We have some shocking and deeply saddening news to share. Our beloved Winston has passed away. He died quite suddenly Monday morning.

We had thought that we would be posting happy news about Winston this week. You see, he was adopted out to a wonderful woman on Sunday. We had begun to think we would never find anyone worthy of him until she submitted her application. After several conversations, Richard met her Saturday when he took Winston to the Pug Meetup at the local dog park. It was love at first sight for her and Richard agreed that it was an excellent match. While we were very excited for him, we were also very sad for us. We had grown so attached to the little guy and really thought of him as part of our family. But we knew this was a perfect home for him and were ready to let him go on to this new chapter in his life. We drove him to his new home Sunday and said our goodbyes. We cried on the way home but kept affirming that this was for the best. It was very strange going about our routine Sunday night. I kept looking for him and felt an empty feeling when we didn’t have our routine bedtime cuddle and belly-rubbing session. The same emptiness was there Monday morning when there was an extra dinner dish on the counter.

At work Monday morning we received an email from Winston’s new Mum stating that he had a very good night sleeping in her bed with her and her other 2 dogs. She confirmed that he had received his bedtime belly rubbings as prescribed. She mentioned how all of her friends and family had met him and fallen in love with him. I responded to her to let her know how much we appreciated the update and how glad we were that they had found each other. Shortly thereafter I received an urgent message to call her. When I did she started talking nonsense about how he was gone. I didn’t understand. She said he had been home with her son and her son said Winston looked a bit tired and he had placed him on the rug in the living room so he would be more comfortable for a nap. When she had called for an update he went to check on him and found him unresponsive. He was gone.

I called Richard immediately and had to break the news to him over the phone. He left work immediately to pick Winston up and head to our Vet’s office for answers.

As we believed he was in excellent health, we had an autopsy done which revealed he had died of heartworm's. We did not know he had heartworm's. When he was taken into rescue a routine heartworm test was negative. However, we now know that a dog can test heartworm negative and yet still be positive. The test does not indicate immature heartworm's, just adults. And further it detects female heartworm's. So 6 months ago Winston had immature heartworm's and so his test was negative. As he did not have a large infestation, he displayed none of the signature signs.

So now we know how it happened. We know it was nobody’s fault – well, except for the people that owned Winston before turning him into PugHearts. By keeping him outside and not giving him heartworm preventative they sealed his fate. But it doesn’t make it any easier knowing that we did not do anything wrong. It still hurts terribly.

We have made arrangements for Winston to be cremated and returned home with us. Though he had technically been adopted out, he really does belong with us. His adoptive Mum has been very understanding of that. Given his previous life, we feel confident in saying that the time he had with us was the best time of his life. He knew what it was like to be part of a family and he knew he was loved. He was happy here and so we will have him come home to us. He will take his place beside Alfie and Lilly and will watch over us.

Run free sweet Winston – we love you more than you will ever know. It has been our honor to know you and have you as part of our family.

Mummy, Daddy, Denny, Charlie, Phoebe, Jacob, Samson & Munchkin

Posted by Richard at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Saturday was our Phoebe's 3rd Birthday (and 1st one with us in her new forever home!)

We made sure that she had a wonderful day, which included gifts of her favorite toys and biscuits along with a trip to the Dog Park in the center of Houston.

Her gifts were ready and waiting after breakfast!

She knew there was something tasty in one of the boxes!

And so did the other guys!

Something special to replace a toy she lost recently...

... her favorite Quacking Duck!

Time to read the card from us and the rest of the gang.

There is definitely something of smelly goodness in this box!

Aha! She knew it! Lamb Chop Biscuit Goodness!

Gotta try one I suppose!

Hmm, what could this be?

It's about time our Phoebe had some sparkly things!

She is a girl after all!

The afternoon brought a trip to the Park with he buddy Charlie.

That's one happy Pug!

What will next year bring for our Phoebe?     

Happy Birthday Phoebe!  We love you!

Richard, Robbi, Denny, Charlie, Munchkin, Jacob and Winston!

Posted by Richard at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

This past weekend, Richard & I were walking through Target when we saw that the Halloween stock was all on clearance. We looked through but nothing jumped out at us - until we saw the rack of pet costumes. Then, well, one thing led to another and the next thing we knew, we had costumes for all of our little guys in our basket.

So we now proudly present the first annual Clafton Clan Costume Contest!!

Denny, as Yoda:

Charlie, as The Sheriff:

J.J., as The Convict:

Phoebe as The Sorceress:

And our Special Guest Winston as Rocket Man:

So please take a moment to vote for your favourite! We'll announce the winner soon as well as giving you a taste of the behind-the-scenes action that went into the production of this little show.

Posted by Robbi at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Today our little Charlie Bear turns 2 years old! It is so hard to believe, he still acts like such a puppy. We love his fearless, adventurous spirit and hope that never diminishes.

We made a special trip to PetsMart yesterday to pick up some goodies for the little guy. It didn’t feel right to just leave them in a bag, so we wrapped them up in anticipation of his big day.

