The First Fourth…

July 4, 2022

…without Kali.

It was the evening of May 24, 2014 when I met that special girl from Taiwan. The door opened, our eyes met, and we instantly fell in love. Well, at least I was immediately taken back and infatuated with her. It took only minutes for that infatuation to turn to love. And we rode off into the sunset to Livermore, CA. and the rest as they say…. well you know.

That girl was Kali.

Long time followers of Golden Kali know that Kali is a rescue from Taiwan. Holly, my daughter Jessi, and I drove to the airport in San Francisco in great anticipation of meeting Kali, then known as Nala. We had only seen pictures and read her bio as we waited for about two months until her Taiwanese caregivers had her in perfect condition to come to America and join our family. Health, happy, and full of love.

I’ve written often about that evening at the airport when Kali and I met. How fate seemed to bring us together. If there really are matches made in heaven this would have been one! There was one special moment that stood out that I am reminded of every Fourth of July.

Kali arrived from Taiwan wearing a brown scarf with markings that were similar to mandarin characters. Once she was uncrated, leashed, and had time to get her land legs we prepared to drive home. A volunteer from the local rescue group, True Love Rescue, stopped us and took off the brown scarf and replaced it with a scarf that bore images of Stars and Stripes and the America Flag. It was a symbolic gesture of Kali’s transition from Taiwan to American where she became a true American Girl.

Kali wore the scarf for the first day home and then I took it off and stored it. I brought the scarf out several weeks later on the Fourth of July. That was 2014. Kali wore the scarf for the day and I again put it away. Since that time the scarf only comes out on the Fourth of July and Kali wears it for the day.

Except this year. This is the first Fourth without Kali.

There will always be two holidays that are special for me and Kali. I will always miss her just a little more on those days than others. One is Memorial Weekend. It was Memorial weekend in 2014 that we picked up Kali from SFO. That will forever be her gotcha day. The other is Fourth of July. The Fourth because of our ritual of taking out the scarf with stars and stripes, adorning it around my beautiful girls golden neck, and seeing her wear it for the day and evening.

So on this first Fourth without Kali, and for the Fourth’s to follow, the stars and stripes scarf will be worn by Kloe. This morning I pulled out the scarf and put it on Kloe, second in line of succession after Kali at the Golden K. Like Kali, she’ll wear it for the day and evening and in the morning it will be put away for another year.

Kloe may never know or appreciate the symbolism of wearing the scarf annually on the Fourth. Certainly she will never know the practical aspect of being a stray in Taiwan, going through rehab with the Taiwanese rescue ~~group~~ angels, or getting on a plane with 23 other Goldens and traveling across the world into the unknown. But I know that Kloe’s Sissy-Mama Kali would appreciate knowing the symbolism of the scarf and her transition from Taiwan to America will live on through her sister Kloe.

Happy Fourth Kali. For the first time in eight years as I write this Fourth of July post you are not laying at my feet. You can no longer warm my feet but will always warm my heart as I sit and write about you, for you, and with you close by in spirit.

Kloe sporting the special stars and stripes scarf handed down to her by Kali.

Golden Kali, July 4, 2015.

The Fifth 4th

July 4, 2019

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. Not because of any great traditions or specific memories but because its been one of those holidays where I feel ok not doing much and not feeling guilty about it. As a kid the long July days made it hard to wait for fireworks. It seemed as though it would never get dark. I have many fond memories of when our kids were young. There was the annual neighborhood bike parade where the kids would decorate their bikes in red and blue streamers, flags, and whatever else they could come up with. Usually a block party took place later in the day and was followed by volleyball and later fireworks. But more recently, as in the past five years, the 4th has a much more special meaning for me.

Kali arrived from Taiwan on May 24, 2014. She quickly assimilated into our family as in almost instantly. The morning after she arrived I began this Golden Kali blog which at the time had the tag line, “Kali’s New Life in America”. Kali arrived wearing a brown scarf that was put on her at some point before boarding the plane in Taiwan for the trip to America. After greeting her at the airport, taking care of a few formalities, and letting her get her land legs back we headed home to Livermore. But before we did one of the rescue group volunteers took off the brown scarf and replaced it with a scarf that had red, white, and blue stars and strips. It was quite symbolic and a touching gesture that Kali was now an American.

