4.29.2013

STELLA'S D-MAIL!

A letter to Stella from one of her very best pals, Shado

Dear Stella,
Your pal Shado here. I like your blog from Saturday. You sure are pretty (you look like me!), and since we both are rescue dogs, I think you are even cooler!
 
I bet you were lonely and worried for the three months you were in the shelter. I wish we could have been buds at that time.
I was in the shelter once and got adopted out to a woman. She wasn't very nice to me, but I was only 5 months old. What did I know? She complained that I tugged to much. You know what? She got tired of my tuggin, and she took me to a Petsmart to dump me. FORTUNATELY, there was a rescue group at that store, and they had a crate they could put me in. I was headed to an uncertain future. BUT, Mr. E and Miss B walked into the store, and Mr. E took one look at me and said, "I want him!." He meant ME!!!
Miss B had the checkbook. She also had experience with dogs. She told Mr. E to walk me around the store on a leash. I tugged and tugged and tried to run out the store's front doors. But Mr. E kept saying "Slow down, Shado. I want him! I want him!". And so Miss B wrote a check. She explained to Mr. E that I would be a project, a work in progress for awhile. I don't know what that means, do you?
Anyway, I came home with Mr E and Miss B. They already had one dog, Toby. He was just my age! We played together and ran and ran and barked and barked - it was so fun! Mr. E showed me the doggy door, but Toby is one who taught me to run in and out it.
Well, 5 years have passed. I am soon going to be SIX YEARS OLD! I still tug when I am walked, but Miss B works with me almost every day. She makes me wear a gentle leader, but I don't mind. She walks me --- just me! --- over a mile a day. I tug. But she makes we walk close to her. And whenever we come to an intersection, she makes me sit and wait. If I don't sit, she makes me walk around her and approach the intersection again, and tells me to stop and sit. Usually I get it right the first time, but sometimes I forget.
And she takes me hiking out in the mountains. Sure, it is just desert hills, but it is pretty and exciting! We have seen turtles and snakes. I love to hike, but I stay real close to Miss B. I don't want to lose her out there!
I don't beg for food, nor do I chew anything. Every evening, I love to sleep by Mr. E on the couch while he reads. And at night? I sleep by Miss B on the bed. Often I claim her pillow and sleep right across it. She doesn't mind - she just lays her head on my belly. Pretty cool, isn't it???
Just think, from pound to this life! And our family has grown - now we have two more rescued dogs, Sophie and Gus. Four of us in all! I am the smallest at 65 lbs. I am also the most loyal, the best behaved (haha! you knew I'd say that!), and I am the most handsome. By far, the most handsome. I look just like you but with boy parts.
And every day, Mr. E and Miss B hug me and tell me how lucky they are that they have me in their lives. I lick their faces and let them know that I agree!
love,
Shado
left to right:Toby, Sophie,Shado, and Gus   Backrow, Cousin Vinny, a visitor

Visit  Brenda's Arizona for more mail!

4.26.2013

THINKING DOGS!

Happy Saturday Evfurry Buddy!

Almost every one who has adopted a rescue dog, has lots of questions about what their "before" life was like.  If your dog has some quirky behaviors, you tend to think that somehow it came out of that "other" life.

For instance our Stella spent three months in the shelter waiting for  me to come along.  This is what she looked like:


She was afraid  of thunder, of big bang noises, was clueless as to how to do a leash and never wanted to go outdoors again unless she absolutely had to (and she did!)  Now when we go walking, and kids approach her, she couldn't be happier, she loves them all.  Yet when we walk past a pickup truck that looks like it belongs on the farm, she is all over it, sniffing everywhere, wanting to look inside, and I often think if anyone would open the door, she would jump right in and not even wave bye-bye.

Don't you wish sometimes your dog could tell you something about his/her past?  What do you think they might say?  Lots of kitties rescued too, what do they remember?  Zkhat loves to find woolen fabric with little pills on it, that she can suck and use her paws like a kitty nursing.  She must remember that and silly as it sounds, it gives her real comfort.      

I would love for you to share what you think about this!

Cheers and hugs all around,
Jo, Stella and Zkhat, adoptees all!

4.20.2013

Some Things Stella Likes


Happy Saturday Everybuddy!








Here are a few things Stella likes!  A picture a friend gave us from a yard sale.  We think its Stella's great grandma Betty.  Stella is half Labrador Retriever and half Spaniel.
Stella likes to communicate with me.  For instance, she stands in front of me, and  I say, Do you want to go outside?  She drops her behind on the floor.  Clear answer!

