7/18/08 Update
 

Hi Cindy and Joy,   Here are a few update shots of "Saint" George, whom we are now referring to as the "Altar Boy" for the breed, because he's so incredibly good!  These were taken at Anne's fifth birthday party, and both were dressed for the occasion, which I never do, wanted to add some color to the photos. Ergo George's gingham ear ribbons and Anne's big bow.                        We've seen a lot of good settling in from George -- we have worked to create a new set of "traditions" for him so that any thoughts of his abandonment are pushed farther and farther back in his memory.   His fur is growing and today I noticed a clot behind his right ear, so much as I hate it, the trimmer is in his future.  We've had, so far, a temperate summer mostly, allowing a car trip to the park at six each morning and a walk of about a mile.  Like Annie, he loves this, and he rests well afterward. He recycles quickly, and then it's down to the apple grove for his favorite snack -- will be glad when the crop quits falling!                        We sequenced his go for the bone shots & with apologies to all artists of the Renaissance, we're calling it the Great Bone  Triptych!   More after the next photo session! what a lot of fun he is!   Carolyn.

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5/19/08

Hi Cindy,

We are totally in love with this sweet and loving dog!  Time flies when you're happy and we suddenly realized that we'll be coming up on six weeks together on Friday.  George passed his wellness exam with flying colors and he's apparently very sound.  I can't remember if I mentioned that he had been a little 'loose' no doubt due to some very good interstate 'road food' during his long trip.  Joy had him on Paul's Food made in Austin and unfortunately, it isn't available in Raleigh (although it is in DC and Atlanta.)  So we printed out the guaranteed analysis from the web and did a little research to discover that the closest approximation is Blue Buffalo Senior, which he loves.  I add just a little water and warm it just a little in the microwave before folding in about a tablespoon of basmati which I had used on him during his boiled chicken phase.  He's got a wonderful appetite--someone should come to our house to shoot a commercial of his antics as I walk toward him with his bowl!  He loves riding in the car and we're using the ramp to download him  which is working very well--if we had a normal vehicle (hate that dratted @**@! Explorer!) this would not be necessary, but the SUV is really high off the ground.  He was apprehensive about the ramp at first, but we had the idea to break up his treats and bait the ramp as we slowly guided him down.  He's so smart--it only took one time and he enjoys that little maneuver a lot now.

He's very vocal--he has more different sounds than any OES we've experienced, and it's so funny!  With the onset of heat and humidity, he's a little less avid about long long walks (like 3 miles at once!) but can easily toss off a one mile hike at the state forest which is nice and shady with soft, pine straw paths.  He gets two good walks a day, but is active during the day in the yard as well.

We need to shoot the rest of a roll (still not digital!) while our red climbing rose is in bloom--I shot two with George under it but I want to get a better one when the sun isn't in his eyes!

Check out the shot where George is sitting by the garden chair beside the Japanese maple--he was smiling in that shot and I love it!  He smiles a lot now and is getting so much love!  He is absolutely the best medicine for us, and amazingly he's a perfect cross in appearance and personality of the two wonderful ones we lost during the past year! This was destiny for sure. It doesn't get much better than that, really.


                                          

His fur is coming back slowly--we'll keep him close clipped since we're entering North Carolina's 'equatorial' summer.  I'm scissoring Annie down to about an inch--will try to get a good picture of the two of them with the next ones I send.

Hope all's well with rescue in your area-meaning not too much current business!

Carolyn.