Love Your Earth Day

Wherever you are in this old world, today is the day to cherish the ground you walk on. Cultivate your knowledge on protecting our environment on a daily basis. Love your earth and the earth will love you back .

My Birthday Boy

The Wizard of Paws at 8 weeks old.
Wiz models the latest in Spring polo shirts for the fashion conscious Yorkie.
'
Wizzy loves the snow and loves to love .....my little Casanova.

My little Wizard is one year old today. It is hard to believe that I have had him almost an entire year. Having had larger dogs for over twenty years, it has been quite the experience having such a tiny dog in the household. For the most part, I have trained the Wiz like any other dog despite his elfin size. He learned the canine obedience rules in record time. The key word "repertoire" signifies a series of commands the end result meaning treat time. Karma has secretly loved her little brother's training sessions as it invariably means she gets a treat as well. When Wiz gets too rambunctious , as most young puppies do, the word "timeout " means he has to lay his head down and be still for just a little bit. He has at one time or another taken a liking to shoes, baseboards, and most anything within his teething reach. By far the most challenging aspect of this four pound wonder was his toilet training. Believe me when I say I have needed the patience of Job to get through his housetraining. Both my shepherds were trained at 10 weeks old and I could not understand why this idea was just not kicking in for him when he picked up so quickly on many of the other dog basics. The more I read , the more I learned. Their plumbing system would take a while to develop fully. Yorkies are a stubborn breed and somewhere around the 8th month I would notice a big difference.... and I did. My little Wizard loved to do his business in the great outdoors at long last. I still keep his little wee pad by the door for emergencies only but for the most part, the lure of 'outside ' has drawn him to the art of outdoor leg lifting. Karma and Wizzy are great buddies and keep one another company. Wiz loves to snuggle into her warm fur and Karma lets him do pretty much anything to her.
Down the road there is the possibility of a major operation for Wizzy as he was diagnosed with "luxating patella" at 8 weeks of age due to bad breeding. This means he has 2 kneecaps that slide back and forth , one worse than the other, and require an operation to deepen the groove and pin the bone in place. When Wizzy looks at me with those liquid brown eyes I know that I will do anything to give him the quality of life that he deserves when that time comes.
Wiz is such a little character. Despite all the doggie issues we have dealt with , this little ragamuffin has brought joy and laughter into my life and danced his way into the hearts of all he meets. He is the consummate entertainer.
He loves everyone and everything. I believe that is and will forever be his purpose.
Happy Birthday to my sweet boy, the Wizard of Paws .

Wolf Update

Family dog dies after wolf attack

Posted 1 hour ago

The Parcey family's dog took her last breath on Friday.

Missy, a collie-shepherd cross, died at the Timmins Animal Hospital after being attacked by a pack of wolves last week.

"It's tough. It's very tough," Monica Parcey said. "It's a tragic end. At least she died with us and not with the wolves. I will miss her. We always felt safe with her."

Seeing wolves or wolf tracks in and around the Jaguar Road area is nothing new for the family. However, with multiple reported wolf attacks happening to family dogs, the Parcey family worries that the problem will only escalate.

"It's not going to go away unless we do something about it. Her brother was lost to wolves but I didn't witness it. This instance I witnessed it so that's why it's so traumatizing," she said.

Parcey has been diligently researching online about wolf attacks and said that incidents do occur in the early morning between 6:30 and 10 a. m.

"There are kids waiting for school buses at that time," she warned. "You can't keep turning a blind eye. It's not a lone wolf, it's not two or three."

Last Monday, Parcey said she saw at least 10 wolves. The pack dragged their 85-pound dog into a field, ripping her skin and exposing her ribs.

"It's very scarring," she explained.

On Friday night, Parcey went to visit Missy at the animal hospital. She was breathing heavily and was medicated to help reduce the pain. There was severe damage to her neck and there was swelling and bruising throughout her body. Missy also needed stitches from head to toe.

"I had a talk with Missy and told her she needed to make up her mind. I said, 'Missy girl, if you need to let go, it's OK by me.' She died that night," Parcey said. "Maybe it's time for people who have suffered losses to come forward so we can see the true numbers."

