A Toad-ally Happy Story

Sometimes, we all just need some time to heal.  Maybe I should stop right there.  It would be my shortest blog ever.

But, and there is always a but, it doesn't tell the whole story.  Buddy came in and we had high hopes he would be adopted.  Then he had some health issues and we decided it would be best if he stayed as a permanent foster. No worries if that was the case.  We love this old guy.

Of course, he pushes his luck just a little.  He has a penchant for catching toads. Sure, we found it amusing at first.  We chuckled at his antics, admired his diligence and marveled at his prowess.  Until he began bring them inside with him.  First he'd bring in the dead ones...then he started bringing in live ones. No two fosters are ever the same, but this guy takes the cake.  He uses his nose like a shovel to root out these toads.  More than once I've taken a wash cloth to his face to clean off the mud.  

Suffice it to say he's thriving. So much so we felt a second opinion on his health was in order.  Good news, he got A+'s from the vet!  Now we all know that there are no guarantee's, for humans or four leggeds.  You take what you get and work with it.  Buddy is healthy and happy as a 9 yr old toad hunter can be. Given that he has been put back up on the "adoption ready" list at Great Plains Pointer Rescue.  Will he find a forever home? Maybe, maybe not. We want him to have every chance.  He's safe, loved and healthy.  He had time to settle in and to heal.  Things we all need...safety, love, time to settle in, time to heal. We love him enough to let him go, and enough to keep him if that's how it plays out.

Rescue, and life, is about second chances.  Take 'em when you get 'em.  They help you heal.  

Buddy Here - Checking In

Buddy here - checking in.  It's been one month since my last confession.  Errr,  ummmm, I mean another month as a permanent foster has passed.  There were a few moments.  Let's see. There were the three pots I drug off the deck last week and disassembled.  There was the pot I knocked off yesterday and dug about in.  Yes, I see a trend here, do you?  

There was the cut on the bottom of my foot.  Nope, not saying how that happened.  Sorry about the blood on the floor.  Didn't I do a good job tracking it all through the house? Spread your blood, I mean love all about.

Oh ya, there was the old tree stump you used as a coffee table.  I tell you there was a rodent inside it that had to be flushed out.    And, I need to mention the toads.  Dang the toad hunting is good here.  Anyone else notice they look way better than they taste?  Egads they make me slobber.  

There have been visits by that other pointer recently.  He has a silly name.  Freckles, who names a dog that when the name Buddy exists?  Bud, Buddy, Budwheezer.  You can't say Freck. Freckbudy and Freckwheezer.  It just doesn't make sense.  

Now, I get checked regularly for new lumps and bumps.  More often than a boob in a mammogram clinic.  Any time I expose my belly for belly rubs I get checked.  Geesh...give it a rest.  So far so good!

I've been digging the bee's too.  Lots of clover blooming in the yard makes the bee hunting fabulous.  My success rate for catching them varies too.  Mostly because they fight back.

So there you have it.  I'm still kicking it and getting into mischief.  It's good, I'm good...and the treats here are good.  May treats rain from your sky, they sure do from mine.

~Buddy.

No Remorse

One thing I love about dogs...one of a thousand or so, is how they live a life of acceptance.  If the treat jar is opened, they accept that good things are about to happen.  If they find a nibble accidentally dropped on the floor, they accept it was meant to be just for them.  They accept your meager show of love and bless it with their unlimited wealth of affection.  They absolutely ooze with affection and gratitude. If that isn't a lesson to us it should be.

Here's another one.  They show no remorse.  In spite of the photo's and dog shaming signs we see on social media, I don't believe they feel any guilt.  At least for certain I know my dogs weren't raised Catholic.  No guilt, no remorse.

You drop your cookie?  They won't ever say "hey, let me get that for you...or you wanna share?"  Nope.  They see an open spot, and I do mean spot, on the recliner and are unabashed in joining you.  Move over, make way, can you shift just a little. Pretty soon they have the prime real estate and you're squished side ways wondering what happened.  Give a dog a place on a king size bed and they take their 1/3 of it diagonally along with 75% of the blankets.

They don't mind showing you what they are afraid of, or what they get excited about.  They certainly aren't choosy about who they are silly in front of.  And if there is one thing they are lacking it's the ability to laugh out loud. Probably not an oversight, now that I think of it.  Surely they would be laughing their butts off constantly at the struggles humans have and the amount of remorse we have for having them.  

