Bruce Weber, Playoff Basketball, Best Friend Buddy, and Beast-Like Weather Be Gone!

Eric's team is in the playoffs (Districts). Last night after the game, Bruce Weber, the Illinois coach, was standing outside the locker room. I think E was a bit star struck :) He shook his hand and said "Hi Coach." Weber, who was there to watch Nolan Berry, said, "Good game." DeSmet won 61-41 and play for the District title on Saturday. Eric only got to play for a minute or two at the end.

I meant to share this pic of him where he had his first dunk in a game. A photographer took it and posted it on his website.

My brother Gary has a new friend; he's furry and has four legs...the best kind. Named "Keeper" by Canine Companions for Independence, Gary now calls him Buddy. What a sweet and gentle doll baby. He was *this close* to graduating from the program, so he knows how to turn lights off and on, open doors, pick things up off the floor, and I heard he even gets beers out of the fridge. That may be a rumor. Or maybe he's working on it.

Welcome to the family, Buddy. 

Emma and Buddy

Gary and Buddy

You can tell he's sweet by looking at his eyes

The boys taking a stroll

My obsession with passion for Stray Rescue is as strong as ever. They offered me a job working five days a week, but I'd like to keep it fun...and voluntary. Know what I mean? As tempted as I was to accept since I'm there so often anyway, my friend Katie has been my voice of reason. Besides, how much would they pay to pick up poop? Minimum wage, I'm sure. 

Cleaning poopy cages and still smiling.  Go figure.

Katie and Cling

This Sunday, a group of us from Stray Rescue are going on a hike. We'll each take a dog from the shelter to a state park trail where the dogs can be "free" for the day. They've been doing these hikes for a couple months, but it's my first time joining them. We can request our favorite shelter dog, but because not all of them are dog-friendly, specific requests aren't always granted. I'll be happy with whoever I take, though. 

This winter has been an absolute BEAST. Helping at Stray Rescue has been a huge distraction and blessing because normally about this time of year I'm ready to pull my hair out. I despise cold weather. It makes me whine. A lot. My husband thinks it's funny in October to torture me by saying, "It's almost winter!" Apparently Ryan thought he'd play his brotherly part, as well, by sending me this after we'd had snow on the ground for three straight weeks:

Brat.

Tonight the L.A. Kings are honoring my stepfather, a player and coach for them in the '70s. Wish I could be there. Here's an interview the Kings did with him.




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Please read!!!

If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a 'dangerous breed' category and you also have a child or a visiting small child please take this as a warning.

Don't leave your dog with a small child unattended under any circumstances!!!

Only one little moment was enough for the following to happen...

That's it for now.  Love you guys!

A Little Bit of Everything

This blurb was in the game program a few weeks ago.

E sprained his ankle during practice last week, his first day back after having the flu for 6 days.  (Note to self:  The flu shot is available for a reason.)  The orthopod prescribed physical therapy, ice and anti-inflammatories with an estimated return to basketball of 3-6 weeks; Eric and the DeSmet trainer say more like 1-2.  We'll see. 

We've had a ridiculous amount of snow this winter.  Here Eric tries to free himself from the confines of home on a snow day from school.  Get me out of here!  He slipped and spun out of the driveway, but free himself he did. 

Me and Randy Grim, Founder of Stray Rescue.  I love him. 

The laundry pile at Stray Rescue.  They got an extra washer/dryer set hooked up since I took this picture, so the laundry is caught up now.  Thank goodness.  Doesn't that look nightmarish?

These were my sleeping quarters in a Stray Rescue office cubicle one day last week.  Because of the snow/ice storm, they sent out a plea for volunteers to sleep over to help walk dogs and clean cages.  I was there for 24 hours, walking dogs in the SLEET.  What is wrong with me?!  (Don't answer that.)

We've had snow on the ground for I don't know how many days now, and temperatures in the teens.

Those of you who know how much I love the cold (NOT), it's official:  I've lost my mind...early this year, actually. Doesn't usually happen till the end of February.  My dad's phone call the other day to tell me he and Trudy were headed to Hawaii pushed me over the edge.  

 

Stella lost her mind a long time ago...

A short clip of KC and Stella in the snow

And against my wishes - because it reminds me how old I'm getting - Eric turned 17

Cool news...

An Editor-in-Chief from the U.K. contacted me through my book review blog and asked me to be the U.S. correspondent for a new dog magazine she's launching in May called Surrey Dog Life.  I'll write dog-related book reviews and tell about my volunteer work at Stray Rescue.  Here's the site:  http://www.surreydoglife.co.uk/

CHOW!

I mean, Ciao!