Amy from Go Pet Friendly, AJ from I Still Want More Puppies, Jodi from Kol’s Notes, Mel from No Dog About It, Julie from The Daily Dog Blog, Jennifer from My Brown Newfies, Kim from CindyLu’s Muse, Lauren from Life With Desmond, Leslie from Bringing Up Bella, Jodi from Heart Like A Dog, Kristine from Rescued Insanity, Peggy from Peggy’s Pet Place, and Dawn from NEPA Pets.
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I took this selfie of Kenzo and me, Leo, for the occasion. And yes, if you have been here before, someone is missing. It would have been Viva's 9th anniversary today, December 18, but she went far too young. But please don't be sad. Give your pet a huge hug instead, and if you like, join this donation campaign in remembrance of Viva, for the good of dogs like her in Denmark, so they may find loving homes too.
Now, let's go to the questions!
What’s your favorite non-animal related book?
"Les Misérables", by Victor Hugo.
I read it many times since high school, and first in the original French version, but I couldn't do that anymore today. I never kept my French up to date.
What’s your favorite non-animal related movie?
"The Intouchables", starring François Cluzet and Omar Sy. The trailer on Youtube is here.
Great story of a remarkable friendship of opposites.
What’s your favorite non-animal related food?
By far, Indonesian food. It has so many flavors to discover.
Who’s your favorite actor?
Katherine Heigl.
She forced me though, as she loves Kenzo, and thinks he is a 100% gorgeous.
What’s one thing you have to do every day?
Absolutely nothing. And that is more difficult than it sounds. If I don't, the next thing takes the next, and I end up thinking, where did the week/month/year go?
What makes you feel fabulous?
Being able to help somebody else makes me feel pretty good. And I love solving problems, any kind of problem will do, just not quizzes and puzzles, and repairs.
What do you wish you were more skilled at?
Communication: expressing myself, languages, people skills. It is the finest of arts, so much to learn still.
What’s your favorite holiday?
Hiking in Norway with the dogs. We did it only once last year for a first time, and we are totally hooked.
Favorite meal?
Being an expat, I could die for "stamppot" from home - this mashed substance is best described on the "Stuff Dutch People Like" blog - trust me, you are not missing out on anything.
What do you like to do in your free time?
It will be hard to pick just a few. There are so many things I like to do, dogs, writing, museums, reading, history, traveling (with the dogs). My current vice is off-roading with the Landcruiser, very bad! And I really don't have a concept of free- and work time. I love my work. I love other things than work. I don't keep track of time I spend on either of them.
What one word would people who know you use to describe you?
Problem-solver.
If your pets could talk, what one word would THEY use to describe you?
Confused.
What is one thing you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
Being able to learn and change.
How is your pet most like you?
Kenzo and me share even-tempered personalities. But do us unjust, and we will roar. With Viva I share to trust others from the start, even though we sometimes get disappointed along the way.
What can your body do for you that makes you most proud?
Do we need to ask the body? Wouldn't it ask the brain anyway?
If you could change one thing about your life what would it be?
At the moment, it is to change the life of the city for a more rural life. But that's the change ahead, to change continuously is important to me. And I wonder already, what will lay beyond that.
Other than blogging, what are three things you do that bring you joy?
Oh, how I miss chasing sunsets with Viva and not being able to feel her soft touch. It might be wrong timing for me, to answer this question.
What’s one thing you could do to be more kind to yourself?
I can do without The Guilt. It is such a useless emotion.
What drives you nuts about your pets? What melts your heart?
Isn't that the same? You mentioned it in one question as well, did you. Ha!
If you didn’t have your current pets, what pets would you choose to have?
Any creature with gills, fur or feathers is welcome to be loved in our home. Aren't they all amazing.
Hello :) I'm new to your blog because of this blog hop, and I'm so glad I've found it! Great to get to know you a little, perhaps even before I get to know your dog! I'm now following and can't wait to come back x
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you were in Norway. My family on my mother's side comes from there. I'm an Ex-pat too in the UK. Great meeting you and your blog!
