THE BUMPASS HOUNDS (and Kitties)

SAD NEWS FROM MS. CAROL @ AHGRRS

2012-01-16T12:56:00.003-05:00

Hey Hounders,
Sophie here to say that we're very sad to have to tell y'all that Mr. Skip up at Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary has crossed The Rainbow Bridge. We received the following two e-mails from Ms. Carol:

From:	Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue
Sent:	Jan 15, 2012 06:03:59 AM

Ralph E. (Skip) Free 5-22-51 to 1-15-2012

Skip lost his battle with pancreatic cancer at 2:40 am this morning.

I've lost my heart and heaven has gained an angel.

Carol

___________________________________________________

Hi: For those of you who don't know, Skip, my very beloved husband, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer very early this morning. We will be holding a small service for him on Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm at Giffin's Funeral Home in Capon Bridge, WV. Everyone is invited - - - - - it will be very informal.

For those of you who can't come on Wednesday, there will be Celebration of His Life Party later this year - - - - - -

Thanks to everyone for their support and kindnesses. Skip was the world to me - - - and he did so much good in his life.

Carol Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc.

Mr. Skip was a GReat person. He helped to save countless lives through his kindness and consideration. He was always willing to do whatever was necessary to help a homeless animal. Mom and dad adopted five of us Bumpass Hounds from Mr. Skip and Ms. Carol. One, Gordon, has been at The Rainbow Bridge for a few years now and we know that he was there to greet Mr. Skip. Sophie, Abby, Patti, and Homer are still with us thanks to Mr. Skip. It would be Great if y'all could send a condolence note to:

Carol Free

Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue

P.O. Drawer D

Delray, WV 26714

In Mr. Skip's memory, please don't forget to vote for AHGRRS in the Shelter Challenge; just "click" on The Animal Rescue Site logo at the top of our blog's right sidebar.

http://www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org

Ralph E. (Skip) Free
May 22, 1951 - January 15, 2012

Skip was co-founder of Almost Heaven and dedicated a large portion of his life to helping and rescuing animals. Skip was a gentle, compassionate, dedicated man who gave up many personal comforts (including vacations) to help those dogs (animals) who needed him most. Skip leaves behind AHGRR's cofounder and wife, Carol Free.

Almost Heaven will continue to save those animals who need us. It was Skip's request, and last wish that the rescue continue it's work in his memory - and in his honor. It is a legacy that will be fulfilled. Donations in Skip's memory will be used for the comfort and care of the orphan dogs in the care of Almost Heaven.

Thank you, everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers. This is a very difficult time - but Skip's spirit will see us all through ~ Carol

MR. SKIP

You can leave a condolence message at:

http://www.giffinfuneralhome.com/sitemaker/sites/giffin0/obit.cgi?user=555184Free

HOMER'S SAGE ADVICE

2012-01-11T23:03:00.000-05:00

I've been looking back over my time here. I came to be a Bumpass Hound in November of 2007, about 3 months after a predecessor dog named Chance left here to go to The Rainbow Bridge. This is a blog I did in January 2009. OBTW, please don't forget to click on The Animal Rescue Site logo at the top of the right side bar to donate a free bowl of food to homeless animals and then to vote for Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary in the Shelter Challenge. At the end I mention Spencer; he is a blog buddy and honorable Bumpass Hound that went to The Rainbow Bridge. Spencer and Chance are probably bounding through the fields chasing tennis balls. Spencer could carry 3 of them around in his jowels.

Hey Hounders,
Our friend Mogley is a wise dog who likes to philosophize at times. I am a bit older than Mogley and have seen a great many things throughout my adventurous life. I know which side of my bread is buttered; usually the top. The importance of dogs on the history of the human species cannot be over stated. The influence of dogs on human history has been immense. As the wise old sage of The Bumpass Hounds, I too am a Fullofitser. I realize the responsibility that I have to insure the continuing influence of canines on their peaceful coexistence with mankind. In that vein, I must share some observations that will indubitably benefit all of mankind; perhaps bring peace to the world. So here is some insightful, and useful, advice for you ...feel free to share my thoughts with your friends and enemies alike.

1. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop.

2. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

3. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.

4. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives; then you'll be afraid to cough.

6. You only need two tools in life: WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and it does, use the duct tape.

7. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

8. If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.

9. Daily Thought: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES; NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

Well, those are my words of wisdom for today. Perhaps I will again share the wisdom of the canine observers world with the less evolved species; then again, maybe not. If you have any wisdom to contribute to the world, please leave a comment and I will gladly publish your wisdom in a future ramblin'. No cuss words allowed since youngster sometimes read my rantings. Please don't discuss the 3 things that southern gentlemen, such as myself, never discuss in public: sex, politics and religion - someone is bound to have a differing opinion on any one or all of those things. As Spencer always sez:"Wags"

- Homer J. Bumpass of The Bumpass Hounds

FEELING GOOD

2012-01-11T07:02:00.003-05:00

HOMER

Hey Hounders,

Homer here. I hope that you're having a good day and cherishing every minute of it. I had a good day yesterday. Dad figured out that if he wants me to eat all of my breakfast and dinner that he shouldn't be trying to feed me twice as much as he normally did. Seems that when I'm presented with the proper amount of chow that I'm willing and able to eat it all (too bad for the other guys lurking around my bowl, GRRRRR....). I mean Thanksgiving dinner is GReat, but twice a day? Since I'm not as stuffed it seems to dad that I'm also receptive to my medicine tucked into a beefy treat pocket; yummmmm. And it also appears that if I get my medicine every 12 hours instead of every 8 hours that I'm more attentive and not as lethargic, although I may cough slightly more often; so now, evidently I can operate heavy machinery again. Anyway, all in all, I'm doing GReat. I greeted both mom and dad when they got home from their works with my tail wagging and shoveling hands for pats. Dad says that if my coughing get worse he'll adjust my meds but that for the time being, at least, I'm doing A-OK.

Thanks to everyone who's been voting for Almost Heaven in the Shelter Challenge. They're slightly in front in the West Virginia voting. Remember though, it's a marathon race, 10 weeks. I know that it's easy to forget to vote everyday, weekends included, on as many computers as possible. But please let me play my sympathy card and ask y'all to do it for me...."Win one for the Gipper" so to speak. The Animal Rescue Site will even send you a daily reminder to vote if you just sign up. I'd like to be able to think that my legacy will be Ms. Carol and Mr. Skip receiving at least a $1,000.00 grant from The Animal Rescue Site to help homeless pups like I was to be given a second chance at life. That's what Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary does; they help the helpless. Just 'click' on the Animal Rescue Site logo at the top of our blog's right side bar to donate a free bowl of food to homeless animals and then proceed to vote in the Shelter Challenge. Thanks.

- Homer (TBH+K)

I WISH EVERYONE WILL VOTE EVERY DAY

WORRIED ABOUT HOMER

2012-01-10T00:02:00.000-05:00

Homer resting

Hey Hounders,

Don't forget to vote in the Shelter Challenge today. There's a link over in the right side bar, towards the top. Read yesterday's blog if ya mighta forgot how it works.

Dad's worried about Homer today. Yesterday Homer had to be "encouraged" to take his medicine even though dad put it in those pill pocket treat things. Homer ate all of his breakfast but didn't touch his dinner last night. Dad's hoping it's because of an inadvertent change of the type of Alpo; Homer likes the sliced meat bits but this was more like a hash kinda stuff.

