The On-Line Buzzletter: Rob's Mom: Part 4: New Year's Eve/Holiday/Mom's Wackiness

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Rob's Mom: Part 4: New Year's Eve/Holiday/Mom's Wackiness

This week I've been writing about the events around my mother's severe stroke and passing. This is the fourth part in the week's events when we worked in a Christmas celebration of sorts on New Year's Eve so that our nephews could open their presents and before the wake and funeral began.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Our friends Merri, Jerry and sons J.T. and Nick were in constant contact with us during the weekend Mom had a stroke and thereafter, so they knew we were coming to Boston. We didn't tell anyone else (and you shouldn't tell people when you're away either) for security reasons. So, Merri, Jerry and boys asked to meet us for coffee on Dec. 31 nearby, and it was so wonderful to see them and take a break from the events.

Scotty,Sue, Doug, Brian

During the day we worked on organizing my mom's house and there was a lot to go through. We did manage to get one room in order. We urge you to de-clutter your house now. Give away or toss things you haven't used in a year.

TRYING TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

Rob and Tom acting goofy

Because we didn't get to celebrate Christmas this year with Mom and the hospital and we hadn't arrived yet, we had "Christmas" on Dec. 31. Doug and Sue treated us to the traditional Chinese Food, "Christmas eve" dinner at their house, and we opened presents. My nephews loved their gifts and it was a nice, happy break from the reality of my mother's condition.

Tyler and Scotty

MOM'S WACKINESS-

the 3 brothers

    New Year's Day marked the day of Mom's wake. My mom had some wacky ideas about many things, even for her own wake.
   Although my dad was waked at the Lydon Funeral Home in Quincy in 2008 and they did an amazing job and were very considerate and caring to the family, my mom always said she wanted her services at the "place with the lions out front." That was Sweeney Brothers Funeral Home. Mom loved cement lion statues, and Sweeney Brothers had two of them outside their front door. Mom even had a cement lion statue next to one of the fireplaces in her home.
   I guess she attended other services there before, but it didn't matter. Mom loved the cement lions outside the funeral home. I told my brothers that if we didn't wake her there, she'd tell me about it afterward from the other side, over and over and over again. Regardless, the owner and his sons were just as amazing, patient, kind and wonderful as the Lydon staff were for my dad. They thought of everything and were very caring and considerate, and really helped make the arrangements and decisions easier.
NEXT: THE WAKE

(ONE OF THE THINGS I DID BEFORE LEAVING WAS CREATING THIS VIDEO)

Who I am

I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob

Rob's Book- Kindred Spirits: When a Spirit Befriends a Medium

ABOUT THE BOOK It's uncommon for a medium really get know a spirit so well that the living person considers the spirit a best friend. But that's exactly what happened to medium and paranormal investigator Rob Gutro. When Rob met his partner Tom in 2005, Ed's spirit came along for the ride. Rob never knew Ed in life, but Tom did. Now, Ed often communicates to Rob and has revealed his sense of humor, his heart, and helped solved the mystery of his passing.- Video short: VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_zUFsjrTrLg

Tracking Our Dog Rescue Assists

We work with Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue (CCDR), Dachshund Rescue of North America (DRNA) and D.C. Weimaraner Rescues (DCWR) and Bonney Blue Rescue and foster or transport dogs as often as we can (and when they mix well with our 3 kids). Here's a list of the dogs we fostered or transported:

Gracie - Transported - a Beagle Mix adopted in western MD
2 Unnamed Dachshunds -Transported - rescued from a breeder (we watched for 3 days) sent on to permanent foster homes

Cooper#1 the Dachshund - Fostered - 2-26-09 -We fostered this lovable black and tan wire-haired, easy-going, lovable senior and he was Adopted by our friends Bob and Arlene in MD in April 2009

Buddy the Weimaraner - Transport 9-27-09 - We transported Buddy from no. VA to White Marsh, MD where we met Buddy's new mom Cathy from Philly.

Sprite the Dachshund -Fostered and We Adopted! 12-4-10 We picked up almost 14 yr old Sprite in Frederick, Md from a rescue transporter on 12-4-10 and we fostered him. We adopted Sprite in April 2011 when we learned of his heart murmur. (Sprite passed 7-8-13 at 16 1/2 years old)

Chance the Weimaraner - Rescue from shelter and Fostered- 6-10-12 - We freed Chance from the PG County Animal Shelter, and fostered through DC Area Weim Rescue. We covered his hip surgery and fostered Chance, while helping him walk again. He was adopted by our friend Whitney on 7-29-12. (Chance passed on 3-26-16)

Cooper#2 the Dachshund - Fostered 9-24-15 - We fostered this little guy and he was adopted by Shayne in MD after we had Cooper for just a couple of weeks.

Tuck (mix) - 5-7-13 - Transported Huck for Bonnie Blue Rescue. He came from a CT shelter, and we picked hi up in Baltimore and brought him to his new dad and mom, our friends Jon & Erin in VA

Tyler (Dachshund) - 12-17-12- FOSTERED & WE ADOPTED! We took in and fostered Tyler a 2 year old black and tan dachshund who came from a kill shelter in NC. Our friend Robert drove there and picked him up. (read the blog: First Night with Tyler the Foster from 12-17-12) - We realized how he bonded with our Weimaraner Dolly, so we adopted him in May 2013 through the rescue.

