A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....12-17-03...."Gilligan...A Splash of...whatever!"

Dutchess and Gizmo

[dutchess]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

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We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie,Mama_Bear; dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine

How precious we "creatures"great and small are. We bring fun, laughter and comfort to you, our human family and friends. . .. and yes . . . aggravation too! We hope you enjoy meeting today's FinestFRPets and also hope you will allow us the honor of featuring your special furry (or not so furry) FRPet(s) on the Finest.

Flyer's Gilligan...a "Splash of Fresh...whatever!"

Good Day Finest Friends and Family. I'm heading to Texas to meet up with Flyer's Gilligan. Before I go…I need to share the note Gilligan sent me accepting my offer….Thin Man…you're going to LOVE THIS! But you gotta give him credit…an A for effort!

Dear Gizmo:

Looking forward to meeting you. .some of the story i have to tell is only from reading histry books because i didnt no dad until 1997. i will try to put it in chrokicle. . . croonilogi. . . in the order it happened wen we meet….

Luv - Gilligan

Before I begin...I hear that there were a few furry friends that paved the way for Gilligan....especially the beloved ginger and flyer....here are a few pictures....

Gizmo: So here I am in sunny Texas (brrrrr leaving the cold and snow of Ohio for the warm and sunny Texas weather!). Although Flyer is gone….typical of our freeper hosts….he has left a ton of treats and goodies for me. Suddenly Gilligan flies around the corner (flies…flyer…get it???? Okay…never mind) Hey Gilligan…nice meeting you….

Gilligan: Welcome….So….what next

Gizmo: Well…let's start at the beginning…

Gilligan: Well….dad - you'll call him Flyer - started working in the doggie business in 1990 at the Houston SPCA. He thought it was just a job for money when he started. He took care of dogs and cats and bunnies and goats and even a horse one time. They liked him (the animals and the people) so they also made him take care of the other workers too. Later he also did rescue stuff to help doggies hit by cars and cats that got stuck and possums in garages and stuff like that.

Gizmo: Wow….your daddy sounds like the best!

Gilligan: Yup! He already had one dog then. Splash was 4 years old. Then he met another dog there and liked her and took her home and called her Ginger, 2 years old. And….then he met another dog there he liked and took him home and called him Skipper. In 1993 he went to another place with dogs, Meyerland Animal Clinic. a doggie doctor place with a hotel and dad ran the hotel. This is where I met him but not yet… not until 1997.

Gizmo: So….what's with the time gap????? Don't get it bro!!!

Gilligan: I lived with another family before and had a brother. My old family got mad at each other and moved to different places and I couldn't go so they told my doctor me and my brother needed a new home. I had worms in my heart and knew it would be hard for someone to take me but dad did since he worked at the doctor place and could get me medicine there.

Gizmo: Don't want to be sentimental sappy…but….I'm getting there…..

Gilligan: I moved in with dad and splash and ginger and skipper and. . . A KITTY! I never had a kitty before and it was really neat. Have you ever had a kitty? They make very good friends… at least for some dogs. Me and Ginger… Splash and Skipper didn't think kitties made good friends.

Gizmo: So cool….how was life after that????

Gilligan: The first house where I lived with dad and splash and ginger and skipper and the kitty was small but we had a really really big yard and a pond and cows. the pond was fun for swimming but the cows were D-U-M-B! and they kick you if they don't like you.

Gizmo: Hey…we grew up with a pig farm behind us…DUMB….really DUMB!!!

Gilligan: When I first moved in I had to teach the other dogs how to eat. They would eat some food and save some for later but I taught them that any food I found left in a bowl was mine! So they all learned to eat all of their food at once. And I learned to stay away from their bowls or dad got mad at me. I always finished first and had to go sit in the corner and wait for the slow pokes to eat.

Gizmo: Wow…this is a working family!

Gilligan: I am a Golden Lab Retriever and so was Ginger. That means we are supposed to go and get stuff and bring it back. Ginger liked to practice this. She practiced and practiced and practiced. I wasn't very good at it but I tried to learn. I would go and get stuff but I wanted to keep it instead of give it back to dad. One time I had a ball and ran fast past dad and he tried to catch me and I fell and ran into a fence post and it had a nail sticking out and OUCH! dad had to take me to the place he worked and the doctors tied up my hurt spot. Believe me…. I hurt!!!!!