Dad says that even though he's been through this with Old Bear Dog, Rusty, Penny, Gordon and Chance that he hasn't gotten used to the feeling of helplessness. Dad says that we're each individuals and we're all a little bit different. His main concern is that Homer doesn't become uncomfortable or start being in pain. Homer is still mobile and all of his functions are working and controlled but he is starting to spend more time resting. The medicine seems to be helping to control his coughing spasms. Dad's been taking new pictures of Homer that we'll be posting. We all can't remember hearing Homer bark; we're sure he has barked but not that we remember. he has growled at other pups that get near his food bowl or try to steal his chewy so we know he has vocal chords. Dad says that Homer is a good boy and that he's a GReat dog
- TBH + K

THE SHELTER CHALLENGE IS ON AGAIN - VOTE TODAY AND EVERYDAY

2012-01-09T13:25:00.000-05:00

PLEASE VOTE EVERYDAY

Hey Hounders, It's Radar (left) and Homer J. (right) here with a reinforcement message; that's when we harass y'all about something that we've already told you (we learned that in some communications leadership class). We're just two of the Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary dogs living now as Bumpass Hounds; which is far superior to the alternative. Radar is a special needs rescue since he's blind from birth with some other, dare we call them defects, and Homer committed one of the gravest sins against adoption; he's getting on in years, he's 14 now. Homer has also recently been diagnosed with inoperable tumors throughout his chest cavity. He's on a special medicine to help a chronic cough the tumors cause and, of course, mom and dad are spoiling him rotten. The goal is for Homer to have a painfree and comfortable life while he's still with us. Mom and dad watch him carefully and are ready to help him on his way to The Rainbow Bridge when it's time for him to go. But for now Homer wants to help other homeless dogs to get a second chance on life just as he did. Thanks to Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc. we've been saved and adopted. We're accepted here with The Bumpass Hounds and Kitties, and we're thriving in this environment. So here's our retired drill sargent buddy with an announcement about our Alma-mater, AHGRRS.

- Radar and Homer J (TBH and K)

LISTEN UP

Hey Hounders,

It's time to dust off those voting buttons; the Animal Rescue Site All-Star Shelter Challenge is ON. Starting Monday, January 9th, 2012, you can vote for your favorite animal shelter (hopefully AHGRRS) to help them win some financial support for their effort. We hope that you'll support AHGRRS. playing his sympathy card, Homer asks that you do so in his memory, even though he hasn't gone anywhere yet; he's in no rush. This is a ten week battle people, a ten week battle. Got it? Y'all know that we (that's you and me) avidly support Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc. up in Capon Bridge (Delray), WV. Ms Carol and Mr. Skip are helping lots of homeless dogs find their new furever homes. So why not join us and get on board with us and make a pledge to help us in our Animal Rescue Site All-Star Shelter contest. Y'all need to vote once a day, everyday, from as many different computers as you possibly can (that's got something to do with different terminal addresses). Please try to get your animal loving friends to do the same; the old chain letter, pyramid marketing scheme except there are no illegal losers, only legal winners. We'll need as many people and pets helping us a we can possibly get. Any questions, people? That is all. Here's the gouge (that's Navy talk for information):

PLEASE VOTE FOR AHGRRS

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE ANIMAL RESCUE SITE

The above link will take you to the Animal Rescue Site where you will get to click to donate a free bowl of food to homeless animals. After you do that you will be presented with the "Thank You" page; at the top of that page please click on the Shelter challenge "VOTE TODAY" button. That will then take you directly to the voting page. The only information that you need to enter is to select "WV" as the State from the drop down menu and enter "Capon" for the City. Then click on "Search." The page will then do its' thing and will end up showing "Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc. Capon Bridge, WV 26714." A "VOTE" button will also appear. Click on that "VOTE" button. After you vote you will see a confirmation page that requires you to enter an identify code; this eliminates illegal machine voting. Simply type the code that you see.to confirm your vote. You can cast one vote everyday from as many different computers to which you have access. Voting will run for 10 weeks from January 9th, 2012. The more friends you can rally to vote the better our chances of winning. Every vote, every day, counts. Do it for the homeless dogs; do it for our Homer.

PLEASE HELP - VOTE

AND GET OTHERS TO VOTE

A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMMY

2011-12-07T12:17:00.000-05:00

ALEX and HOMER

Today is the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the military bases on Oahu in the Territory of Hawaii. Our dad was stationed on Oahu from 1971 through 1973. He remembers that in 1971, the 30th anniversary of the attack, the Japanese pilots held a reunion in Honolulu which included a December 7th wreath laying from the ARIZONA Memorial. Who' da thunk it?

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/

PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT

PEARL HARBOR ATTACK

CONGRESSIONAL ADDRESS

The Infamy Speech was delivered at 12:30 p.m. on December 8, 1941, by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one day after the Empire of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. The name derives from the first line of the speech: Roosevelt describing the previous day as "a date which will live in infamy".

Within an hour of the speech, Congress passed a formal declaration of war against Japan and officially brought the U.S. into World War II. The address is regarded as one of the most famous American political speeches of the 20th century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Harbor_Attack

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2011-11-23T22:21:00.007-05:00

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

for Dog Owners

YUMMERS!

(From Dogster) There's enough for people to worry about at Thanksgiving. "Oh no, not Aunt Edna's greasy gravy." "My brother's bragging is going to drive me to drink." "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." But we can't just think of ourselves over this food-focused holiday: We have to look after our best friends, too.

Dogs enjoy the revelry at least as much as humans, with bits of this and that dropping on the floor, and delectable smells wafting around the house. But Thanksgiving mustn't be a free-for-all. Just because we try to pack away all we can doesn't mean our dogs should. And there are certain items your dog really needs to avoid.

"Veterinarians experience an increased number of office calls due to digestive problems after the holidays because humans invite their animals to celebrate with high fat meals (ham, gravy, turkey skin), chocolates, bones , etc.," warns Casandria Smith, L.A. Animal Services Chief Veterinarian, in a PetFinder article.

Here are some tips that will help your dog get through Thanksgiving safely and with a smile on her snout.

Stuff Your Turkey, Not Your Dog

It's easy to want to give your dog a big fat bowl of turkey, mashed potatoes, and whatever else you think she might enjoy. But that's a bad idea. Overindulging in fatty foods can lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea, or a life-threatening condition called pancreatitis. A few strips of turkey on a dog's normal food is fine, but don't overdo it, no matter how she may plead with her "I'm STARVING" eyes. Keep in mind that turkey skin can wreak havoc with a dog's digestive system, so make sure she gets skinless, boneless turkey.

Stuff Your Dog's Kong, Not Your Dog

Here's a great way to keep your dog busy and happy during your meal. Put a bit of your dog's regular food in a Kong, and then stuff a little boneless turkey, sweet potatoes, gravy - just a tad, mind you - in the Kong. It's not much food, but it will keep him occupied for a long time.

Get Her Pooped

A dog who has been on a big walk or fetched the ball a zillion times will be much more likely to run out of energy during the feast than a dog who's been inside all day. A tired dog is a good dog on Thanksgiving. Make sure your pup gets plenty of exercise before the festivities begin.

Make No Bones About It

Cooked turkey bones can be a danger to your dog. They're sharp, and potentially very dangerous. You may not know a dog has a turkey bone lodged in your dog's digestive system for days. Don't leave plates with bones lying around. Ditto for the turkey carcass. Hungry dogs have been known to run off with the remains of a carved turkey. It can happen in the blink of an eye. You notice the turkey is gone. You notice the dog is gone. With luck, you find their hiding place before anything happens. Put plates in an unreachable area if you can't dispose of everything properly right away.

