Some Joy, a Look Up, and a Look Down

A message this morning from Reckless Bikes made my day.  Paul Dragan, the owner of the bike store right behind our apartment, shot on June 10th (I blogged about this on June 11th), is home from hospital and making a phenomenal recovery.  This video has the news story..

and this one has an interview with Paul.  To see him and hear him, only 5 weeks after the shooting, is to shake one's head in gratitude for all the things that went right to not only keep Paul in the land of the living, but to put him on the road to an unbelievable recovery.  Paul, if this isn't a good news story, then I don't know what is!  Our very best thoughts continue to go out to you, your family and your many, many friends!  

I am sharing my post with two memes this morning. Share the Joy (thanks for hosting, Meri) is perfect for passing on happiness and there is lots of it going round this morning.  I also thought a good number of yesterday's photos work pretty well as examples of Look Up, Look Down (thank you, Debbie).  Volleyball games are set up in the park across from us twice a week.  I snapped this one last night as a test (my camera has issues that are going to have to be addressed very soon) but noticed most people were doing one or the other..  that is..  looking up or looking down :)

Tupper stopped by for a quick visit last evening.  She looked down from the cement steps and I thought her wing patterns were especially..

beautiful.

She turned to the side to show her upward pointing tail feathers and since Trubes asked about Tupper's name, I thought there might be a few others of you who have missed her story.  ("t" for tail + "up"= Tup and I added the "per" just because it feels easier to say "Tupper"), 

Bye, Tupper.  Hope to see you soon!

I have seen Jersey around town for a couple of years now, but last evening was the first time I had a chance to photograph her and to talk with her humans.  

When you are a Great Dane, 

you spend a fair bit of time looking down.

Jersey is 11 years old.  That is almost unheard of for a Great Dane.  

Her human told me that he believes she may be the oldest Great Dane in Vancouver.

The best part of that story is that she is engaged..

and eager to embrace..

LIFE!

"What do I see here?"

"Ooh.. a potential friend!"

"Would you like..

..to play with me?"

"Well, that was good.  Now.. what do we have here?"

"Are you looking at me?  Not surprising..  I do know I'm gorgeous."

Just in case you thought I forgot about my beloved Bill and Black Jack,

they were by my side throughout every photo, just as I like them to be.  The sun blazed..

over everything..  

in its path,

before settling down for the night.  I think it was reminding us that life is good.  Thank you for letting me share my happy stories and for taking time to look up and look down!  Until tomorrow :)