Charles wasn’t exactly sure what to think when he was allowed up on the big table to see them this morning. But he had to have known something was up.

We let him have a good sniff and paw before helping him open everything. He did quite well: a stuffed cow that says “moo”, a rubber kangaroo that squeaks, a bag of compressed rawhide bones, a bag of Newman’s Own chicken treats and a shiny new Kong!

Of course Charles is ever the gentleman and was willing to share his chicken treats with his siblings. However, the Kong (once filled with peanut butter) was off limits to everyone but him! He is such a good little boy and we are so happy to be able to celebrate this special day with him. WE LOVE YOU CHARLIE BEAR!!!

-Mummy and Daddy

Posted by Richard at 03:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

We here at Denny Towers are very excited and pleased to announce the addition of Jacob to our little family!  This fella has had quite a journey to get here, and though we don’t know his full story we are sure that this is going to be the best time of his life!

Jacob has come to us through the PugHearts of Houston and Homeward Bound of OK joint adoption program. As many of you know, PugHearts of Houston (specifically Cindy and Carolyn) recently made a trip up to Oklahoma to pick up some puggies from the Homeward Bound Rescue which had been inundated. One foster Mom actually had 21 fosters in her house!!  So, PugHearts offered to go pick some up for adoption in the Houston area. We are happy to report that upon arrival with 9 HWB rescues (and 2 more pugs picked up along the route), half of the HWB rescues had forever homes waiting – Jacob included.

We actually saw Jacob on the Petfinder adoption site several months ago. I’m not sure what it is about him, but his photo spoke to us. I wanted him, but as he was in a rescue in OK and we were in TX (already involved with a rescue) it didn’t seem feasible. So I would occasionally look at his photo and think “if you were closer little guy, you’d be ours!” but we never pursued it. Then a couple of weeks ago we heard about HWB’s deluge of rescues. All of us at PugHearts agreed that it would be great if we could do something to help and Cindy offered to make the trek. Our next move was to try and figure out which dogs we would be picking up. I honestly hadn’t even put 2 + 2 together at the time and did not realize Jacob was with them until I looked at their website to try and figure out which dogs would be making the trip. Then I saw him. It seemed like fate when I saw his beautiful face staring at me from their webpage.

I thought I had done a pretty decent job of keeping my obsession for Jacob a secret, but apparently I was wrong. Both Cindy and Richard commented that this was our chance to bring Jacob home to Seabrook.  It took very little convincing on their parts and soon we were planning for Jacob’s arrival. Richard was actually the first to see him, as he picked him up from the vet’s office upon the puggie-bus’ arrival back in Houston. As he brought him into the house, I lost my breath for a moment. He is so beautiful!! And that sweet grey face tells us that he has lived quite a life. He came in, met the crew and then set about discovering his new home. He settled in quickly and that first night he had even made friends with Charlie. 

He is so wonderful and we are so delighted to have him with us. Poor little guy rarely gets a break when I am around him as I cannot keep my hands off of him! I just can’t keep from cuddling him and kissing his sweet face. Last night he made us so happy, as he discovered his first toy with us! He had been watching Phoebe play and finally at one point he just walked over and picked up the ball when it landed near him. He then walked around and found a comfy spot to lay down with it.

It was so precious that Richard had to grab the camera and record the moment. Times like this make me so happy that Richard is so handy with a camera. These are memories that we truly want to preserve forever. Thank you Jacob for bringing such joy into our lives. We promise we will do everything we can to give you the life that you deserve!

Posted by Richard at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well we’ve had a bit of a scare here at Denny Towers. We received a phone call the other day from Denny’s vet. He was calling to give us the results of the biopsy from the growth that was removed from Denny’s ear last week. It turns out that the growth was indeed a mast cell tumor. Thankfully the pathology report revealed that it was only Stage I and that the margins of the skin sample were clean – showing that the mast cell was removed completely. The Vet advised us that there would be no need for any further treatment since it was all removed, but that we should keep an eye on Denny for any new growths. He was quick to state that had we not noticed it and insisted that it be removed, it would have easily progressed to a more serious stage.

Obviously we were a bit taken aback. We were not expecting those results. Honestly when Richard pointed it out to me I thought it was just a harmless skin tag. It was only a tiny, irregular-shaped growth inside his ear and I did not think that it looked like a mast cell.  I honestly did not think the results would come back positive. Thank goodness we saw it and had it taken care of so early. I guess this awareness is a gift from Lilly. If she had not come into our lives to show us the importance of checking for mast cell tumors, we may not have paid any attention to Denny’s ear. We may not have done anything until it was in an advanced state. I shudder to think of the consequences.

This makes us more vigilant in our pledge to make sure that we check our guys out routinely. We are going to do skin checks on them every month when we give them their Heartguard and flea treatment. We sincerely hope that everyone reading this will make a point to do routine checks on their babies. And even if you find something that you think is inconsequential and “probably nothing” – please, follow up with your vet. These guys are relying on us to help keep them healthy.

