Tucson greyhound: Drama Queen to the Rainbow Bridge 2010/08/08
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Drama Queen, Greyhounds Rule/News, In Memory - the Rainbow Bridge.Tags: Drama Queen, greyhound humor, Rainbow Bridge, tucson greyhound
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Lily at 9 - Carmen-Miran-DOG
The Divine Miss Lily went to the Rainbow Bridge on Friday, August 6. She was 12 years 9 months.
She left planet earth lying on her dog bed with me curled up next to her at Sunrise Pet Clinic. Before they administered a shot to calm her down, she ate numerous cookies. We had time to say our goodbyes and she had a sly smile on her face probably thinking about all the cookies that lay ahead during her next adventure.
Lily will be met at the Rainbow Bridge by my beloved Painter and all the pet dogs that we remember who were our friends — Buddy, Bosco, Jazzmo, Frieda, Jan, Mikey, Lace and Whiskey, Poseidon, Missy, Chessy, Ferrari, Domino, Libby, Tula, Wolf, Daphne, Slim, Charlie, Bessie, Baxter, Zoola, Winna & Holly, Bitsy, Bob Dog and Micha, Cartier, Cairo, Sienna, Senorita, Dakota, Calypso, Jessie, Zowie, Bandit, Sega, Raisin, Quincy, Zeus, Rocket & Moose, Kelsey, Skip, Aimee, Toby, Dog and DogII, Sandy & Dexter, Sam and Chipper…and Chester the cat.
I used to say that Painter was 99.9 percent good boy and Lily was 75 percent good girl but it was the other 25 percent that was memorable. Lily had a penchant for shoes and since I’m a slob, she had her share of chewing shoes and purses. She also had more accessories than I have and really liked bling. On the rare occasions that I did pick up my shoes, she would overturn wastebaskets and tear up paper, once an entire bag of income tax receipts. She had this mischievous behavior her whole life.
Lily also was a counter surfer. She once ate an entire rotisserie chicken, bones and all, as well as raw salmon burgers on a Styrofoam plate. Fortunately, she only took two bites out of the Styrofoam. She knocked the butter dish on the floor and ate half a stick of butter and a big piece of Roquefort cheese; Painter ate the wrapper.
After Painter died, Lily became the only dog which was a position she favored. Though not dog friendly, she loved people and was always loving and curious towards them. Before Jodi & Tom moved, they would sometimes invite my hounds to spend the night. Jodi said each and every time Lily walked in the house, she went directly into the bedroom, and pooped on their pink rug.
Lily celebrated birthday parties and would be the life of the party knowing that it was her special day.
Although she had many nicknames, she was best known as Drama Queen, hence, this blog. She didn’t like those two words. When I said, “Who’s the Drama Queen?” she would talk back and stomp her feet.
Lily (and Painter) brought much joy into my life and into the lives of many people. When she was still able to jump on the bed, I’d wake up some mornings and her little head was on my pillow and her stinky breath in my face. Lily ate poop. Among her ailments, she was going blind. While she couldn’t see very well, there was nothing wrong with her hearing as she barked and barked when she heard something disturbing. Her racing name was “Impatient Roar.” It was a good fit. Mercifully, she only raced six times.
Painter was earnest and eager to please–Lily was not so much. We mostly did life on her terms. She was the boss, applesauce. Lily loved to play “find the cookie”. If I forgot to play this game after dinner, she reminded me. She drove me crazy until we played. When I said, “Do you want to play FIND THE COOKIE?” joy radiated across her sweet face.
Dogs hold a special place card in my heart especially greyhounds. They are survivors like none other. The lucky ones have the ability to survive their gruesome racing lives and move forward to find the softest spot in the room. I was blessed to be owned by Lily since she was 2 years 3 months old, nothing short of a miracle.
If you would like to honor Lily, please consider making a donation to your favorite greyhound rescue group or animal shelter. The day I adopted my first greyhound in 1998, I learned about the horrors of greyhound racing. I have never stopped hating its existence. In 2005-2006, more than 150+ greyhounds disappeared from the dog track here in Tucson never to be found; and in 2008, there were 104 injuries involving 97 dogs, which includes 11 dogs euthanized at the track. These figures are according to the injury reports obtained through a public records request from Arizona Department of Racing.
