Thanksgiving reflections...

1. Henri can and when given the opportunity will eat an entire box of Triscuits in about 30 seconds.  I will  never be faster than Henri.
2. NEVER have your 6 year old great niece the Sunday - Thursday of Thanksgiving week.  I love her but her "help" is just not the "help" I really need during a holiday. 
3. NEVER schedule your husbands surgery the Friday following Thanksgiving.  
4. If you have cameras in your home and you watch your dogs while you are gone and you do not have the opportunity to yell at them... why watch?  I did yell at them when I got home. 
5. I am "getting sued" by a lady who wanted us to start seeing her cats 7 days after they left on holiday.  She only wanted us one day every 14 days "to clean the litter box, fill the bath tubs and open more food bags".  She ended with "don't you know my husband is one of the biggest lawyers in New Orleans?".  I can't WAIT to hear from him... You think I will?  Yes - I did drive by to see her house.  I admit it.  
6. Bradley got bit really hard by a bird and my first reaction was to laugh.  Does that make me horrible?  It never bites Marisa and Pamela! 
7. Never ever have your client returns piled on the main kitchen counter when you are using said counter to cook for your sick husband.  It takes them a long time to dry. 
8. No matter how long she has been gone... I will always miss Jessica.
9. No matter how much we try - Isabelle will always be smarter than anyone in this house. 
10. I have a dream team... 
11. It sounds stupid but I really, really consider our clients our family and love y'all.  Well - okay not necessarily y'all but all of your babies.   We treat them like we would want you to treat ours and we take this very seriously.  

Thank y'all so much for your support over the years.  To our new clients welcome to the family.  To those that we have had forever - we appreciate you and to those that just visit the blog to read... thank you.  I always enjoy seeing the number that visits each day.  

Where were you 10 years ago?

I got a few emails today asking about my 9.11 story so I decided to answer this way...  


As some of you know, at that time I was working as a Franchise Area Director for Wendy's International and was responsible for parts of Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, and the vast majority of Louisiana.  Our Regional office was in Atlanta, Georgia but or Corporate office was in Columbus, Ohio.  I was in the air about four legs a week and at least two times a month.


On 9.11, I was helping to facilitate a Crisis Management Workshop for some of our franchise community.  At the time, this particular workshop took the Owners and Operators from the moment a crisis happens (robbery, food born illness scare, etc.)  to the recovery process thereafter with a huge emphasis on being interviewed with the media.  (By the way - when I say I have a job in "Corporate America", this is they type of thing that I still do)


I had gone to the conference room early to make sure that all of our equipment, etc. was ready to go and had not been able to pay attention to the mornings news.  


I was sitting next to my Vice President and started reading the news on my Palm Pilot and sliding the card over to him.  I still have the card...  


The note (below)...

• all air travel on hold in US
• plane hit world trade center
• Boston/LA jet highjacked
• Pentagon now hit not sure if it airplane or bomb
• I am scared MM. Lets break.

We took a break and the hotel brought us a television.  We were all riveted and in that moment it brought all of us closer... so much so, I emailed each of them today. Needless to say we concluded the Workshop and as our Franchise Partners started to leave I packed my car and drove home with my Vice President.  We were so lucky to have driven.  


Ten years ago my company was very different... I created the company because I needed someone to take care of Remy and could not find what I was looking for so I created it.  I was not insured at the time an had no idea what I was really doing.  I also had very few clients... most of them friends and friends of friends.  9.11 changed one thing for sure... 


I only had one New Orleans Pet Care client working in New York that day and for eight days we heard nothing.  On the ninth day we heard she died in in a hospital after attempting to escape the World Trade Center.  I know I say this all of the time (especially to all of you single parents) please make time to have a plan in place for your pets... you can't imagine how difficult it was to place sweet darling C (a beautiful New Orleans rescue mutt!) without a written plan.  I think about her often and I hope we made the right decision when placing.  


9.11...Never forget. 

I got such a sweet holiday gift today...

Remy ~Spring of 2006

One of our former (moved to St. Rose) clients is my personal photographer. The year after Katrina, I hosted a cocktail at Dog Day Afternoon for all of our clients. Brandy took these photographs of Remy and has kept them in her elibrary. Y'all - I cried when I got the disk today... I miss my little man! Thank you Brandy... I love you. This is so special to me...

If you need a great photographer... Brandy is amazing!

Save the date! March 29, 2009

We are looking forward to our annual Dog Day Afternoon Cocktails & Cookies (Private) Party! We will email the invite but wanted to make sure you saved the date. Jessica, Sawyer, Marci, Bradley, Pamela, Mike and I look forward to seeing y'all there!

March 29, 2009
NEW LOCATION!
Roosevelt Mall in City Park
Day-of registration opens at 10:30 More Dog Day Afternoon information...

