All Roads Lead Home

It has been a year of travels and a hell of an adventure. It starts with the unknown road and ends with a good deed, a twist of fate and a new home for a helpless husky that was set to die but destined to live.

All because of the good hearts and souls of people that loved her and the mission set forth by Carrie to make a difference in the world, one small dog at a time. I remember clearly her post on facebook stating it was time to put it to some good use and do something for the better of others. She chose to rescue and help adopt animals and to rally against all forms of animal abuse. Love your pet, love your people. Abuse is not tolerable.

Carrie and I hardly knew each other but knew we were destined to meet. Her vision was of us sharing a glass of wine in front of a fire 2 years ago. I too shared that vision that we would meet some day. From Connecticut to South Dakota? Fate and love lead us to that destiny and much of it was because of her commitment to people, her gift of music, her amazing ability to make people laugh and her commitment to the causes she so believes in with all her heart. I admire that and jumped on the bandwagon when given the chance to support it. It was never a plan to drive Millie all the way home but the right obstacles got in the way ...it is called destiny.

I personally support volunteering as a way to show love and appreciation and gentle care unconditionally. The rewards are tremendous. Many people gave so much to see this rescue happen. Millie was going home to her new family that was waiting patiently on rugs, in windows (cats Bootsie and Charlie) and on pins and needles. So everyone that assisted in donating and supporting Millie's rescue, here is your REWARD! She is happy and alive and loved not just by Carrie and Roger but all of you who cared to save her life.

A 30 hour trip one way with bad weather in the forecast. We pursued and persevered through many stressful hours to get Millie home. Millie had a hard time adjusting at first as she was not happy in the car the whole time and needed to decompress at arrival to Custer South Dakota. She wanted so bad to be there, and settled but was a bit worried like we were with the weather forecast. SNOW and treacherous driving conditions were in the works for the second and final day of travel. (see Millie watching the news and nudging my luggage).

Meeting her new family and especially her husky siblings was slow moving at first, with the sniffing and the growls and the barks. Mostly from Millie as she was very stressed and confused. Her siblings, Nomad, Baste, Shasta and Sugar, only wanted to welcome her and play with her. They paced the house waiting for her to join them. But poor Millie needed to relax before she could absorb the idea of sharing. Poor Jules also needed to overcome the barks and growls and get over the fear of dogs!! As you can see these gentle giants are sweet as ever. Nomad wants to marry me. Always the first to give the morning kiss and paw. :)

Good news though, it all ended in playful happy harmony. Millie has her bed in the family bedroom next to Roger and a space on the floor with the kids in front of the TV. Oh and a doggy door that she has not yet mastered but is oh so curious about.

We can't thank Carrie and Roger enough as they were more than accommodating. Carrie is such a good cook. Even if she needs someone to jump in and save a meal due to...ehem...an early turn in. Seriously though, they were so generous to offer meaningful gifts of appreciation, giving Judy a special belt buckle and a rain stick for fostering Millie in the interim. I never saw a rain stick. is way cool. Caught roger disassembling his special belt buckle and declaring it was time due to a recent weight gain, (yeah right) but all along he was offering it to Judy. Giving away something cherished with gratitude and love. Tearful right? yep. We had home cooked meals, gourmet coffees and cozy sleeps... and of course I personally got to sit on the side of Carrie as she performed live shows virtually from her office. Once on the other side over 2 years ago I was appreciating her music and talent and sense of humor so much that it led me right to her door. You may say Millie's destiny was planned long ago as it is hard to call it all coincidence. I think also that I was destined to share with Carrie / (Clairede Drival of Second Life) RUM 30!!!!! A Captain Morgan rum with coke and green olives. YUP...Had to toast it. I won't mention that after 2 drinks ...well lets just say she is a wimp. All talk. hahahaha. (Anyone seen Carrie?)

