Episode Summary
What happens when grief, love letters, and a frozen pizza-stealing dog collide? You get Dear Hobie: Letters to My Heart Dog — a memoir unlike any other. This week, Holly and Rogan welcome Kathy Mandell, a former travel industry executive turned memoirist, who spent a decade quietly sitting on the most heartfelt book she never planned to publish.
From the chaos of Holly being dragged down the street by two enormous dogs, to the daily ritual of HowlFest (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like), to uncovering over 1,000 WWII love letters her father wrote to her mother — Kathy’s conversation overflows with warmth, wit, and the particular ache of loving animals with your whole heart.
Meet the Pets
• Tux — 16-year-old cat who dresses better than most of us (tuxedo markings, bow tie, spats — the full look)
• Charlie Brown — 14-year-old hound dog, the big gentle one
• Petey — 10-year-old Chihuahua/Dachshund mix, Kathy’s “little buddy,” daily Substack muse, and apparent podcast critic (he moaned audibly every time Hobie came up)
How to Connect With Kathy
• 📖 Book: Dear Hobie: Letters to My Heart Dog — available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and Google Books
• ✍️ Substack: Traveling Dog Lady
• 🐕 Daily content: Follow #DailyDogLady for your regular Petey fix
Ramblings From The Little Shed is a podcast about the profound ways animals influence and inspire our creative lives. New episodes drop regularly — find us wherever you listen.
Want to be a guest on a podcast or maybe you’d like to find a guest?
Look no further - PodMatch has you covered.
