Opening My Shop In Old Town, Lilburn, Georgia, Sat. Jan 22nd!

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Click on the arrow and see how much fun we will have on Jan. 22nd. You will also hear Huey Lewis sing The Power Of Love! Which is a perfect theme for the shop - it is about the power of love!

Events on Saturday include:

Special sale to benefit Friends of DeKalb Animals from 11 to 5pm.

Kick-off of 30 day photography exhibit of Haiti after the earthquake, by metro Atlanta writer and photographer, Cheryl Lewis. Read her story on Skirt of visiting Haiti and the missing boy she is trying to locate.

Music by Larry Joe Hall noon to 3pm.

Keep up on shop news on The Little Shop Of Arts And Antiques blog.

Meet Hank - And Welcome Guest Blogger Beverly Olsen

Beverly and friend

Beverly Olsen is a writer on Skirt's online magazine and a volunteer at a  no-kill shelter, Our Pal's Place, in Marietta, Georgia. I've borrowed her post from Skirt and reprinted it here.

Hank, a grand old dog that could use a home, speaks in her post. Beware there is talk about putting dogs down, but good news on changes in the law.

My name is Hank. I’m an overweight, middle-aged guy; but, the ladies say I have soulful eyes. I want to tell you about my current home. The house I live in at the moment is an old ranch that’s not in the best shape. I don’t mind, though because my space is under a great air conditioner and I have a comfortable bed. I get fed twice a day and get to go outside four times a day. It’s a pretty good set-up. The people who care for me are great! They really care about me and the others who live here. Our medical needs are taken care of and we are well fed. This place is meant to be a way- station, a layover, on the way to a new life for each of us.

The director of the facility where I live gives her heart and soul to this place everyday. It’s something called a 501-3C, which means that none of the great volunteers that work here make any money. They care for us because they love us. The director is the kindest, hardest working woman that I have ever known. She literally saved my life more than once! She saves multiple lives every month.

I asked a friend of mine to write this for me. Times have been tough this year since all the home foreclosures and we are busting at the seams here at Our Pal’s Place. The house is an old 1950’s ranch that could really use an “extreme home makeover.” It needs new plumbing, wiring and HVAC (whatever that is-my benefactor told me to put that in here). Last year there was a plumbing leak that got alot of the support beams wet and pretty well rusted out the central A/C. We stay cool with small window air conditioners. They are duct taped into the old windows which themselves are falling apart.

Now I’m not complaining because if I wasn’t here, I would be dead. That’s right DRT (Dead Right There). I would have met my fate with the gas chamber about 3 years ago. I know what you’re thinking, “What gas chambers? The United States doesn’t use gas chambers for execution. That was the Nazis in Germany.”

Well, guess what my kind have been murdered in your state for years in this brutal fashion. This year something wonderful happened. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has announced that he has signed HB 788 into law! This means by January 1, 2011, no county or city in the state can use carbon monoxide gas chambers to kill shelter animals.

Yep, I’m a dog or canine citizen as I prefer to be called. Here’s my latest photo!

Hank

I want to personally invite you to come visit me. I won’t lie, I am asking for your help. My dream is to raise enough money to build a new facility, so that we can save even more lives and expand our education program. We are in a great location and have enough land to expand. We need someone who has the financial resources to donate or to help in a major fundraising effort. If my little story has sparked your interest, please contact my human friend Beverly Olsen at beverlyo@bellsouth.net.

Thanks, Hank

 visit

DOG NEEDS HOME....... CHECK OUT THAT HAIRCUT

My sister in Florida sent me these photos of a lost dog who landed in the right spot. Temporarily. Matty needs a home. See how pretty Matty looks? Check out the before photo of this little tyke and Pam's words on his hair cut.

"He's been to the beauty parlor! His fur was so matted it came off in one piece! Turns out he's fixed and has a chip, but the chip is not registered."

Matty was found in Georgia by Tom, my sis and her hubbys good friend. Tom is taking care of Matty's medical costs but someone lovely needs to make a home for this cutie pie.

My six stared me down when I showed them Matty's photo. I think they said this inn was full. What about yours? Matty is currently in the Inverness Florida area.

BEFORE

AFTER

Oh No-o-o-o-o!

The pelt

What a good doggie.

Photos Pam King Photography

Widow Lesson Learned: There are bad hair days and then there are really bad hair days. But there is never a bad day to share love.

Little Dog - Huge Personality

Chloe loves flowers. She is a garden gal and flower child.