Mick doesn't feel bad in the least for napping more hours a day than he is awake. Buddy doesn't stress over the holes he digs.  He finds his way out of them which is more than some folks can say.  Layla never worries over the enthusiasm that she just can't contain.  People should be so open to tapping into that joyous energy.   

They are what they are and they give it their all.  Without hesitation, remorse and with more than their share of the bed.  

Buddy's Story - How You Can Help

Buddy joined the Great Plains Pointer Rescue family in March.  He was vetted, had some lumps removed and was moved to a foster home.  Okay, he was moved to our home. His lumps were mast cell tumors and while at first we thought his prognosis was good, now we are finding his status has changed. He is having an additional lump removed next week.  We''ll know more about his status then.

This will sound funny, but we feel pretty darned lucky to love this guy. Sometimes our fosters find their forever homes, sometimes we are that forever home. While our dream is placing them with a loving family, sometimes we are blessed to be that family.  We feel bad for him. We wanted him to find a fabulous home and live happily ever after.  We always have high hopes for our fosters, and fall in love with them in the process. Seriously, isn't making a commitment to love, honor and cherish what pet ownership is all about? Why would fostering be any different.

The decision has been made to change Buddy's status from adoption ready, to sponsorship only.  What this means is Buddy will live out his days with us. Rest assured he'll be loved, pampered, kept comfy, and we pray it will be for many, many days.  He'll get his romps in the country, naps in the sun, and we'll work closely with our vet to make sure comfort is his first priority.  If you'd like, you can sponsor Buddy, or dogs in situations like Buddy's.  Your donation will go directly to the medical needs of that dog.  Sponsorship donations are every bit as important as adoption fee's.  Your contribution makes a difference.  Your donation will help us keep Buddy a happy guy. 

We love this old boy.  We know you would to if you could meet him.  Help us care for him.  Loving them to a new home, or until they cross the bridge, is part of what we do. If you'd like to help, go to www.greatpointers.org and click on Buddy's profile.  You can sponsor him directly from that page. Thank you for helping us provide the best for Buddy, and stay tuned. Hoping he has many days with us.  Will update on what a love this old lumpy geezer is and how lucky we are to love him.

Discoveries

There have been several discoveries of late.    None of them earth shattering, thank Dog.  

I've finally discovered a vet I like here as well as the vet in my old home town.  I loved my old vet.  Not that he was old, but there was something about him sitting on the floor to examine my dogs that just melted my heart. I've visited several vets in this area, all of them qualified.  Just couldn't find the right fit.  Hated not feeling the love, glad I've finally gotten there.  

I've discovered as cute as little bunnies are, I detest what they've done to my garden.  Little stinkers mowed down two rose bushes over night and then feasted on my cucumber plants.  You might be thinking, now where are those dogs she always writes about?  Hmmmm....well, the flippin bunnies are opportunists.  While the dogs snore, the bunnies do their chore.

Another discovery is that while I've been here several years, I am occasionally overwhelmed by the feeling I'm still not completely connected. Granted I had years of building relationships there, and only a few here. I need to be gentle with myself in this regard.  But for the record it's a lonely feeling. Or maybe there are just lonely times in life, wherever you are.

And like with children, sometimes when your dog poops it's cause for celebration. Bet you didn't see that discovery coming!  Thanks to the vet mentioned above poop moves freely.  Count that one in the column called poo gratitude.

So there you have it, vets, bunnies, the blues and poo.  Just a little update from my doggy dog world.

Random Thots

My mantra for the week is "ask and you shall receive".  Some of my ask's will be verbal, some will be mental.  After all who doesn't have some mental moments every week.  Some things we ask for are so subtle they don't even register, but they get heard.

So this week in the ask column I ask for employment opportunities for those in need. That they be open to new opportunities, not just what they have always done in the past.  It's okay to clunk them on the head to make those opportunities obvious.  Sometimes the obvious escapes us.

Also on the list...help for parents who struggle to meet their kids needs.  I was blessed in meeting my kids needs when they were at home.  I know I asked and received tons of help in that area.  Pretty sure I crossed over the mental line a time or two during that part of my life too.

