ROMEO: Staffordshire Bull Terrier - Australian Shepard - Boxer -

SO I ordered a DNA test from PetCo for Romeo our "Beagle-Whippet" per the Mission Viejo Shelter. All were listed in the "in-the-mix" category meaning he is a Full-Blooded Mutt. But, we knew that, and I knew there was NO Beagle there. Boxer??? Sure he always seemed to especially like them at the dog parks and Boxer owners say their dogs KNOW other boxers from other dogs (??) But he looks nothing like a boxer. And that Australian Shepard thing... lots of people have guessed that about Romeo - but WHERE is the LONG fur???? He didn't get the fur!!!

Staffordshire Bull Terrier... I can see the hind quarters - strong and similar to the Whippet and Greyhound - built for speed and running - yes - that I can agree with - 100% but, his legs and feet... Romeo's feet are sleek and slender and he has longish toes like the whippet and greyhound. He is not so stocky - barrel chest - yes - always I saw that - THAT for sure - but wow - maybe we'll go with the extend version - it can tag nearly 100 breeds - maybe.

Saw something about the Staffordshire that they particularly like children - again lots of dogs do - and Romeo has always tended towards them - "asking" for pets from them first....


From the Westminster Kennel Club: The first impression of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier is that of strength, intelligence and tenacity. The alert stance, big smile and wagging tail with which he welcomes all human visitors confirm the breed standard's call to show its "...affection for its friends and children in particular, its off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability." Although originally bred for the pit many years ago, the Staffordshire is best known today as a foremost all-purpose family dog with a steady and dependable nature, outstanding athletic ability in the performance sports of agility and flyball, and the intelligence to be successful in the obedience ring.

Read the "NAture of the Beast" on the SBTCA site - and even if it is "in the mix" much of the description of that breed fits Romeo - so again - maybe - DNA doesn't lie on CSI...

El Pollo Loco

Yeah I could use a year's free anything - might as well be Flame-Grilled Chicken!

Girl Scouts and Movies

GIRLS SCOUTS ROCK!

This weekend Sara and I led four short hikes for Service Unit RT2 - for their SU Camp-Out at O'Neill Regional Park... They gave us thank-you cards with a special treat for a movie! We went today to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Very good - better than I expected! We started seeing the previews during our vacation in August at Tahoe.... Sara has read the book - she says, several times we even gave the book to the book drive thru Borders. Alan Parsons Project is featured in the soundtrack!!! I was enjoying the SIMON door-code-lock when all of a sudden there was Sirius playing in the background!!!

Something else in the movie made me think of Big Bang Theory and Sheldon.

I love Nerds!

Acorn Day October 18th - O'Neill Regional Park

I guess the Rangers wished it was bigger.

But I was very please with the showing of Girl Scouts!! Service Units from Garden Grove - Orange - Lake Forest - Aliso Viejo - RSM - and a few others too!

Our 10am hike was a blast -- nearly all Girl Scouts! I included a talk under my favorite Oak on the Water Tank Road. We had a smaller hike at 3:30 and it too was very well received.

Our groups always thank us and tell us were were great - but a Jackson Browne comes to mind - nearly every time "...Tonight the people were so fine, they waited there in line And when they got up on their feet, they made the show ... People you've got the power over what we do, You can sit there and wait or you can pull us through Come along, sing the song You know that you can't go wrong..."

I love when I can feel the groups connect and respond! Not saying what we do is "a show" but - the people make it for us - when a kid has a reaction to what I say - and I KNOW the kid "GETS IT" - I am blessed!


Thank-you to all who attended Acorn Day this year - YOU MADE MY DAY!

Henry Winkler and Betta Fish

Chase is airing "spotlight company" commercials - "-cause they're *NEW* to California" - this week was "Pacific Reef Tropical Fish" - I got the coupon - now where's the location? Hey - there's one on the way home from work! Tried Friday - but - they were all out and said another shipment was coming at 4pm - um - "tomorrow?" I ask - they said they should still have some - today after work - on our way to the Readers' Festival - I stopped by again -- this time with Sara - I told her I had wanted to surprise her yesterday but that they ran out of the fish. The coupon was for the fish and a "Disco Betta" starter kit. they said the fish had gone MUCH faster then they expected! We had to buy food and water conditioner - but I had just received a $25 gift card this week - SOO - FREE FISHY!

Now, as I said - "on our way to the Reader's Festival"
http://missionviejolife.org/2009/08/25/henry-winkler-headlines-mission-viejo-readers-festival/
- in Mission Viejo - to see Henry Winkler - he writes kids books (and I'll bet you thot he was just "the Fonz") - the Hank Zipzer: The World’s Most Amazing Underachiever series. We bought 3 of the books at Borders Wednesday for him to autograph today. To actually SEE him (he spoke) you had to get there early and get a wristband - but WE got in line for the Autographs about half an hour b4 he finished speaking inside. ten people tops - in front of us! Sara was beside herself to actually met an author - she is not too familiar with The Fonz (me - I remember those Happy Days) But, I also remember HOLES - and I loved him as Stanley Yelnats' dad - Stanley Yelnats - and "I don't smell anything" - couldn't talk to him tho as the line - oh the LINE! am I ever glad we got there when we did and hopped right in the line - and waited half an hour - very glad, it was VERY long!!! - Sara got a picture of him - and the three books are now autographed!

The Festival - nice job Mission Viejo - lots of great booths! Ideas for Girl Scouts - (Sara and I were wearing our NEW GS T-Shirts and people noticed) - like places for Service Projects! OH! and KSBR was there too - we stopped and talked to Gary - one of these days I am going to remember his name when I SEE him! We told him we heard about the event on KSBR - they are giving away trips to Catalina again - but I think this year - I will have to pass - can't listen at work - and when I am driving home- they have already finished announcing for the day...


and the fish - everyone was asking us where we got him - his name: "Henry W"

Tahoe 2009

Naegle Bldg 12 - Valley View room - It was really smokey yesterday - Yosemite has a fire and we flew by it on the way up here. We did seven geocaches today - just a few hours including lunch at MickeyD's - An entire football team (high school??) came in there while we were there!

Found three caches we'd looked for last December in the snow - they were deeply buried in the snow then.

Foxhound and Cepheus7 went to the Jacuzzi - I logged the caches - some "newbie" found the darned Horse cache in front of Harrah's and logged "Quick and Easy" she's found 18/19 at the time she logged it!!! We have looked twice with Cepheus7 and not found it :'(

Lake Tahoe for a Week!

Well most of it anyway - then to Sonoma County for a few days - gonna be another hot one I fear - but it is Vacation - and if it's hot then there will be lots of time at the pool - which I don't really like - I can't see without glasses - and don't wear contacts any more - so can't really swim in the pool :(

There might be geocaching and horse back riding too


time will tell