New Year is Coming

Tuesday we received an email from our friend Shelly of Fluffy Dog Fostering at Grade Lodge, she had been to the dog park, it was 8 degrees, no wind and the sun was out......she inspired me to take Mollie and Jake out for a run. I was so tried of walking down the roads and coming back with slush covered dogs! So I dressed up in my warm hiking gear and off we went. It was actually warm in the sun, it was beautiful out.

As I hiked and watched Molz and Jake move together in such a beautiful harmony I realized that we need this time to reestablish our pack. Fostering takes my attention from them, yes they are balanced dogs that open their home to new dogs that need things from us, and they give as much as I do, but............

Mollie as taken to lying next to me on the love seat......something she never really did....she gets too warm, she is very independent and usually likes to lie on the sofa. But after Gypsy left she claimed the spot. I find myself sitting in the middle of the love seat, with Jake on one side and Mollie on the other so we can all have time together.

As I hiked through the woods and fields completely free to let my thoughts roam......there was no foster to keep a close watch on......I really enjoyed the freedom, I embrased how truly great we are together, our rhythm, our understanding for each others signals and our pure joy of just being the pack....

Mollie Maie

Jake Ryan

The Odd Couple

Heading down the trail

Mollie and Jake are such great dogs, I know they accepted Gypsy, Rudy and Bella in our pack; they like it when Jessie comes to visit.........but at the end of the day the others come and go, they always, somehow, understand that we are the base, we are the pack. This was our life and we love it.

The Lady

Gypsy at HER Home

Last night I received an email from Gypsy and her Family.....They all had a wonderful drive back to Madison, she has walked around her yard a few times, checked out all the rooms of her house and met the rest of her immediate family, Dru her six month old sister kitten as well as Tai Kitty and Snuckers her older sister cats. She loves her sofa and claimed her spot!

"Hi to you The Lady, you don't have a thing to worry about...

I love MY house, MY yard and MY family........

just look at my big smiling face.....

Tell Mollie, Jake and all your cats a hi-there too!

We look forward to you and the dogs coming up to see us sometime..."

The Lady

Gypsy Has A Home

Delilah the Gypsy has found her own home.....a warm and wonderful young woman, an understanding and calm man and a graceful older Beardie came to my home today.....I watched them start their journey with Gypsy. I witnessed the gentleness with which they all approached her, I experienced her willingness to accept their petting and praise, I saw her dance slowly up to her new brother, wag her tail and open her heart. Jake, Mollie and I walked around the quiet roads with them, Gypsy's new Forever Lady walked her, she pranced and bounced and only looked to me once or twice...."Is this OK with you?"........it was.

When we got back to the driveway, I put Jake and Mollie inside, then walked back out to say my good-bye....she was just slightly unsure about getting into their SUV......I patted the car told her it was all good and she placed her feet up, just like she always does, I then scooped up her butt and helped her in......she turned to me, we said our good-byes, then she went about smelling the new smells that will soon be familiar to her, her new life smells....her new Lady, her new Man, her new Brother.....I hugged The New Lady and the New Man.....then I had to go.......as they drove away I cried, happy tears for her, sad tears for me......She just simply and always amazed me!

"Thank you to all of you that read about me, that helped me find my

FOREVER HOME"

She is dancing away from me now

She was just a wish

She was just a wish

And a memory is all that is left for you now

You see your gypsy

You see your gypsy

Stevie Nicks

Thank you from The Lady, Jake, Mollie and all the Cats

Hank, Jake, Mollie and Gypsy

Quinn, Aubree and Hank arrived last Monday, they spent Tuesday in Milwaukee with friends. I picked Aubree up Wednesday and she came to stay with me while Quinn and Hank headed to Appleton to spend a few days with his family.

Jazmin came in on Christmas Eve and the three of us, Aubree, Jaz and I had a great dinner at Plum Gardens....we went home, opened gifts and hung out with the crew. Christmas Day we met Quinn back in Milwaukee, he took Aub and they headed back to spend Holiday time with his family. Jaz and I met Eli, my oldest daughter and the three of us saw Sherlock Holmes and It's Complicated....good movies! My wonder dogs where home eleven hours, alone and we came home to GOOD DOGS!

Then Saturday it was driving in snow storms for Christmas with my family in Palmyra....we made it! Quinn, Aubree and Hank made it too and we all had a great time with good food and spirits!

Tonight Aubree, Quinn and Hank stopped by my house for a shower, dinner and good-bye, prior to leaving for their long drive to New York.