Now it wouldn't be my blog if I didn't share about the dogs and ask on their behalf. Buddy and I have really become bathroom buds.  At first we sat in there for steam bath's to help with his kennel cough. Then it was medicated baths for his skin conditions.  Of late he and I soak our feet in warm Epsom salt water for a sore he has on his paw.  Sure, only one paw needs soaking. But have you ever tried to soak one paw on an animal?  Go for four, it's much easier.  And if I need to sit with him, I might just as well soak my tootsies too. So I'm asking for some healing vibes for Mr. Buddy, and will someone please pass the loofah.

Last, but not least I'm gonna ask for good graces and healing for any of your loved ones (and mine) who are ill.  

Ask, ask and ask again.  And if you wanna soak feet with Buddy and I, c'mon over the water is warm and the company is excellent.

Do You Wonder

Do you ever wonder if you have done enough?  Made enough difference in the world? Tried hard enough, appreciated your blessings to the max?  Been present and utilized your skills?

What if you haven't?  What if life is passing you by?  What if, what if, what if.

I know, pretty heavy conversation.  Truth is I have all the questions and none of the answers.  By dog standards, if I get excited about treats, turn back flips when my owner comes home (or out of the bathroom), nap in the sun (or the shade) and wag with joy daily, I'd be a success.  I'd have given my love unconditionally, received openly and not bitten the hand that feeds me.

I would like to be more dog-like, and less human-like.  I'd be more warm and sunny and less nit picky.  I'd be goofy without thought and gentle beyond measure.  

Here is the deal.  You never know the burden another is carrying.  Best we can do is try to lighten the load.  We can be the treats and give the treats.  We can give soft touch, and in turn receive them.  We can wag with unbridled joy, laugh at the ridiculous and the sublime, circle three times and lay down to rest.

And we may still wonder if we've done enough.   

Why not me??

Here's the deal.  I'm looking for you, so listen up.

My name is Buddy, but you can call me Bud, or Pal or Dufus.  Just call me okay.  I have lots to offer.  I'm not a wild young puppy, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.  I can nap with the best, but I also love going for a run. I dance when I'm excited, I've got a bark that means business.  I point.  I clean my plate.  

My needs are simple.  I like to be with my people.  If you're home most the time and need a friend, it's me.  I need a soft place to lay, but I never get up on the furniture. I like to dig. Owning it is the first step. I'll stop if you ask, fair enough? 

I am just one of the terrific dogs looking for homes with Great Plains Pointer Rescue.  So if a sensational senior is not the right fit for you, there are other dogs who could be.

Now, for the record, I was not bribed, coerced, or otherwise pressed upon to make these statements.  I may have a treat waiting for me when I'm done, I'm not telling.  Foster care is awesome, don't get me wrong, but I know someone special is looking for a sweet 'ol soul like me.  

So, again I ask, why not me?  Really,  why not me?  No, seriously, why not me? 

Cones and More Cones

Each foster comes with their own challenges.  Maybe that is why I never feel like I know what I'm doing.  Just once it would be nice to have a repeat situation so I could say AH HA!  I know what to do.  But, noooooo...not the case.

Buddy was our first experience with kennel cough and thankfully that is over. He throws in a very occasional wheeze just to remind me how bad he was and how far he has come.  Now the challenge is cleaning up his skin conditions. He has been sporting a cone of horror for some time now.

We've tried the soft cone, which has one nice perk, he can get in and out of the doggy door with it.  It takes some work, and is pretty amusing, but can be done.

We've tried the inflatable cone.  He tried the doggy door with that one on, but was rejected over and over.  Poor Buddy was seriously confused.

We even have tried the basic plastic cone.  No go on the doggy door with this option.  We've even tried the plastic cone with the inflatable cone behind it. Now I do have a photo of that.  But Buddy begged me to spare him that indignity.  I told him if he is good I won't share it.  

Here is the deal.  If he wants to work on his hot spots he finds a way around the cone.  Itchy foot, pick it up and move it within range.  Itchy flank, stretch and you can just get to it.  It helps 90% of the time, but that 10% is an epic fail.

Isn't that the way it goes?  We try and we try.  Baby steps forward and then a few big steps backward. So we back up the bus and try to find a new route. It's not easy, but love pushes us through.

