Thankful Thursday - Giving Back

I am excited to share that I am now the driver manager for the Ottawa Paw Pantry.

The Ottawa Paw Pantry (which I have spoken about before) has several community pantries throughout the city as well as offering in home delivery up to 4 times per year for those who can't access a community pantry. In my role, I am given a list of deliveries for the week, and I then coordinate volunteer drivers to complete the deliveries. I also get to coordinate pick up of donations from community drop off locations.  

While I struggle to find the right combination of food that makes my dogs want to eat, I do not struggle to feed them. I can't even imagine what is is like to be worried about not being able to fed them.

This weeks trick is to only eat each other's food . . . so both dishes need to be the same!

I am new to this role, (we are on week 3) but so far am really enjoying it. I feel my few hours a week on my computer, is making a meaningful difference for people. It is nice to be part of the pet community in another way. 

I am sure I will find other ways to work within the organization as well. I am a sucker for the underdog, literally and figuratively!

This is one way I am finding to give back and use my place of privilege (because it is so great), for good. 

And I would be remiss to not just say - American friends, I love you.  I am not loving the regime in your country and I have some serious concerns about the state of the world in general, but my feelings don't trickle down to the people who aren't making the decisions. May we find a way to get along. That is all I am going to say about this. 

The Lady

Thankful Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving American Friends

 Today we send a happy Thanksgiving to all our American pals.

Recently, what we were most thankful for, was the return of our people. We were so excited.

We hope all our pals find things to be grateful for today. We are grateful for all of you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We send the warmest Thanksgiving wishes to all our American friends and the rescue that almost 14 years ago helped Hailey start the journey that would led her to us.

May we all be thankful for our many blessings and send love and kindness into the world. 

Thankful Thursday: Enjoying A Beautiful Weekend

  After a challenging week, we were extra happy for a beautiful weekend and a visit from our favourite neighbour.

                    

Thankful Thursday - Helping Others

Lady and Man play recreational pickleball. They have been playing with one group for about 7 months and have gotten to know some people. Last week, one of the women, came up to Lady and said 'you have inspired us to get a dog. We go get her tomorrow.' When asked how she had inspired them, the woman said because Lady is always talking about us, it made them want a dog. So Molly, an 8 month old mini poodle something mix (Lady got too distracted looking at pictures of her cute face to remember the mix), will have been in a new home for about a week when you read this. This retired couple (the woman was a nurse) is going to love her and take such good care of her. Lady says her work is now done. She helped one deserving dog find a loving home.

Callie, at lunch. She loves sticks.

Lady and Man continue to take Callie out over lunch two times a week. We don't mind her coming to play.  Last week, Lady and Man also sat with the two youngest when they made it home before a parent. They are very happy to do this. While playing a game of picture charades, and playing ball with Callie, little Milo kept attacking Lady. She loved it!

Speaking of helping others, please join us Saturday!

Thankful Thursday - Hailey

Sunday, September 4th,  marks 12 years since Lee came into our lives and changed them forever.  

Who would have suspected that this little face, as shown on PetFinder, would have the impact she had!

While Lady attributes most of her grey hair to this former very destructive pup (now just occasionally destructive, but doesn't listen pup), she can't imagine life without her.

Puppy Lee pre living with us

current Lee

She has taught us so much about owning a dog and anxiety. She has been loving and made us laugh. She always reminds us she is independent and will do things the way and when she wants to. She has taught us patience (ok this is still a work in progress). She has connected us with a community of dog lovers we would have no business knowing who live all over the world. She has started some very important friendships. At age 12 years, 8 months, she is almost exactly the dog we always wanted (minus the wanting to destroy the house when storms roll through and trying to fight with Charlotte).

Happy 12th Gotcha Day Hailey! We love you!

Thankful Thursday - Sun puddles by Lee

 Hi all,

I am thankful for the sun puddles that warm my oldish bones, even on really hot days.

Hailey Bug

Thankful Thursday - Year 10 - by Phod

Dear pals,

Saturday marks my 10 year Gotcha day. That means for 10 years I will have lived with my Lady and my Man. We don't know much about my life before I came here. I was found as a severely underweight stray, walking along a highway. My foster mom, who took me from the shelter, pictured we hitchhiking and named me Zaphod after the alien in Douglas Adam's Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. 

I have the best life with my peeps. I get to snooze on the furniture (when I first came here I was terrified to get on it). 

I have always loved to fetch and swim and swim and fetch. I am very lucky that my peeps have a lake for me, where I can combine the 2.

Lady says I sure am goofier than when I first came. I have no idea what she is talking about!

I love to be near my people, inside and outside. I always check in. This following picture was taken after a good dig in my tunnel. 