This is the first time that Jake, Mollie and Gypsy ever met Hank......it was a blast in my little house with 3 adults, 4 dogs and 6 cats......

Then Aubree and I got this great idea to take a dog group photo........

You want to do what??????????????

Not Bad, but there awfully far apart...I think we can do better

Three happy dogs, one bored dog!

Hank closed his eyes and Gypsy is barking.....

Mollie moved.......

This one is not too bad! Gypsy still looks really bored!

"Hey Hank, do you know how to play, Bit Your Face Off, it is such a cool game..."

"I really wish these young crazy dogs would just settle down and behave themselves"

No such luck Gypsy Girl,

"Dudes, this Blind Guy is Crazy, Man you can tell he's from New York......"

Mollie's moving in....watch out Hank!

Gypsy can't believe someone as big as The Big Cowboy needs help putting his socks on

but Jake, Mollie and (look just to the right of Jake's big butt) Hanky

really thought he could use the help!

"Good-bye you Grandma Lady, Jake, Mollie, Gypsy

and all of those Cats hidin round here!

My Muzzer, The Big Cowboy and Me, Hank T Shirt'

really had fun biziting you, but we gots to go......

We liked hangin in the country.....

but we're berry cool New Yorkers and we got to get back to the big apple!"

Happy Holidays from All of Us

Please take one more minute to read the post below

Great pictures of my Crew earlier in the day

Tomorrow and Today

Today Gypsy is still mine....So I wanted to share some new photo's of the last few days of our journey together.........

I finally remembered to have someone take a photo of how I watch TV.

Aubree took this for us, I will keep it forever...

You have your fluffy blanket

I have mine.

Aubree took this one too, sleeping through the boring stuff on TV!

Tomorrow, Gypsy's Forever Lady will come with Gypsy's new Breadie Brother to meet her, but today she is still mine......I've been thinking about how far we have come.....all of us......Gypsy not only touched me, but the rest of my amazing Pride/Pack....she is a wonderful soul to have in your home and in your heart!

Gypsy not long after we met

Gypsy today, just brushed, looking Beardie Beautiful

My Loving Little Angle

Take the fricken picture Lady

Do you think we can set her all day??????

Getting these guys all together was FUN!

But just to prove it to my self I got them all together in two separate poses

I am the Dog Whisper!!!!!

I can't even write how I'm feeling today, Aubree, Quinn and Hank are on their way to tell me good-bye before they head back to New York......This just might be my last full day with my three pack......Emotions.....don't want to be without them....but right now....hard to take!

The Lady

Waiting......

Here's the scoop....the new Lady that would like to be my FOREVER LADY, sent Fluffy Dog Rescue an email to ME...yes, that's right, she addressed it to Delilah the Gypsy, and that's ME!

She said she would really like ME to come and live with HER and her Man, her Beardie Boy, her Kitten and her Two Sister Cats....coooool. I love cats, they are fun to herd when you are outside, but no herding in the house...it's a rule. Jeez Louise I might get to have a Lady, a Man, sister Cats and a Beardie Big Brother...dig it!

Then our leader Lori asked a very nice lady to go and visit this very cool family, you know to check them out. So she did and the nice lady really liked the very cool family! She told Lori that they're EXCITED to meet MEEEEE! So now we are just watching our email, every five minutes, to see if we have an email from the new Lady to come and meet ME and maybe, just maybe take me to my FOREVER HOME.......

So guys and girls keep your fingers and paws crossed...send happy hopeful messages to the Doggie Gods and Goddess so that....maybe even for Christmas.......I will have my VERY OWN HOME!

This is me very happy and hope-filled!

Gypsy

Gypsy's Chance

"Guess what you guys.....there is a family looking at me, Delilah the Gypsy. I'm trying not to get my hopes up....cause The Lady told me this can be tricking business........

Do you really think they'll like meeee?"

"So, I'm just hangin out at The Lady's hoping for a home for Christmas"

"But hey, don't you think I'm looking Beardie Beautiful?"

Delilah the Gypsy

Weekend Update

Gypsy has become addicted to TV, it is no longer just Jimmy Fallon, she loved Sunday Morning, was completely mesmerized by an infomercial teaching babies to read......found the Presidents interview on 60 minutes, very enlightening and as I write she has discovered Animal Planet....She has been watching a program on CATS for the last 45 minutes....this might have been a great mistake on my part! It's kind of weird to walk out and not find her crashed on the love seat with Jake, but at the end of the sofa, close to the TV, taking it all in. She watches from the floor, she sits on the sofa, she stands on the arm when things become really interesting....Jake and Mollie find the whole affair rather boring and don't understand at all why I think it's so cool.....I'm sure many of you are on the same page as Jake and Mollie, I promise this will be my last post on the matter, but man it is just crazy how she suddenly out of no where discovered TV.

