All is well that ends well. I'm wrapping up here with Bear and Sandy, setting up their dinners and getting them outside so they can get through until Momma gets home tonight. They've been great - Sandy is such a pleasure, all she wants is a little quality time, laying with her on the floor, while Bear has done nothing but act 'puppy' for 8 days and, though it was fun...whew...I can use a night at home with our old-timers. We forget what its like to have a puppy! A day is all we'll get too, as I'm back to stay with Boatee and Latte Thursday and Friday night. I feel like a traveling salesman! I haven't seen "the girls" in a couple of months...I hope they didn't get any bigger! They've taken over the guest bed as it is! I'll miss Sandy and Bear, but presume that our regular 'Monday' visits will proceed as Momma usually works late on Mondays. Its always interesting to see how your clients take to you AFTER spending overnights with them, it really pushes you up the ladder of 'favorite' people, even if you've been visiting or walking them on a daily basis.

 

In other news....

 

We picked up a few jobs with a few new clients this week. We'll be visiting Yoda, a BT puppy in Hartford starting Monday, and today was our first Pet Care Visit for puppy Rover, an adorable J.R. / Shih Tzu mix. I've also been seeing Max, a yorkie pup in Bloomfield, and have begun a regular regimen with him. Meg in the meantime has begun a regular schedule with Java in West Hartford.

 

After missing Macy for over a week, we're finally back to our midday visits with the little rascal. Dad is home from vaca and she's back on schedule.

We'll be seeing her a few nights here and there as well, and helping her get through the occasional late work nights for her Daddy.

 

Stay tuned for an update on our Better Business Bureau application, we should be hearing word within the next few weeks to become the first, and only Pet Care Co. in CT with BBB accreditation!

 

And a reminder for anyone reading the blog who has passed over the home page, check back frequently as we will soon post a variety of new promotions to encourage your business. Consider it the HSH econimic stimulus package!

 

Till next....

 

 

 

 

Spending the week with Sandy in Bear is a truly bipolar experience - On one hand we've got the gentile, senior citizen in Sandy who gets to where she's going when she gets there, slow and steady wins the race says she. And on the other hand we've got pure puppy madness with her new brother Bear (ever so appropriately named by the way) leaping off the staircase as if a pool waited at the bottom, and leaping about as if Milk-xeBones rained down from the sky. I realize only now that the pain I've felt in my chest over the past few days has not been heartburn, gas, or asthma, but the strain of holding a wiley Bear with my left and a slow poke with my right during our dog walks!

 

Both Sandy and Bear are posted on our client page but that just tells a hint of how great these two really are! The cold has been trying on Sandy's arthritis and so we've limited her exposure to it just a bit in the last few nights and especially today. But Mr. Bear has not even given thought to the possibility. He's all systems go, all the time! We went for a run through his condo complex last night but that barely...or should I say Bearly....even made a dent on his energy index.

 

He does play well independently also, which Sandy always appreciates, while, I must admit is helpful to me at times as well. Especially when I'm giving affection to Sandy or writing blogs!

 

I'll be here till the 21st as Momma had to go away for work at the last minute, but I think the three of us will manage just fine! Goodnight and....Bear! No! Don't eat that!...

Okay - so the holidays are over. The overtime is over. The madness is over. I'm back to blogging! Let's see how well I can keep this up! All is well since we last met, the pigs (Brady, Nina, and Lennon) are enjoying the cozy confines of home a bit more now what with sub-zero temperatures just on the other side of the door. Nina, especially, is not one for climate deviation in excess of five degrees above or below her 'princess' comfort zone of 78 degrees/dry/with a five day forcast of sunny skies. She knows where its at. The dogs have been joining me on my walks with the amazing Mac and Eire - we have spectacular walks and great play dates together! Barack and Obama (the turtles) are living it up in their new tank, and preparing for their inauguration.

 

We met lots of new clients over the previously mentioned holidays, all of who will be posted on our client pages soon! Some of them include, Lucky and Gus, Talullah, Java, Sadie, Buddy and Emmie, Bunky, Rudy, and Bowie! Stay tuned for blog profiles on these pets and many more!

 

A short one tonight. Just warming up, but with lots and lots of content to come!

 

Check out our new video player for snipits of all the funny and wonderful moments that we experience every day with ours and our clients!

 

Stay warm and dry! Be back daily! Chime in!

