Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Merci is 6 or 7

Happy Birthday/Gotcha Day, Merci!

From all of us at JFF - Crystal, Cotton, Merci, Cyndi, Percy, Cameron, Buddy, Samaritan & Rusty

Percy's birthday was the 9th and we shared the cake Sassy sent for him with our guests. Today we're going to share Merci's cake, so when you stop by help yourself to a slice or two. There is plenty to go around.

This is a picture taken of Merci at the shelter just before Jan adopted her on July 22, 2003. There is no hint of the beautiful red-gold fluffy coat she has today.

At the shelter, Jan was told Merci was a year or two years old. Then one day while Merci was getting a rabies shot, Jan decided to ask the vet how old Merci was at that time. He opened Merci's mouth, looked at her teeth and stated positively, "She's a little over a year old."

"But that isn't possible," Jan declared just as positively. She was a year or two old when I adopted her and as of this week, I've had her for 3 years."

The vet checked Merci's mouth again, and said in amazement, "But her teeth are perfect." (He said this more than once in the conversation.)

So Merci is a true female - her age is a mystery.

Jan says Merci arrived as an old dog and changed into an energetic pup. Seriously, Merci didn't run or play. She didn't even know how to play. She was afraid of her shadow. She didn't know any commands or tricks. She's still afraid of her shadow and she's hard to teach because she flops and rolls onto her back in the non-aggressive, please don't hurt me, I'll do anything you want pose. But she learned to play and oh, did she have energy! She still revs into overdrive when she sees a squirrel.

So we aren't sure how old Merci is, but she is evidently anywhere from less than 6 to 7 years of age. And if you're any older, Merci, we don't care. We love you just as you are!

Merci received this lovely card from Rocky, Bear & angel Lacylulu.

And Sassy sent this beautiful bowl early since she, Momo and the Italians Opus & Roscoe would be on safari and out of touch. So Jan has been hiding it for Merci's big day.

Unfortunately, today is not Merci's Birthday/Gotcha Day. Yesterday was!

Leave it to Jan to forget to read the palm pilot Sassy gave her for her birthday or the July event calendar Sassy made for her. Hey, she didn't even read the special events calendar she keeps in her desk drawer. We tried to remind her today but she was "busy." Rusty even said, "Jan, don't forget Merci's birthday." And she answered, "I won't.' But she thought it was tomorrow.

Oh, Jan, we have got to get you to a specialist who can fix the hole in your memory before it all leaks out.

40 comments:

  1. We are sure that Merci doesn't mind that the party is a day late. Our Mommy has memory problems too. We have just learned to live with it as we love her the way she is, scatterbrained and all. As long as she remembers to feed us.

    Happy, Happy Birthday Merci!!!

    This cake is delicious.

    ~Socks, Scylla & Charybdis

    ReplyDelete
  2. Merci is very kyoot and simply adorable ~ we'd like to send her many happy belated purrthday wishes..

    ReplyDelete
  3. SnowForest human: thank you for your kind words of support after the recent loss of our cat Forest ~ we really appreciate your comforting comments and would like to send many wishes to Merci and everybody at Jan's Funny Farm..

    ReplyDelete
  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MERCI...one day late!!! Don't worry Ms. Jan...Mommy forgets things all the time!!!

    Merci's story is so sweet. She is a beautiful woofie!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy Birffday, Merci! I likez birffday partys! OK?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy Birfday Merci! Hopes yoo get lotsa scritches an pets and stuff.

    Yur Fwiend
    Chance

    Happy Barkday pretty Merci girl. Hope you get lots of nice presents and all the hugs you want today. And maybe later if you're not too busy celebrating, you might like to go for a walk with me? Just a thought.....

    Shadow

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey, Shadow,

    I'd love to go for a walk with you later today.

    Walking Jan is such hard work. It will be nice to just take a stroll with a nice doggie and not have to worry about Jan getting tangled in her leash or falling down or ......

    Merci

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy Birthday and Gotcha Day!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy Birthday, Merci! You are such a lucky girl!

    love & wags,
    River

    ReplyDelete
  10. WOOOOFHOOOOO..Umm, I mean great! I will be by later for that walk. Can't wait!

