Santa Paws

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Farm,

The creatures were stirring, but not in alarm!

Am-Moo-Lance was loaded and stuffed with care,

With knowledge that animal-lovers soon would be there!

The AARFF dogs had nestled all snug in their beds,

Until visions of tennis balls danced in their heads;

When Rover decided he could stand it no more,

Out he went to play and explore.

“They’ll be here soon!” cried Prince with glee.

“I just can’t stand it! I’ve got to pee!”

“Home for the HOWLidays,” Georgie explained to the pack.

“They’re delivering gifts in the morning, then coming back!”

“Everything goes to a special, needy pet,

Dog houses and beds; stuff their people can’t get.”

The dogs sat for a moment, watching the stars,

A moment of quiet, grateful to be where they are.

Then the chorus began as the dogs howled,

The farm animals joined them - and my, they were loud!

“What a great way,” they cried, “to spread Christmas cheer!

Please get here soon, we love volunteers!”

The Big Storm

We lost 5 big, beautiful Cedar trees in the big storm and while it certainly could have been worse, the loss is painful for us. These trees were special to us. They had a spiritual quality to them and provided us a sanctuary in our yard along with peacefulness, shade and beauty. Our dogs loved them every bit as much as we did. We are glad that in their fall, they did as little damage as possible - will miss their energy and presence. My Gramps was fond of reciting this poem, which I will always remember:

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the Earth's sweet flowing breast
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of Robin's in her hairUpon whose bosom snow has lain
Who intimately lives with rainPoems are made by fools like me

But only God can make a tree.-Joyce Kilmer

Beautiful, Snowy Lake Chelan

The snow is sparkling at the water's edge and the fog across the lake is giving the town a mystery-novel appearance. It is as if we've stepped into a great Dicken's novel and are embarking on a grande adventure. Perhaps we are...

Art took some wonderful shots last night, I'd like to share (above and below) and be sure he gets full credit for the photography and special effects. Having the forethought to play with Sepia and Black and White was a great idea.




I've begun a very important Christmas present. I hope to finish it while here, but doubt that will happen. I am making good time, however. I got the inspiration for this scarf in a men's clothing store in Seattle called Mario's. It was $225. Yes. $225.00 !!! Can you imagine! Of course, I inspected and did measurements with my hands and arms and did all I could without calling too much attention to myself or making the saleman think I was a freak or shoplifter as I was calculating how to duplicate it...
Since it isn't a normal ribbing pattern, it was really throwing me off and I knew I was doddling too long, but I also knew I'd figure it out if I looked long enough. I should have thought to use my cell phone camera and take a picture of the one in the store, but it didn't occur to me to do so. That's ok, I just knew that it was some funky ribbing, so thanks to some trial and error and some knitting books...voila! Mistake Ribbing! Who knew mistakes could be worth so much! And so easy to do!

If anyone is reading this (and I know no one does) but I'll put it up anyway. Mistake ribbing is (k2, p2) k1. Turn, repeat. Multiple of 4+1. The scarf will be a very wide (manly) short with Keyhole.

Gotta run, we're on vacation!

A busy year!

Wow!
We got the camera back and in dowloading it's pictures, I've discovered a boatload of wonderful photo's and things we've done to blog about... so much has happened around here in the past few months. Much of which, we can certainly reflect upon with smiles and happiness.

To start, Hank was adopted into a wonderful permanent home. He's quite happy and his new family adores him. He's doing well and enjoys having a family that is home a lot to spend time with him, walk and play with him. As soon as I met them, I knew they were meant to be. It was not easy to say "So long, Buddy!" but I knew he was going to be happy. We're staying in touch and will be meeting for hugs and kisses at the park!
We love you Hank! You big Handsome HuggyBear!

I've actually gotten some knitting done, although I really can't show it all... Christmas is on it's way and the few people who might read this blog might be the ones I don't want seeing it! I did finish one of the Preemie Baby Blankets I was working on in time to turn it in. The other is still WIP. I'm hoping The Red Cross and Swedish Hospital do the Preemie drive again next year; I should be able to find the unfinished blanket and finish it in time for next year's drive. (I know, I am such a cheater!!!)

