The Buzzletter Blog: A Mom-in-law Birthday Celebration!

Monday, September 29, 2025

A Mom-in-law Birthday Celebration!

In mid-September I flew down to South Carolina to visit my mom-in-law for her birthday. One of us always stays home with our senior dogs, so Tom will be visiting around his birthday next month, so we're covered. I'm a BIG believer in celebrating a birthday, so I tried to ensure we had all the birthday stuff!

(Photo above: Mom and I on her birthday, complete with sign and party hat!)

(Photo below: Greg. Rob, Lisa, Mom playing board games!)

GAME TIME- Mom loves playing board games. She lives with her daughter, Lisa and her hubby, Greg so they broke out "Rummikub," which I learned on my previous visit. Everyone won a game before we called it quits, so that made for a good afternoon. :)

DINNER OUT - Mom has mobility challenges so she uses a walker, and there's also a fold up wheelchair that goes in Lisa and Greg's SUV. Mom wanted to go for Chinese food so we went to one of her favorite places. It seems like Mom got the royal treatment being wheeled into the restaurant, and she loved it.

It was nice to get mom out of the house and to the restaurant. Changes of scenery are important!

(Photos: Getting wheeled in, and enjoying the atmosphere of the restaraunt)

THE BIRTHDAY STUFF!!

As I said earlier, I love birthday celebrations, so I put together all the ingredients.

I found a small birthday cake, got some birthday candles, a birthday hat, birthday napkins and paper plates.

Of course a birthday isn't complete without a big batch of flowers and at least 3 birthday balloons!

Lisa and Greg had a really cool light up birthday sign and we played "Happy Birthday" on the phone (I can't hold a tune for anything). The cake was amazing- of course, to me, most cakes are amazing. :)

FIRE PROTECTION STATEMENT - We did not put 87 candles on the cake to avoid a fire hazard. LOL :)

BINGO NIGHT OUT!! - One of Mom's favorite things is playing BINGO! Lisa found a great Bingo hall last time I visited, and we returned there on Mom's birthday night. It was fun! One of the women that worked the Bingo hall in June when I last visited, remembered all of us.

A GROUP WIN! - Although Mom, Lisa and Greg were close on several games they didn't win one. Fortunately, I did win a game and there were no other winners in the room, so I was awarded $75, which I split with everyone. So, each of us won $19.00! It was a great way to conclude Mom's birthday!!

(Photo: Mom and Rob at the Bingo hall!)

1 comment:

AnonymousMonday, September 29, 2025
That sounds like a lovely Birthday for your Mother-in-Law! You are awesome, Rob!
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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! Passed 7-29-25 https://rob-tom-dolly-franklin.blogspot.com/2025/08/tyler-passed-part-2-giving-him-best-day.html 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.

Tyler

Tyler, our black and tan rescue Dachshund was the happiest dog we ever knew. Always wagging his tail. He passed within 5 days of a cancer diagnosis on July 29, 2025 at 14 1/2 years old. We fostered him and then adopted him, when he came to us at 1 year from a dachshund rescue. He was the happiest boy ever. He came to us at 1 yr from a rescue. 11/29/2010-7/29/2025 Link to story: TYLER'S BEST LAST DAY: https://rob-tom-dolly-franklin.blogspot.com/2025/08/tyler-passed-part-2-giving-him-best-day.html / LINK TO STORY: The Toughest Diagnosis: https://rob-tom-dolly-franklin.blogspot.com/2025/07/tyler-passed-part-1-toughest-diagnosis.html

Monday, September 29, 2025

A Mom-in-law Birthday Celebration!

1 comment:

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