Neighborhood Dog:

DOTTIE Is In Our Neighborhood!

2008-04-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

This is Dottie, the newest member of the Hopper-Bellew family, along with her sister, Dixie who I introduced you to below. Dottie was lucky because she was rescued by such a loving family. She was taken to the doctor by her previous owners with a bone stuck in her throat. They didn't want to pay for her medical costs and asked that she be put to sleep. Good thing the vet decided to help her and found her a new home. She is very cute, I got to meet her in person at the dog park. She's a little shy around other dogs but really sweet. She (and Dixie) are named after Dorothea Dix, the famous UU woman who did a lot to help prisoners and the mentally ill. What a great ending to a very scary story, don't you think?

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy

Remembering

2008-03-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my Big Sister, Emma. She died over a year ago and I never got to meet her, but my parents talk about her a lot. She lived in this house before I did. Now my mom keeps her ashes in a box. The box sits on a special little altar in our house.

I decided I would ask a few questions about Emma and what happened to her. I don't understand why she isn't here anymore, because I would really love to have another dog in the house to play with.

I learned that Emma was a rescue, like me, from the Humane Society. She was about 3 or 4 years old when she joined my family. Emma had a great time for about 12 more years. As she got older, her hair got more gray and she didn't move as fast as she used to. Finally she did not even get up to say hello when people came home, and could not lift her head up anymore. Emma was in a lot of pain.

Sometimes we can help pets stop hurting, if we know there is no way they will ever feel better. The veterinarian can give them something so they no longer feel the pain. But it also means that they die and can no longer be with us. Mom says that it was better for Emma to stop hurting. Even though she misses Emma very very much, it was a good thing to be able to help her.

It is sad to miss pets and people who have died. But in my house, we talk about Emma and tell funny stories about what she was like. This way, we never forget about her.

Why don't you ask your family about a pet, or even somebody they really cared about who died?
I bet you will hear lots of fun stories, too.

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T17:01:00.001-08:00

Here I am with one of my Valentines. His name is Buddy and I adore him! I just wanted to wish everyone a nice Valentine's Day, and remind you to remember all the people you love. I also remember that I love cookies, so I'm going to have one now.

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy xo

The Third Principle

2008-02-08T16:16:00.001-08:00

Principle Three:
"Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations"
Or, for us kids: "We Accept Each Other"

This is my friend Mylo and me:

We like to play together. There are a few things that are different about us. For one, Mylo can put his head on the counter for a snack. I have to wait until something falls on the floor because I am little. Another thing that is different about us is that when Mylo drinks water, he slobbers EVERYWHERE! When I drink water, I don't make a mess at all. Mylo joined his family when he was a puppy, and came from a breeder. I was adopted when I was about one year old from a rescue person, and don't know who my birth parents are. Mylo has a lot of shaggy, long hair, and my belly hardly has any hair at all! Can you name some other differences that you see between us?

Just because Mylo is different than me and we do different things does not mean we can't be friends. Of course, he has a bigger collar and leash than I do, but we are both loved and treated fairly by our families. Even though Mylo is much bigger than me, he is always welcome in in my small house. Just like I am welcome in his house and big yard. And even though he DROOLS everywhere, he is so lovable and fun when you meet him. I barely notice his slobber! And he puts up with me climbing all over him and biting his ears. We accept each other and, do you know what? We have a lot of fun!

I hope you can learn to accept your friends and others, even though they may do things differently than you. You might just have fun, too!

Remember you can always send me an email or let me know about your pets at home. I get my emails at: NeighborhoodDog@yahoo.com.
Peace, Love and Happiness!

Remy

CHLOE Is In Our Neighborhood!

2008-01-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!
I want to share with you the email I got from Chloe, this beautiful Golden Retriever getting blessed by Jim above. She is so pretty and writes very well, too! Thanks, Chloe, for sharing with us!
Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy

*********
About 5 years ago, I joined the Brainerd/Racine family. My temporary name was Vanna when I was rescued by the Golden Retriever Club of Greater Los Angeles. What happened then was my Mom-to-be, Lee, was sitting in her wheelchair at a doggie review, watching the golden retrievers who needed to find homes. She was going to help her sister pick out a new dog (she already had Sally and didn't need another dog).

