Howllow Fellow Basset Hound and being part of the herd lovers.  I guess when I think about it I have always thought of myself as part of the pack not really a herd but stay with with here.  This is long post.  What else do you have to do?  If you boil it down the residents of #bassethoundtown are a microcosm of a larger pack belonging to a herd…So, what is a herd and howl many souls are in it?…

CENSUS…

Friday April the 3rd – Day 18 – Completed the Census as one of the herd.  Seems strange to me that the only real question was your ethnic background and if you are Hispanic.  Is it time to panic if you are Hispanic, especially during a pandemic?  OK, bad joke but it just seemed odd to me that we even have to do a Census.  OK, just googled it…This came up.  Reasons for doing a Census.

IMO – the city where you live can do the first 2 things and the 3rd thing is so jerrymandered by the politicians that the herd does not stand a chance of accurate reporting.  BTW – where does being Hispanic come in?

Let’s say you are Hispanic – I am not sure they would even answer the Census.  So counting the herd cannot be that accurate.

I have a fair amount of time to think about this stuff now as I peek out of my vented Venetian blinds.  Venetian?  That’s Italy…PANIC!!!

So, I got my mind off of that and worked in the ladies room.  Tried a green sharpie on the light bulb.  Kinda worked but not great. In KY we all turn on green lights on to honor the dead which is now a herd.  I found some actual green light bulbs in the basement in Grandpa’s stash that I am going to put in my light fixtures on the front porch.  I have that on my list.  Thank you Grandpa!!!

Saturday April the 4th – Day 19 – Walked the grave yard with Grandma.  I am still thinking about the herd.  This is an entirely different take on herd.  I wanted to exercise somewhere there is little to no living herd members.  This was the perfect spot.  We also visited with my Grandma and Grandpa on my Dad’s side who are buried right through that archway. Grandma said, “they have the perfect spot.”  Very peaceful.

It was a stunningly beautiful day and we got the much needed exercise our bodies so rightly deserved.  OK, check that off the list and head to KY Fried Chicken!!!  We did a drive through order while I scrutinized the window worker.  Come on we all do it now.  Wonder if she filled out her Census???

Click List is next on the list.  We head over to Krogers to see what we DID NOT get.  I lower my window by about a 1/2 inch and take the receipt.  Probably infected.  Remember we are to assume that everyone has the virus…PANIC!!!  Of course NO toilet paper.  Stay tuned to Day 22 when I find out why after watching a documentary on toilet paper!!!  Fun stuff!!!

Sunday April the 5th – Day 20 – Chipped ice out of Grandma’s Freezer, made KFC Nashville Hot Chicken tenders soup with potato salad – Learned that someone’s Mom in my home town died from the virus.  She got it while in the hospital after a surgical procedure.  She was 81.  She was the Mom of my BFF’s  friend.  This is the closest death to me so far that I know of. This one hurts.

My County is Campbell County, KY and every night at 5pm we watch the governor report the deaths county by county – keeping track of the missing herd.  They were all loved.  They were all special. Most were not ready to leave us yet.

I heard someone on the internet say…“I thought we were just springing forward an hour not hurling into the twilight zone”.

Monday April the 6th – Day 21 – Worked on a mid century vintage purse to put on ebay – just stunning – Grandma had this purse in the 1950s. It has never been used!!!  OMDOG!!!  It is actually a work of architectural art.  Wonder what it will fetch for #KYbassethoundrescue?  100% of the money from this sale will go into our 501(c)3 to help the hounds.

Boris Johnson Prime Minister and pandemic denialist, self proclaimed proud shaker of  hands with everyone and kissing those who could stand it winds up in a London ICU taking up a bed that he did not think was necessary.  Of course he has no trouble getting a bed and potentially a much needed respirator.  What a fool. Remember he was the one touting Herd immunity?  I guess his herd immunity mentality theory had him as the weak link needing to be weeded out.  OK…Maybe he was right. Leader schmeader.  With Leaders like that who needs ICU beds?  Apparently he does.

Tuesday April the 7th – Day 22 – Officially opened the back yard with hamburger party!!!