Here's the one I did make, and as I am so abhorrent with pastels (blame my mother! They gag me!) I hope that whomever the mom is that recieves it is a little funky and likes the colors. The yarn is Stork, I got it at Acorn and is it very soft. Another thing of beauty I can show you is this...
He (she? It was really too small to see!) was very beautiful on my bathroom ceiling and held quite still while I took a few pictures!

and a sneak peek on Christmas presents... talk about soft!Best!
G

A Moment of Thanks...

As the flood waters have been rising here in the Pacific Northwest, numerous pets, farm animals, livestock and wild animals have been stranded with little or nowhere to go. They have endured hardship, lost lives and some have met some very courageous and loving people who risked their own lives to bring them to safety. Even living a few miles from where some of this was happening, I was barely aware of the severity of the situation until I visited Pasado’s Safe Haven on Saturday, November 11th and got a glimpse into the real situation. Even now, I do not truly grasp the magnitude of the situation, but I am aware of them all today as the rain continues to fall and the winds continue to blow.

Another thing that struck home was that there has been no TV news on this. Now, I'm not a TV junkie by any means, but I usually catch wind of breaking local news, particularly involving animals. Has all the media been so stuck on elections that they don't care about Fido and Fluffy stranded in the rising flood waters?

Regardless, we have much to be thankful for. The roof is not leaking, the power has remained on. Our burdens may feel heavy, but at times like this, how can we complain? The worst thing the storm did so far was blow the cover off the boat. Big deal.

Actually getting to go to Pasado's and meeting all the AARFF (American Association of Retired Felines and Fido's) and the chickens, pigs, Bonks the goose, Mrs. Bonks another goose, the donkey, the goats and all the wonderful people and other volunteers there that day was an amazing experience!

Thank you Pasado’s for the love and unending giving you do for all of us. We never know but that someday, it may be our dear fur friends whom you are reaching out to pluck from the horrors of a disaster and we appreciate each and every one of you!

Preemie Knitting

Swedish Hospital and the Washington March of Dimes has a special event going that has even me knitting baby clothes - other than for adorable Mr. Clark Adams, that as! And NO, we're not pregnant!
The weblink is here: Preemie Clothing Drive. A lady in my water aerobics class brought the information to the pool and asked if we'd all help. I've got one blanket on the needles and plan to cast on another tomorrow while I take my mother to her doctor appointments. Maybe I'll even do a hat?
I hope to have camera access soon so I can post a few pics, as I really have been knitting and I am hoping I can sneak a photo of the baby blanket my MIL is knitting for the drive on here as well. It is very pretty! She says she can't knit anymore, but I saw the yarn, needles and about 4 inches of work done the other day... she's inspired, that's what she is!!!

Labor Day Weekend

Well, usually this is the time of year when we head over to Lake Chelan for a little R&R. This year, we are sticking around the house, getting some work done towards installing natural gas (funny, I thought this household already had the very natural kind) and hopefully putting the boat in the water at one of our local fishing holes. I've spent the first day of "vacation" working...yes, updating my website and working on the materials I'll need for my upcoming classes, which start in October. Next Saturday, I'll be at Woof-N-Wiggles Doggie Daycare in Edmonds - in Firdale Village - at 1 o'clock for a special event! This is the location of my upcoming classes.
Other than working, Hank got a bath today. He is a good boy and is doing well, although fighting dandruff. I took him for a run along side my bicycle this morning and he really loved it. Art was worried we'd crash, of course and end up in the ER, but Hank was awesome. I think he's done this a time or two.
We're planning on going again tomorrow! Hopefully I'll have a camera again soon, so I can show you some pics and all the knitting I've gotten done lately!

Mostly Bob, by Tom Corwin

I went to a book signing last night at Parkplace Books in Kirkland. Tom Corwin, musician, bass guitarist, vocalist and now author has published his book Mostly Bob telling the story of his 3rd Golden Retriever, Bob, in a unique and moving way. Bob was a neglected dog who lived next door to Tom and this is the true story of how one dog managed to change his own life. To me it is the story of how a simple act of extending kindness to someone who seemed unlovable & frightening was the key to allowing that Someone to find move past their wounds and pursue love and trust in another and in doing so, positively impacted so many!
If you live in the Seattle area and would like to attend a book signing with Tom Corwin there is another on Saturday, August 26th, at Elliott Bay Books.
Last nights signing was in honor of the Evergreen Golden Retriever Rescue, and Saturday's is for Pasado's Safe Haven AARFF Senior Dogs.
Happy Reading!