Robbi

Posted by Richard at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pets have a funny way of reminding us what is important. While this has obviously been a very sad time around here lately, our gang understands that life goes on for the living. They have not allowed us to wallow in our sorrow and have insisted that we get on with every day life. Dinners must still be made and puggie bellies need to be rubbed. That is the beautiful thing about animals – though it’s obvious that they know something is wrong (and indeed our guys looked a bit lost Friday and Saturday) they also know that you must get on with life.

Phoebe missing Lilly

They also seem to think that it’s great fun to scare Mummy and Daddy. As such, Sunday morning we were pondering what we would do with the day while the kids enjoyed a good romp. Phoebe and Charlie were running circles around the upstairs when Denny decided to join them. Unfortunately for Denny, he’s not quite the athletic type and his nails were actually in need of a trim. The next thing we know, Phebes & Charlie had run through to the bedroom and Denny came limping behind them favoring his left front paw. Richard picked him up and we saw that he was bleeding profusely. Poor dear had caught his claw on something and partially ripped it out. We tried to wrap it up but he would have no part of it. We called the vet’s office who said to bring him down as an emergency.

An hour later we were in the vet’s office and Denny was being given an injection to help him sleep. He’s always been a bit of a worrier and he definitely hates having his paw messed with, so a sedative was definitely in order. While his foot was being looked at (and he was being given an all-over pedicure) we decided to have a couple of other items taken care of as well. He has had a small skin tag on his upper lip for quite some time and this seemed the perfect opportunity to have it removed. He also had a small bump removed from his ear. Though it appears to have been a skin tag, we are taking no chances and having it biopsied. After Lilly, we have pledged to make sure we do routine exams on all of our babies to check for any unusual lumps or bumps. We’ll do it every month when they get their Heartguard and flea treatment.

As it turns out, Denny did not need the nail completely removed, but it was cut down severely and bandaged up. He was also given shots for antibiotics and a pain killer. He was then given a reversal drug for the sedative and once he was able to keep his head up we headed home. Poor little guy spent the rest of the day feeling generally miserable while Phebes and Charlie keep sniffing his paw and ear.

Chicken rawhide for the patient

I am happy to report that this morning Denny woke up as his usual self. The bandage remains in place until tomorrow. The stitches in his ear are thankfully dissolving ones, so there will be no need to take him back for their removal. And since it has always been Charlie’s job to clean Denny’s ears, he is already seeing to it that the stitches dissolve as they should. Isn’t it nice to have family to depend on?

Charlie – Denny’s official ear cleaner

Posted by Richard at 04:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I now have a craving for good old fashioned British Fish’n’Chips!  Why?

Because Robbi just sent me a Daily Mail article with this picture!

COD & CHIPS with SALT’N’VINEGAR!!! YUM!!

She knows how much I miss them!  And I know she developed a taste for them too!  You just cannot beat a good serving of Fish’n’Chips!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 03:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As Robbi mentioned in the last post, we have not got the boat yet – and it’s not just because of the bad weather. Unfortunately the dealer we were getting the Sea Ray from started to move the goalposts and we opted to cancel the order as opposed to getting something we really did not want. As it happens though, this turned out to be a good move on our part – as we put a little extra thought into deciding what we should do next.

Our initial purchase of the Sea Ray was based on getting a boat that would fit in the garage, which was very limiting when it came to length. In fact we only had about 20 foot to play with and this meant we were restricted to getting a boat that was about 18ft maximum and a trailer length of 20 foot with a swing away tongue. As most boaters will know, that does not leave you much choice, especially when you want a boat with more than the usual 135hp engine. Anyway, the Sea Ray actually had a 190hp engine, but it turned out that in the end they could not provide it in the color we wanted, nor with the extras we wanted. Needless to say – we cancelled. Luckily Texas is a state where deposits are 100% refundable by law. So no loss on our part.

Anyway, in the search for a new boat – we actually decided to do away with the idea of keeping the boat in the garage and opted for storing it at a local storage facility in Seabrook – this gives us much more scope for power and length of the boat. We have looked at SO MANY boats in the past weeks including Sea Ray, Chaparral, VIP and Tahoe. All of them are very nice and have great features – but they all had one thing in common. You have to buy the extras to get the specification you want. Myself and Robbi hate that, and it was only when I stumbled across a review of a Yamaha Jet-Boat that we actually found something that not only suited our needs, but it exceeded them! So we have opted for, ordered and are now awaiting delivery on the 21st July, a Yamaha SX210 Jet Boat. This puppy has 2 engines, 220hp, seating for 9, all the extras you would ever need and is more than perfect for a shallow lake launching.

Yamaha SX210 Jet Boat

We will of course have plenty of photos when it arrives– the kids all have life-jackets and harnesses ready for when we take her out!

We are still working on a name, but at the moment the favorite is “Alfie’s Wings”.

