India (1997-2013)

June 7, 2013





Kathy & India



India

1997-2013

“There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.”
-Rudyard Kipling

 Today Kathy and I lost a dear friend and near constant companion when our dog India was euthanized as I held her and watched her final few breaths slip away. She had come to the end of a wonderful, almost magical journey and at just over sixteen years of age with her faculties failing, it was finally time. The sadness we feel is almost overwhelming and yet we consider ourselves so fortunate to have shared a home with such a gentle, warm and loving pet.







India was born in January of 1997 in the back room of Owens Gas Station in Key West, her mother died shortly after giving birth and India and her brothers and sister were weaned by a Rottweiler – something that I always contended contributed to her spunky spirit. Truth be told, I did not really want a puppy. My girlfriend at the time, Jody did however and as fate would have it her lease prohibited her from having pets. India was the grand-dog of a dog that Jody had owned previously (Charlie Parker) and she really wanted one from that litter.

Jody

Baby India 

Peppy & India

I was living with my friend Michelle and her full grown neurotic Dalmatian Acadia and was able to have a puppy so India moved in and almost immediately captured my heart. When Jody and I amicably split in 2000 and she went away to school, I was fortunate and got to keep India, who by that time had become my best friend and near constant companion.

Peppy & India





She went everywhere with me and enhanced my life in so many ways, she would travel everywhere with me and in those days many, many more establishments welcomed well behaved pets in Key West and she was a frequent fixture at the Conch Farm, Barefoot Bob’s, the Parrot and Schooner Wharf. She would come with me often to work at Reef Relief and even to Reef Relief events.



Key Deer sighting

When I began dating Kathy, they immediately hit it off and even though Kathy was more of a cat person, she quickly took to India. By the time we were married in 2003, India was even a part of our wedding- delivering the wedding rings to us during our beachfront ceremony. India adjusted well when Kathy & I moved in together, experiencing the mystery of living with cats for the first time and with-in a very short time, the cats and her made up one big pack of a family.

Wedding Day





JD, Amy, Peppy & India

India lead a pretty charmed life, hanging out with her dog friends over the years, including her brother Peppy who was owned by our friends JD & Amy and other dog friends such as Sparky, Marcel, Miso, Camilla, Marco, Hogan, Mowgli, Marley, Sailor, Daisy, Portia, Norman, Tucker, and many, many more. She was an original member of the Key West Lazy Dog Mob and is one of the dogs featured on the lazy dog mob shirts.

India & Portia





India & Cookie

She was an amazing animal, super smart, with a lazer sharp memory of people and their pets and a wonderful sweet and charming personality that endeared her to almost everyone she met. She was tough as well, unfortunately having to survive two mauling incidents where she was attacked by unruly larger dogs, yet still maintaining her sweet nature and not letting that get her down.

India & Marcel



Posing for Calendar 

She has traveled extensively with Kathy and I and even gone off on her own for a summer, staying with Kathy’s father Jim for a summer in 2006 while Kathy & I went on a cross country trip. It has been a truly wonderful and fantastic journey. While our hearts are full of sadness today, we feel so blessed to have had such an amazing pet, friend and companion.

Kathy, India & Jim







Thanks so much to all her many friends, those who watched her while we away, who traded pet-sitting duties with us and who were so kind and loving throughout her life. Thanks to Lisa Bramson and the staff at All Animal Clinic who have taken care of India over the years, including saving her life on a couple of critical occasions and also thanks to Ronit Bergudo of Island Paws who made India’s final moments ones filled with love and respect.

Racers & Pacers

May 20, 2013



Scott Dixon





Racers & Pacers

Qualifying weekend for the Indy 500 is one of my most favorite things to attend, some years it out paces the race itself as far as drama and excitement.  The change in format a few years ago certainly has diminished the excitement a bit, but the most damaging thing this year was the lack of entries with only 34 entries trying to get in to the field of 33. Still there is something thrilling about the qualifying that has drawn me back year after year.