Hopefully get green lights in the front door fixtures.  I don’t think the ladies room one really came off like I mentioned above. Our tradition is having smashburger to open and close the backyard.  We went to get curb side pick up and NO…they want you to come in.  Forget that.  So we headed over to Burger King drive through.  I think the last time I was at Burger King was about 30 years ago.  So, we are waiting in line and I see this.  Look down in the bottom left hand corner under the wires.  Doesn’t that look like KY if you squint your eyes?

A KY cloud at Burger King could mean 3 things.  1.) Just seeing things, 2.) Sign from Gov Andy Beshear, 3.) Sign from Chaps aka Burger King!!!  Remember I used to call himz Burger King???  OMDOG – he was so cute.

OK I pull forward (another drive through window worker to scrutinize).  She had on gloves and her own system of taking money in a tupperwear container – I am diggin’ her style. Nice…

Watched Toilet Paper documentary – 2 different herds explained… Retail and Commercial – Currently we are victims of JIT (just in time inventory) and a razor thin profit on a bulky item, not hoarding.  Herd, we are in for a lot of trouble!!! It is not just hoarding now it is production.  The manufactures do not want to ramp up retail production because then they will be stuck with it making no money and the commercial manufactures are over run with a glut of TP because we are not going to the bathroom at other locations due to the lock down!!!  Totally different products to different markets.  I say, bring on the giant rolls that the commercial herd uses and help the retail herd out!!!

This is day 76 for Wuhan China – They lifts some restrictions on their herd.  Thank Gawd I am not a part of that bat eating herd.  Oh, I also watched a documentary on bats. Wuhan, Wuhan, Wuhan – what the fudge is wrong with you guys?  Really???

OK, Day 23 here we come.  More loving healthy life later.  Stay safe, stay well, and keep your herd calm.  Love, Cat, Grandma, Daisy Lynn, (Chaps and Emma ATB laying on rainbow clouds shaped like KY;)

 

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Howllo fellow basset hound and one day at a time and never thought this would be our best lives lovers.  Yes, I guess we are lovers.  The experts predicted this for years, maybe more like a decade that a pandemic would very likely happen and when it did it would be bad.  Unfortunately, “they” were right and now we are all complaining about being locked down.  Some are even in complete denial as they party and laugh.  Others, are well aware of what is going on and follow the rules…

So the days are strangely different and strangely quiet.  The folks who were once making jokes and in denial are now slowly beginning to realize that their summer fun has a new twist.

One day you are celebrating the next day you are grieving.  Life and death still goes on while you are sheltering in place.

Every year we look forward to the anniversary of #bassethoundtown.  This year was no different.  Grandma, Daisy Lynn, and I have had it on the calendar since last year.

Life

Wednesday April 1, Day 16 – 23 year party!  Yes, I can hardly believe it myself.  23 years ago today I closed on #bassethoundtown.  It sure was an exciting day and I can remember it like it was yesterday.  I even remember what I wore and I had a picture of it way back when…

What is so upsetting is that I have lost the pictures from that day.  I cannot for the life of me find them and I cannot for the life of me think that I might have pitched them???  I know I would have never done that.  Grandma had a few picture in her files from the day or the week I closed.

This is my kitchen – Wow!

We were sooooo excited and we still are.  I cherish #bassethoundtown.  Grandma and I made crab salad melt sandwiches on rye!  OMDOG – they were so good.  Then for desert cheese cake and black berry white Russians. It was a great party!!!

Day 16 was fun with lots of laughs and plans for the future.  But then comes day 17…One day you are up and the next day down.

Death

Thursday April 2, Day 17 – Our beloved Romeo passes away…he was 11 years old.  Romeo was as much  a part of #bassethoundtown as any dog we have ever had.  His presence was as large as he was. He roamed the halls acting like he was depressed that himz Mom went away but secretly he adored it over at #bassethoundtown.

That day about 11:45 I was coming out of my kitchen, heading down the hall to my office and I stopped in my tracks.  I thought I saw Romeo.  I thought for less than a nano second that I was watching him.  Then I figured out I was not.  All of this happened in brief split second.  He was standing under all of the urns that I keep in my office.

This is Daisy basically in the same spot he was standing in my split second vision.  I knew right then he was gone.

