Just a quick note

 

Several years ago, 2004 to be exact, we fostered a beautiful brood mama named Barbie. She was the sweetest dog ever. It took us a long time to find a family for her, but when we did, it was the best family ever. A retired couple, Don and Jody, gave Barbie her forever home. Don and Jody were faithful followers of Itsa Greyt Day.

We would see them and hear from them occasionally. It was especially heartbreaking when we learned that Barbie had lost her battle with cancer.

They adopted two more greyhounds from us, completely in love with the breed. Don and Jody were dog people through and through.

Today we were saddened to learn that Jody lost her battle with cancer last month. Jody was elegant and kind; when I grow up, I want to be just like her. And yes, the world is missing a greyt dog lover.

I popped into my office for a brief moment today and sitting in my mail box was a sweet photo collage from Molly and her momma Debby (also faithful followers of Itsa Greyt Day). Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for thinking of us. Debby, you put a huge smile on my face.

And last, but not least, Flocko is sending Bunny a big, wet and sloppy kiss.

Happy Friday!

Nose Prints

 

I desperately needed fodder for a witty blog tonight. It is quite pleasant today, overcast but pleasant.

Instead, I only got nose prints.

It's time for Saturday Pet Blog Hop

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Flocko doggo

Insanity still rules, however, we are all still standing our ground.

Got help?

Sorry boys, we don't always need a man around.

Guess it is Flocko week

Every time I have gone out into the backyard, Flocko has some how managed his way to the front of the camera lens.

Perhaps he is planning for a trip to Broadway, or maybe the cover of Beautiful Dog Magazine.

Or, maybe he is just teasing Bunny.

Flocko ball season

Hot damn! It's Flocko ball season. This guy loves playing ball.

So much so, that he has had to take time off for a couple of broken toes.

It's very much like soccer, always head and feet.

And the grass is always in imminent danger. He does not replace his divets.

He is just one wild and crazy guy.

And why is he wearing a muzzle you might ask?

Because in one muzzle we go from wild and crazy Flocko ball to slobber I'm going to eat you ball.

Now, it is time to play at the Saturday Pet Blog Hop. Please join us.

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Mine, all mine

I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to share.

But then, judging by all of the slobber he has on it, who'd want it?

Beach boy

Manly greyhounds watch the sunset.

They don't play with stuffies. Hrumpf.

Road trip

I drew the short straw, I get to go.

Nanny, nanny, nanny.

Staring in the face of anti-cooperation

Tonight was the night, I planned on taking those stellar, one-of-a-kind glorious Flocko pictures. (Requested by Miss Bunny)

Ya, right. This boy has got the anti-cooperation look down. He looks this way.

And then he looks that way, moves closer, turns around and gives me his butt... It never ends, always the look I'm not looking for.

So Flocko, I'm just gonna go look at other pets on the Saturday Pet Blog Hop. I suggest you do the same, see what pets look like when they cooperate.



The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Sleepless in Salem

So this is Megan, she's my oldest daughter. She prepared me for last night. As a baby, she was a screamer. She screamed until 2, 3 and 4 am every night.

Normally, I can sleep through a freight train coming through the living room, but last night...

This Barney. As a foster dog, he slept on the twin bed beside my bed every night. Apparently his family weren't pushovers like me, because he hasn't offered to get on the bed since his return.

My bed is a small queen, perfect for one human, one hound. And most nights, they take turns, I never sleep with the same dog. (I know, I know I'm a floozy).

Last night, Barney planted his butt in my bed, rolled over on his side and never moved muscle.

This is Flo, she doesn't know no. If she wants it, it's hers, if she might want it, it's hers. Even if she doesn't want it, it's hers.

She's one of our smaller dogs, but she likes the WHOLE bed and nothing less. She lays down on top of me until the weight of her body (or a flippin' hot flash) moves me over to six inches on the edge. When it is her turn, I frequently wake up hanging on for dear life.

Last night, she decided it was her turn and she plopped down on the other side me.

At least with Barney on one side, I knew I was safe from the edge. The down side were the binding covers the two of them held down over me. Adjusting my position was going to be difficult.

Ya' all know Flocko. He also wanted to sleep with me last night. When he draped his body over my legs that I knew beauty sleep was not in my future.

I figured one night on the couch was not going to kill me.

 

 Jillian however, has gained permanent custody of the couch and even though she is another small female, she can stretch her body out over at least two thirds of it.

I managed a corner for my head and dangled my legs off of the edge. This was questionable quality beauty sleep at this point.

Flocko discovered I had exited stage left and moved to the cushion beside me on the floor. Flo discovered my disappearance and immediately wanted to be on the couch with me.

I quickly snagged my position back in bed and Barney and slept peacefully for the next few hours.

The end.

No sleep tonight either, it's the blog hop! Won't you join us?

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Jilted, by Slinky

There once was a girl named Slinky.

She wanted a ring for her pinky.

She thought Flocko her honey,

His heart was for Bunny,

She thought that was totally stinky.