Richard

Posted by Richard at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alas, no boat for the 4th of July, but as the day was a bit of a wash-out that was just fine with us. It will be another week or two before we have our boat. And no, no name has been decided on yet. But I'll let Richard fill you in on the details of what has been decided regarding the boat….

Meanwhile, our hyper little crew has been getting used to having both mommy and daddy go to work each day. Poor little things had become spoiled with having human companionship all day. Denny had become accustomed to that when we lived in England and I stayed at home. Charlie has never known anything else. I was with him when he was a puppy and since we've moved here Richard has been home for at least some of the time each day. It is my understanding that in Phoebe's former life she was left home alone in an apartment every day. At least she has companionship now.

Actually, our kids have it pretty good. I work fairly close by and can come home at lunch to check on everyone. Plus I have capability of occasionally working from home, so some days they have me around all day anyway. And on the days that they are alone we have the Seabrook PugCam set up so we can check on them. We've also been assured that once Richard has acclimated to his new job he will have the capability of working from home occasionally as well.

I guess it's more a case of me feeling guilty than the furkids actually being neglected. I know it is a necessity and most people do this every day. I suppose we've all been spoiled. And changes will be taking place within the next few months which may mean that the kids won't be left alone every day after all. But in the meantime we are all adjusting to this new routine. It's really quite strange when I stop to think about all the changes we've had in the past 12 months. This time last year we were still in England, packing and planning for our trip over here. We didn't even know Phoebe existed. How strange to imagine not having her as part of our family. Isn't it funny how quickly these little furry creatures find their way into your heart and leave their mark on you?

Robbi

Posted by Richard at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's been ages since we've posted - so much has happened. We are still active fosters for PugHearts of Houston. Just a couple of days ago, our sweet foster Maggie went to her forever home. While we are very excited for her, this has made it feel a bit sad around here. Maggie joined us in early April, shortly after we lost Alfie. I'm sure many of you have seen her on our webcam curling up next to one of our furkids.

Maggie came from an abusive home and was shaking in fear the first night we brought her home. Over time she began to relax and show trust in us. We tried to show her what the life of a pug is supposed to be like and she opened up to us. We are proud to say she blossomed into a loving, playful pug with a slightly mischievous side. Though we were tempted to keep her for ourselves, we had an applicant that was a perfect match for her.

We took her few nights ago for the face-to-face greeting and we are pleased to say it was indeed a perfect match! Both Maggie and her new mommy knew it was meant to be. While she happily romped around her new surroundings, we quietly left. Our work was done. Maggie is home.

Meanwhile, we have our babies to cuddle. Sometimes I forget that Phoebe hasn't been with us that long. She blends so seamlessly with the boys. And while she's still the playful, cheeky girl that we fell in love with, she also has started to show her softer side. She cuddles up next to us at night and gives kisses when she deems us worthy. She's also learned to appreciate a good belly rubbin! She and Charlie are best of mates, stealing toys from each and taunting the other one as they tear through the house.

I still sometimes stare at Charlie - not understanding how he can stay so cute and puppy-like despite the fact that he is nearly 2 years old. Richard talks about what he will look like when he is old and grey - something that I cannot envision. Denny looks more distinguished every day. He is getting a bit more grey on his chin, but if you look at him while he naps with his head tucked down he still looks like a young boy too. He celebrates his 5th birthday today, a fact that I find hard to believe.

Where does the time go?

Robbi

Posted by Richard at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The little furball is 5 years old today!

Denny. Another year. More adventures!

We have a special dinner for the little guy tonight and then he gets to open some presents!

Love him!

Posted by Richard at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Well, as you have no doubt seen, we have a new banner.  Ok, it’s taken me a long while to get my bum in gear, but it’s done.

We always wanted Alfie on the banner, even when the little guy was with us – but having fun and enjoying ourselves always seemed to be the priority. And as for Phoebe! Well I am ashamed.   Anyway – as you can see they have both got their spaces in the banner.  Alfie, even though he is watching from the Bridge will always have a place.   As you can see he was, and is, always watching!

Alfie.  Always watching!

Anyway.  It’s done.    And I think it’s about time we started updating this site.  Don’t you think?

Richard

Posted by Richard at 08:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have been a lazy good for nothing webmaster of late.  I finally logged in to the adminstration panel of Denny and Charlie’s site today and found 10+ comments from you kind people!   All of these comments were on hold due to my procrastination and lack of wanting to deal with the situation we had been dealt! 

Sorry if your comments have been left “hanging” for over a month!

You are all now authorized commenters – so it WILL NOT happen again.

Richard

Posted by Richard at 03:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning I felt that I could finally sit down and put my thoughts of Alfie into words. At this time, the thought that he is gone from my arms hurts beyond belief.  His portrait hangs on the wall and I look up at him and find myself thinking that I can almost hear his bark. He had the most unique bark and he liked to tell you when he wanted your attention.

