Hey for all you home bodies like me who are home with the hounds and not out partying here is a chance to bring a bit of party into your home!! Our own Robert Harsch compiled a greyhound video on YouTube He even put the music together!! So everyone get ready to cut loose with a round of Auld Lang Syne Robert Harsch Reggae style!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcgf4fomVXs
Well it is just minutes after the new year and already Darrin is asleep in bed and I am on my way out to let the dogs have one more turn out and to pass out the best treats I could find. I am so blessed to have the best husband, the best dogs and the best friends in the world!! Money? I have little...riches I have MUCH!!

I wrote a new bio for Run today and sent it to Judy. I have to confess I was dragging my feet because I love having Run here...but that isn't completely fair to her. She needs and deserves more than I can give her right now. I wanted to write a bio that said, "Hurry and adopt this dog because I adore her"....but then I also wanted to write a bio that was so unflattering no one would ever want her. Hopefully I wrote one that does her justice. She is a very good girl. So many dogs so little time!! The weather is cold and windy. The dogs only got a quick run outside. No one wanted to be out very long. I hear rumor that a real winter storm is brewing. I made soup for the dogs last night. I had a bunch of turkey...added some rice, carrots and threw in whatever else is hanging around....a wilted apple went in as did some yogurt that needed to be used up. The dogs thought it was manna straight from heaven. Good news for them is I have more turkey!!

It took a week but she has a name. Naming a dog is a tough thing. You want to chose a name that you really like but one that isn't super common. If that name holds some meaning for you all the better. Of course said name has to pass not only your criteria then it is subjected to the whims of the rest of the family...start with at least 6 names your husband will veto at least 3 of them right off. Think you have the perfect name...not so fast....the last test is to see if the dog likes it and responds to it. So have at least 3 to try so you have a back up if you get dog-veto. At last the dog formally known as "Little Blue Girl" and "New Kido" has been named. Her name shall be "Charm"

PS....if your hated mother law or horrible neighbor who is a stripper is named Charm...I don't want to hear about it!

Here is a picture of Nitro Doris. She is currently fostered with the Tripps and is ready to start searching for the right home. Carol refers to her as ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!! While I think they are all beautiful, Carol has a real eye. Dori is very sweet but a bit timid. She would do best in a home with other dogs who will set the example of how to act.

I hope everyone had an excellent Christmas. Hot Cha Kennels was blessed with a couple of miracles. A week ago my heart was breaking as I felt I was saying good bye to my Izzy....she had become very sick and every x-ray and blood test seemed to bring worse news. She couldn't stand, walk or even lift her head. It took some time and lots of vigilant care but Izzy is quickly recovering!!! I would guess her to be about 90% back to herself. I thought it would be a miracle if she could walk by Christmas...if ever. Izzy not only could walk but she was begging for treats on Christmas day. My sister was here and I swear that dog got a treat every time Sherry walked by her. Then my friend Pam came by and suddenly Izzy was getting twice the treats. I rejoiced with each treat she wolfed down.

I promised you two miracles. The second is pictured below. I spotted her on line a couple of weeks ago. I emailed my friend Mary Ann, who had rescued her and told her how much I liked the looks of her. I had that old tickle in my soul that told me this little 2 year old blue girl was my family. Mary Ann said "She is just your kind of dog BUT she is already spoken for". Then in the midst of Izzy being sick, the very pinnacle of my fear and worry the call came. Her promised home didn't follow through and she could be mine. This news was my bright star of hope in the Christmas season. I planned to go on Thursday to meet her but bad roads kept me home. On Saturday Judy proved again how much she likes happy endings (in this case happy beginnings), by dropping everything to drive me to Idaho to meet this little girl. I needed a driver so I could hold her most of the way home on my lap. Mary Ann and her husband met us half way. At this time of year it is hard to lay down all your doings and spend a day transporting pups. Both of these women who I am proud to call dear friends gave me the gift of their precious time. The new girl has fit in here just like she has always been here. I am still toying with names...I need to decide soon...something better than "Hey". So now Tabu's crate has a fresh start. It was a little hard to first let the new girl into the crate. But life is too short to postpone love and besides I had already let her into my heart....into the crate was just the next step.

GOOD NEWS....Tava's mother Nitro Ducky has officially been retired and will be getting her vet work done asap. She will then wait for the next available haul to our area....likely not until Feb. Here is a picture of her last litter of lovelies. I see that soft look Tava has in all of their little faces. It will be fun to see them launch into their racing career....then maybe one day into a pet career.

Other good news...Izzy is holding her own. She is eating and alert. She isn't able to walk without help but hopefully that will come soon. Izzy walking on her own for Christmas would be a great gift!!

The weather outside is warm and sloppy. I turned Tava my greyhound girl out to play and the first thing she did was take off running and slid, falling on her side. Greyhounds have a way of landing like a pile of sticks. Just as you are about to run for the phone to summon the vet...the greyhound gets up, looks around sheepishly and lopes off like they meant to do that.

My sweet Aussie girl Izzy has been very sick. X-rays revealed a mass of undetermined origin. could be a tumor or it is possible it is part of the lung which is either swollen or displaced because of swelling else where. Cancer has not been ruled out....but neither has pancreatitis. Either way the long term prognosis is questionable. Although she is weak she is not having any pain. So we will stay the course and pray for improvement. Even if this is the final part of her life I am determine to make the most of it. Since I can not control the wave I have two choices....I can drown or try to ride the scary wave and do my level best....I am committed to the second option.

On a much brighter note. I talked to my cousin who adopted Scratchy and Timber this past summer. She is completely in love with her greyhounds. She did confess she is considering putting another bed in her room so she has a place to go when her two bed hogs squeeze her out. She sighed as she told me her leisurely walks have turned into jogs. Paula said she will be in the best shape of her life if this keeps up. She commented that she must be a sight clomping along the winter roads in her sweats, big Sorrel pack boots her hair pillow mashed and combed by the wind. I laughed and told her not to worry because no one will even see her when she has greyhounds. It is an interesting phenomena that I can look like the biggest slob in the world and if I have a greyhound at the end of a leash I feel dressed up. The absolute best is if you are lucky enough to have TWO greyhounds...black as night is the most elegant of colors...but any greyhound will certainly improve yourself image.