October 15, 2009

Moving out of the hotel today and into a friend's home that have some of our dogs already.  So we are looking forward folks.  I still might have to farm out the horses to others for a while but still checking on that.   Our one wiener with us Bad Baby Bogart is depressed so it will be nice to let him play with some of his dog buds.  Steve should be here shortly and then a lot more to do.  Voice is getting better so I might be able to work the phones and return all the phone calls finally.

Sincerely,

Margo

October 17, 2009

I met with the house insurance people yesterday and yup contents are not covered.  They will end up gutting the first floor which is three bedrooms, one bath, kitchen, living room, and dining areas. The basement has one bedroom and laundry room and they are okay.  But at some point we have to move it all out so they can rebuild the first floor.

The car people are going to move our beloved Mercury Mountaineer out, what is left of it after the garage burned down around it, on Monday.  Then they will figure out what we owe versus what we paid then cut a check if we did not pay too much for the car to begin with.  Only had it a year so we shall see how much we get for a down payment to go buy a new one or a used one.

Folks are still offering to help us and we will need help like moving out of the house, etc.  But not right this second.  We will need to move out before winter though.  But right now we are working on moving horses off the property as we can't stay there this winter full time.  I will be back a lot of course and the neighbors are alway watching the place as they can see the whole place for us.  Not much left of value there any longer but still would need some help there in moving out. Plus nice having a friend stay in the RV for us to watch the place while we are gone.

And storing the things we do have they are soot or smokey so storing in people's homes is not an option.  There is a ton of clean up to be done on the stuff and really too stinky to store at a home so we will have to see about a storage unit.

So we are moving forward now that we have spoken with insurance folks.  Now we know which direction we shall need to go and our dog rescue will not be open until we can move into a sutiable home space to house our dog rescue again which sounds like not until spring.  In the meantime we can stay in a trailer there and rebuild.  We have done it in the past and we can do it again.

October 19, 2009

Taking one day at a time here.  We are gearing up for a fundraiser this Sunday we were already planning for the First Annual Happy Halloweenie Party (see page two of this site for details.)  I have refused to cancel this and no rescuable dogs will be there so less work for me.  I want to have some fun and let folks know we are both okay. 

As of yesterday there was only one of our placeable rescues left to be placed from the shelter.  Not sure is Nakita found a home yet or not.  They are not open yet when I am typing this.  With those dogs placed I have two rescues left to place at this web site here: http://www.drnw.petfinder.com  Both of these special needs dogs, Diva and Bob are in foster and not at the shelter.  Once Diva and Bobbo find homes then we will have placed 71 dogs in 2009 alone.

I think my new favorite song is by Kenny Chesney, "I'm Alive."  I survived a nasty car wreck a while ago and I will survive this too.  So will Dennis.  He is a trooper and going to work and moving forward as well.

Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,

Margo

October 28, 2009

House fire update from the Wiener Ranch!  Still working on insulating what is left of the house so the pipes do not freeze this winter and watching it rain in what is left of the living room.  Have a message or two from house insurance adjusters but nothing moving forward there of course.  We decided it was too much of a commute to keep working at the farm and stay in town so we are back working here daily on recovering some items we can keep.  Fun getting all black daily.

Had a large fundraiser at a local dog club for our First Annual Happy Halloweenie Dog Party and it was so much fun except for the photos of all the babies we lost of course.  Thanks Carolyn for posting those for everyone.  She had photos of  the house fire there as well so I did my best to avoid that table during the event.  It was hard seeing those photos of the lost ones.  But Dennis and I are concentrating on moving forward and getting reopened so we can rescue dogs again like we have since 1991.  It does not feel right not having too many dogs underfoot.

Once we need to move out of the house then we will need some bodies to help us move out.  Had to figure out storage of smoke filled items first though.  No one wants those items in their home making their place smell too.

