Quality time

We've received some sad news about Stella (read about it on Gyeong's blog) which has really made us all cherish every day we have with our dogs.  Stella started it all for the Stumpf/Park greyhound adventures.  So we are all spending more time with her and the other aging members of our pack.  it's cold now..so I took some time to get 'up close and personal' to my girls. 
Dana..she will be 13 in January.  Today..she is in great health and is the same old dancing roo-ing greyhound we all know and love. 

 Cali couldn't be bothered by it all.  Cali has a limp..but she's had it for about a year now.  We've Xrayed it a bunch showing nothing.  Hopefully, just an 'old race injury' to a tendon or something.

Shiloh tolerated a long photo shoot...she's 16 and can sometimes look a little frazzled.

 Last week we watched Lily who I just loved.  She is all white, 3 years old and just has a great personality...I have a thing for the white ones (shocker there..)

 For the blog readers in the US, I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!  Then let the holiday travel and festivities begin!  Ready or not...

Fall..belated

Last year around this time, Nerice and I took off from work (potentially without our employer's permission) and drove around taking photos of the beautiful leaves.  I don't know why I never posted them last year.  So now it seems appropriate since the landscape looks similar to this now.  We borrowed the convertible b/c it was very nice that day and headed north.
We stopped at Lake Anna Winery and met their dog, Bandit...

 Then we headed north to park I can't remember..since it was a weekday and a workday..we were the only souls in the park

 My favorite part was this lake that was like glass..

 To the point where if I turned the photo upside down, it would be difficult to tell..
This is actually an upside down image.I didn't crop out the leaf that gives it away..

 This is the original

 Nerice is hard core and trekked to far off places to get the shot.

 I stayed closer to the trail and made friends with the arachnids.

And other insects that usually make me squeamish..

It was fun and we will have to do it again sometime. 
And this is my favorite photo taken by Nerice..

Non-Dog Festivals..with dogs..

Before I get to the festival photos, a few words on the Tinkle Trousers.  I had a few questions in the comments and thought I'd answer them quickly.  Shane isn't incontinent, so medicine isn't an option.  He was  never housetrained since he was kept in a crate in the garage, so when he has to go..he goes.  But he stands up and goes.  We have a lot of belly bands that I use for 'short durations" but if he is going to go in them..they just can't hold it (even with Poise) so they leak. So the tinkle trousers are perfect for night time.  They don't leak and let the Poise do their job. ;-)  He is better than he was when we got him. 

Since I last blogged, we've done a couple of neat festivals.  We went to the Celtic Festival here in Richmond and took Cali.  There were a lot of men in skirts who pet Cali..

 We went with our friends Bob, Dave and Kristen who brought Dinah, Cooper and Kelli. 

 They also had a sheep dog demonstration.  Dogs that actually work...it was pretty neat to see this dog do its thing...soooo smart!

 The next weekend, my parents came in to town and we drove to Virginia Beach for the Porsche club Air and Auto Festival at the Virginia Military Aviation museum. This one wsa pretty neat. Jason entered his car in to the competition and it was a charity event benefiting the local SPCA.  So we brought Cali (In my parents car). If you look in the middle of this photo, you see Jason and Cali sitting in front of his car

 There were new and exotic cars..

 And old vintage cars

 But  the main thing was the old fighter planes.  They were giving rides in this plane throughout the day. I didn't do it, but I am pretty sure I will next time.  Our cars were positioned right in front of the landing strip so we watched them take off all day. And other people were flying their old planes just for fun and putting on quite the show.

We hung out and ate BBQ, drank wine and watched planes and people for most of this beautiful day

There were also planes on display.  Mom, Dad and Truflz explore the area

Jason had spent a lot of time getting his car ready.  he didn't win but there is a lot of competition and a lot of professionals. So it was just for fun

Bob had his car there as well and it was right behind us

There was a raffle that we all put money in to win things. But my mom kept winning!! She won three items!