Alfie came into my home as a foster. The moment I saw him at the shelter, I knew he was special. Not because he was beautiful (he was skinny, filthy and smelled awful), but he had a peace about him that made you want to be near him. I carried him outside and put him on the seat of my truck. He was so happy to be free that it took me several minutes to calm him down so that I could drive. He got a bath as soon as we got to the house. I wrapped him in a large towel and there he fell asleep in my arms. I must confess that this is where he spent most of his time for the next three months. The day that he was neutered and had his teeth cleaned, I made my husband stay on the cell phone so that I could hear him snoring softly until he arrived back into my arms. I sat up, holding him, all night so that I would know that he was OK.

I got the call that he had a forever home waiting for him. I told the adoption coordinator NO. She told me they were perfect. I told her they better be or I was not leaving him. I met Richard and Robbi on the day that Alfie joined their home. October 6th, 2006. Robbi was waiting at the curb for us when we arrived. They were perfect. I knew that Alfie was home and placed him in his mother’s arms. We stayed as long as I could hold myself together and then left. I cried for the next 5 days. No one in my home could say his name or ask how he was doing. I knew that Alfie was where he was meant to be, but that did not make it feel any better. I watched the webcam every day and read the blog so often that my husband started to worry. It took 3 months before I felt I could see him and not be overwhelmed with sadness. So I called. Robbi was great and spent about 45 minutes catching me up on how he was doing. Richard agreed to meet me at a local park and bring Alfie. I was so glad to see him and he looked so beautiful and content.  His feet never touched the ground; I could not put him down.

It was during this meeting that I asked Richard what it took to run a website. We discussed that I wanted to start my own pug rescue in Houston and he agreed to help. This was the true beginning of Pug Hearts. Alfie was the link that brought so many of us together around this purpose. He was sent to us for a specific purpose and he accomplished this with grace and love. I cannot begin to tell people what he means to me even now. He will be with me every time that I think of Pug Hearts, go on a rescue run or finalize an adoption. He is in my thoughts always and will have a special place in my heart for eternity.

The PugHearts rescue team (those that go out to get the pugs) are now “Alfie’s angels” and the alerts that come to the board members regarding pugs in danger/pug to surrender now come as “Alfie alerts”. This is a small way to keep him with us and remind all involved that he is with us still.

Alfie was with us for less than one year, but he will never leave our hearts. I love you baby. You are the true founder of Pug Hearts and I will never forget you.

Cindy www.PugHearts.com

Posted by Richard at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today is a very sad day as we lost a very dear friend last night. Our beloved angel, Alfie has left us to be at the Bridge.

As some of you were aware, Alfie has been unwell for some time. We have been doing our very best to see him through this tough time and we honestly thought we were winning the battle. Unfortunately Alfie’s little body just gave out last night. His heart was tired and just couldn’t go on. Alfie went peacefully in his sleep, sitting by us on his sofa. There was no pain, no suffering and no warning.

We are overwhelmed with grief. Although we only had Alfie for a short time, it feels as though he has been a part of our family for years. We loved him so much and cannot imagine our lives without him. There is an emptiness we feel today – a void that used to be filled with a routine. There are so many little reminders around the house that everywhere we turn we are reminded of him. The sofa where he used to lay, the kitchen counter where we prepared his food, the spot at the bottom of the stairs where he would wait for us if we had gone up for something without him. He is everywhere.

We knew from the first moment we saw Alfie’s picture on the rescue website that we wanted him. When he came into our lives we didn’t know what exactly to expect. It took just a couple of days for him to start relaxing and blending into our family. Soon he was curling up with Denny & Charlie for naps. He would come into the kitchen and bark his little “Arf, Arf!” when he was hungry and we were taking too long to get his dinner ready. His voice was something he used right up until his final days. Alfie lost the use of his legs a week ago, but not his voice. He would call us to him whenever he needed anything. This was no coincidence. If he was warm he would bark, if he was cold he would do the same – something which we would confirm by taking his temperature which we needed to do routinely. If we left the room for too long, he would call us back with his bark and once he saw us he would settle back down for a nap, knowing we were close by. If we made too much noise in the kitchen he would bark to say “keep it down.” He never lost his spirit or his sense of humor.

He tolerated so much in these last days. We had been syringe feeding him for the last couple of months. He knew we were helping him and didn’t mind it. He tolerated the endless pills and toward the end he tolerated us giving him the injections and IVs. He trusted us and allowed us to do what we could to try and help him. We made sure that we did everything we could to make him comfortable. We gave him round the clock care at home so that he did not have to go into hospital. There was always one of us at his side. Unfortunately we were not able to save him, but at least we know he didn’t suffer.

We know from personal experience that the grief does ease. The pain lessens a bit every day and you are left with the sweet memories. However, we cannot think that far ahead today. Today all we can think of is how much it hurts and how our lives will never be the same because of him.