Cocktails & Cookies @ 11:00AM

Local news story... Please watch for these babies!

Animal rescuer has dogs, truck stolen while working
10:15 AM CDT on Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thomas Planchet / Eyewitness News


NEW ORLEANS - An animal rescuer with the Humane Society of Louisiana says she had her truck stolen while three of her beloved animals were inside Monday morning inside a warehouse on North Claiborne Avenue and that attempts to alert police and call 911 proved frustrating.
Shoshana Rothschild said she heard someone starting up her truck around 10:30 a.m. Monday and before she could reach the vehicle a thief was speeding away with it and her pets.
Rothschild said the stolen pets included a 180-pound St. Bernard-Doberman mix called ‘John Deere;’ a black and tan Miniature Pinscher named ‘Little Man;’ and a Miniature Pinscher-Dachsund mix called ‘Tick.’ According to a press release from Jeff Dorson of the Humane Society, Rothschild immediately called 911 to ask for help and ended up calling several times in the late morning and early afternoon but said she received no response and that future calls were unreturned. “My own police department never even bothered to show up to take a report,” the release quoted Rothschild as saying. Rothschild said she and her sister eventually flagged down a police car and were told to go fill out a report at the First District police station, which she did. Rothschild’s truck is described as a tan 2003 Chevy Silverado, 2500 HD Series, with an extended cab bearing a Texas license plate 40CV73. An animal sticker/magnet was on the back with a white and black footprint reading “Save Animals.”

Awww

Baby M - "What? Where is my cookie" face!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from...

Sexy Max O' Ulmer

Save the date! Saturday, March 21st!

An Off-site Adoption Day at the Bywater Bark Market,will be held in conjunction with the monthly Bywater Art Market! Bywater Art Market is located at Mickey Markey Park...
Adoptions will be held from 11:00 am-3:00 pm. But come early and enjoy the day! From 9am-4pm, pet professionals will be on hand to offer adoptions, a dog wash, training demos, dog accessories, as well as free micro-chipping. In addition, the regular Art Market artists will showcase animal themed art, do pet portraits on the spot (photographs, watercolors, and oil commissions!) Proceeds will benefit the LA-SPCA Heartworm Fund, providing heartworm treatment for otherwise adoptable animals!Markey Park, Royal St. @ Piety, 944-7900, www.BywaterArtMarket.comAdmission is free and refreshments by Nathan’s Que Crawl(the Purple Truck!) will be available.

The bossy girl...

Trying to get 2nd set of treats while Jessica turns her back!

Petunia

Petunia making her web debut... sister Isabelle... holding out for more treats!

We are going to miss y'all so much!

R: We are going to miss y'all so much... (even the snake!). Thank you for years of support and allowing us to fall in love with your family. We will miss you but hope New Orleans will call you home soon... Take care of our babies! Keep in touch!

From Dr. Mommy! "... I know that I will NEVER EVER be able to find pet care like you all - so reliable, caring and always going above and beyond duty. I never ever have to worry about my babies with you guys in charge. I know the boys will also miss you a lot - they have so much fun with their visits..."

I need a forever home!

Email or call New Orleans Pet Care if you want to give me one!

Max is having a great holiday too!

Bradley loved Venice and is making his way to Rome. It sounds like he has made a lot of great friends and travel mates! It sounds like he is having the time of his life... Max is too!

Mardi Gras 2009... in the can!

What a great time! The weather and the company were amazing... March is upon us!

Bradley in Europe, Daylight Savings Time begins, Krewe of Arfus, St. Patrick's Day Parades and Dog Day Afternoon...

What a life we get to live!

Messenger Max

This is how we have to roll from time to time...

P.S. - It worked!

A cautionary tale...

Rollo

+

=

So a client was walking her baby in the park (with her baby daddy!) and Rollo picked up one of these and ate it before they could pull his head up. Long story short, it got caught in his trachea... almost in the lungs... and he had to have a Bronchoscopy to remove it. They were very close to loosing him. Thankfully, he is at home recovering. Just one... not a mouth full. It is a reminder to all of us that it can happen in a split second...

UGH!

Still without Internet access! Mobile blogging... Have a great Valentine's Day.

How much do I hate AT&T today?

As you may have experienced as well... our AT&T (cell) service has been "down" most of the day. If you left us a voice mail or sent an email and we have not responded, we may not have received. Please touch back with us if so. We are sorry for the inconvenience!

http://www.wdsu.com/news/18481146/detail.html

Wowzer!

If this week is any indication of how crazy this year is going to be... we should all get some rest this weekend!

Someone changed the vibe in the house!

Bonky was very happy with sharing the house with Lili...

But no... they had to bring this little mess home... (his thoughts)

Wenu

Cute, playful kitten...

Lili has a little more patience with the baby but... key word "little"