N's Bold Gust

There is another sweet greyhound running free at the bridge...

Gus was diagnosed with Osteo on Tuesday and they let him go this afternoon.

Run free, sweet boy...Ill never forget your smile!

N's Bold Gust

9/4/2000 - 10/19/2008

:'(

My rock

Early Friday morning, I lost one of the most important people in my life.  For 25 years she was there - she was my grandma, my friend, my confidant and my rock.

Kathleen Marie Carvill

2/2/1937-10/10/2008

What shall I say about the Irish?

The utterly impractical, never predictable,

Sometimes irascible, quite inexplicable, Irish.

Strange blend of shyness, pride and conceit,

And stubborn refusal to bow in defeat.

She's spoiling and ready to argue and fight,

Yet the smile of a child fills her soul with delight.

Her eyes are the quickest to well up with tears,

Yet her strength is the strongest to banish your fears.

Her hate is as fierce as her devotion is grand,

And there is no middle ground on which she will stand.

She's wild and she's gentle, she's good and she's bad.

She's proud and she's humble, she's happy and she's sad.

She's in love with the ocean, the earth and the skies,

She's enamoured with beauty wherever it lies.

She's victor and victim, a star and a clod,

But mostly she's Irish - in love with her God.

He was truly one of the best...

This morning one of the most handsome, sweetest, gentlest best, greyhounds I know crossed the bridge...

Coy was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in early September and fought a valliant battle.  Even on Friday, he greeted me at the gate at Anne and Ben's with a smile and a stuffy in his mouth.  When I would pay attention to Mezzie, he would go lay down on his pillow, but every time I came back to the gate to see Zoe, he would come hopping back over on his 3 legs.  

I dont know how many greyhounds were adopted because people met Coy, but Im sure that it is more than I can count on two hands.    

Run free, sweet, handsome, black boy - free from the pain of dreaded osteo.

Until we meet again, handsome boy, enjoy your twinkies and oreos and know that you are dearly missed down here...

White light and Godspeed! 

Coy - N's Xtreme  02/10/00 - 09/29/08 

Osteosarcoma

I will never, never, NEVER understand the terrible disease that is osteosarcoma.  It has taken far too many of these sweet, gentle dogs far before their time should be up...

And it will take another all too soon...

Coy - Ive only known you for a short time, less than a year, but I will never forget you.  Watching you work your 'magic' on anyone who met you has truly been a gift.  

White light and Godspeed!

:'(

Sometimes its the little things that bring it all back...

So...this fall it will be 4 years since I left for Cork.

Every now and then there are little things that will bring the memories flooding back like they happened just yesterday...and one just happened to crop up at work...

My coworkers and I were talking about music yesterday morning and started talking about how FANTASTIC David Gray is, so I decided to put him on shuffle on my ipod.  Suddenly, 'Babylon' came on and it was as if I was sitting in the lobby of Mardyke after a night of climbing, listening to it for the first time on Lindsey's ipod.  I could feel all of the feelings I felt while I was there - the happiness, excitement, and joy of finally being able to be myself; the thrill of hiking and climbing; and the peacefulness of being able to breathe for a semester.  It made me want to go back...

Now, I know that I could never go live over there again...there is too much tying me to the states now, but I think Im finally ready to go visit.  Hopefully within the next 5 years I will make it back.  I would love to see Dave, Tom, JC, Askea, Declan and Brad (and anyone else that is still around) again; see UCC and wander around Cork, climb Carranthoul again and maybe do the Reeks Ridge, just be back 'home'.  

My co-workers laughed when I told them that where ever I go in this world, Cork will always be my true 'home'.  Im happy being back in the States, dont get me wrong, but a part of me is and always will be in Cork.  There is just no way of explaining it to someone who hasnt been there...its just a magical, magical place! :)

Prince: The toothless wonder

I first met Prince back in February, after returning from the GUR (greyhound underground railroad) to Kenosha, WI to pick up the 5 newly retired GEMs.  It was a crazy, exciting, long, fun weekend with a very emotional ending.  Robin and Laze had invited Merrie, Bob, Amanda, Anne, Ben and I to stay for dinner after the dog drop, and after spending 20 minutes in their driveway dealing with the train wreck ending, we went inside and were mobbed by their 6 greyhounds - Hefty, Gina, Prince, Gus, Duke and Karroo.  This was the first time I had ever met their dogs and the only thing on my mind was finding a very large glass of Robin's DELICIOUS (so I was told by Anne) margaritas to help me relax.  Hefty, Gina, Gus and Karroo were easily distinguishable...white, red, brindle and white/red respectively.  Prince and Duke, on the other hand were both black and VERY interested in what we were having for dinner.  No matter where I turned there was always a black dog.

Fast forward a few weeks to when our application for Mezzie was denied.  The only person on the board that I trusted (besides Anne) and knew would listen to what I had to say was Laze (GEM's president), so I wrote her an email to let her know my frustrations and expected that to be the end of it.  Imagine my surprise the next day when I had an email waiting for me from her.  She said that she would rather talk in person (or at the very least over the phone) and invited me to come down to her house.  I spent two hours sitting in her living room talking about everything that had happened and her thoughts on it all, when I mentioned that we wanted to do a 'foster with intent' with Mezzie to see how my dads allergies would react to a greyhound.  Without hesitation she said..."If you want to see how he will react, why dont you take one of ours for the week?"  They were leaving for Jekyll Island, GA for a week and needed still needed someone to watch Prince and Gina.  The next evening Prince hitched a ride from Brighton to GB with Ben and Duke.  

