True story

I don't often open emails from my cousin, she's a recent born-again Christian and is always sending the worst schlocky chain emails, but this one had no FW in the subject, so I gave it a chance. I opened one like this previously and it was really important news about my aunt (her mom).

True story.

Good morning all,

I just wanted to share a letter that I am submitting to the American Kennel Club for an award for mom's dog Brutus. They award 5 different types of awards for outstanding dogs. Its called an ACE award.....Award for Canine Excellence. Because of the Yorkie lover I am and the love I have for my mom, I think he deserves it. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!

Love,

DeeDee

PS. Mom seems to be doing pretty well, we go to the DR. on Wednesday.

Dear AKC,

This letter is being submitted for my mother's Yorkshire terrier, Brutus, as a candidate for the AKC-ACE Award. Brutus is two years old and a puppy from my very first litter of 5 pups.

The moment my mom laid eyes on him, she fell in love. My mother is currently a lung cancer patient. She had a portion of her lung removed in Feb. 2007 and has endured radiation therapy and chemo therapy. In March of this year, she awoke during the night with symptoms of the wintertime flu. At 6 am she called me and told me of her sickness and we decided that she had picked up the flu the prior day while attending a funeral. I would call throughout the day to check on her.

At 2 pm that afternoon, she called me and was complaining about Brutus. She said that he was driving her crazy because every time she would almost fall asleep, he would bark and jump at her continuously. I told her to just put him in his crate so she could rest. She reiterated to me again, that he would not leave her alone. After hanging up, I decided that I should go get Brutus so she could rest easier. I tried to call my mom and tell her I was coming, but she did not answer the phone.

Being 25 minutes away, I decided to call her neighbor and have her check on my mom but before I could call, the phone rang and it was the neighbor. She informed me that my mom had called her to come get Brutus but when she got there my mom was extremely sick. She was vomiting and extremely ill and laying on the bathroom floor. I told her to call 911 and I would meet my mom at the hospital, which was only 2 miles away from my mom's house.

Upon arriving at the hospital, my mom was being checked out and before I knew it, they were telling us that she did not have the flu, she was bleeding internally somewhere and she was extremely critical. You see, her blood pressure was at 52/37, heart rate was 125 and she was very low on her blood counts. They were assuming that she was having a heart attack because her vitals were so bad. This hospital was going to stabilize her and they would be airlifting her to a hospital 40 miles away in Ann Arbor, Michigan. That is what they did and my mom spent 5 days there but I have no doubt that if it wasn't for Brutus keeping my mom awake, she would have gone to sleep and who knows what would have happened.

Cancer keeps us wondering daily but I feel somewhat safe to know that we have a 7 pound Yorkie looking out for her. Please consider Brutus as a recipient of this award, he deserves it in my eyes and in my mom's.

Tess in 2006 with Brutus's mom, at my cousin's house.
We were there visiting her new puppies, Brutus among them.

Clean tank, happy fish

Clean tank, happy fish
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

We had our neighbor's teenager watch Jack while we were in Florida. Even though I asked her to give him only a *pinch* of food each day, and also gave her a glass to skim old food off the top, he still came back with his tank nastier than when we left (and I cleaned it the day before we left!)

I couldn't stand it anymore. I cleaned it this morning. Then Tess & I went to the library for storytime and...whoa!...baby animals. Tess was really looking forward to that part; she has taken on Ming-Ming, the duckling from Wonder Pets, as her personal imaginary friend. Too bad the ducks were more teenager than duckling. Still, she had a fun time feeding the baby angora goat (too adorable).

NOT a lamb
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

This picture will go great in the new, COMPLETE SEI album I WON last night (still got my crop-drawing mojo!) at my first Paper and Glue crop last night. I had a BLAST cropping with Hailey and Shel, who are actually from my end of town. Despite taking the wrong Michigan Avenue exit (who knew there were so many?) on my way to their Canton location last night (no offense Ypsi, but I don't need to see you for a long, long time) (you either, BELLEVILLE) (that's right, I ended up in frickin' BELLEVILLE) I was able to get focused and get a lot done.

I won TWO drawings, a really cool 7 gypsies stamp (family) that I used right away, and that beautiful SEI Spring/Summer 8x8 album Halley had made up...she even sold me the "sequel," the Fall/Winter album, from today's drawings (sorry, ladies).

Best of all, I stayed until 1:00 A.M. (my usual haunt would've kicked me out at 11:30 p.m.). I will be going to one of their crops again...hopefully out Ann Arbor way? And I'm not just saying that because I won everything...

>insert evil laughter here<

p.s. to Shel...my DD bag came in -- it was at my MIL's, since she ordered it for me for Christmas. And I really like it after all! It's not pink & orange like I though, it's a pink & green & black floral pattern. Yum!