OK, this is cheating, since almost anyone who reads this blog already knows who Solo is.
But, since it’s my blog, I get to pick who I profile, and who better than his nibs?
Here are some new photos of Solo, being world’s cutest Frenchie. Or, go see them full sized on Flickr.
Proof positive that Mae Mae is doing swell in her new home comes to us in the form of a whole bunch o’ photos –
We luv ya, Mae – and it looks like your new mommy loves you, too!
Mr. Bumby – a True Gentleman
I meant to write about this earlier, but time and a bad email filing system got the better of me, and I do apologize for the lateness of this tribute.
Mr. Bumby, beloved baby boy of David and Theresa of Chicago, passed away last summer.
It took his mom Theresa a while to be able to write the email I’ve quoted from below, because when are hearts have been torn in two, words tend to fail us.
I’ll let Theresa herself tell you more about Mr. Bumby –
We lost the battle – in such a massive and heartbreaking way. August 16th, 2007 – our beloved Mr. Bumby was peacefully and respectfully escorted to the rest he so needed and deserved. He never gave up in spirit, but the physical failed him on all fronts. We all tried so hard – Mr. Bumby, David, I and the team of veterinary specialists we worked with – to no avail.
You’ve no idea how much we loved that man and how much happiness he brought to our lives. Not just ours alone – but to all of our friends and family – and I’m pretty sure he made our neighborhood a better place too. He was such an ambassador of good will, at all times, and had such a loving personality – that’s just who he was from day one, I think. The influx of cards and flowers and well wishes we received after his passing was astounding – and I think that alone speaks volumes, coming at a time when just the ‘common courtesy’ isn’t that common in most peoples’ daily routines. Dealing with his illness and having to make the decision on when it was time to say goodbye were the most painful situations I’ve been through. And I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. There’s not been a day since August when at least a few tears haven’t managed to sneak up on me at some point – but there’s no bitterness to them, mostly it’s just love and longing.
He is so very much missed.
I do apologize for taking so long to deliver the news; I hope you understand. I needed to let you know, and more importantly, I needed to thank you for the amazing contribution to the quality and happiness of our lives. I don’t think it’s exaggerating to say that I’d be a lesser person if I hadn’t had the pleasure of Mr. Bumby’s company – not to mention Maurice (aka the cow puppy).
I don’t know what I can add to such a tribute, except to say this – I can’t begin to say how much it means to me to know that he was loved so much by his people.
Every time we send a puppy out into the world, to a new home we can only hope we’ve done the best possible job in choosing, we are taking a leap of faith.
Learning of their deaths is always sad, since for the most part, my last memories of them are of their puppyhood. I can remember them only as they were in the time they were with me, so it’s sometimes hard for me to imagine them as adults, let alone as seniors.
I know Bumby had a wonderful life, which is as much as we can ever hope for our pups.
Hey, check out who made it as the very FIRST Frenchie LOL on Ihasahotdog (LOL Cats – aka ICanHasCheezburger.Com – for dogs).
It’s Mz IzzyBella, now known as Weezie (or DevilDog, to the poor poor puggies who have to put up with her.
Like I said, I can see why she doesn’t make it onto all the fashionable birthday party guest lists. And we thought Paris Hilton was a Diva!
Holy Cows!
Looks like this has been a banner month for cows going nuts all over Ontario!
First I have my own run in with off roadin’, garden crashing, snowbank scaling cows, and now this –
Police shot and killed a steer that escaped from an overturned truck this morning, saying they had no choice because the animal was charging at people.“It charged at one of the officers, right at him, and he had no choice,” Provincial police Sgt. Dave Woodford said.He explained that the animal had actually hit and thrown four other people in a residential neighbourhood of Mississauga. No one was seriously injured.
“These things are big animals and they’re just like bulls. When they charge at you, they’re going to throw you,” he said.
The steer escaped from a cattle truck, along with two cows and a bull. The truck overturned at about 6:40 a.m., snarling traffic on the Queen Elizabeth Way near Highway 427.