Alfie left quite a legacy. More than just a pet, he was the impetus for PugHearts rescue. He touched so many people’s lives and made them want to do something for unwanted pugs everywhere. Cindy, our dear friend and Alfie’s former foster Mom, was inspired to found PugHearts. Strangers who would meet Alfie in the store or at a park would find themselves drawn to him. We would tell his story of being found wandering the streets alone and neglected and it would bring a tear to their eyes. Many people would say the same thing “How could anybody do that to a dog?” Alfie still bore the scars of his ordeal. His legs, his eyes and most damning – his heart. Not that this stopped Alfie. He was a fighter. And a champion for his brethren. Because of him, there are new homes for many previously discarded Pugs. That work will continue because of him. His memory will remain with all of us each and every day, during each and every rescue. It’s all because of Alfie.

We are so much richer for having known this very special boy. We tried to give him the kind of life he deserved, and we think he was happy. But we have gained so much more out of this than we have given. A priceless gift – pure, unconditional love. We have truly been blessed to have this sweet boy a part of our family, no matter how short of a time it was. He has made us better people: more patient, more tolerant, more compassionate.

Now we find ourselves having to find a way to say goodbye. We are saying goodbye to the physical Alfie, but not the spiritual. We feel him with us even now and know that he will always be with us. His spirit will live on forever in our hearts. We are so thankful for this sweet, precious angel and the brief time we had with him. We love you Alfie.

Posted by Richard at 06:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

We have moved to a new server! And it went as smooth as could be expected!  In fact I am really pleased with the way everything went.  We are now running on a VERY STABLE Windows Server. 

Anyway, as I was moving the site I also decided to move the web-cam to give a better view of the boys.

Denny,Charlie & Alfie Cam

Posted by Richard at 01:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We expect to be moving all our sites, including this one, over to a new server in the next few days.  This is due to too many on-going problems with our current hosting solution.

We do not expect there to be any downtime, but I cannot guarantee it.

So, my apologies in advance!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As you can see, I have updated the BANNER to reflect the fact that Alfie (and Munchkin) are indeed full time members of this family.

Richard

Posted by Richard at 03:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A couple of days ago I took Alfie for a little drive over to the Challenger Memorial Park. 

This was a special trip for Alfie. Special because it was to meet up with Cindy of DFW Pug Rescue, the person who brought Alfie home from the pound and reared him back to health before we took over as his forever home.

Alfie (in his Mischief Maker T-Shirt) & Cindy

It was a little emotional for Cindy, as she obviously had (has) a special bond with Alfie (formally known as Charlie Brown).  They sat for a while soaking up the winter sun and Alfie seemed so content to be cuddled and kissed.

We are taking Alfie, along with Denny and Charlie, over to Cindy’s place in a couple of weeks to say hi to the rest of the gang and take some photos.   Of course I will be posting the final shots here!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I really miss a good old fashioned Yorkshire Sunday lunch! – As made by my mum!

Sunday Lunch, Yorkshire Style!

You just cannot beat a good bit of roast chicken with roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, garden peas, swede and carrot mash and a nice big Yorkshire Pudding with a nice smothering of chicken and onion gravy!

Yum!

At 8am Texas time, my mum and dad were settling down to this very meal in the UK (2pm).

Jealous!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Thats the problems with the good things in life, they all too often come to an end so soon.   Yesterday, after over 3 weeks visiting us from England, we took my parents to Bush International Airport for their flight home.

We had such a great time while they were here, not a single harsh word was said, not a single bad day and it was so very hard seeing them leave yesterday.  You don’t realize how much you miss your family until you have to let them go again.

We have lots of photos of our adventures, but I thought I would just take the time to show you a few that I took of my folks – happy and enjoying themselves.   The photos of the places we visited can wait for now.

Galveston Docks

Galveston Docks

Sam Houston Boat Tour – Port of Houston

Thoughts of leaving…

Last night before we headed out for dinner. Robbi of course bored of my humor! ;-)

British Airways Flight BA2024 to London Gatwick

Denny, Charlie and Alfie look a little lost today.  Denny was sat in front of my folks bedroom this morning waiting for them to come out.  I had to pick the little guy up and show him that they had gone.  He looked so sad.  After opening the door to their room he had a quick look around and a sniff before sitting on his bed in the corner.  He misses them too.  Charlie keeps running up the stairs to see if they are out of bed yet, I think he is a little confused.  And as for Alfie, he got so used to my mum pampering him every morning that he spent over half an hour this morning wandering around the living room and kitchen looking for her.

They will be back boys, they will be back.

Robbi and I are a little lost too.  We all miss them.

Richard

Posted by Richard at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I have finally finished the new business web-site.  Well it was actually finished a couple of weeks ago, but the server problems I was having put my plans on hold for a while.

It will be officially launched at the end of this week to coincide with a mail-shot to a large amount of Realtors!  

www.riroc.com

Posted by Richard at 06:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Happy New Year to you all!  Thanks for all the comments and good thoughts and emails over the past year – it was an adventure for all of us.   We have a good feeling about 2007 and we will be wanting to share it with our many friends who we have met through this site.

