Murphy update

My apologies for not blogging sooner but after Murphy's treatments, getting the book proposal out and fleshing out the concept for a TV show have been my biggest priorities.

There's another reason, too. My mother's Alzheimers has overtaken her and she's gone. I wasn't prepared for it and though there's nothing I can do it's been breaking my heart. But I must focus on my pack and my mission now.

We're starting to see the effects of the radiation therapy on Murphy now. He's been losing fur around his eyes but just today he lost a big patch on his snout. This was expected but that doesn't make it any easier to witness.

The good news is Murphy's energy level is up & he's playful again. As soon as I arrived in Memphis, last Tuesday whatever 'issues' Hudson had with Murphy were resolved. He hasn't growled at him nor shown the slightest signs of aggresion. Papi put his house in order and I'm pleased our pack is back to normal.

We'll be traveling the next 2 months & have lots of things in store...

puppy up!

Luke & the Notorious Fuzzybutts

2011 Calendar Contest Winners!!

Congratulations! The following dogs have made it into the 2011 “Cancer Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down” calendar!

Pete Morgan (Ginger Morgan) $2,240.00
Ruger Sowers (Cindy Sowers) $1,500.00
Bill Mann (Janice Mann) $1,460.00
North (Robert Cain) $1,380.00
Roxy (Heather Loflin-Miller) $1,300.00
Cassie Rose (Linda Rose) $1,270.00
Mr. Maxx (Marcia Siemsen) $1,207.00
Meatball and Shilo (Shari Lewis) $1,202.00
Salty (Lonna Coleman) $1,200.00
Maggie Riley (Karen Riley) $1,170.00
Sully Vachon-Lyda (Jennifer Vachon-Lyda) $1,130.00
Pepper Payne (Jonathan Payne) $1,125.00
Boudreaux (Jolie Banks) $1,115.00


We will begin taking pre-orders for the calendar in October and are hoping the calendars will be printed by mid-November. We need to verify pricing with the printer and will let everyone know what pricing will be this year. As in the past, we will be offering a discount on bulk orders.

Below is a list of ALL the dogs and Smokey, the cat, and the total number of votes (in dollars) they received. Please note -- we received a few votes after voting closed and the numbers do not reflect those votes because they did not count. However, the votes received after midnight did not effect the outcome of the contest.