    Shadow

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy Birthday, Merci! You do not look a day over Four Years Old. And you are lucky to have such good teeths, too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. w00f's JFF, happy barkday-meowday Jan's kids...hope u all had a fun, special day...

    b safe,
    ~rocky~

    pp's it woodnt lemme leave a comment last nite...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hahahaha - seems my maid and your human have another thing in common: she forgets birthdays as if they don't even exist! Except her own. We wonder why that is....
    But:
    Happy Birthday and Happy Gotcha Day Merci and Perci! And thank you for the cake, we will help ourselves to a piece. Or two....
    Karl and Mrs. OZ

    ReplyDelete
  14. Happy happy Bark-day and Gotcha Day Merci! Here's to many, many more!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Happy Birthday Merci...It doesn't matter how old you are, just matters that you are here with us and have a loving family to take care of you....
    Paw hugs
    Deetzy

    ReplyDelete
  16. Happy, Happy Birthday, Merci :-D I'm so glad you found such a wonderful forever home and that now you know the joys of playing and being a happy girl!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy birthday Merci! I think Merci is so happy with all the festivities and a day late does not matter.
    --JB

    ReplyDelete
  18. Happy (belated) birthday, Merci! Cute cards! It was nice to read the sweet story of how you came to your forever home. Thanks for the cake.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Happy Gotcha-Birthday, Merci! U have grown into such a beautiful puppy! :D
    And I guess u guys are used to Jan's memory deficiency rite? But we agree that a specialist is required asap!
    p/s: we enjoyed reading ur meme answers. :)
    Purrs,

    ReplyDelete
  20. Happy birthday Merci! You certainly have turned into a beautiful girl from your humble beginnings, and you're a lucky girl to have found such a great and loving home with Jan and the bunch.
    Abby, Rosie, Jackie, Gidget & Lola

    p.s. We love your new header with all the pics!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Your new header is fantastic!! Mommy is very impressed!

    ReplyDelete
  22. We have an another new member on TATA. Come and see!!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Happy birthday, Merci!!!
    Play bows,
    Zim

    ReplyDelete
  24. Well, happy Gotcha day a day late! I am glad that you found such a wonderful home.

    Sorry we haven't visited in a couple of days. Mom's laptop crashed and she is still feeling yechy.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Well, we're a little late for the party! Merci, we hope you had a great Birthday/Gotcha day!!

    Wally, Ernie & Zoey

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi JFF, come visit my blog. I gave you something good!

    River

    ReplyDelete
  27. I've given you an award. Please stop by my blog to pick it up.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Happy Gotcha Day - you're a gorgeous girl and lucky to have such an awesome mum! O'Reilly's gotcha day is today so we celebrated with Frosty Paws!

    ReplyDelete
  29. You changed it again!! LOOKING GREAT!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Happy Belated Birthday to Merci!!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Happy Birthday, Merci! It doesn't matter how old you are, just that you have a loving home.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Sorry we missed your birthday Merci, hope you had a wonderful day. We love your story so glad that your Mom adopted you and taught you how to enjoy life like dogs should...

    Big Sloppy Kisses
    Gus, Louie and Callie

    ReplyDelete
  33. Happy Birthday, Merci! You're so lucky to have Jan: it looks like she takes really, really good care of you.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I'm sorry I'm so late wishing you a happy Gotcha Day and Birthday Merci! I'm so glad you have such a great mommy.

    You are a sweet and pretty woofie girl!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hi Merci. That's French for Thank You...and I think your mommy deserves lots of thanks for rescuing you and giving you love and a good life. And you deserve that. We are so happy for you..... sorry to be late for your birthday but we hope all your birthday wishes will come true.

    xoxo
    Chef

    ReplyDelete
  36. Happy Birthday, Miss Merci! You are such a beautiful woofie, and I'm glad Miss Jan found you and brought you to her home. And you found Cameron!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Happy belated Purrfday to you Merci and to Percy tu! You looked so sad in da shelter pichur, We3Katz r glad u got 'dopted and have such a nice home on da funny farm!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Happy happy birthday Merci!

    Luf, Us

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for coming by for a visit. We love to hear from you.