Doin' da Bunny hop

 

 Twinkle, twinkle little star,

Why o' why is Bunny so far?

 

I would carry my ball o'er hill and dale,

Just to see Bunny wag her tail.

 

Tender shoots of grass I would share,

Just for my Bunny, maiden fair.

 

Bunny, Bunny my heart beats strong,

Through the Internet for you I long.

Love, Flocko.

Flocko's Internet love is a gorgeous fawn girl in Indiana. 

Clearly I was meant to live in the age of the Internet. The Pet blog hop is one of my favorite things. Won't you join us?

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

A love story

Ours was a November–December romance. I met him on a sunny Sunday afternoon and we both knew immediately that we belonged together.

I lived in Salem and he lived in Gresham. We stole as many afternoons together as we could, knowing that he would soon leave for training.

When our last day together arrived, I arrived Gresham with a heavy heart.

I knew they would do everything they could to keep him safe, but things happened—this could be the last time I saw him.

I entered the kennel building and headed straight for his crate. Flocko was so excited to see me. The kennel building was small and all of the other dogs could see Flocko as he flew out of his crate and wildly jumped up to greet me.

Together we went out to the sprint field so that he could run like the wind—his last run on the Oregon farm.

I hooked up the whirlygig and he chased the old mop head. Leaping in the air toward it, only to have it race out ahead of him.

He grew tired of the whirlygig and raced into the sprint field. He laid down to catch his breath and once again bolted off as if chasing the rain drops that started to fall.

The field was lined with runs filled with greyhounds. To the south were the babies, these guys were nearly five months old now. Flocko slowed down and walked over to the fence.

The babies stood on their hind legs to and touch noses with Flocko. It was as if Flocko was telling them that he would be shipping out the next day—that they too would be leaving the comfort of the Oregon farm.

Nearly two years had passed since I felt his thick puppy coat and he had gone to Oklahoma for training. Feeling quite anxious I boarded the red-eye from Portland to Ft. Myers, Florida.

I wondered what our reunion would be like. Would he remember me? How much did time change? He was a puppy the last time I saw him and now, he was a racing greyhound.

Even though I was tired from the flight, I was excited to go to the kennel. Unlike the farm in Oregon, the kennel building at the track was long, nearly 70 kennels, double-stacked lined the walls. It was turn-out time and most of the dogs were out in the turn-out pen.

It was 2 p.m. on a Florida afternoon in December. The air was hot and muggy and the hint of dog urine filtered through the air.

Greyhounds were digging, loitering around the water buckets and just laying around—resting up for a race or practicing for retirement.

From out of no where, Flocko appeared. He saw me enter the building and even after two years, knew me the moment he saw me. He stayed by my side the entire time I was there. Leaving me only for brief moments.

I bought Flocko to be my race dog, so that I could see the racing side of the greyhound industry, thinking I would be able to see him run in Portland. The next month racing ended in Oregon and although I could watch the replays of his races, I never saw him run. He was a decent runner and faithfully sent his paychecks home every week.

The day I arrived, the day of our reunion, Flocko had a race.
 

Weigh-in time arrived and Flocko proudly donned his #1 red racing silk and muzzle. The greyhounds lined up, noses pointed forward. Not Flocko, he turned his butt to the door and never took his eyes off of me. I thought “Holy shit, this dog is going to stop in the middle of the track to wave to mommy.”

The lead-outs took the dogs down to the starting box and suddenly, my adoring dog had become all business and he was ready to run.


The lure raced around the track and the dogs released. Like a shot, Flocko was at the head of the pack, leaving nothing but a wake of sand and seven other greyhounds behind him.

We want to hear your love story!

Time for the Saturday Pet Blog Hop, please join us.


The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Break time

Every day without fail, I go home during my lunch break to let the houndy dogs out.

Today, for the first time in weeks it wasn't raining. The ground is still soaked, but everyone seemed to enjoy the little longer, a little more quality time for their noon time run.

Figure it out before

 

Seriously Flo, you were comfy on the couch when I went to bed last night. You slept with the night before, the night before that and the night before that.

Yes Flocko, it was your turn to sleep with me last night.

But tonight, I wish you two would figure out who has the bed. Three of us in the bed is one too many.

I had more than necessary hot flashes. I hardly had any room. We're not even going to talk about the covers.

So please, discuss it now. Make an adult dog decision. I love you both. You are both welcome on the bed, just not at the same time.

Hark spring!

Where art thou?

 Freezing weather is unreasonable. It is nearly March. Bring on the balmy spring days.

Flocko doggo

You know you are the love of my life. You know you get away with murder. But you wanna know what? Waking me up at 4:15 am when I don't technically have to get up until 5:30 am, well that is just rude.

I can live with you getting on my bed. I can accept the fact that you took my top layer of covers off. However, standing on the patio in 36° weather at 4:30 am, think again buddy.

Don't do it tonight, I may not be so happy. I just happen to need my beauty sleep.

Just sayin'.

Ummmm Mom, whatcha doing?

Ahhhh, just feel the grass

The new grass of spring squish between your toes.