This Year Was Brought To You By the Number Three

Three is a pretty good number.  The winner's circle always has the top three winners.  In baseball, there are three strikes before you are out.  Rock stars usually count to three when doing a sound check.  But in my case, three is pretty pitiful.  I only managed three posts in 2012, and they all came in the first three days of January!  I guess I need to work on that, a lot.  Maybe I will aim for six posts all year....

So where do I begin....

Well, it's a snowy Saturday, it's the first snow we have seen in over 12 months.  Our winter last year was pretty much non-existant.  I remember getting a pedicure on March 17th as the weather was warm and I wanted to wear sandals.  It's suppose to snow another 5 cm today on top of the other 5 we got on Boxing day.  We've had a lazy few days, with nowhere to go, and the boys have lots of Skylanders Giant characters to play.

We got a new dog, Princess Lulu back in May.  Our previous foster finally found a home.  We started off fostering Lulu, but it soon became obvious that she was attached to us.  She is a sweet dog with many quirks, that we are still trying to work on.  Number one quirk, she sings before she eats. I will have to upload that video later.

I will strive to write more this year.  With a 42 man, and 6  and 4 year old sons, and a quirky dog, it does get a bit hectic, but also a lot of fun. 

Brrr, It was A Cold One Today

And I don't mean as in the cold beverage on a sticky hot day. It was minus 20 with the wind chill, downright nippy.

Admittedly we haven't had it bad this winter so far. The temperature has been mild, with little snow. Which I'm not complaining at all. I like a wet rainy Christmas. It reminds me of when I went to Ireland for Christmas. We'd shop in the high street and when the rain got heavy, we'd nip into the pub for a pint.

The cold air certainly made it hard to go back to work after our short break. But it was also nice to be back to a routine the kids and I are used to.

Fostering Dogs

To fill the void of losing our beloved dog Pepper back in April 2010, we decided to foster other coonhounds in need. These dogs usually come from high kill shelters in the States and the foster group I volunteer with tries to save all coonies.

Shortly after Pepper's death, we welcome Mojo into our home. She was a sweet dog, a Bluetick that came from a good hunting lineage and thus she was used to breed. She was a kennel dog, she quickly took over our walk in closet as her den.

She was also part Houdini. She could actually climb fences, not just jump but climb using her paws like hands. At first we couldn't figure out how she kept escaping our backyard, but one day we caught her in the act of scaling our wooden gate. I think she was just as surprised as we were that her secret was found out. One night, she fled the backyard and was gone for 8 hours, on a very cold night. Mike found her in the nearby ravine, cold, wet and dirty with a few nicks and cuts.

She eventually found her forever home at the end of 2010 out near Ottawa and has been renamed Rosie. She is doing well in her new home and that's all I can ask for.

Right now we have an English Coonhound Charley, who is a senior hound. He is Mr. Personality. We've had him since January 2011, and in all honesty, he will likely be with us until he passes. It's going to take a special family or person to take him. He's not the friendliest dog to other male dogs and he thinks smaller dogs are like his stuffies. Can't blame the guy, he was likely a one dog hunter's dog. But man he loves people and loves hanging out in cars.

This poem sums up what it is like to foster. Eventually I want to adopt a dog of our own again, but in the meantime, being a foster mom is rewarding.

"There I sat, alone and afraid,

You got a call and came right to my aid.

You bundled me up with blankets and love. And, when I needed it most, you gave me a hug.

I learned that the world was not all that scary and cold. That sometimes there is someone to have and to hold.

You taught me what love is, you helped me to mend.

You loved me and healed me and became my first friend.

And just when I thought you'd done all you do, There came along not one new lesson, but two.

First you said, "Sweetheart, you're ready to go. I've done all I can, and you've learned all I know."

Then you bundled me up with a blanket and kiss. Along came a new family, they even have kids!

They took me to their home, forever to stay. At first I thought you sent me away.

Then that second lesson became perfectly clear. No matter how far, you will always be near.

And so, Foster Mom & Dad, you know I've moved on.

I have a new home, with toys and a lawn. But I'll never forget what I learned that first day.

You never really give your fosters away. You gave me these thoughts to remember you by.

We may never meet again, and now I know why.

You'll remember I lived with you for a time. I may not be yours, but you'll always be mine." - Author Unknown

Is It Really 2012?

Wow, has it really been 20 months since I last updated this thing? Boy, where the hell have I been?

A new year and a new promise to be a little more regular around here, not that I have a legion of fans hanging on to every word I write.

And on that note, I raise a glass of red to my new found blog. I hope I keep remembering my password.

Cheers.