Below is an email message I just received from the president of Arizona Greyhound Rescue.  I have taken in a wonderful foster dog, Bandit.  Can you help too?  Foster families, adoptive families, and folks that can provide respite care for a day or two after they are altered are all needed.  If you can help these wonderful dogs, please let me know!  It's wonderful that the track has closed, but that causes an urgent need to place a lot of dogs very quickly.  Let a Greyhound into your heart...you will never be the same again!

Track Closures and Greyhound Homes

The ramifications of the Phoenix track closing are becoming known, and it is not good news.  Phoenix dogs are beginning to arrive in Tucson.  Tucson kennel owners and trainers have received direction to begin "culling" their dogs to make room for the Phoenix dogs.  The result of this will be over 100 excess dogs - and perhaps substantially more than that - that will need to be dispositioned in the coming weeks.  "Dispositioned" in this case means rehomed/adopted in Tucson, transported to other rescue groups out-of-state, or sent to Caliente Race Track in Tijuana.  The first two options are much preferable to Caliente.

Arizona Greyhound Rescue intends to do its part, and more.  The reality is that some number of dogs will be fortunate enough to be transported to other rescue groups.  With the number of excess dogs in Phoenix also high, though, there will be competition for space in the hauling vehicles.  So the more dogs we can take in and place locally, the more likely that the stories of these dogs will have a happy ending.

So - what can you do?

Help us find HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

We need homes for 50 dogs by January 15^th. 

These can be foster homes or forever homes.  These can be homes with you, these can be homes with your friends, your extended family members, your neighbors - anyone you know who loves dogs, and anyone willing to share their hearts and homes with a greyhound.

Today is the launch day for our campaign.  We want to leverage and build on the excitement of the Greyhounds and Friends Fall Festival which was so successful this past weekend.  We had lots of interest, a number of applications, and adoptions pending, so we are already on the way!  All of our board members are working on PR, creative ideas to propel the campaign, and special events to bring this greyhound crisis to the attention of the public.  Our wonderful friend, Heather Rowe, is planning to help, so with her energy there is no way we can fail!

The first event (of many) I am pleased to announce is:

 Bookmans Goes Greyhound   (or as Terry Baker likes to call it - "the Battle of Bookmans"!).  On November 27, Terry plans to challenge Jason Stewart and all AGR volunteers to an adoptathon challenge between the east side Bookmans location and the northwest side Bookmans location to see who can generate the most interest and the most adoption applications.  If you have not checked your calendar, let me tell you that this is Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, the day when grown men tremble if they are anywhere within ½ mile of the mall, and the day when those men who actually shop with their wives are known to break down and cry like babies!  So - if you dare - tell Terry or Jason you will help them out -  

we need volunteers to brag about greyhounds! 

Email Terry at thegreyhoundguy@ymail.com and tell him you will help out.

Finally, if you know of friends, family, coworkers or neighbors who are greyhound material, point them to the website to look at those furry faces, show them the foster and adoption applications, and email me their contact information and we will make them an offer they can't refuse!

COME ON FOLKS! WE CAN DO THIS!

I'm a Realtor in NW Tucson and a huge animal lover.  I currently volunteer with Arizona Greyhound Rescue.  I have one of my own and a foster dog now.  I'm on horse property, so I'm thinking about a rescue shelter for the pets left behind in the foreclosures. 

I have NO IDEA how to even start researching such a project!  If there is anyone out there that can help, please contact me!  I would think that I would need to set up a non profit and start begging for donations for kennels, food, meds, etc.  Help!  I need guidance!!

Bandit...he's a lover and available for adoption!

I purchased a home about a month ago to live in, fix up and eventually resell.  Since moving in, I have contacted numerous companies, contractors, handymen, etc.  I'm amazed at how many of them have come out, and never followed up.  I never get the quote, or someone never shows up for the job, whatever.   One local Tucson heating and cooling company, a name you would all recognize, came out to bid a new HVAC system.  When I didn't hear back, I went on to their website and sent them a note through the "contact me" link.  I got a call back the next morning, full of apologies and explanations of a broken fax machine, and they promised to get me the bid later that day.  I never heard from them again! 

I'm tired of chasing people!  What would happen if I just blew off a lead?  Or never returned calls?  No one would hire me, that's what!

So I'm looking for recommendations for a handyman in the Oro Valley/Catalina area.  Someone that is good, wants my money, and will show up!  Any suggestions?

The good news for me though is that I am becoming an excellent handyman in my own right!  Who knew I could intall my own light fixtures! 

I'm going back to the Atkins plan to lose the 40 pounds that crept up on me in the last two years, AND I'm going to train to run a half-marathon.  I've set up an outside blog on Blogger to document the whole process!

It should be interesting to see if I can train for a race and lose weight while not eating those pesky carbs!

Today was my first day of school again!  Back at Hogan School getting my Broker's license.  I love being in a classroom setting (yes, I'm a nerd).  It's such an exciting time to be in the business!  It's changing so quickly, especially with the advances in technology and social media such as facebook, linkedin and active rain.  I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be able to grow and adapt my company with the changing times!  It's going to be a great ride, and I am looking forward to every minute of it.  As my friend said, "this is not your father's real estate company". 

We here it all the time.  "Big box" stores are putting the "mom and pops" out of business.  Now I admit, I enjoy shopping at Wal-mart or Home Depot once in a while, but there is something to be said for local business owners.  They know their product and their customers.

My friends John and Alice Corbett own a running store in Oro Valley called All About Running and Walking.  When I first started running a few years ago, they fitted me properly and hooked me up with my first pair of good shoes.   Over the years I have stopped and started running due to various injuries.  Last week was a "start again" week, and it was time for new shoes. 

Now I know better, but I shopped the Nike outlet, Dicks, and Sports Authority just to see what they had.  Nike had good prices but as far as I could tell, no technical shoes.  When I asked about a neutral shoe with lots of cushioning, I was met with a "deer in the headlights" stare.

Moving on to Sports Authority.  Nice guy with Manager on his name tag was very helpful.  I explained that I did not pronate and liked a lot of cushioning.  He knew what this meant (a good start), but when I mentioned that I had an IT band issue that kicks in around the 4-5 mile mark, he didn't know what I was talking about.

On to Dicks.  By now I realized that I should have gone to AARW in the first place (duh), but Dicks carries a brand that I had never tried, and I wanted to see how they felt.  On two separate occasions, I could not find anyone to help me.  On the second visit, I was clearly standing around waiting to be helped, and employees ignored me.  Corporate will be getting a letter from me.

Back to AARW.  John greeted me by name, knew what shoe I previously purchased from him over six months ago without looking it up and remembered my IT band issue and asked about it.  Then he asked how many miles I was currently doing and it I was running intervals, and at what rate.  He then brought out the perfect shoe and showed me a way to lace them that would be better for me.

Long story short - the person that knows and listens to their customers will win in the end.  Doesn't matter if you are selling shoes or houses.

OK, I have to admit it - this is my idea of a good time.  Lounging poolside with a wonderful mountain view! 

Welcome to Tucson, and the El Conquistador Golf and Tennis Resort.

The El Conquistador is a destination resort for visitors to Tucson and Oro Valley, as well as a hangout for locals.  Great dining, nice lounge, excellent Forth of July events, and a spectacular view of Pusch Ridge are just a few of the many reasons to visit this amazing property. 

The resort is surrounded by wonderful homes and townhouses for both full time residents and winter visitors. 

Summer is coming and it's a great time to buy!  Give me a call for a tour of the resort and surrounding communities.

Tucson Dawn

I couldn't resist sharing this...inspiration condensed down for our short attention spans!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wRkzCW5qI