Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas 2011 was GREAT!!









WOW!!!!!!!!! It's been a busy Christmas!!! WE WON THE SHELTER CHALLENGE!!! Our shelter doors can stay open a while longer!! YAAAAAAYYYY!!!!!
We had a GREAT Christmas with good friends and family. Our Christmas eve sunset was spectacular!!!

We had some BEAUTIFUL visitors a few days before Christmas!! They gave us lots of belly rubs!!

We all got treats wrapped in Christmas paper and we got STUFFED TOYS to tear into shreds!!
Laika crawled back under the tree and ate the cat treats!! What a sneak!!
Aunt Nancy and Uncle Mark came for dinner and brought us some presents and food to go with the turkey dinner!! They're great folks!! Bro and his girlfriend, Mailene, came and brought Mailenes little girls. Those two youngsters REALLY like us furkids!! Hope your Christmas was as great as ours!!
Here's a link to our 2011 Christmas Video!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WTpBukAOWI

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Tailwags!! BudBud

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Two more days to vote!!



TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE!!! WHOOOO HOOOO!!!!!
And we're still in winning position thanks to you folks!!!
Just go to www.animalrescuesite.com and click on the "shelter challenge" tab. Then click on Costa Rica for the country. That should bring up Lighthouse. Just click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote.

Mom still hasn't found Santa. sigh................ All us perros and gatos are lookin' EVERYWHERE for him. He can't have just disappeared. Uncle Brad is supposed to look for him in Alajuela. Maybe he'll find him and remind him about us!!
My girlfriend saw him in Savannah Georgia and she said she told him not to forget about us, but her sister growled at him so he might forget anyway.

There's a new guy coming in tomorrow to stay with us for a couple of days. We sure hope he likes to give belly rubs!!! That's our favorite kind of guest and we're always happy to oblige!! Especially Lluvia and Laika. Mom calls 'em "belly tramps."

Mom made a "Christmas Reason" reminder last night. We thought you folks might like it so we're attaching it to this post. I know some of you guys don't celebrate Christmas but please enjoy our holiday anyway.

If you guys see Santa PLEASE tell him we're lookin' for him!!

Tailwags!!!
BudBud

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Christmas photo shoot for the GOOFY cats!!






Mom and Dad tried to do Christmas pics of the cats last night!! MAN!!!!!! Cats sure don't know how to follow directions!! Even with Dad standing there offering them treats ...they STILL wouldn't sit still!!! Goofy cats!!!! Mom took LOTS of pics and most of them ended up looking like the ones attached here!!! We did get SOME good ones though and you'll get to see those later!!

FOUR MORE DAYS!!!!!! Thank you ALL!!!!! We can do this!!! Just go to www.animalrescuesite.com and click on the "shelter challenge" tab. Then click on Costa Rica for the country. That should bring up Lighthouse. Just click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote.

Mom and Uncle Brad went to see Santa yesterday and he wasn't there!!! Mom says he must have moved 'cause there were NO toys at ALL at his house!!! We're gettin' a little worried!!! Where's he go????? We just GOTTA have toys for Christmas!!!!

OH!! And here's a video Mom found on-line that made her real happy!!! We thought you might like it too!!
http://www.godvine.com/Police-Officer-Stops-Traffic-to-Help-Trapped-Ducks-802.html

Don't forget to look at our calendars and book!! You're gonna need a new calendar for 2012 anyway!!!
You can see 'em at these two links. http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/mrbudbud http://www.lulu.com/product/calendar/lighthouse-2012/17264892

Y'all have a great day and check around and see if maybe Santa moved to your town!! Tell him we're lookin' for him!!

Tailwags!!!!!!!!!!

BudBud

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Another Christmas Favorite

Christmas At The Gas Station
Author unknown

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go."

"Not without something hot in your belly." George said.
He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh.

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead.

"You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.
"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.
As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."
George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."
The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."
George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."
George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.
"None for me," said the officer.
"Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.
"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.
"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"
The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."
He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."
George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."
George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."
The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."
"Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.
"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"
"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.
Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."
George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.
"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued.
"Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."
The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"
Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."
George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."
The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."
"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."
George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."
The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.
"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."
The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."
"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"
"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"
"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."
The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.
The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."
George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."
The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."
George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.
"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."
George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"
Merry Christmas!!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Christmas Ladder

The Christmas Ladder

by: David C. Fantone

A CHRISTMAS TREE IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. CERTAIN RELIGIONS DON'T RECOGNIZE THE

BEAUTY AND SYMBOLIC MEANING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE. SOME CAT OWNERS DO,BUT HAVE TO STIFFLE THEIR PASSION FOR SAID TREE. I HAD ALWAYS GROWN UP AROUND THE FULL-BLOWN CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS - TREE, TURKEY, PRESENTS, AND THE LIKE. BUT I KNEW THAT THIS WOULD ALL CHANGE, ONCE ON MY OWN.

IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT I WAS TO SPEND CHRISTMAS ALONE. I HAD MOVE AWAY FROM MY PARENTS AND WAS IN THE BIG WORLD ALL BY MYSELF. BUT I WASN'T REALLY ALL BY MYSELF. I HAD ADOPTED A FEW FRIENDS TO SHARE MY NEW HOME WITH.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, I HAD RESCUED SEVERAL CATS FROM THE LOCAL SHELTER AND FROM THE ROAD WAY. IT SEEMED THAT ONE KITTY JUST WANDERED UP AND INTO MY LIFE FROM OUT OF NOWHERE. I HAD THE ROOM, AND THE FINANCES, AND THE LOVE IN MY HEART TO MAINTAIN THIS LITTLE MENAGERIE. SO ALL WAS O.K. WITH ME AND IT SEEMED LIKE, ALL WAS O.K WITH THE RESIDENTS. EVERYONE GOT ALONG JUST SPLENDIDLY. WHICH SURPRISED ME,

AFTER READING DIFFERENT ARTICLES, IN DIFFERENT MAGAZINES ABOUT " INTRODUCING A NEW CAT TO AN EXISTING GROUP."

IN ONE OF THOSE MAGAZINES THAT I WAS NOW A SUBSCRIBER TO, I HAD READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT CATS AND CHRISTMAS TREES. I WAS AMAZED AT ALL THE DANGERS THAT A CAT COULD FALL VICTIM TO DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THE CHRISTMAS TREE. WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT PROVIDED THE MOST HAZARD TO MY KITTIES AND CATS. "SO,THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE NO TREE" I SAID TO MYSELF. " NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANTED ONE OR WOULD MISS ONE, I WOULD NOT PUT ANYONE IN JEOPARDY".

IT WAS DECEMBER 23 AND IT JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS. NO TREE? HOW COULD IT BE CHRISTMAS? THERE WERE PRESENTS IN THE CORNER, AND MOM SENT A MIXED BATCH OF HER FAMOUS CHRISTMAS COOKIES. BUT WITH OUT A TREE, IT JUST WASN'T CHRISTMAS. I SAT WITH MY ADOPTED FAMILY OF CATS WATCHING THE T.V., WITH ALL IT WONDERFUL COMMERCIALS WITH BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREES IN THEM. I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF " AT LEAST NO ONE WILL GET HURT FROM ANY BROKEN ORNAMENTS, OR CHOKE ON ANY ICICLES."

BUT STILL I MISSED THE TRADITION, BEAUTY, AND THE EFFECT OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO JUST PASS BY WITHOUT TRYING TO FIND SOME KIND OF SOLUTION. IT HIT ME ALL AT ONCE. I'LL MAKE A CAT SAFE CHRISTMAS TREE. THAT'S IT. I'LL DO IT MY SELF.

I'LL JUST THINK A WHILE AND I'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING. AND IT DID COME TO ME. I'LL TAKE MY SIX FOOT LADDER AND PAINT IT GREEN. THAT WILL BE MY TREE. THEN A FEW APPLES AND ORANGES WILL BE THE LIGHTS, A COUPLE OF POPCORN GARLANDS AND A LOT OF COLORFUL STICKERS WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF THE ORNAMENTS.

BY DECEMBER 24TH THE PAINT ON THE LADDER WAS ALL DRY AND THE TREE WAS TRIMMED. I PUT THE PRESENTS SENT FROM HOME UNDER IT AND I WAS HAPPY. THE CATS WERE VERY INQUISITIVE ABOUT THE NEW AND COLORFUL STRUCTURE THAT WAS ERECTED IN THE CORNER OF THE LIVING ROOM. THEY LOOKED AND LOOKED AND, WHEN THEY GOT BRAVE ENOUGH, THEY SNIFFED AND SNIFFED, AND THEY SNIFFED SOME MORE. AFTER A WHILE, EVERYONE WAS BACK ON THE COUCH WATCHING T.V. TO THEM IT WAS NO BIG DEAL.

