Bopcha Blog

Hey Sandra - since you admired the puppies, I thought I'd give you a fresh 16 day old view!! (Just teasing, I was going to post them to Bop's blog regardless). Nina sounds like an animal lover all right--what a darling little girl. Tell her to give little Storm a hug from the Zoiboyz!!



Here are the puppies from Laika and Kazan. As you can see, at 16 days, they are motoring about but still crazy for mom's food supply.

Thanks KC for sending us photos of tiny little puppies. It would be so awesome to see them in person. I can imagine how wonderful they are to hold when they are so tiny.

Of course I let Nina know about them and first thing she asked me was will we see them when we go to Oregon? Of course I had to break the news to her. She was still very excited about it.



By the way her new animal obsession right now is horses. Yes indeed, she is just covering every animal there is, I just can't imagine what it will be next - elephants.

Of course, her parents have had to explain to her the reality of owning a horse - you know where you actually need some land to provide a home for a horse. Her latest line was,

"My life is nothing without a horse." Of course she declares that the dog is still one of the most important living beings in her life. I don't know where her fascination with all this is going but I guess we might as well enjoy it. Before long, her fascination will be boys or the latest "fashion." Those are the fun times right - to all of you who have raised children!



We are really looking forward to Oregon and we are certainly happy to be getting away from this oppressive Philly heat. Sid said the temp in Oregon was 70F today. That is amazing.



Hope you are all well.



Love,



Sandra

Since I put pictures of Nitro and Carmen's babies on line, I thought I'd better put pictures of Kazan and Laika's babies on the blog too. This is a picture from the breeder's website. She also put the pictures of the individual puppies on here website too. They are at:



http://www.nktelco.net/teine/European.htm

These little puppies were born this morning. Aren't they darling? Ambassador is their granddaddy.

I haven't read Bop's blog lately, so it was so much fun to catch up on the news. Loved the idea that you made Sid really sweat up a storm Sandra. That's SO good for the boy!! Although, I think he got even bending your ear about software programs. And those birds that Bop's trained to eat out of her hand--wow, and nice photo of the bird taking off from Bill's hand. That was really cool. Meanwhile, that's the first time I've seen Noah look short--and I know he's not, so the big guy must be really big!! Haley and the other two girls look terrific--but jeez Dee, you really look glamerous. Too bad in a couple weeks you turn 60--tee hee!!!

Thanks for the picture. I was pleased to get it. You both look happy as you should. Love, Bopcha

I talked to Cousin George this morning. He lives in Tillamook and I wanted his mailing address so we could send him one of those fancy invitations. He has a very sore knee and is waiting to hear from the doctor's report on his x-rays. I don't know at this time if a knee replacement is in order, Cousin Mary had both knees replaced and got along fine. I have never had to have a knee replacement. Please note.



The Jays are really getting friendly. I keep a supply of peanuts on hand to feed them. They take a peanut and fly away to bury it in the soft dirt. We also have a squirrel that wanders around the yard. I think he is digging up the peanuts to add to his own cache of food for the winter. I haven't actually seen him digging the peanuts up so I can't tell for sure.



It is going to be so exciting to see everyone. Air transportation is so convenient.



Love, Bopcha

Hello Everyone,



We are really feeling the summer heat on this side of the world. We've had a really humid hot weekend. As you know I exercise no matter what the weather is like. This morning I did my usual Sunday cycling ride. The sweat was dripping off of me and I thought I would have Sid join me in the torment that we subject ourselves to when we exercise.



Sid is not really into exercising, luckily he does have to walk to work, which is a pretty good distance. So on the weekends since he doesn't have to walk anywhere, I figured he might enjoy the added bonus of walking to nowhere in particular. I lured poor Sid into walking with me along the river on a hot humid Sunday afternoon. We ended up walking for two hours. City walks are so different than nice peaceful trail walks, but still very entertaining. The reward for Sid was walking to the bookstore when we were finished with our "exercise walking." When you are walking anywhere with Sid, it is likely that you will end up at a bookstore. Sid wanted to look for some Database/Programming books, you know the really interesting stuff. He has been hard at work, trying to program and set up a site to launch some new ideas he has. It is all pretty neat stuff but I am completely lost when he starts talking about the intricacies of the program set up. He might as well be speaking a foreign language. So as far as me explaining much more than what I have already said, I am rather useless. I guess some day I will learn it all. Well on second thought..........