Across the country, dog tracks are falling like dominoes. Let’s keep up that mission and vision.
Please remember your good times spent with Lily. Cherish each and every day spent with your dogs, cats, and horses.
Lily Greyhound Zoldan
(October 20, 1997 – August 6, 2010)
Adopted from (formerly) GPA/LA & OC now Fast Friends
Thank you for reading. You can read more about Lily’s zany antics here.
Lily at 12 1/2 - Happy Bling Girl
Karyn Zoldan
‘Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.’
~ Elie Wiesel
(photos: Diana Hansen & Loren Dawn)
Tucson Greyhound Humor: Drama Queen – Bad to the Bone 2010/06/30
Posted by Drama Queeen in Drama Queen.Tags: drama queen greyhound, greyhound humor, tucson greyhound
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Happy Birthday Lily
BFFs
Yo. It’s been awhile.
Mama Karyn hogs the computer.
I’m sure you’re dying to know what The Lily has been up to.
I have been bad to the bone.
I chewed Mama Karyn’s favorite pair of faux suede flats. But I did her a favor because I chewed each shoe in the same place so now she still has a matching set. She cried.
Then I had a wonderful birthday party. Mama Karyn didn’t celebrate my 12th birthday but instead she celebrated my 12 1/2 birthday. All the Beading Divas came and then Edie and Kate. I got lots of cool presents…most of them pink. I also got some bling.
A girl can never have too much bling.
I had my very own cupcake too!
Then I got sick a few days later. I had a seizure of some kind. My back legs failed. My eyes spun around in my head. I pooped when my back legs splayed…how embarrassing. And I started to shake. It was frightening.
Fortunately, Mama Karyn was right there to save me.
Then I drank a lot of water.
Karyn took me to the dog doctor and I found out that my liver values were off the charts. Now I take some different medicines and supplements and a month later my liver values were almost back to normal.
And so it goes.
Life is good and together we cherish each and every day.
I noticed Karyn has a new purple purse and some new shoes. I’m sure I’ll be having my way with them soon.
Love you, mean it.
The Lily, a.k.a. Drama Queen
P.S. Here’s an article about my birthday party. It’s called Girls & Greyhounds Just Want to Have Fun.
Greyhound Humor: Drama Queen Chews Favorite Red Purse 2010/03/17
Posted by Drama Queeen in Drama Queen.Tags: adopt a greyhound, greyhound humor, greyhounds, tucson greyhound
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Lily greyhound chews a purse. Who me?
BFFs
I chewed Mama Karyn’s favorite purse.
This didn’t happen recently but right before Christmas. However, this is the first time I have been able to sneak on the com-pu-ter. Mama Karyn lives on the com-pu-ter. She has a whole secret life involving all these virtual friends that have never met me. Their loss.
Anyway I was so tired of that red purse, I consider my chewing it a public service. Karyn bought this faux red leather purse at Target about 10 years ago and she rarely throws anything away unless it’s broken. I did her a favor.
One night before Christmas there was an event in the ‘hood and Karyn asked Auntie Jean Rettus if she wanted to come too. Unfortunately, Jean is a witness to my crime. Karyn only took her keys not her purse and left it hanging on the doorknob in the hall. She has left her purse there many times when she goes for walks.
But this time, there was something in the purse that called my name, “Lily, come eat me!”, said the piece of peppermint bark. And I tried my best to follow that order.
You see Karyn went to Trader Joe’s that same morning after going to the dentist and they were sampling peppermint bark. She felt guilty about eating candy on the way home from the dentist so the Trader Joe’s person said to wrap up a piece for later. She put the piece in the front compartment of her purse. And there it sat, calling my name.
Karyn and Jean were only gone for about an hour and when she came back, she noticed the purse on my bed and I had chewed off some of the faux leather (yeck!) and broke the zipper to the front compartment. Karyn screamed, “OMG! You chewed my favorite purse! I cannot believe you chewed my purse!” Jean was shocked. She said, “Good thing Laila and Lily are not friends because Lily would teach Laila bad habits.” You bet I would!
