Miss F....where she came from, where she's going....

Miss Fina is HUGE. She's also becoming quite the young lady, and I'm starting to see the kind of adult she will be. We still have so much to learn, and we have a bit to correct, but I'm seeing the result of practice, practice, practice.

Of course, all this practice makes us very very tired. She fell asleep with her head in one of her favorite toys....one of Roxanne's old food bowls.

Upon perusing the GEB website, I found pictures of her Mom and Dad, Zola and Merwin. What beautiful parents. I can't decide who she looks more like. If I remember correctly, Zola was raised up in Maine, and is a superior dog, a great girl. I haven't heard anything about Merwin (I love his sort-of-nerdy name).

Merwin Zola

Aren't they something? I think she's got her Mom's eyes, and her Dad's coloring.

I must apologize to all for my lack of postings. Twenty lashes for me. My moons haven't been in the seventh house, and all that...it's been a couple of tough weeks. But we move forward.

I promise that I'll update more. I didn't realize how many people read this....but I've heard from them on my lack of postings!

Onward and upward, puppies!

A Night Out...a Week Later

Lord, I don't have the free time I used to!

We had a great time at the DC Improv. We were out until 12:30 a.m....dirty stay-outs. It was fantastic....a really fun time. We just about laughed all the way home too.

After the show, there was a meet and greet, and we got autographs and pictures; John said that he wanted to take a picture with Richard where he was scolding Richard for not eating.

Of course, the flash wasn't turned on.

But it's ok...we got some (dark) pictures, and a reason to go back next time he comes near!

A Night Out

Richard and I are going to see THIS guy tonight. We're taking a trip to Washington, DC to laugh a bit.

It's going to be fun. I think we both need it!

The Lange Foundation

I want to write about a wonderful Mother's Day gift I gave. Not to pat myself on the back, but to hope to get the word out about this place.

It's called The Lange Foundation. It's a phenomenal program that I saw on the Oprah Winfrey show, the show she did highlighting puppy mills. Someone gave this gift to Oprah, and when I saw it, I knew it would be something that my Mom would love. The following I took right from their website.

Every year in Los Angeles County, several hundred thousand pets are taken to animal shelters, simply because they drastically outnumber the homes available to them.

They are alone, they are voiceless, and most of them are euthanized. As their lives silently end, several hundred thousand more pets are being born.

The Lange Foundation was founded in 1993 by Gillian Lange, recipient of the 1980 City of Los Angeles St. Francis of Assisi Award for her rescue work with impounded pets since 1974. She founded Amanda Foundation in 1975, and to date the two Foundations have rescued and placed over 13,000 cats and dogs who would otherwise have been destroyed at shelters.

Lange Foundation is dedicated to saving impounded companion animals, and preparing them for a journey to a new, safe, loving world.

The dogs we rescue come to us in all shapes, colors, sizes and ages. Some are victims of abuse or neglect; others starving strays; some are purebred and some are obedience trained. Owners who take their pets to the Shelter mistakenly believe good homes will be found for them, but , because of lack of space, most are kept for only five days. The pets we are able to rescue are cared for at our "Half Way Home Haven" in West Los Angeles, where their personality is evaluated and they are given T.L.C. by our staff and volunteers. Once adopted, we assist with training in their new homes if they have problems not easily solved by their new owners. We stand behind those we place.

The shelters continue to be over-crowded with cats. The kittens' chances are slightly better than adults...20% of those impounded find homes. Only 1% of adult cats are chosen for adoption, even though among them are many Siamese, Himalayan, Persian, Manx and All-American purr machines. The ones we are able to rescue are tested for FELV/FIV, sterilized and given health care as necessary. They are placed only in indoor homes.

They have a gifting program. For $75.00, the Lange Foundation goes to a local kill shelter, and takes an dog or a cat off the death list. They take the animal to their own no-kill shelter, and keep it until it is found a forever home. The recipient of the gift gets a photo of the dog or cat that was saved in their name, and a letter with information about the animal.

Since being highlighted on Oprah, the Lange Foundation has been flooded with donations; it takes about two to three weeks to process the gifts. That's the best backorder I could think of.