KNITTING??? Is this a KNITTING blog?!

My, you'd think I'd forgotten! You'd think I'd have forgotten how to knit with how busy I am working to get Pawsitive Steps going well and keep all the balls in the air! I've had a lot to juggle lately! But I cannot complain. How can we when I know that my struggles are nothing compared to the suffering of so many who are facing much worse or harder things than I am. I really wish I could get healthy, stop the migraines and other medical issues... I think about all that I could do if I felt and was WELL, but alas, I don't want to complain, just a wish...

SO... knitting...my stress reliever. Yes, or sometimes NO...
Unfortunately, no camera today, but hopefully will have pictures soon. I've picked up the needles here and there and made progress on my Denim Blue Shrug, and the Flower Basket Shawl. The latter is giving me fits at the moment. Something is off, I was knitting while waiting for an MRI and missed something (which I have done with FBS before!) so I think I should keep Doctor Visit Knitting to more simple things - I'll have to go through my WIP's and see if I have anything small and conveniently transportable.

But, regardless, It is good to knit again!

There's a Hankster in the House!

That's right, a Hankster, not a Prankster... Hank is a wonderful, good boy!Hank is a foster dog we are caring for, our first foster and I have to say, I am in love. I think it goes both ways... Hank is snoring behind me as I am writing this. He is an excellent well-mannered guy.

Hank and Amber are getting along quite well; he has decided she is the rightful DogQueen of the house and obliges her demands for always being first. He does however, make sure he gets his full share - especially of attention! I think this has been really good for Amber in that she had become quite a little hermit since we lost George and didn't seem to want to do much. I know we all grieve, but I hate to have to work for her to want to do anything around the house. I know she's going on 14, but I don't want her to turn into a little old lady that won't have any fun. She wasn't excited about a dog friend at first, but now they are pals.

Hank loves to play ball and is very snuggly. He also loves to be groomed, combed and clipped. I clipped his nails Saturday and he literally held up one paw, then the other for me to do it! Someone took good care of him and did a great job getting him familiar and happy with grooming as a puppy! Volunteering with rescue has been eye-opening, for me and I have not even brushed the surface of what goes on with caring for so many homeless pets or pets who need to be relocated to a different home. I am grateful for the time we will spend with Hank, for having this chance to help make a difference in this wonderful dog's life as he goes through a tough time of change and some emotional upheavals that go along with what he has been through... It has been interesting to see the changes in him just over the past few days as he gets more settled into our home and routines. I know that there are really great homes out there for guys like Hank, people who will love him and be dedicated to him, but a part of me wants to by a mountain, build a giant home and just take them all in. I know I can't do that, but there are so many great dogs (and other animals) that need homes. Well, Hank Buddy, we're gonna enjoy life while we are together!
Thanks for all the kisses today! (and keeping Miss Amber happy!)
Gayle

If you're interested in adopting a dog, please consider rescuing one from your local pet shelter or purebred animal rescue group such as Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue. You can find Golden Retrievers in the Seattle area at www.EGRC.org.

Mufasa

It is with a sad and heavy heart that I write tonight. We have lost our dear friend, Mufasa, to lymphosarcoma. While I never had the opportunity to shake Mufasa's paw in person, ruffle the fur on the top of his head, plant a resounding kiss on the top of his beautiful snout, nor merely have the honor of carrying his fur - as lint upon my slacks, I feel like I have known this dear Golden boy...

Mufasa loved to play frisbee. He felt that playing was very important work, which he was extremely skilled and talented at! No matter the weather, nothing could bend him from this task, when he wanted to play and boy, did he play!


He enjoyed car rides and looked forward to when his non-furry siblings, Dan and Jessie would come home to visit him. He loved them very much, and as the Baby in the family, knew they came just to see him!!!

One of Mufasa's all-time favorite passions was to chase frogs at the pond on his property. I imagine there are frogs at Rainbow Bridge and he will have a lot of fun continuing the game there with his Golden brother Sebastian.

Occasionally teased about the white spot on his chest, Mufasa intelligently thought up some delicious nick-names to call himself. Twinkie and Creamsicle were his favorites, but any dessert items would do! When not hard at work or lounging in the kitchen, Mufasa was a master of "step-aerobics" as he felt that any exercise you could do while sitting on your bum was surely a great workout.