Its  been steady, but we're awaiting the big holiday push. Hopefully it happens, but with the state of things, it may not. We're taking some measures to try and ease the pain a bit, check in on the home page (left column under this blog) for promotions updates. Whatever happens over the next 2 months, its sure to slow down come January. The post holiday blues, but this time it'll be truly representitive of the economic nature of things for the following year. Any business that does come over the holidays will be the last big push for awhile I believe. No worries, we'll be here when things get going again. We're movers, we're shakers, survivors of the middle class gauntlet. Keep on keepin' on as Joe Dirt says. When life hands you lemons, make...lemonade?! Maybe if its the summertime, but that's only 3 months out of the year! Whylimit your market to only 1/4 its potential! No, you make lemonade in the summer, lemon mirangue in the autumn, hot lemon totties in the winter, and call mom in Tampa for more 1/2 price lemons come spring time!

Ahh, the weekend. I'm staying with the Mastiffs, Boatee & Latte until Tuesday. 350 pounds of pure cuteness. In the bed, on the couch, on our walks - the girls are hilarious. But don't stop paying attention to Latte, she'll get into mischief in under 10 seconds. Read their bios - that comment about dancing on the table...that's literal. Now that the politics of politics are over and there is no more baseball for awhile, we'll be blogging all critters all the time!

We rounded up the week with with some new clients in Farmington. We  visited them a few weeks ago and they were so happy with the service that Ziggy, Daisy, Boomer, two dogs & two cats called us back again! They were referred to us by one of our vets - Thanks Doc!

....A funny story with my girl Ncosi, the Ridgeback that walks with me in Bloomfield. She's notoriously lazy, perhaps in some small part, believing she's still on the farm under the great African sun. Well either way, her true colors came out on Friday as we went for one of her requested hour long walks and ran, sprinted actually up the great big hill back to her house. Here is the excerpt from the email I left her folks---

 

 >>> <chris@hshpetcare.net> 07/11/2008 23:12 >>>
Whew! We both got a workout today! Not only did I have the time to get
her an hour, but we ran and ran hard!...at least up the hill. She got
into it big time! She started growling and barking at me as we raced up
(she was pulling away from me like lance armstrong with 4 legs) At
first I thought that maybe she was barking for me to stop torchering her
with this unecessary exercise...then it became painfully apparent that
she was egging me on! Trash talking me! "You wanna run bipedal
homosapien? Alright lets run!" I think she even called me Mayonaise!
(Officer + a Gentleman if the obscure reference eluded anyone) ....When
we got back to the house, she gave me a nod and said ''Better luck next
time.''

 

Well, the time is upon us. The biggest moment we will have experienced in a long time. Do what you will, vote how you'd like, vote with information, but if you feel even somewhat interested in the path we as a country will traverse over the next 4 years, at the very least, vote.

 

I may be tippig my cap here but if you get the opportunity to read this blog before you vote tomorrow, please, please research all of the issues surrounding question #1. The most troublesome part of this issue is that all the information is not being shared with the voting public. It concerns our right as a state, to every 20 years, vote on whether or not to host a State Constitutional Convention which is an opportunity to rewrite and ammend the CT state constitution. http://civilliberty.about.com/od/historyprofiles/tp/2008-Ballot-Initiatives.htm  The issue is being proposed as the right to achieve ballot initiatives on future issues -- the right for CT citizens to vote on issues as they come up, like California does. The fact of the matter is that a YES vote does not necessarily acheive this. All it acheives is the right to HOST a convention. There is no guaruntee that the ballot initiative will even be discussed. However, it is very likely that all other matters pertaining to the freedom and liberties of special interests who hold persuasion over the politicians WILL be discussed. This convention, by law, and in fact, cannot be attended by any member of the public, but only by delegates selected by legislators of the state. They can select anyone including lobbyists, political friends and other special interest groups. They then have the convention to themselves with plenty of ink in their pens. Yes they may introduce and institute an ammendment giving us the right to vote on issues, but I personally don't suspect that the polititians in CT would turn their power and their interests over to the true will of the people on an issue by issue basis all that kindly. They like to be able to shift beaurocracy in their favor as they often to bidding for special interests.  http://www.ctvoteno.org/ballot-question-faq  WAIT!!! THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING ON THIS ISSUE!!! ALL THAT FOLLOWS IS COMPLETE FACT, NOT PROPOGANDA OR CHRIS' PERSONAL RHETORIC. PLEASE READ ON!!!

 

You may have seen a commercial on TV with a woman in front of the capitol building talking about how voting YES will "pave the way" for CT to take back its rights (as in its right to vote individually on state issues). Upon further review, it becomes apparent that this may be a phrase that is awfully loose in language. What else will need to occur on the 'paved way'? For if voting 'YES' GUARUNTEED us this ballot initiative, they would surely say that it would GUARUNTEE it. Guaruntee is a strong word. They would use it if they could. But they are being careful not to say that for its no where near a guaruntee.

