Back home

We are back in France after a week in the states. It was a good trip and an interesting experience. I wasn't sure how it would feel. I felt like I did after a trip back to Kansas — it was someplace that I used to live but it wasn't home any more. 

We had a good trip, got a lot of stuff done that we needed, some shopping, some business, and saw a lot of friends, which was really nice.  

We flew into Dulles and rented a car to drive to Charlottesville. We pulled into the first 7-11 we passed and picked up a Big Gulp and some junk food, the real American experience. Over the next few days we hit up Costco and Target for some over-the-counter meds that aren't readily available here. We finished packing a pallet of household goods, the few that we kept, and arranged for its shipment to us over here. The best part of the visit was actually visiting with family, friends, and many of their dogs. We got to see several former fosters, including four of Della's puppies, which is always nice. 

The visit back to the states also made us realize that we are very happy with the move that we've made. Not everything is perfect here and there will always be things, and people, that we miss, but we are happy to be away and to have started something new. 

I was reminded once again how difficult it is to step away from rescue work. My phone rang one day while we in Virginia. I didn't recognize the number but I answered it anyway and immediately recognized the voice. It was the woman I refer to as my "doggie dealer" from southwest Virginia who has brought me so many dogs over the years, including most recently, my baby girl Bailey. It was an all too familiar story - a friend of hers had a young, female shepherd she need to rehome. The dog wasn't doing well with the cats in the home and the woman was dealing with a medical problem in the home while trying to keep dog and cats apart. Good dog, bad situation. Unfortunately, all I could do for this one was to share the pictures and refer the woman to other rescues. 

Meeting up with Killian the first day we were back.

He still remembers Clay and I, and he likes having his butt scratched.

On the flight over, United Airline's television entertainment offerings included an edited version of their broadcast of Puppy Bowl XX, included some Green Dogs pups and people. 

We dropped by our neighbors' house Wednesday morning. They have two of our former fosters, Duvel (one of Della's 12-pack) and Chester. Both boys are very sweet and were happy to see us.

Duvel

Chester

Just a little further down the road is the home of two other former fosters, both Danes. MoDean (formerly Allagash) was part of the 12-pack. Rorschach (formerly Galaxy), came into rescue along with a number of other Great Danes that we seized as part of a hoarding case. Many of them were related.

Rorschach

Rorschach and MoDean

MoDean is a big boy.

Friday evening Clay and I went to Decipher Brewing and invited any and all local friends to drop by to say hello. Many did and it was very nice evening. And of course it included a few of our former foster dogs.

Maze is another one of Della's pups, and her personality is very much like Della.

Rocco is a former foster and is just as nice as he is handsome.

This is not a great picture of Greta (black dogs are always touch to photograph). 

Greta was a pretty short-term foster from back in 2021, she came in April and was adopted out in May.

A short term and easy foster, very unusual for a female shepherd especially.

This pretty girl wasn't a former foster, Bridgette actually came from Caring for Creatures but she belongs to some friends of ours and she was there Friday evening. She and Maze really wanted to play.

There were a lot of people from Clay's beer world and my dog world who came by to say hello and we really enjoyed seeing them all. We had another, smaller gathering at Patch Brewing on Sunday afternoon and really enjoyed that as well. The flight home was long but uneventful. We got back to Lille on Tuesday morning. Bailey's boarding kennel is closed on Tuesdays we we'll get her back on Wednesday. The kennel has posted pictures and/or videos of her and all the dogs at the facility every day, usually pictures of them running and playing. I know she is happy there but I also know she will be happy to be back home tomorrow.

This is the girl I was contacted about who is needing a new, cat-free home.

If anyone is looking for a one year old female shepherd, please let me know.