For Buddy it means more experiments and a closet full of various cones. Maybe there is a cone manufacturer out there who'd like to donate a cone we have not tried yet. Let Buddy be your independent testing panel. For me I want a cone that gives him full vision, is doggy door flexible and automatically telescopes when it senses him going for an itchy spot. Is that too much to ask?  Maybe, but a girl can dream. I dream of a healthy dog casting off those cones of horror.  One of these days he will.     

Spring?

Yesterday we worked in the yard in shorts, cooked hot dogs over the campfire and savored the warmth and sunshine.  Today we are back to sweatshirts, have a fire in the fireplace and soup on the stove.  Some call it Spring, some just say typical Nebraska weather.  Yesterday was all about work, and today is all about rest.

Now the dogs approach it a bit differently.  Except for our hikes, their mission was resting in a cool place, in the shade, under the deck or on the cool wood floors. Today their mission is resting in a warm place like the bed, sofa or recliner. I see a pattern here.  Sure hope one of them makes room for me on the sofa, the bed or the recliner as I sure won't fit under the deck.

I have to wonder what it's like to be a dog in our house sometimes.  Maybe they think they have won the lottery.  Frankly, we think we have too.  Mick probably rolls eyes at the parade of dogs that have come into our lives, took up temporary residence and then moved on. He is especially thankful for the moving on part.  

I have to laugh whenever someone says "how many dogs do you have now?" 
Sometimes (rarely) the answer is only two.  Most often it is only three.  A few times it was only five.  Crazy is such a relative term that I don't even think of myself as a crazy dog lady any more.  Just a dog lady.  And I consider it a compliment.

In case you were wondering...Buddy is settling in well.  We hear a very occasional wheeze from him.  Still working on itchy skin issues and he spends most of his day in the dreaded cone of horror.  Mind you the cone is covered in duct tape as he barges through the doggy door cone and all.  You gotta love his fortitude!  We take the cone off for walks in the field and talk about one happy chappy.  

He is our first foster to destroy a crate.  Not bad for all the years we have been helping the dogs.  Thankfully, the mudroom/dog run provide a safe option for a guy who doesn't like to be crated.  He is a grand old guy and someone will be lucky to share their days with him.  Until that time comes we're the lucky ones.

So...on this wintery Spring day, as we listen to thunder in the distance and know we'll likely see some snow flakes later in the day, I wish you a dogs life. Safe and happy, warm and cozy, with a friend to take walks with and a soft spot to land.  

Oldies But Goodies

Owning it is the first step.  I like gray faces, muzzles, eye brows and paws... I like the old dogs.  They rock.  They are game and gimpy, great and gracious, goofy and gorgeous.  Right now we have two old boys in house.  One a forever boy and one a foster boy.  Ages 13 and 9.  Bet they could tell some stories. Even at their ages I sometimes have trouble keeping up with them.

Not that I don't like puppies, I do.  Especially when they are sleeping.  Okay, mainly when they are sleeping.  They are delightful to cuddle with.  But an old guy?  Mostly he just needs a gentle hand to make his world. Give him a soft bed, a sunny spot and life is good.

We had a potential adopter recently suggest a full adoption fee for a dog who's life was half over didn't make sense.  Frankly I think that "adopter" didn't freaking make sense.  I think he was an ________(fill in the blank). It's okay, don't hold back.

Unless you are loving an old dog.  Then never, ever hold back.  One moment of bliss with an old guy is priceless.  Old guys can stir up the mischief too. Mischief knows no age.  Nor does love. 

Some day we'll be the oldies.  Hell, maybe we already are.  Come to think of it I like soft beds, gentle hands and a sunny spot to sit in.  I fuss a bit about the gray hair, and look closely for any whiskers, gray or otherwise.  I don't mind a little soft snoring.  From me or the dogs.  Give me an old dog, or two...please.  Life is good.



  

It Takes All Kinds

Will all the dogs we've fostered over the years this is our first one with kennel cough. It's not a laughing matter, but we have found some humor in it. The coughing and hacking was intense when Buddy arrived. I'd bring him to work with me just to keep an eye on him. Several of my coworkers thought he was a goner. Pretty sure they were appalled. I felt the need to explain to my customers that no one was expiring in the design room.  Although I did keep thinking I'd be stepping on lung that was coughed up in the process. Giving him Robitussin was a challenge, until I got the soft gel tablets.  Even then he has a knack for opening the tablet and discarding it. Somehow he gets the medicine, so I don't care how he does it. His cough is better now, just some episodes of wheezing these days. 

