Happy New Year's Eve.....

I want to wish all of you a great new year's eve and wonderful 2016!! It's been a good and bad year for me....the good Missy Lizzy had a death sentence for last December...but she is doing well...my house is crap....but I have more than so many people I'm fine. A few pics from our Christmas...

I didn't have my big tree up this year again....when your house is trashed it doesn't matter.
I want to thank all of the Husky Haven volunteers, donors, and fosters....all of you who have worked with us in 2015. I appreciate and love all of you....it couldn't work without you!!!
Before I close for the year I want to put up some pics of the babies that didn't make it through this year...............

Beautiful Mr Winston....he never had a home and died so suddenly....

Tamara... who had a home and was brought back in terminal condition.....
Champ...our directors kitty
Last but not least our beautiful Miss Kay....I will miss her the most....

I hope all of you are having fun at the Rainbow Bridge....
As we walk into 2016 I wish all of you the best....take care and see you in the new year....

A Story and Some Pictures......

The story first......a couple of weeks ago we got a really great application for Miss Liesel. The family had apparently been fostering a Husky that looked a lot like Liesel and were very excited to see her!!! We got her all ready for Christmas.....

Look at that beautiful face!!!

She looked so pretty and was on her best behavior. When the family walked in the door, I knew it wasn't going to happen. I have worked so many adoptions....and very few don't go through, but this
one wasn't. The mom and daughter were excited but dad just came along. He was totally disinterested and after a half hour said they would break for lunch. I was hoping they would at least have the courtesy to call and let us know they weren't coming back.....they did.....so beautiful Liesel is still looking for a home......Luckily she is so sweet and we will find her something after the Holidays!!!!
Had to add a couple of pics......

Yes...that is BLD giving us the evil eye Christmas night!!! Pat dressed him in the Santa suit and posed the Christmas Bear right by him....had to give him credit, he actually sat for about three good shots before he ran out of the room and pulled off the suit......but better than you would have gotten with any of my dogs!!!

My son took this selfie of TJ and himself before he left for Michigan......have no idea about the vicious look on TJ's face, he's the most docile dog I have.....but he sure looks mean there!!
I will be back before the New Year.....now that I can get on my computer I can write again....
Have a wonderful evening!!!!!

Happy Holidays!!!!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to a prosperous 2016!!!
I haven't been writing much because my office is a shambles. Last month I had water in my office from a leaky roof, as I was about to get that taken care of my hot water heater in the attic , blew it's spigot and dumped about 200 gallons of water in my house. All of the rooms except the kitchen had flooring and baseboards removed and drywall is out in my hall. My poor office is in worse shape now!!! I haven't gotten the floors fixed yet just couldn't handle it before the Holidays!!!! Next week I'll be working on that........
Other than that, myself and all the babies are doing well!!! I asked them to put on their Christmas stuff, but they all refused.

We had a very nice Holiday season so far...spent lots of time with friends and family. This was my son's first Christmas out of state.....a bit of an adjustment for me. But I realize that's the way it goes.
I have to finish with my favorite outside decoration....almost got into a wreck checking it out last week!!!!

I have never seen a pig before....I want one of those!!!!
I will be back before the new year.....
Happy Sunday....Go Texans!!!

Nineteen Years Ago......

Sounds like so long ....but I remember like it was yesterday. I wrote here about my auto accident that many years ago, but I never included pictures.
Right before Thanksgiving.....I was driving home from work.....like any other day. Stopped to get my son some dinner , was going to a local sports bar to watch a game with my boyfriend (even remember the game....Dallas vs Green Bay). Was about a mile from home.....caught in some construction. Cars waved me through, but not everyone was paying attention. My car was struck from the back and pushed sideways into a truck going about 70 in a 30 mile an hour zone. I lost that particular battle....in fact, I woke up covered with a sheet.....basically was declared dead at the scene. I scared the crap out of those paramedics.
On to a backboard and off to the hospital.....I will spare all the details of that trip except an incompetent doc almost killed me , but a competent tech saved my life. I was back in the ambulance going downtown......broken C1 through C4......a bit much for a local hospital.
When I got there it was the first time I felt safe. They took care of all my other wounds....of which there were many, stabilized me and gave me a shot of morphine for sleep and pain.
The next morning I was put in a halo......basically a metal halo screwed into your skull so it remains stable....attached to a vest you can't get out of via metal bars.......like this.....