I sat down at my desk and read an e-mail from my sister that confirmed it.  Romeo had been ailing for a few months with age related issues.  He held out for as long as he could and for as long as himz Mom allowed.  They always say you know when they are ready and she knew.

Romeo was loved from day one.  Romeo was the pup in the litter that kept coming over to Julian so their decision was made very easy.  That guy was big and smart.  Romeo Duke Lee landed in the laps of luxury with the Lees…

and with #bassethoundtown…

This is the last picture I took of our Romeo.  It is one of thousands.  This is howl he was looking at me when he crossed over the bridge back in my office.  Exactly like this…

One last look back at the place he loved and those who loved him.

Dog Speed Romeo…Dog Speed…Time to go be with Enzo, Grandpa and all of the others represented in my office.

More loving Romeo forever…Cat, Grandma, Daisy Lynn, (Chaps and Emma leading the way to the #bassethoundtown section of rainbow.  After you come off the rainbow bridge turn right and #bassethoundtown is the 3rd cloud to the North. Chaps and Emma will make sure you find it…)

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Stay at Home order lovers…I am a stay at home order lover because it is in my control and my patriotic duty.  By staying at home we can help save lives.  It’s pretty simple really.  Not much is in our control these days so we will take what we can get.

I think we are all probably spending way too much time online but thankful we have it as well to connect with others that we know and love in some cases.

So I thought I would share this image that really got to me.

Her name is Sheila…

Sheila posing in Spring Dusk Shadows.

Not much is perfect now a days but Sheila is…

More loving Shelia later…Cat, Grandma, Daisy Lynn and (Chaps and Emma ATB also posing in Spring Dusk Rainbow Shadows…)

 

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and taking notes lovers…I started taking notes a few days ago so I could keep a diary.  A blog is kinda like a diary.  Since the days are merging and not in a good way, I want to remember what went on in this epic time, like being scared you are going to die kind of way.  Hey the fear is real and if you think it is not, listen to the experts.  Yesterday Trumps experts (Brix and Fauci) claim death tolls could be in the hundreds of thousands.  These are numbers that are coming from the Trump administration yesterday, Day 14 – Monday March the 30th.  Totally not a beautiful thing and not a drummed up hoax.

Here goes…

Day 11 – Friday March the 27th – Chalk Art for bassethoundtown – definitely the highlight of the week for sure…My most excellent darling neighbors did this for me.  Just look at the DAISIES!!!  Wow – this really warmed my heart to no end.  I love those kids.  It also says, “have a nice day”…THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!

The only thing we do when leaving the house is Click List aka Kroger pick up…wondering if we should sanitize groceries – Only take what you need mentality, the food chain is fine (really)? Still no toilet paper ANYWHERE even with rations being implemented – the word ration becomes real.  Depression era people know what I mean.  I google what is the difference between a recession and a depression… “A recession is widespread economic decline that lasts for at least six months. A depression is a more severe decline that lasts for several years. For example, a recession lasts for 18 months, while the most recent depression lasted for a decade. There have been 33 recessions since 1854.” Why did I not know that?  I think a lot of people are going to be depressed.

Was today the day that Trump announced that the churches will be filled by Easter? No it was Wednesday March 25.  The message seems idiotic if you listen to the experts.  Howl many are in denial? I guess quite a few, the KY Gov ordered churches closed weeks ago and some are still hold in services.  Really? People also still think this is a virus that only affects the seniors.

Day 12 – Saturday March the 28th – did some back yard clean up – The sun was shining and it felt so good to be outside.  Planning to have our normal back yard welcome to Spring/Summer party soon which consists of Smash burgers, tater tots (extra for Daisy), whine (extra for me), and something sweet.  The news remains grim and the numbers are climbing.  Still watching our Gov every day at 5.  He is asking KY residents to light their homes green when there is a death from the virus.  I think I have some green lights. I have to look for those soon.  We want to show compassion.  Sure hope I don’t have to turn that light on too many time but I fear the worst.