Gizmo: So then what???

Gilligan: 1999 was a busy year. Dad got a new job at another place that was a hotel but no doctors. It was called Fondren 5 Star Kennels. It was fancy. Some of the rooms had tv and couches and it was okay to get on the furniture. Splash was old and sick and went to wait for dad at Rainbow Bridge. and then the dumb cows came in the little yard and Skipper tried to save us and chase the cows out and he got hurt real bad and went to Rainbow Bridge too. But he did save us. And we moved to a new house so dad didn't have to go so far to work and I met two new dogs called Pongo and Dottie Sue. They were crazy dogs and had spots all over them.

Gizmo: Oh…Mom has told me about humblegunner…let's see a picture and tell me your thoughts…….

Gillian: Oh….this was one more very very important thing. Dad has let me meet a lot of his computer friends. One is very special because he makes assuage for me. His name is humblegunner. We go visit him and he cooks very good "assuage". He is my friend.

Gizmo…What a special friend…and LOVE the "assuages". Don't know if it is getting ready for the holidays,,,all the great snacks Flyer put out for us or the Texas weather…but ….I'm kind of ready for a nap….mind if I hang my hat and chill until the redeye flight….

Gillian….Man…I'm wiped out too….you're welcome to stay until tomorrow.....yawn.....

Gizmo: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 12-15-03...Military Monday 12-16-03...Shop Til You Drop!"

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
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Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact danangel or .45man at danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

[dixie sass]

Well, let see! Remember those glasses you could order through the comic books that were x-ray? I've got something similar except that I can see through computers! lolololol!

Wouldn't that be something?

[dixie sass]

Yep, you'd better hurry - got to get all my Texas guy back on. Petroni is there, need Smart and Chesty and one or two others...

[MeekOneGOP]

Hey ! They are great shows. Remind me of my kidhood ! ...

I don't get to see them here. Guess I could if I figured out the channel, etc., though !

Seems my TV is always on FOX News, lol ! ...

[dixie sass]

Thank you Dutchess! I love Gizmo's interviews, he does such a great job. Scratch his ears for me and please give him an extra treat tonight.

[dixie sass]

I'm sorry I messed up. It's DC that's deaf, Trouble is the youngster that DC is training to be a Viking kitty! I'm sorry.

[WVNan]

Excellent interview dutchess. I think this is my favorite so far. I like Gilligan. He's my kind of dog-folk. Boy, am I behind with Christmas preps. Don't have my tree up yet. Have to do that tonight for sure. Just wanted to check in to say that I'm not lost, just busy. Has anybody heard from my Sistah lately? My e-mail is broken and I can't send. If I don't hear from her soon, I'm calling. Did finish my Christmas cards today. Have the gifts ready to go for my church people and kids. Sent one box off to hubby's daughter. Still tons of shopping and decorating to do. Company on Friday. Puff puff puff.....pray for me.

[Flyer]

I like Gilligan. He's my kind of dog-folk

Well, I had never seen a dog blush before. Gilligan sends a virtual tail wag your way.

[dixie sass]

Haven't heard from Maggie. Doesn't she have her family visiting her?

Cuzzzz, I've got a Poinsetta for my tree this year! Colorful and will bloom again next year. No sense in doing anything more since no one is here but me. You are always in my prayers just like your sistah and the rest of the finest!

[dutchess]

Hey finest friends. Am picking up my parents up early tomorrow at the airport (ouch....they are leaving 80 plus for 3 below) So won't be around much.

Gilligan...love you and love your daddy too! You all are the best!!!