You can't move your head , obviously. So range of motion is zero. I spent that week in the hospital and the next 6 months in the halo......basically stuck at home. You can only watch so many movies or read so many books. When they finally took it off that April.....I was seriously scared my head would fall over like a bobble head.....but no. I spent three months after that at home before they would let me come back to work.
This is the most profound thing that's ever happened to me in so many ways.  I was so lucky in the long run that I had no other major physical damage.....but it also made me rethink my life. I hadn't been happy at work and basically wasn't so happy with me. I was given a second chance, really. I changed how work was for me......got a great gig travelling all over the world.....and I also realized I needed to give back somehow. That's how I got to rescue......one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. I have helped, with friends and rescues, to save so many dogs over the years.....so glad nineteen years ago didn't have the grimmer ending......
There are so many things I didn't add.....I could really write a book.....but I'm very happy to help the furkids and live to write about it......

From All of Us.....

Lizzy

TJ

Tank

Faith

and me , of course.....have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Mr. Malbec......

Wanted to talk a bit about our newest baby , Malbec. He was wandering around someone's front yard. He was pretty tired and looked bad. He had scabs all over him and was underweight. I got the note and sent it to our director....we decided to take him in.

He looked so sad.....

The lady that had him dropped him off at our vet.....of course he wasn't neutered and he had a horrible case of Demodex mange. We didn't know if he had also been wounded....but it turned out that it was from him scratching at his itchy skin. We brought home.....he was so happy...like a changed dog. He's so sweet now that we are taking care of him....

He is on a lot of meds and we are trying to wash him every week to heal his skin. He doesn't mind the baths so much....but he hates the wait when we wash him with the medicated shampoo....that five minutes standing there takes forever for him!! 

He is progressing.....just going to take a while....

Here he is having his bath on Sunday with my friend Elsie. 

Keep good thoughts that he heals soon and we can find him a great home!!

Have a wonderful evening!!!!

Happy Veteran's Day.........

Just wanted to say Happy Veteran's Day to all that have served our country. This especially goes out to my 89 year old Dad......one of the few WWII veterans around!! Without the navy my Dad would not have gotten his PhD through the GI bill. I am very proud of him!!! 

Mom and Dad.......1950

Have a wonderful evening.......
Talk to you soon......

Rest in Peace Miss Kay.......

This is one of the hardest posts I've had to write for a very long time. We have to say goodbye to one of our favorite girls.....Kay. Kay was a beautiful Akita.....I know we run a husky rescue but when I started volunteering she was there with her son, Kaj. We actually got him adopted and she went to foster. The foster's fell in love with her and were going to adopt her and take her to England with them. That all fell through when the guy lost his job and Kay came back to us.......she was basically the house dog for the last six years. Everyone loved her....on days when volunteers were around they loved to take her for walks or just hang around her. She really was our gentle giant. The last year or two were starting to get hard on her......arthritis in her back legs made it hard for her to walk, but we still tried to get her out as much as possible. The last month or so she has barely been able to get up at all, we would have to literally pick her up to take outside....and then she couldn't stay up. She wasn't eating much and just wasn't Kay. I saw her this morning....brought her some fancy cookies we didn't think she'd eat......she did.....but she just couldn't move. We knew it was coming......she went to sleep peacefully late this afternoon......

We will miss you so much....but at least you can finally romp around at the Rainbow Bridge......

A Tale of Two Doggies......

In September I posted about Rama and Sita getting adopted together. We, of course, couldn't have been happier that these two that came in together got a brand new home together!!! When Rama met Ray he knew he was home, but Sita was a bit more reserved. She had a few days of chewing and marking behavior, but that is gone and she knows she is home. Ray sent a bunch of pics of them so here we go.....

Hanging out in their new backyard......

Dinnertime....

Naptime......

They are doing great!!!!
We miss them , but are sure happy they have a wonderful new home with lots of love!!!
Have a great afternoon!!!!

Nine Years.......

Today it's been nine years since my Mom passed. It, of course , was the only day....out of nine....that I wasn't at the nursing home at least once a day. My son's girlfriend thought I was getting too burned out, I was, and took me out to dinner. When I got home I got the call. For years I felt horrible, but she was no longer conscious, even though I willed her to be. I miss her all the time....think of her every day. I'm including the poem my son wrote on October 13th , 2006. It never fails to make me cry.......

