Waggin' Wednesday...A Date, News and An Award

Hello Everyone...it's me Asta Marie.....

I am so excited to report that I have been invited out on a date with Jake of Florida of the Barkalot Boys.

Oops...I guess I should get up and decide what to wear as we are going to a baseball game this evening in Florida to watch the Marlins play the Cardinals and I have nothing to wear...... or do I?

Here is Jake's invitation......

Is it too late for you to join me tonight at the Cardinals-Marlins game? If so, there's tomorrow night. It's a good thing we didn't go last night though 'cause the game was stopped for rain -- although you might have enjoyed curling up inside a player's batting helmet!!One more thing, in the interest of full disclosure -- before you and I first barked at each other, I had written to Princess Willow, of the Zoo Crew, to see if Just Harry and I could be her fellows, because we had fallen in love with her puppy face. She never answered until now, and, as you can imagine, I'm a bit embarrassed, since you and I have just gotten to know each other and I'm not a Don Jake kind of guy. Just Harry is kind of happy about this, because he wasn't so keen on sharing anyway and is very eager to go out with Princess Willow all by himself. Hoping you'll understand...

Jake

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And again.....when I asked about what I should wear and if it was supposed to rain.

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Dear Asta Marie,

Thanks for being so understanding. Right now, I don't see any rain -- but this is South Florida and you never know. It will be really hot, though, that I can promise. How about if I bring the umbrella and you bring your hat? We'll have hot dogs and perhaps a soft pretzel, with a cold drink. They have ice cream too, I heard. And catching balls at the game is a sport in itself, so you be ready!!! Some folks bring their own gloves. I've asked our heron-cam to pick you up --he's a reliable fellow, remember he flew all the way to San Francisco with our folks -- and to be sure you get home safely. The game starts at 7:10.And, uh, could you post a perty photo on your blog -- with or without hat -- so everyone will believe it's really you with me.

Jake

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So I am being picked up by the heron-cam and I am pawsitively obsessing over what hat to wear...

Shall I be elegant like the idle rich ??

Or even hoity-toity like the super rich?????

Or should I dress down for the occassion and sport a baseball cap advertising my home team???

Actually, I think this one fits a bit better...what do you think?????

So I am waiting for heron-cam to pick me up and I am really getting excited. It is fun getting ready for a date and even more fun thinking about my first meeting with Jake. Wow, wish me luck.....

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Jackson Update

In case you haven't heard the latest news.......This was the latest report issued by the J's.

Jackson is doing well and is now out of intensive care. He will almost certainly be allowed home on Friday afternoon.

We're putting his proper birthday celebrations on hold until he's well enough to enjoy them fully but we do hope you'll drop by his blog on Friday to wish him a Happy Barkday!

Wow...all our wishing on the dogstar, barking and prayers have been answered....PAWSOME....

Don't forget to stop by Jax Blog and wish him a happy barkday on Friday.....as if we would ever forget....

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Do You Have Room in Your Hearts and Homes?

Or do you know someone else who might????? Here is a little girl who has had a hard life and has been rescued from a puppymill.

She is 8 years old and now up for adoption and her name is Darcy.......

Maybe someone has met a person who admired their WFT and might have some interest? She is not a "bouncing off the walls" wire but more of a lapdog. She needs to be in an only dog home but because she is so laid back, does not necessarily need a WFT-experienced home.

For more information contact Julie at jmjoffee@yahoo.com

Darcy....here's hopin' you find the best forever home and forever family...you deserve it.......

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A Bronze Medal

I am proud to have been awarded the bronze medal for swimming in the Pawlimpics. I accept it with much appreciation to Lenny and his parents who have spent so much time putting together the Pawlimpics and for all the joy it has brought doggies and their keepers around the world. But then that's what Pawlimpics are all about.....erasing borders.....

And here I am in the winning entry in my little swimming pool cooling off......

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Wow, that was exhausting....how does Dewey do this all the time?????

This is Asta Marie, WFT reporting on lots of stuff...........

A Fractured Fairytale and More.........

Hi ta all.....

This is gonna be a long post so grab a pawtini, curl up in yer favorite easy chair .....'n chew on a bully stick.....

We're at our cottage again 'n there's a ton of wildlife around here......now there's a big puddle of water across the road from us cause they're havin' a problem figurin' out how ta drain the road water there. We saw a lot of big tadpoles swimmin' around in the water earlier this summer....'n we hear frogs croakin' there at night now.....ribbit...ribbit....ribbit.......
I always like ta think about myself as bein' an action hero and I was tryin' ta remember the story about the beautiful princess who turned the frog inta a handsome prince.


Now I wondered what those frogs across the road looked like cause we really don't see 'em .....we only hear 'em croakin.....do they look silly like this guy ?????
Or a bit cartoonish like this little fellow ?????
Or much more like a real frog.....sorta like this guy????
And if I were ta kiss 'em would they turn inta a dashing prince who would grant me my every wish????

Would he be someone like the smilin' guy ridin' a white horse......

or a tall handsome blond hunk with a flowin' cape....?????