EVERYONE HAD THEIR TIME EXPLORING AND THEN IT WAS JUST ACCEPTED AS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE FURNITURE. BUT TO ME, IT WAS MY FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE AND A CAT SAFE ONE TOO. IT HELPED WITH THE FEELING OF LONELINESS AND THE LACK OF REAL FAMILY.

I SAT THERE HOLDING ONE CAT AND RUBBING ANOTHER. I HAD ONE BEHIND MY HEAD ON THE BACK OF THE COUCH AND ONE IN MY LAP. BUT STILL THE FEELING OF BEING ALONE CAME OVER ME. I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD NEVER BECOME HOMESICK, BUT IN FINAL ANALYSIS, I WAS. THE NEWLY-MADE TREE HELPED, BUT IT ALSO HINDERED. IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE AND I WAS WISHING IT WAS ALL OVER.

SLEEP COULD BE THE SOLUTION TO THIS DILEMMA. YES, IT WAS EITHER GO TO BED AND

SLEEP OR STAY UP AND BROOD OVER THE FACT THAT I WAS ALONE. BESIDE, IT WAS GETTING LATE AND SANTA WAS COMING. THE WHOLE TIME I WAS LAYING THERE TRYING TO SLEEP, ALL THAT I COULD THINK OF WAS WAKING UP, ALONE. THERE WOULD BE NO BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NO MOTHER AND FATHER, NO PRESENTS, NO TURKEY. " WOE IS ME" I THOUGHT.

TOSSING AND TURNING, SLEEP WOULD NOT COME TO ME. FIFTEEN MINUTES PASSED, THEN A HALF AN HOUR DRAGGED ON. LOOKING AT THE CLOCK THIS TIME, I COULD SEE THAT IT WAS FIFTY FIVE MINUTES SINCE I HAD LAID DOWN. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY, NOT JUST TONIGHT, BUT TOMORROW, WHAT WILL THAT BRING? THEN IN THE SILENCE OF THE NIGHT I HEARD SOMETHING. "MEOW," A STRANGE MEOW. I KNEW THE VOICES OF ALL MY CATS AND THIS WAS NOT ONLY A STRANGE VOICE BUT IT SOUNDED DIFFERENT, IN DISTRESS. IT WENT ON A COUPLE OF MORE TIMES AND NOW I COULD TELL THAT IT WAS COMING FROM OUTSIDE.

THIS WAS A GOOD REASON TO ESCAPE FROM THE DARK ROOM THAT WOULD NOT LET ME SLEEP. I RACED DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE FRONT DOOR. LOOKING OUT, I COULD SEE THE GOLDEN REFLECTIONS OF A PAIR OF EYES STARING BACK AT ME FROM UNDER THE

NEIGHBORS CAR. I KNEW THAT THEY HAD NO PETS, SO IT WASN'T THEIRS. I SLOWLY MOVED FROM THE THRESHOLD TO THE FIRST STEP. "HEAR, KITTY, KITTY" I CALLED. TO MY SURPRISE THE CAT CAME RUNNING TO ME.

SHE HAD TINY DROPLETS OF FROZEN WATER ON HER WHISKERS AND HER BODY TEMPERATURE WAS DROPPING TO A DANGEROUS LEVEL. IT WAS ALL THAT I COULD DO TO KEEP FROM BREAKING INTO TEARS. A QUICK INTRODUCTION AND WE WERE BACK IN THE HOUSE. ALL THE OTHER CATS WATCHED ME AND A STRANGE CAT WHIZZING PAST. TO MY SURPRISE, EVERYONE WAITED QUIETLY IN THE OTHER ROOM.

AFTER A WARM BOWL OF MILK AND A DISH OF HOLIDAY FARE, A QUICK INSPECTION WAS IN ORDER. TO MAKE IT EASIER ON HER, I HELD HER IN MY ARMS AND LOOKED HERE AND THERE.