Parcey said the Ministry of Natural Resources suggested they call a trapper.

"The trappers were told to get their snares out of the bush because it's the end of the trapping season for wolves," she said. "Can we reinstate a bounty on these things? They are getting too close and confident."

Parcey said every time it snows there are a fresh set of wolf tracks.

"They are large timber wolves and they are very menacing. When I go to my truck, I check over my shoulder because you just don't know," she said.

Similar problems with wolves are also happening in the greater Sudbury area.

The Sudbury Star reported on April 10, Diane Korpela, owner of Pineridge Ranch, recently lost five deer from her petting zoo to a pack of wolves. Korpela said the buildup of snow allowed the wolves to walk over a fence, leaving her animals at their mercy.

Copyright © 2009 Timmins Daily Press

Monday's Smile

Sometimes in life you just need a little something to make you smile.

Happy Easter Peeps

Front Page News Today

Wolves Attack

A local family has nothing to do but sit idly by and hope their family pet pulls through.

The Parcey family's collie-shepherd cross, Missy, has become the most recent victim of a wolf attack on Jaguar Road.

Late Monday night, Monica Parcey looked outside to see a pack of wolves dragging her 11-year-old dog into a field.

Calling out to her husband, Bob, Monica said most of the wolves did nothing but simply stare back at her, while her husband ran outside shouting.

"There were at least 10 of them that I saw," Monica told The Daily Press, adding that Missy was a regular outside dog, weighing about 85 pounds.

"She's always outside, and if there's anything around she usually barks and lets us know."

But Missy didn't bark when the wolves approached her, making Monica think that an east-blowing wind prevented the dog from smelling or hearing them.

"She didn't have a chance," Monica said. "I saw something on the ground and knew it was her."

Bob was quickly out the door and ran to the garage, where he screamed at the remaining wolves before finally the largest of the pack let go of Missy and turned away.

Missy somehow managed to pick herself up and walk to the garage, where Bob was waiting. Missy was rushed to the Timmins Animal Hospital.

"She's been very heavily sedated, because there are so many open wounds" said Monica, who said she hasn't seen the dog since it was brought in.



"She fought back. She's a pretty tough girl."

Bob said the wolves had managed to rip open the side of Missy, exposing her ribs, and there was puncture wounds throughout her body.

He said Dr. Ed Butterworth seems to think Missy will be OK, but is worried about possible internal bleeding.

Because her thick winter coat acted as a barrier, Monica said a lot of the wounds could have been worse.

The Parceys aren't the first family to feel the wrath of local wolves. Three families on the same road reported three dogs had been killed by wolves earlier this year.

At the time, Ministry of Natural Resources enforcement supervisor Jim Abbott said it was only assumed it had been wolves, and residents should always have their animals and livestock under their direct control.

Abbott said he had put the families in touch with a trapper, who would work with them to resolve the problem.

But Bob Parcey said he knows for sure it was wolves that dragged Missy off into the field.

"I seen them with my own eyes," he said.

He added that he has seen the animals in the area before, but never in his backyard.

"She has been in the bush all her life, and Missy never backed down from anything," he said.

The Parcey's second dog, a younger retriever was left alone by the wolves, making Bob believe they went for the older, weaker of the two.

The Parceys say they always keep their house well lit at night with lights on the house, garage and in the backyard, and thought it would keep the wolves away.

But Monica said there was no fear in the wolves on Monday night.

"Those wolves were not running away from me, and that worries me," said Bob. "I want people to know the real danger that's out there for their dogs and most importantly, their kids."

When questioned about the Parcey's situation, MNR representatives said they were unable to provide comment at this time.

April 8, 2009

This is for all of you basking in the sunshine and enjoying the first crocuses and tulips of spring.... Visual proof of the never ending story of winter in the great white north.
ps There is a shovel with your name on it Kittycakes .

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today I was in Montreal General with a horrific head injury. Because of this accident, I do not think I will ever again joke on the first of April. The sad circumstances surrounding the recent death of actress Natasha Richardson brought home to me how very fortunate I was that night. The following months involved a few emergency visits to our local hospital for respiratory probems, headaches, subsequent CAT scans , sleep apnea and allergy tests. The year long congestion that began in November 2007 slowly left me in December of 2008 as mysteriously as it appeared.