So I was scoutin' around here ta see if I could find the frog and give 'em a big kiss and I found this guy here.......... I just had ta get 'em in my mouth a bit 'n roll my tongue around 'em and kiss 'em real good cause I really wanted that prince and the wish of my life.......( fer Jackson ta get well again)

Instead I got this.......

Did ya know that bugger was a TOAD........'n not a frog ?

A TOAD.......TOAD..........TOAD.......

Though most toads are bitter tasting and usually result in profuse drooling in any pet that tries to take a taste, only a couple of species of toads are truly poisonous. The poisonous secretions from these toads can affect animals who come in contact with them, causing a host of clinical signs.

Now we're lucky that we don't live in the part of the country where there are poisonous toads. Right after we told Levi's Mom ta watch out fer that toad that was in her backyard, I have ta go and kiss one. I was salivatin' all over the place...then I got a bit sick 'n threw up.......

Pap washed my mouth out a bit so I could get that horrible taste out of it.........
My Mom was so embarrassed that I kissed a toad instead of a frog that she curled up in the toy box and went ta sleep.....

Let this be a lesson ta me ta check the color of the hoppin' vermin before I decide ta give it a kiss....ya think I would know by now since I did this once before........

Our story was about the Toad Prince instead of the Frog Prince, I guess....we got it fractured just a bit there.....

This is Dewey Dewster reportin' from Titusville Pa on The Frog Prince.....

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Randy Pausch

This is Dewey's Gram here.....

Some of you may have noticed the picture of Dr. Randy Pausch on the top right portion of the blog. Many may have recognized the name and the face that went along with it and others might be trying to figure out who he was. Was he a relative of ours? ……no, he wasn’t….well…… who was he then?

Randolph Frederick Pausch was a little known professor of computer science, human-computer interaction and design at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August of 2006 and suffered through the aggressive treatments he sought to stave off the disease in relative obscurity. That is until he gave his “Last Lecture” to a packed auditorium at Carnegie Mellon University on September 18, 2007. His cancer had returned in August of 2007 and he was told that he would remain healthy for only another 3 to 6 months.

His last lecture, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," brought him a standing ovation and was viewed by millions of people around the world. Although becoming a celebrity was not one of his life goals, he became one as he testified before congress on cancer research, threw football passes with the Steelers at a practice session, was given a role in the new Star Trek movie, met with Sting and the Police, was honored by the president of the U.S., appeared on Good Morning America and The Oprah Winfrey Show and was interviewed by Diane Sawyer on several occasions.

Each time I saw him on TV, his eyes were sparkling and his upbeat attitude was infectious….here was a man with only months to live who was showing the world how to die with grace and dignity.

I remembered my sister-in-law's ( Mary Lou Thewes) brief struggle with that deadly disease. From diagnosis until death for her was less than 2 months. She died at the end of January 2007.

On May 18, 2008 Randy made a surprise appearance at the commencement ceremonies at Carnegie Mellon. He delivered a speech after which he carried his wife off the stage with a huge smile on his face.

I made it a point to check his personal web page for medical updates and for news on what he and his family had been doing….except for the last month or so.

As I listened to the radio in the car on July 25, 2008, I heard the news that he had passed away at his home in Chesapeake, Virginia,. He had moved there after his last lecture to be closer to his wife’s family. Randolph Frederick Pausch left this world surrounded by his family and close friends and in the same manner that he began his fight against that dreaded disease, in relative obscurity. The news of his death brought renewed interest in the celebrity that he had become his last year on earth. He packed a ton of living in those last few months that he had with his wife and children and the world was watching him.

I hope that his contagious enthusiasm for life and his deep love and devotion for his wife and family will live on in the minds of all who had the pleasure of knowing him for such a brief time. He left a legacy for his three young children so that they may know the man who was their father as they grow up. He touched many lives and taught people with life threatening illnesses how to manage their last days and how to create a positive attitude to carry them back to good health.

God speed Randy Pausch….may you rest in peace………

And Mary Lou.....if you're reading this from above.........we will always remember you and that smile that always filled your face....

Here's hoping that there is soon a cure for all cancers but we are praying for something that prolongs the lives of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

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Jackson We Love Ya !!!!

Now our friend Jackson got a spot of bad news last week ( hell it wasn't a spot, it was a boulder ) and we are all hoping that there is a treatment that will help cure him of his problems and that good news arrives at his house soon .

If everyone paws it forward and sends those healing vibes across the waters to Jackson, we know he will be OK.

Get Well, Jackson....we love ya !!!!!!

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Another Award fer the Terriers

Our friends, Momo and Pinot the Cavs in Toronto have passed on the big puffy red heart award ta us. We are proud ta accept it and send many thanks yer way...........

Didn't I tell ya this was gonna be a long post ?

Hope ya had enough bully stick ta last thru the whole thing........

This is Dewey Dewster signin' out from Titusville, Pa.

Have a Great Day Everyone !!!!!!!!

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