We decided to take the boys and my folks down to the Gulf of Mexico today, specifically Surfside which is just south of Galveston – it was a wonderfully sunny day and I think everybody enjoyed it!

Charlie and Denny

Denny knows better.   Sea water does not taste good! Charlie on the other hand thinks different.

Alfie

Alfie has not been too well over the past couple of weeks and we have the little guy on antibiotics and heart medicine at the moment.  It seems like the trip to the sea really made a difference in him though – he loves to walk up and down the beach!

Dad, Charlie, Alfie and Mum

“Biscuits you have? Yum!”

Charlie always on the scrounge for something to eat!  Alfie as always, patiently waiting.

Charlie

Charlie as always loves the water – as soon as we let him out of the truck he was off and chasing the surf!

Charlie & Denny

A Curious little Pug is our Charlie, he decided that he wanted to have a little dig in the sand for something – Denny of course had to supervise.

Alfie and my Mum!

My mum has really fallen for Alfie, I think it will be a struggle for her on Thursday when the say goodbye to head back to the UK.  And I am sure Alfie is also going to be wondering where his new life-long friend has gone.  Not to worry Alf, they will be back in 2007 to pamper you some more.    We intend to take some portrait shots this week as souvenirs – my mum can then have a photo of her and her furry pal on her desk at work.

We have more photos to come.   I just need to start work on them!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 06:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Robbi spent most of the weekend painting my parents room for their visit at Xmas (yes, I am creative -but not with a paint pot and brushes!) and I have been putting my photoshop skills to use and have come up with the designs for my new ventures business cards.

I must have done about 10 or so variations before coming up with this….

CARD DESIGN (FRONT AND BACK)

The lighthouse is one of my favorite shots that I took down in Kemah a few weeks ago.  I think it may well become the “corporate image” for RIROC IMAGING

No turning back now, I have submitted them to the printer and they will be here in 3–5 days!

The website is next on the list and I really need to start writing some copy down and working on some pricing structures.   Must admit that I have a really good feeling about all this, at last I really do get the chance to do something I really enjoy!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 05:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ok, I know we have been in the house now for over 2 weeks, but you would not believe the hassle we had getting Internet sorted out! Anyway, its done and we are going to get some updates online this week (hopefully some today). I am looking for a location for the webcam also....

Posted by Richard at 03:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We arrived in New York at 6am this morning. We are just waiting for the call to disembark and we will be starting our road trip to Texas!

We will try and update the blog on route and perhaps some more photos can be posted too.

Wish us luck - only 1600 miles to go.

Richard, Robbi, Denny, Charlie and Munchkin

Posted by Richard at 01:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While a transatlantic crossing aboard a grand ship such as the QM2 is certainly a stylish way to travel for us, the true reason for us choosing this mode of transport was of course the boys. The difficulties of trying to find a safe way to bring them to the States were more than we had imagined. This seemed the perfect solution.

I must say that the treatment the boys have received has met and exceeded our expectations. While it is difficult for us to be impartial where our little guys are concerned, we cannot help but report that they seem to have enchanted the entire ship. Every day when we go to visit them we have crowds of people on either side of their deck area lining up to catch a glimpse of them as they frolic and play. Children and adults alike giggle as the boys run up to them and Charlie howls. Of course his howls quickly subside as Charlie and Denny jockey for position to lick the hands of passengers leaning over the gates trying to pet the boys. Cameras and video cameras always seem to be at the ready to catch the boys in action.

As part of the "Pampered Pets" program on board, the QM2 staff has provided Denny, Charlie and Munchkin with gift bags. Included for all three was a bowl and scoop with the QM2 logo. Munchkin was presented with a leather collar with a QM2 charm on it, while the boys received coats embossed with the same logo. In addition, the boys participated in a photo shoot on deck Friday afternoon. It was a bit chaotic and terribly windy, but all the spectators enjoyed watching us trying to corral the boys for a moment of peace for posterity.

Saturday morning Richard and I were having a quiet moment enjoying a cup of tea in the Winter Garden when a lady approached us and asked if we were "the ones with the dogs." I answered that we did have dogs on board, at which time she responded "Oh, the pictures are fantastic!" Apparently our photos were on display in the photo gallery along side of the formal portraits and embarkation shots of all of the passengers. We decided that we would head down there to see for ourselves. While we were attempting to find the photos of the kids we saw a lady holding one of the photos in her hands. She then turned to go to the cashier and attempted to buy the photo!

We looked through the assorted shots and were delighted to see several that we felt showed off the character and beauty of our little guys. We had been presented with a voucher to redeem for a free copy of a photo, but had neglected to bring it with us that time. So, we decided to return later. Last night we stopped back by after dinner. As we entered we saw the attendant looking at the pictures of our boys. She laughed and said she was admiring them and we commented that it seemed others had been as well. She reported that several passengers had requested copies to purchase for themselves. However she stated that other passengers were not allowed to buy copies. Pity, we would love for anyone who wants to enjoy looking at our boys to be able to do so. Perhaps we should post the boys' website for people to go to so they can see our little guys anytime they would like!

