highness Kali home and into my life.

HER LOYAL HIGHNESS, GOLDEN KALI