Tag: dogs

In the Blink of an Eye

[Note to the reader: This is a post that I update from time to time. The original post was started in 2013]

In the blink of an eye…it’s November 2022…We just celebrated 7 years living here on the mountain. So much has gone on in these last four years. I sold the house in Connecticut when Covid turned the housing market around two year ago. The last few years have been unsettling for more reasons than just having to quarantine. We all have caught Covid despite being immunized and careful. Everyone’s lives have changed one way or another. Our lives have been turned upside down these last couple of years, beginning with my mom’s death twenty-one months ago. Then there was my DBXH’s fatal heart attack four months ago. I wouldn’t care so much but he was the father of my children. Both children have relocated to new cities and states working at jobs they enjoy. It’s been a rough year for them, so it fills my heart with joy that they are happy in their new environments and beginning to make their ways in the world. In this brave new world, Mark and I have been caring for chickens, we have three beautiful Rhode Island Red Hens. Plenty of fresh eggs daily. Until there weren’t. But production has resumed it seems for the time being. In May, we celebrated 11 years together. These last few years , we have given up some old habits and started a few new ones. We have been been living more mindfully and mediate every morning together for 20 -30 minutes. And with all this stuff going on, I managed to write and publish a book, Xine’s Pack of Strays & Others – A Memoir. It’s been a busy bunch of years.

Cover Artwork that I did for my memoir.
All the shadows used are silhouettes of my dogs in the book.

In the blink of a eye…it’s 2019…We have been living in New Hampshire on the side of a mountain 1500 feet up with a spectacular view for a little over three years.  A simpler life, yet we work all the time, trying to build our two businesses. Our puppy Marley is now 5 years old and all our beautiful Brittanys have passed away – God bless their souls. They all lived long and wonderful lives, Winston and Artemis being able to come and enjoy our new home in the mountains. Now our two mini-goldendoodle brothers, Boomer and Gunner are going to be turning 2 in May! Where did the time go?!  


Left to right:
Gunner, Boomer, Kona and Marley


Yesterday I hugged my 25 year old son and his 3 year old goldendoodle before they left to head down to the Connecticut house. He has been living there for the last 15 months after leaving college in Vermont. It wasn’t working out for him – he is still struggling to get on the right track.

Baby Blue on his way to his new home


In the blink of an eye…it’s 2018…yesterday I watched my daughter receive her college diploma and make the Dean’s list. It seems like yesterday I dropped her off for her first day of school and drove her to endless hours of tutoring.  Now she’s living with her one-year old puppy in Portland, Maine and trying to find that first foothold in her graphic design career.

There is no waving the Mommy magic wand and making things all better for them – they are in the big, bad, world now and I can’t protect the from everything like I once was able to. I tried my hardest to give them the skills to fly on their own – I pray I did enough. I probably did too much – coddling to make up for the divorce. I hope I didn’t do too much. That would be a disservice to them ultimately. It’s a fine line we have to walk as parents.


Baby Kona



In the blink of an eye…it’s 2016…yesterday I hugged my son and his new puppy goodbye after setting the up their new apartment in Burlington. I pray he is able to move forward from the tragedy and get his life back on track in this new environment. 

In the blink of an eye …it ‘s 2015…I hugged my son’s 21 year old girlfriend good-bye after seeing Dead & Company with them on Halloween night. She wasn’t feeling well and was coming down with an ear infection. A perfect storm of a bacterial and viral infection in her inner ear would cause sepsis.  In a blink of an eye – 11 days later – she was dead. 

In the blink of an eye…it was 2013….Yesterday was my son’s 20th birthday. It amazes me how certain things seem like they were yesterday but at the same time it was a lifetime ago.  Twenty years ago I lived in Rochester Hills, Michigan; I was married and a brand new parent to baby boy. I had a Shetland sheepdog and I was approaching 30.  Today, I live in Connecticut, I am divorced almost for 10 years, have two grown adults for children. I have four dogs, all Brittanys and I am approaching 50. I also live my boyfriend of three years. Yet it seems like yesterday I was in Michigan having my first born. 

“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” Winnie the Pooh Peace – Xine S.

My book has been released!