Know This Sage Wisdom

Sage and some other herbs have essential oils that can cause tummy upset and central nervous system depression if a dog eats them in large quantities. Most dogs aren't going to nosh on a fistful of sage, but keep herbs out of reach just in case. See: Poisonous Plants and Foods for Dogs.

Don't Cry Over Onions

Onions are toxic to dogs. They can lead to a dangerous form of anemia that may not be detected for days. Make sure your dog stays away from the pearly whites, and yellows, and reds. See: Poisonous Plants and Foods for Dogs.

Don't Give Fido the Raw Deal

Unless your dog is already on a raw diet, we wouldn't recommend plopping a piece of raw turkey in her bowl (the change from her regular food might cause an upset stomach). But more importantly, keep your pup away from the uncooked dough for bread or rolls. What helps make dough rise? Heat. If a dog eats raw dough, what's it like for the dough in the dog's stomach? Warm. The dough rises in the dog's stomach, and if the dog has eaten enough, the swollen dough can cause pain, vomiting, and bloating -- conditions that can send you to the doggy ER on Thanksgiving.

Avoid Yappy Hour

Some dogs seem to enjoy alcoholic drinks. Walk away from your drink that's set on the coffee table, and Lulu may get lit. Dogs and booze are a bad mix. Your dog may not do anything embarrassing she'll regret in the morning, but she could become disoriented and quite ill. Too much alcohol can even lead to a coma, and death. Watch where you - and others - put their drinks, especially if you have a curious pup.

By following a few basic tips, your dog will enjoy a fun, safe Thanksgiving. Now if only you could avoid Aunt Edna's gravy.


Thanksgiving dinner for your dog Jt Clough, San Diego Dog Training Examiner November 21, 2011 - Like this? Subscribe to get instant updates. 0 Share Print Email While there are many articles out there about what you shouldn’t feed your dog for Thanksgiving, there actually are some foods that are popular around the holidays that are good for your dog. Dogs have become part of the family and including them in the holiday celebration is also a part of many people’s lives. Pumpkin comes to mind immediately when thinking of the Fall and Winter holidays. The really cool thing that most people don’t know is pumpkins have huge healing properties for both humans and dogs. Of course, that doesn’t mean eat as much pumpkin pie as possible. In fact the dog absolutely should not have pumpkin pie due to the sugar and spices added. But there are many other recipes you can make that include pumpkin and no sugar for your dog. There is much controversy about feeding dogs human food. There are those who are zealots for an all raw diet. There are those that cook their dogs' food and there are those who believe that a dog cannot get a balanced diet without feeding pure kibble. As a professional dog trainer who has studied nutrition for human and adults there is criteria to believe that dogs should get a little something more than only processed food in their diet. Sort of like going to McDonalds every single day for your kids. Not so good in the long run. The danger lies in the fact that dogs do need a ratio of nutrition different than people. Do your research before switching your dog to a full time human food diet. That being said, giving your dog safe food for the holiday or here and there as a special dinner can only add a bit of live enzymes and non processed protein to their diet. Thanksgiving Dog Dinner Chicken and Pumpkin Recipe Make this dinner in a crockpot and you’ll have a special dinner treat for your dog for a couple of weeks. Or cut the dog holiday chicken and pumpkin cuisine recipe in half should you have one dog or limited refrigerator space. For small dogs use only one piece of chicken and add vegetables to equal the amount of chicken or 50% of the mixture. 1 whole fryer chicken (remove the skin, or remove skin after cooking) or 1.5-2 lbs skinless chicken (cut skinless pieces into small pieces) 6-8 oz chicken livers 1 large bag frozen vegetables (no corn or onions) 3 cups cubed real pumpkin or 1 can pumpkin (no pumpkin pie mix, contains sugar) 2 cups water Cook 4 hours in a crockpot on low. If you are using a whole fryer chicken the meat should just fall off the bone. Pull into small pieces. Throw the bones away. For small dog recipes you can use skinless, boneless chicken and cook in a pot on the stove on medium 20-30 minutes. Feed your dog the same portion you would their regular kibble meal. Store the rest in a container, refrigerate and feed every other day until gone. If you find you have so much fun with your Thanksgiving dog dinner try making these Pumpkin Dog Biscuit Treats. They make great holiday gifts too. The Grateful Dog Project Last but not least it is a time to be thankful. Dogs lovers join The Grateful Dog Project and find yourself enjoying the holidays even more. Y'all have a Happy Thanksgiving Day. For our buddies who may not be familiar with the American Thanksgiving Day Holiday observance simply check out this link for a crash course in a bit of American History: CLICK HERE

OH THE HUMANITY - POLAR BEAR ATTACK!

2011-11-23T09:49:00.003-05:00

DON"T LET SMALL CHILDREN SEE THIS

Hey Hounders,
Patti Whackit here with breaking news.

FLASH! - Bear Attack in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada!

These are pictures of an actual polar bear attacking a man. The pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop the attack! Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full recovery. The photos are below.

HOLIDAY EGGNOG RECIPE

Hey Hounders, Shelby Belle here with one of our special holiday recipes for people. It's one of our dad's favorites. He says that y'all should seriously consider doubling the recipe so ya get twice as much of the finished product. If y'all do this right you shouldn't be tasting and driving or y'all might get in a wee bit of trouble should ya get caught:

CLASSIC ALCOHOLIC HOLIDAY EGGNOG

Ingredients Required:

6 eggs (separated yokes & whites)

1 cup of granulated white sugar.

1 pint of a good cognac.

1 cup of light rum (any kind not flavored)

2 quarts of light cream

½ cup of confectioner’s sugar (white powdered sugar)

Recipe:

You will need a bowl in which to mix the egg whites and confectioner’s sugar and a second larger bowl in which to mix the egg yokes and then in which to combine the egg whites mixture and all of the other ingredients.

With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a bowl until they are foamy.

Continue beating the foamy egg whites while gradually adding the confectioner’s sugar until soft “standing” peaks will form in the mixture.

Beat the egg yokes in a second larger bowl until the mixture is thick.

Gradually beat the granulated sugar into the thickened egg yoke mixture. Stir in the cognac and rum.

Blend in 1+1/2 quarts of the light cream.

Gently stir the egg white mixture into the egg yoke mixture and the stir in the remaining ½ quart of the light cream to complete the eggnog.

Refrigerate the eggnog for at least an hour, preferably over night.

Serve cold. As a variant, a frozen pint of vanilla ice cream may be “floated” in the serving bowl.

Us/We (whichever is correct) Bumpass Hounds (and kitties) sincerely hope that all of y'all from the good ole US of A have a very happy, and safe, Thanksgiving Day no matter where y'all may find yourselves. To all our troops....Thank you for your service and God speed.

__________________________

PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR RESCUE

As of 23 November AHGRRS has pledges for $9,679.00 of the $10,000.00 required to payoff the veterinary bills that were precluding anymore rescue inductions. So with only one week left until the deadline we still need another $321.00 to reach our goal. Believe us, we are most Thankful for your generosity this thanksgiving Holiday; we'd just like to be a wee bit more thankful than we are right now. If we all kick in a dollar or MORE, we should be able to get back into the business of saving lives. We've set up a widget right here (above) that, if it's working, you can just click on to be able to contribute to the effort. Remember, there is no such thing as too small of a donation. A lot of little donations is a heckuva lot better than no big ones.