Pete Morgan (Ginger Morgan) $2,240.00
Ruger Sowers (Cindy Sowers) $1,500.00
Bill Mann (Janice Mann) $1,460.00
North (Robert Cain) $1,380.00
Roxy (Heather Loflin-Miller) $1,300.00
Cassie Rose (Linda Rose) $1,270.00
Mr. Maxx (Marcia Siemsen) $1,207.00
Meatball and Shilo (Shari Lewis) $1,202.00
Salty (Lonna Coleman) $1,200.00
Maggie Riley (Karen Riley) $1,170.00
Sully Vachon-Lyda (Jennifer Vachon-Lyda) $1,130.00
Pepper Payne (Jonathan Payne) $1,125.00
Boudreaux (Jolie Banks) $1,115.00
Rudy Scott (Joanne Scott) $1,105.00
Ben Jamin Blues (Oscar Janssen) $1,025.00
Phoenix (Elissa O'Sullivan) $950.00
Max Large (Jodi Large) $860.00
Abigail (Judy Abare) $780.00
Wesley (Roseann Burrets-Baars) $678.00
Karly & Brandy (Deidre Tomkins) $635.00
Sergei (Deb Dolak) $615.00
Mac Duff (Chuck Christy) $610.00
Jagr (Michele Handte) $520.00
Gunner Nelson (Lesa & Dan Nelson) $510.00
Milo (Patty Hartman) $465.00
Murphy (Luke Robinson) $385.00
Luc Narro (Adrianna Narro) $375.00
Daisy & Lily (Hope Lisle) $340.00
Po (Lorraine Garaguso) $335.00
Gradie Mercer (Julie Mercer) $305.00
Sebastian (Angie & Josh Morris) $305.00
Ofi Guttenberg (Marilyn Guttenberg) $295.00
Tara Ling Tzu (Terri Greer) $290.00
Taz (Robin Brinkley) $280.00
Cemil James (Mary James) $275.00
Sunny Osborne (Dawn Osborne) $275.00
Tucker (Dan Bozik) $255.00
Bear McGarvey (Darlene McGarvey) $195.00
Bonham Scarborough (Linda Scarborough) $195.00
Kobe Arthur (Tom Arthur) $190.00
Fortis (Brett Hessenius) $185.00
Shelby Torrente (Melissa Torrente) $185.00
Rudy Birhanzl (Christine Birhanzl) $180.00
Thunder Bucklad (Mark Bucklad) $150.00
Riley (Doreen Buchler) $135.00
Gita (Heidi Oliveri) $130.00
Tyler Blue (Michelle Plourde) $130.00
Windsor Mitchell (Trish Mitchell) $125.00
Storm (Sylvia Griggs) $120.00
Tyson Conner (Megan Conner) $120.00
Buddy Ormsby (Michelle Ormsby) $110.00
Buddy Kelmelis (Shannon Kelmelis) $105.00
Brave (Sheila Rinks) $100.00
Cody Worthy (Tammy Worthy) $100.00
Hudson P. Wupperstein (Amanda Guth) $100.00
Maliboo (Issy Souto) $100.00
Smokey Wood (Bruce Wood) $100.00
Joy (Karen Robison) $90.00
Chance Reeder (Donna Reeder) $75.00
Sassy (Bekye Eckert) $75.00
Tigger (Kathy DeRay) $75.00
Cody Winebrenner (Jane Winebrenner) $70.00
Genie Derf (Neena Derf) $60.00
Grady Bowman (Aviva Bowman) $60.00
Womble Reynolds (Helen Reynolds) $60.00
Kirby (Bobbie Klimkowski Klimkowski) $50.00
Maggie Liles (Beth Liles) $50.00
Mason Eggleston (Kathy Eggleston) $50.00
Solar (Michele Handte) $50.00
Amber Gedek (Terry Gedek) $40.00
Shelby Ryan (Robert Ryan) $35.00
Colby McGinley (Keri McGinley) $30.00
Spanky (Lea Ann Goettsch) $30.00
Rigby (Elizabeth Marino) $25.00
Speedy & Scooter Lynett (Ramzey Rambles) $25.00
Trouper Menard (Gretchen Menard) $25.00
Zoe (Laura Williams) $25.00
Alex (San Mehta) $20.00
Brownie Schmidt (Donna Schmidt) $20.00
Callisto (Catherine Pfent Marrical) $20.00
Rori O'Connell (Jennifer O'Connell) $20.00
Sam Eilenberger (Cindy Eilenberger) $20.00
Skyler Blue & Kiara Jordan Pike (Eileen Pike) $20.00
Stella Feingold (Fonda Feingold) $20.00
Sandy Smith (kevin Smith) $15.00
Camden Rose (Cindy Corell) $10.00
DeePak (Terry Gedek) $10.00
Engorgs Aznar (Maria Aznar) $10.00
Luke Marino (Molly Marino) $10.00
Maggie Hobson (Deann Hobson) $10.00
Maxine Stout (Maureen Stout) $10.00
Missy Lynett (Ramz Rambles) $10.00
Monty Raab (Barbara Raab) $10.00
Riley Forristal (Keli Forristal) $10.00
Yoshi (Connie McCabe) $10.00
Angel Madeja (Lori Madeja) $0.00
Beauty (Nancy Crovetti) $0.00
Bo Fisher (Elaine Fisher) $0.00
Bridgit D'Angelo (Aileen D' Angelo) $0.00
Bucc (Nancy Crovetti) $0.00
Buttons Ottilo (Angela Ottilo) $0.00
Coltrane Cartier (C. C. Cartier) $0.00
Dena Oliver (Debbie Oliver) $0.00
Fabrizio (Rozan Ambrosino) $0.00
Heidi (Heidi Christensen) $0.00
Hendrix Doyi (Sarah Doyi) $0.00
Jada Van Dommelan (Amy Van Dommelan) $0.00
Jake Rae (Rachel Rae) $0.00
Kahlua Crovetti (Nancy Crovetti) $0.00
Kringle (Michael Reed) $0.00
Lady (Nancy Crovetti) $0.00
Loki Ruesch (Emily Ruesch) $0.00
Maggie Jones (Tracy Jones) $0.00
Misty Alba (Beverly Alba) $0.00
Mona Brand (Holly Brand) $0.00
Popeye (K. Tate) $0.00
Raven Rosenberg (Barry Rosenberg) $0.00
Sasha Laing (Sheila Laing) $0.00
Sparky O'Neill (Courtney O'Neill) $0.00
Stella Alba (Beverly Alba) $0.00
Stella Culp (DR Culp) $0.00
Tonka Drawdy (Shandra Drawdy) $0.00
Zachary (Sheila Laing) $0.00