I am so excited about this! I have been working on this project for a long while now and to see it finally come to fruition is thrilling and a proud moment for me.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New book “Xine’s Pack of Strays & Others: A Memoir” by Xine Segalas is released, a touching, often humorous collection of stories, lessons, and adventures of a lifetime spent with dogs.

“Xine’s Pack of Strays & Others: A Memoir” by Xine Segalas has been released worldwide. This 286-page memoir focuses on the author’s lifelong adoration for dogs, from adopting her first puppy as a child to an adult life raising a family around loveable canines. Throughout her life, the presence of these loyal, goofy, and wonderful pets have provided comfort, essential life lessons, and a sense of companionship that dog lovers around the world can relate to. 

These stories, drawn from years of daily journaling, show how dogs are with us through thick and thin, often teaching us valuable lessons of compassion, patience, and unconditional love. Chronicling her family’s dogs over the years, these poignant reflections are often funny, but also delve into the inevitable heartbreak of losing a beloved animal, navigating grief, and the true value of opening your heart. 

A perfect read for animal lovers of all kinds, Segalas deftly describes the personalities of her dogs, their quirks, their role in family dynamics, and the ways that four-legged friends improve the lives of all the people they encounter. The underlying message of fearless love is inspiring, and a reminder of how relationships with pets can change how we see the world. 

Xine’s Pack of Strays & Others: A Memoir (ISBN: 9781958729861) can be purchased through retailers worldwide, including Barnes and Noble and Amazon. The paperback retails for $18.99, and the ebook retails for $4.99. Wholesale orders are available through Ingramew book.

From the back cover:

Life isn’t easy, but there are two essential things that Xine Segalas uses to help her navigate daily. First, writing every morning in a journal to download her thoughts. A habit she started as a teenager and continues to practice to this day. Second, but always first in priority, are her dogs, her pack, “#xinespack.” The dogs that help her get through the daily crap, even when they are adding to it. 

Everyone knows one of those dogs. If you don’t have one of them yourself, your friend or neighbor does, or you see them on the street. They are Shetland Sheepdogs, Brittanys, Goldendoodles, Australian Shepherds, and mixed breeds. They’re the dogs that make you laugh and make you cry, sometimes simultaneously. The ones you rescued only to realize they saved you. They are the dogs that left us too soon and the ones that needed our help to make the tough decisions. Their imprints are all over our hearts, and the lessons they teach are immeasurable. Xine’s Pack of Strays and Others is a collection of those stories – the adventures, the misadventures, and everything in between – and the lessons Xine and her family have learned about life from their furry and feathery friends. 

About the author:

Xine Segalas was born and raised in New York City. She graduated from Boston University’s College of Communications and enjoyed a career in communications and financial industries before starting a couple of companies in the home gardening industry. Currently, she lives in Bridgewater, New Hampshire, with three dogs, three chickens, and her fiancé, Mark. In addition to writing daily, Xine is a digital artist, photographer, and gardener. 

About NH book publisher Seacoast Press: 

NH book publisher Seacoast Press provides authors with traditional-quality bookpublishing services while allowing authors to retain publishing rights and 100% royalties.Seacoast Press’ wide variety of publishing services includes book design; editorial; printing; distribution; publicity; and marketing. Seacoast Press books are available through retailers and booksellers worldwide. All Seacoast Press books can be purchased wholesale through Ingram.

To learn more about Seacoast Press, the premier book publisher in NH,

visit http://www.seacoastpress.com/.

My Audiobook Club – April/May

Human Touch: A Story in Real Time
by Mitch Albom
Narrated by Mitch Albom (4 hours, 39 minutes)

The first of the books I listened to was Mitch Albom’s Human Touch: A Story in Real Time. The book was published episodically over the last two months. The story chronicles the lives of four families living on a cul-de-sac in Michigan during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

In the beginning, I found myself having a difficult time listening to my books during the quarantine. There were so many distractions I found it difficult to focus and it would take something special to catch my interest and keep it. I chose to listen to Human Touch primarily because I have enjoyed many of Mitch Albom’s books: The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Tuesdays With Morrie, and The Time Keeper. The fact that the chapters were being written in real time and published weekly, I found appealing and intriguing. Once I was listening, I found that I enjoyed this format and would look forward to upcoming installments which were no longer than 35 minutes or less with the exception of the final one (55 minutes).