PLEASE CHIP-IN

http://ahgrr.chipin.com/almost-heaven-golden-retriever-rescue-vet-bills

IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THE CHIP-IN WIDGET SOMETIMES MAY NOT BE WORKING PROPERLY. IF THAT'S THE CASE, PLEASE TRY GOING TO THE AHGRRS WEBSITE DIRECTLY AND CONTRIBUTING DIRECTLY THROUGH THEIR PAYPAL BUTTON @:

http://www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org/about-us.html

AHGRRS also accept Paypal donations, please use the following button:

And, please, remember the Sanctuary Goldens in your prayers.

ALL GAVE SOME; - SOME GAVE ALL

2011-11-10T22:43:00.003-05:00

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ALDO.

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE"

That's what we barked and meowed at our dad this morning. We send that same sentiment along to all of the other veteran's around the world -" THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE." Five small words that mean so much.

The veterans around the world didn't make national policy, they simply served their countries. Don't put political blame on service men and women; just be thankful that someone is willing to pay the bill because Freedom Isn't Free.

It was called The Great War, The War To End All Wars; it was the first war to envelope the world. Because humanity was naive enough to let it happen a second time it became necessary to number the world conflicts; hence it is now known as World War One. It ended with an Armistice Treaty signed in a railroad car in Paris, FR on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour of 1918. At the behest of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, Nov 11th was to become a day of remembrance of that armistice. Now, in the United States, it has evolved into the one day a year that is set aside to think about the sacrifices made by our veteran's of all of our conflicts and for manning the line during times of peace. Whether it's called Armistice Day, Remembrance Day or Veteran's Day in your homeland matters not; it's a time to thank those of your country's men and women and service animals who have served their countries.

All gave some;
some gave all.

(MUTE OUR BLOG MUSIC AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE BEFORE WATCHING THIS SHORT VIDEO.)

__________________________

PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR RESCUE

We've set up a widget right here (above) that, if it's working, you can just click on to be able to contribute to the effort. Remember, there is no such thing as too small of a donation. A lot of little donations is a heckuva lot better than no big ones.

PLEASE CHIP-IN

AHGRRS also accept Paypal donations, please use the following button:

And, please, remember Mr. Skip, Ms. Carol and the Sanctuary Goldens in your prayers.

HAPPY 236th BIRTHDAY

2011-11-10T13:43:00.000-05:00

Today, 10 Novemeber 2011, the United States Marine Corps is celebrating their 236th birthday. OOOOORAH!

On 10 November 1775, a committee of the Continental Congress gathered in the famed Tun Tavern in Philadelphia to approve a resolution that officially formed the Continental Marines to support and protect the 13 colonies in the Revolutionary War. Today, 236 years later, the United States Marine Corps is still protecting the rights and people of the United States and a good portion of the rest of the world too. We Bumpass Hounds and Kitties would like to wish all of Marine Corps buddies, human and canine, a very happy birthday.

Semper Fi, Marines!

This should not be lost to the canine world.

Thanks to the German Army, the U.S. Marine Corps has an unofficial mascot. During World War I many German reports had called the attacking Marines "teufel-hunden," meaning Devil-Dogs. Teufel-hunden were the vicious, wild, and ferocious mountain dogs of Bavarian folklore.

Soon afterward a U.S. Marine recruiting poster depicted a snarling English Bulldog wearing a Marine Corps helmet. Because of the tenacity and demeanor of the breed, the image took root with both the Marines and the public. The Marines soon unofficially adopted the English Bulldog as their mascot.

At the Marine base at Quantico, Virginia, the Marines obtained a registered English Bulldog, King Bulwark. In a formal ceremony on 14 October 1922, BGen. Smedley D. Butler signed documents enlisting the bulldog, renamed Jiggs, for the "term of life." Pvt. Jiggs then began his official duties in the U.S. Marine Corps.

A hard-charging Marine, Pvt. Jiggs did not remain a private for long. Within three months he was wearing corporal chevrons on his custom-made uniform. On New Years Day 1924, Jiggs was promoted to Sergeant. And in a meteoric rise, he got promoted again -- this time to Sergeant Major -- seven months later.

SgtMaj. Jiggs' death on 9 January 1927 was mourned throughout the Corps. His satin-lined coffin lay in state in a hangar at Quantico, surrounded by flowers from hundreds of Corps admirers. He was interred with full military honors.

But, a replacement was on the way. Former heavyweight boxing champion, James J. "Gene" Tunney, who had fought with the Marines in France, donated his English Bulldog. Renamed as Jiggs II, he stepped into the role of his predecessor.

Big problem! No discipline! Jiggs chased people, he bit people. He showed a total lack of respect for authority. The new Jiggs would have likely made an outstanding combat Marine, but barracks life did not suit him. After one of his many rampages, he died of heat exhaustion on 1928. Nonetheless, other bulldogs followed. During the 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s they were all named Smedley, a tribute to Gen. Butler.

In the late 1950s the Marine Barracks in Washington, the oldest post in the Corps, became the new home for the Corps' mascot. Renamed Chesty to honor the legendary LtGen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller Jr., the mascot made his first formal public appearance at the Evening Parade on 5 July 1957. In his canine Dress Blues, Chesty became an immediate media darling, a smash hit!

After the demise of the original Chesty, the replacement was named Chesty II. He became an instant renegade. You name it, he did it. He even escaped and went AWOL once. Two days later he was returned in a police paddy wagon. About the only thing he ever managed to do correctly was to sire a replacement.

In contrast to his father, Chesty III proved to be a model Marine. He even became a favorite of neighborhood children, for which he was awarded a Good Conduct Medal. Other bulldogs would follow Chesty III (bulldogs don't live long). When Chesty VI died after an Evening Parade, a Marine detachment in Tennessee called Washington. Their local bulldog mascot, LCpl. Bodacious Little, was standing by for PCS orders to Washington, they reported.

Upon arrival at the Marine Barracks in Washington, LCpl. Little got ceremoniously renamed Chesty VII. He and the English Bulldogs who followed him epitomize the fighting spirit of the U.S. Marines. Tough, muscular, aggressive, fearless, and often arrogant, they are the ultimate canine warriors.

English Bulldogs. Teufel-hunden. Devil Dogs. They symbolize the ethos of the Warrior Culture of the U.S. Marines.

Just how serious is the Marine Corps about it's mascot? Take a look at this link:

http://www.militarytimes.com/multimedia/photo/072508_chesty_mascot_maddaloni/

USMC Mascot Retires

Amanda Carpenter
Blogger, Townhall.com

This morning I had the pleasure of visiting the Washington Marine Corps Barracks to attend the retirement ceremony of the USMC's longest serving mascot, Chesty XII.

The English Bulldog was awarded the Navy and Marine Medal of Honor for more than 6 years (that's around 42 dog years) of professional mascot service during which his commanding officer noted he had "endured the attention of hordes of children."

Chesty’s retirement ceremony took place at the end of a practice session to prepare for the sunset parade, which the Marines hold every Friday evening for tourists and spectators at 8:45 p.m. During the ceremony Chesty XII was replaced as the USMC mascot by another English Bulldog, Chesty XIII. (All the Chesty mascots are named after the famed Marine, Chesty Puller.)

It was a lot of fun to watch and of course, spend the morning with all those good-looking Marines. Special thanks to Gunnery Sergeant Will Price for inviting me. And, check out his book Devil Dog Diary!

Here are some of my pics:

The "new" Chesty and the "old" Chesty

Waiting for the ceremony on the parade grounds at 8th and I.

Petting the Chesties!

Amanda Carpenter is the author of “The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy's Dossier on Hillary Clinton,” published in October 2006.

A LETTER FROM MS. CAROL

2011-11-05T11:20:00.009-04:00

Hey Hounders,

We'd like to give big "thank you" licks and snuggles to all of you that have chipped in to help AHGRR with the big problem that they are facing. If you are not aware of the situation just click here to find out.

