RENZO ~ SIX YEARS OLD TODAY!

My puppy Renzo is Six Years Old today! He shares his birthday with Martin from Bratislava, who has been such a wonderful friend to all my dogs, whenever he's visited San Francisco.

Renzo came to California five years ago last June with my nephew Sheridan and his wife Sylvie. They picked him up in Pennsylvania and took him back to their apartment in Manhattan for nearly a week before flying to San Francisco for a family wedding in Tahoe.

My friend Adam named Renzo. Originally I was going to call him Roger (which I thought was cute with the double meaning) but Adam thought that too prosaic, and suggested Renzo instead. (With Rupert, Rose and Rob, his name had to start with an 'R') Next Adam coined the sobriquet "Chewy" for my dear Blenheim puppy. Now he calls him "Demon Dog" since he squirms like a fish out of water, and is a very demanding little pup. His funny, off-centered face betrays his mischievousness.

I understand from the breeder Mary Louise in Pennsylvania, that Renzo's not likely to calm down very much even after being fixed. It's in his genes. His sisters, mother, and grandfather were all hyper-active. So I have lots of fun to look forward to over the years! Now I have his mother Bette, who joined the family three Decembers ago.

For the year before Bette's arrival, my wonderful neighbors, Ben and Susan, took Renzo for a half-hour run in Glen Park with their three border collies. They picked him up about 7:05 A.M. Renzo started to yelp and circle as soon as he heard Lucy bark. Then either Susan or Ben came in the back door and took my little guy away for a romp in the park chasing birds. 

Happy birthday to my frisky Renzo boy!

DOROTHY CHURSIN ~ January 13

Today is my former upstairs neighbor's birthday. She now lives in a retirement home down the Peninsula in San Mateo.

Dorothy (Dot) Chursin is now ninety years old. She lived on the third floor for fifty plus years. My dogs Bette and Renzo adored her. They know her name. It means treats. Each morning, or whenever I was disciplined enough to be downstairs before work and Dorothy was home, she tossed dog biscuits from her third story window. All the dogs in the building loved her!

SZILARD's Birthday

BETTE, RENZO'S MOM, Arrived Two Years Ago

Two years ago this morning, my nephew Sheridan from Jersey City, New Jersey, flew out to San Francisco for less than a full day to bring my puppy Renzo's new companion -- his mother Bette.

Sheridan picked her up from the breeder, Mary Louise Gregg, in Newville, Pennsylvania two weeks before and kept her at his 1880's brick and brownstone townhouse in Jersey City until he could arrange a flight. I had hoped Sheridan's wife Sylvie could come along and that they would be able to visit for a few days; but they had plans to go to France to visit her family in Nantes for Christmas, so Sheridan ended up coming alone.

Even so, we had a great time and I took him to dinner at the St. Francis Yacht Club (where I'll sing a concert Saturday night with the SOTS --Sons of the Sea.)

The picture shows Bette and Renzo on their first walk together after being re-introduced and before entering the house. I liked the leaves on the sidewalk and took a number of shots with my iPhone. This one turned out pretty well. Bette and Renzo are getting along famously. I think they did recognize each other in some fashion. But Renzo's a teenager and was thrilled to have a girl in the house. He's calmed down a bit, but at first he seemed to have an Oedipus Complex!

My New Blenheim Cavalier Puppy ~ RENZO

Just four weeks from today, my new red-and-white Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy, Renzo, will arrive from New York City with my nephew Sheridan and his wife Sylvie. They're flying out for a family wedding in Tahoe that weekend. Renzo's currently with the breeder, Mary Louise Gregg, from whom I found Rupert and dear Rose. ML now lives near Newville, Pennsylvania, where my Mother spent her last years at Green Ridge Village. She had previously lived in Dillsburg, PA where my Mother spent many happy years on the golf course. S & S will pick up my new little guy the weekend before, and he'll spend a few days with them in their new apartment in Manhattan near St. John the Divine.

There are four color varieties in the breed: Blenheim, Tri-Color, Ruby, and Black-and-Tan. I've had all four at different times, but only three at the same time. With Renzo I'll be lacking only a Tri-Color. But I have wonderful memories of Lord Dundee and Elizabeth Lady St. Albans (named by Dennis).

I was going to name my new puppy Roger. (It had to start with an 'R' so we would then be 4 R's.) But my friend Adam objected and suggested Renzo instead. Dennis would have approved since it's Italian. :-) The photo above is not Renzo; but from having seen pictures of his champion parents, I think it's probably a decent likeness.

Photo:courtesy A.Kozlowski