But then a foster mom came up and said, "Will you hold Vanna, my foster dog's lead while I go into the pet store for a minute?" Lee said yes, so I politely sat down next to her wheelchair and started licking the big scar on her knee! She giggled. Then I took her hand gently in my mouth and held onto it! I was saying "You need to take me home and adopt me!"

So she convinced Dad that they really needed two dogs in the family! They already owned a rescue dog, named Sally. Sally looked just like a wolf. She had the colors of an Alaskan Husky but the short hair and body of a German Shepard. Sally was getting on in years, so Mom and Dad thought I should help her enjoy a second youth! Which I did- we had lots of play time and dog fun until Sally died.

Our cat Thunder really rules the house- cats are like that! He is a Cornish Rex- they have long black legs, long ears and noses, and really short, soft fur that people with cat fur allergies are not allergic to. Look up Cornish Rex on the computer to see how funny they look.

Some Saturdays Dad brings me to Neighborhood Church so I can play with his friends who sort through some old boxes of papers from the church attic. I love the church- it's a doggie paradies, and the humans are accepting of every kind of people and animals, as long as they have open hearts and minds.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-27T16:33:00.001-08:00

I wish all of you out there a very happy holiday season. I celebrated Christmas at my house, and got lots of toys in my stocking. We had a tree decorated and I didn't even pee on it!

More Principles coming soon!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy xo

DIXIE Is In Our Neighborhood!

2007-12-10T16:51:00.000-08:00

This is Dixie. She is being hugged by one of her owners, Maya. Aren't they both so cute together? Dixie is about 4 years old. She was adopted from the Pasadena Humane Society two years ago. She's a mix of different breeds, kinda like me. The Humane Society is a great place to get a pet. What a cool thing to be able to help an animal in need of a new home!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy xoxo

The Second Principle

2007-11-28T13:07:00.000-08:00

"Justice, Equity and Compassion in Human Relations"

Here is what it means to us kids:
We treat each other fairly and kindly.
Or, in other words, Be Kind In All You Do!

Do you know how to meet a dog you don't know? A lot of people want to meet me but I'm scared at first. Some people were mean to me before, so I have to get to know new friends slowly. Other dogs want to jump up and say hello right away. And some others just want to be left alone. I want to share some tips on how to be fair and kind when you meet a new dog:

1. If you see a dog you don't know and it's with someone, ask if it's okay to pet the dog. Some dogs don't like kids or are afraid of them.

2. Always let the dog sniff your open hand before you try and pet it.

3. Never pet a dog on top of the head without letting them sniff your hand. You may scare it and nobody likes to be scared. I like people to scratch me under my chin at first. Most dogs don't like people to grab their heads, either.

4. Don't go up to a dog who doesn't have an owner around. And don't tease or chase a dog you don't know. That's just not kind!

5. If a dog growls or shows his teeth, leave him alone. Everyone has bad days sometimes. But that does not mean you can't treat them just as fairly as you would anyone else.

When I meet someone new, my parents sometimes give them a dog cookie to give to me. Boy do I love my cookies. I'm so little that people who are big sometimes scare me. But with enough love (and dog cookies), I am happy. I'll be your friend forever if you throw a ball for me, too! Talk about being kind!

Peace, Love, and Happiness,
Remy
(NeighborhoodDog@yahoo.com)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T10:25:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for all of you fellow UU's who are learning with me this year! I hope everyone is having a very happy Thanksgiving! And stay tuned... the Second Principle is next!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy xoxo

Interview with Sara LaWall, Director of Religious Education

2007-11-13T11:16:00.001-08:00

Hi Sara! I am so happy to talk to you today. This is my first interview. I hope it goes well. I have so many questions for you! I will start with this one:

How long have you been a Unitarian Universalist?
I have been a UU for 3 years, though in my heart and my mind I think I have been a UU all my life. I was a member at the church in Studio City, CA before I came to Neighborhood.