During the past year Judy and I have been given so much from everyone involved in our adventure. People shared family, housing, food, gifts, hotels, music, dinners, friendships, laughter, tears and most of all, lots of love. THANK YOU. This particular rescue adventure was a way to use our time not so much for ourselves but for a good cause. After all we mastered the road. Time is also a way to donate as it means so much. If you are not able to give monetary donations, think about maybe fostering your home for a good cause if you are able. Money always helps but time is so generous too!

This highly emotional visit came from love and friendship beyond boundaries. Departure was difficult but what great memories have been made. The moral of the story is to open your life, your heart, take a chance, give more, love more and drink like a teenager. Cheers all and thank you for following our adventure. Now go make your own!

My Name Is Millie

My name is Millie....well It was just Millie. Until a special person named Carrie Fischer saved me. And Now my name is Millie Fischer. I am a Siberian Husky mix. I am going home today! My new home where I have 4 Siberian Husky brothers and sisters and 2 kitty cats to love me. They are waiting for me. I have new parents, Carrie and Roger Fischer. I think I belong there, it is spacious and comfortable. Carrie and Roger love me and have not even seen me yet. They have not even pet me. But they love me.

Carrie so loves animals that she reached out to Zeina Konis of the Siberian Husky Club of the Greater New York - and they Rescued me. My first mommy died. Imagine losing everything you know and love? I am 11 years old. I was sent to the kill shelter. I was set to die. I was rescued within seconds of my life. I was scared and sad and very lonely....but now I am happy and loved. I am alive.

Aunt Julie met Carrie (Clairede Drival) in a virtual world. They became friends on facebook and met for real in Dallas last year. It is Carries love and passion for music and animals that saved my life. Isn't she beautiful?



Now I have 2 very special Aunts...Aunt Judy and Aunt Julie.

Aunt Julie is going to do a documentary on my rescue.

Aunt Judy, loved me before she knew me. She went beyond the boundaries of her heart to pick me up and take me to her home to cure me of my kennel cough and love me back to health. She fed me peanut butter and pills to cure me. I loved the peanut butter but hated the pills. That made her sad but she pursued anyway. Today I am healthy. Because of Aunt Judy. I love Aunt Judy. I love her so much.

Aunt Julie was afraid of me so I made sure I loved her and stayed next to her when she came to visit me at Aunt Judy's. I slept beside her all night long. She pet me and touched my soft ears. Even though I scared her she knew I was not scary. Because I loved her. Because she loved me. I know her love is bringing me home to my new family and my new home in South Dakota with my new MOM who loves me.

Jules and Judy are taking me home, a 28 hour journey for which I will do my very best to be happy in the car. (we will see). I can't believe how much I am loved. People all over donated to save me and transport me home. People who don't even know me and love me. Others sent gifts. Others sent time...lots of time...for which all are cherished. I have a lot of love and life left to live and give. I am Lucky. I am alive because of love. Love shared between friends and friends of friends.

My name is Millie Fischer and I am lucky. Thank you for loving me everyone! I am going home not to die but to LIVE. Because you love me.

Part II - Piece (of) Work - It's a long story

So, where to begin on this subject. Woah. Last year I hooked up with Tina Jaime and Karen Rodgers on facebook after 30 years. The last time I saw them I was sitting on the curb in front of the business Tina owned with my little baby girl of 6 months. (who by the way was named Jaime after Tina) I was saying goodbye to my 2 close friends and colleagues after they shut the doors of TNT Keypunch Service and moved to Florida. A kiss a hug and a tear, and that was it. That was a sad day. First, you have to understand, (and everyone that knows her will confirm) Tina is no ordinary woman. LOL. All I can say is there are no coincidences only fate. Here is our story.