My Mom called me yesterday in tears; she had gotten her gift. I don't think that I've ever gotten her something that meant so much; we always agonize over the perfect gift. This was so simple. As the saying goes, there is beauty in simplicity.

On a further note, there was a poem included with the package, and it was referring to dogs "in retirement". My Mom said it was like a sign for her; there is a 13 year old Golden Retriever available from a rescue group who needs a home; the owner relocated to Europe and the dog would never make it through quarantine.

Guess who's taking the dog.

He probably doesn't have a whole lot of time left. But his time will be made special by my parents. And my parents time will be made special by him.

What a great thing.

We decided yesterday that this is going to be the birthday gift. The Christmas gift. The anniversary gift. The everything gift.

Let's see how many dogs we can save.

Getting Big?

Has she grown? You tell me. The first one is from yesterday, 5/6/08. The second one is from about three weeks ago.

Like a weed.

Maggie (or, as she likes to say, Maggy)

My first-born, my girl, is a legal grownup poobah today. Happy Birthday Maggie!!!! I keep saying it over and over in my head. It doesn't compute. It can't be 21 years since I missed the last episode of Cheers with Sam and Diane due to giving birth.


Maggie is 21 today. Holy cow.

How fast it goes. I know it's said all of the time, but it's really scary how little time we have them. I cannot say it seems like yesterday, but it seems like only a couple of years ago that she really needed me; depended on me for almost everything. And I remember thinking that she would be a kid forever, that her becoming an adult seemed so far in the future.

It's true. Once they start walking...everything after that is just a blur.

Maggie was born with the biggest heart in the world, and she has always been compassionate to a fault. As a baby, she looked like a porcelain doll, with her blue eyes and long curly hair. Her great grandmother used to dress her up in navy blue pants and shirts, ugly clothes, so the spirits wouldn't know she was a girl; they would only steal a boy. I would dress her up in girly-girly dresses in the morning, and when I'd get home from work, I'd be faced with a couture-challenged child.

Maggie's childhood was hard, and as a Mom, I failed her in countless ways. I made many, many mistakes that she had to pay for. She lost much of her childhood due to the poor choices of her parents. I'll spend the rest of my days trying to make up for that.

But we have flourished in the last ten years; Maggie has blossomed into a beautiful young woman. I couldn't be prouder of her. She is truly her mother's daughter, which I hope isn't too much of a curse.

She has direction and purpose in her life. She's got a wonderful boyfriend who treats her well and who she loves. She's got an incredible work ethic. She's gorgeous. She's funny as hell.

We're so proud of her.

She's going to go far in life; she can conquer anything she will set her mind to.

Except tequila.

Kennel

I've had lots of comments about Fina's first video regarding her kennel.

Thought you'd like to see the progress we've made!

And we progress!

Painting? Beans?

I'll never know.

Update

We've been progressing nicely...Fina is growing like a weed! We had class last week outside at Bicentennial Park, and it was a challenge. I think that next time I'll take Miss Thing for a long walk before we go, just to get her a bit tired. She was feeling her oats, for sure!

Yesterday we went to the vet for our shots, and she's now almost 24 pounds. Weight is perfect...I'm so happy. We're very careful with measuring and all, but it was something that I was worried about. Other than a little ear infection, a clean bill of health.

And, best of all, Healing Hands Animal Hospital (of Salisbury, MD) is going to donate all her office visit fees. They are the nicest people, and I'll gladly promote their business.

Today we had our first bath. We were not happy.

Somebody forgot to tell her she's a water dog.

Hello from the Netherworld.....

I'm not dead. I have a puppy. I've gone from up-to-date and current, to "what day is it"?

But I do have one observation to make. Richard and I have been talking about what life will be like when the kids are gone; it's kind of looming in the near future. We talk about walking around with money falling out of our pockets...think of what we won't be buying. Groceries cut more than in half. Car insurance....no teens or young people? Mr. Gekko will give you insurance for almost free, plus there will be only two cars in the driveway! Choptank Electric will send us a "miss you" card, because our electricity usage will go way down. The amount of laundry soap used in this house will dwindle.....shampoo, conditioner, body wash, gel. Corn dogs? Nada. Frozen pizzas? Non.

