A MUCH NEEDED July 4th Re-Post

 

Happy Mother's Day 2025

 

 Not my usual Mother’s Day post but had to share the adorable cards Lenny got me this year! To those of you who know Levi, his was ESPECIALLY true! 

 Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms, and especially those who might not be Moms biologically. Biology doesn’t always make an individual a good Mom, UNCONDITIONAL love does and YOU matter! Enjoy your day! 

Happy Easter 2025

 Have a wonderful day dear furiends!!

xoxoxo

Our Holiday Card for YOU! 2023

You Made It Levi!!!!! (and we did TOO!) HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY!!!!

 

Once upon a time, TWO years ago today, a certain Sheltie was born. His original name was "Robbie". He was the FIRST born of his litter, he was the LARGEST of the litter, and I am pretty certain, the CRAZIEST of the litter!

(Photos courtesy of Greyfyre Shelties)

Levi GREW.

(Photos courtesy of Greyfyre Shelties)

AND GREW.

AND GREW.

AND GREW

 until he couldn't grow anymore!!! (at least I'm hoping so!!!)

(the photo top left and on the right were
taken by Alyssa Paris at Canine College)

No longer a puppy, Levi is now a full-fledged doggy!!!!! (No longer can any of us use the excuse, "well, he's STILL just a PUPPY!!) Levi's physical appearance is regal and simply magnificent.

Levi is super confident, bold and can be impulsive and brash. He doesn't watch where he's going. He will literally jump OVER me while I am sitting on the couch, (he will run and leap like a deer right over me!)  He stands like a monument when you want to go around him (I often say he should have "wide load emblazoned on his rear end). He often gets a bad rap. He greatly prefers PEOPLE to other dogs, but occasionally a dog will catch his eye that is more active and mischievous and that will be the one he will engage in a good game of chase with.

bad photos because I took them from
watching Levi at school on the camera
He took a particular liking to the dog in the sweater
that Lenny and I nicknamed ("Sweater Boy")
We later found out his name is actually "Rocky!"

Overall, Levi is OBSESSED with people. (Ask the staff at Canine College who one of their biggest "shadows" is and I am pretty certain they will say Levi.) If there is poop to be picked up, he will happily follow whoever is picking it up!!

Levi wants the entire world to know that he exists,

Sorry about the bad photo, took it from my computer
while watching Levi on camera at daycare

 that's why he may bark and jump at people whom he encounters, (he has gotten better about that but sometimes he just gets carried away). Because he has a deep bark and is larger than most Shelties, he sometimes makes some people a little nervous. Dogs can sense if someone is afraid or if they just don't like dogs, and a dog will react accordingly. (and often not in the most positive way)

While Levi is a rather anxious dog some of the time, he DOES possess the ability to relax and "chill" and is doing that more and more since he has gotten older. Levi is also exceptionally loving. He is a MAJOR CUDDLER!!!

I will say there is never a dull moment with Levi around, and I wouldn't want it any other way. 

(Photo courtesy of Canine College)

Today, in honor of his birthday his Daddy and I will drive him over to Canine College's Bark Shop to pick out a special dessert and I will be making him either a special hamburger for dinner, or a doggy meatloaf (not sure yet!)

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY to my CRAZY, LOVING, SILLY, "SASSY", BRILLIANT AND WILD SHELTIE BOY!!! Daddy and I LOVE YOU!! (Roary does too, but in his own strange way!)

Keep marching to your own drummer my crazy boy!!! We will all catch up with you one of these days!!!!! Much Love from Mom, Dad and Roary

Have a Safe and "Yappy" 4th of July All!!

 

The Day That Would Signify The Beginning Of The End #WorldPetMemorialDay #NationalBestFriendsDay

 Hi friends, yep, it's me, after over a month of not having blogged, I thought it was appropriate that I return on World Pet Memorial Day, (a day that falls on the second Tuesday in June and is a day to honor all pets who are no longer with us),  and National Best Friends Day which fall on June 8 this year. June 8th is significant to me because that day marked the beginning of the end. 

This beautiful candle was gifted to me by Ingrid King of The Conscious Cat

It was made by Bernadette E. Kazmarski of The Creative Cat

It was on June 8th, 2020 that  our beloved Dakota was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma, the most common form of heart tumor found in dogs, though they say it is "rare overall", another dear dog in our family who lived in Denver, passed of the same disease shortly before Dakota did.  Dakota left us one month and one day after he was diagnosed.