Stella loves walking to the lake in the summer and going swimming, especially if there are a few kids around.  She loves them.
Stella likes to go visit out neighbor's Daycare   in the summer when the kids are all outside.  They love her up and she is crazy about them!
Stella would love to like Zkhat, and everyday she tries hard to be friends with her, but Zkhat says no to that.  There is just NO trust there !  
These are just a few of the things that Stella likes very much!
Cheers and hugs all around,

Jo, Stella and Zkhat 

4.17.2013

4.12.2013

SPEECHLESS!



Dear Friends:

Yes, its Jo and I am speechless over the fact that it has been snowing since early Friday morning.  The snow took a couple of short breaks but its now 11:05 pm and its still snowing.

Plus the weather people are proclaiming this for the next week:

Weather Underground Email Service for Detroit Lakes, MN
NWS Forecast as of 10:38 PM CDT on April 12, 2013
Winter Storm Watch in effect from late Saturday night through Monday morning...

Rest of Tonight
Snow showers likely. Little or no new snow accumulation. Lows
in the mid 20s. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Chance of snow
70 percent.
================================================================

Saturday
Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s. Northeast winds up to 10
mph.
================================================================

Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. A 50 percent chance of snow after midnight.
Lows in the mid 20s. East winds 10 to 20 mph.
================================================================

Sunday
Snow. Areas of blowing and drifting snow. Highs in the mid
30s. Chance of snow 90 percent.
================================================================

Sunday Night
Cloudy. Snow in the evening...then chance of snow after
midnight. Lows in the mid 20s. Chance of snow 80 percent.
================================================================

Monday
Mostly cloudy. Chance of light snow. Highs in the mid 30s.
================================================================

Monday Night
Mostly cloudy. Lows 20 to 25. 
================================================================

Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of light snow. Highs in the mid
30s.
================================================================

Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of light snow. Lows in the mid
20s.
================================================================

Wednesday
Cloudy. Chance of light snow. Highs in the mid 30s. 
================================================================

Wednesday Night
Cloudy. Chance of light snow. Lows in the mid 20s.
================================================================

Thursday
Mostly cloudy. Chance of light snow. Highs in the mid 30s.
================================================================

Thursday Night
Partly cloudy. Slight chance of light snow. Lows in the mid
20s.
================================================================

Friday
Partly sunny. Highs 35 to 40. 
================================================================
Does this, in any way at all seem even a little Spring like to you?
This means almost a whole 'nother week of SNOW.  Don't the weather guys understand it has been officially SPRING since
March 20th?

Sorry, but I really have run out of things to say, thoughts to share.

I hope the weather is nice, warm, sunny, flowery, and all around pleasant wherever you are.

Lets get together next week and see what has happened.  People are getting a little wacky over this stuff .  Its not good at all.

Sincere good wishes from.

Jo, Stella and Zkhat




4.09.2013

The Agility Cat

Hi Everybuddy,

I hope you all haven't seen this, I found it on another blog and its on
Youtube.  I had such a laugh over this I thought you might like it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbvqSCs-FoE

This is just a Tuesday extra !  


To think that Zkhat thinks she is clever by playing Slinky on the stairs. 

We are going to have to get Zkhat an agility instructor. Maybe Sam has a little time on her hands. (lol)

Cheers and laughs,
Jo, Stella and Zkhat

4.06.2013

OLD SAYINGS!

Good Saturday friends!

My late mother  used to have a saying for everything that ever happened and despite that I never liked them much, they come visit me at appropriate times!  For instance, yesterday I heard from my library that I had a requested book in.  My friend Brenda of AZ is a great reader and I take her recommendations to heart.  This time she told me Wild was a good book .

Now I could have gone and got it yesterday but I thought I would rather go this morning.  But wait!  This morning has a quarter of an inch of ice on the ground, rain and snow coming down (this is spring in Minniesnowda).  So rather than  jeopardize life and limb, I will just stay home today and get it another time.  The saying?  "Never put off  until tomorrow what you can do today". 

So I have been sharing these sayings with Stella today and she sort of likes them.  She just likes being talked to mostly!  "Pretty is as pretty does"  " A stitch in time saves nine"  She will listen to anything as long as she doesn't have to be outside!


Zkhat never goes outdoors and she is a most happy cat! 
We are going to be having a whole week of this kind of weather (and lets hope the weather guys are wrong!) so I suppose we all better "Bloom where we are planted".

We are hoping  its more like Spring where you are and wish you a most happy weekend.

Jo, Stella and Zkhat

4.02.2013

SEMI-WORLDLESS WEDNESDAY


The weather guy said we might get some rain, and you know what that means, it could be a thunderboomer and some of us pups don't like that a bit.



So if any of you guys want to join me in a Thunder Support Group, I'm Ready! Just give me your names.

Stella