The weekend before last was Richard's birthday. And since it was a "big" one this year we decided that he needed to celebrate it in style. We decided to take advantage of the fact that there is a cruise terminal in Galveston and we could easily do a long weekend away. So we booked a cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. Neither Richard nor I had ever been to Mexico so we were both looking forward to it. We sailed on the Carnival Ecstasy.

I had sailed Carnival before but not a ship this small. Even so, it was large enough to accommodate about what seemed like half of Texas trying to get away for the weekend. The ship had all your basic cruise ship attributes, such as the grand atrium.

More important, it had several bars serving nice fruity drinks!

During the cruise they also offered a wine tasting event which we attended (of course!) It provided several different types of wines with several different cheeses and fruit for sampling together. Yum!

As it was only a short cruise, we only had one stop: Cozumel! The water there was absolutely breathtaking. I can see why people want to snorkel there. Heck, you don't even need to be IN the water to see the fish:

The tour I wanted (touring the Mayan ruins in Tulum) was not offered on this sailing, so we opted for a tour of the island instead. We were shown the small Mayan ruin site of El Cedal but it didn't amount to much more than some rocks.

The tour took us on a circle of the island. We saw how the "other half" lives on the island. The main port of San Miguel is where the ships dock. On the opposite side of the island there is no electricity, running water or cell phone service. It was heaven! Especially when we stopped along the beach of El Mirador with it's limestone formations on the beach. Beautiful!

It was so peaceful and relaxing. We didn't want to leave. Unfortunately we had no other way back home so we had to get back to the ship.

We were docked next to the Carnival Fantasy in port. That's the ship that goes out for for 2 days longer and visits Jamaica. Next time!!! But even though it was a very short visit, we really hated leaving Cozumel.

So on the way back to Texas we had a chance to sit back, soak up some sun and allow ourselves to be pampered for just a little bit longer.

Our last night on board we made a special purchase just for Phoebe. It's the Carnival mascot "Funship Freddie."

So now we're back to the daily grind with just photos to remind us of our getaway.

Now we need to plan what we're going to do for MY birthday!

Posted by Robbi at 07:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, that's actually a bit of a debate around here. Not the happy part - we KNOW he's happy right now. But Richard seems to think Samson is getting a bit chubby. I just keep remembering how his ribs were sticking out when we first got him and I think he looks soooo good now!

As much as the little fella loves to eat, I've HAD to cut back on the amount I'm feeding him or else he really would be a porker in no time. He's still taking pills daily and I put those in cheese. I just can't take the cheese away from him - he loves it so much it just wouldn't be fair.

Meanwhile, he is getting so much stronger and his stamina is improving. We took him to Dr Hendrix on Saturday for a check-up. I'm thrilled to say his chest x-ray showed major improvement. His lungs aren't clear and may never be due to his heart problem and swallowing difficulty, but they are so much better than before. I was also very happy to see that he was quite perky during the visit and remained so the rest of the day. Before when we would take him he would come back absolutely worn out and sleep the rest of the day. But Saturday he was running around like a loon just like all the other furkids!

In fact, we really have to watch the guy. He's figured out how to get outside using the doggie door by himself. And he loves to go outside!

He just loves to be outside in the sunshine. He's perfectly content just to go outside and hang out in the yard or on the patio.

We worry about him because he still wobbles a bit when walking. He still has that crab-like walk and sometimes he ends up stumbling around in a circle before he makes it to his intended target. So we have to keep an eye on the little guy. Usually though, he only goes out when the other kids are out there too.

Because of the balance/gait issue, he has a very commanding stance:

He has to spread out his legs to maintain balance. Even doing this isn't always enough so sometimes he has to lean up against something:

But he gets around like a champ and seems to be a really happy guy. As his energy level has increased he has really taken an interest in toys. It's a bit much for him to chase a ball or tug on anything, but he really loves having a soft toy to chew on.

All in all I'd say he has settled in nicely and is doing very well. We're absolutely thrilled with his progress. I hope he's as happy as he seems!

We love you Samson!!

Posted by Robbi at 06:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Today is a very difficult day for us. Our beloved Alfie passed away one year ago today.

It actually happened in the evening, so one year ago today we had no idea it was the last day we would have our sweet angel. It was actually a very good day. Ironically, we had a vet visit that afternoon. Alfie had put on weight and his coat was back to feeling like a plush toy's fur. Though he was still quite ill, he was alert and happy. We settled in that evening in front of the telly and Alfie fell asleep and quietly slipped away. His poor little heart just gave out.

It still hurts so badly I cannot describe. Right now I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face thinking of how my beautiful boy was stolen from me. We loved him so much and cannot imagine our how our lives would have been without him having been a part of it. He was perfect and we were so blessed to have had him with us for the short time he was.