Why do you like Neighborhood Church?
I like Neighborhood because I get to know so many different people--grownups, children and youth. It really feels like a family here, there is so much love. I also like that I get to work in a place where I am doing something good--making a small difference in people's lives. I like that there is not one right way to think here- that we are encouraged to ask questions and explore the meaning of life and come up with our own, personal answers. Being at Neighborhood makes me feel more connected to the Spirit of Life and to something divine in all of us.

Tell me about your family.
I have been married to my husband Michael for 10 years and we have a 2 year old son named William. William is VERY scared of Dogs which makes me sad because I love them so much. Michael and I have known each other since we were in high school. My parents were divorced when I was very young so I am my mother's only child and my father's eldest daughter. I have 2 half-sisters, Anne & Gina, whom I love very much--we call each other sisters because we don't feel like we're just "half" related. My sister Anne has a one year old daughter so I am a new Auntie and I love it. But I miss them because they live far away in Wisconsin. Most of my family & my husband's family live in Tucson, Arizona where we were born.

Do you have any pets? Or stuffed animals?
I do not have any pets because we live in an apartment and our landlord won't allow them. I wish we could have a dog because I grew up with dogs my whole life. My favorite dog was our Dalmatian named Tigger--she liked to jump on people. I used to have a lot of stuffed animals, but not so many anymore. My son William has a few--I think his favorite is the Jaguar he calls "Kitty".

Can you give me a hint about some of the other Principles I am going to learn about?
Well, we are going to learn about the important of having a vote, something that is easy for us to take for granted here in the United States. We are also going to learn about learning. Learning together is very important to UU's. It may sound silly, but there are places in the world where the government or religious leaders tell you and your parents what you have to learn. You are not free to choose to learn about things that interest you, especially if they are subjects not supported by the government.

And now, the most important question; Do you like cookies?
I LOVE cookies, and brownies and ice cream and (well let's just say dessert should be its own meal)!

I want to thank Sara for talking to me today. I always love visiting Neighborhood Church, especially when I can see her!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy

LANIE Is In Our Neighborhood

2007-11-06T10:26:00.001-08:00

This is Lanie. She dressed up for her first Halloween, too. Like me, I don't think she was too happy about her costume at first. But when she saw all the other kids dressed up, she was proud. I think she makes a very cute alligator, don't you?
Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy
(neighborhooddog@yahoo.com)

Happy Halloween!

2007-11-01T16:22:00.001-07:00

I hope you all actually LIKED your Halloween costumes.

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy "Ladybug"

Pet Blessing

2007-10-30T23:38:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Here I am with Hannah who is a really cool person. She blessed me at Neighborhood's Pet Blessing last week Sunday! There were lots of animals there and it was a great way to appreciate our pets. More pictures coming soon.

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy

AURORA Is In Our Neighborhood

2007-10-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is Aurora and her dad. She sent me the nicest email about her life. She's so pretty, don't you think? She is a Belgian Tervuren and loves to hike and eat toast and pizza crusts! (I will have to try pizza crust, that sounds so good!)

I want you to read her email, because she writes very well. In fact, it made me have tears in my little eyes. I think you will feel the same way I did when I read it:

I used to live in cage outside a trailer in a really humid and terrible place. Back then all I did was have one litter of puppies after another and they took my puppies away each and every time! It was terrible and to make it worse the people who lived in the trailer weren't very nice to me. In fact, they hurt me, so I was pretty sure that people were bad.

One day some police came, and I got taken out of my cage and I stayed in a safe place, then one day I had a scary airplane ride and Sam was at the airport to pick me up. I didn't know him, and I figured he was like the other mean people, but after many months of him taking good care of me, giving me lots of love, and never ever hurting me, I started to think that people weren't so bad after all.

Dad talks about Neighborhood Church a lot. I have to say I don't understand much about it, but I have visited one time. When I was there a nice guy named Jim held me in his arms and he blessed me. I felt pretty special being in front of all those people, dogs, cats and even some weird lizardy things. When Jim hugged me, he made me feel very special and important. My dad doesn't have children, so I'm a real-life kid to him, and I think Jim and Sam's friends at Neighborhood Church understand and respect that.