Mama threw the purse in the trash can in bathroom. They sat down and ate dinner.
Sometimes Karyn closes the bathroom door and sometimes not. This night she didn’t and in the middle of the night, the candy in the purse was still calling my name. I snuck in the bathroom and further destroyed the purse but still couldn’t get to the candy. What a waste of my time and energy.
The next morning Karyn sees the further destroyed purse on my bed and then she remembers the candy. That selfish bitch extracts the candy and eats it in front of my very eyes. She says, “Yum, yum, yum. I love chocolate. Chocolate is not for doggies. So there.” What a low blow.
She better not be leaving her new turquoise boots from Old Navy where I can get them or else she’ll be sorry.
Karyn had another purse in the closet which she dug out. It is ugly and made from boiled wool. Have you ever heard of anything so unappetizing?
Love you mean it!
Lily, a.k.a. Drama Queen
Greyhound Humor: Tucson Drama Queen 2009/09/13
Posted by Drama Queeen in Drama Queen.Tags: Drama Queen, greyhound humor, greyhounds, Tucson greyhounds
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Lily, the reluctant goofy greyhound
BFF
Fans, it’s been awhile. Mama Karyn doesn’t let me near the computer. Now she’s on FaceBook and wastes more time than usual. Is that possible?
Last week I counter surfed and scored a delicious treat – span-a-ko-pita, but more about that later.
It’s been a long hot summer. Did I say hot, hot, hot? I had to wear my Storm Defender cape a lot because it lightened and thundered but that did not always bring rain.
Mama Karyn is nuts. I always thought so but now it’s confirmed.
One night when it was raining really hard, mama Karyn went outside on the patio wearing only a t-shirt and panties and danced around…by herself.
She wanted me to come too but no way. She was laughing and yelling, “RAIN BABY RAIN.” What will the neighbors think? She came back in the house soaking wet, wrapped herself in a towel, and drank a beer. I just looked on in disgust. Is that any way for an aging baby boomer to act? Where’s the AARP police when you need them?
But back to moi – Once a month, I go to see Dr. Janet at Sunrise Pet Clinic for my acupuncture and cold laser therapy treatment. I am happy to report that my beautiful back legs have not splayed for two months.
In July, mama Karyn went on a vacation…without me. Marilyn my dog sitter stays with me when mama Karyn leaves. Marilyn is truly my love slave. She massages me twice a day and continually grooms me and adores me unlike Karyn who mostly just ignores me. We sit outside a lot because Marilyn smokes like a chimney.
One day Marilyn came over and I panicked. I thought mama Karyn was leaving but I didn’t see her packing. I thought she was trying to trick me but Marilyn just visited. Phew!
Lots of stuff has been happening to the house. Karyn’s messy office is now in another room – it’s still messy. She told me I might not like the changes but we’ll have to wait and see. Lots of strangers have been here to fix or alter this or that.
Now back to counter surfing which is a hobby of mine. Last week, one of Karyn’s many friends – Ditte Lokon — came over and brought homemade span-a-ko-pita. Can you believe they sat there in front of me and ate them? Even though I SAT there politely and watched, nobody offered me a taste? How rude!
Then they rushed out. When Karyn rushes, she forgets stuff. She left a span-a-ko-pita in a Ziploc bag on the counter. I couldn’t open the bag so I chewed through it. Yum………..it was layers of buttery goodness.
The next day Karyn wanted to eat it for breakfast and she looked all over the refrigerator. She found remnants of the plastic bag on my dog bed and just shook her head. She’s not the only gourmand in the family.
Ta Ta for now
Love you, mean it
Lily, the Drama Queen
Greyhound Humor: Drama Queen Ups and Downs 2009/06/27
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Drama Queen.Tags: greyhound, greyhound humor. drama queen, greyhounds
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Drama Queen loves to accessorize
Aye yii yii
What a few weeks I’ve had.