Furthermore, if you have seen that commercial, notice on the bottom of the screen at the end of it, that it is an ad paid for by the Connecticut Catholic Conference. Why would the CCC not only have such a vested interest but be willing to spend thousands of dollars in ads on an issue that clearly applies to so many people, both Catholic and non-Catholic? They don't. They could care less whether or not the citizens of CT vote on particular issues as they arise.  Its just a smokescreen - an attempt to blur the lines. What they do have a vested interest in is getting their people into the convention to rewrite legislation regarding something that we all know is very, very important to them....The recent decision instituting the rights of gay marriage. THIS IS NOT A CONSPIRACY THEORY. The commercial is plain as day. They say nothing of voting yes to use the convention to overturn the decision on gay marriage though this is their only intention. They only say vote YES to 'pave the way' for a ballot initiative. You can also see on this, the CCC's website, http://www.ctcatholic.org/Final-Legislative-Activity-2008.php that they have planned to push for a convention for their own devices since before the court had even decided. (Topic I., subtopics 1. & 2. ) If parties are being so discreet about their real interests in pushing for issues, it should be a red flag to the rest of us.

 

In summary, a convention is not likely to bring us the right to vote on future issues. Politicians and lobbyists are not likely to let us vote on behalf of our interests as their special interest groups often oppose our interests. It is likely however, to bring about stark changes to other parts of our state constitution including but not limited to gay marriage, worker rights, tax allocation, political interests and self preservation and how big business within the state operates. So think twice before voting on this or any other question/referrendum. There is always more than meets the eye.

 

Note: 30 ammendments have been made to the constitution without the hosting of a convention. We can get items we want (like the ballot initiative)through the petition system with politicians we can hold directly accountable. In a convention, the politicians have open season with our constitution and no one but their political friends to oversee them.

There is an interesting dynamic occuring with our clients, and its kind of fun and rather interesting - the fact that most of them seem to come from somewhere else! I've been thinking about this, as I think I think about everything, and I think there are a few clever factors contributing to this phenomenon. (got all that 'thinking'--it does actually make sense). We have clients from California, Indiana, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Boston, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Missouri. I think its great! Its nice to see that CT is attracting the outside world for more than just its covered bridges and autumn foliage (great reasons both however mind you). As a native who has struggled with what CT was, is, and can be, though I don't question it much less now after having left and again returned, its refreshing to see that CT and more specifically, Hartford, really could be New England's rising star. I like that. Now this may not seem so interesting at first, but that is most likely due to one of the very factors of this trend--and that we're numb to it -- its a sign of the times! In this crazy competitive modern day existence we now live, thanks to talent distribution through world wide connectivity, it is more essential now than ever to go 'where the work' is. Companies are head hunting out of college now and it'd be wise to jump on every opportunity these days as not many come around. What I'm saying is that its not enough anymore to find a good job near home, wherever home may be. Because even if there is good jobs @ home, with the current state of things in the USA, a "good job" just won't cut it. To survive, to make it, to live with little financial worry, one must have a great job, a spectacular job, a magnificent job.

So after you consider A. , a sign of the times. We look to factor B. , why CT in particular is drawing so many professionals from across the country. Well, insurance, insurance, insurance is a good place to start. Travelers, The Hartford, ING, and Aetna employ more than half of our clientele if I had to guess, and if one was to extrapolate that into a statewide estimation, those 4 companies probably employ a good large # of corporate CT.
(Though I have been observing these trends throughout my day to day activities, I'm also partly thinking on the run here so pardon the lack of hard #'s). In a nutshell, CT is and always has been a very wealthy state. We actually rank #3 in the world in Hedge Fund accounts. I don't think that's necessarily evidence to prove we're a wealthy state, but I just read about it in an article over the weekend. Never would've thunk it till I thunk about it :-)...So as it is within the nature of the state to raise a healthy crop of big business, highlighted by corporate hubs and headquarters aplenty in CT, it makes sense that they call on the best and brightest wherever they may come from.

Now lets move on to factor C., the reinvention of the city of Hartford. Its one thing for these companies to head hunt the young talent in america, but it is another thing altogether to get them out here in an environment that they can thrive. Well, with the city of Hartford making strides to transform itself from pre-Robocop Detroit to the second coming of San Francisco, these young twenty and thirty somethings, are moving east (a new concept) in droves. Throw in the UCONN factor and there are lots of reasons for our generation to come to CT.