My life is already pretty special. I don't know what I did to deserve to be rescued from that terrible trailer park place, but somehow the miracle happened. So I guess I am pretty blessed every day!

I am so happy Aurora got the loving home she deserves. You can tell her dad loves her very much, just like my mom and dad love me very much too. It feels so good to be in a home with that much love!

Thanks, Aurora, for sharing your story with us. I hope you'll keep in touch!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy xoxo

I Will Be Back Soon!

2007-10-21T22:24:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,
I know I haven't posted anything new for a little bit. I went on vacation! I saw the ocean for the first time. Have you ever seen the ocean? It is very big and the waves are loud! I will tell you more soon. There is so much to talk about, like Halloween coming up, and the pet blessing at Neighborhood Church. Stay tuned!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy

LADY and PRETTY are in our Neighborhood

2007-10-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

On the left is Pretty and on the right is Lady. Lady was nice enough to write and tell me her story! She is such a beautiful doggie teenager. She says that she used to be called "Trie" (sounds like Tree), and lived with her owner until he let her stay with his mom. She was then re-named Lady. I know how this can be, because when I was first rescued, my name was "Ruby." Then somebody else called me "Jubilee". Now I am just "Remy"!

Lady says that she loved her life and then.... she got a little sister! That sister is cute little Pretty (who was almost called 'Smuckers'!!). At first, Lady didn't want to share her toys and pillows and things with her new sister. I am sure many of you have little brothers and sisters. When you first met them, maybe you didn't know how to feel about them? Well, guess what? After a couple days of pouting, Lady saw that her new sister was FUN! They started to play and run and have a great time together. Now Lady and Pretty share everything, especially the love of their owner and the whole family! Lady says that sharing can be a lot of fun, and I think she's right.

Thank you for telling us your story, Lady! We can all learn from you and your little sister, Pretty!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy xoxo

Remembering Summer

2007-10-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody!
Now that it's the fall and everyone is back in school, I have to tell you about the best thing that happened to me this summer! I got my VERY OWN SWIMMING POOL! I like going in the water as long as I can stand in it. I even jump into the bathtub once someone is done to splash around. Another one of my favorite things to stay cool is eating ice cubes. Here I am in my pool:I want to know what everyone did over the summer! Remember you can email me at:
NeighborhoodDog@yahoo.com
Let me know if I can use your name to share with everyone what your stories are!

P.S. A special hello to 5-year old Kieran and his dog, Harold, and his other 21 pets! That's a LOT of animals!

The First Principle

2007-10-01T02:48:00.001-07:00

"The Inherent Worth And Dignity Of Every Person"

Those are big words that I do not understand. To make it easy for us kids, it means this:

Each Person Is Important. (Hey! What about dogs?)

Is a rat less important than me, a dog? What about a bird? Or a fly? A spider, a shark or a lizard? I decided to do my own research.

There is a fish pond at my grandparents' house. I love looking at the fish there. (I would like to see them closer but there is a lot of yelling if I try). Fish look slimy and have big gulping mouths. They don't look like me and I do not think they would chase a ball. But some of these fish eat mosquitoes and their eggs. This means I will not get bitten by mosquitoes when I go visit. So I think that makes these fish important: Next is a picture of a spider. EEEUUUWWW! I think spiders are creepy. They have EIGHT legs and I only have four. They eat BUGS and I... well, I actually like to eat bugs, too. Maybe we have something in common. Spiders are so small but do a big job catching flies that bother me. So I will say that spiders are important, and so am I when I eat bugs. (My favorite bugs to eat are dried-up worms and snails. My parents LOVE putting their fingers in my mouth to get them out).
This is Berkeley. He is a canary and you may know him already. He lives at Neighborhood Church. He has feathers! And he eats birdseed! I do not think he would eat one of my bones or play with my dog friends. But he makes people and visitors in the office happy with his chirping and singing. So that makes him important too:
I guess this means that all animals are important. What I have learned is that even though others may not look like you, or eat the same things you do, or play the same way, they are just as important as you are. Now I am going to promise to say hello to every animal that is not a dog. This way, I will learn more about them!