When I turned 16 my sister Nancy (pic..the blonde at the table), got me a job that very day at a little grocery store named Mr. J's. Turns out Karen and Tina worked there too at one time and none of us knew each other. Later, Nancy worked at a real estate agency and turns out Tina worked there too. Separately my closest friend in high school Debbie and I were hanging out dong everything together. Turns out Debbie is Tina's niece. hmmmm. Tina opened up a keypunch business that she started in her basement all by her lonesome. This business grew in size and space to a storefront office...several keypunch machines... and she hired my sister Nancy. Than she hired me and eventually Karen. (even my mom worked there at one point and several other friends) You following? lol

Tina was a mean boss! Right Karen? lol. Picture this. The old keypunch machines were used in this case to type name and address labels for Grolier Enterprise book clubs. HUGE! We were paid piece work. yup...by the card, one at a time. The faster we typed the more money we made. Today I can type 95 words per minute because I loved money!. This job was responsible for my future and career. Everyday we had to pick up and deliver more and more work. When the weekend would come and we all thought we could go out and kick it up? NOT! Karen would come grab a bunch of us out of the bar with beer in hand "we got 6000 pieces of work to get out by tomorrow morning." Yes we pulled many all nighters for sure.

When Tina walks into a room, you know it. We could tell her mood by her hair! If it was messy we knew she was thinking. OH GOD, she's thinking. I saw that same look recently. LOL. Tina has an opening statement (attention grabber) for everything she says. and not quietly mind you. Here are just some... "I don't wanna brag or nothing, I don't wanna say anything but....or Is it me..? ...oh how about this one...Don't think I don't know, I got eyes in the back of my head..." We swear she did. She knew everything. Girls, grab a coffee, we need to talk. Everyone is entertained when Tina walks into a room. We worked hard for her, and she always rewarded us with great dinners and the best Christmas parties, coffee and Happy Snacks (that is what she called our office junk food). Even when we walked into a restaurant for a brainstorm meeting, and the hostess would say "6 in your party?" she would say...."Does this look like a party?" lol. She could hold seminars on attention grabbin opening statements and grand entrances.

Anyway, think about it. 30 years pass! Tina and Karen find me on facebook, and they begin reading our blog. They live in Tampa Florida area. Back in August they wanted to come visit but didn't have a lot of time off. Karen owns Wesley Chapel Pet Sitting Service. Is not easy to get sitters when you are the sitter. So, when Tina questioned coming by train for only a weekend, Karen replied, why not...Jules and Judy would do it. LOL. So they came to the Milford Oyster festival for our first reunion in 30 years. Me, Nancy, Tina, Karen and Debbie and her friend Gina. We spent a couple of days just having fun and "cracking up". Just like old times.

So when we had a chance to go to Florida, Judy and I killed it and sent it all out of the ballpark. We got to see Lynde, introduced Lynde to Tina and Karen, closed down animal kingdom park and went off to stay a few days at Tina and Karen's in Wesley Chapel. Tina and Karen have not changed a single bit. We met their 4 dogs, Maggie, Taco, Sammy Sugar, and Rosie. (Taco fell in love with me, woke me up with french dog kisses every morning, wiggling and wagging). Karen made us a home cooked beef stew meal the first night as they thought being on the road that would be the best idea. It was! Then we did laundry, solved all the problems of the world, drank coffee, drank wine, went to lunch, went to dinner and YES... Tina still makes her grand entrances. Took on a bunch of bikers in a restaurant and they let me take their picture. At one point at the end of the day, Tina said to Karen, "I gotta go on facebook and check out whats going on." Than she says, "wait a minute no I don't, Facebook is here!" LOL. I guess Judy and I pretty much hijack their facebook wall just like we do all of yours.

You can see by the pictures, the character and fun of these too ladies I call life friends. I am however finding similarities in the people I attract. It was pointed out to me on this adventure. My besties all have lots of animals or have a deep love for them. It must be animal attraction. We stayed with the girls for a few days. and off we went to the next stop. I don't want to brag or nothing.....but ....Is it me? or are we having a blast!

P.S. Tina caught the bouquet at my wedding, just sayin. LOL I know I have pics just can't find them. But I will :-)