As a result of these photos, we seem to have become a talking point among a number of other passengers. We have heard several people talking to each other saying "they're the one with the dogs" while pointing at us.

We have yet to pick out which photo (or photos) we will be taking, but unfortunately we will not be able to share them with you for a while as they are prints and we are unable to scan anything while on the road. However, we do have more photos that Richard has taken with his digital camera that we can upload and share with you now.

As we post this we are just a few hours away from Ambrose lighthouse off the coast of New York. As we pass this the ship will take on a pilot to guide her through the coastal waters and safely into harbour. At about 5:15am we should be passing the Statue of Liberty where we can truly say to Denny & Charlie… "Welcome to America!"

Posted by Richard at 01:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It may have taken us a little longer than we thought to get connected to the internet on board the Queen Mary 2, but we have eventually found the time in our hectic on-board schedule to bring you all some photos and an update on our travels.

With a great deal of help from Richard's parents, we managed to close up the house in Sonning and make our way to the Southampton docks on one of the hottest days of the year in England. Thankfully our limo to the docks had air conditioning, and the furkids were able to comfortably enjoy the ride in their new carriers. Unfortunately the Southampton terminal where we were dropped off did not, so we were forced to spend several minutes in the sweltering heat while we waited for the kennel personnel to arrive and take the kids. Thankfully the rest of the embarkation went exceptionally smoothly and before we knew it we were on board. In fact, it all went a bit too quickly - we ended up only able to say the briefest of goodbyes to Richard's parents as the furkids were being wheeled away.

We were ushered past the general entrance and went directly on board to the kennels with our babies. The kennels were pre-marked with their names and blankets already in place for them to settle in. We were advised of the time we could return to see them and we said a quick goodbye and went to check on our own accommodations.

After we settled in ourselves we went back to check on the kids and were quite relieved to see that they were adjusting well. As Munchkin is the only cat on board at present, she was given a double kennel to herself. The boys were placed in the kennels directly beneath her and as requested the partition between their 2 kennels had been removed so that they could share their spaces. Their toys had already been removed from their carriers and placed in with them. We spoke with Robinson, the kennel man, regarding their routine and feeding schedule. He seemed genuinely interested in their well being and we felt much better after meeting him. We were able to spend a bit of time with the kids before we went off to shower and get ready for dinner.

The following day we came during the appointed visiting hours to spend a bit of time with the boys & Munch. We could tell that Charlie had already taken to Robinson and this new adventure. Denny seemed a bit more unsure, but we could tell by his demeanour that he was not frightened or fearful. During our later visits we could see him relaxing more and more.

Off the room with the kennels is an indoor playroom that the dogs are taken to when they cannot go outside. Outside the kennels is a section of deck that has been reserved just for the dogs. There are gates placed at either end so that passengers are not walking through and disturbing the animals. Visitors may request to come and see the kennels but the staff defer to the wishes of the boarded pets' owners before allowing anyone in the area.

On the second day we set up chairs in the indoor playroom and had the boys sit on our laps to get some cuddle time in. It was precisely what they needed. Denny visibly relaxed and became the sweet cuddly pug we know and love. We have continued to do this both on the deck and in the indoor play area on each of our visits and I cannot tell who enjoys it more - the boys or us. Meanwhile, on each visit I take Munch out of her kennel and walk around with her a bit. I took her out on the deck once, but it seemed a bit overwhelming for her so we haven't done that again. She seems content to just nuzzle my shoulder for a while. Good ole Munch - she's quite the international traveller now.

We have lots more to talk about and many many more photos to show you too, check back in tomorrow and we will be posting a little more. We only have one more day at sea before we arrive in New York and then the real adventure begins - the trip of a lifetime has only just begun!

Posted by Richard at 05:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

  You may have noticed from the WebCam image that the Denny and Charlie cam is now offline... for now.

We are just about ready to go and the final items have been packed. The mini-bus is due to pick us up tommorrow lunchtime and we should be aboard the QM2 at around 2pm GMT.

We will try and post at least a little snippet each day of our trip, but I cannot make any promises!

We are really looking forward to this trip! See you in TEXAS!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's all coming together now. My VISA is finally sorted out, the new dog carriers are here and the last of the items we were selling on eBay have finally gone.

Robbi and myself feel like a massive weight has been lifted from our shoulders in the last 24 hours, the fact that all the little niggly bits have finally been resolved is a great feeling.

In only 4 days time we will be boarding the QM2. I just know it's going to be an emotionaly time for all of us - including my parents who are making the trip down to Southampton to see us off on our adventure. Right now I have a feeling of aprehension and excitement, both are fighting with each other and my stomach is in knots!

My parents are intending to come over to our new home for Christmas and New Year, and we are already making plans to make this years event a very special one.

Anyway, this is my last day at the office. We are heading into London tonight for a few drinks and something to munch on. I am going to miss this place.

Richard

Posted by Richard at 02:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)