See you next time!
Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy

Why Neighborhood?

2007-09-27T16:55:00.001-07:00

I know about Neighborhood Church because my parents go there. I think a lot of you are there on Sundays because your family goes there too, right? Do you ever wonder WHY your family goes there? I asked my mom why she likes it and she told me that there are many reasons. She said that one reason she likes it at Neighborhood is because everyone is welcome. I like that reason. It means that all of my different friends would be welcome. I will tell you more about my friends later, but I have to show you a picture of me with my buddy, Reggie:Why don't you ask your family and friends why they go to Neighborhood Church? I bet you will hear many answers. Mom also said there are seven things that Unitarian Universalists believe in that make us special. I can't wait to learn all seven and tell you what I think about them! I think a lot for a dog. Right now I am thinking that I could really use a cookie.

Peace, Love and Happiness to you all,
Remy

VERTEX Is In Our Neighborhood

2007-09-23T16:04:00.001-07:00

This is Vertex. Don't you want to cuddle him and kiss him? He is almost 3 months old, and he has a very special job to do. Vertex is going to go to school, kinda like me! Except that Vertex is learning how to help others. His mom is teaching him to be a CCI dog. That stands for Canine (dog) Companions (buddies) for Independence (freedom). These dogs help adults and children who need an extra hand (or a paw) in doing things. They can learn how to open doors, tell people if a phone or doorbell is ringing, and fetch things for their owners. These dogs are SMART! In a couple more months, Vertex will start going places with his mom. This way he can learn how to behave in different places. He may even come to Neighborhood Church one day, so keep an eye out for him. He lives with his mom and has a big sister named Tosca, who is a husky/golden retriever mix. I have asked him to stay in touch so we can hear about all the lessons he's learning, too! Thanks for sharing with us, Vertex!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy (NeighborhoodDog@yahoo.com)

Neighborhood Pets

2007-09-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hello human friends!

I want to know more about you and your pets. Every week I will put up a picture and story about a family pet. Send me an email and attach a picture of the animal(s) in your family, and let me know stuff about them. I want to know things like: when and how the animal joined your family? What things does your pet like to do? Also any funny stories you have about them.

If you don't have a live pet, you can send me pictures of your favorite stuffed animal, and tell me things about them, too. Here is a picture of me and my favorite stuffed animal. It's a monkey that makes a funny noise:
Remember my email is:
NeighborhoodDog@yahoo.com
I can't wait to hear from you!

Peace, Love and Happiness,
Remy
P.S. I forgot to tell you all that I'm a girl. Just so you know.

Welcome!

2007-08-31T11:25:00.001-07:00

Greetings and thanks for stopping by my page! I'm really excited to be a part of Neighborhood Church. I can't be there in person to visit everybody, but I want to learn the same things that the YRE classes are learning this year. Maybe you can teach me a thing or two, as well.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I am about a year old, and around 12 lbs. People think I have some Jack Russell terrier in me. Nobody is really sure what else I am, though I am told I may be part monster. I used to live on the streets in Echo Park. I sort of belonged to a family but they didn't treat me very well. A nice lady from a dog rescue found me and took me in, because I was in bad shape. She fixed me up and found a new home for me, but that mom could not take care of me, either. Finally, I found my new adoptive home here in Pasadena, and I totally rule the house now.

Although I am small, I have a big personality. I love to explore the world and meet new people. I am kind of shy at first but I warm up pretty quickly. I love kids because they are more my size. I have a LOT of dog friends! Playing with them is one of my favorite things to do.

I am still young and want to learn about the world. I make mistakes sometimes and don't always behave like I should. Overall I think I'm a pretty good dog though. I like to help people and animals in any way I can. I try and do nice things for others often.

I want to hear from you, too! If you have any questions or comments for me, I can be reached at:

NeighborhoodDog@yahoo.com

It's amazing how fast I can type with my paws, so don't be shy about introducing yourselves! See you soon!

Peace, Love and Happiness to you,
Remy