Hello Friends. Many times when people call to inquire about what is in house for rescues I do not have what they are looking for. My response to them is just blink it will change in a minute. Well I blinked and it's 2010 and the end of January. Must have been asleep at the wheel again. Sorry Cindi.

In January of last year Cindi was on run with Patti picking up 10 Golden pups and their mom. I remember them pulling in to Jen and Trevor's at 515 am as it had just started to snow. Patti sick as a dog and Cindi in the pilot seat ever the die hard road warrior. A big joint effort with JandJ our vet friend and wife in SC who vetted and drove them to NC to meet Cindi.

Jen and Trevor turning over their guest room for a whelping box some newspapers and a 100 lbs of puppy food, and 2 weeks later the endless parade of adopters picking up pups. Why do people put up with us. Because we are blessed. Not only by these 6 but by many.

This is the time when we take stock and reflect on how we did it again for another year. Well the list grows and we may forget the names but we don't forget the kindness and generosity of their actions.

This house needs a revolving door between dogs, moms, pups, and people. But the one thing we try and keep so that we can pull it out for the long haul to get us through the next moment of desperation or insanity is the silly excitement. Everyone gets caught up in it, you can't help yourself, it's contagious. In spite of yourself your laughing, crying acting like a kid on Christmas morning. That we never want to exit.

Gosh as I sat and did year end paperwork it was like a walk down memory lane. Lucy, Clover, Nutmeg, Sadie and Holly. And those were just the moms, not to mention their puppies. How about Uly and Taavi and Gracie, Violet, and Kixx and the calI we got on Sunday and 6 more arrived Tuesday before Thanksgiving and we already had how many in house. No wonder I get confused. Where do they come from how do they get here, Well my answer to that is God moves mountains and the angels arrive and take care of the rest. I am not a religious person but there is no denying that something bigger than us is the driving force. Call it what you like but I give the big guy credit where credit is due.

When each year ends I am in awe, sometimes I am disappointed we didn't do more if I count heads. Granted I have 8 dogs of my own but at no time this past year were there ever less than 14 dogs in house at all times. There are 31 at this very moment. And believe it or not it's quiet. Libby is in with her 12 pups, Holly's' babies bags are packed and they are awaiting their new families today. Mine are quiet and basking in dappled sunlight on the kitchen floor as I type this. So I relish this second because insanity can hit in the next breath.

Yes it was another good year and yet again who do I say thank you to. It's gonna be long but I need to say it. The English language only gives us words. We here choose to take a second to use them and hope the action of doing so is enough.

Thank you ...

Sylvia: For endless hours a chewing and gnawing away at a 501c3 status we never would have obtained without you.

JandJ: Jackie and James for housing vetting and driving to NC to meet us every time the need arises.

Cindi: Always for the mileage on the hi-ways and bi-ways and the friendship and trials we walk together.

John: Dog sitter/walker and raider of the refrigerator extraordinaire. We'd never get a week away without him.

Brenda: Our website gal who keeps all you junkies fed with pictures and my ramblings.

Jen and Trevor: For the space, be it the barn when we have a huge rescue or the guest room when we have overflow of pups. You were troopers for fostering so many golden poopers.

Vets: God bless you all is all I can say, and is that a new car your driving? I know we own the tires. You earn every cent and then some when I walk through your door.

Kelly, Brittany and Dave: For becoming a foster, and adopter and so much more.

Lisa: For the always having my back, be it in our thought process or your handling the overflow, and running one hell of a rescue yourself. Most of all for the friendship and fun you have brought to being partners in rescue.

To New Contacts: Betsy, Mindi, Casey, Nancy, who get the dogs their vetting, paperwork, sometimes their homes until we can transport. For making sure dogs are in a row and the T's are crossed and the i's dotted.

Pilots N Paws: For making my ego soar to new heights watching a plane land 6 miles from our home with precious cargo of Holly and her pups. Now that was a MOMENT! Boy did we feel a boat load of emotions. Mind blower.

Luke: The pilot, and I think it was Lee the other pilot who took the first half of the flight to MD. Wow guys, you rock!!!

Adopters: for adoption fees to spay the moms and making sure there is enough to feed the next litter and being able to go get the next one off a concrete cell floor. For opening your homes and giving a new life a chance to live.

TO EVERYONE ELSE: You may be last but you are far from least. These mentioned above are the ones that stand out. Never let it be said they were any more important than a blanket or a bag a food at my door. A check in the mail, a donation to Paypal or an email mail that says "keep up your work, we think your great." Or a phone call asking for help because times were tough and people really didn't want to have to chose between dog or no dog but couldn't afford the food or vetting. That takes courage to ask.

Foreclosures plagued us this year, loss of homes, jobs and hope. It was heart wrenching but somehow with the help of all the little stuff, acts of kindness, food, money, toys ... rescue survived and recycled love and companionship. You as a group that become a whole are the driving force behind our little zoo that we so proudly called Lab Rescue CT for 9 years. I may not remember your name but I bet I know your dog.

God Bless all of you in everything you do, Merri Dan, and Derick Mahoney

p.s. stay tuned for 2010 and our new name and status. Hey they tell me change is good. Who am I to fight city hall. Well I did and we all won!

If you would like to donate , you can mail a check payable to CONNECTICUT LABRADOR RESCUE INC and mail to my address, which is at the top of this page. You may also use Paypal by going to the PayPal website. Just type in lablady002 when they ask who to send money to.