[Dubya]

CANDY CANE

The candy cane has long been a Christmas tradition and was said to have been the creation of a fine Christian candy maker in Indiana. Its sweet peppermint taste has been enjoyed by young and old for years.
The candy maker started with pure white candy to symbolize Jesus' innocence (Heb 4:15) and the holiness of the sinless son of God (1 John 1:7).
The white also shows the virgin birth of Jesus: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son..." (Matt 1:23).
He made the candy hard because the church is built on solid rock and God's promises are a firm foundation (Matt 16:18, 1Thess 5:24), and that Jesus is like a "rock", strong and dependable. (Psalm 31:3).
Next the candy maker made the candy in the shape of a 'J' for the name of Jesus who came to earth as our Savior (Matt 1:21, Acts 4:12). When the candy was turned upside down, it is the shape of the Good Shepherd's staff (John 10:11). "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep".
Finally he stained the candy with red stripes. The color red symbolizes God's love that sent Jesus to give His life for us on the cross (John 3:16).
The large red stripe is for the blood Jesus shed for our sins on the cross (Eph 1:7). "In him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." The smaller stripes remind of Jesus' suffering and our redemptive healing (John 19: 1-30).
So this Christmas when you and your family hang candy canes on your tree remember that they're not just candy canes. Instead they are a symbol of the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
-- Author Unknown

[Victoria Delsoul]

Oh gosh, I don't have a photo of my dog Charlie yet, but let me show you what he's gonna look like, lol. I should get a few pics during my Christmas break. Come to think about, I should get a few things done which I haven't got the time to do during my normal schedule. Anyway… this is what Charlie is going to look like, hehehe. And also my cat Lucky… another look alike, LOL! I promise to bring real pics next time.

[WVNan]

Well, a smooch on the nose for Gilligan. I've always been a sucker for a tail wag.

[WVNan]

I don't know if Maggie's family has arrived yet or not. We've been out of touch for about a week as I've been so super busy with church program. I just worry about her when I don't hear.

I guess the poinsettia would be okay if you can keep it alive. With me it would be dead within the week. I just put up the artificial tree. That did me in and I don't have the energy to decorate it. I'll have help tomorrow to get everything in order. I hope.

[Dubya]

U.S. Urges Citizens to Leave Saudi Arabia

Dec 17, 5:00 PM (ET)

By BARRY SCHWEID


WASHINGTON (AP) - Nonessential American diplomats and the families of all U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia should leave, the State Department said Wednesday, stepping up its warnings about risks in the country.

Private U.S. citizens should consider leaving as well, the department said. And Americans making plans to go to Saudi Arabia were advised to defer any such travel in light of "the potential for further terrorist activities."

The departure of U.S. officials and family members was not ordered, but was voluntary. Expenses were to be paid by the U.S. government.

Americans who travel to Saudi Arabia or remain there despite the warning were told to register with the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh or the consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran so arrangements can be made to keep them up to date.

"The U.S. government continues to receive indications of terrorist threats aimed at American and Western interests," the department said. This includes the targeting of transportation, the statement said.

"American citizens in Saudi Arabia should remain vigilant, particularly in public places associated with the Western community," the department said.

Last month, in the latest of a string of terror incidents, a housing compound in Riyadh was bombed, killing 17 people and wounding more than 100. Police arrested a Saudi citizen believed to have helped smuggle in from Yemen the weapons used in the attack, the Saudi daily Okaz reported Wednesday.

American and Saudi officials blamed that attack and suicide bombings at three other housing projects in May on Saudi exile Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network. Thirty-five people, including nine attackers were killed in the May attacks.

Saudi officials say most of the weapons used in militant operations in Saudi Arabia - including the May suicide attacks - were smuggled from Yemen.

[lonestar]

Your pecans should have arrived last week!

Say a prayer for my friend (Cheri) who gave them to me. Back in the hospital with complications after triple by-pass.

[Aquamarine]

Maybe UPS left the pecans on the porch and the squirrel's ate them. lol

Have said a prayer for Cheri that her health will be restored.

[Aquamarine]

Be sure to check in sometime tomorrow to read John's essay. You would have enjoyed illustrating this one although it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be....(it never is):)

[Aquamarine]

.......Over here y'all....... "We Got Him!"

[dixie sass]

CUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!! A phony tree!!!! No pine smell wafing through the house along with gingerbread and apple cider scents!!!! Well okay, if you insist!

I love plants and this one (named Fred) is doing wonderful! I'd like to get about five or six more and have a bank of them under the windows!

[WVNan]

Girl, what are you doing still up at this hour? As for the tree, shucks, I can spray it with pine scent. Can't tell it from the real thing and no pine needles in the carpet till the fourth of July. Besides, I'm too old to go tramping through the woods hunting a tree and chopping it down and dragging it home. That is what hubby used to demand. Thank God he got over it.