As with all life changing cirumstances, we are meant to learn a lesson .... and I did. It was something I had already known but in fact had not practised enough in my daily life. I learned to put the 'joy' back into 'enjoy'. I learned to emulate my dogs and simply "be" in the moment that I am in.

I learned to be more God like .. to forgive, to appreciate , and above all to love more deeply than ever before. Not just my immediate family or friends, but extending a hand to a stranger on the street whenever I had the chance. To say hello more. To have fun more. To laugh more. Hug more. Smile.

To be a better person. A strange thing happened when I did those things. I felt amazingly good.

So was this the secret to life? Do unto others.

If you follow this blog and read between the lines , you might have realized that I had lost a friend of mine to cancer a few weeks back. She was the sister of my best friend .... the one we had visited out west in the fall. By the time the new year began , she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. She died on March 19th. I learned a lot from knowing this special woman.

She lived , traveled, enjoyed , cherished , gave to others and loved so generously.... to her sisters , her brothers, her husband , her friends , and to people she did not know at all.

She was a humanitarian and an environmentalist. Her life was full.

The head trauma left me with a 4 inch scar on the back of my head. Paulette's death left me with an undeniable ache in my heart . Both taught me the same lesson.

Live like you were living.

I Am In This Picture

"Stand By Me"

For all my friends both near and far, this is for you.

Heaven's Novice Angel

In memory of Paulette,
Enjoy the flight . Till we meet again.

My Irish Secret

Where is my Irish coffee ... caffeine ,sugar, alcohol , and fat .

Cat who?
Rob who?

Parade prep.
CTV float ..natch ..
Tommy flashes .....an Irish grin .
Lost in shamrocks
My Nattypatty and me
Mark who?
When Irish eyes are smilin'

Last year at this time I was in Montreal for the annual St Patrick's Day parade. I was invited along to ride the big bike with all the Mix 96 crew ( now all Virgins.) I had the best time. Nothing can put a smile on my face than spending time with my Nattypatty on St.Patty's Day or any day.
Whereever you go and whatever you do , may the luck of the Irish be there with you .
xoxooxoxxo

Top of The Morning

Hey all lads and lassies ..( and I luv the lassies ) it is The Wiz here at Ma's lap when I am not sittin' on hers. Yippeee doo doo ... I love the whole world today and everyday. The sun is shining , the snow is melting and all I see is Yorkshire poodings everywhere. Life is grand.
There is a bit of the devil in all of us and that is no malarkey.
..oops , here comes Ma ...time for puppy eyes. Yea I got her wrapped .
Time to check on Karmy ( wink ) .
Cheers .
Wizzy

Ode To Timmins

Timmins- February 2009




It's winter in Timmins And the gentle breezes blow,
70 miles per hour at 52 below!
Oh, how I love Timmins When the snow's up to your butt;
You take a breath of winter air
And your nose is frozen shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful,
I guess I'll hang around.
I could never leave Timmins Cause I'm frozen to the ground.

Turning Forty

One of my favorite people and fellow bloggers is turning the big 4-0 today and having a difficult time with the number. That is the point. It is a number and simply that. You are no different than you were yesterday or the day before except for the fact you have a new age. It is how you feel Shawniepants and I know you know that. It is all about the maintenance my dear man.
Look good. Feel good . Kick 40 to the curb.
Happy birthday Hugh Jass.

Sunshine , Lollipoops ...

(With apologies to Leslie Gore )
Sunshine, lollipoops and dog doo,
Everywhere
That smell is what I feel when spring is in the air,
Wiz is brighter than a lucky penny,
When he's near the brown turds disappear, dear,
And I feel so fine just to know that he is mine.
Sunshine, lollipoops and dog doo,
Everywhere
That's wonderful when Wiz can come your way
'Cause you're in poop, you're in poop,
And poop is here to stay!