But by far, the muscle that worked the hardest for Mufasa was his giant heart, for he loved his Mom & Dad, his family, friends and neighbors and even the frogs he chased that gave him great joy.

Thank you Mufasa, we love you. We miss you.

This is dedicated to you, Elaine.
Hugs from your friends in Seattle.
Gayle

More Gold than Fort Knox

Gold glitters, sparkles, feels nice against your skin and looks beautiful. It is precious, very precious and the most precious of all, will reach out, kiss your face, nudge your hand, lean against you, snuggle up and steal your heart...

The Golden Specialty is this weekend and I am having a blast! It is wonderful how much love, dedication, appreciation and passion exists; how committed the breeders and handlers are to not only their own dogs, but to the health and welfare of the breed and dogs in general. I've met several member of the Evergreen Golden Retriever Club and they are a wonderful group!

I will admit, I took advantage of the Golden Retriever's natural joy of sharing love and got as much cuddling and kisses as I could. They are all so very special, wonderful and unique. Then, of course, there is my passion...puppies!!!

Does it get any better than that?

At the end of the day, I got a hug and a kiss from my buddy Dax, who used to work in the office down the hall from me and would wander in to perk up my day and see if my supply of cookies needed diminishing. I'm not partial or anything, but I'm thinking... Best in Show? Why not? He's a veteran, he can show then all the ropes!
(Love you Dax! Thanks!)

Me? A CAT Person??!!!!

Well, who could resist these adorable little guys?
My neighbor was moving. The husband was rummaging in the shed for something. Something made noise. Certain it wasn't a mouse (or heaven forbid, a bigger rodent!!!) but still a very small animal - or small animals- and convinced it was an infantile sound he heard...what do you do? Get me of course! Duh. I'm the go to person in the neighborhood for all creatures great and small. Now, I'll spare him some dignity, he wasn't afraid, just didn't know what to do...

Six kittens! Eyes barely open, 10 to 12 days old. Where's Mama Cat? Hiding. Duh. Not happy we found her litter, but grateful for the can of cat food (borrowed from the neighbor who actually does have a cat) and a bowl of water! Mama Cat proceeds to move 4 of the 6 kittens over the course of the evening. Then she stops. I check it at 11 PM before going to bed. Hmmm... by this time, I am of course keeping an eye on things, because even though I am deathly allergic to cats, I am not opposed to them as beings. After all, they serve a purpose and some of them can be quite cool. (I'm a Dog Person, deal with it!) That night, early next morning, (it is now 5:30 AM) just these two left... a little more food is put out, shed door is checked to be sure it is open enough for a cat but not anything bigger can get in there, blankets are fluffed, they seem ok... I head off to an appointment, praying for the best. No one comes. 9 AM, I go in after the two remaining little fuzzballs. What I will do with them yet, I have no idea. I roll them up in my sweatshirt and start rubbing them to get circulation going. One seems to be somewhat alright, the other is much worse than at the crack of dawn. Of course, I am worthless at the crack of dawn, too. With the help of my neighbor, we get them warmed up an in a fresh box with warm towels and blanket. I am frantically searching to see if the other kittens are somewhere - did something happen to Mama Cat? Why didn't she come back?? Finally, after deciding not to crawl into some disgusting places, (thank you to whomever invented flashlights) I head down to Maser's Pet in Kenmore, where I am sure to find help. No rescue places are answering their phones and I know they need to eat. At least I think that is what they are saying!!
Thank heavens for communities that have people who care. I love my local shops. Joni, the Manager spots the box as I come in the door and immediately takes charge. KMR and the teeniest little nursing bottle in hand, she demonstrates the proper way to Feed and Potty a kitten. Oh, yes! You must also make it pee! Don't want it to swell up like a giant water balloon! That would be horrifying. I am completely inept. When, in all my years of dog training, did I lose my ability to handle a little tiny, living, breathing, precious gift from God that only weighs an ounce or two and fits in the palm of my hand?
They finally begin to nurse and I am totally in love and showing them off (when not fretting over keeping them warm enough) and dealing with the duties of Mom. Thank Heavens for Joni, that's all I can say!
Finally, I hear back from some shelters. MEOW Cat Rescue has a possible Surrogate Mother. A blessing! What a place! Cats, cats and more cats! Wonderful people! Very nice, loving, helpful, caring cat people. (I felt a bit out of place, and thankfully my allergies didn't explode until I got out the door!) It took the Surrogate Mom some time to decide she'd like these new kittens to raise, but it was amazing to watch. The more lethargic of the two, the bigger, all black one, just went over to the SM's other kittens and cuddled in with them. The rowdier one, with the white nose, laid down right in front of this Mother cat, who was hissing bloody murder at them and out her nose down an inch from her face. (Being a dog trainer, I know that sound, it is quite distinct and it means bad things are about to happen.) The kitten however, just laid there, still as could be, looking up at this big, gray cat who's hissing like a venomous snake and stares at her with those beautiful baby blue eyes. After a few minutes (I'm constantly being reassured this is normal and it will take time and it could take an hour to find out if she accepts them or not) the mother cat starts cleaning the kitten. Then scoots her over to a teat and goes to clean the black one. When I left, the mother was reclined with 2 gray, 2 black kittens happily gorging themselves on milk. That's as close as I'll ever come to having cats. I hope you both have wonderful, spoiled, long, healthy lives!

