Our Dachs

December 2008

DONE FINITO! TAAA DAAAA!!!!

• Took my final final this week. God willin' & the creek don't rise, the sheepskin will be in the mail in February! BA in Communications!!! only 24 years later.

Succinct (I hope):

• Married nigh 24 yrs (June 1985) to a wonderful and talented man, Kevin (U.S. Army Bandsman for 17+ years)
• FurKids - two 13 yr old miniature dachshunds Tasselhof Burrfoot and Radar O'Reilly (born in the old Panama Canal Zone); one standard wirehair dachshund, 3 year old, Gimli Padfoot aka 'Kasper' ('clown' in German; born in Bavaria near the Swiss border). … pictures below…
• Returned July 2006 to the USA after a fantastic, incredible, wunderbar 3 year jaunt in Bamberg, Germany. Now in Washington state and actually enjoying it (I’m mostly Texan).
• Worked as a professional/executive secretary for 20 years.
• Intend to use my degree to teach communications (business, personal, etc.) in a high school or online OR become a Grant Writer OR Administrator/Director of a non-profit (i.e., a food bank, a theatre, etc..
• Was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis June 22, 2006 -- yeppers, on our wedding anniversary -- it's a mostly annoying, insidious, incurable disease, but oh well, if life bites you in the butt... bite it back.
• CRUSADE 1: Educating people about "disabled dogs" -- you don't have to put them down when they go down. One of my dachshunds (Tas, foreground in picture) blew a disk in May 2003 and was happy, healthy, in a cart for 1 1/2 years -- he's now WALKING (albeit drunkenly). Five years after the vet said I should 'humanely' put him down - he is a sweet wonderful pain in my neck -- and not because he can't walk properly... he can still beat his all-legs-working brother to the front door. He’s my DDMA -- Disabled Dog My ‘Behind’!
• CRUSADE 2: Educating myself and people about Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed June 2006 - interesting at 40-eve. It’s not a death sentence, just another wrinkle in life to figure out. So far, it’s been fairly mild and interesting ... and rather annoying at times. There are injectible medications, lifestyle changes, and, well, education! Crusade #1 above taught me a lot about living life, figuring out what’s *really* important and ... GET ON WITH IT… so when MS came down the pike, I could do just that (mostly!).

Things I learned from my “Disabled Dog”
· take life as it comes
· if you can’t do it one way… oh, well, another will work
· take time to PowerNap – you never know when you might need the energy to look cute and pitiful
· take on the big guys – you just have more equipment than them
· take all the “awww” and “ummmms” and pity you can find – if someone thinks you are weaker, it only makes you stronger and able to show them What For – and anyway… you know better.
Amy
If life bites you in the butt... bite it back!

Three Watchers...

I just realized I don't have my favorite pictures of the Phlor Sharks on my blog...

The reds (miniature dachshunds, c. 12 pounds):
Tasselhof Burrfoot (front) & Radar O'Reilly (in back), littermates
born: 1995, Panama Canal Zone (f/k/a)

The wirehair (standard dachshund, c. 20 pounds):
Gimli Padfoot "Kasper"
born: 2005, southern Bavaria Germany - our 'real' German dachshund.

a grin... or two...

Not necessarily nice... but gave me a grin...

A man walked into a very high-tech bar. As he sat down on a stool he noticed that the bartender was a robot.
The robot clicked to attention and asked, "Sir, what will you have?"
The man thought a moment then replied? "A martini please."
The robot clicked a couple of times and mixed the best martini the man had ever had.
The robot then asked, "Sir, what is your IQ?"
The man answered "Oh, about 164."
The robot then proceeded to discuss the 'theory of relativity', 'inter-stellar space travel', 'the latest medical breakthroughs, etc.......

The man was most impressed. He left the bar but thought he would try a different tact.

He returned and took a seat. Again the robot clicked and asked what he would have?
"A Martini please." Again it was superb?
The robot again asked "what is your IQ sir?"
This time the man answered, "Oh about 100".
So the robot started discussing NASCAR racing, the latest basketball scores, and what to expect the Dodgers to do that week end.

The guy had to try it one more time. So he left, returned and took a stool.

Again a martini, and the question, "What is your IQ?"??
This time the man drawled out " Uh.....'bout 50".
The robot clicked then leaned close and very slowly asked ,
"A-r-e . ...y-o-u-r . ... p-e-o-p-l-e . ... r-e-a-l-l-y . . .. g-o-i-n-g . .. . t-o ... .
n-o-m-i-n-a-t-e .. . . H-i-l-l-a-r-y-???"

=================

Dorothy and Edna, two "senior" widows, are talking.

Dorothy: "That nice George Johnson asked me out for a date. I know you
went out with him last week, and I wanted to talk with you about him
before I give him my answer."

Edna: "Well, I'll tell you. He shows up at my apartment punctually at 7
P.M., dressed like such a gentleman in a fine suit, and he brings me
such beautiful flowers! Then he takes me downstairs, and what's there
but a luxury car... a limousine, uniformed chauffeur and all. Then he
takes me out for dinner... a marvelous dinner... lobster, champagne,
dessert, and after-dinner drinks. Then we go see a show. Let me tell
you, Dorothy, I enjoyed it so much I could have just died from pleasure!
So then we are coming back to my apartment and he turns into an ANIMAL.
Completely crazy, he tears off my expensive new dress and has his way
with me two times!"

Dorothy: "Goodness gracious!... so you are telling me I shouldn't go out
with him?"

Edna: "No, no, no... I'm just saying, wear an old dress."

A Test...

Find the 9 people in the picture...






















if you:

Find 6, you have an ordinary power of observation.
Find 7, you have above average power of observation.
Find 8, you are very observant. Congratulate yourself.
Find 9, you are extremely observant. Very intuitive and creative.

The 'new kid'

We needed a second car ... decided to go with a 're-do' of the ilk we'd been wanting for years. She scoots around quite well for a daily driver, but still has enough (okay, a lot) of stuff to tweak. She's been with us for 11 days!

Rene... the engine pic is there just for you!



and, a reminder to be good...

Longer still...

only 7 months.

Things have been hoppin’ and jumpin’. The purpose of this post is to show folks what I came around to see when trying to call our 16 month old standard wirehair dachshund back inside from incessant barking at squirrels. This is a 7 foot fence... with a wood pile beside it.

Soooo.... today immediatly after my MS injection, I 'had the opportunity' to stack wood WITH supervision...

AND ... he taught the 'old guy' to do it too

I love him so much, I know he's going to live past his 2nd birthday (and Radar his 11th) ... but aaaarrrggghhhhhh, I might have to beat them with wet noodles at least!