Wrap these fundamentals up in one big package and you've got a changing face of our wonderful state and it is a good thing. There are actually some young, relatable people out and about now and not the same ol' reg-lers that infested the local bar scene. Those who party in Hartford, live in Hartford, something that never occured before. No one ever really wanted to go into downtown because there was nothing going on and no one was going down there -- a vicious circle. Things have changed.

I suppose it would be best to wrap this observation up by saying, welcome statesman neighbors, and keep it going, CT. Keep these businesses alive, keep bringing 'em in, keep building new homes, apartments, and infrastructure, keep rising you little star you...and all you wonderful transplants...make sure you bring your pets!

The Pigs went to see the doctor today for their checkup and vaccinations. All is well and they are sleeping on the couch now, totally exhausted from the intensity of the vet office. Dr. P is the best by the way. He takes his time with each and every one of them, runs late by the end of every day because each patient is just as important as the next. We love him. The pigs love him as well. He was so good to us when it was Trunks' time we really will never forget it. I suppose the biggest news to come out of the exam room today is that Nina has warts. Not a big deal, except to Nina. She's mortified and would like them removed by Dr. 90210. He's the best plastic surgeon on TV she says. Why she's not watching animal planet 24/7 Brady doesn't know. That's why he's requested his own viewing room. He says Nina is too wrapped up with appearances and between her and Meg and that damn "What Not to Wear" show, Brady and I have begun excavation on the new Man Cave...Brady's joint issues have improved greatly since our last visit with the Doc. He's still a little slow climing into bed (its high, so he's pivoting on his front legs as the pitbull power isn't what it once was in his hind legs anymore), so we think the next step is the stair case. I feel sad about it as he's always been so athletic, its a sign of his age now and I think where the years have gone. But Brady says he's ready for them. He's a proud pitbull and knows when push comes to shove he can still reverse the earths rotation like superman if he wants, but he's retiring from his superhero stature....

We had another busy week, highlighted by Meet & Greets with 3 new clients. The holidays are approaching and will require the services of Home Sweet Home Pet Care for sure. One of our meetings was with new clients Prince and Max (a rottie and a gorgeous blue coat dachsund). These guys are too cool. We met with Prince a few times as he's a little leary of new people but it didn't take more than 15 seconds before these two were slobbering all over us. Jess will be caring for them on the "east side" of the river. We also met two new cats, Boris and Natasha and a cutesy rat terrier named Cola. She's a little nervous during T-storms and with the storm rolling in tonight, it was a good thing that we were visiting with her - at least someone there to comfort her while her mom was gone.

 

Apparently there is a baseball game on involving 2 teams I've never heard of.

 

If we get some interest and response to these blog entries over the next few days/weeks, I'll offer up a little more commentary on various subjects, but I don't want to rant and rave if nobody is reading...and I don't want the conservatives to boycott the website. HeHeHe. But I'll rant and rave anyway - cuz that's what blogs are for!

 

 

 

 

Well I got back to it a little later than I thought. Our busy weekend, that I saw coming, turned into a busy week, which just sort of happened! We had a few more Meet & Greets, a final walkthrough for an overnight and started a new job! We booked another daily walk at the Hartford 21 so our hard work with the "21" promotions and interview booths has definitely paid off. Thanks to everyone there who has given us the opportunity to work for them and their wonderful pets!....But now back to business...The business of baseball! I've been sick to my stomach the past few days at the thought of cashing in the season at the hands of our nemesis? the Tampa Bay Rays! Rays/nemesis? Never woulda thunk it. Let's just get over this hump tonight and shove Beckett and Lester down their throats. I don't care about the last few games, Josh Beckett is a sick maniac and would rather kill everyone in the media room than lose a deciding game. And is seems that Jon Lester is quickly becoming a sick maniac's protoge.

 

Having nothing to do with baseball, we had the pleasure of meeting and caring for Miss Nieve Noel and her pugsly brother Mr. Jonesy Boggs over last weekend. Nieve had called about overnights but as Meg and I were both previously booked, we could not accommodate them. We were able to work out a schedule of multiple visits that would suffice instead, and I'm glad we were able to! What a duo these two are! Nieve is a princess chiuahua who prefers and expects to be properly dressed before leaving the house. Jonesy has no reservations about doing the town au naturale, but with a perfect pug face like the one he has, he can be as naked as he wants. They did very well without mom and dad despite the very close relationship they all share. Nieve was a little nervous at the get go but she warmed up to the routine and quickly made her demands! We were happy to abide! We'll miss these two until they call again, hopefully we can provide them next time with the overnights they prefer!

 

And will CNN please get rid of that damn dial tester during the debates! Its not accurate, is nothing but annoying, and means absolutely nothing other than these people actually thought they were turning up the heat in the studio!