June 9th, 2020 was the day that we found out that Cody would have to have a biopsy of his intestines, (to try and find out why he was losing so much weight), his surgery was June 25th, 2020, he left us on June 30th 2020 after a freak hemorraging incident. (After he passed we found out he had IBD and NOT lymphoma which made his passing even tougher to cope with.) Today I am remembering my precious boys.

Blogging has been hard for me since the boys left. This blog was created for Cody back in 2009 as a tribute to cats everywhere. Cody was the heart of this blog. He was two years old when the blog began and it was easy for me to have him "speak" because I was so tuned in to his personality.

Dakota's blog began in 2011, I ended it when he passed. There was no need to keep it going.

My boys were probably not that unique or special to many, but they were unique and special to Lenny and I. They shared a bond for 13 years, I am still certain that even though we knew Dakota's time with us was limited, his passing was expedited when Cody left. He passed a mere nine days after Cody left us.

Another cherished gift
from Monika from Tails Around The Ranch

Prior to Cody's passing, Dakota  wandered aimlessly through our condo. He would gaze sadly down the hall, looking for his friend who used to taunt him from the other side of the baby gate, but there was no Cody. He would wander through the living room, he would sniff, look up at Cody's cherished cat tree, and in all of the places that Cody loved to hide, but there was no Cody.  Dakota grew increasingly listless and eventually refused to eat. Dakota was one of the most sensitive dogs I have ever known.

 He was tuned in to me and my moods the way my Angel Bobo was (who we also remember today, he was my first "heart" cat), Cody was DEFINITELY my "heart" cat as well.

Dakota had never experienced life without Cody since he moved in with us. When Dakota joined our family, Cody was already here, he had been with us 3 months before Dakota joined our family.  They seemed to bond almost instantly. Cody let him know right away who was the boss and from that first day, Dakota deferred to Cody. Cody RULED Dakota as well as Lenny and I!!

Cody was the one who knew the precise time that EVERY meal (and snack) should take place! He would wake all of us up early in the morning and he was all over dinnertime!

 When anyone would visit our home it was Cody who would be the first to greet them while Dakota would stand behind Cody as if he wanted HIM to protect him.

I never realized how placid Cody was until Roary came to live with us. Cody took much in stride. From the day I adopted him he was a "cuddle bug", he would sit next to me on the armrest of the couch, every single night without fail. 

Blogging about both Cody and Dakota was easy. While they didn't do extraordinary things, they were extraordinary to both Lenny and I. 

The Vet appreciated Dakota (and probably appreciates him even more now that rowdy Levi is on the scene), because he was beyond stoic. He didn't love being at the Vet, but he didn't show it. He would patiently wait his turn to be seen and allowed them to do whatever they needed to. Cody was the same.

If anyone would have told me I would have lost both of my boys in such close proximity, I never would have believed it. There isn't a day that goes by that they aren't mentioned by Lenny or myself, there isn't a day they aren't thought of, there isn't a day that they aren't missed.

It's all still raw. While we adore Roary and Levi, it is MUCH harder for me to blog about them. Roary is almost a year old and Levi is almost 9 months old, but their personalities haven't yet "spoken" to me. Yes, I am completely bonded with them, but blogging about them is more difficult, it doesn't come easily to me as it did with Cody and Dakota. I am hopeful that once these "firsts" have passed, that maybe I will "feel" blogging the way that I used to. Or maybe I won't.

My boys may have left this physical world but they haven't left my heart or my thoughts and they never will. My Angel Bobo who lived to the ripe old age of 18 gave them HUGE PAWS to fill and both Cody and Dakota lived up to that challenge and then some.

I know this post was rather long, I thank you for reading if you made it through, and I thank you for helping me honor  my boys on World Pet Memorial Day and National Best Friends Day. 

If you are remembering beloved pets of your own, I send you love and virtual hugs, and for those of you who are blessed as I am to have new and wonderful pets in your life, cherish each and every day, it all goes by so fast.

To Cody, Dakota and Bobo, I haven't enough words to THANK YOU for all the love and joy you brought to me. Cody and Dakota, because it's all still a blur, Mama misses you with all of her heart and once again is crying while typing, never forget that Mama loves you. There will never, ever be two like you both again.......I LOVE YOU!!