So I am breathing much better but still get tired quickly while still breathing.  But we accidently erased some phone messages off the voicemail so I am not able to call folks back.  Many of our contact numbers have burned of course.  So if you still need a call please leave me a message at 509-796-2140 as we can access our voice mail.  But email is always the best way to reach me.  The email address is dragoonfr@hotmail.com

Okay another day of house insulating before winter and watching it rain on what is left of the living room.  I am watching the sub flooring buckle so it will cost the insurance folks even more to fix of course but they seem to have their own time lines which has nothing to do with the real world.  The longer they wait the more of the structure is leaving so now I am wondering instead of trying to build on what is left, which is not much, if it would be cheaper to bull doze and start over.  Just a thought.

I am going car shopping shortly to find another Wienermobile so we will be all set up with another SUV to transport dogs back and forth to events and the vet once we are open again as the previous SUVwas perfect for events and gas mileage as well as winters here.  Geico for car insurnace has been all over this car claim so moved quickly to get us the rental van (I hate the VAN!  Hate it!  No vans in my future.  Hahahaha.) and to get us a new car.  I did find it amusing they kept asking questions about mileage, etc., not realizing not much was left of the car.  Impressive how much was not there after the fire and I sent photos to show it was gone, completely gone.  "Sorry no idea on mileage when every piece that is not steel is history."

At some point I will need help with horse fencing too as some was damaged the day of the fire.  I may be calling in some buds to help replace and fix that as well before winter.

Thanks everyone for all your help thus far while we are rebuilding our lives.  I swear people are more upset about our house being gone then we are.  Dennis and I have always looked forward and not back unless we need to learn from mistakes of course.  We will be reopen for rescuing.  It is only a matter of when not if we will be "recycling used wieners" once again.  Your donations and kind words are sincerely appreciated.

November 10, 2009

Okay we have been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning here still.  Taking our time going through slowly the stuff that we think survived and can still be used.  Meeting with a contractor soon to get a brand new house so there is a light at the end of the tunnel there and still arguing with the insurance people

I am writing out thank you cards almost daily for folks donating for helping or sending us nice cards about the dogs we lost.  Dennis and I both thank everyone for their kindness.  We will be putting people to work as soon as we know what the contractor needs from us.

After weeks of looking I have found several newer SUVs that can be our new Wienermobile.  We are going car shopping today and should come home with something nice.  The dogs we take to events all the time should ride in style.  Our last Mercury Mountaineer was perfect and took a long time to find it, but I think I have several choices of another perfect car.  Dennis and I will flip a coin to see who gets to drive home the SUV and who gets to drive home the rented mini van.  We are NOT mini van people we have found out.  Hahahaha.

I am breathing much better but I am still not 100% yet.  I doubt I will be be for some time every time the cold air hits my lungs here, but getting better each day.  I am no longer couching constantly or getting winded and tired going up and down stairs or while walking.  I can not recommend searing your lungs with super heated smoke for anyone, but we all do as we must to save the ones we adore evern with flames overhead while running inside a burning building.  Or course I get some time to watch TV or a movie and wouldn't you know it I see a fire.  The nightmares are receding as well as I can tell you I was scared while trying to hold my breath.  But still I keep telling folks it was worth it.  We had to get those dogs out of the house.  I threw them in dog crates and tossed them outside for Dennis to remove from the house.  I would not let him enter as two of us did not need lungs that were killed.  So he was fine from that day.  I will be fine again as I am too active of a person to not be healthy enough to do my critters.  But I am cathcing up on more of my favorite Tv shows lately or sleeping more.  That relaxing was a luxury while the dog rescue was running.  But not my idea of a vacation of course.

Now and then it hits me when I keep trying to go hug one of the lost dogs.  I can't get my head around that they are gone and no longer need us.  Makes me cry every time but that is getting better every time I hug one of the babies that made it that day along with us.

Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Soon we will have a bigger and better home and garage so we can go forward with rescuing and saving the wiener babies that we have not even met yet.

Gearing up for the Annual Wiener Xmas Party on December 6th.  See page two of this site for event details.  FUN!  Can't wait for all the chow and good friends.

Sincerely, Margo

December 2009

Clean, clean, clean!  Story of our lives lately but looking good outside.  No more garbage where the garage and outbuildings used to be.  The big pile of garbage thrown in the yard from the firemen is gone too.  See the next page for photos of some of the cleanup.