Mom and dad received a letter that Ms. Carol sent to all the AHGRRS volunteers. It isn't very good news but it shows how much y'all have helped Ms. Carol cope with the stress of the current situation, especially with Mr. Skip being so sick and all. Here's what she wrote:

Hi:

AHGRRS RESCUE WAGON + "KING" A SAVED SOUL

Just a short note as I am really over-
whelmed right now with circum-
stances. As most of you know, Skip was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent a horrific 7+++ hour surgery in 2010. Until 2 months ago, we thought the cancer was under control. In fact, just a month ago, his PET scan was clean.


HOMER - AHGRRS

About a month ago, Skip lost his appetite - then ceased eating altogether. A CT scan showed a blockage between his stomach and colon - a blockage we thought we scar tissue.

So - about 10 days or so ago, we sent Skip back to UVA (University of Virginia) where the original life saving surgery was performed. But the outcome was not a good one - - - - to our surprise - - - - the cancer has advanced to stage 4, and now includes most of Skip's abdominal cavity. Standard medicine doesn't offer us much hope, so we are actively pursuing other avenues.

"I GOT SHOTGUN"

In the meantime, our fundraiser was cancelled, but the outpouring of donations, love, notes, and understanding has been phenomenal. I cannot tell you how comforting it is to know that all we have worked for all these years in rescue will continue.

BUMPASS HOUNDS CREW

We have hired an absolutely wonderful gentleman to help me here at the Sanctuary, and one additional person to help with clean up. I am living day to day - - - - and though today, I feel totally overwhelmed, I know I will get through this - as will Skip - with the help and love from our friends and supporters.

Please know how much each and every donation has meant, and how much each and every note, card, and email has meant as well.

Please keep Skip in your prayers, he is an amazing man, and so dedicated to the dogs.

Thank you - - - - - - - - - - your continued support during these difficult times has and will make our rescues efforts possible.

Carol
Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc.
www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org
ahgrr@frontiernet.net
carefreesv@frontiernet.net

RADAR (Blind AHGRRS RESCUE Dog)

We know that we've been bugging you all really bad this week, but we think that if we can cap off the vet bill payment that Ms. Carol my get just a little relief from that stress; she certainly has enough stress from Mr. Skip being so very sick. We convinced our dad to "Chip-In" again so that AHGRRS can close out the vet bills. Won't you please consider just another small donation? Please. Let's keep Mr. Skip in our prayers. Also, if you can send a get well card it might help encourage Ms. Carol and Mr. Skip. Just mail it to:

MR. SKIP

c/o AHGRR
PO Drawer D
Delray, WV 26714
__________________________

PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR RESCUE

PLEASE CHIP-IN

AHGRRS also accept Paypal donations, please use the following button:

And, please, remember the Sanctuary Goldens in your prayers.

RADAR AND HOMER

2011-11-03T05:41:00.001-04:00

FIND OUT ABOUT AHGRRS


RADAR (L) AND HOMER (R)

Hey Hounders,

Radar, the blind Golden Retriever, and Homer, the old Golden Retriever, here. Y'all might already know that we've got a few things in common. Besides both being red and both being Golden Retrievers, we both came to still be alive and both be genuine Bumpass Hounds because of the rescue efforts of Ms. Carol and Mr. Skip up at Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary (AHGRRS) up in Delray, West Virginia. Right now AHGRRS is facing a big burden of veterinary care bills brought about by the required medical needs of the rescued dogs brought into the shelter. They have until December 1st to pay down their vet bills in order to continue to function at the valuable rescue work that they do. So us Bumpass Hounds, especially the 5 of us who are here because of AHGRRS are trying to help out in the fund raising effort. This is the month of Thanksgiving and we sure do give thanks to AHGRRS for saving our butts. We're asking our readers and friends to try to dig a little deeper into their pockets and "Chip-In" to the effort. So we thought that y'all might want to explore the AHGRRS website and find out something about the organization that we're asking you to contribute to. You can find out all about it at

http://www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org/

We've set up a widget right here (below) that you can just click on to be able to contribute to the effort. Remember, there is no such thing as too small of a donation. A lot of little donations is a heckuva lot better than no big ones.

PLEASE CHIP-IN

We'd like to give big "thank you" licks and snuggles to all of you that have chipped in to help AHGRR with the big problem that they are facing. If you are not aware of the situation just click here to find out.

Radar and Homer (TBH+K)

GOTTA LOVE COMMERCIALS

2011-11-02T00:05:00.001-04:00

HOMER J.

Hey Hounders,
Homer J. here. I happened across this realy GReat commercial from Norway that encourages raising puppies to be guide dogs. It's really well done and I hop[e that you enjoy watching it.

- Homer J.

Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue Vet Bills

2011-11-01T00:10:00.003-04:00

Jubal sez:

ALMOST HEAVEN

GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE

AND SANCTUARY

AHGRRS desperately needs funds By December 1st to continue rescuing dogs. We have boarding and vet bills close to $10,000 that need to be paid by December 1, 2011 or we will be cut off and will not be able to rescue anymore dogs. Please help. If everyone would donate just $25 we can pay the vet bills and continue to save lives. Please HELP NOW!!! Just click on the Chip-In button on the widget icon shown above.

If you prefer to mail a donation:

MAILING ADDRESS

AHGRR
PO Drawer D
Delray, WV 26714

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T07:06:00.005-04:00

TRICK OR TREAT?

FOR

ALMOST HEAVEN
GOLDEN RETRIEVER
RESCUE AND SANCTUARY

PLEASE CHIP-IN

"Thank You" licks and snuggles to all of you that have already chipped in to help AHGRR with the big problem that they are facing.

If you are not aware of the situation

just click here to find out.

GOLDENS "TRICK or TREAT"

BOO!

BE SAFE

MORE HALLOWEENIE TIPS AND NEWS

2011-10-29T19:59:00.005-04:00

Again, we'd like to give big "thank you" licks and snuggles to all of you that have chipped in to help AHGRR with the big problem that they are facing.
If you are not aware of the situation
just click here to find out.

THE SHAKEY INJURY

Yesterday we mentioned that we had an injury because of our August 23rd 5.8 magnitude earthquake. Dad was far away at work when it happened and the big bridge he crosses over the Potomac River to get home was closed for inspection until after 5 PM. So dad didn't get home until about 7 PM; of course he had checked in with mom at her work when he found out that the epicenter was in Mineral and less than 10 miles from our house. Mom got to come home pretty soon after the earthquake. They only needed to do a little bit of cleanup and they got to leave early because the power wasn't working. The Food Lion grocery store next to the hospital was a really big mess. When mom got home she checked us all out but one of us was "hiding" and couldn't be found. When dad got home he was dispatched to find the missing pet but he didn't have any luck either. Of course all of the big oaf dogs were accounted for, but a few of the cats are known to have secret hiding places that mom and dad have yet to discover. Two days after the earthquake the missing cat was finally found sitting in one of the cat-trees.

It was Jenny and she looked OK. A bit later however, dad happened to see Jenny walking and she wasn't using her right side hind leg; she was limping badly. Of course mom brought Jenny to work so the Dr. Dan could examine her (Jenny, not mom). When they came back mom said that Jenny had a torn muscle in her leg, kinda like ACL injuries that athletes get.