Day 13 – Sunday March the 29th – BFF came over for a socially distant chat, Daisy Lynn was so confused.  I felt so sorry for her.  When BFF comes over we always have pizza!!!  Daisy was so wanting her pizza!!!  I really enjoyed our chat.  After she left and walked back home I heard all the bells ringing.  The KY governor (my rock) has told us all to ring our bells everyday at 10:00 so people who are doing the right thing by staying at home can feel connected.  We are to do this every day, not just Sundays.  I took out umbrellas for our back yard – Gorgeous day a bit chilly but we (Daisy Lynn and I) got some vitamin D. It was a bit too cold for Grandma.  I saw a CDC public service announcement running on a loop that I found oddly offensive and riddled with misleading information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW7kn4NsbVM

“Most at risk 65 and older with underlying conditions”. ( I can’t wait to revisit this pronouncement.) I would say that the most at risk are people who smoke, vape, get drunk and party on Spring Break.  They are most at risk also for stupidity and carelessness.  The gov of FL keeps his cash flowing as it is open season in FL.  Gee thanks for nothing.  With Governors like that who needs ventilators?  Oh, all of us and the govs must compete like they are on a season of The Apprentice!!!

The public service announcement continues…

“Avoid crowds – stay home if you can”.  (Notice the words “avoid” and “if you can”) Many people will take this as a signal to do whatever they want.  I see it every day.  Lowes is open as an essential business and the garden center is like a spring break party in FL.  Howl is that essential?

Wash your hands.  (Krogers has been out of hand soap refills for over 2 weeks now, but the food chain is fine:()

I think the public service announcement is giving false hope to SOME who read it.  It is all just words, meaningless words with a few signals thrown in to make the people who are going to do what they want to do feel better.  “Avoid” and “if you can” means Parties and who gives a bleep.  Spring break here we come.  FL is so screwed.  Avoid means NO I will not and if you can means DRUNKEN PARTIES.  Then they all come back to their homes because the colleges are closed and spread their stupidity to what the government calls the “most at risk”.  Meanwhile the “most at risk” are doing their part to isolate and avoid all the hung over idiots.  Can we see a vicious cycle here?  No one is on the same page.  It’s every state for themselves as governors are fighting for expired supplies.  Hey, it’s not only FL that is so screwed.

Oh, here is a fun highlight for the day!!!  I have a friend who teaches kindergarten and I contacted her to see if I could give each of her little stinkers a Lily Book!!!  She was thrilled and planned a lesson around the book and basset hounds as she remotely teaches from her home.  OMDOG!!!  I just love this.

Hopefully, I will do another blog posting about the lesson when I hear all about it!!!  Who would have ever thought Lily would be helping kids in a pandemic.  Wow…

Day 14 – Monday March the 30th – Face masks – not to wear or to wear? We are still pondering that question.  I will get back to ya.  Do not cross state lines issued by KY Governor – worked on my bills and phone calls to see who is offering reprievement due to the pandemic.  Pretty much everyone.  Interestingly, Duke Energy is the worst so far. Spectrum Cable is the best so far.  OH Gov extends school closing until May 1.  Miami University in OH sends out alert that remote learning may continue through the fall opening of school.  Dr. Fauci announces that a second outbreak could come in the fall.

Today seems especially like a turning point of heading into the pits of the pandemic or should I say the apex?  Field Hospitals are popping up like spring flowers and lets just hope they are not perennials.  Trump maybe listening to the experts which he considers himself one, and his proclamation of everyone rising from the shelter in place orders on Easter day and filling the pews was just a cruel folly to his base. He claims he was just being “aspirational”.  Meanwhile hundreds of millions will need to be aspirated with no means for that to happen, maybe they should just be aspirational.  The cruelty continues along with the absurdity – according to Trumps experts (Brix and Fauci) new death numbers projected in the hundreds of thousands.