Fecequality

It seems that Wizard has discovered that his own poo is every bit as delectable as Karma's. I have caught him several times this week with a miniature turd in his mouth instead of his usual poop whopper. Will this never end? Yesterday with all the ice and snow and sub zero weather, he still went out to the potty area sniffing around for a snack. I had cleaned up the day before but it seems Karma had to go in the morning and I had missed the big event. Immediately , I called the little poop eating machine back to the door. Wizard excels at the recall because when he returns, I have a pet store dog treat for him most of the time. Yesterday , I saw his little hairy head lift over the snow bank when I yelled "Wizzy , come." He came a running dragging behind him what I would describe as a poo snow boulder. The biggest one yet. A massive amount of frozen dog stools stuck together with ice and snow. It was more than half the size of his four pound body. He was so quick that he had it in the house and on the mat before you could say sh**.
So today I am thinking .. are we missing something? Not a screw loose , but the fact there might be an entrepreneur in the making here. Perhaps this stuff does taste good. At least to dogs.
Wizard and I could start our own franchise.. Wizard's Whoppers. Of course , Karma would be the silent partner in all of this.
Either that , or I rent the little bastard for cleaning yards in the spring.

Call Me Jack

I am beginning to feel like I am in The Shining. We had another winter storm after midnight last night and woke up to yet another minus 37C morning with 15 -20 more cm of sparkly snow flakes (I like to refer to it as white sh**). Let it be known far and wide (and yes I am feeling wide as I gorge on winter comfort food), that I am not nor have I ever been a winter person. There is no winter holiday planned this year which has added to my restlessness and pina colada urges . I almost bought a SAD ( Seasonal Affective Disorder ) lamp at Sears the other day until I thought what good is the simulated sunlight without an umbrella drink and the ocean. Oh right ... I could get off my wide back porch and make my own drink in the tub but it is just not the same. Besides , how can anything called SAD make me happy. After his early morning constitution, all Wizzy wanted to do was burrow underneath the warm blankets. Karma went belly up, groaned , and fell back to sleep. You know it's cold when the dogs do not care to go out.
I thought we were in global warming. Perhaps not. More like global freezing to death .
Frosty the snowman is nothing but a frozen creep in a top hat and scarf.....and Jack Frost can go lick a metal fence. I am fed up.
Have you ever had a SINGLE MOMENT'S THOUGHT about my responsibilities? Have you ever thought, for a single solitary moment about my responsibilities to my employers?? Has it ever occurred to you that I have agreed to look after the OVERLOOK Hotel until May the FIRST. Does it MATTER TO YOU AT ALL that the OWNERS have placed their COMPLETE CONFIDENCE and TRUST in me, and that I have signed a letter of agreement, a CONTRACT, in which I have accepted that RESPONSIBILITY? Do you have the SLIGHTEST IDEA, what a MORAL AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLE IS, DO YOU? Has it ever occurred to you what would happen to my future, if I were to fail to live up to my responsibilities? Has it ever occurred to you? HAS IT??
....oops , sorry fell asleep for a sec ....

Grandpa Horton Bangs The Bongos For Roll Up The Rim

"Hey out there to the World Wide Webbers , it's Grandpa Horton letting you know that Tim Hortons Roll Up The Rim starts TODAY ! I loooooove to win as much as I like drinking the coffee.
One of our stores won a car last year .....now that was something . There are 35 2009 Toyota Venzas waiting under that cup for 35 lucky customers ...wish it was me ...but it could be YOU !.
Who wouldn't like 100 10,000 cash prizes to ease the recession headaches. This year there are 1,000 Toshiba laptops and 25,000 $100 Tim cards to be had . Plus if you like to eat as much as I do you will love the fact that there are over 31,000,000 food prizes.
For all of you snowbirds in Florida , tough Timmies .. you may have the sun , but we got the COFFEE and the CARS .
Well time to rrrrrrRRRRRRRoll on outta here ...
Regards ,
Grandpa Horton .
p.s. Hit delete if you see Ma . "

Oscar Who? Get Rollin'...

Starts tomorrow. A little pre - exercise warm up to get you in the mood .
http://www.rolluptherimtowin.com