So back to the 4th… Although Kali arrived on a Memorial Day weekend because of this scarf it’s been the 4th of July that marks another year of her life in America. Much of Kali’s life, and mine, has been chronicled in this blog over the past five years. In a 2015 post called Tradition I wrote about how a new tradition began where on the 4th I put that red white and blue scarf on Kali and she wears it for the day. This scarf for Kali and I stands for her journey from Taiwan to America and her her new chance at a good life in a furever home. As important, when I hang the scarf around Kali’s neck, I do it as a tribute to all the rescue groups volunteers in both Taiwan and the US who have done so much good for so many Golden Retrievers like Kali. For them I will always be grateful!

So on this fifth 4th the tradition continues. This morning I took out the scarf and placed it around Kali’s neck and we went for a brief walk. She’s twice as old (ten) as she was when she arrived and the tradition of the scarf becomes more meaningful with each year. She doesn’t want to walk as far, uphill is not her friend, and there are may signs of her slowing and aging. I don’t like to think about it but there will be a 4th of July when Kali is no longer with me. Not physically. But in spirit I know she will never leave my side. And this scarf, her journey, and her time in America will be with her and I forever.

Happy fifth 4th Kali. Thank you Rescued Love From Taiwan and True Love Rescue for brining Kali into our lives.

Cheers from The Golden K!

She was an American girl…. – Tom Petty

Left: Kali on her second 4th. Center: Kali, cousin Ben, and sister Kloe last year, her fourth 4th. Right: Kali this year, her fifth 4th.

Tradition

July 12, 2015

Kali arrived from Taiwan Saturday evening of Memorial Day Weekend, 2014. At the airport In Taiwan volunteers had put scarfs with Taiwanese characters on all the dogs as they prepared them for the long plane ride to America. When I took Kali out of her travel crate she was sporting this handsome looking scarf from Taiwan. I walked Kali around the parking lot at SFO and once she got her land legs back one of the volunteers took off the scarf from Taiwan and replaced it with a scarf bearing the American stars and stripes This is the scarf that Kali wore home that night. That gesture – the switching of the scarves – served as a great symbol of Kali’s transition from Taiwan to America. New sights, new smells, new symbols, and new care givers.

I took the scarf off of Kali the next day. Holly had carried the scarf with the Taiwanese characters home in her purse the night before. She tied both scarves to Kali’s crate, which by the way she never used because she never really needed it. The crate was folded up and put in storage a few weeks after Kali arrived once we saw that Kali was able to find our her own safe and special places around the house. She had demonstrated to us very quickly how respectful she could be of the house.

Last year on the morning of the 4th of July I untied the stars and stripes scarf from her folded up crate and put it on Kali to wear for the day. I did the same thing this year and you can see her regally sporting it in the picture below.

Besides routine I’m also a big fan of tradition. Years ago I made a mix tape (remember those?) of songs that seemed Americana to me. Some Country songs, some Rock, some Jazz; an electic mix of songs that reminded me of America for one reason or another. I play it every fourth of July. Now, after just two 4th of July holidays with Kali her stars and stripes scarf has quickly become part of my 4th of July tradition. It made me feel so good to see her wear it last Saturday knowing what it stands for.

And what does it stand for? Yes, perhaps the obvious patriotic things associated with our red, white, and blue stars and stripes. But with this tradition it stands more for Kali’s journey from Taiwan to America. It’s gratifying to know there are people whom I’ve never met half way around the world who took Kali in, cared for her, and sent her to me, on a plane, with a scarf. And once she landed other volunteers made the symbolic gesture of changing the scarves out and sending her home with us as an American dog.

Traditions evolve and that mix tape I mentioned is actually now played digitally from my iPhone sent via bluetooth to speakers. Ahh, technology. But the scarfs are and will remain fabric; both literally and figuratively. Kali has memories and experiences from Taiwan I’ll never know or appreciate. They’re as meaningful as the experiences she’s had in America and account for a large part of the fabric that makes her who’s she is. In fact they’re probably more meaningful. Maybe the memories and instincts gained in Taiwan will fade as the years pass or maybe they’ll forever define who she is. But make no mistake. Kali has embraced America and all the blessings and privileges of being American (warts and all; and there are many).

Next year as the 4th of July holiday get’s close I’ll begin thinking about Kali’s scarf and my mix tape. I’ll make a mental note about how many “4th’s” she’s been with us. I’ll spruce up the yard for our BBQ and rationalize why it’s better to stay home than fighting the crowds at a community celebration. I’ll take Kali for a walk sporting her scarf which will elicit smiles and compliments from those we pass along the way. And at some point during the day I’ll sit with Kali and make a toast and give a nod of acknowledgment and thanks to the dedicated volunteers in Taiwan who made it possible for me to have a very special dog with a very special scarf.