Two of the animals ended up in the backyard of a home on Brentano Boulevard.
Initially, the animals were peaceful, calmly munching away at the shrubs in the garden.
“They were rubbing up against my father’s shed. They were fine in the backyard. I guess when they tried to get them out of the backyard, that’s when they got really restless,” said resident Teresa Nimer-Boutros.
The steer got spooked when handlers tried to corral it and force it into a replacement truck. One of a number of portable iron gates used to guide the animals into the truck fell, scaring the steer. He knocked over the driver of the truck who was helping in the effort.
The rest of the story is here.
Poor cow. You kind of have to feel sorry for it, although if you think about what was likely facing them at the end of their journey, being shot by a policeman after a nice run through a garden and few mouthfuls of hedge probably seems like a better way to go out.
It is a simple fact of life that if you live with French Bulldogs, weird things are going to happen.
Years ago, I had a panic attack when I realized I couldn’t find Leeza, our little cream French Bulldog puppy. We searched the entire house, calling her name, and then fanned out over the entire neighbourhood. None of us could remember letting her outside, but mistakes happen, and puppies manage to escape even securely fenced yards. When you live 500 feet from the steep, rocky shores of Lake Ontario, a missing puppy takes on an entirely new level of fear. Just as we were getting ready to call animal control and the local shelters, we heard a tiny noise coming from inside our massive pine armoire.
Leeza had climbed inside of the bottom cabinet while it was being dusted, and stayed there, curled up quietly and unnoticed, when the doors were closed. She slept through our calls, our whistles, our shaking of treat boxes, and the escalating sounds of our panic, waking up only when it was close to dinner time.
Yesterday, I went upstairs to make a steak and kidney pie, leaving Paris, Bunny and Dexter sleeping on the dog bed in the family room. Paris started barking shortly after I went upstairs, and as usual, I told her to ‘be quiet’ and kept on assembling my pie. When I came downstairs, I could hear Paris barking still, but I couldn’t find her. She wasn’t on the floor, on the bed, or anyplace else to be found. I finally realized where the noise was coming from – behind the couch.
Well, ok – dogs sometimes get stuck behind the couch, although it’s usually Dexter, who is sweet but not quite the sharpest tool in the box. I guess maybe Paris could get stuck, too.
A quick look behind the couch showed no sign of Paris, but I could still hear her barking. That’s when I realized – Paris wasn’t behind the couch, she was inside of it. She had somehow managed to get herself behind the couch, and up into the inner working underneath the couch, probably in a quest for some microscopic morsel of dropped food. Paris is nothing if not food motivated. Seeing a panicked brindle head peering out at me and making mournful noises was rather disconcerting, but just moving the couch out still didn’t get Paris to attempt to escape. However she’d gotten in there, she was wedged in good, and she’d need help to get back out. A full size leather La Z Boy recliner couch is heavy, and I had visions of the sharp edged metal frame work coming down on Paris’ head.
Thankfully Sean was home, and he was able to lift the couch, while I held Paris still and then quickly pulled her out. She emerged none the worse for her adventure, and this morning I caught her trying to slide behind the couch once more.
French Bulldogs – more determination than brains sometimes, I swear.
At the end of this post, there are a few new photos of the Frenchie knuckleheads, hanging out. Here’s my favorite one, of the two spaz sisters, Journey and Ellie, having a ‘who can make the silliest face’ competition.
I plan to do a posting of new and updated ‘Where are they now?’ puppy photos next week, so send them in to me if you have a Frenchie from us and are reading this. We want more Solo photos in particular, and some of a certain little white coated Southern Belle hooligan! I’d also like some new pix of some of the old timers out there….
I’m feeling very nostalgic after the death of Tessa’s brother Hammer.
I remember him with Tessa, and Buzzy and Ralph, just like it was yesterday. It’s inconceivable to me that those chubby little red headed puppies are now almost fourteen years old, and that Tessa is the last among them still living. I hope she’s with me still for a long, long, long time.