Because of the coughing, hacking and wheezing, we've affectionately begun calling him Buddwheezer.  It fits this old dude. Could be worse.  We could call him Buddgeezer.  He's older, but not really a geezer.  Lucky for him.

No matter their issues, idiosyncrasies, personality, their sense of character, and Lord knows we've had some characters, we fall in love with them. Perhaps it's the investment of care, the nurturing we do, the affection we exchange with them. Perhaps it's because they are so lovable and have been unloved. Maybe it's because no two fosters are alike.  Each is a gift of the unknown.  It takes all kinds and they are all kinds of amazing.  

So Buddwheezer would like you to know he's feeling much, much better.  It's a relief for us to know he's more comfortable.  And a blessing to not look for lungs on the floor when walking near him.  It takes all kinds and Buddy takes the cake.  

Welcome To The Good Life

The state slogan here is Nebraska the Good Life.  For a nine year old pointer named Buddy so it is.  

Buddy joined the Great Plains Pointer Rescue fold recently and today took up residence with us as a new foster. He's an older dude who deserves a cushy existence.  He was a hunting dog lost afield.  When he was found his owner had moved out-of-state and didn't want him back.  I know I can think of several names for people like that...can't you?

Here is the deal, Buddy is a bit of a crusty old boy with mast cell tumors, irritated skin, and he just got neutered.  His whole world changed, he lost his jewels and he's trying to find a way to settle in.  Life is like that sometimes, we're irritated, we've been altered and we don't know where to settle.

Our job is to help him do just that. Good news is that his tumors are low grade and have clean margins. That means Buddy will be healthy enough to enjoy that forever home when it finds him. 

Until then, he's with us. He has some learning to do to appreciate the finer things in life, like living indoors, soft blankets, warmth and nourishment.  And while I would like to have some words with his former owner, I believe I'd begin them with gratitude. By not wanting him back, he gave Buddy a second chance for happiness. So he wasn't a complete moron, but very close.   

Prayers/Wishes/Dreams

I can distinctly remember saying someday I want a job where I can take my dog to work with me. Maybe I prayed that, maybe it was a wish.  Sometimes those things are one in the same.  It came to pass, prayer answered.

I remember saying/praying/wishing that when my kids were young I could only work part time.  And I did, even when divorce challenged me to work full time. I also remember saying that after they were out of school I'd work my ass off. That one came true too. It's okay for that part to ease up a little. Just sayin.

I know we wished/prayed/dreamed for a place with some land for the dogs to enjoy. Never realizing how much we would love it too.

I remember thinking how nice it would be to have professional pictures taken with one of my dogs. I wanted it, but not enough to make it happen. But happen it did thanks to belonging to K-9's & Friends Therapy Dogs and the good people at Lad Photography. 

Another prayer/wish/dream come true.  But, and there is always a but, I admit to struggling with that whole timing thing.  Don't you?  I see some prayers answered, and know there are others still clearly in the works. I know they have been heard. Lord knows because I've not been shy in asking repeatedly for them.  Most frustrating are the ones I pray for others.  I can wait, but I don't want my loved ones to have to wait.  So maybe if I ask nice once again we can speed up that process.

Or not.  So I count the blessings of prayers/wishes/dreams answered.  And I wait. Knowing I must be in good company in this struggle.  I'm not alone, and answers are coming.

Dogs and Dessert

Dogs and dessert....what an odd combination. You're thinking she has clearly lost it. Post Valentines insanity.  A sugar high gone wrong.  A dogged loss of her natural grip on reality.

I think not.  I'm thinking of some of the sweeter things in life, so naturally dogs and dessert come to mind.  Both take time.  Case in point the wonderful dessert that Reno made for me.  Decadent chocolate cake made mostly with eggs, butter and cocoa.  A champagne sauce with whipped cream, eggs, and more butter. A mango puree sauce. Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries.  All layered in a mind boggling trifle. No he's not a chef by trade.  He is an adventurous cook. It didn't come out quite like the picture, but the flavor is sublime. I learned he knows more about double boilers than I do.  Let me say this publicly.  He was right.  For the record...yes, he was right.  Makes his day when I say those words.  I can grovel and he can gloat.  Makes for a happy marriage.