" NO EARMITES, NO SIGN OF TAPE WORMS, AND NO CUTS. GOOD. BUT WHAT A BELLY. YOU’RE A BIG KITTY AREN'T YOU?" I WAS REALLY HESITANT ABOUT BRINGING A NEW CAT IN TO THE FOLD WITH OUT A COMPLETE AND PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION. WHAT WAS WORSE, THERE WAS NO WAY TO QUARANTINE HER. I JUST HAD TO TAKE MY CHANCES AND HOPE THAT SHE WAS FREE OF ANY FELINE DISEASE. I THEN PUT HER DOWN AND SET HER FREE TO EXPLORE. IT WASN'T LONG UNTIL SHE HAD FOUND EVERY CORNER OF THE SMALL AREA THAT I CALLED HOME. SHE ALSO SEEMED TO GO TO EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE AND ALLOWED HERSELF TO BE INTRODUCED WITH THE USUAL SNIFF SNIFF. " IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS, FOR EVERYONE TO GET ALONG SO WELL" I THOUGHT TO MYSELF. ALL THE INTRODUCTIONS WENT WITHOUT INCIDENT. EVERYONE ACCEPTED HER WITHOUT A SPIT, HISS, OR A GROWL.

IT WAS GETTING LATE AND ALL I COULD DO WAS DONE. I TOLD HER THE RULES OF THE

HOUSE AND MADE HER A BED NEAR MINE. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE I WAS FAST ASLEEP. I RECALLED THE NEXT DAY, THAT IT WAS A GOOD SLEEP. IF I DREAMED, I COULDN'T

REMEMBER. UPON WAKING, I LOOKED FOR MY NEWLY FOUND FRIEND IN THE BED THAT I HAD MADE FOR HER, BUT SHE WASN'T THERE. I CLIMBED OUT FROM UNDER THE WARMTH AND HEADED FOR THE COFFEE POT AND REALIZED THE IT'S CHRISTMAS MORNING. I CHANGED THE DIRECTION THAT I WAS HEADING, TO THE CENTERPIECE OF THE HOLIDAYS, THE CHRISTMAS TREE. MY TREE. MY CAT-PROOF CHRISTMAS TREE.

ROUNDING THE CORNER, A SMILE CAME UPON MY FACE. I COULD SEE THAT ON EVERY RUNG OF THE LADDER, ONE OF MY CATS WERE SITTING. THEY ALL LOOKED AT ME AT THE SAME TIME, ALMOST AS IF IT WAS REHEARSED. THEN THEY ALL LOOKED AWAY. I COULD SEE THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT SOMETHING UNDER THE TREE. SLOWLY I WALKED CLOSER TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT. AMONG THE PRESENTS WAS MY NEW FRIEND AND SHE WASN'T ALONE. SHE WAS CLEANING HER NEWLY BORN KITTENS.

THERE WAS NO WAY OF RETRIEVING ANY PACKAGE FROM UNDER MY CHRISTMAS LADDER WITHOUT DISTURBING HER. BUT THAT WAS OK. I HAD TWO PRESENTS THAT WERE VERY SPECIAL TO ME. THE KITTENS WERE NAMED SANTA AND CLAWS, AND I BLESSED MY NEWLY FOUND FRIEND WITH THE NAME OF NOEL.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Thursday 12-8-11



Hola Y'all!!!

Last night Mom heard the downstairs dogs barking late at night so she ran downstairs to see what was going on. The terriers, who HATE cats, were down at the bottom of the property jumping and barking!! Mom made her way down the steep hill and there was a cat sitting on top of our wall!!! IT"S LUCY!!! The little cat who disappeared a few weeks back!!

Mom and Dad have never stopped looking for her. Mom just KNEW she was somewhere nearby. Mom always called her when she would go outside and was always searching the garage and property. We don't know why Lucy didn't answer and come but NOW SHE'S BACK!!! Mom says at least ONE good thing has happened this week!!!

Mom grabbed her off the wall and climbed back up the hill with her. She got her back up to the clinic room and Lucy was ALL OVER MOM wanting love and FOOD!!! She's really skinny but she seems in good health otherwise. Mom is SOOOOO happy!! Mom keeps going out to the clinic room to love on her. And Lucy just can't GET enough lovin'!!! She must have missed all the snuggling she used to get when she was here.

Laika still hates the little sofa and Mom is trying to figure out a way to make her like it.

All us furkids are doing real good. Playing and running and gettin' loved on. We have toucans in the trees today and it's 72 degrees with a nice breeze. Life is good here.

Please don't forget to vote!! YOU ROCK!!!

Tailwags,
BudBud

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Another sad day



Thank you all so much for all the votes. Please keep voting until the 18th. Just go to www.animalrescuesite.com and click on the "shelter challenge" tab. Then click on Costa Rica for the country. That should bring up Lighthouse. Just click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote.