Thank you for helping 2 Million Dogs in our fight against cancer.

Voting Ends SOON!

Voting for the calendar contest has been phenomenal!

This is just a quick reminder that voting ends for this year’s 2011 “Cancer Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down” calendar contest at 12 midnight Central Daylight Time today, Sunday September 12th. For those of you who have trouble translating Central Time into your time zone, here’s some help:

voting ends in the Eastern time zone (e.g.: New York) at 1:00 AM Monday September 13

voting ends in the Mountain time zone (e.g.: Denver) at 11:00 PM Sunday September 12

voting ends in the Pacific time zone (e.g.: Seattle) at 10:00 PM Sunday September 12

Voting for many contestants is extremely close. Others have had absolutely no votes at all. Not even their own people! Can you imagine? What’s that about?

We had over 120 photos submitted this year for the calendar. In the past, we've devoted 2 pages in the calendar to showcase all the entries. This year we will try our best to do the same. However, we were pretty much at our limit last year with 100 entries. We may have to leave some of the photos out of the gallery if they will not all fit. If it comes down to that, we will base our decision on which photos to leave out based on how many votes the photos have at the end of the contest. The last time I checked there were over 34 photos without votes.

Voting is in real time, so when the voting ends at midnight (Central Time) you will be able to see the top 13 winners by following this link https://2md2m.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/2011Calendar/FundraiserDirectory/tabid/229975/Default.aspx.

All donations are date and time stamped by Greater Giving (the company processing the payments). Greater Giving is on Pacific Time.

Ginger has been verifying off-line donations as she’s received them. Once the contest is over she will re-verify all off-line donations. Once those donations have been verified she will send out an email with the official winners listed early Monday morning. And I will post the winners on the Daily and to Facebook and our 2 blogs.

Good Luck to everyone! Thank you for your enthusiastic participation!

Faithfully

When I drove up into my parent's semicircular driveway in Temple, TX Friday evening my mom and dad were there to greet me. After all, their son had recently completed a journey of a lifetime.

I hugged my mom and the first thing I said to her was, "I told you I'd be here in a couple of days". It was the fulfillment of a promise I'd been making to her practically every week since we began our walk.

As most of you know mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's before we launched from Austin in 2008 making the decision to leave one of the most difficult I've ever made. Every week I phoned mom and every week she always asked, "When are you coming home?"

"I'll be home in a couple of days", was always my answer which seemed to settle her anxieties and sadness. That same exchange continued for 118 weeks.

More than walking into Boston Common with blocks and blocks of people behind me that final mile to Boston, seeing my mom Friday marked the end of my journey.

"I told you I'd be here in a couple of days."