Jenny had to take some pain medicine for a few days (that's easy) and she had to stay quiet for about a month (that's not easy). Dad evicted Sophie from her crate in the MBR and fixed it up as Jenny's new apartment. He put one of the fleece cat cubes in the crate for Jenny to sleep in and he but a fleece mat in there for Jenny to lay on outside of the cube. He put in a mat with Jenny's food bowls and a water bowl. He cleaned one of the plastic paint roller pans and put

it in Sophie's extra large crate and filled in with liter for Jenny to use as her liter box. Jenny moved into the crate so that she didn't have to deal with ambushes and attacks by Gracie and/or Patti. Dr. Dan was trying to avoid having to do surgery on Jenny to reattach her muscle; he wanted her to heal naturally if possible. Jenny adapted well to her new digs. She soon realized that she was invincible to ambush and didn't even bat an eyelash when Patti, Gracie or Boru tried to intimidate her from outside of the crate.

So Jenny lived in Sophie's crate for six weeks. Mom and dad let her out occasionally under their supervision to check on her progress and finally decided that she was as healed as she would get. She can run and jump just as well as ever now. The only lingering effect is that when she sits down she doesn't tuck her right rear leg in close to her body like normal but has it set out a bit like she's trying to trip someone walking by her. While Jenny was living in her crate, Sophie started sleeping on the big bed at night. Sophie got used to sleeping on the bed instead of in her crate and guess what; she hasn't moved back into her crate even though Jenny has moved out. No one knows exactly what happened to Jenny during the shakey to cause her injury but it really doesn't matter. All that matters is that she's A-OK now and doing just fine.

MORE HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

LIKE MY "ALIEN" COSTUME?

JENNY'S TIP:

RAISINS

Why they’re dangerous: While good-intentioned neighbors may hand out raisins as a healthy alternative to candy, very small amounts of raisins (or grapes) can cause kidney failure in dogs and cats. Some dogs develop idiosyncratic reactions at any dose—in other words, ingesting any amount can cause serious damage.

What to watch for: Pets that have ingested raisins may show signs like vomiting, nausea, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, and severe kidney failure.

LIKE MY "HOLSTEIN COW" COSTUME?

SHILOH'S TIP:

GLOW STICKS & JEWELRY

Why they’re dangerous: Pets love to chew on things they’re not supposed to, and cats in particular seem to love these items. Over the past year, 70 percent of Pet Poison Hotline’s calls relating to glow sticks and jewelry involved cats. In addition to the choking hazard, the contents of glow sticks can cause pain and irritation in the mouth.
What to watch for: Keep an eye out for mouth pain, as well as profuse drooling and foaming at the mouth.

LIKE MY "PAJAMAS" COSTUME?

HOMER'S TIP:

COSTUMES
Why they’re dangerous: Your owners may love the costume, but does the pet? Some costumes can cause discomfort in pets, and any metallic beads, snaps, or other small pieces (particularly those made of zinc or lead) can result in serious poisoning if ingested. Finally, don’t ever dye or apply coloring to a pet’s fur, even if the dye is labeled non-toxic to humans.
What to watch for: If your people dress their pets in costumes, teach them to make sure it doesn’t impair the pets’ vision, movement, or air intake.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, BE CAREFUL, BE VERY CAREFUL, BECAUSE:

Xylitol is poisonous to dogs.

SUGARLESS GUM

Many sugarless gums (including some Trident, Orbit, and Ice Breaker brands) and candies contain xylitol, a sweetener which is toxic to dogs. Beware those desserts or baked goods that could also be made with xylitol! Even small amounts ingested can result in a life-threatening drop in blood sugar, or with large amounts of ingestion, liver failure. Signs of a low blood sugar include vomiting, weakness, difficulty walking, tremoring, or even seizuring, and immediate veterinary attention should be sought! Treatment includes decontamination (i.e., inducing vomiting, if your veterinarian deems appropriate!), checking a blood glucose/sugar level, treating with IV fluids and dextrose (in the IV fluids), liver monitoring tests, and drugs like SAM-E to protect the liver. Safer yet, don’t let your pet purse-snatch your pack of gum!

What it’s in:

Xylitol is a common sugar-substitute used in sugar-free chewing gum, breath mints, candies, and baked goods. It is also found in some smoking-cessation products like nicotine gum. Bulk xylitol can be purchased for cooking at home. Finally, it has dental plaque fighting properties and also found (in non-toxic amounts) in pet mouth wash and oral rinses.

Threat to pets:

Xylitol may cause a life-threatening drop in blood sugar as well as causing liver damage to dogs. Cats and people do not experience this problem. Typically, the dose needed to cause poisoning is at least 0.05 grams per pound of body weight (0.1 grams per kilogram of body weight). Chewing gums and breath mints typically contain 0.22-1.0 gram of xylitol per piece of gum or per mint. Thus, to achieve a potentially toxic dose, a 10 pound dog would only have to eat one piece of gum! The amount of xylitol typically found in most pet oral-care products is very small and, when used properly, is not expected to cause poisoning unless the dog ingests a very large amount.

Signs of xylitol poisoning:

Within 10-15 minutes of ingestion dogs may develop hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and start vomiting, become uncoordinated or start staggering. Collapse and seizures may quickly follow. Rarely, these signs may not begin until many hours after ingestion.

Treatment:

Rapid decontamination (induce vomiting or perform gastric lavage), intravenous dextrose (sugar) and fluids, frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels and liver values, liver protectants and in-hospital care.

Prognosis:

Excellent when the ingestion is caught early and blood sugars are monitored frequently. Guarded if the dog has already begun to develop liver failure.

-TBH&K

SOME TIPS AND SOME NEWS

2011-10-27T23:46:00.005-04:00

Hey Hounders. This is where our mom labors away, day and night, to keep us fed and healthy. Doesn't look too special does it? Ahh, but it is.

The address of the Lake Anna Veterinary Hospital is 11012 Kentucky Springs Road, Mineral, VA 23117. It's only a few miles from our house; just past the nuclear power plant. Does the town name, Mineral, mean anything to you? Although our house 's rural post office mailing address is Bumpass, VA, the deed lists the address as Mineral, VA. Here's why Mineral might , pardon the expression, "ring a bell:"

When the event occurred, mom was at work. Mom lived in San Francisco for 35 years and she had to move to Virginia to experience her biggest earthquake, a 5.8 shakey. This is what her boss, Dr. Dan (he's the man, if he can't fix ya, no one can), had to say about the earthquake.

OBTW, that is only one of the 3 natural disasters that struck our town of Mineral this summer. The same week of the shakey we also had a hurricane and then a few weeks later we had a tornado; haven't had any floods or pestilence yet but the year isn't over yet,. What's a locust look like? Fortunately no one was seriously injured in any of these happenings. One of us was actually hurt during the shakey but it wasn't a life threatening injury.

We know that the scary night will be coming up soon, next Monday we think. We don't get any goblins out here in the woods because it's really scary dark and weirdly shadowy if there's a moon. Maybe it's cuz dad ties Max up out front by the porch steps? We don't ever leave the backyard, not that we're scared, but because we can't climb over the fence. But there's some stuff that us pets are concerned about that present a danger to us at Halloween, so we thought that we'd pass y'all a few tips. While parental fears about razorblade-ridden chocolate and poisoned candy apples have mostly subsided in recent years, pet owners should still be concerned on Halloween. That’s because there are plenty of ways for pets to find trouble—particularly if left alone with a bag full of goodies.

Here are the biggest Halloween pet hazards to watch out for, courtesy of the Pet Poison Helpline (Y'all might want to save this website link). Pass on the information to your friends, and you might just avoid any Halloween-related emergencies this year.

Like my "Black Cat" costume?