Prayers and Positive Energies Going Out

Yesterday I learned of two more dogs who have been diagnosed with cancer. One is Skye, a beautiful, champion Samoyed who lives here in Washington; all I know is the cancer was in her lungs and she has had pneumonia. The other is Mufasa, a gorgeous Golden Retriever of about 5 years in New York, battling lymphosarcoma. I am taking a moment to send them kisses and good energy, sending strength and comfort to them and their families.

DOG WASH!!!!

What do you get when you take a group of people who love dogs, mix them together with a little warm water and tearless shampoo???

Well, if you get a pup or two tossed into the tub, you have a doggie bubble bath!

Thanks to the great mind of Tobey at Viking Bank the Yacht Dogs Yacht Club was able to help do a little fund raising for Pasado's Safe Haven and have a lot of fun in the process. Kory at Mud Bay enthusiastically jumped on board and Mud Bay quickly sponsored the wash with shampoo, conditioner, brushes and the like, plus Kory taught us all how to wash dogs the right way!!!

Additionally, MJ McDermott of Q13 Fox News and Stubbs of KMPS gave their support over the airwaves so folks new when & where to come!
This is Chloe, the sweetest one-eye'd blonde Cocker I've ever met and was rescue'd through Pasado's Safe Haven, now living in a wonderful home. Getting to talk with the volunteers from Pasado's you learn how special that place is and spending the day with those ladies was very inspiring. Thank you, Carol, Andrea, Kim and all of Pasado Team!!!

Getting the chance to do this meant so much to me. To have the opportunity to talk with the volunteers to give back a little bit in appreciation for all the love that my dogs have given me over the years, to do something for the community, have fun with the dogs... I am so blessed to be able to do these things!

My best friend from forever came with her new puppy ~ when do you ever get to hold a Bernese Mountain Dog? Gotta do it when ya can! 'Cause if ya can, ya won't be able to for long!!!!THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

Brooklyn!

Brooklyn is a very special girl. She was born in New York and had a very rough life before trucking across the USA and ending up in the Humane Society. Being abused and mistreated, her leg broken, roughed up and dumped off, she could be one of any of the millions of dogs who end up in our shelters everyday.
Brooklyn, however, has a happy story. A very wonderful lady spotted her, saw past her problems, the expenses of adoption and surgeries and wanted her. She fought to save her and now Brooklyn lives in a loving home.
That isn't where her story ends, and this post certainly won't be either. At some point, a mutual friend recommended that Brooklyn's Mom call me for some professional training assistance to help Brooklyn adjust to her new life. I get the priviledge of working with Brooklyn regularly and I've seen her grow and change.
Dog training is more than just "sit", "come", "stay" and "heel" - the more I've worked with Brooklyn, helping her overcome behaviors that should have been eliminated when she was a little puppy, the more I learn from her. She inspires me, challenges me and makes me grow. Most of all, she is a friend; always excited to see me, we have created a special bond: Trust. Trust isn't the easiest part of a friendship to develop, nor should it be, but it is by far the most valuable. THANK YOU, BROOKLYN! I LOVE YOU!!!