He taught us so much and changed our lives so significantly. If not for Alfie we would not be involved with rescue. We are part of PugHearts because of him. Richard & I cannot look at a senior the same way now. And we cannot look at the sickest of our rescues without thinking of him and his brave fight. Because of him, Richard & I volunteered to take Lilly, knowing what the ultimate outcome would be but wanting to give her every chance. Because of him, we took in Samson. We knew he was gravely ill but we also knew we could give him the medical care he would get in a vet hospital plus the TLC and warmth he could only get in a home. We knew we could handle the sleepless nights and give the intensive medical care he needed. Alfie taught us that. He taught us to never give up on as long as the spark is still in that dog's eyes. Alfie never lost that spark - his body let him down but his spirit remained intact.

But I choose to remember Alfie's good days. We had a lot of those and for that I am thankful. The photo above is one of those days. It was Christmas. We had a house full of family and pugs. Denny, Charlie & Alfie were happy. Alfie was happiest lying next to someone on the sofa with a rawhide in his mouth. For Christmas he received this braided rawhide in his stocking. He was the happiest pug alive that day. And I am thankful that this is one of the memories I have of him.

I am so sorry that we didn't have more time with you Alfie. But thank you for sharing yourself with us for the time you did. We love you so much and look forward to seeing you again someday. We will look for you at the Bridge.

Posted by Robbi at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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)

As promised (better late than never) here are some shots of our puggies enjoying their Christmas. 

It was J.J.'s first Christmas with us, so we wanted to make it memorable. Since his eyesight isn't too good, I helped him open his present:

Winston is of course part of our family while he is here with us, so he helped us celebrate as well. I get the feeling he's never had a real Christmas before and it was really nice to know we made the day special for him too!

We had been so caught up in it being JJ's first Christmas that we had forgotten until about a week or so before that it was also Phoebe's first Christmas with us. It feels like she's been with us forever, but she only came to live with us last February! She had no difficulty opening her presents by herself:

This was Charlie's 3rd Christmas, so he is an old pro at opening gifts:

Denny required just a bit of assistance:

Everybody seemed to have a great time. The rawhide treats were a real hit:

But Phebes was, of course, far more interested in all the toys! Thankfully the boys are good at sharing:

Then everybody shared in some treats to cap off the celebration:

After all the bits of paper were cleaned up and the treats were safely tucked away for another time, poor Denny looked at us as if to say "Is it all over already?"

Don't worry baby, Christmas comes every year & will be here again before you know it!

Posted by Robbi at 06:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I apologize as we are terribly behind in posting. As soon as Richard & I have them sorted out, we will post our Christmas pictures. We also have some from a New Year's Day outing as well.

Meanwhile, I have a few photos from my company's Christmas party that I'd like to share. I promise I won't bore you with the photos of people you don't know and will never see again, but I did want to show you the venue where the company-do was held.

It's a place in Friendswood called White House Ranch. When Richard & I first moved here we called the place "Southfork" because it reminded us of the ranch from the show Dallas. Turns out the place has a showbiz connection alright - it used to be Chuck Norris' house!

We recently noticed it was for sale and were afraid it was going to be knocked down to make way for yet another new subdivision but thankfully that's not the case. Apparently the new owners have decided to rent it out for events such as weddings and parties. I'm glad because it gave us a chance to see it from the inside. While the website shows some lovely details, I thought it would be fun to show you some of the unpublished views of the house.

Our dinner was not a sit-down affair, which allowed everyone to mingle and move about. However, one of the most popular rooms was the study, where the bar had been set up. Check out that beautiful wood paneling:

The main living room was where the band was set up and everyone was dancing (except of course us because Richard does not dance!):

The morning room directly off of the kitchen had been turned into a casino for us:

But here's the real shocker - the bathroom off of the dining room had (dare I show it???) PINK marble and brass SWAN fixtures!

I'm still in shock. Not quite what I was expecting from Walker, Texas Ranger....

Posted by Robbi at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ladies, you may want to re-think giving that special man in your life any new power tools for Christmas. Let my story be a cautionary tale:

Once upon a time Robbi had a lovely chenille sofa. She had bought it not too long before she met Richard & moved to England. So, the sofa stayed at a friend's house in FL until the Richard & Robbi moved to TX. Then the sofa (along with all of Robbi's other furniture) came to live with them in TX. Not too long after their arrival, the sofa was deemed unworthy of the living room as it collected copious amounts of fur and still (despite a professional cleaning) smelled of a couple of Labradors who lived in FL. So, the sofa was moved to Richard's office where Phoebe perched on it's back to look out the front windows every day.

Richard's dislike of the sofa grew into an ugly hatred. Robbi knew of his discontent, but was unaware of the magnitude of his disdain. Then one day Robbi came home to this:

Poor Charlie is very confused:

So be forewarned, ladies - when your husband starts telling you how much he hates that armoire or kitchen table, perhaps it's a good time to hide the saw!

