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OUT WITH THE OLD - BUT FIRST By Carole Oglesbee Happy New Year to everyone!! Let’s hope this year is as good as and perhaps better than 2002. As in years past, we stayed extremely busy last year. We participated in 75 total events - 43 commercial business shows, 14 community events which included one two-day and one three-day event, 8 special activities sponsored by local rescue and shelter organizations, 6 weekends of three-day home shows, 3 greyhound reunion days and, last but not least, the extremely busy three-day extravaganza America’s Family Pet Expo. (Somehow, a partridge in a pear tree should follow the above!) We want to extend our many, many thanks to all the businesses that allowed us to use their stores for our shows. We also want to thank the organizations that allowed us to join their activities and events. We truly appreciate each and every opportunity to show off and talk about our wonderful greyhounds. So thanks to our sponsoring Petcos, Petsmarts and the wonderful Kountry Kollectables of Idyllwild. Many thank yous to the organizers of the NEC and USA Home Show events. Our hats go off to the Irvine Spectrum, the Woodbridge Association of Irvine, The Money Man Gallery, the Board of Realtors of Laguna Beach, Fashion Island Center of Newport Beach and the Corona Del Mar Animal Hospital. And finally our appreciation goes out to the communities of Aliso Viejo, Chino Hills, Dana Point, Idyllwild, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Serra Mesa and the County of Orange. All welcomed us to participate in events sponsored by various groups, foundations and departments associated with their individual communities. We certainly hope those of you who joined in with our events also had a grand time. Your participation is greatly appreciated. We encourage all of you to plan on coming out to some of the 2003 events. You will find it is very gratifying spending a morning, afternoon and/or evening with your greys. They love being with you and you will soon find just how much fun it is to talk about our marvelous companions. So again, Happy New Year to each and every one of you. May this be the year of massive numbers of adoptions for all the Southern California Greyhound Adoption Organizations!!!
STONE… By Rose Hedgepeth We always joked we went to Petsmart for cat food and came home with a greyhound. Stone was there with others awaiting adoption. We glanced at the dogs (just being polite so as not to look like 'meanies') and Stone chose me. I wasn't looking for a dog. He came up to me, rested his head on my thigh...just being polite, I let the volunteers talk to me about these animals. Then they asked if I wanted to walk Stone...being polite...I obliged. Just being polite...we agreed to fill out an adoption form knowing full well, either A) our landlord wouldn't approve, or B) we wouldn't be approved for the adoption. Stone came for a home visit to see if he would get along with our cats. |
Needless to say, we had ourselves a new pet. Stone was such a gentle soul, so quiet, sweet, patiently allowing me to take embarrassing photos, he tolerated my attempts at creating 'doggie fashion'. Stone was well loved, he had his own twin bed, a doggie bed in my office and would share the couch with me...unless he stretched me off the couch. He always 'helped' with dinner (someone had to clean scraps I accidentally dropped on the floor) and drooled shamelessly when we ate. I can't tell you how much he's meant to us. He taught my son, Joey, responsibility, with his walks and feedings. He reminded me of simple pleasures like having a big warm doggie to warm your cold feet. Watching him blossom into this big goofy pile of legs leaping around the house willy-nilly when daddy Todd got home or when you mentioned the word "B-i-s-c-u-i-t". Watching him trot to the door like a butler when the doorbell rang...drooling...hoping it was the pizza guy. For 2 years he never barked. Maybe a grunt or groan while sleeping, but never a bark. A pocket full of treats, and an afternoon of me howling to 'show' him how a proper dog behaved, and that all changed. Stone had a voice! He could 'sing' for his b-i-s-c-u-i-t-s now! I am probably babbling now, there are so many silly incidents that I could mention... We had him a little over 3 years of his short 8 1/2 year life. He started limping a little in the mornings. We thought, he's old...achy, just a touch of arthritis...he'd shake off the stiffness once he got going. One Sunday afternoon after one of his favorite trips to the Petsmart where we discovered him, he was unable to put any weight on his left front leg. He struggled all night to get comfortable. Monday morning, I called the vet thinking he had a sprained leg, arthritis or perhaps even a fracture from being old and brittle. The vet discovered advanced bone cancer. Having lost both parents to cancer in '91, seeing them suffer, I knew what I had to do. I lay with him on the cold floor, fed him a b-i-s-c-u-i-t, and an oatmeal cookie (boy he loved those!), I stroked his sweet graying muzzle, looked into his big loving brown eyes one last time, and he slipped away to a place where he has no pain, to a place where pizza crust and b-i-s-c-u-i-t-s are plentiful, where the back scratches are endless. … AND PRINCESS DEENA By Rose Hedgepeth She is blossoming...Saturday she actually leapt up and wagged her tail in the morning when she saw me after her first night in Joey's room (on her new twin bed) without me. Deena has chosen 'her spot' on the couch and seems to know exactly what pillows are for. We took her to the beach yesterday to see the surf. She was unimpressed. She is doing better with Todd…sat next to him in 'her spot' last night. She doesn't run away when he approaches, but is still cautious with a little tentative tail wagging. The cats have gone back to their home dominance and just give her dirty looks now...they don't puff up and she barely notices them, unless they are staring her down. She looks away. Princess Deena is a little character, and when she comes out of her shell, I am thinking she’ll be a stinker for sure!
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BLOSSOMING By Colleen Summerfield Have you ever noticed a change in your grey from when you first adopted to the present time? I remember when I first saw Fawn with those big expressive eyes and ears. Fawn had been a long term foster and in two foster homes. She always was overlooked at show and tells because she was so aloof. As the weeks and then, months passed after I adopted her, Fawn always kept to herself, very reserved. She seemed to be content knowing I was there in the house, not necessarily in the same room with her. Being very new to greyhounds, I thought this was normal. When I adopted my other girl, I ended up with a different personality. Cider loves people. She will lick your face clean, just the opposite of Fawn. About two years later, my aunt noticed something about Fawn. At Christmas time for the past couple of years, my aunt would stay with me. Fawn never really greeted her, and just ignored her. But this past Christmas, it was a whole different story. Fawn was all over my aunt like a long lost friend. What a different dog! I notice it now too, when I take her to greyhound events. Fawn really works the crowd. So just wait and watch your grey blossom. Some just take a little longer than others!
NEEDLENOSECREW.ORG Just a reminder that our web site has changed –so update your "Favorites" list now with our new URL address - www.needlenosecrew.org. You can check for coming events, revisit old newsletters, or link to your favorite Southern California Greyhound Adoption Organizations. There is even an easy way to click and e-mail your articles and pictures for the newsletter!
Greetings from snowy Idyllwild, CA. The Idyllhounds – Dar, foster Chocolate Bar, Mallory and Angel.
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