T. R.

Dad was talking to us today about his most favorite president, Teddy Roosevelt.  He noted that 111 years ago today, Teddy Roosevelt was sworn into office as paws-ident of the United States of America.   Dog Dad said he loved Roosevelts sense of justice and over coming adversity.



Teddy Roosevelt
Picture from Wikipedia

Roosevelt had a Chesapeake Retriever, Sailor Boy; a Terrier, Jack, A Spaniel, Manchu, a mixed breed, Skip; and a Pittbull Terrier, Pete.  Pete was probably the most famous because he ripped the French ambassador's pants during a White House function.  That must have been a sight to behold.

Roosevelt stood up for the little man and did a lot for them with his Square Deal.  At the same time he looked at everyone to pitch in and help.

Some of Dad's favorite quotes are:
- "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." 
- "The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life." 
- "The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything."

 - "Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big."

Looking at today's world, Dad would love to see another Teddy Roosevelt lead the United States.

Dog Speed,

Essex & Sherman

We're Addictive?

We didn't realize that we were addictive.  Well at least that what our cyber-paw friends over at "The Collies of the Meadow" believe.  Thanks guys, we appreciate "The Addictive Blog Award."  We wonder if we need a warning label for our blog.  According to the rules we are to thank the giver, link to them, talk about why I blog and why we started, post the award and then nominate 10 others. 

 

We started blogging way back in June 2007.  It all started after we read a post by our shirt tail cousin, Tosca, titled “Lassie is Boy in Drag.”   Essex, Deacon and Dog Dad all laughed so hard that Dad almost fell out of his seat.  We e-barked Tosca, she encouraged us to start blogging and join “Dogs With Blogs.”  The rest is history.

 We blog for several reasons.  It provides a record of our lives.  We meet pawsome cyber paw pals.  Dad finds ways to groom, train and keep us safe.  It gives Dad a reason to talk about history and travel in the WABAC machine.  Dad especially likes traveling back to see historic outer space, sports and military history.  He believes it is important to remember the past, because we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes if we don’t.  All friends we have met via blogging, e-barking and in the Dogs With Blog Chat Room makes things even better.  In the end however, we blog because we like talking about these things with other like minded pups. 

We nominate:

Jake & JH at http://barkalotboyz.blogspot.com/

Bert at http://fourleggedviews.blogspot.com/
Jan's Funny Farm at http://jansfunnyfarm.blogspot.com/
Ludow at http://ludwigvanpup.blogspot.com/

Dawn King at http://dawnkinster.wordpress.com/

Kess at http://itsadoggieslife.blogspot.com/

Asta at http://astasworld.blogspot.com/
Duffy at http://colliesandlife.blogspot.com/
Garth at http://theworldaccordingtogarthriley.blogspot.com/
Ruby & Bart at http://rottrover.blogspot.com/

There are other paw pals out there we would love to nominate.  Some of them rarely blog anymore.  We miss them. 

Essex & Sherman

Munich 1972

We went on trip with Dog Dad in the WABAC machine today.  We travelled back forty years to 5 September 1972, the location Munich, Germany.  The world was very different back then, times were simpler.  They were not as politically correct, a war was being fought in a place called Vietnam and Watergate had not yet torched the nations soul.  Dog Dad was a scrawny young High School kid.  The Holmhaven collie line was represented by a young pup named Holmhaven Magic Flash. 

Holmhaven Magic Flash, UD

We are at the the Olympic Village in Munich, West Germany.  We are going out for a walk and the time 4:30 am local.  We hear noises and look at Dad, eight terrorist have broken into the Israeli apartment in the Olympic Village.  The news coverage is intense, we watch as a tragedy unfolds before the eyes of the world.  It ends the next day at 12:04 am.  The news reports that all eleven members of the Israeli Olympic Team, a West German Police officer and five terrorists are dead. 

The 1972 Olympics are remembered for other memorable events like:

 -   Mark Spitz winning seven gold medals and setting a new world records each time.

  -   The United States losing it's first Olympic basketball game in a controversial finals to the USSR.
  -    Two USA medal winners turning their backs to the US flag when the US national anthem was being play, then being barred for life. 



1972 Memorial Plaque in Munich, Germany
from Wikipedia

These memorable Olympic events, were overshadowed by the tragedy.  Afterwards the word terrorists would be etched into the worlds and our nations vocabulary. 

Post Storm Report

Tropical Storm Isaac wasn't to serious for us in Key West.  The records for yesterday was rainfall a little over an inch and a high wind speed 54 miles per hour (86.9 KPH) .  We hope Isaac stays a tropical storm for the folks on the North Gulf Coast.  To all our pals out there stay safe.