I picked him up about 10 pm and our 'adventure' began.  Laze sent a note in his bag with his feeding instructions and other info that I needed along with the comment "He has really bad teeth and really bad breath, but just love him anyways."  Well...that statement was a little understated...he had AWFUL breath.  He had been adopted 6 years earlier and had an owner that didnt care for him very well.  He hadnt had a dental in that time which caused the bad breath.   

But, despite his history, he was a huge lovey-dovey, goofball and stole my heart   Laze had told me that he would gladly sleep with me, if I wanted, or he would sleep on the floor.  I decided that a twin bed was just too small for me and a greyhound, so I put a pile of blankets on the floor by my bed.  An hour after I had gone to bed, I woke to him chattering his teeth, pacing and whining by the side of my bed.  Like the softy I am, I gave in and let him sleep in bed with me.  From that day on, he has become my snuggle-buddy.

A couple weeks after they got back from Jekyll Island, Robin and Laze asked if I would be interested in staying at their house and watching all of their dogs while they were away at different events, instead of them having to find people to watch them all.  I told them absolutely and started watching the dogs in April when they went to Gettysburg.  Prince learned quickly that whenever I was there, he was allowed to sleep in the bed.  He has gone from waiting to be invited up on the bed, to automatically getting up there when I go to upstairs.  

Since our family reunion this July was at the end of the same week as my first week of work, I couldnt go so I told Robin that I would be able to watch the dogs while they were in Louisville after all.  I was talking to Robin the Saturday night they were gone (Gina had been sick since they had left and I was out of paper towel :P) and she kept apologizing it then told me that they had gone to see the pet psychic.  She told me that Prince had told her that he really loved me and that all the dogs, even Hefty, liked it when I stayed at the house with them.

Well, I didnt think much of it until she was telling me more when they got home Sunday night.  They had been having problems with Prince growling, snapping and biting before they left and the psychic told them they he was 'testing' them, thinking that if he was bad enough they would 'give him back'.  The psychic also told them that he really, really loved me and would come live with me.  

Since theyve been back from Louisville, Ive been over at their house quite a bit - Robin has been out of town and Laze asked me to let the dogs out if she was going to be late getting home from work.  Every time I come in the door Prince is the first to greet me and is my shadow the entire time I am there.  If I am sitting on the couch he is usually snuggled up on my lap, if I get up for some reason he either gets up and follows me or rests his head on the back of the couch to watch me, he has even started sleeping with me downstairs while the rest of the dogs are upstairs.  Robin and Laze joke that Im his girlfriend! :P      

A week ago Wednesday, Prince finally had a chance to go see a veterinary dental specialist to have his teeth looked at.  The vet ended up removing 14 teeth, including all 4 canines, (to go along with the 14 the normal vet was able to pull last year), leaving him with just 7 tiny teeth.  Despite all he has been through, he is happier that Ive ever seen him.  He has the energy of a 3 year old puppy in a 9 1/2 year old body.  

He is still the goofy, silly, lovey, cuddle bug that stole my heart back in February but with MUCH better breath.  I truly love him as much as if he were my own dog!

My silly, goofy, cuddle-bug - Prairie Prince!

Before I head to bed...

****8 years ago today: July 22, 2000*****

1) How old were you?
Just turned17

2) Where did you go to school?
Grand Blanc H.S.

3) Where did you work?
U-12 Softball umpire

4) Where did you live?
Grand Blanc, MI

5) Where did you hang out?
softball field

6) Did you wear contacts?
indeed

7) Who was your best friend?
AB, Meg

8)How many tattoos did you have?
None

9) How many piercings did you have?
2, but I never wore earings

10) Did you drive a car?
Buick Regal

11) Had you been to a real party?
not so much

12) Had you had your heart broken?
nah

13) Were you Single/Taken/Married/Divorce?
definitely single

14) Any Kids?
definitely no

***4 years ago July 22, 2004

1) How old were you?
Just turned 21

2) Where did you go to school?
Albion College

3) Where did you work?
Michigan State Police Crime Lab - Sterling Heights/FURSCA...best summer EVER! :D

4) Where did you live?
Albion: I-house, Farranlea Hall, CORK; with my parents, Mo's

5) Did you wear glasses?
just before I went to bed

7) Who was your best friend?
Erin

8) How many tattoos did you have?
still none

9) How many piercings?
5

10) What car did you drive?
Grand Am

11) Had your heart broken?
indeed

12) Were you Single/Taken?
still single

13) Any Kids?
nooo

*****Today: July 21, 2008*****

1) How old are you?
Just turned 25...scary!

2) What do you do?
QC tech

3) Where do you live?
still at home (boooo)

4) Do you wear glasses?
my eyes havent seemed to get the message that I dont want to, so yeah

5) Who is your closest friend?
Laura, Anne, Rachel, Robin

6) Do you talk to your old friends?
not nearly enough

7) How many piercings do you have?
5

8) How many tattoos?
none...contemplating one more and more :P

9) What kind of car do you have?
Saturn Vue, although I wish it got better gas millage

10) Has your heart been broken?
yeah, but what doesnt kill you makes you stronger, right?!

11) Single/taken/married/divorced?
still waiting for prince charming

12) Any Children?
Haha...not so much!