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

Oh sure, it looks innocent enough. But don't let it fool you for a minute. It is pure evil that must be destroyed!

What else could be the explanation for an adorable angel like this:

and a sweet cuddly boy like this:

becoming locked in a vicious battle such as this?

Even Phebes was drawn in on the attack. Thankfully Denny is much more sensible and only watched from the sidelines.

Alas, the giraffe survived this round but our brave warriors will return to fight another day. Victory shall be theirs!!

Posted by Robbi at 10:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Our foster pug Winston had a meet & greet this past Sunday at the Pearland Dog Park off of Hwy 288. It was our first trip there and we were suitable impressed with the facilities. They have some "just for fun" agility training equipment out for everyone to use and I have a feeling that Phebes would just love that. We'll have to make a point to take her there now that the weather is starting to cool.

Anyway, we had decided to take Denny along for moral support. Last weekend when I took Winston to the Houston Pug Meet-up at the Danny Jackson Dog Park, he was rather shy. I'm not sure if it was the sheer number of dogs there or the fact that he didn't know anyone, but regardless he seemed more comfortable hanging out with the fence than the other pugs. Since this is most definitely not how he acts at home I was worried about him being so timid at his meeting. We decided to take Denny so he'd be with a friend and it would also give Denny a chance to run around like a loon. So we dressed them in their finest harnesses and set off for Pearland.

So we arrived and met the person we were there to see who has a young female pug that needs a companion. I'm not quite sure what happened, but we could tell it wasn't going to work out. Poor Winston started acting all shy again. Denny was a bit more lively, but Winston just kept getting sniffed by big dogs and running off towards the fence. After about half an hour he started to loosen up, but by then we knew it was too little too late. Though we had accurately described how lively he is when playing with Phebes & Charlie, it wasn't enough to convince this person that he wasn't the shy, timid guy he was acting like at the park. So we said our goodbyes knowing Winston would not be leaving us just yet. Which makes me wonder....was that Winston's plan all along?

He DOES seem to be settling in...

Posted by Robbi at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We have a nice wide pavement around our pool.  Plenty of room for three or four pugs to make their way around.  Denny though seems to think he needs to walk right near the edge!

For some strange reason he NEVER wants to walk on the concrete.  He just likes to flaunt with danger!

He has of course fallen in on several occasions! (A good swimmer he is!)

Richard

Posted by Richard at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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)

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)

It has been a rather emotional couple of weeks here at Denny Towers. (Yes, we are still looking for a new name – any suggestions would be appreciated!) A couple of weeks ago we picked up a foster for PugHearts named Boudreaux. He’s the cutest little guy & he quickly stole our hearts. He’s about the same size as Charlie and close in age, so the two of them hit it off immediately. And of course Phebes is always happy to have someone else to play with.

While Denny didn’t seem thrilled with the idea of another youngster running around, he was actually pretty tolerant of all the youthful exuberance. Regardless of how they felt, Richard & I quickly fell for him. He just seemed so starved for affection that we couldn’t help ourselves. Given his age, temperament and unabashed cuteness, we KNEW he wouldn’t be a foster for long. Sure enough, last weekend we took him to meet a family who seemed perfect for him. They had another female pug about his age and within minutes the two of them were romping around exploring together. The family was fantastic and Richard & I had to admit that it was the perfect home for him.

As we said our goodbyes to Boudreaux and left the house I asked Richard “Am I going to cry every time we adopt out a foster?” At least there were tears of joy too, as we know he has found his perfect forever home. Congratulations, Boudreaux, you made it!!

On Monday Cindy asked me if we were ready for another foster. I said “Well, we have an open spot.” She said she was going to have us take Lilly. We had been told that Lilly had some sort of masses “all over her body.” Cindy sent us photos – we were a bit shocked to say the least. I have never seen anything like this.

I picked her up on Tuesday after work. The first thing I noted was how beautiful she is. She has a gorgeous black mask and these piercing eyes.

The second thing I noted was how lively she is. This girl is a bundle of energy! She was running and twirling on the lead as I took her to my car. Of course she wasn’t content to sit in the back seat and ended up as my co-pilot. I kept stroking her telling her how beautiful she was and she would just melt down into the seat staring at me. It was if she hadn’t been told that in a very long time, if ever. I was most impressed with how she acted towards our guys when we arrived home.

She came through the door and paused to let everyone get a good sniff. Then she held her head high and proceeded to make her inspection of our house. She checked everyone else out and determined that we met with her approval. She then jumped up on the sofa ready for her belly rubbins! She was not intimidated at all by any of us. She earned the immediate respect of all of our guys and she was accepted on the spot. There have been no issues with jealousy or dominance between any of them. It is as though she belongs here.