So, so, so, all in all – still doing well in bassethoundtown.  Grandma, Daisy Lynn and I are keeping busy and following the rules.  Being our own best advocates and listening to our level headed Governor.  I know this posting is really long but I fell behind and tried to cram it in.  I have actually fallen behind on many blog postings over the past year and during this time of sheltering in place I hope to catch up completely.  But for now we shelter…and whine…

More not loving all of this later…but we carry on and do our level best to keep healthy!  Level and flat…just like the curve.  The flatter the better.  Just like a flat basset…Cat, Grandma, Daisy Lynn, (Chaps and Emma ATB laying on really flat beautiful clouds;)

 

 

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Howllow fellow basset hound and have a nice stay at home day!!!  That we certainly did…

Day 10.  Grandma, Daisy Lynn and I are really good at following the rules and we are also safety people.  I always say “safety first”.  My nephew, Julian still calls me the the safety woman which I am very proud of.  hehehe

Day 10 was Thursday, March the 26th.  We are trying to keep up a productive routine and it is pretty easy.  I work out of #bassethoundtown and still have various tasks to perform for my jobs.  I have always been good at having a work schedule so keeping up with it is very gratifying right now.  Grandma, Daisy Lynn and I have a back log of work to do for the Lily Book and for KY basset hound rescue so this has been a blessing.  Work that was once “we will get to it soon” to work that is “so happy we have it”!!!

“Get to work!”

We all keep up with the latest regarding the pandemic.  It has become very clear to us that it is every state for themselves.  The Governors are the state leaders and we have such a great Governor who is an inspirational leader.  That is what people crave right now.  Leadership.  A few years back I was reading about leadership and something stuck with me about this quality.  It was…“The number one quality of Leadership is keeping your people safe”.  Of course that was music to my ears.  Every night at 5pm we tune in for Leadership.  Governor Beshear starts and ends each hour with asking everyone to repeat after him…

“We are going to get through this.  We are going to get through this together.”

Be Kind For Everyone You Meet Is Fighting Their Own Battle…

#TeamKentucky, #TogetherKy, #HealthyatHome #Patriot

More loving being a good Patriot later…Cat, Grandma, Daisy Lynn, (Chaps and Emma ATB laying on blue KY clouds…)

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Howllow Fellow basset hound and Day 9 lovers!!!  Day 9 seems like day 90…which is the age Grandma is going to be this year!!!  So, to those of you following all of the CDC guidelines I want to say “Thank You”.  It really means the world to us.

So, today… Let’s see…OK, what about today???  What day is it?  hahaha – Oh yes the day I got an e-mail alerting that Red Robin is going to start delivering to our neck of the woods!!!  OMGAWD!!!  Grandma was in my office when I read the e-mail out loud (screaming) and we both started dancing and clapping.  Oh the little juicy things in life… Don’t know if you have a Red Robin in your neck of the woods but we love their flame grilled burgers with jalapeno coins (fried jalapeno slices) that you load up on the burger.

YES, YES, YES…

Another reason to live!!!

OK, what else…

This is what else my fellow residents!!!  A genuine Lily Pulitzer Napkin Snood.  Grandma and I are working on getting this on ebay where 100% of the sale will be directly deposited into the KYbassethoundrescue account.

I will add the link when it is up but get this…you also get a free Lily Book, a free card and free shipping all for just 18 bucks.  Not to mention free feels for helping the homeless bassets!

Sorry, no juicy burger comes with it!

Stay well, stay safe, stay home, and 6′ apart if you are out to the essential places.

Nice form fellow shopper – nice form…

More loving the human spirit later…Cat, Grandma, Daisy Lynn, (Chaps and Emma ATB ordering rainbow robin burgers…)

 

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Day 8 lovers.  Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.  I tell you what really helps is a pep talk at 5pm every day.  Governor Beshear has gone viral on social media with his daily briefings and folks are going wild in the meme department.  They are just so funny and cute.  Sometimes the world falls in love collectively and I think it is happening with Andy.

One more –

I belong to the facebook meme page that is a support page for our Governor and his staff.

OK, one more…

Soooooo…other than Andy…what did we do today???  I finally got that hall closet door knob back on!!!  Yipeeeeeeeeee – only took about a year to accomplish that…and a pandemic!!!

Kidding aside – I am so blessed I do have work to do and I am getting a partial pay check and we are still doing rescue work in KY including social distancing.  Very blessed indeed.

Oh, and I actually made my bed…

She does not, not, not like a made bed.  OK whatever…

More loving blessed feelings later…Cat, Daisy Lynn, Grandma, (Chaps and Emma ATB gazing down on Andy;)

 

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Stay At Home order haters…Well, we are all haters of this order but we all must do our part to #flattenthecurve – Grandma, Daisy Lynn and I sure are doing our part.  This is day 1 of the order…

but we have been staying at home for 7 days now.  We learned on March the 16th that our Governor was shutting down all of the restaurants so we went from looking for toilet paper (none) to lunch at our local Mexican joint.  A margarita was certainly in order.

