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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Three years ago today I went to Daphneyland's
website to look at a photo of a Basset Hound that had been left there and was
pregnant. What I saw was a beautiful little girl that looked like a
stuffed sausage, and I fell instantly in love with her. I had just lost my
Pw Gina Marie a month earlier, and had decided that I would not get another
Hound.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I picked up the phone and called Dawn at
Daphneyland. I introduced myself, telling her that I was a DD Moderator,
hoping that she knew who I was. Later she told me what she thought when I
called....OMG, a Moderator calling me, what did I do wrong....LOL</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I told her that I had been on the site and had seen
Holly. She asked if I would like to be put on the list for a
puppy.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I said no, asked if anyone had inquired about the
Momma. She said no, that she could be mine if I wanted to adopt her.
I was thrilled, but we decided not to tell anyone until she had her
puppies. We both knew that anything could happen.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>By the first week of January I was on standby for
the phone call, no matter what time of day or night. It was getting harder
and harder not to say anything, so I told the other Moderators, and they went
onto standby with me.... misery loves company :) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Around the 4th of January the phone call came at
2AM. I jumped out of bed and put my computer on. The only other Mod
awake at that hour was Norma, it was 8AM in the UK. Dawn and I called each
other for the next 2 hours.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Holly had started labor, but she got tired and said
the hell with it, and went to sleep. I got that call at
4AM....LOL</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Everyone at Daphneyland was starting to get worried
when nothing happened the next couple of days, so they made an appt. with a
specialist and took Holly in on the 7th of January. That turned out to be
a great decision b/c she had a lot of pups and they should have been delivered a
week earlier. Holly figured if she waited long enough someone else would
do it for her, and she was right. She woke up to lots of hungry
puppies.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Dawn and I spoke almost everyday, making
arrangements for when I would drive from Texas to California to meet my little
girl. Since they wouldn't adopt out the pups until April we decided that I
would make the trip and be there for the Hoedown the first weekend of May.
It seemed like 4 years instead of 4 months while waiting to go get my
girl.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>During those 4 months Shelly Gordon went to
Daphneyland for a visit and sent me some great photos. I still
use one of those photos for my address labels to this day. I also
went to Georgia to visit Donna Lindy during that time. Donna Lindy and
Jean Harris had a cyber Houndie shower for me while I was there, complete with
cake and lots of gifts for my Holly Noelle. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>May finally arrived and I got into the Trail Blazer
and started out to pick up Holly and Isabella. Isabella was being adopted
by Sherrilyn and was going to stay with me until her Momma could pick her up on
her way to Mexico.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I got to Daphneyland a day earlier than I planned
and was greeted by a very, very loud Basset Hound announcing to anyone within a
10 mile radius that there was an intruder on her property. That very, very
loud Hound turned out to be my Holly Noelle. She yelled at me everytime
she saw me for the first 3 days that I was there. It wasn't until day 4
when I put on her hat that she got quiet. I was actually getting worried
that she didn't like me. I have since learned that she is just loud, and
she has no "off" button :)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Holly & Isabella turned out to be great
travelers. Holly slept most of the way home, it's like an olympic sport to
her.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>To this day we miss Isabella. She's a
wonderful little girl, and she now has a little sister living with her.
Holly is fine as an only child, enjoys company, but is okay when they go
home. We also had Sophie and Nancy with us for a few months until they
went to Daphenyland. They have both been adopted and have homes of their
own now.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Last year Holly's original owner called Daphneyland
to inquire about Holly. They wanted to know if Holly had found a good
home. Dawn gave me their phone number and I called. I found out that
Holly is actually about 18 months older than we thought she was, and that she
had been saved more than once. Her "breeder" was about to feed Holly to a
gator when this woman bought Holly in Mississippi, her sister was not as lucky
:( Holly then survived Hurricane Katrina before the family
moved to California. And then she ended up at Daphneyland.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>In May we traveled to Michigan where she became
King of the 2011 Michigan Waddle. We got to ride in a beautiful horse
drawn carriage. The weather wasn't great, but the company was. Holly
Noelle got to meet a LOT of her favorite Aunties, and a few Uncles
too.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Yesterday King Holly Noelle received a very special
gift from a few of her cousins. It is her life story in photos, starting
with the gator farm and ending with her wearing her beautiful dress and
tiara.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Thank you sweetie for making the last 3 years some
of the happiest for me. I hope you are around for many, many more.
Momma loves you!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I'm going to steal someone's tag for my closing
remark to all the Houndies out there waiting to be adopted......</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Don't Stop Believing!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Suz</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>King Holly Noelle</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Pw Gina Marie ATB</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Forever in my Heart</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>