Yesterday was a sad day. We lost all the puppies. They just weren't strong enough and all of them had been injured when the pregnant mama was hit by that car. The mama gave birth to the puppies after she was hit. If she had not been dumped by an un-caring owner they would all have been strong, fat, healthy puppies. Mom did everything she could to save them. At least they knew love and warmth before they went to meet their mama.

Mom dedicated a sunset to each of them. She says they deserve recognition as much as anybody even though they were only on this earth for a few hours. To us they are still special.

I know this is not our usual reminder with funny pictures but Mom wants to make sure the puppies are remembered....just like someones much treasured pet.

Please don't forget to vote today. We couldn't do what we do without you.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Sad news today





Sad news today,

The neighbors brought in 4 puppies on Sunday afternoon. They said the mama dog had been dumped and then hit by a car. Mom thinks the puppies were probably born AFTER the mama dog was hit. She must have had the puppies, cleaned them up and then died.

They were very weak and were ice cold when they got here. Their urine was VERY dark so Mom thinks they must have been injured internally when the mama dog got hit. We lost one last night and two more today. Only one is still alive.

Mom gave them all names. Pancho, Ernie, Micky and Morrie. Mom dedicated a sunset to each of them. She says they deserve memorial dedication and at least one good thing in their very short lives.


Mom is really sad. She hates to lose a battle. These puppies would not be dead if the owner had not thrown the mama dog away. They were fat little guys, all boys, and would have been wonderful furkids had not some non-caring human murdered them along with their mama.

Mom says she believes God is watching and humans will be punished for all the evil things they do.

Please say some prayers for little Micky. He's the darkest tan one in the photo. Mom is doing everything she can to save him.

Sunday, December 4, 2011



You folks rock!! Your votes have kept us in position to win and NOW WE CAN DO IT!!!! Just keep voting please, until the 18th of this month!! Just go to www.animalrescuesite.com and click on the "shelter challenge" tab. Then click on Costa Rica for the country. That should bring up Lighthouse. Just click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote.

All is well here. Mom got an email last night from a lady who is vacationing here in Costa Rica. She has rescued a dog and wants to take it back to the states. Mom told her to come here and we will help her get all the paperwork she needs. She and the little dog will probably be staying a few days with us.
I sure hope the little dog likes us!!

All the cats are doin' good and Mr. Spanky has taken on the roll of mama cast to Sophia. He cleans her and loves on her all the time. She runs across the yard, on her three legs, and leaps on him. He LOVES it!!! She hasn't let the loss of her leg slow her down at all. When visitors come she leaps up on the hood of their car and meows "HELLO" at them!! What a sweetie she is. And she still loves to snuggle with humans too.

Mom gave Duke his toy back yesterday and he squeaked it all day!!!!!! The only time he turned it loose was to wiggle his jaw!! Mom LAUGHED!!! She says he's gonna have stronger jaws than a pit bull if he keeps it up!!
We take it away from him at night though SO WE CAN SLEEP!!!!

We're supposed to get our test results back Monday from our blood tests. Y'all say some prayers please and send positive energy, that everything comes back GOOD!!!

Tailwags!!!!
BudBud

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Saturday 12/3/11


Duke found an old squeaky toy two days ago and he's obsessed with it!!! He was driving us all crazy with it!! It's REALLY LOUD and he loves to make it squeak!! He played with it for two days and Mom finally was able to get it and hide it!! THANK GOODNESS!!! We were all gettin' headaches!!!

The Christmas winds are really kickin' up right now. They blow HARD!!! We hear them howling all night long and all day long. It dries the clothes real fast and us perros just LOVE standing in it and letting it ruffle our fur!!!

We all got blood sucked out of us night before last. I HATE needles!!! I'm really scared of them.
I remember the shots I have gotten in the arm make me go to sleep and I have a really hard time waking up. So I'm really scared of needles in my arm.

Me and Mom did a video yesterday. Hope you folks enjoy it!! You can see it here!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLx_A6vIuW8 Please don't forget to vote!! TAILWAGS!!!!!!!!!!! BudBud

Friday, December 2, 2011

Friday and we're having a BLAST!!!