As you can see we ordered lots of extra so we could freeze some and have a Mexican party at some point in the flattening process.  This is going to be hard folks but we can do it.  I am a huge home body so it might be easier on some like me.  I have Grandma and Daisy Lynn.  I also have Governor Andy Beshear – who would have ever thought that a 5:00pm pandemic briefing would be the highlight of my day (swoon) – I don’t think it is a coincidence this is scheduled for happy hour every day.  Booze with Beshear has not only become a KY favorite but a national obsession, according to a few gals around the country.

See what I mean?  Anyway – what ever gets ya though the flattening.

I am going to try hard to do a post every day reporting from #bassethoundtown #kybassethoundrescue with some musings about the pandemic.  Gawd – who would ever think that I would be blogging about a freaking pandemic.

Howl many more hours til Andy?

More loving our Governor later…Love, Cat, Daisy Lynn, Grandma, (Chaps and Emma ATB laying on toilet paper clouds)…

 

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Howllow Fellow Basset Hound and social distancing WHAT???  I guess that is the new not meant to be scary term for sheltering in place, right?

“Mamma what is social distancing?”

I guess it could mean napping and stocking up on supplies aka wine;)

Well, the first case of The Corona hit Kentucky yesterday and the facebook feeds were in a frenzy.  It is scary and I was scared before The Corona.  Everywhere you go there are people coughing and sneezing into the air and into their hands it is so gross.  Who does that anymore?

I basically socially distance myself all winter long from these disease ridden places aka grocery stores.

I would pay 10 dollars instead of 5 to have someone put my groceries into the basset hauling vehicle.  Hopefully, they didn’t sneeze on my stuff!

Yes, I ordered extra dog food, dog treats and toilet paper for the love of dog!!!

OK, scoot over and lets take a nap and continue the social distancing.  hahaha

More loving a warm hound later…Cat, Daisy Lynn, (Chaps and Emma ATB social distancing from the sneezing angels…)

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Howllow Fellow Snow Sculpture and Basset Hound Lovers…

OK, let’s combine the two and you get “Nice To Meet You!”  Second place winner at the annual International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge CO.  This event has been going on 30 years folks!!!

Blocks of snow were delivered to 16 different countries on day one.  I am pretty sure you can see where I am going with this one!  OMGAWD!!!

I took this blurb from their facebook page…

I saw a few pictures of this sculpture on facebook but not nearly enough so I did a research project on it and tried to find out as much as possible for my #bassethoundtown loving friends.  Who are these British artists? I spent about an hour or so sniffing around the internet.  Nothing…

With all of my research I can’t find out anything about this award winning second place team or if any of them have a basset or the inspiration for the sculpture.  I think the facebook page and the town page really missed out by not featuring the artists and their profiles.  I think they should have flown me in!

Here we have a basset hound rump roast coming into form.  Nice…

I think this might be some darling wrinkles.

The whole thing is coming into extreme focus!!! Sniff, sniff, sniff…

Whoever sculpted the rump roast area has to have a basset hound.  OMGAWD!!!  Could it be any cuter?

NICE TO MEET YOU!

Now for the full frontal!  hahaha

“Winning silver was a team from Great Britain with its amusing sculpture, Nice to Meet You, which depicts two playful pups “greeting each other in the way that dogs always do.” The team was composed of captain Philippa Unwin, Mark Luscombe, Patrick Barker and Andy Clark.”

The sculptures are all lit up at night.  I bet it is alot of fun.  I should have been flown out to report on this event for the basset lovers of the world.  I would have gotten to the BOTTOM of this “nice to meet you” sensation.  I could have even matched it at night!

#snowbassetbunny #humansnood Exclusively designed by moi for #KYbassethoundrescue!!!  This is just a prototype.

Reporting live from not Breckenridge, Cat Rudert “nice to meet you”!

More loving reporting later…Cat, Daisy Lynn, (Chaps and Emma ATB on snowy ice clouds winning first place;)

 

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