ReplyDeleteMaggie
Nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteLes Mis (in English) has been sitting on my bookshelf gathering dust for a while now - I may just have to pick it up!
Glad to hear that and hope you will like it.
DeleteNice to meet you. I'm so sorry for your loss of Viva and went back to read some of your stories of her - so sweet.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kate, for your kind words.
DeleteI recently discovered Indonesian food, and am quickly becoming obsessed. Delicious!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the problem-solving thing. Do you ever do logic puzzles? I am a huge nerd and love them.
Really enjoyed reading your post and learning more about you - and both photos are simply lovely.
No puzzles and quizes though :) (and repairs). Although I never tried "logic puzzles" ... I'll have to google it and give that a try...
DeleteYou're multi-lingual. You write a blog in English. Oh, and you've written posts that have made me cry.
ReplyDeleteAnd you wish you had better language and communication skills? What kind of perfectionist are you? :)
Ha! I did make you laugh sometimes as well I hope?
DeleteIt's great to get to know you through this post!
ReplyDeleteHi! This is my first visit to your blog so it's very nice to meet you! I love your pictures, Kenzo is beautiful and so was Viva :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome answers and photos. I'm glad you included Viva, she is so much part of this blog and your journey!
ReplyDeleteThis was one of my favorite statements, "I end up thinking, where did the week/month/year go?" I think that all the time, why just yesterday I'm sure I was still in my twenties. ;-)
Thanks so much for participating, I'm thinking with all the new bloggers I'm meeting from the hop, my time is going to be even more limited But in a good way. :-D
And it happens before you know it, right?
DeleteThanks Jodi, for mentioning Viva as such an important part of our journey.
Hi, nice to meet you. Kenzo is beautiful and I'm sure you miss Viva very much. Nice answers to the questions as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you joined the hop! It's nice getting to learn a little about you. I love that you're most proud of your ability to learn and change. I have a sign in my garden that just says "Grow". I didn't put it there for the plants. ;)
ReplyDeleteHa! and that sign is a great idea!
DeleteLife really is a journey of learning and growing isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI, too, long for a more relaxed lifestyle outside of the City. I grew up just outside the city limits of a small and medium sized town (between the two). After I graduated college I moved into Seattle, exclaiming that it would emotionally drain me and I would hate it. Almost 10 years later, I look back and have grown to love the City. For the most part, I have spent my time living in neighborhoods that feel like their own small Cities and maintaining a very low work commute time. Now I am finding myself coming full-circle (or at least a half of one) and yearning to move just outside of the City limits of the medium sized town where I earned my undergrad. The value of climbing the career ladder and making more money has been replaced with the value of flexibility, free-time and having more time with Chester and Gretel (oh my hubby too). That change is slowly being but into motion now but won't be realized for around 3 years. Good luck on your transition.
Good luck with that too, Jessica. For us it will also take a while before we get there, but we are working on it.
DeleteI love your writing! Your pictures! Your blog! And now, *finally* a face to go with all that! It's a pleasure to meet you. You capture what it's like to love dogs so beautifully. It's a gift. It's wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWow ... thanks!
DeleteAnd you made me realize to see the face behind does matter. I feel the same about some of the blogs I follow and never "seen" who's behind it all, it is thrilling to see them unveil.
Well hello! So nice to get to know you! I'm sorry your darling is gone too soon, but your fur babies are beautiful. :) This has been a fun blog hop. It's good to see the people faces for a change.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to meet you through the Blog Hop. We are giving each other hugs to celebrate Viva. Some of them leave us far too soon, but leave us with such wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteGlad you share those hugs to celebrate Viva. She would love that. And there is so much truth in that sentence. They leave to soon ... but, leave us wonderful memories.
DeleteHi! Have "seen" you around Twitter, but this is my first time visiting your blog. Such a great idea for a hop.
ReplyDeleteJust saw The Intouchables recently and it was wonderful! I also loved Les Mis (although I read it in English!)
Sorry to hear about your Viva. I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you. There can never be "enough" time with our pups, but she will always be with you in your heart.