 

I think I won the jackpot 10 years ago when Lady and Man and Lee and angels Baggy and Nin welcomed me into their home. Lady says the feeling is mutual. I think I may love my peeps and home as much as I love Precious, and that is a lot! 

I would also like to thank my blog pals for letting me be part of their lives and following me on my adventures!

This weekend in my honour, I ask you to play fetch or do something goofy. Can't wait to hear what you do.

A thankful from the bottom of his heart Phod 

Thankful Thursday - Those Perfectly Imperfect Moments

I call myself a realistic, although most would say I am a pessimist. Life is hard and unfair and there is so much ugly.  While overall I lean toward cynicism, I can still see the perfection in imperfect moments. 

The best example of these types of moments is walking in the field. It is beautiful and relaxing on one hand, and on the other it is hard work.  The dogs don't listen and wander, they find deer poop to eat, you swear you spent the whole walk "Hailey, come." "Phod stop eating poop." "Guys, over here!" However, when we are walking in the field, I have gratitude for much of the life I have created, while having some frustration.

Here are a few perfect moments caught over a few walks.

Thankful Thursday - My Lake - By Phod

 Dear pals,

You know I love the lake and I love to swim, even if I choose to only swim for like 10 minutes at time now. I am happy to report I will be getting extra swimming time this summer. You see, the people who cottage beside our lake access, are being difficult.  In short, they would prefer we don't use it when they are here (which is for all of July and August).  It has been stressful and is likely to get messy. Anyway, Lady is implementing a passive protest and using the dock and access way more than she might otherwise. While some may think this is spiteful, I think it is splendid as it means lots of swimming!

Last Friday, Lady took me down alone while Lee and Man went into the field. 

Testing the water temperature on my belly

Bouncing in

Hurry up and throw it!

More bouncing

Usie one

Usie 2

I always get it!

So much fun, but I might need shades!

In spite of the trouble this is causing, we remain grateful for this lovely lake and all our wonderful, fun neighbours who share this access and lake with us!

Thankful Thursday - Field Walks Return

The simple things in life are keeping us smiling during these difficult times. Now that the grass is longer and the weather a bit drier we are back to field walks. Don't worry, we have meds to keep us safe from tics and Lady and Man check us for them. In the 10 years out here, we have seen one dead tic in the bathroom.

We had not been for a walk to the back of the field since the derecho. Lady was sad to see her favourite tree, the one with the face, was damaged. As you can see, there was so much damage, followed by not great weather that it isn't all cleaned up yet, in spite the fact, especially on weekends, the hills are alive with the sound of chainsaws.

There were other trees and tree branches down in places too. 

Phod made Lady laugh a lot when instead of going around one tree (there was plenty of room), he walked down the trunk!

Hailey found her inner Tigger and bounced through the field. Thrilled to be in it completely off leash!

                                                      

We are thankful to our wonderful neighbours the Q's for sharing their field with us!

Thankful Thursday - New To Us Carpet

When Lady was last at Grammie and the Big Guy's, she took a carpet that they were not using and had been our Missy G's. She had thought about putting it in the bedroom to help Lee jump up on the bed. However, when she unrolled it to look at it in the sitting area, we fell in love with it and here it is to stay.

Thank you Missy G for leaving Lady and Aunt C the contents of your house. This rug will be well loved!

Thankful Thursday - Precious

 I am always thankful for her!

Thankful Thursday - Millie and Walter

 

If you don't know these generous souls, visit them at: Millie and Walter

Thankful Thursday - The New Bed

As mentioned last week, the bed in Lady's office needed to be replaced as someone peed on it and rubbed their nose on it etc. etc. . We are thankful Lady was able to order us a new bed. The new one arrived last week and we have been able to try it out.

First we tried it out upstairs:

Smells different - a lot less like pee

Hmmm, seems ok

I approve this bed.

Then in it's spot beside Lady's desk in her office. 

Zzzzzzz

Look at that smile, I think the bed passes!

Thankful Thursday

 Could you please put the camera down so I could be thankful for a belly rub?

Thankful Thursday - New Disc! by Phod

 Dear pals,

Some other doggy came and ripped apart my discs. I maintain, even if the peeps claim to have watched me, it wasn't me. 

They ended up looking like this:

(I left them outside so it easier to find them.)

Lady went onto the computer and ordered me a new one!

Here are some pictures from my first day playing with it. It was a chilly morning -21C/-8F without the windchill!

First, I had to wait while the Man gave it to me.

For the record, I am not pawing at him, he asked me to wave.

Then I got to chase it!

Then to make it mine, I rolled on it.

Then back to playing before heading in to warm up! 

I hope some other doggy doesn't come an break this one too!

Your fetching pal, Phod