When she starts changing the channel I am going to really freak!

Sunday was the anniversary of my birth....Ta Da......

Yes it is too true, when you become of a certain age these anniversaries are more disconcerting then a reason to party! But my extraordinary friends came through....again! Alicia, Jule and Grace made us a wonderful dinner. We all met at Alicia's on Saturday night where we indulged in marvelous appetisers with tasty drinks and lots of laughter. We then sat down to Potato Leek Gratin, the most perfectly baked Tenderloin along with a really great Red Wine. Tremendous! This was followed by a fabulous chocolate cake, my favorite! Through it all we laughed, a lot, cause that is what one does when with their friends......It somehow made turning 55 all worth it.

On Sunday I heard from everyone in my family, with the exception of my brother Joe, he never calls anyone, with the exception of our Mom & Dad on their birthday....it's just his thing! I also received birthday greeting via Facebook from many of my Fluffy Dog Rescue friends, what an unexpected but completely delightful surprise!

I then returned to Alicia's with all three of the dogs.....Jake is a complete boob when it comes to walking on hardwood floors....Once I had walked him into the Kitchen, holding on to his collar I might add, he was fine, but when we tried to get him to walk into the Family Rm it was nuts....Note for the future, Jake doesn't do stairs or hardwood floors. Guess when you're that big the possibility of falling down is very intense!

Grace made us a brunch of Eggs Benedict, her Hollandaise was over the top and it was the first time she ever made it...you go girl. Gypsy and Jule intensely watched the Bears / Packer game, that was hilarious to watch! I had a great day, with the best 2 legged and 4 legged friends I have. Here is a photo Alicia took of me and my crew......I love it!

The Lady

It Runs in the Family

This past June I received a phone call from one of my kids, Aubree. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with Quinn, they have very interesting jobs, a great apartment and a boat load of very talented friends, they have a great life. Quinn's birthday was fast approaching and Aub decided that she was going to get Quinny a dog. She called to have me check out a few rescue sites with her, she was looking for a puppy....you might want to consider a dog that is a little older I advised...no he wants a puppy....OK. She was looking for a Golden Retriever mix, Quinn had always wanted one. As trying to find a puppy at a rescues goes.....she lost out on a few choice, then she heard about one that sounded interesting to her......A 4 month old Mastiff.....WHAT that is nothing like a Golden????.........One more thing Mom....his blind.....WHAT, Aubree wait a minute, this will be your first very own dog, you live in a 2nd floor apartment, how do you even train a blind dog......She started researching training a blind dog....STOP this is really too much for you guys, you really need to consider what you are taking on......Then she went to the rescue....just to check it out.....I got a call, she was in tears, this was THEIR DOG! She bought him on the spot, when I heard her voice I knew there was nothing I could do or say but support her, she had found their dog.....She called Quinn and told him to meet her on the street in front of their apartment, she had to, she was carrying her bag and a 40 pound puppy. She told him on the phone she had too many groceries, she needed his help....She hid the puppy and waited for Quinn....When he appeared looking somewhat confused she pulled out this bundle of joy and shouted......"Happy Birthday.....His Blind" It was love at first sight for Quinny and love at first hearing for.......

Hank T Shirt

Hank's Dad, The Big Cowboy, Quinn and his Meezer Aubree

Quinn and his birthday prize Hank

One of the very first photos I ever received from my new Grand Dog!

"Don't bug my Meezer, she needs her rest"

4th of July too much partying on the roof!

Aubree and Quinn have taken Hank to a great Animal Optometrists in New York, they needed to find out if it was glaucoma or cataracts.....He was born blind, his eyes just never developed, he is in no pain, he has no idea he's blind, it is just his life. He may see light or shadow in one eye, there is really no way to know, but he is smart and he is loved!

Hanky is now 9 months old, he loves his life in Brooklyn with his Meezer and the Big Cowboy. He walks down the street on leash, is completely house trained and he has mastered the stairs in and out of his 2nd floor apartment to name a few of this wonder dogs accomplishments. He goes all over town and has more friends then most dogs I know and it is reported he loves everyone, 2 legged or 4 legged he meets. Hank T Shirt not only found his forever home he got a forever life......