Charlie (Dachshund)- Rescue from shelter and transported to foster mom April in Md. *April adopted Charlie!*

Rocco (Dachshund puppy) -Rescue from shelter and transported, we brought to foster mom Kristin in Oct.
Abu - (Dachshund mix) - Rescue from shelter and transported to Emily for foster home in Delaware in Oct.

Doc, now Duncan (Dachshund mix)- Rescue from shelter

and transported to Katie for fostering. Duncan was adopted.

Reds - Rescue from shelter and transported - This long-haired, senior red Chihuahua to Katie for transport to a Senior dog rescue in Virginia

Happy and Sami - Transported from College Park, Md to Springfield, VA (Jan. 2013)

Gus - Worked with at Rescue Event - April brought Gus to us to appear at an adoption event at Pet Value, Gambrills, Md.

Max -Transported. Part of a transport from White Marsh, Md. to Bowie, Md. to foster mom April in southern Maryland.

JJ - Transport to adopting family This tiny 8 pound dog was transported from Washington, D.C. to Towson, Md. where we did a home visit and completed the adoption to a great family
Jethro- Home inspection for DASH Rescue to place this doxie/chihuahua mix.

Grayson - Worked with at Rescue Event -Worked with this 12 yr old senior Weimaraner at the Pet Valu, Gambrills, md adoption event!

Heath - Transported. 9-2014 a 10 year old black/tan dachshund we fostered for 3 days (who wound up being afraid of men- and went to another foster home.

Mack- Fostered 10-2014 **Adopted in Dec. 2014!**
fostered from Oct. 27 until he was adopted in Dec. from Connie and Poul.

Saylor - transport 12-14-14 (being fostered in Annapolis, Md thru DASH Rescue.) ~ 15lbs, 2 years, male/neutered, red smooth doxie, Heartworm negative (thankfully) & up to date on vaccines ___ sassy little man!

Dapple - Transported. 12-14-14 (being fostered in Annapolis, Md thru DASH Rescue.)is a black and tan dachshund with some dapple coloring, and also 2 years old, 14 lbs. female/spayed, silver-dapple smooth doxie.

Phillie - Transported. 5-2-15 A 12 yr old, sweet brown, smooth dog, to foster care because his parents "have 3 small kids and can't handle the dog." We brought him from White Marsh, MD to Alexandria, VA. (Going from NJ to TN where he is being fostered through Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue

Harry - Transported. 5-23-15 the black and tan/dapple, 6 year old dachshund from White Marsh, MD to foster mom, April, southeast of Washington, DC-

Trooper- Transported. 6-12-15 - This brown dapple, 2 year old dachshund came from a kill shelter in Alabama and was headed to NJ to a foster home thru DASH rescue.

Milo and Max 8-2-15 Fostered and Transported *Adopted 9-1-15* This senior pair of Dachshunds came from a divorced home in Indiana and were transported to us through Ohio and our friend Scott "Bear" Elliott and many others. Milo was fostered by our friend April.. and we fostered Max and our friend April fostered Milo. They were BOTH adopted by Cindy! Adoption Story: http://tinyurl.com/osz2px8 (Max passed 6-19-18 of heart failure)

Oscar - Transported 11-21-15 - This precious senior 9 year old mini-Dachshund was given up by his family because their daughter "developed allergies." (The girl should've taken Benadryl and dealt with it). We were the first transporter and it was a heart-wrenching event. Story: http://tinyurl.com/zzjp9ln

Otis -Home Visit - March 2016 - We did a home visit to Nancy who adopted this handsome little Dachshund Mix through Dachshund Rescue of No. America.

Cleveland and Tommy- Sept. 2016 - We had these guys overnight a couple of nights, and drove Tommy to York, PA for his foster home. We also got Cleveland to his foster home in Maryland. Both were 5 yr old, sweet, red smooth Dachshunds.

Coco and Hansel - Feb. 2017 - We drove up to Delaware together to get them. and then wound up later transporting them locally to their forever home.

Winnie and Tuck - Spring 2017- We placed this mom and son in forever homes in Virginia and Maryland.

Hercules - July 2017 - He didn't go through the rescue because we learned of him through a friend of a friend, and our friends Bob and Arlene were seeking to adopt, so they did!

Hayley- May 2018 - we got to free and transport a sweet little 6 pound dog named Hayley from the local county shelter. Hayley went to foster care with our friend Shelley who works for the Dachshund Rescue of North America (DRNA)

July 2018- We took in a Foster Dog named DASH! - our friend Shelley of Dachshund Rescue of North America told us about a little senior Dachshund/Chihuahua mix and we freed him from the Anne Arundel Animal Control Center on July 21, 2018. He was there since June 10, and the shelter ran out of room... so he had to be fostered immediately. 10 years old, 8 lbs. Birthday: Aug. 22. We ADOPTED Dash on Aug. 10^th!

Sophie - March 2021 - We transported this 7 year old cream colored French Bulldog from Alexandria, VA to Baltimore, Md. to a foster home for K9 Rescue of the Eastern Shore.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Rob's Mom: Part 4: New Year's Eve/Holiday/Mom's Wackiness

Who I am

A Classic Country Music Station to Enjoy