Heaven is...
Seeing the ones you love, content and rested.
Robbi, Denny, Charlie and Munchkin. Sonning, England.
Taken December 6th 2005 (See it on Flickr)
Just had to share this classic old shot I found in my archives!
Richard
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Denny, Charlie, Phoebe, Jacob and Samson. Watched over by Alfie, Winston & LIlly, now at the bridge.
July 14, 2007
July 09, 2007
Naughty Robbi!
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
An update...
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
February 26, 2007
Leaving on a Jet Plane!
Its been a while since I updated Denny and Charlie and Alfies site, but I do have an excuse this time. www.PugHearts.com is that excuse. Nuff said!
Anyway, this evening I will be getting on a British Airways flight to the United Kingdom! Yes, I am heading back to my birth home for 10 days for a little business and a bit of pleasure. I will be back on the 9th of March and Robbi of course will be staying here in Texas with the Boys and Pheobe (more later on Pheobe). Its going to be hard leaving them behind as we have not been out of each others site for over a year now… funny how you take people and pets for granted!
Anyway, while I am away the PugNic 2007 will be in full swing and I do hope many of you get the chance to make your way over there. We need all the help we can get right now! If you cannot attend, then please try and make a donation to the cause – we are 503(c) registered so you know that ALL your donation goes to the rescue.
Make a point in the future to make sure that any rescues you do donate to are in fact NON-PROFIT and 503(c) registered charities. You will be amazed at how many actually take out a percentage for what they call “running costs”. If in doubt, email them and ask them how the funds you donate are used. PugHearts is different… everything we have so far has been donated by the team. The website, the hosting, the domain name registrations, the business cards, all stationary, the software…. in fact the only thing we spend money on is the DOGS! We even got a donation from Shell for fuel cards to enable us to make those long trips!
We are THE HOUSTON PUG RESCUE, so if you live in Houston then please go to www.PugHearts.com and show your support with a donation or even an offer to help! It all counts.
Anyway, I need to make sure that I have packed all that I need and get myself something to eat.
Wish me luck!
Richard
January 07, 2007
You know what I really miss about the UK?
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
January 05, 2007
All over too quickly...
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
January 03, 2007
Spending too much time together?
You know when they say that owners of dogs end up looking like their animals?
Well, I think that also is true when you spend a little too much time with Alfie.
Alfie and Mum – Made for each other!
July 13, 2006
5 Days and counting!
Panic? Me? 
Of course! It’s only 5 days now till we board the QM2 and head off into the sunset. The ship leaves at 6pm on Tuesday 18th July and I have got to admit I am absolutely in a state of bewilderment!
The actual realization that I am lifting up my whole life in the UK and heading for a new one in the USA has finally started to hit home. Its little things you know, like seeing a trailer for a television program due to be shown on the 20th July…. I know I won’t ever get to see it! Weird, very weird.
At this moment in time, we are still awaiting my passport to be delivered from the US Embassy in London; a slight cock-up with my medical records has caused a 2 week delay and the stress of not having the thing in my grubby hands is getting both myself and Robbi in a bit of a mess at the moment. We know they are working on it, they told us they are, but you cannot help thinking the worst in situations like this.
Denny, Charlie and Munchkin now have their Pet Passports issued. The final visit to the vet is on Monday morning for their obligatory Heart Worm and Tick treatments, a minor issue, but it means they can have that final stamp in their passports which means they will be good to go. 
Richard
May 29, 2006
Gorgeous! From any angle.
We were in the garden yesterday, taking photos for eBay. I tried to take a photo of Robbi and she quickly turned away. She is camera shy to say the least!
Anyway, I got this - and I think it proves that she is absolutley gorgeous from any angle!
Richard
May 28, 2006
When they gotta go, they just gotta go!
We only have seven whole weeks left in the UK now, and we have having to get a move on with regards the clearing out of items that we cannot simply take the the USA with us.
Up until about a month ago, I was under the impression that I was able to take my prized BMW 540i with me, but that all changed last week when I spoke to the importer who had to give me some bad news.
Although my car matches the US models in almost every respect there was one slight issue, the fact that my steering wheel is on the correct side (the right!). It seems that the car would indeed pass all of the other tests, but due to the fact that it was right hand drive they would only be able to import it if I agreed to put it through a crash test! Then, if it passed, I would then be able to import another RHD BMW 540i without any problems. Talk about stupidity!
Anyway, I decided to not start a bureaucracy fight and have decided to let my pride and joy go. It's going to be a shame as I really enjoy driving it and it handles like a dream.
My other prized possession is the bike, which Robbi hates anyway. The Kawasaki ZZR1100 which I have lovingly treated to quite a few discreet modifications over the years, has to go too. Oh well. Perhaps I am now at the age where a Harley will do as opposed to a 170mph rocket!