The 8 episodes totaling 4 hours and 39 minutes were narrated by author Mitch Albom, so it’s not a terribly long story. Albom peaks into the lives of four families struggling through the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan. At first, I was hesitant to start listening to a story about the virus; afterall, wasn’t I trying to escape listening to things that could be upsetting or triggering at this time? I found myself taking a little comfort in hearing the stories of others and how they were coping at this time.

All in all, Albom once again creates characters that you come to care about and can empathize with. The topic of the pandemic is a sensitize one and since the virus is still a threat and states are reopening, so wrapping up the story in a neat bowed package isn’t really possible in my opinion. Overall, I’d give this audiobook about 3.5 stars.

The House of Mirth
by Edith Wharton
Narrated by Eleanor Bron (12 hours, 35 minutes)

This is the first book I’ve ever read/listened to of Edith Wharton. I choose to listen to this story since it had been recommended by one of my Master Class teachers as an example of baroque literature. Baroque literature has lots of metaphors, symbols, hyperbole and multiple layers of meaning. A common theme in baroque literature is that characters’ struggle to find deep meaning in their existence.

The House of Mirth focuses on Lily Bart’s plight to find a place for herself in New York’s elite society in the 19th century. I didn’t like Lily Bart throughout most of the novel – I don’t think if we ever met I would have been friends with her. She reminded me of some people I have come across in my life. I found the novel beautifully and masterfully written. By the end of the novel I found myself so invested in Lily’s struggle and was genuinely touched by this heartfelt story. I’d give this one 4 stars overall for story and narrator, Eleanor Bron seemed to be the perfect choice.

Cesar Millan’s Lessons from the Pack
by Melissa Jo Peltier & Cesar Millan
Narrated by Angelo Di Loreto, Cesar Millan (5 hours, 29 minutes)

I love dogs and I love reading or listening to dog stories. I am in the process of writing my own book of dog stories, so I naturally I wanted to listen to the Dog Whisperer’s stories.

Millan intersperses the lessons he’s learned personally with stories from his past along with tidbits under the headings of From the Celebrity Files, From the Science Files etc..the information given in these sections demonstrates the enormous impact dogs have had on mankind in general. I highly recommend this book for any dog or animal enthusiast. 4 stars

The Making of A Miracle: The Untold Story of the Captain of the 1980 Gold Medal-Winning U.S.Olympic Hockey Team
by Mike Eruzione with Neal E. Boudette (7 hrs, 8 mins)

I was a freshman in high school when the miracle happened. I remember watching the games and falling for goalie, Jim Craig, whose I plastered all over the inside of my locker from the New York Post, Daily News and New York Times coverage of the So I was automatically excited when I saw this memoir. I am also a fan of a good sports story and this was and still is an incredible story told by the captain, Mike Eruzione.

I enjoyed listening to Eruzione tell about his humble beginnings and the fun stories about his family. When he mentioned parts of Boston where I too spent many years, it brought back fond memories. Eruzione, a Boston University alum (Wheelock’77) talks about his journey to BU which is not where he originally started and how a twist of fate changed his course. I also went to BU College of Communications (COM’87) as did the co-author Neal E. Boudette (COM’84).

It’s so interesting to hear his perspective and the behind the scenes stories about Herb Brooks and the rest of the team. It was like walking down memory lane, hearing the familiar names of the young men which made America believe in miracles. If you are looking for a good sports story, you don’t have to be a hockey fan to enjoy listening to Eruzione who is funny and whose riveting replays bring alive the plays and games of those 1980 Olympic hockey underdogs. 4 stars.

Midweek Monochrome: Copper — Xine Segalas Creative Arts

He was my shadow for 16 years. I miss him everyday despite the four years that have gone by. I took this photo of him as he was sitting on the deck and I noticed the sunlight hitting him in such a beautiful way I had to grab my camera but knew if I moved […]

Midweek Monochrome: Copper — Xine Segalas Creative Arts