San Francisco

Kim and I drove down to San Fran where we picked up her daughter Janie who had just flown in from China. It is hard to say whether or not Kim was in much of a hurry, but I will say, we pretty much flew, too. It was a pretty drive, although it was foggy going over Mt. Shasta, which was a bummer as that is so beautiful. This was late January and we were setting records here in Seattle for the most consecutive days of rain and snow was piling up in the mountains, so everyone, except Kim & I were worried about our driving over them. I can't blame Kim for wanting to get there quickly. Janie had been in China for seven months and everyone was dying to see her again. Lucky for us, we had her all to ourselves for a few more days before the two of them headed home, leaving me in Sacramento. (more on that later)

We were so close to getting her when we got stuck at the toll to the Oakland Bridge because of an accident. What a zoo! 10 lanes going into 2? Something like that, ambulances, fire trucks, cops, craziness. Poor Janie, hanging out in the lobby of the hotel, waiting to be rescued. We finally arrived and reunited Mother & Daughter. Janie is an absolute delight, had so much to tell about her adventures through China and Tibet and is an amazing young lady. After grabbing her and getting a hotel room, we of course wanted to go eat somewhere we could look at the bridges. We ended up in some quaint little village past Sausalito at a hoity-toity Mexican joint. The water was beautiful! The shops were closed, but we walked all around and enjoyed them, found an antique car museum that also had antique games - like the one in the movie Big, starring Tom Hanks.

The next day, we tried to take in as much of San Francisco as possible! What a cool city! Living by the water here, I am reminded that we often forget to enjoy that which we have before us. We "did the bridge" and got some great souvenirs before heading off to Ghirardelli Square where we met up with my dear friend Bonnie, who lives in San Jose, whom I haven't seen in years and years! In fact, it has been so long, that Bonnie was afraid, with all that chocolate around, we might somehow miss each other, so she made this terrific sign! Needless to say, we had a lot of fun with THAT the entire trip! We wanted to ride the cable cars and Janie wanted to go to Chinatown before we left so we drove around for a long time trying to find parking. It took a long time of us following the tracks and meandering down side streets "hunting" until we found a little lot right at the end of the line where we could park. So we got to do it after all. The cable cars were very cool, standing on the side rails and just hanging on as the trucks and cars passed by was a bit intimidating at first and I have no doubt everyone knew we were tourists, but hey - who cares! The architecture is beautiful and wonderful to behold, we hit downtown and Janie and Kim hit China Town while I had a drink and French Onion Soup (YUM! It was grande!) in a quaint French Cafe. Unfortunately, we only had the one day; we'll have to leave Fisherman's Wharf, The Painted Ladies and Alcatraz for another trip. (Although we were close to them all!) We finally got out of there and made it to Sacramento about 1:30 AM. I had school in the morning....

It's there if you look...

Today I saw a beautiful thing. Sometimes I wonder how many of these beautiful little occurrences happen and never get noticed by anyone, how many happen in front of me that I miss, and how many we all miss because we are just too busy in the hustle & bustle of "getting to" the next destination or are frustrated by "all the traffic" or are simply not paying attention to anything except our own little world...
I was in "School Bus Traffic" today - you know what I mean... you creep along for a mile and a half in a single snake-like line of cars following those mammoth yellow-orange carraiges, obediently stopping for their flashing red lights at seemingly every other driveway as kids get delivered home after school...
As I was sitting there in line, another bus was approaching from the other direction; I watched a Mother come out to the end of their side street half riding, half pushing a scooter accompanied by an enormous German Shepherd. She and the Shepherd looked anxiously toward the oncoming bus. As it neared, the dog got up and began prancing. His anticipation of seeing his soon to be arriving playmate was great. I had the feeling that this was a daily ritual. The bus stopped down the road a bit from them; Dog and Mom watched intently. Suddenly his tail was wagging furiously and he emitted a deep, "WOOF!" A little girl in a pink jacket waved at them and picked up her pace as she headed toward her beloved friend who was awaiting her arrival eagerly.
Traffic moved just then, and as I passed them, I saw the beauty of this moment as the girl hugged them both, hopped on the scooter, grabbed the leash and together they headed home.

What Breed Are YOU?

Follow this link below to find out! This is a lot of fun! Can you guess what I am?

http://usanetwork.com/sports/westminsterdogshow/dogfun/profiler/

It's good to be home! Amber stood on the front porch and cussed me out for a good 5 minutes before letting me into the house. She is so funny! She was so excited; running up and down the stairs like a puppy again! You'd never believe she was 13. She's my good girl. She doesn't like it when I am gone. She's such a Mama's girl!