First, I was a bad girl. I ate the tongue of mama Karyn’s shoes. They were the stinky shoes. I chewed and chewed the tongue. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because they smelled like a stinky mama Karyn.
Then I threw up yellow bile off and on for several days. Mama Karyn kept finding pieces of the chewed up shoe tongue and threw them in the waste basket and I went into the wastebacket and chewed more.
I drove Mama Karyn nuts!
Then I had some leg problems. I am suffering from spinal stenosis. My back legs shake and splay.
One day I was in my favorite spot in the cubby between Karyn’s bathroom and her office. I couldn’t get up. My leg slid under the closet door and I was stuck. I cried out and Karyn came running. She had to climb into the cubby (she was saying too many bad words) and lift me up. She tried to put a towel underneath me and as she lifted me up, I was screaming. When I finally got up I was fine.
Now she blocked off the cubby so I cannot lie there.
The next day I couldn’t get off the cool bedroom floor. Again my back legs were shaking. She helped me up again. My back legs splayed.
By then she was a nervous wreck.
She took me for my monthly acupuncture and cold laser therapy treatment and I feel fine now.
I have searched all over for more shoe tongues but found none.
One day I was sitting on my dog bed in the bedroom and I found Karyn’s pretty beaded sandals. If she didn’t leave her shoes in the middle of the room and instead put them in closet like a neatnik, these things wouldn’t happen. Anyway, I was holding her shoes between my paws marveling at how pretty they were and wondering if the beads tasted good when I was BUSTED.
She came into the bedroom and found me. She said, “OH MY DOG. What are you doing? You are a bad, bad, bad girl!”
Then she grabbed the sandal away from me and put them away.
I just gave her a dumb look.
Love ya, mean it
Drama Queen Greyhound Chews a Shoe 2009/06/14
Posted by Drama Queeen in Drama Queen.Tags: greyhound, greyhound drama queen, greyhound humor, greyhounds
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BFF
I have been naughty. Once again I chewed Mama Karyn’s shoes. These are the same shoes I chewed before (see below) like last year. This time I only chewed one shoe so she no longer has a matched set of two chewed shoes. Last year she got them repaired.
I think Mama Karyn likes her Keen shoes more than me.
Those shoes are ugly. If I could wear shoes, mine would be bright red and strappy with sequins. Karyn wears these ugly black and brown shoes and they STINK. I mean it. They stink so badly that she doesn’t put them in the bedroom and the insides are all ripped up. For whatever reason, she loves those shoes. She says they are comfortable.
And if they smell bad to her, can you imagine what they smell like to me?
Anyway, yesterday Karyn was in and out all day and then she left. After I eat my dinner, I expect to play the Find the Cookie game but she just left. That did not sit well with me. She left me a treat but I went from room to room looking for cookies and there were none.
But I found her shoe and I had my way with it. So there.
Many hours later she came back and found the shoe on my dog bed. Karyn just burst out crying. Sometimes I feel sad when I make her cry but not tonight.
She looked at the ripped up shoe and the other shoe and just shook her head. Then she shut off the lights and went to bed.
I think she forgot about it today…maybe. The whole problem would be solved if she put her shoes in the closet like a normal human being.
Ta Ta, Lily, the Drama Queen
Drama Queen Speaks: I’m a gas, gas, gas (previous shoe chewing blog post)
originally posted elsewhere-Sunday, April 20th, 2008
Yo bi-at-ches
I have been a very bad girl lately. I’m 10 1/2 and still chew lots of stuff.
This past week I was very bad. Here’s the story.
One night Mama Karyn left. She has been gone a lot lately. Mama Karyn is a SLOB. Don’t tell her I said that because she is closet slob.
She left her shoes in the middle of the living room floor. I have not chewed shoes for years but I was angry so I chewed them. They were her Keen’s. She loves her Keen’s. They are old and smelly but she wears them every day and brags that they are supposed to last forever.
I guess they could last forever if I didn’t chew them.
Hours later she returned and found one shoe on my bed in her office. She started to SCREAM: “YOU CHEWED MY SHOES?” I wagged my tail. She started looking for the other shoe but got distracted.
