GREAT idea!! Here goes ….
My name is Toto’s Mom [known to most “humans” as Bettye] and I’m a “Yorkaholic”.
I am known to the “Little People” in my life as “Nonnie” and they are known to me as “Grandchildren”!
I am 61 years old and I also had two husbands, one lasted 13 years and the other 2 ½ years, boy, was I young and stupid!! My son, Chris, and the father of my gorgeous 14 year-old granddaughter, Kayla, is 42. My Amanda [Mandy], is 25 and the absolute “Light of My Life”! I raised Mandy alone and it was the most rewarding period of my life! She is married, has a wonderful husband [in banking] and is the mother of 5 year old Austin and 1 year old Abbi. Then after years of being a “single” mom, I [excuse me, Mary Ellen] found the most wonderful man in the world!! [There must have been two?!
] Actually, he was my best friend [still is]! I was 48 when we married 13 years ago and this is really the odd part … he was also a “single” dad raising a daughter, Jessica, who is 25 and the mother of my beautiful grandsons, Tyler, who is 6 and Michael, who is 5!!
I worked as Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper for a State funded Emergency Medical Services organization which educated medics, doctors, nurses, etc. It was a complicated, time consuming job and every second of my “free” time was devoted to Mandy! Patrick was “Chief Videographer” at our local CBS affiliate when we met and was “on call” 24/7 so I learned lots of “stuff”! He had worked for other TV affiliates and even ESPN … so it was exciting for me although day-to-day to him! We eventually had our own production studio and after years of “killing” ourselves we decided that since we were at that time suffering from the “empty nest” syndrome [and totally bored with television production] that we would make a career change and that’s when we started in the “Gas & Oil” & “Fibre-Optics” Industries in Right-of-Way. We travel the country making way for gas pipelines or fibre obtics That’s where we are now … however ….
Last year when we were in Missouri working, my Patrick and I saw a little Casita travel trailer for the first time! Now, I knew that he and his family camped when he was a child … granted, his parents were both attorneys and they on occasion took the maid with them! OK … first I knew he still had that love for camping! Not me, if it doesn’t say “Holiday Inn” on the door, I ain’t staying! “WHY be uncomfortable?” was my motto!
So, when he began wanting this travel trailer …. He distracted me by showing me all this Yorkie stuff online! NO, I said. After the death of our poodle, Nichole, I said NEVER again would I get that attached to another animal!! NEVER!!! OK, those little faces began to get to me …. I began looking at them … I began reading the research …. the books … devouring all the information!!! Then, magically [anyone out there familiar with the determination of the Irish?], through a vet who turned out to be Dr. Lucy, he located this breeder in Marietta, GA who had some puppies [she breeds strictly show dogs] and she might talk to us! She indeed had babies that were born in July and it would be several months before she would consider parting with any, if then. Oh yeah ... she's gonna talk to
me . Although their bloodline is “pure”, some of them just don’t make the weight requirement to show [which is 4 lbs for Yorkies]. Well ... she couldn't keep
all of them for herself ... could she? By this time I was so involved with getting prepared for eventually getting this little piece of fluff … I can’t tell you when Patrick ordered the Casita … nor how many times he showed me the “extras” on the Casita website that you could add-on … I just vaguely remember saying “yes, dear, that sounds great … why don’t we get that”. Needless to say when I emerged from my research on Yorkies we had not only ordered the Casita with every available add-on offered … but we were scheduled to pick it up in Texas in late October! By this time also, Patrick had talked the breeder into taking a refundable deposit and would consider letting us take a peek at the yorkie babies in late October! Now … I grew up a “Southern Daddy’s Girl” and was accustomed to “getting my way” or “I’ll tell my Daddy”! I was so certain that this “pick of the litter” was mine that I would go to the pet store and come out with bags of “stuff” … ordered “stuff” online and had it sent to our hotel so often I had to tell the manager … “Honest, we don’t have a dog in there … yet … but we’ll discuss it?” Pat is fond of saying that Toto has more “stuff” than we do!!
Late October … met breeder at Dr. Lucy’s office … got my “baby” [didn’t even look at the other two we could have chosen] on Wednesday … left Saturday to pick up the Casita in Texas and wound up in Destin, FL camping and visiting with friends who live there! By the time we got back home we had put over 2500 miles on the Casita and Toto!! Funny thing is … this little 1 ½ lb. “distraction” that “Mr. Smarty” bought for me so I would hardly notice the new Casita … wound up with both of us wound around her little paw!! We both agree that it was the smartest thing we have ever done. We find it hard to believe that it’s been seven months since we adopted her and we are still amazed every time we look at her … she is our joy!!! I can't say that I love camping ... but as Pat likes to say "I put up with it"! I do somewhat enjoy most of it for short periods of time it's fun ... but being claustrifobic [sp?] I can only stay short periods!
We went down to Florida again in January for the Casita Rally and met lots of great people in person that we had gotten acquainted with on the Casita Forum … best of all met Mary Ellen, Don and Pogo who are great friends and we plan to eventually get up to Maine to visit. We haven’t met little Higgins in person yet but just fell in love with him the first time we saw his picture!
I used to have hobbies [being a workaholic I had to be constantly doing something!] … like Mary Ellen … I loved reading … recipe collecting … needlework … sewing … woodwork … tole painting … you name it, if it was a craft I did it! Now … I don’t do any of them much anymore. I hope to pick some of it back up at some point but for now I am so busy with work and 24/7 Yorkie … I hardly have time for anything but an occasional good book. Toto pretty much consumes all my time when I’m not working and sometimes
when I am working!! She loves to nap on my lap or in her bag when we are at the courthouse!
I also am overweight, about 25-30 lbs! When you consider that I am not quite 5 feet tall, that’s a lot! My problem is I really HATE to cook and I’m not overly fond of food. To me, cooking is boring so on those rare occasions that I cook, I like to take a recipe and add variations to make it more interesting or make it mine, I don’t know which!! I eat mostly because I don’t want to die … and we eat out all the time! I wore size 5 jeans when I met Patrick and now am size 10!! Now … Pat is someone who loves to eat!! There are those occasions that I do enjoy cooking … if I have plenty of time and if it’s something that I know people really like. Like the Peanut Butter Pie that Mary Ellen mentioned. I made some of those for a potluck at the Casita Rally and everyone loved it! And … I do share my recipe … if anyone wants it?!
Mary Ellen didn’t mention her famous “reading” that she did at the potluck! The “New England” accent had everyone in stitches! We had such a great time and look forward to the next annual rally next year!
Since I gave everyone the pie recipe … I have to come up with something “new & exciting” and let one of the other ladies bring the pies!! And … someone out there … ask Mary Ellen about the “Pink Flamingo”?
Okay … that’s waaaay too much about me …. anyone else …. ????
Puppy kisses,
Bettye