The amount of socks populating our downstairs will dwindle, placing the "stray sock" population at a dangerously low level, possibly close to extinction. Chairs in the living room? We may actually see the seat cushion one day.

Nobody will tape Survivor or Big Brother on the DVR. There will be no sounds of killing, shooting or race car driving coming from the XBox, along with the requisite laughter or groans.

Crackers and cookies will be closed properly. I think that kids believe advertising way too much. Take the following pictures, for example.


When I went to get these wonderful Cracker Crisps out of the pantry, I found that they had been closed in the manner shown.

I'm guessing the "magic tab" will keep all the air from entering those two large gaps in the bag on either side of the "magic tab".

Miss this? Not so much.

Miss all the other stuff? Probably a whole lot.

Except for the socks all over the house.

Puppy Poop and the Roomba

Note to self:

Make sure that puppy has been outside and/or is not gastrointestinally challenged before cleaning rug with Roomba.

Yes, that is a wheel-track mark of puppy poo.

One Small Step for Fina, One Giant Step for Mom

She went in the crate by herself without a lure.

I can't tell you how many times we've tried this over the past week, and she's done it.

It was almost zenlike.

Video from the Playground

She's not only smart, but funny too!

Working at the Playground

It's a tough job to be a puppy in training. You have to go to the playground and try new things!
The slide:

The sandbox:

Being a puppy is tiring.

Fina Howling in the Crate

Lunch

I met Maggie at Pizzaria Uno's on Friday, after driving around town looking everywhere for a place that had outside facilities. The weather hasn't been that warm, so nobody was set up, and/or people had gone out of business when we weren't looking.

Fina enjoyed it.

Pictures from Class

Just a few shots from class....including puppy pandemonium!

The Delmarva Region Grand Opening

We had our big grand opening party the day after the puppies came. It was a huge deal, with the Governor of Delaware in attendance (she said she was promised some puppy-holding time, and who could resist that!)

Barbara and Randy worked their butts off for this, and did a wonderful job. The local newspapers were there, as was Channel 7, WMDT. (Once I figure out how to get the video off of my DVR and onto a CD, I'll post the news story). Here's a bit of the story from the Milford Beacon:

Guiding Eyes for the Blind Delmarva Puppy Raising Region off to a great start
By Jennifer Robinson
Staff Writer
jennifer@milfordbeacon.com

Barbara Byle, the regional coordinator for Delmarva, has been busy setting the foundation for Guiding Eyes’ Puppy Raising Program.

The focus for the past few weeks has been for six new puppy raisers to attend pre-placement classes at Byle’s home.

“They’ve come every week for two hours for our pre-placement classes,” Byle said.

In addition, Byle has been visiting the homes of each of the puppy raisers to ensure that it is safe for their new arrival. The puppies are already equipped with kennels and supplies, thanks to a generous donation from All-Span Inc.

“I go there to help determine the best way to keep their puppy safe in their home because every home is different,” Byle said.

Kramer, the Labrador puppy that Byle is raising has also been a vital part of the training. He will remain with the couple for 14 to 16 months so they can teach him basic obedience and good manners.

“He’s doing really well,” Byle said. “He’s been the puppy we’ve used in classes and he makes me look good every time.”

Soon however, Kramer will be joined by his sister, Karleen, and two other puppies from the Bay Region, as well as Byle’s Labradors, Faulkner and Promise, for the training. One dog will be placed with each of the puppy raisers so they can sit for it and truly get a feel for the adventure they are about to embark on.

“Everybody wants to take Kramer home, but unfortunately we only have one Kramer,” Byle said. “It really is to give them a chance to see what it is with the commitment they’re going to make. It’s all to help them make an informed decision because it’s not your typical volunteer job.”