We knew that she was going to have some health challenges. She came with prescriptions for antibiotics and steroids. We were told the results of the biopsies would be back in a few days. The first night with us, she barely slept. She was so excited to be on the bed with everyone she couldn’t stay still. When she finally did sleep, it was on my pillow draped over my head. The following night she seemed to settle in a bit better and slept fairly well.

Unfortunately she got a bit sick during a bad thunderstorm, but we put that down to nervousness. On Friday she had started coughing and had another episode of being sick to her stomach. I called Cindy to ask if a chest x-ray had been done on her. Her symptoms kind of reminded us of Alfie’s early symptoms with Congestive Heart Failure and we wanted to know if that had been checked. I was not prepared for the news I was about to hear. No, the chest x-ray had not been done but the results of the biopsy had come back. It was mast cell carcinoma. Cancer. I was in shock. I had to hang up quickly and then proceeded to cry, holding Lilly who had been sitting next to me on the sofa.

Richard joined us and I told him the news. After letting the news sink in he said “Well we’re not going to give up on her. We do not give up on Pugs.” I agreed and we talked about what needed to be done next. As the immediate problem seemed to be with coughing, we made plans to have her chest x-rayed on Saturday. The Vet had said he wouldn’t be there to read the films, but he would leave us a prescription for an antihistamine since she could be suffering from an upper respiratory infection as she is on heavy doses of steroids. He said he would read the x-ray on Monday.

We drove her to Sugarland on Saturday morning and had her x-ray done as well as some blood work. Dr. Hendrix left word that he will call the pathologist on Monday to discuss her results. We will then get her an appointment at the oncologist’s office as soon as we can. We have no idea of the extent of the fight we have ahead of us. Poor little Lilly doesn’t even seem to realize that she’s sick. Right now we are just savoring the time we have with her while she feels so good.

As I type this she is sleeping at my feet under my desk. In a way, I’m glad she doesn’t understand what is happening. I surely don’t know how I would explain it to her anyway.

Robbi

Posted by Richard at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

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 really weird to be back at work.  My first Monday morning commute was in a very hard thunderstorm that seemed to keep with me the whole 35 miles to the office.

Being from the UK I am of course used to a good downpour, but these storms are something that even a hardened commuter from the UK would have a little trouble with.   The last time I saw rain come down that hard was when I was in Florida a couple of years ago.   I expected to get to my destination and find all the paint removed from the car!  Well at least I will not have to wash it for another week.

Being back in an office environment is a bit of a shock too, I have spent the last year basically enjoying myself and bumming around doing what I liked.  Now I have a schedule and a routine again I feel somewhat caged.   But I am sure I will get back in the swing.

Oh well, back to the learning curve – I have lots of documentation to read to get up to speed with the rest of the team here at the office.  Wish me luck!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 01:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A lot of you already know this, but for those that do not I have some news.

I have succumb to the draw of being an IT Geek and gone back to work!  Although the Photography and Real Estate Imaging was fun – it just did not give me the buzz that I really get when fixing IT issues.  

We will be installing some extra webcams in the house for watching the dogs, and Robbi will now be working from home the majority of the time.

Might even get some regular updates to the blog done too!

Richard

Posted by Richard at 01:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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)

Its been a while since our last post, and I think you all know the reason why.  It took some time to heal from the loss of Alfie.  He’s still here, with us every day – but a large amount of the pain has been replaced with good memories and the knowledge that Alfie started something good.

Anyway, on April the 11th it was my birthday – so we all headed down to Alfies favorite place – Surfside Beach in Galveston.  Here are some photos from that day.   As you can see, Phoebe had a wonderful time!  It was her first experience of water from what we can tell.  It took some time to get her in the sea, but once she saw Denny and Charlie in there she was quick to join in the fun.

Phoebe checking out the Gulf of Mexico for the first time!

Nothing new for Denny!

Your supposed to shake when you come out of the water!

Nice warm water!

Showing Phoebe how it’s done.

Getting in the swing!

Chase me!

Look at me!

Tastes salty!

Play!?

Mmmm, not sure.

Go Charlie!

Fearless!

Who? Me!?

Water in the ears!

Posted by Richard at 03:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My face is red with tear burns, my heart is pounding and I am feeling like it was only yesterday the little guy was in my arms.  

Today I spend my time going through thousands of photographs and trying to find suitable music to create a tribute to the Pug that started it all.   I never thought it would be so hard to do – but each and everytime I do this I realise it is an uphill challenge.

He was worth it.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1575745332018794841

Feel free to pass on the link to anyone, any forum, any blog.   Let’s get the word out about Alfie and the legacy this little guy left behind.

Richard & Robbi

Posted by Richard at 06:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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)

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 9^th 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

Posted by Richard at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

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)

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!

Posted by Richard at 09:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)