Jack’s designated birthday was June 2nd.  He turned 9.  This past Sunday, June 7th, we returned to where it all began 7 years ago….The Tustin Street Fair & Chili Cook Off.  Yes…Mom, Dad, Auntie Mary, Cousin Casper, Jack & I braved the heat and the sun (you know, being black, I am a sun magnet) and went to the event.

We re-lived that date when Mom and Dad went to the event specifically to visit German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County and to get a better look at “Jack Lemon” a beautiful but somewhat aloof blonde German Shepherd, whom mom had already seen once.  She wanted to introduce Jack Lemon to dad, and she did.  They took a walk around the park.  Jack Lemon didn’t really seem to care who was walking him.  Mom thought he was like that because he had been abused and thought he might warm up after he came home with them.

As they were preparing to start the paperwork, Mom spied a big, black German Shepherd named Lucky and went to see him (You know, she loves black dogs).  Lucky was about 5 years old and weighed about 105 lbs.  The volunteer holding him was a BIG GUY!  When Mom asked about walking him, the volunteer said he was great…unless he saw a cat!  Then, he said, it was hard to control him.  Well, Mom knew that wouldn’t work but, while she was still sitting in the grass looking at Lucky, Jack (then known as Samson) came up from behind her and sat in her lap.  He was 70 lbs and a little scrawny, and he had a “broken” ear – definitely a “cute factor” selling point.  In any event, they decided to take Samson for a walk and for whatever reason, while they were walking, Mom kept calling him “Jack”.

Well, guess who went home with Mom & Dad that day….the new “Jack”….our Jack….although I wasn’t around yet.

So…there we were….7 years later…at the same park….watching the volunteers from German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County walking the boys and girls who were up for adoption that day and hoping that nice families, like ours, would come by and take them to their new, forever homes.For more information on German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County, click on the link!

More later on the progress of our fundraising for Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach and our walk on June 20, 2015 at the Huntington Beach Pier.

Love & Licks,

River