 

 Cali really had nothing to do with it..I did have some fun getting some photos of her snoozing next to her daddy's car

 And an older model 911 that was right beside of us..i

 The other thing that entertained us throughout the day was hte 'fly bys'  The planes would come really close and buzz the whole festival.  it was pretty neat and loud!

 I got this one from behind Jason's car.

 It was a lot of fun..and I guess now it is time for winter.  But it was neat taking a dog to these non-dog festivals. Cali got loads of attention at both and there are a lot of photos of Cali in Jason's lap on other people's cameras.  Rest assured..they exist. haha

He still pees his pants

We are approaching the one year Gotcha day for Shane.  Shocks the hell out of me.  People say he looks like a different dog.  He should..he has gained about 6 pounds, lost at least a pound of fur, has pearly white teeth, his fur is white and he hasn't been bitten by a flea or slept outside in a year.  But who knew he'd still be here one year later. 

 I wish I could say his bladder had gotten bigger.  But in the year, I've learned that Poise pads are awesome and sold in bulk at Costco.  A diaper genie rocks at holding wet Poise pads and keeps your trash smelling like trash and not pee.  And Tinkle trousers are great and don't leak..even though they might resemble something from medieval times.  I promise he is not as miserable as he might look in this photo...I will get a standing one at some point..but he doesn't stand long.  He can't help that he pees his pants..he is old and never properly housetrained.

 So happy 1 year Gotcha day, Shane.  We will celebrate your 14 1/2 birthday in December.
Doc wants to know why we don't celebrate his half birthday..

Beach Bound 2013

It has been weird around here without Dante.  He was definitely not a wallflower and had so many health issues, that he was a large presence.  He was also always beside me and always underfoot.  But his urn is beside Henry's now and we are doing OK.  We had a party for him and burned his 'anti-poop' eating muzzles that he hated so much (but were SUCH a necessity since poop didn't agree with him and would come right back up).  It was a fitting memorial.

A few days later, it was time to pack up and head to Beach Bound Hounds this year. Kristen and I have gone 4 years in a row and try very hard  not to miss it.  The past years we have taken Cali, Dana, Stan and Jaime.  This year Kelli represented the black dog contingent.  We definitely missed Jaime's morning hoopty dances though.  It was fun having a young one again at the beach, though Kelli didn't seem too interested in the water.
it was hard to find a place for Kristen and I to sleep..

 Dana will be 13 in January, so she got to take it easy and not go to all the events. Stanley has a gimpy foot, so he kept her company when we did longer beach walks.  But typically, we did a lot of this

 The weather was perfect.  Mid to upper 70sF so the dogs would come out with us in the morning (under the umbrella) and we'd take them in at lunch for a break.  Then we'd usually bring them back out around 4. It even got a little chilly at night. 

 Dana would move out to the sun to get some warmth on her old bones.

Kristen, Stanley and Kelli

 Me, Cali and Dana

On Saturday, we had no 'planned' event for the evening so we stayed on the beach until the sun went down.  We lost our umbrella, but we didn't need it.  Stanley brought out the stuffie but dropped it pretty quickly.  Cali did not think the sheep needed to be outside so she held on to it for safe keeping.
Angelic Cali

Or not so much...

The final morning, everyone gathers on the beach. Typically, I get a shot from our balcony. But this year, we had a first floor room which was very nice and great for the older dogs..but the view wasn't the same.  it was worth that however to not have to wait for an elevator in the morning!  But we sat but for a bit and got some sunrise group photos.

 And a parting shot of Shiloh.  I was worried she'd grieve over Dante, but I think the dementia is just enough to make her not realize a lot of things.  So far she seems 'normal' for a 16 year old lady.

If only he'd had thumbs

He would have ruled the world.  Run free, my little buddy...you will be greatly missed.  Watching TV on the couch will never be the same without you by my side.  He put up a good fight and we tried everything we could. He spent 4 days in the emergency critical care center and he tried..but in the end his body gave up. He was Jason's faithful companion for 14 years..

We love you and will miss you.

Dante Stumpf

8/11/1998- 9/19/2013

 

 I will try to post some photos of him in younger years (pre-blog) this weekend.  Hug your hounds..