Essex's Ears Stand Up in the Wind

Today we went for a walk at 6 AM walk very little traffic and we saw Orion high in the sky again.  Later Dad let us out later while he cleaned up some palm fronds, coconuts and some broken umbrella tree limbs.  We hope all the tropical storm we experience are like this one. 

Coconuts, Palm Frond & Umbrella Tree Limb

This Palm Frond and Husk was Interesting

 We count our blessings, and appreciate all the prayers and kind words.

Dog Speed

Essex & Sherman

26 August 2006

We went for a walk this morning.  The sky was clear.  Dog Dad could pointed out Orion high above and said Orion was laughing at us.  Dog Dad has associated Orion Rising with Herricane Season ever since he started walking Essex early in the morning.

Our walk in the dark of the early morning was breezy but uneventful. We saw many windows being covered, lawns cleared and cars parked on higher ground.  Essex took a poo, Sherman alas did not.  Dad will take Sherman out into the back yard shortly before the bad weather comes.  We are looking at rain with tropical storm or herricane one winds.  Nothing that Dog Dad is overly concerned about.

We lost power shortly after our walk for about a half hour, no surprise.  We try to post later. 

Dog Speed,

Essex & Sherman

***  UPDATE:  Isaac was gentle for a tropical storm.  We got to go for a breezy walk at 10 AM, stayed inside watching the weather channel.  We wanted Animal Planet, but Dog Dad said no.  We then got outside again around 6 PM, we got to roam the back yard for awhile.  Tomorrow will be time for cleaning up the yard and spending time with our Dog Dad.  Thank you for your prayers and wishing us good luck ***

Memories and Waiting on Isaac

Today a good man crossed the rainbow bridge.  The man was the first on the moon, an astronaut and an aviator.  He did much to make Americans proud and we are sure he is watching over his two sons.  We can see him chatting with his father and playing with the dogs that waited for their hooman to cross.  We thank him for giving us a moment in time when the world seem to stand still and hold it's breath.  We will never forget it.

We know many of you are wondering about us.  We are going to hunker down in our home.  The storm shutters are up and the yard is clear.  We are six feet above sea level, and the storm surge is predicted to be only two feet.  We have sat through category one herricanes and tropical storms before.  Essex sat home alone during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 until they finally let Dad go from work and he made it home through flooded streets.  Then there was rain from Herricane Gustave and Tropical Storm Fay in 2008.  We aren't fond of this time of fear, but Isaac is storm we believe our best course of action is waiting out at home. 


Projected Path of Isaac

This morning around 530 – 600 we went for our walk.  We heard the rumbling of thunder and he checked the radar weather map in cyber paw space before our walk.  When ever we start going east or south, we can see flashes in the sky and hear the rumble.  It reminded Dad of a slow steady artillery barrage.  Dog Dad thinks of Grand-Paw and the Hurtgen Forest.  
  
We will keep post tomorrow as long as we have power and access to computer lines.  Don't worry, we will be careful. 

Dog Speed,

Essex, Sherman and Dog Dad
 
   

Remembering Herricane Andrew

Let's take a trip in the WABAC Machine.  The dial is set back to 1992, the place Homestead, Florida.  (Great Great) Great GrandPa Rex (Holmaven Golden Rex) is only five years old.  (Great Great) Grand Pa Jason (Holmhaven King's Gold) and his brother Bobby are not even born yet.  People who read our early posts will remember the pawsome letters Great Uncle Bobby sent to Essex and Deacon.  As for our kindly Dog Dad, he is stationed half way across the world in South Korea.


(Great Great) Great GrandPa Rex

Hurricane Andrew from Wikipedia

Around 5 PM on 24 August 1992 Andrew decimated the city of Homestead, Florida.  In it's wake people died, the emergency services were maxed out.  Many pilots where Dad is stationed are worried about their family and friends living in Homestead.  Dog Dad wasn't overwhelmed with news coverage, as only CNN covered the story.  At the time it was the costliest Herricane of all time.  It was later surpassed by Katrina and Ivan.

When Dad moved to Florida in 1997, the damage from the Andrew was still visible in the city of Homestead.  He heard stories from co-workers.  Dog Dad has a great respect for the forces of mother nature.  He will not knowingly put the pack in harms way.  Tropical Storm Isaac promises to shake things up but we should be safe in our home.

We'll post tomorrow about Isaac.

Stay Safe and Dog Speed

Essex & Sherman