We are looking forward to our next trip to Orgeon. Traveling all the way across the country is always so overwhelming, but always so nice and worth the travel saga once you get there. By the way, I really liked Judy's invitation, they were really neat. "Partying by the bridge" sounds so cool doesn't it? Where else or who else gets to party by the bridge, right?



Diana, I love your photos of the blue jays socializing with their neighbors. Either they are really desperate for food or they are not as threatened by us as we sometimes assume they are. If Nina finds out that you can get a bluejay to eat right out of your hand, she will be completely enthralled and want to spend hours doing that. Don't know if she will have that special touch with the blue jay but she certainly has it with all her animals. Her conure, which can be a fierce little bird, is really sweet to Nina and no one else. She can hold, kiss the bird etc... and the bird is just so angelic with her ONLY. Everyone else has to look out! I would not want to try holding that crazy bird. Although, when Sid and I were babysitting the conure, she got attached to Sid and seemed quite content hanging out with him. That all changed of course when the bird figured out we were returning her to her home.



Anyway, I really need to get back to work. The piles are sitting here at my desk just waiting to be taken care of, I want to scream right now with all this work just sitting here. We will see you all very soon.



Take care.



Love,



Sandra

I love that rascal blue Jay!



Love Sid

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The meeting re: the homeless encampment went well. Having prayer first, and reminders that we are there to listen to one another in a holy place really put a guilt trip on those who wanted to tear our heads off for hosting the homeless.



PLUS, even better, Noah's game wasn't until 9:30 so we got to go!!!! We won by 20 points. The other team was very physical. They knocked Noah down about 4 times. One time he made a basket while he was falling to the floor! Those early ballet lessons really paid off! Or was it the hot yoga session Haley made him go to that morning?



Tom, Gavin's dad Rusty is having his left knee replaced on August 6. I was trying to tell him that you recovered well from yours, but sadly I couldn't remember all of the grusome details. Just what was your procedure again?



Oh yeah, the day after the homeless meeting, a citizens group sued the City, our church, and the organization behind the encampment. They seek to enjoin the camp from coming to our church. It's First Amendment Freedom of Religion versus these citizens. Personally, I am really glad for the lawsuit. I think that is the appropriate forum for such disputes. Much better than the nasty emails and flyers.



I haven't seen JB much. She went back to work immediately and so we won't get to celebrate her birthday until Sunday night. I had to get her work schedule from Gavin when I saw him at the game Wednesday night. She left some gifts for us on the kitchen counter. I got a Beaver necklace (from New Orleans no less!). She also gave us a box of Pralines. Yum!



Love,

Dee

We have a thief a couple of houses down and when I want to dispose of something I leave it outside the fence by the back alley and he usually walks off with it. Well about a week ago, I killed my lawnmower by hitting a tree stump and thought I had done extensive damage so I wheeled it outside the fence facing the alley where it sat for many days. No takers. Last night a neighbor looked at it and said he thought it was only the blade that was messed up and I should try replacing that first. So, I pushed the lawnmower back inside the fence and left in my backyard. Got up this morning and back gate was wide open and lawnmower gone. Wouldn't you know.

Our church is hosting a homeless encampment for three months beginning in August (Tent City IV). Instead of getting to go to Noah's bb game, I have to go to an informational meeting at the Church so all the neighbors can yell at us. I HATE that kind of stuff...Maybe I'll pretend (no comment, Sid) to be insane so people won't talk to me.



JB is in Denver right now, hopping a plane home. Gavin is picking her and Katrina up at the airport. Pretty nice, especially since their plane is late and won't get into Seattle until about 1:30 a.m.



Later, alligators ...

Dee