March has always been an emotional cocktail for me.
ELBEE Personally, I prefer a margarita.
On an early March morning of my senior year in high school, my dad, a larger than life personality, lost his fight against brain cancer.
Six years ago this month, Charley, a gentle giant and my first therapy dog, suddenly left us. He worked an event with student athletes at UCLA, charming the crowd and posing for photos. After a restless night, he walked outside, lay down under some purple flowering bushes and was gone in twenty minutes.
ELBEE This is getting really depressing.
March third was my late wonderful brother Stan’s birthday. Although he’s been 
gone for over twenty years, I still light a birthday candle for him. On the bright side, Gus is turning nine next week. I’m looking forward to celebrating his therapy dog journey.
ELBEE Hello? Is she forgetting that I have a March birthday?
When Gus was re-homed with us, the woman who gave him up told me very sincerely, “I want you to give him a good life.” So far, he’s had a great life. Every time he walks into the hospital, tail wagging, he lights up the room.
Gus worked with Charley on Charley’s last night. He’s also worked with Elbee and Stanley. With luck, he’ll be showing Henry the ropes.
This time of the year, I often head into the mountains for hope and healing. It’s been difficult with the rain, but that makes me appreciate it even more. The views are spectacular between storms and the wildflowers are bursting into bloom.
I always seem to find random notes of positivity too. Although that is technically graffiti, behind Henry, at least it’s a good message.
Speaking of graffiti, there’s a helipad on dirt Mulholland that’s covered with graffiti, some of it x-rated. The messages come and go but there’s one that has remained. Someone painted it after Kobe’s untimely death.
There’s another sort of March Madness going on right now… the NCAA basketball tournament. I wonder if they were having issues when they came up with that name.
ELBEE I think they were talking about crazy fans like her.
I am so glad to be ending this post on a happy note. After a nerve-racking game last night, the UCLA Bruins are going to the sweet sixteen!
