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Jetta :o)

ohoh.. I think we are so much behind - don't even know where to start!
I will just pick something and go from there..
Some of you might remember that mom was planning for a weeklong hospital stay. Well, she skipped once and Friday she skipped the second time. For next time we will have a strategy in place to get mom to the hospital ;o)
In the mean time I had another surgery. Same procedure as always - fatty lump removal. They were bothering me since they were at really nasty places inbetween muscles! No fun. Well, all was unspectacular, the incisions are healing well and life is good again. Back to bouncy old self in 2 days ;o) Surgery was Tuesday. The vet did a fine job as always.
Jojo is doing ok, she has a few tests coming up tomorrow. It's an eight hour blood test to see whether she has Cushings. We will see. We are out and about as always, meet up with friends, went to the dog show where we met up with friends, too! Then the other day we went to the Bay Area pet expo. Mom and dad went, Jojo and I and Jetta stayed at home!
Now - here come the drums....................
We got a momma dog with 4 wee puppies at home! We are fostering for the ACC, because the pups did not even have their eyes open when we got them. Momma dog, which mom named Jetta, is what humans call undersocialized. Well, I call it - just had her babies weary. Fully understandable :o)
She settle in quickly and feels very comfortable around us and the humans and cats. Jojo helped her a lot on the first day. When we picked her up at the shelter, we went with to make sure she knows that we will be there for her, too. She liked us right away and so did we.
I go check in on them once in a while, sometimes I hang with the pups and comfort them when mom is bouncing around ;o)
Jojo likes hanging out with Jetta and playing with her. We got her on Friday? Thursday?
Her pups have since opened their eyes :o)
When you get a insecure dog, you got to set a structured routine, which makes you predictable, you know? Also she needs room to explore on her terms. She has a bunch of proper babies after all. I think her benefit is that she is very curious! She is not even afraid of the vacuum. She is fine with all sorts of stuff as long as she can hang out with us.
After one day she knew where the door is. When she has to go, she does her business outside, she trusts us around the pups completely. Dad has done lots of socializing with the mom and the pups, since she was a tidbit weary of him, first. No one has to be weary of dad! He is super cool. We told her and she understood quickly. Now she likes to follow him around, and really likes is famous cuddle fun!
Mom and her have been working on recall yesterday and today. Mom is easier accessible for Jetta, so mom works on a basis, which will make bonding with others easier. She is so smart! She comes flying when called now.. We even went outside without her being on a leash - on the property. She was with us, came when called and zoomed around out of joy.
Fun girl. She attends her pups so well. Her favorite though is to hang out with us in her spare time. Mom and her even worked on stay and she can stay for a real full second! Well, ok, Jojo and I stay with her, but that's fair ;o)
She will take a while to let go of insecurities, but she is on the way and she is eager..
Ok, enough of the talking - here are a few pictures:

2012-02-03

enjoy!!

New Year

It's my little boys birthday today - all my kids' birthday in fact :o)
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/276498

One of our friends is dying. It's a matter of hours. He hung in to greet 2012 with his family. He is such a spirit and such a wonderful friend, father, husband, grandfather and teacher. May you always be remembered as that - we love you Terry.

Our New Year's Eve and New Year's Day has been tremendously unspectacular :o) Not all of it..
We spent our New Year's Eve day at the Crissy Field with our pal Becker and his family. It was beautiful. The sun was so beautiful, it let the city appear golden!! Wow. After the walk we went to a cafe for some hot chocolate and some more chatting.
Then we drove home, went to bed early, watched James Bond, looked out of the window and watched the fireworks in the city. We really don't care about the fireworks, but then, when all was quiet, our neighbors let 2 M80s go off about 20 feet away from our beds. Despite the door and window between our beds and the cracker it was so so loud. We jumped up on the bed to curl up with mom and dad and mom almost fell out of bed ;o)
But that was the most spectacular thing..

Today we are lame. I spent all morning in the sun with the cats, Jojo checked out the lot to see what happened this night. Nothing to be reported, really. Mom and dad are getting ready to take us to the Fort Funston and then we will drive very far to go meet with more friends for dinner. Mom is not really in the mood, but well, we promised *sigh*

Mom has only one resolution for the rest of her life - just do it.

Other than that - happy New Year to you all. May you all be happy, healthy, at ease, without pain and suffering. Love from all of us to all of you..

Jenga, the birds and squirrels, the week with dad

Some of you might already know that "we have" two feral cats, Jenga and June. June came to us with our boy Justin. One day mom came home and Justin was on the couch with June. June was a skinny, filthy little thing and shy. Over the years she got used to us, though. At some point mom could pet her and clean her up, too. She could also give her a de-worming pill and flea medication. She was really good. After that she gained weight and looks really pretty now. She likes to come when it's quiet here. She started coming in 2005 and is still alive and well :o)
In the beginning of this year, we found a fluffy cat sneaking around our house. She looked skinny and not well taken care of. Mom named her Jenga. She seems to like the name, because she responds to it. Jenga is missing the tip of her right ear. I told mom that she was a feral. For about 6 months now she has been coming regularly. We can hear her sneak in the cat door at night. We know it's her, because Jojo always lets out a very quiet grunt. If it were an intruder, she would growl and get up to check. But Jenga belongs to the family, kind of. So, a little grunt will do, Jojo says.
Mom is fine with June and Jenga coming in at night or when we are not home, because they need to rest and re-charge, too. These guys are always on the run, get poisoned, run over or chased away by dogs and people. No one misses them. They are feral. They are welcome here and we miss them when they don't show up for a few days. We don't even chase the skunk away *sigh* what a zoo.
For two weeks now Jenga comes in the house when we are all home. She even eats when we are here, and she talks, too! She got used to us walking around and peaking around the corner. When she is in the kitchen, we are not allowed to be there. We get to watch her from a distance. I usually hang out on the armchair and Jojo in front of it.
Yesterday was a real breakthrough. Dad was sitting on the ground with Jarah, mom was sitting right next to the food bowls. Jojo and I on the armchair. Jenga walked in, hesitated a minute, but then came to her bowl and ate! She was totally fine. She stayed for a good half hour, stretched out on the floor even! Jarah's presence helps, because she is so very trusting and zen.

Here are few photos:
2011-12-27

Dad feeds the squirrels and the blue jays in the winter time. They get fresh nuts of all sort. This morning dad was a little late with the feeding routine. They were already waiting in the feeding area. All of a sudden one of the blue birds came to the kitchen window, sat down on the window sill and screamed his beak off!! He really wanted to tell us that we were late! Unbelievable.. So mom took the nuts, all with shells, and went to distribute them. We don't make it easy for them, they all have to work to get them :o) Apparently they like it this way.
Mornings are always busy here......

Our week and weekend were very nice. Dad has a few days off :o) We spent lots of time on trails and at the beach, with friends and pals. It was nice. Jojo is in good shape with the Rymadil and is fine walking 4 - 6 miles a day with no problem. Mom is glad. Jojo is so happy and even gets to carry her ball around during our hikes. What a lucky dog she is. I don't need to carry a ball, I rather sniff :o)
I haven't worked a whole lot either. Mom said it's the holidays and I can kick back a little. Nice :o)
Today I will have to work, though. We are meeting up with a friend to go to a restaurant for a snack and then to the movies. Looking forward to that..
It's great hanging out with dad. It's rare. We could go on like this forever *sigh*
A few photos:
2011-12-25

Ok, got to go.. love and tail wags to you all :o)