Liftoff in three, two, one. Ella, my brother’s gorgeous pit/boxer/lab rescue from the streets of Richmond, is a lover with way too much energy. Skateboarding is the only cure for this she-beast. So Evan rides with her almost every day, with Ella pulling him at incredibly high speeds. In my home state of Virginia, a pit’s purpose is typically solely fighting. But imagine if all the gangsta kids and ignorant dogfighting enthusiasts took to the streets for skateboard competitions instead of illegal dog fights in basements and warehouses. It would be Michael Vick turned Tony Hawk with a nod from the SPCA. Can you feel the love?

It’s been great, but there comes a time in one’s life when the crappy economy claims her job and she can’t pass up free rent. So it’s back to Reno/Bay Area with wonderfully gracious friends and high hopes for the dream job – or something like it. The transition’s been crazy: boxes slowly taking over my apartment, haircut with bangs!, crashing the car on the driveway, bittersweet snowboarding for the first day (and probably last in Tride) of the season on my sweet new Salomon Ivy, psychic reading (I’m not kidding), freakout after psychic reading, trips to the post office, selling a photo to Patagonia, trying cross-country skiing, chocolate cake, remembering how to drive in snow, trying to memorize the gorgeous scenery, farewell hugs, sadness, happiness. Hard to leave. Be back soon. Promise.

When I decided to get a dog, I knew exactly what I wanted – a black German Shephard/Labrador mix. But then I saw Bonnie, the neurotic one-eyed heeler mix who was afraid of everything – people, strollers, cars, loud noises, stairs, doors. I fell in love. The playful pup had been passed up by many visitors simply because she was missing an eye. “I don’t care if she’s missing an eye,” I said. Of course I had nightmares about her losing the other eye as soon as the words came out of my mouth. But my fears subsided and she rehabilitated quickly, grew to like people, and is now a gymnast, a snow hound, a runner and a cuddler who loves spending as much time outdoors as possible. She’s perfect.