Such goings-on!
The past six months have been such a flurry of activity, I haven’t even had time to update my blog(s)…
So I put on a new background that sort of sums up what I feel like I have been in the middle of!!
Thanks to those of you who have stopped by and left messages for me, even though I haven’t been around Xanga much at all (but you never know when I might be reading and just not having time to comment!!)
Briefly, the craziness that has invaded my life revolves around two things I have gotten involved in, both fulfilling long-time dreams and aspirations…
my new business venture
-and-
Pet Rescue
The eBay Store is the realization of a dream I have had for about six years, to make and sell unique and original design products for pets and the people who love them. My 83 year old Aunt Mary and my cousin Shirley (who live down near the shore, about an hour away from me) have joined with me in making this a reality. So far we are producing a small variety of items, centered around my own original design slip-on, bowtie-decorated, reversible pet bandanna, sized and shaped to really fit dogs in all shapes and sizes. I call these bandannas Quickerchiefs, and even got a small webpage started just for them:
We’re also making different kinds of dog beds, blankets and crate pads, warm polar fleece dog vests, and fleece scarves and ruanas for people. And a bunch more stuff, with even more on the way. Lots of items are custom made to fit, with choices of fabric and size, plus personalized embroidery and embroidered graphics. My cousin does the embroidery on her machines, and we are doing a lot of things with specific dog breed embroidery or other designs. In addition to the eBay store, we also have a couple of small pet shops carrying our products here in New Jersey, and hope to expand into more in the coming year, as well as set up a booth in a couple of shows or festivals.
Our eBay store is called “Especially Fur You Pet Boutique”, but the handcrafted stuff we are creating is called “Especially Fur You by Princess Dolly”. That’s right, Dolly has her own business now. She is official spokesdog and VP of product testing. On Dolly and Pearl’s blog, she and Pearl described in detail a lot of what went into starting the business (as seen through their eyes, that is) but I have been bad, and haven’t updated it for a while.
Right now I am taking a break from doing eBay listings, which I need to get back to, but thought it was a good time to procrastinate update my blog…
The Pet Rescue that I have gotten involved with centers around Bosley’s Pom Posse – a nationwide volunteer foster-based group that rescues Pomeranians and Pom mixes (and some chihuahuas) from “death row” in pounds and animal shelters all over the country and fosters them in individual homes, getting the TLC, training and vet care they need while they await adoption into “Forever Homes”. We locate the dogs in need, call the shelters to check on them, network with local rescue groups, and when no other solution can be arranged, we step in and pull the dogs from the shelters ourselves.
The foster homes we have are not always near the shelters, so we also work with a network of transport, with volunteers chauffering these animals across the country from location to location in relays (each ‘leg’ about an hour or two, or 50-100 miles) I especially enjoy the transport aspect — and have driven transport for other groups beside Pom Posse, moving all different breeds of dogs and some cats too. I even hosted one little chi-mix overnite on her way from South Carolina to upstate New York, a two day journey that ended on Christmas eve! Bernie has gone along with me a couple of times — he is fascinated with the transports that go on all the time, and says we are like an “Underground Railroad” for critters!
We have also fostered two poms. The first is Roxy, an oversized 4 year old boy who was reascued, adopted out and then returned due to ‘behavior problems’ (I think it was more of the owners’ problems than the dog’s!) I had him from October, but since the end of December he has been visiting my cousin down at the beach a lot and they are in te process of adopting him. He is a bit too big and boisterous for my household, full of senior cats and small, older Poms, but he fits in perfectly down at the shore with them, and LOVES walking on the beach.
Our second foster, Rudy, was dumped in a pound here in NJ in the end of October by his owner who had him for 12 years. When Rudy developed health issues, the owner gave him up because they couldn’t pay. He wasn’t doing well in the shelter, and was considered pretty much ‘unadoptable’ because of his age, health problems, and the fact that he wouldn’t let anyone near him. He was so scared and confused, he just wanted everybody to leave him alone, and let him go home. (poor little guy) So when I got the call that he was going to be PTS (Put To Sleep) after Veteran’s Day Weekend Bernie and I drove to the pound (about 45 minutes away) and rescued the terrified, growly little furball. Well, it was the hand of fate, I am sure. Rudy fit in perfectly with our household, and wasn’t nasty or nippy at all (just a little grumbly — but it’s kinda cute) Dolly and Pearl loved him, too.
And surprise, surprise – a little surgery (part of which was a long-overdue neuter), teeth cleaning and a molar pulled, some dietary supplements and a LOT of TLC, and little Rudy is happy, comfortable, and in surprisingly good health for his age! We can’t bear the thought of him having to go through the transition to yet another home at this age, and we have gotten pretty fond of him, too, so we are in the processof adopting him ourselves and making him apermanent family member, rather than just a foster dog.
Meanwhile, Dolly has developed a little bit of health problems in her advancing age (she turns 12 tomorrow) but the vet has her on meds that seem to be helping. Tommy the Idiot Boy (our oldest cat) turned 19 in September and is still going strong, annoying as ever! Bernie has been dealing with a few health challenges, with his bones and joints, and is in the process of getting that checked out. My nephew and his young lady are moving up to NJ from North Carolina, where they have resided for the past 5 years. She will be doing Post-Doctoral research work in genetics at Rutgers U, and he is looking for another job. Maybe when they are living in NJ, it will mean that my brother will come in from central PA more often to visit — I miss him. The other nephew is out in Harrisburg, struggling with corporate employment (he is a free spirit like his favorite aunt, and the corporate world is killing him!) My first Great-Niece, Jaime was born last spring, and is growing up too fast, like babies will do (she is actually my cousin’s granddaughter, but since my cousin’s kids always thought of me as their aunt rather than second cousin, I consider them nieces and nephew, and Jaime a great-niece)
I didn’t get nearly as much done on the house and gardens as I wanted last year, but the gardens are asleep now for the winter, and the house didn’t fall down yet, so it’s all good…
So that’s about it for me and my life lately…
I don’t know when I will have a chance to update again, but hopefully things will go a bit more smoothly, as all the new stuff falls into more of a routine as time passes.
Be well, keep warm, and Think Spring!
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