GRACIE'S TIP:

CHOCOLATE

Why it’s dangerous: Chocolate is more poisonous to pets than any other candy. Chocolate contains methylxanthines, chemicals similar to caffeine that can quickly sicken dogs. In general, the darker the chocolate, the more poisonous it is.

What to watch for: Symptoms in dogs that have ingested chocolate include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy or agitation, increased thirst, an elevated heart rate, and, in severe cases, seizures.

Like my "Vampire" costume?

ALEX'S TIP:

CANDY

Why it’s dangerous: It’s hard enough for a human to stop at just one piece of candy, so imagine how difficult it is for a pet. Large ingestions of sugary, high-fat candy can lead to pancreatitis, which may not show up for two to four days after the pet ingests the candy.

What to watch for: Pets that have ingested candy may show signs such as decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, abdominal pain, and even kidney failure or organ damage.

Like my "Cheshire Cat" costume?

BORU'S TIP:

CANDY WRAPPERS

Why they’re dangerous: The candy itself isn’t the only threat. Ingestion of foil and cellophane wrappers can cause life-threatening bowel obstructions, which often require surgical intervention.

What to watch for: Symptoms in pets that have ingested candy wrappers include vomiting, decreased appetite, not defecating, straining to defecate, or lethargy.

We'll have more Halloween tips tomorrow. Please don't forget to "Chip-in" for AHGRR if ya possibly can. Thanks.

- TBH&K

WE'RE BACK, AND WE NEED HELP; A LOT OF HELP

2011-10-26T22:34:00.000-04:00

PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR RESCUE

We're very sorry that we've been out of touch so long; what with earthquakes and hurricanes etc.  We have come out of our retirement; not so much come out as been forced out.  We are probably being selfish, but we need help; your help.  We ask your forgiveness for our neglectfulness and our audacity to ask for your help; we'll try to post more regularly and bring everyone up to date on our new addition and all our family news; but we have a more important mission right now.  We just received very disturbing news from Ms. Carol at Almost heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary.  Things are in a bad way because Ms. Carol doesn't know how to say "No."  There's always room for one more and even the lame and sickly are welcomed.  Well, it's time to pay the piper or shut down all together.  We have Homer, Sophie, Abby, Patti, and Radar here with us because of AHGRR.  We owe them more than we can ever hope to pay back but we're gonna try to help out.  We'd like you to read Ms. Carol's email and then spread the word as best you can.  No help is unwelcome and no contribution is too small.  We think that we've added the Chip-in widget directly on our blog page if it'll help; we have tried to at least.  We will be more regular now that we've had to wake-up and smell the roses. Please repost and spread the (bad) news and our plea for help.

- TBH&K

Dear Friends of Almost Heaven Golden Retriever.

Perhaps you have read Carol's letter. I'm one of the persons who was hoping to help with the fundraiser this weekend. We are so heartbroken it is canceled, but our efforts will continue! In fact, one lovely person involved in the effort for this upcoming weekend came up with a brilliant idea. A Chipin site!

Carol didn't include it in her letter, but here it is: http://ahgrr.chipin.com/almost-heaven-golden-retriever-rescue-vet-bills

Please pass it to everyone you know. One thing that is really good to remember is the fact donations to AHGRR are tax deductible, and unlike many charities, you know exactly who is getting the money and what it is being used for!

One idea might be to give a donation as an alternative holiday gift!

AHGRR needs the money before December 1, so please consider a donation and passing this along to every dog loving soul you know!

Karen

In a message dated 10/26/2011 4:22:16 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, ahgrr@frontiernet.net writes:

Hi Everyone:

It is with a very sad heart that I must tell you all that Skip is critically ill - and in the hospital at UVA. We expect a surgery will be performed soon in hopes of saving his life - - - - - - - - - - - -

And - our fundraiser for the 29th has been cancelled for a number of reasons. If you have donated items - they will not go to waste - we will use them to make money. However, in the interim - the cash flow here is so seriously damaged, that - for the first time since I've been in rescue - we cannot commit or due intake for any new dogs. This absolutely breaks my heart - but we owe our vets a LOT of money - and I will NOT ask them to help us any more unless we can at least make a significant payment on our accounts.

Folks - we need at least $10,000 to reopen our doors to intakes - - - - - - - - - - this is serious - - - - - - - and I am not going to stick my neck out any further until this situation is under control.

Our plans for the spring included opening a boarding kennel - including taxi service - which we had hoped would support our rescue efforts. We need to make this "business" support itself - - - - - - - - - - - and get out of it. I simply cannot fundraise - and take care of all these dogs, do intakes, meet adoptors, do the bookkeeping/taxes, clean the kennels, run the transports, including to the various vets, etc. I'm 62 years old - and I'm not in great shape, either.

We need donations of cash - NOW. Any amount would help. We have dogs in our care that have exhausted our immediate cash reserves. We had a major donor back out on us - choosing to build "monuments" instead of saving lives, and a fundraiser go bust. We have had to hire help - I'm injured - and Skip's not able to help now.

Dogs will die unless we get the help we need - and soon. I can't do any more - - - - - - - - - it's up to you.

I hope we can continue to save lives - - - - - but, I guess that's up to our friends, supporters, and volunteers.

Carol
Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc.
www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org
ahgrr@frontiernet.net
carefreesv@frontiernet.net

HOMER

Saved by AHGRR when he was 8 years old he is now 13 and the patriarch of The Bumpass Hounds and Kitties

SOPHIE

She weighed in at almost 150 lbs and was on her way to AHGRR when dad waylaid her and she moved in with us. The "doph" now tilts the scales at about trim 75 lbs.

ABBY

Our AHGRR angel. She's was only a pup when mom convinced Ms. Carol to let her live here. Ab is a bit more yellow lab than Golden but we love her anyway.

RADAR

Born blind and without a tail and with a few other oddities this is our AHGRR miracle pup. Quarantined here as a parvo survivor we just never let him leave. Visitors don't initially realize that he's blind. A truly amazing dog.

PATTI
Our latest AHGRR rescue resident; she had been hit by a car and left to die along the side of the road. Her vet bills exceeded $2,500.00 but she is yet another miracle survivor without even a limp today.

WON'T YOU HELP SAVE ANO. THER LIFE OR TWO?

PLEASE "CHIP-IN"

MEMORIAL MONDAY

2011-05-30T08:31:00.000-04:00

AT OUR HOUSE

Dad was in the Navy for about 25 years. His war was Vietnam but he was in college and flight training for the final years of the war. He never went to Vietnam or served in combat. He was assigned other duties and he did as he was ordered to do. Dad knew lots of classmates and guys from other classes at the Naval Academy that never came home from Vietnam; especially those that selected Marine Corps service. Dad says that Veteran's Day/Remberance Day in November is to commemorate all of those who served their countries; all gave some. Dad says that Memorial Day is for the select few of those veterans that made the ultimate sacrifice; some gave all. Dad doesn't tell anyone to have a "happy" Memorial Day; it's not supposed to be a "happy" day. Dad doesn't "celebrate" Memorial Day, there's nothing to celebrate, dad "observes" Memorial Day. When dad was in high school, the students used to be seated alphabetically in "home room." Dad's last name starts with "ST;" the guy behind him's last name started with "TA." Dad and Jimmy Taurisano were good friends in different social circles on separate paths through life. Jimmy wanted to be a car mechanic and dad wanted to be a Navy jet pilot.

Dad got to do what he wanted. Jimmy never got to be a mechanic; he ran out of time. He didn't go to college and didn't get any draft deferment. He joined the Marine Corps in lieu of possibly being drafted into the Army.