Thanks Jackie, for your kind words about Viva.
DeleteI'm so glad that you joined the hop and I got to know some more about you! I think that Leroy and Sherman would describe me as confused a lot too. I wish I loved to solve problems, especially math problems :)
ReplyDeleteMath would qualify as a puzzle though :)
DeleteI am probably the only computer programmer in the world, that stinks at - and hates - math.
Norway is one place that I would love to visit! I know you don't want to dwell on the loss of your Golden Viva, but I am so sorry. We lost our 12 year old Golden, Tucker suddenly this summer. I share your pain and will indeed give my Basset an extra hug tonight.
ReplyDeleteOh no, I am all for dwelling!
DeleteSorry to hear about your Golden, Tucker. Sending more hugs your way.
So great getting to know you a bit more! I am so with you on The Guilt. Useless, yes, but I haven't learned how to shake it yet. I love that you chose Les Mis. I read and loved that book... then, many years later, my husband's father told me I was the only one he had met who had loved it as much as he, so he gave us tickets to the Broadway production as a wedding gift. Magical. Thank you for bringing that memory back! My heart is still with you, Leo. Now, to take your advice, I'm off to hug the pups.
ReplyDeleteThat's sounds wonderful. They had a theater production over here as well, but it was a musical in which they sang in .... Dutch. Such a bummer. The movies about Les Misérables are, let's say, different, as well. Although I liked the one where Liam Neeson portrayed Jean ValJean.
DeleteThanks Maggie, for all your support you have given along the way during Viva's passing. It means the world to me.
It is such a pleasure to meet you through this blog hop. If all humans could learn and change, I think this world would be a much better place. I am very sorry that you lost Viva so early. In answer to the question what drives you nuts about your pets, my human mommy said that they don't live forever. Well, maybe not forever, but certainly longer. I've just gotten a huge hug and kiss in memory of your beautiful Viva and in honor of handsome Kelso.
ReplyDeleteYou read my mind, that's a lot better answer to the question, what drives one nuts!
DeleteLeo, I had no idea that you are now a gentleman of leisure! Enjoy your "freedom" & nice to see a picture of you.
ReplyDeleteLike that, apart from the fact I still have to work for living :)
DeleteLoved this post and the selfie of you and Kenzo. What a great photo. The one with Viva, Kenzo and you was wonderful too!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved your answer to what you absolutely have to do every day. If only we all could live like you. Wonderful.
You have always been kind and generous and caring. If you need more words to describe you, please let me know. :)
Ha! Thanks Mel, that's an awesome list, adding to it will only give me red cheeks :).
DeleteReally, really love the pictures of you with your dogs. Sweet Viva may be gone from this earth, but she is never forgotten and so much a part of your blog. Thanks so much for participating :) I feel exactly the same way you do about guilt - totally useless!
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie, I also love the one with all three of us are together. So lucky to have that as a memory.
DeleteLeo, thank you so much for jumping into the hop. Honestly, you say you'd like to be better at communication and people skills, but this is one of the most touching posts I've read. The loss you're feeling for Viva is so tangible, you've touched me across all these miles. And, I love what you wrote about change ... I often wonder what change will be next for Rod and I after living in the RV. It seems each move you make in your life lines you up for the next one and I have so much fun thinking about what this experience might be preparing us to do in the future. Finally, I love your selfie with Kenzo ... two such handsome boys! ISending you both big hugs.
ReplyDeleteI agree all creatures are amazing!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for the loss of Viva. I'm sure it is hard coming up on her anniversary, but how wonderful that something wonderful such as helping other dogs can come from your love for her.
Ah! I long to be able to read Les Miserable in it's original french. (I have read the 12oo page translation, but it's just not the same, is it?) Viva was such a beautiful girl, though I don't comment, I have followed her and your journey together. She was so blessed with a human like you. I can't imagine how challenging NOTHING is. You're a trooper to even attempt it!
ReplyDeleteA wooden dog feeder blends functionality with aesthetic appeal, providing a sturdy and stylish solution for serving meals to your canine companion. wood dog feeder
ReplyDelete