All we've gotta do is stay ahead of the other shelters!! Bahamas won a weekly so that means WE can win the international!!! WHOOO HOOO!! THANKS!!! KEEP VOTING FOLKS!! All we have to do now is stay in 2nd place!!!!
Just go to www.animalrescuesite.com and click on the "shelter challenge" tab. Then click on Costa Rica for the country. That should bring up Lighthouse. Just click VOTE and then type in the letters/numbers that appear to confirm your vote.


Our sunsets are back!!! YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!! They're REALLY pretty!! Mom's been taking pics of us furkids in the sunset. Out of about 20 shots she might get one really good one. Us perros don't always cooperate. Mom says if we move it messes up the pic so I try to be REAL still...but the others just don't get it. Sigh............

Sarge and Spicy are back!! We're babysitting them!! Spicy got adopted from us a while back and then they took in another street dog for her to have a playmate!! They're two of the SWEETEST furkids we ever met!!!


Mom took pics of the moon last night. It was shining down really pretty on the water in the Gulf Of Nicoya!! She loves how we get to see things like that. The moon isn't even a full moon but it really makes a pretty light on the water.

You folks are the BEST!! You've kept us ahead of the other shelters and now that Bahamas has won a weekly that means we will win if we just stay in 2nd place!! THANK YOU!!! Please keep voting!!

Tailwags!!!
BudBud

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Choices (Pet loss)


CHOICES

The little white dog stopped. Behind him, doggies were playing,

chasing each other and wrestling in the warm sunshine. It looked

like so much fun, but in front of him, through the clear stillness of the

pond's water, he could see his mommy. And she was crying.

He pawed at the water, trying to get at her, and when that didn't

work, he jumped into the shallow water. All that got him was wet and Mommy's

image danced away in the ripples. "Mommy!" he cried. "Is something

wrong?"

The little white dog turned around. A lady was standing at the edge

of the pond, her eyes sad but filled with love. The little white dog

sighed and walked out of the water. "There's been a mistake," he said. "I'm

not supposed to be here." He looked back at the water. It was starting

to still again and his mommy's image was coming back. "I'm just a baby.

Mommy said it had to be a mistake. She said I wasn't supposed to come here

yet."

The kind lady sighed and sat down on the grass. The little white dog climbed into her lap. It wasn't Mommy's lap, but it was almost as

good. When she started to pet him and scratch under his chin like he liked, he

wagged his tail. He hadn't wanted to, but he couldn't help it. "I'm afraid

there is no mistake. You are supposed to be here and your mommy knows it deep

down in her heart," the lady said.

The little white dog sighed and laid his head on the lady's leg.

"But she's so sad. It hurts me to see her cry. And Daddy too."

"But they knew right from the beginning this would happen."

"That I was sick?" That surprised the little white dog. No one

had ever said anything and he had listened when they thought he was sleeping.

All he had heard them talk about was how cute he was or how fast he was or

how big he was getting.

"No, not that you were sick," the lady said. "But you see, they

chose tears."

"No, they didn't," the little white dog argued. Who would choose to

cry?

The lady gently brushed the top of his head with a kiss. It made him

feel safe and loved and warm--but he still worried about his mommy. "Let

me tell you a story," the lady said.

The little white dog looked up and saw other animals gathering

around.

Dogs --Sally and Baby and Morgan and Rocky and Belle. Even a

lizard named Clyde and some rats named Saffron and Becky and a hamster named

Odo.

Cats too--Big Boy and Snowball and Shamus and Abby and little Cleo and

Robin. Merlin and Toby and Iggy and Zachary. Sweetie and Kamatte and

Obie.

They all lay down near the kind lady and looked up at her, waiting.

She smiled at them and began:

A long long time ago, the Loving Ones went to the Angel in Charge.

They were lonesome and asked the angel to help them.

The angel took them to a wall of windows and let them look out the

first window at all sorts of things--dolls and stuffed animals and cars and

toys and sporting events. "Here are things you can love," the angel said.

"They will keep you from being lonesome."

"Oh, thank you," the Loving Ones said. "These are just what we

need."

"You have chosen Pleasure," the angel told them.

But after a time the Loving Ones came back to the Angel in Charge.

"Things are okay to love," they said. "But they don't care that we love

them."

The Angel in Charge led them over to the second window. It looked

out at all sorts of wild animals. "Here are animals to love," he said. "They

will know you love them."

So the Loving Ones hurried out to care for the wild animals. "You

have chosen Satisfaction," the angel said.