I started a new shrug project 3 times now and on the way down to San Francisco, I frogged it and started all over again! I am finally happy (I think) and it is so much simpler - which is why I didn't want to do it this way to begin with - but making increases and decreases for the sleeves in seed/stockinette block pattern and adjusting it all to grow in pattern as it widened (then eventually decreased on the other side) became more work than I was looking for in this project. I just want something fun I can wear with jeans that is casual, classy and has more to it than just St st or Garter. So I frogged it all and did a Seed stitch border and am doing the blocks across. As it grows, I am really liking it. I like the yarn (Sirdar Denim Chunky) better now that I have knit more rows, but it does like to tangle when you're half through a skein; which is quite annoying. Regardless, it has promiss for a very pretty shrug and I hope to enjoy it this summer! I didn't get a lot done in California as I was too busy, but I accomplished a lot on the plane and made a lot more progress last night during the Westminster and the Olympic Games, but the camera is off the Carribean on it's own little vacation, so this is all you get to see for now.

Speaking of the Westminster, I just have to say that while all the dogs are so wonderful and it is so hard to choose a winner, I was delighted to have a Golden as a finalist. Andy, Chuckanut Party Favour O Novel, is from Bellingham, WA and while I don't know him or his owner/handler, we were rooting for you all the way! Two Paws UP!

Did you take the profile quiz yet???

According to the test, I AM a Golden Retriever... "You are the most laidback, loyal friend anyone could ask for. Easygoing and reliable, we're as likely to find you outdoors with a Frisbee as spending a lazy Sunday on the couch. You're brainy and sporty, and your expressive eyes convey your sensitivity to other people's feelings. Just don't let anyone take advantage of your kindness and you'll be top dog." (quote from USA Network/Westminster Dog Show profiler, see link above.)

Blogging Backwards

I haven't had a great desire to post this year, mainly because George is gone and without his incredible antics, I have lost a lot of my drive. That isn't to say, however, that I don't absolutely LOVE and ADORE Art & Amber and at this very moment I am missing them terribly. I have been out of town for going on 3 weeks now and tomorrow I come home. While I wouldn't say "homesick" is the right word for how I feel, I miss them, and the rest of my family and friends and I am so looking forward to seeing you all again.
It has been quite a little adventure that I've been on and I think I'll use the next few posts to tell the tale, but for now, I will sign off by saying that I truly had a lot of fun, I learned a lot about myself and other people ...and I met many interesting people... and managed to overcome some pretty bizarre and scary moments during this little journey.
I think the thing I probably missed more than anything were... hugs.
(and puppy kisses, which I managed to find a few of; Thanks, Dejah!)

Boat Show

Is it really possible that I have now worked my 13th consecutive Seattle International Boat Show??? WOW! This year, I actually got to go and look around at all of the really cool boats! It is amazing... when you get to see them all, they are so beautiful! It is also great to see all of my friends and everyone I know. Getting to talk about Yacht Dogs and catch up on news, meet new people, it is so much fun! Best of all, my friend Kim, came with me one day - enabling me to really take a break and play in the boats - and we participated in the C.A.S.T. For Kids charity fishing game. We both did really well, making it on the final board; I beat my first score on my second try and with a little coaxing, Kim went again and beat my best score by 3 points! Way to go!!!!

Keep the Fight

It has been a few hard weeks. The house is quieter, but Amber is enjoying the extra attention and doing well, giving us both all of her love and affection. I understand why people rush out to get another dog (cat or pet) after losing one, as for a few days I felt the urge to do so. Although I did not take myself seriously and wouldn't do it, I do now understand it. While one can never replace a loved one that has gone, adding to the family distracts from the pain; we will face that pain, learn from it, grow and although hard, not walk away from it or the fight against cancer in our animals. The staggering numbers of people I talk to who have traveled this painful and devastating road astounds me. Every day I hear of more. It would be easier to walk away and put it behind me. I cannot do that. That does not make it go away. Perhaps I will never make it go away, but education and awareness is the only thing that will effect a change, by changing the way we treat out planet, our pets, our wildlife and ourselves. So, I will press on and learn as I go and perhaps someday, I can help someone else to not know the pain we feel now.

Today, my thoughts and prayers are with some very dear friends. Thank you for the laughter, security, friendship, companionship, silly antics and your abundant unconditional love. We love you, Cody, you big teddy bear! WOOF!