Good things take time...like dessert, wine, quilts, good books, fishing, gardening, relationships and yes, dogs.  Time and loving.  

Several friends are grieving the loss of furry friends.  Some have new paws to love. Others are opening their hearts to new fosters. It takes time to grow to love them. Mere seconds, or a bit longer in some cases.  It's hard to let them go.  We crave the sweetness and want it to last.  In all cases we must savor both the moment and later the memory. Much like a good dessert.

Many Hands Make Light Work

I have been to adoption events, a national dog show, to market as a buyer, to meetings, quilt groups, even a random book club.  For a while I belonged to a group that made sandwiches for the poor.  I've been fortunate to help others move, regroup after a house fire, heal from surgery and other heartbreaks. We are given hands to reach out to one another.  Each opportunity is a blessing.  

There is a guy in town who currently wears my blue hat.  He came in the store recently on a bitterly cold day to warm his feet.  He left with my hat.  How can his feet be warm if his head is cold?  I only wish I'd thought to give him my spare gloves too.  

I'm learning all about my sense of community, now that my whole community is way less than my previous subdivision.  We all have those support systems that make up our community.  Family community, rescue community, pet therapy community, work community, faith community.  Some of these groups are large, some are small yet mighty.

Yesterday I enjoyed a community that worked together in the process of butchering hogs to feed their families.  Okay, city girl here.  It was a first. Now, in my defense, I missed the butchering part due to being at work.  I got in on the tail end, so to speak of the process.  I was fascinated and happy to be a part of it in a very small way.  Next year I hope to be there for more of it. The end result feeds the hungry.  The process nourishes the soul. Many hands make light work.  I didn't do much, but every little bit helps.  I came away full and happy to have put my hands to a community task.  May your hands reach out to help, and come away blessed too. 

New Loves

I'm a sucker for babies, puppies and old dogs. Jewelry, flowers, babies and old dogs. In no particular order.

Babies are simply amazing.  Even though I "know" how they get in and how they get out I am always baffled by the process.  Puppies are irresistible.  But I love them when they are sleeping best.  Old dogs are just rock.  Gray muzzles, cloudy eyes, stiff joints. They are priceless just the way they are.

You could say I'm two-for-two this month. Sort of a red letter month if you ask me. Every day with my old boy, Mickey is a special blessing. He is one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life.  I hope I age as well as he has. God bless the old loves in our life.

Then there is a new love in our lives.  He falls into the baby column of life.  It takes a grand baby to help you realize how precious infants really are. Sometimes when you are in the midst of raising your own kids you miss out on a tiny part of the miracle they represent.  A grand parent can just soak up the magic. I'm not sure who coo's more, a baby or a grand parent. Either way something special happens when you love up on your grand child.

Now I know you wonder at my ability to link old dogs and babies in one blog. Truthfully, I'd throw in a puppy if I could, but  I'm fresh out of puppies.  They are things to marvel at, to treasure, to laugh at, to love. So give me the magic and let me learn about love again. It's found in the eyes of babies, old dogs and puppies.    

Empty Nesters

For the first time in years we are empty nesters...again.  Sorta.  No, we didn't have any children leave the nest, but we did have our foster dog Addy get adopted.

Here is the deal, she was with us for almost a year.  This has happened before.  With Kobe, with Sophie, with Mr. Hanky...and Addy.  Usually if they are here over a year I figure they were meant to stay.  But, sometimes, life has other plans and in swoops the perfect adopter. You gotta love that.  

In the past 28 months we've had Layla, Snowflake, Jesse, Chukar, Wallace, Addy, and Buck come through our revolving foster door.  What might you deduct from this. 1) We're nuts.  2) We have trouble saying no.  3) Our house is a zoo.  4) We've crossed over to the crazy dog people side.  Gonna have to plead the 5th on these comments.

So naturally, right now the house is very quiet.  Only two dogs in residence. Mr. Mick, who started this whole process off when I adopted him all those years ago, and Layla our most recent foster failure.  Even that happened over a year ago.  

Two dogs is quiet, easy, and feels very much like an empty nest.  Maybe it's just these two that feel that way. The last two fosters, Addy and Wallace were anything but quiet.  But they helped us appreciate this state of emptiness. Naturally we are thrilled for Addy, for Wallace, for us.  For the peace and quiet.  Ahhhhhhh......