Later she remembered and went on a shoe hunt and found the other shoe in my bed in the blue room. Again she started to SCREAM: “YOU CHEWED MY FAVORITE SHOES!”
She looked at them closely and thought maybe they were saveable. Then she started to cry. I felt bad and went up to her, nudging with my nose like I also do, and she looked con-flict-ed. She did not pet me…but later she did.
The next day there was a lost greyhound and she left again.
When she came back she was carrying some groceries and started putting them away when the phone rang. There had been a sighting of the lost dog so out she goes without a goodbye.
Then she came back and got busy and left yet again to go to the gym. When she returned, she fed me. With all this coming and going, I felt like a second-class citizen.
I heard her in the kitchen talking to herself saying, “What the hell happened to my salmon burgers?” She looked at her receipt and got charged for the salmon burgers.
Then she gave me the evil eye and marched into the blue room. I left evidence. On the bed was part of the sty-ro-foam tray.
She YELLED: “YOU ATE THE RAW SALMON BURGERS?! YOU ATE THE STY-RO-FOAM TOO?”
Of course, I had the dreaded big-D in the middle of the night and then on my walk the next day both morning and night.
Mama Karyn also tells me that I’m a stinky girl (that’s good, right?) She doesn’t sound angry when she says so. She said I have the worst gas, gas, gas.
Confidentially, the salmon burgers were yummy but they smell better when she cooks them but that sty-ro-foam didn’t taste so good; I didn’t eat too much of that.
Love you, mean it
Lily, the Drama Queen
Greyhound Humor: Drama Queen Speaks 2009/05/30
Posted by Drama Queeen in Drama Queen.Tags: greyhound, greyhound drama queen, greyhound humor
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Sneaking Off with 5 Pounds of Treats
originally posted Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008
Yo, BFFs
Today mama Karyn was rushing around like she always does and she ran out of the house. Bye Bye!
The first thing I do when she leaves is see if she left any food on the counter. One time she left a ro-tis-ser-ie chicken. I ate most of it, bones and all.
Another time she left the but-ta dish. I knocked the but-ta dish to the ground and ate the but-ta. It was smooth. One time she left some smelly blue cheese on the counter. I took it and at that time Painter was still here and he ate the wrapping. We shared.
I checked the counter but, no–there was nothing there.
But aha, silly me, she left the pantry door open. That is what I like to call a buffet.
I saw this big bag of treats and it called my name. When I eat treats, I like to take them to my dog bed in mama’s bedroom. So I huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and carried the FIVE POUND BAG into the bedroom.
Rats! I could not open the bag. I couldn’t believe it.
She takes dental treats out of the bag so how come I couldn’t open the bag?
Then she came back. At first she didn’t notice but then she did and she LAUGHED really hard. I personally didn’t think it was that funny.
She gave me a dental treat. It was not exactly a happy ending.
—————————
Pins and Needles
(originally posted Wednesday, December 26th, 2007)
Yo, BFFs
My beautiful hind legs started to shake badly and mama Karyn was worried. She took me to see Dr. Forrer at Sunrise Pet Clinic. The first day they examined me. I screamed out when they touched something on my back.
The next time Dr. Janet stuck needles into me. It didn’t hurt and I was a brave girl except the last needle HURT SO BAD that I screamed aloud. OWIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
A few days passed and back we go for more. Dr. Janet is real nice and she has great treats but I’m still nervous. Mama Karyn told her that my back legs stopped shaking and that I was running around and digging up holes in the yard like my old self.
This time the needles go in and I did fine. She even put a needle in the re-nal me-ri-di-an which was a big OWIEEE last time and did not bother me this time. I laid down on the blankie and just relaxed, sort of. No biggie.
The vet tech and Dr. Janet and Karyn told me what a beautiful, brave girl I am.
I already knew that.
Love you. Mean it. Lily a.k.a. Drama Queen
Welcome Greyhound Drama Queen 2009/05/19
Posted by Drama Queeen in Drama Queen.Tags: greyhound, greyhound humor, greyhounds
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Yo Bi-at-ches,
I am the Drama Queen.