Mom, me , Mom's friend, Dad with Cathy

In honor of my grandmother." VIRGINIA RUTH BAUMGARTNER June 2, 1928 - October 12, 2006 
In honor of your memory I took paper to pen; 
I never knew the real you who you were or where you've been. 
I only knew the woman who'd put a smile on my face; 
I never knew the story behind the wrinkles on your face. 
The many storms you weathered and the calms when you made peace; 
I wish I had been old enough to learn the secrets that you'd keep. 
So, without you we wander on into the rest of our lives; 
Without the wisdom we could've gained when you were alive. 
We wander on... I wrote these words for you for the rest of them to hear; 
It's time for you to move along to eternity without fear. 
And may you now be at peace in a place without love or hate; 
Where everything is perfect beyond life's golden gates. 
The rest of us will strive and struggle and keep you in our hearts; 
I'll always remember this piece of wisdom The whole is the sum of it's parts. 
A time will come when we're all gone we'll see each other again; 
I wish you could have taught me more and I'm sure you will again. 
I won't forget the time we shared I will not forget you; 
It wasn't until your time had come that you taught me what you knew. 
Forgive me as I wander on... R.I.P. Virginia Baumgartner; 
What you couldn't teach me in life I learned only by your death. 
Written by Ian Poole October 13, 2006

Off the grid.....

Wow...I didn't realize that I hadn't posted in two weeks. I do have an excuse for this though, I've been spending the last few weeks sorting, organizing and pricing donations for a garage sale I had last weekend for the rescue. I've never seen so much stuff in my poor garage....couldn't even get my bike out to ride it. We had a perfect day with perfect weather but it was a bit disappointing in sales. At the end of the day we had so much left over we boxed it and will be moving it to my friend Denise's house and try it again on the 17th. Hopefully we make a ton more money for the rescue!!

Yep...that was my driveway and garage on Saturday!!!!
I took my very barky dogs, Tank and Faith, to our directors for the day....really didn't need them going crazy all day. When I came to pick them up they were so happy to see me they both had to ride shotgun on the way home!!!

They did get their nails trimmed....something I hate to do.....so I just told them they had a spa day.....they weren't convinced.

Have a great evening!!!

I will be back soon.....sooner than two weeks I promise!!!

A Scary Weekend.....

So like a good dog mama, I took Faith to the vet on Friday to get her rabies and DHLP. We waited a long time and finally got the shots about 5:30 that evening. By the time we got home it was about 6 or later and the others were pissed cause I was so late with dinner!!! All of them got fed and were running around in the yard before 7. I noticed Faith wasn't acting like herself....when she was inside she couldn't settle down and acted like she needed to throw up. I took her out for a quick walk to see if she was going to get sick....but nothing. When we got back to the house she was gasping for breath. It was 7:30 and my vet was closed...but she couldn't breathe so it was off the e-vet . I called my friend Denise to meet me there, I was a bit shaken, and off Faith and I went. It's only about 6 miles to the clinic but the longest drive ever. I actually thought she would stop breathing on the way. About a half mile before we got there I felt something warm on my leg, she finally vomited, but we were there and inside as fast as we could go. Luckily, it wasn't too busy and they took her in right away. When Denise got there about 10 minutes later the place was packed....so my timing was good. When they talked to us they said she had an allergic reaction.......I know dogs can have reactions to vaccines so I figured that could be the only thing , since nothing else had changed. We got to see her and she still sounded terrible ( she also developed hives in this time) so I opted to keep her there with 24 hour monitoring. They called at 5 AM and she had respiratory distress and hives again....so I needed to pick her up in the afternoon. We finally got home about noon and she seemed ok......but 15 minutes later this happened..........

I know it's hard to see on the top of her head...but her whole body was covered again in hives and her poor eyes were swollen shut. Called the clinic, gave her pred and benadryl...she finally calmed down and slept. Hives went away and today she is doing well....but super tired.

I guess this is a cautionary tale.....dogs can get allergic reactions to their vaccines at any time....and it's hard and fast and can kill them. They have to have them....but always keep an eye to check the reaction. Never had this happen to my dogs before....any of you??
So poor Faith made this a very scary weekend for us both.....

Miss Lizzy....

I wanted to do an update for my girl. She has been doing really well so we decided to video her walk the other day (hope it works!!) and show you a pic of her and Faith hanging out in the sun. I can't believe it's been 14 months since diagnosis.

Have a great Friday.....will be back over the weekend!!!

Happy Labor Day......

All of us wish all of you a very happy holiday. Please be safe tonight....I guess summer is officially over....but as usual in Houston you'd never know it!!!

Lizzy enjoying the heat!!!!

Have a wonderful evening......
See you very soon.......