An opening ceremony will be held for the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Delmarva Puppy Raising Region at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 4, at Bicentennial Park. If weather prohibits the ceremony from being held at Bicentennial Park, it will be held in the banquet room of Smith & Co. Restaurant. Five of the six puppy raisers will receive their puppies there. Sen. Gary Simpson has accepted an invitation to the ceremony, and commissioners from Kent and Sussex County and the Milford City Council have also been asked to join in the event.

“What we are doing is welcoming Guiding Eyes to the Delmarva Region,” Byle said.

Classes will continue the first and third Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Bicentennial Park. Anyone interested in becoming a puppy raiser or becoming involved in the effort is asked to come out.

“People are welcome to come out and observe,” Byle said.

Those interested in the program should have a love for animals, high energy and be able to attend class twice a month. Potential candidates should also be able to provide a loving home. Guiding Eyes pays for all veterinary care, and the puppy raiser is responsible for food and any toys. The next series of pre-placement classes will begin in June.

“We encourage anyone interested in puppy raising to fill out an application online and attend those classes,” Byle said.

Those interested in helping may volunteer in a variety of other ways if not as a puppy raiser. Other opportunities include becoming a puppy sitter, helping with fund-raising, public relations, presentations for community awareness, recruitment, sponsorship, or by working as helpers or instructors in class. Volunteers are also needed to help find sites for classes and quarterly evaluations, as well as those to help track vests that designate the puppies as dogs in training. They are also in need of sponsoring vets. Haven Lake of Milford, is a sponsor for Kramer as well as one of the new puppies.

After the puppies complete their time with their raisers, they will return to New York for Infortraining. If they pass, they will then go on to more formal training to become a guide dog.

Dogs that do not make it as a guide dog do have other opportunities to work either through ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) for arson and bomb detection or for a new program through Guiding Eyes for autistic children.

For more information on the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Delmarva Puppy Raising Region, call Byle at 422-3522 or visit www.volunteer.guidingeyes.org.

“People are welcome to join us,” Byle said.

It was a smashing success; it also was a last hurrah for Pat Clark, who has retired. I was happy to be able to give her a big hug and a thank you for picking out Fina for us.

I'll just post some pictures from the event..


.

And finally, exhaustion after her big day!

Fina

Wow. The day has come and she has arrived! Actually, she arrived last night, and we've continued to be amazed by this little girl.

We picked her up a little early yesterday; Richard, Maggie and I went. Unfortunately, Max had to toil away at Sears. We arrived a little late due to construction traffic, but the pups were late also, so it worked out. Barbara and Randy were nice enough to host us in their home, but it was all I could do not to keep running to the window and see if they were here yet! The weather was miserable, cold and rainy, but all of our spirits were high!

They arrived, and we all gathered at the back of the van. The back door went up, and there were five little angels, four yellow and one black, all jumping on top of one another. My eyes welled up, they were just so cute. A few minutes passed, and then we all got our babies.

Fina seems a little overwhelmed at first, and shy. But we walked around a bit, and we all went inside so the pups could eat. We got a briefing about the Grand Opening, and got our shirts. Everyone loaded up their stuff, and off we went to begin the next 18 months.

Fina wasn't too happy at first about being in the crate in the car, but she finally fell asleep. We kept trying to ply her with toys to keep her happy, but then we realized ok, she's got to learn to calm herself.

We had our first evening together, which was blissfully uneventful. Mookie and Fina got along very well, and Mookie seemed to know that Fina is a baby and needs a little bit of TLC in the play area. We all continued to be amazed at the knowledge that Fina possesses at such a young age. In the following picture, it looks like chaos ensued, but it actually didn't. They were chasing the "redman" toy in this picture, and both running after it at full speed. I love the look on Fina's face!

Bedtime came at about 10:30pm, and Fina complained about it for about 30 minutes, but eventually fell asleep. She slept until about 4 a.m., when we went out again, but then she slept again until about 6:30. All in all, it's probably the best first night I've had with any puppy!


Our first day together was wonderful, all in all. I'm exhausted, and the house is in a little bit of a state (thank GOD for Richard), but life is good for all of us here.

I'll post about the opening ceremonies tomorrow (after a good night's sleep)!