But you may call me The Lily.
I will be pon-ti-fi-ca-ting from time to time. No, that’s not a bad word. I know all the bad words.
I hope you get to know me better. To know me is to love me. But don’t expect that in return.
Until next time…
The Lily, a.k.a. The Drama Queen
(This post was originally posted on Thursday, December 20, 2007, on another blog that disappeared-tsk, tsk; it will be resurrected here.)
Tucson Greyhound – Jett’s Stream – Life is Greyt Now 2010/09/30
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Greyhounds Rule/News, Jett's Stream.Tags: Jett greyhound, Tucson greyhounds
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Jett lounging at Greyt Escape
Hey world and Tucson – posted by Jett Greyhound
Life is greyt here.
Unlike the previous greyhound who lived here, the Drama Queen, I don’t chew stuff. Instead I just move things around especially things that smell like my person Karyn. She calls me The Decorator.
So much has happened since I blogged last time. I am supposedly exuberant…whatever that means.
One day Karyn took me to this cool place where I met a lot of greyhounds. Then another day she took me again but left without me. At first I didn’t like that but I liked the dogs and Michelle and felt right at home at Greyt Escape. I even got to counter surf some cheese and bark at the javelina from afar. Man, they are ugly. When Karyn came back for me, I did the happy dance.
Another day Karyn came to give me a big hug and put her arms around me and started crying. I thought maybe she hurt that hole in her heart. She rocked me gently and said, “Baby boy, I am so very sorry that you raced 150 times. Let the good times roll. I’m going to spoil you rotten.” I can hardly wait!
I’ve been meeting lots of people. There’s an endless parade of people who come to visit us.
Now I am doing clicker training. She clicks this thing and I come and then I get a treat. What’s not to like?
Here’s a little secret. I am the perfect height to put my head on the dining room table. People who don’t have dogs won’t like this story. Anyway one day Karyn was starting to eat a Chipotle bowl but got up to get a drink. When she turned around I had stuck my entire face in the bowl. She yelled, “LEAVE IT!” I backed away from the table but there were incriminating lettuce strands sticking out of my mouth. I was this close to getting some of that chicken.
Fortunately, my lovely person Karyn laughed. Ha ha ha. She has the best sense of humor.
By for now.
What you see is what your JETT.
Tucson Greyhound: Jett’s Stream – Hello World 2010/08/22
Posted by greyhoundsrule in Jett's Stream.Tags: Jett greyhound, Tucson dogs, tucson greyhound
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Jett Greyhound: Hello World!
Hello Tucson and the World
I am Jett Greyhound. I am a retired racing greyhound. I use to race around the dog track here in Tucson.
My person has a lot to say about that and none of it is good. She uses cuss words that I am not allowed to repeat. I am a good boy and a gentleman so I won’t repeat them.
Anyway, she refuses to talk about my racing name, how many races I ran which she says the industry data is not up to date so it’s a moot point, whatever that is.
My person Karyn says the only thing that matters is — I am here now in a home with three soft dog beds.
Wow!
I heard through the greyt vine that I have big paws to fill as Karyn recently lost her almost 13 year old greyhound Lily, aka Drama Queen. My person said she had a big hole in her heart and I was here to fill it.
A hole in the heart sounds painful.
I can fill the hole and make Karyn feel better.
We’re going to have a great life together. You’ll just have to wait and see…
Today I went to the Save More Animals adopt-a-thon at a nice hotel in a carpeted ballroom. I got microchipped. Karyn almost fainted when she saw the vet insert a long needle into me. As for me, Jett Greyhound, I didn’t feel a thing. My god-mama Cynthia made me feel so brave.
That was my debut out and I met a lot of people, kids, and lots of dogs, like more greyhounds and found out I was really popular with the Golden Retrievers. I stuck my needle nose into their inner circle.
That’s me in the photo. Aren’t I a handsome boy?
BFN
Posted by…What you see is what you JETT…Greyhound
Beading Divas Bracelets 