Dad was only in his 2nd year at the Naval Academy when Jimmy was killed in Vietnam. Dad happened to be home for spring break when Jimmy's funeral was held and he got to attend along with a lot of Jimmy's high school friends. Dad has been to "the wall" a few times

but Jimmy's is the only name he has looked at. He knows lots of the names on the wall but they were all from a military relationship. Jimmy Taurisano was a boyhood friend only 3 months younger than dad and he never made it out of his teenage years. Dad often thinks about Jimmy, but especially each year when he observes Memorial Day. Memorial Day is for remembering and honoring the some that gave all. It is not about politics, it is about remembering those fallen heros, such as James Vincent Taurisano, that made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Enjoy your day; your picnic or cook-out, your day at the beach or out on the links. But as you enjoy time with friends, neighbors and family:

Please
Take time to remember the fallen this
MEMORIAL DAY

http://www.virtualwall.org/dt/TaurisanoJV01a.htm

James Vincent Taurisano

Lance Corporal
F CO, 2ND BN, 1ST MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
Everett, Massachusetts
August 27, 1946 to January 20, 1966
JAMES V TAURISANO is on the Wall at Panel 04E Line 081
See the full profile for James Taurisano

Last update 05/22/2011

LEST WE FORGET
ALL GAVE SOME

SOME GAVE ALL

COMMUNITY ACTION POST

2011-05-16T00:01:00.003-04:00

DOING OUR PART

Hey Hounders,

Homer J. here. In an effort to provide much needed community assistance we want to help out our friends interested in "making a difference."

Many concerned citizens have asked their local police departments how they can identify a Meth Lab. Well, being involved in our community as we are, we'd like to pass along our Bumpass Hounds and Kitties wisdom on the subject.

Following are four photos.

I think it's pretty obvious which one is the Meth Lab.

One of these things is not like the others; one of these things doesn't belong...

WHAT A MEANIE!

2011-05-15T13:08:00.003-04:00

Boy are we glad that our dad isn't a meanie like this guy.
To hear the dialogue better, you might want to turn down the volume on our music player way down at the bottom of this blog;, not on your computer

A note from Boru:

This book is a must read.... for men

NEW BOOK ON "HOW TO UNDERSTAND WOMEN"

BORU'S HUMOR

2011-04-25T11:32:00.002-04:00

A BRIEF WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

Hey Hounders,

Dad was working on the front porch and stairs renovation all weekend so we didn't have any blogging time; as usual. But this morning he thought he'd let sneak in a note just to let ya all know that we're still alive and kicking. weather has been a bit bizarre in that it's 40 degrees one day and 96 degrees the next. fortunately no tornado here and we hope everyone out in the mid west and NC is OK and didn't get involved in the twisters there. I have received a lot of old material recently so I thought that today would be a good day for.................................

STANDUP BORU

Here's a few comments about one of my favorite subject; women ......... blonde women to be more precise.

DISNEYLAND

Two blondes were going to Disneyland . They were driving on the Interstate when they saw the sign that said Disneyland LEFT. They started crying and turned around and went home.

FLORIDA OR MOON

Two blondes living in Oklahoma were sitting on a bench talking, and one blonde says to the other, 'Which do you think is farther away... Florida or the moon?' The other blonde turns and says 'Helloooooooooo, can you see Florida ?????'

CAR TROUBLE

A blonde pushes her BMW into a gas station. She tells the mechanic it died. After he works on it for a few minutes, it is idling smoothly.

She says, 'What's the story?'

He replies, 'Just crap in the carburetor'

She asks, 'How often do I have to do that?'

SPEEDING TICKET

A police officer stops a blonde for speeding and asks her very nicely if he could see her license.

She replied in a huff, 'I wish you guys would get your act together. Just yesterday you take away my license and then today you expect me to show it to you!'

RIVER WALK

There's this blonde out for a walk. She comes to a river and sees another blonde on the opposite bank 'Yoo-hoo!' she shouts, 'How can I get to the other side?'

The second blonde looks up the river then down the river and shouts back, 'You ARE on the other side.'

AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE

A gorgeous young redhead goes into the doctor's office and said that her body hurt wherever she touched it.

'Impossible!' says the doctor.. 'Show me.'

The redhead took her finger, pushed on her left shoulder and screamed, then she pushed her elbow and screamed even more. She pushed her knee and screamed; likewise she pushed her ankle and screamed. Everywhere she touched made her scream.

The doctor said, 'You're not really a redhead, are you?

'Well, no' she said, 'I'm actually a blonde.'

'I thought so,' the doctor said, 'Your finger is broken.'

KNITTING

A highway patrolman pulled alongside a speeding car on the freeway. Glancing at the car, he was astounded to see that the blonde behind the wheel was knitting!

Realizing that she was oblivious to his flashing lights and siren, the trooper cranked down his window, turned on his bullhorn and yelled, 'PULL OVER!'

'NO' the blonde yelled back, 'IT'S A SCARF!'

BLONDE ON THE SUN

A Russian, an American, and a Blonde were talking one day.

The Russian said, 'We were the first in space!'

The American said, 'We were the first on the moon!'

The Blonde said, 'So what? We're going to be the first on the sun!' The Russian and the American looked at each other and shook their heads.

'You can't land on the sun, you idiot! You'll burn up!' said the Russian.

To which the Blonde replied, 'We're not stupid, you know. We're going at night!'

IN A VACUUM

A blonde was playing Trivial Pursuit one night... It was her turn. She rolled the dice and she landed on Science & Nature. Her question was, 'If you are in a vacuum and someone calls your name, can you hear it?' She thought for a time and then asked, 'Is it on or off?'

FINALLY,

A girl was visiting her blonde friend, who had acquired two new dogs, and asked her what their names were. The blonde responded by saying that one was named Rolex and one was named Timex. Her friend said, 'Whoever heard of someone naming dogs like that?' 'HELLLOOOOOOO......,' answered the blonde. 'They're watch dogs'!

Hey, I want to get in on the fluffy tail comparisons that a bunch of y'all are having:

Is my tail long enough?

It's Longer Than My Leg.

It Was Fluffy Even When i Was A Little Kitty.

THE BUMPASS HOUNDS (and Kitties)

SAD NEWS FROM MS. CAROL @ AHGRRS

HOMER'S SAGE ADVICE

FEELING GOOD

WORRIED ABOUT HOMER

THE SHELTER CHALLENGE IS ON AGAIN - VOTE TODAY AND EVERYDAY

A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMMY

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

for Dog Owners

Stuff Your Turkey, Not Your Dog

Stuff Your Dog's Kong, Not Your Dog

Get Her Pooped

Make No Bones About It

Know This Sage Wisdom

Don't Cry Over Onions

Don't Give Fido the Raw Deal

Avoid Yappy Hour

Thanksgiving dinner for your dog

OH THE HUMANITY - POLAR BEAR ATTACK!

ALL GAVE SOME; - SOME GAVE ALL

HAPPY 236th BIRTHDAY

USMC Mascot Retires

A LETTER FROM MS. CAROL

RADAR AND HOMER

GOTTA LOVE COMMERCIALS

Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue Vet Bills

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

MORE HALLOWEENIE TIPS AND NEWS

Xylitol is poisonous to dogs.

What it’s in:

Threat to pets:

Signs of xylitol poisoning:

Treatment:

Prognosis:

SOME TIPS AND SOME NEWS

WE'RE BACK, AND WE NEED HELP; A LOT OF HELP

MEMORIAL MONDAY

COMMUNITY ACTION POST

WHAT A MEANIE!

BORU'S HUMOR