Some of the Loving Ones worked at zoos and wild animal preserves,

some just had bird feeders in their yards, but after a time they all came

back to the Angel in Charge.

"They know we love them," they told the angel. "But they don't love

us back.

We want to be loved in return."

So the angel took them to the third window and showed them lots of

people walking around, hurrying places. "Here are people for you to love,"

the angel told them. So the Loving Ones hurried off to find other people

to love. "You have chosen Commitment," the angel said.

But after a time a lot of Loving Ones came back to the Angel in

Charge.

"People were okay to love," they said. "But sometimes they stopped

loving us and left. They broke our hearts."

The angel just shook his head. "I cannot help you," he said. "You

will have to be satisfied with the choices I gave you."

As the Loving Ones were leaving, someone saw a window off to one

side and hurried to look out. Through it, they could see puppies and

kittens and dogs and cats and lizards and hamsters and ferrets. The other Loving

Ones hurried over. "What about these?" they asked.

But the angel just tried to shoo them away. "Those are Personal

Empathy Trainers," he said. "But there's a problem with their system

operations."

"Would they know that we love them?" someone asked.

"Yes," the angel said.

"Would they love us back?" another asked.

"Yes," the angel said.

"Will they stop loving us?" someone else asked.

"No," the angel admitted. "They will love you forever."

"Then these are what we want," the Loving Ones said.

But the angel was very upset. "You don't understand," he told them.

"You will have to feed these animals."

"That's all right," the Loving Ones said.

"You will have to clean up after them and take care of them

forever."

"We don't care."

The Loving Ones did not listen. They went down to where the Pets

were and picked them up, seeing the love in their own hearts reflected in the

animals' eyes.

"They were not programmed right," the angel said. "We can't offer a

warranty. We don't know how durable they are. Some of their systems

malfunction very quickly, others last a long time."

But the Loving Ones did not care. They were holding the warm little

bodies and finding their hearts so filled with love that they thought they

would burst. "We will take our chances," they said.

"You do not understand." The angel tried one more time. "They are so

dependent on you that even the most well-made of them is not designed

to outlive you. You are destined to suffer their loss."

The Loving Ones looked at the sweetness in their arms and nodded.

"That is how it should be. It is a fair trade for the love they offer."

The angel just watched them all go, shaking his head. "You have

chosen Tears," he whispered.

********************************************

"So it is," the kind lady told the animals. "And so each mommy and

daddy knows. When they take a baby into their heart, they know that one

day it will leave them and they will cry."

The little white dog sat up. "So why do they take us in?" he asked.

"Because even a moment of your love is worth years of pain later."

"Oh." The little white dog got off the lady's lap and went back to

the edge of the pond. His mommy was still there, and still crying. "Will she

ever stop crying?" he asked the kind lady.

She nodded. "You see, the Angel felt sorry for the Loving Ones,

knowing how much they would suffer. He couldn't take the tears away but he made

them special."

She dipped her hand into the pond and let the water trickle off her

fingers.

"He made them healing tears, formed from the special water here.

Each tear holds bits of all the happy times of purring and petting and shared

love.

And the promise of love once again. As your mommy cries, she is

healing.

"In time, she will be less sad and she will smile when she thinks of

you.

And then she will open her heart again to another little baby." "But

then she will cry again one day," the little white dog said.

The lady just smiled at him as she got to her feet. "No, she will

love again. That is all she will think about." She picked up Big Boy and

Snowball and gave them hugs, then scratched Morgan's ear just how she

liked.

"Look," she said. "The butterflies have come. Shall we go over to

play?"

The other animals all ran ahead, but the little white dog wasn't

ready to leave his mommy. "Will I ever get to be with her again?"

The kind lady nodded. "You'll be in the eyes of every kitty she

looks at.

You'll be in the tail wag of every dog she pets. And late at night, when

she's fast asleep, your spirit will snuggle up close to her and you both

will feel at peace. One day soon, you can even send her a rainbow to tell her

you're safe and waiting here for when it's her turn to come."

"I would like that," the little white dog said and took one long

look at his mommy. He saw her smile slightly through her tears and he knew she

had remembered the time he almost fell into the bathtub.

"I love you, Mommy," he whispered. "It's okay if you cry." He

glanced over at the others, running and playing and laughing with the butterflies.

"Uh, Mommy? I gotta go play now, okay? But I'll be around, I promise."

Then he turned and raced after the others.

(Author unknown)