Blind what's that got to do with it??????????

Hanky T Shirt enjoys coffee in bed with his girls

left to right

Auntie Mego, His Meezer, Auntie Austin, Auntie Lindsy

He is a very lucky guy

Real Brooklyn Dudes......

Hank, The Big Cowboy and Uncle Chad, the Milwaukee Man

ATM Hank

Aunt Meg, closest to the camera, Aubree, Hank & Quinn

Walkin in Brooklyn

So this Christmas I get to meet in living color my Grand Dog Hank......This is a family......To say that I'm proud would be an understatement.....to say the apple never falls far....would be the truth!

That Grandma Lady

Drying off the Dogs

I'm so proud of Gypsy, as you may remember she really hurt herself when I left her crated while I was out for an evening back in October. She freaked out, banged up her nose and head, really beat up the crate, man it was an overall disaster! She carries a scar over her left eye from it, poor little girl.

Lately I have been working with her; having her crate for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, when I am home. She is now going right in when I command "Crate". If I hear her digging at the door I call out "Quit" and she will settle down. I knew she liked her crate, she will go in it and lay down when the door is open, but it was locking her in that freaked her out. Knowing that winter was closing in I needed to solve this problem, when you get really wet snowy dogs it is the best place to let them dry off.

Jake & Mollie are both very content to settle in their crates for this purpose, I just needed to get Gypsy to understand her crate is safe, she will get to come out and I get to save my furniture and carpeting!

She will now stay calmly locked in the crate for up to 30 minutes, kind of standard drying time around here. Then they each get a good rubdown with a towel and we are back in business. I have no need to crate her through the night or while I'm out as she completely respects our home. She has been left for up to 8 hours with no mishaps. She is really coming along, she no longer puts her feet up on the counter, broke that habit in about a week. She only got in the garbage once...what a buzz that was.....Delilah the Gypsy, wonder dog extraordinaire!

I can't believe it

OK it is 12:20 AM I was working on the blog the The First Real Snow story...I finished and walked out into the living room only to find Gypsy watching TV, I couldn't believe it, too wild. I walked back into the office grabbed the camera and took these still photos and then took the video below it's completely crazy. She has never done this before and this has been going on for about 20 minutes.....I just walked out and checked and she is still watching....She is really into Jimmy Fallon...Wow who knew, I'm rarely up this late!

The longer I live with Gypsy the more I am completely delighted and in love with her, she is a quiet riot!

The Lady

Gypsy Likes TV

Frist Real Snow

Today was the first real snowfall in wonderful Wonder Lake. Throughout the day Mollie and Jake ran in and out just waiting for some real accumulation in the yard. Gypsy on the other hand ran out only to do her thing, then actually batted at the back door to come in! At around 8:00 PM the snow had really started to get white, fluffy and cold.........

Jake pleaded......

"Lady.....seriously Lady come on man,

can we please go outside again,

like Mollie and I really want to play in the

totally new fallen awesome snow"

"Cool yeah come this way, the door is this way Lady,

it's snowing and great out...

no really it's fine the door is this way, are you coming?"

Mollie added

"Gypsy would you like to go outside?" asked the Lady

Gypsy opened one eye and replied

"Have you lost your mind?

I have no intention of moving off of this warm comfortable sofa

to run around in that white stuff"

The Lady went out and shoveled the driveway, the sidewalks and the deck while Mollie and Jake romped around the backyard. They barked at the dogs that live next door, they dug in the snow, they rolled in the snow and they even slept in the snow. The whole time Gyps lounged on the sofa, watching the Biggest Loser thoroughly enjoying cuddling with the cats.

Jake was very upset

"Man I can't believe she is making us come in"

"I know, the first snow and she is all freaked out

just because she got cold shoveling the driveway.

It's not like she has anywhere to go tonight.

Bet you 10 cookies she is gonna make us

go in the crates to dry off,

sometimes the Lady is such a buzz kill"

Mollie added with complete exasperation

"Why did I have to come in,

we have only been out for an hour,

it is not that cold, come on Lady it's just dark

and the snow flakes are getting really big"

Mollie complained

while Jake cried

"Dude, pleazzzze I'm not that wet,

don't make me hang in my crate,

like it is sooo totally boring"

"Ha ha ha, I stayed in so I'm warm, dry and have absolutely nothing to complain about!"

Gypsy said extremely pleased with herself!