Chloe, my 3 year old Chi. She came to me for my birthday last August. My third rescue dog, bringing my total to four. She didn't have a heart break story she just had a sad story. Her owner turned her in to a rescue group at 2 years of age.  The charm of owning a dog had worn off. An expensive puppy for her previous owner to buy, but at age 2 Chloe no longer held her owner's interest. It was not a financial decision for the owner, she just decided she didn't want the little dog that was not house broken. Not house broken because she was trained on pee pads. Not Chloe's fault.
I do admire the woman who owned Chloe for she did the right thing. Turned her in. Gave her to a rescue group. Let her find a new home. I am sure there was an element of embarrassment on her part explaining she just didn't want a dog anymore. But she did right by Chloe. Chloe's trauma level was low. She went from her home to another home then to my home. She changed owners, but her heart was never broken. She was never dumped by the side or just left behind. That owner was humane in how she handled the situation.
I met Chloe outside of PetSmart in Tucker, Georgia.  Mother and I were going to Goodwill and I suggested stopping by to see who was up for adoption next door. Looking at rescue dogs was more fun than looking at men on Match and my success rate was 100% better with dogs.
There was this seven pound Chihuahua sitting on her foster mom's shoulder.  I looked at her and thought why not? My mother help lead me into this folly with the words I'll take her if she doesn't work out.  The foster mom looked at us both closely and then pointed her finger at my chest. If she doesn't work out, you call me.  You don't give her to anyone else. I smiled. Then reassured her. Chloe was staying with me.
We got home to three dogs curious as to the small dog that landed in the midst of their wagging tails. Foxy, Bray and Annabelle now had a new friend. A small petite friend who would soon snap then all into shape. For the moment Chloe raced through the living room, danced in circles then jumped up in my lap her tiny paws hitting my shoulders and a tiny tongue licking my face.
Chloe is like the cherry on an ice cream sundae. That tiny bit of flavor that adds punch.  My other three dogs all the same size, like the three big scoops of ice cream in the bowl. Then that little tyke on top. The grand finale I was sure.
Who knew I still had two more rescue dogs waiting to come to my house. But that is a story for another time.
Chloe loves to run the yard. She is like a blast of energy as she leaps and bounds around the perimeter of my fenced yard. Faster than a speeding bullet. A little clown showing off, they a little baby who tires and wants to sleep with her heard by your cheek.
I thank her previous owner for the gift of Chloe. And I thank her for being brave enough to look at someone and say, no I can't keep her. That takes courage. She could have abandoned her, as many people do, but she had the goodness to give Chloe a second chance. I am that second chance and she has my heart.
Can you find the little doggie snooping in the garden?

Look closely and you'll see a little dog butt.

Is that a little doggie behind the deer? Oh so small and curious!

Widow Lesson Learned: Some times small packages hold the biggest surprises of all.

Tomorrow we have a special treat. Guest blogger Jen Wilbur has a great story to share!

Music And New Dog

Every day is an adventure! Found a way to put my favorite songs on my blog! Will be adding to my playlist as I go. Great free site to listen to music. Three of my favorite songs. I love September by Earth, Wind and Fire.Check it out. http://www.playlist.com/.

And now meet April. My last and final dog or I am in the dog house for sure. A rescue from Animal Canine Adoption Project. Same place I got Rascal from New Year's Eve. Had the evil eye for both, but in the name of sanity only got one. But April had buried her image in my brain and I couldn't forget her smiling face. Could you? She is so sweet. And timid. The other bigger dogs were making her a fraidy cat and she wanted so to be in a smaller place where she could blossom. Well, she has blossomed alright. Here not half a day and already sleeping on the chaise. She was so docile when she came in the other dogs almost missed her. Rascal created a hoopla, but April got a butt sniff, the highest sign of approval from the others. Six dogs. If I take out the I and add an E in its place the word will be sex. Sex that I will probably never have again since every man will fear the crazy woman with six dogs. But the man who says, hey, cool, will win my heart. And maybe there is a crazy dog man out there. Meanwhile I am all smiley with my group. We watched TV, Bray on the big leather chair, April on the floor next to him, Annabelle under a quilt on the couch, Rascal with her head on my chest, Foxy at the other end of the couch and Chloe curled up on my lap. Is that six? I am loosing count. But it is very warm and cozy when you have that many dogs laying on you and it is 17 degrees outside. A big heap of warmth.Here is the link to the rescue shelter, and Peggy is the best. A state trooper who knows how to let the dogs out. Out to my house it seems. http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/GA244.html. Could you resist this sweet face?

Widow Lesson Learned: I am one dog away from being a fruit loop.