MY CRAP  WED AND THURS AND PART OF FRIDAY     FROM JOAN*****     LONG

Hi All:  What a wonderful time we all had!!!!  Faye (DL) and I flew in Wednesday (had to get up at 4:30 AM...not my favorite thing to do).  We were going to wait several hours for Kathy G and her sis Donna at the airport and ride with them to Hemet.  But their plane got grounded for 2 hours so instead of waiting 5 hours Faye and I rented a car.  They did not have too many cars left. I asked for a moderate size car like a CheV or Ford, but had to settle for a big a___ white car 40 feet long!!!  Well not 40....but close.  We had no trouble getting to Hemet and just thoroughly enjoyed the mountains and the snow on top of two of them!!!!!  From Louisiana, flat country, we gawked like country-come-to-town!!!!

        We got to the hotel about 2:00 PM (4 our time) and I called Danielle who said she had just talked to Kathie and they were on their way.  But she told Faye and I to come to the house about 6 and those that were in would go to a restaurant where they had made reservations.    

         We went to Danielles around 6.  She has a beautiful home, furnished so well....you know she must have been in decorating.  Both sides of the house are for the dogs....and the middle is for the two of them.  I have never seen a cleaner room than the one with all of the crates!   Of course the very first thing I did after Danielle hugged me at the front door was to run into the living room and hug Georgie.  He also hugged me back! (hush Danielle).I even got a promise that a picture would be taken with me sitting on his lap!!!! (eat your heart out April)  What a handsome dude he is.  I do have to admit that he and Danielle make a beautiful couple.  He is more than handsome, however, he is truly a good person with a wonderful friendly, outgoing personality!  Things must never be dull living with him. The pictures of them when they were younger could be of movie stars!  George gave Faye and I the cook's tour of the outside of the home......and their pups!  I got to meet and talk with Tanzy the mouth too!!!!  They are all so cute and beautifully groomed. The back yard is beautiful too...

        Well it appeared that we would not make the reservations at the restaurant so Judith Ellis, Sheryl Carroll and her daughter Andria, Kathy Burban, George and Danielle, Kathy and her sister Donna (one of my really favorite people, even for a Yankee) Faye and I went to eat at Appleby's.  We enjoyed everything there especially the socializing!  (I sat next to George).  After dinner we all went home.....I was happy to hit the bed....(Faye and I had been up over 18 hours), and dont remember much afte that.

        We were not going to Danielles until 10 Thursday.....so Kathie G., Donna, Bridget A and Gayle, Faye and I ate breakfast at Dennys which was right next to the hotel. .  A bunch of us went to Danielles Thursday to help out ....and were very busy unloading boxes (most had already been done by D and G) and pricing items, and putting tablecloths on the tables under the area where we would all eat..  The Rackstraw residence has a patio that looks approximately 75 feet long and about 20 feet deep all along the back of the house....but about the last 25 feet it goes in about 20 more feet....to the back door of their home.  When she said it could easily handle 100 people she meant it!!!!

          Of course there was a great deal of laughing and talking during the "work" period.  But we did do some work.  THe only thing I could do (I milk my back problem for all it is worth). was to sit at the table and start setting up the sales slips, lists, etc.  Pat McKinney and I worked this table Thursday, Friday, and Sat. Morning.....others (Dee, Gayle, Dierdre, and mnay others) worked writing down all of the sales and putting the items in individual bags. Danielle had done most of the work before we started.

          Of course, all day Thursday was spent seeing people come in and hugging and ohhhin and ahhhing over the people and the dogs!  What a cute bunch of dogs....D and G have a wonderful set up for this type of event.  They had a large fenced in grassy area adjacent to the patio where we all sat, and to the dining area.  That was a cute picture to see all of those Cairns together in one group. They got along pretty well for Cairns.  I think one of the cutest pictures was when they were all lying in the shade of the tree during the hottest part of the day.

        Thursday night we all went to a dutch treat dinner at Mariae Calandars restaurant and I got to sit by Georgie.  Danielle did not have much fun as she was watching Georgie and I so closely.  Kind of a wet blanket you know!

I think there were about 40 of us at the restaurant.  I drank a Dirty Banana (Kathy Rudy swore to me that this was a real drink!!!!).George got it for me.   It has rum and about 10 other things including a banana ( I am almost positive it was clean though).  It has whipped cream on top, and George would not let me eat the whipped cream until I finished the whole drink.  Said it would be crass to eat it first.  I think he was plying me with liquor for whatever evil purpose he had thoughts of!!!! [giggle]   It was good though, and I have the recipe from Kathie herself.  I had the Turkey pot pie (George had that too.....wouldnt you know  great minds.......). It was very good.

      Again went back to the hotel and Faye and I talked for about maybe 20 minutes and both fell asleep.

     Friday morning, Kathie G., her sister Donna, Bridget A, and Gayle went to breakfast at CoCo's Bakery and Restaurant.....wonderful food.  Ihad the French Toast with Cinnimon......and bacon.  ummm good.

     Then we all went to Danielles to finish setting up for the sales and we actually did have a lot of people buying all day Friday. Several people walked around selling tickets to our raffles, Mo, Corinne,Faye,  Adriana, and even shy Sandy!!!(Many others sold tickets too)  She did a good job too! Mo twists your arm and you better buy.....Sandy smiles and her beautiful face makes you want to buy a ticket and make her happy!!  lOL 

  More people arrived that day, and of course much socializing went on!  I think the group laughs and enjoys themselves more than any other group I know.  Mo and Corinne are a riot separately and together!!!!!  I know I laughed at them all day long.....Mo was in rare form telling us about the plane trip and how the others got drunk and she had to take care of them. (Learned later that this was not true) also about the fog outside her plane window.......Monika came in for her share of laughter......and she made White Russians for some of us Fri. night. She is such a love....everyone but everyone loves her!!!!!    No wonder I had no trouble sleeping.....one of those white russians puts me to sleep. The supper was Italian food (the best lasagna!!!!!) and all of the trimmings.  The food for the whold CRAP was outstanding.  I dont believe that all of this was possible for $60 per person.....I belive we had a "sugar Daddy" or two by the name of G and D. The pups were sooooo good.  I got a chance to hold and got a kiss from Ellie who I had a hand in fostering for 2 days and transporting to Judy who met Dee Ferris who adopted her.  Ellie does not even look the same....she is so happy, and loves her mom and is somewhat of a Daddy's girl!!!!!  I loved that.

        Judy Willis got in Friday and we were so happy to see her.  I have met Judy before but just between transports where we dont linger too long.  She is a wonder person inside and out!!!!  I just love her.  She has been with Col. Potter almost as long as Danielle, and has done everything that Col. Potter does at one time or another.  She and her husband are the ones building The Lone Star Cam and Campground dedicated to her Mom.  She has never refused to take a dog in need, and has sat up many nights nursing very ill dogs that even the vet thouoght would not make it.  Thank goodness she is stubborn!!!!!! She is also very easy to work with. Would you believe that on the flight back, our first leg, to Dallas, Faye and I had two seats and Ann was the third seat!!!!!! We all talked the whole way back.  She was so grateful for the sign that Danielle presented to her....she is just a love to know and work with!  When I grow up I want to be Judy!!!!

      I will continue Friday, Sat, and Sun on the next email.......  Hugs, Joan

Karen Parrott

 (VP of Foster Homes - Making Your Job Easier) 

Relives CRAP again, and again, and again....