Katherine Legge

Tristian Vautier

I enjoy it so much that for years I would fly up to Indianapolis two straight weekends, one for qualifying and one for the race. The past few years, I have just opted to stay the entire week, which gives me more time to hang with friends and family and also allows me to settle in and work from the comfort of my sister’s home.

Katherine Legge

Indianapolis Colts Coach Chuck Pagano

Ed Carpenter

One of the other great things about being in Indianapolis this month is that the Indiana Pacers are still playing, something that was common when I used to come up during the 90s, but really has not happened since the dark day of the brawl in Detroit that decimated the Pacers for years. Just like the old days, the Pacers are back facing their rivals the New York Knicks in the second round of the play-offs.

The Perch

James Hinchcliffe & Kirsten

I got tickets for game six at Bankers Life Fieldhouse vs. the Knicks on the Saturday night after Pole Day at the track, so I would have a busy sports day- spending the day at the track before heading over to the fieldhouse for the game that night. The Pacers came in with a 3-2 series lead and a chance to close out the series at home and advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

Kelly



On Pole day at the Speedway, the first 24 starting positions are locked in based on the fastest 24 speeds, with those not making the cut getting bumped out and having to return on Sunday to try again. The first starting position, or the Pole Position as it is known is determined when the fastest nine drivers are involved in a shoot-out at the end of the day to determine the top nine starting positions. It is a tense and exciting time as the teams and drivers use skill and strategy to get in to the top nine or at least in the top 24 spots.

AJ Allmendinger



Legendary Lynda Vaugh

Justin Wilson

The weather forecast with rain scheduled in the mid-day did not help teams as they took to the track one at a time to qualify. The weather held off as each team was able to make a qualifying effort and post a time. Penske driver Will Power had the fastest average at just over 228 mph and was joined in the fast nine by Ryan Hunter-Reay, rookie Carlos Munoz, Helio Castroneves, Ed Carpenter, Marco Andretti, rookie A.J. Allmendinger,  E.J. Viso and James Hinchcliffe.

Townsend Bell



Parnelli Jones and Ed Carpenter

There were a few surprises mostly in how poorly some drivers fared including Dario Franchitti (17^th), Scott Dixon (16^th) and Graham Rahal who did not even make the top 24. Driver Katherine Legge was named driver of the last and 34^th entry which meant that at least one team would not make the race.
The fast nine was delayed due to the afternoon rain, but each driver got one shot once the track was dried and amazingly local boy owner/driver Ed Carpenter grabbed the pole with an average speed of 228.762. As a small one car team that is not one of the mega-teams of Penske, Ganassi or Andretti it was a huge upset, but very well received. Carlos Munoz and Marco Andretti completed the front row.

Dario & Crew

With the pole settled, I headed downtown to the celebration that was the Pacers game six against the Knicks. I had seats in the wonderful Legends Suite that included free food and drinks and is a great place to watch the game. I had been there back in November for opening night and now I was back to watch this talented young Pacer team come of age and try and close out their second playoff series.









The game was a thriller, with the Pacers holding an early edge before the Knicks came roaring back in the second half on the strength of multiple three point shots that just kept falling transforming the Pacer lead into a serious deficit in the fourth quarter.  The Knicks shot their way into the lead, making seven consecutive 3-pointers after starting the game 5-for-17. With 5:03 remaining and down by two, Roy Hibbert recorded the most memorable play of the game. After Carmelo Anthony muscled his way around  Paul George, Hibbert slid over from the weak-side and stuffed Anthony at the rim.





Rik Smits

While Anthony missed a shot and recorded three turnovers on four straight possessions, Lance Stephenson scored seven points in a row over the next 1:38 to give the Pacers a five-point lead. George Hill sank four free throws and Sam Young added another as the Pacers, who didn’t turn the ball over once in the final quarter, held off the Knicks for the 106-99 victory and the series victory. The Pacers move on to face defending champion Miami.