Daphney of Daphneyland - not THE Daphney.

Daphneyland was named after a hound that had gone to the bridge.  Back in 2002 when the basset ranch became a reality - the Clements allowed us to hold a fundraiser to benefit rescue and pick a name for this concept.  The only requirement was that it had to honor their basset at the rainbow bridge - Daphney.  A name the ranch contest was held and basset lovers the world over donated $ and submitted their name.  The winning name was drawn by Ron Clements without knowing whom had submitted it.  Ron, a writer/director and all around amazing guy was under contract with Disney.  Many wonderful names were submitted - yet the one that won was Daphneyland (submitted by myself, under my grandparents name James & Bobby Lowe whom wanted to participate - but did not have a name idea). And so it became Daphneyland and despite a property purchase and all the years since, Daphneyland it remains.

Our Daphney above is a rescue hound.  She is not however your typical rescue hound.
I first came in contact with Daphney when she was a bit over 9, and her original owner was having some health issues and problems in keeping Daphney.  She called up and sought advice, and she continued to love on Daphney as an only dog for another 2 years.  Daphney had been raised in the "Old School" of thought - human food, a little of this, a little of that.  An egg with every meal, some bacon grease - the way our grandfathers fed their dogs. A diet full of rice, oatmeal, potato, chicken, beef, pork, vegetables. Some will shudder and think "TABLE SCRAPS!!"  Yet that was how canines were fed for centuries.  We now call this "Home Prepared".  In Daphney's case - thank goodness for it!

Daphney's original owner died and left funds for a caregiver to take care of Daphney.  A woman who bred Whippets and ran a kennel.  I know this as I was contacted by the original owner as she was writing her will, and later by the caregiver.  A year after her death, the caregiver dropped Daphney and many senior Whippets off at the Lancaster Shelter. **&!!##!  Might I add none of those funds had been spent on Daphney.  The shelter called here at her request, and our volunteer ran to get her.  Furious does not begin to describe my emotions.

Daphney came in with horrible teeth at 15 years of age.  Knowing the original owners name and location, I called to area vets looking for the original vet files, and finally found them.  It took some time.  Daphney was born on March 18, 1994.  A more stubborn and opinionated hound may never have been born.  I say that lovingly for I love the demon with all of my heart.

Originally we integrated Daphney into our pack socialization as we worked on correcting 2 years worth of cheap, corn based kibble. Our home cooked diet of chicken & rice (no, I do not hold court with the grain free crowd - rather I believe in using whole grain - rinsed, tried and true.  Decades of longevity and miracles with rice in a home cooked diet.)  Daphney grumbled and scared every hound that came near her. Daphney learned the bathroom was her favorite place for time out, as she would get lots of pets and love - and get to peruse the unsuspecting visitors purse of lifesavers if left in her reach.  Yes Daphney was an imp of the highest degree.

In 2009 many things transpired, one of which was a regular volunteer and ranch guest; Bruce.  Daphney fell head over heels in love with Bruce - and would RUN to see him. As dental issues began anew, Daphney underwent serious surgery, having many extractions and sutures.  We always combine protocols on older hounds undergoing surgery - thus we detoxified her system with Thuja, ran vitamin C both orally and injectible, began her on Spirulina and Cellular Forte along with home cooking, honey, milk thistle, acidophilus and colostrum.

Daphney & Her Man.
She wears this portrait on her collar
Allowing only special people to touch it.

Daphney's "Man" is her personal jeweler.
This is her every day collar, one of 3 he made for her on her 19th Birthday.
Plans for the 20th are already in the drafting stage.

Many have asked: What is her secret to such a long life?  Part of it was wholesome nutrition and not relying on commercial foods - although she has had kibble from time to time, it is ONLY of high quality, and only in small doses.  Her primary diet has been Rice, oatmeal, potato, quinoa, chicken, turkey, liver, vegetables, fruit, cottage cheese, applesauce, eggs, honey, colostrum, spirulina, vitamin C, cranberry and colostrum, coconut oil or hemp seed oil extract.  Since she turned 18, she gets a Centrum Silver 3 times a week.

She roams Daphneyland at her whim, goes on "dates" to the local park with her "Man" where she gets fed the occasional piece of human jerky - a chicken taco - the rare cheeseburger. (Come on guys - she is 19 PLUS!!!  I have to look the other way once in a while!).  And for those of you in the "Know" - she enjoys a junior mint whenever I think she might be failing.

Daphney became paralyzed about 6 months ago, shortly after her 19th birthday celebration.  We got her back up with our protocols and have added the human supplement "Arth 9" to her daily routine.  She's doing great. I can tell you there was one very scared man wandering and calling non stop about "His Girl".

Life with Daphney includes getting woofed at if you TRY to help her get on a couch or the bed, she WANTS to do it herself.  Her "Man" leaves her a sweaty stinky TShirt at the end of each weekend, which I dare anyone to try to touch - that't HERS!  Daphney steals the biggest part of the bed and pushes me out regularly.  Every couple of weeks her "Man" makes her Eggs Benedict.  Really.  No lie.

Want to know the secret of Daphney?  It's good food, LOVE and exercise. You should see her and 18 year old Tucker in the "Senior Woofing Match".

Daphney celebrated 19.
Cake & muffins for all her hound friends.
Oatmeal, eggs, honey, applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg.
Frosting: cream cheese & applesauce dusted with
cinnamon.

Addendum February 25, 2014:   Updating this post many months later.  Our Tucker left us last year for the rainbow bridge.  Leaving a whole in our hearts as well as our home, I decided to officially "Adopt" Daphney.  We made it official the day I drove her paperwork to our local animal control and licensed her as my own.  Daphney will be turning 20 on March 18, 2014 - and to celebrate we invite one and all to come to Daphneyland on Sunday March 16, 2014 between 1-3 p.m. as we enjoy Daphney's Birthday celebration.  Her special necklace by her man has been created.

By request; here are a few more photos of the Diva.....

Coconut Oil and the Hounds

So many questions to answer about Coconut Oil!  I decided to answer in a blog post.

For the last year and a half, we had the benefit of a large donation of Colostrum, which we began to feed all the hounds at Daphneyland with. The donation was so large that we were able to share with adoptive families, network with neighboring rescuers as well as feeding the daily population of rotating bassets (60+ Daily) this amazing supplement daily.  In Spring we began to run really low and thus I started doing some research on alternative supplements that would help digestion, heart health and over all health status.
What I came up with time and again, was the use of Coconut Oil.

Reading about Coconut oil and the processing of it, I discovered that many varieties exist, yet as long as coconut oil is "cold pressed virgin" the process is what you are looking for and the label really means not much at all. (I do have to share that an exporter in the Philippines shared a hilarious story of a P/R rep with less than great translation skills - whom was a fan of Rachel Ray and the phrase EVOO.  Thus, an entire manufacturer mistakenly sent out labels entitled "Virgin, Virgin".  Which means nothing, you cannot make a virgin product more pure by doubling the word virgin.). Our local Costco sells a large tub by HAIN for about $15.  This might just be our affordable answer.  I purchased a couple tubs.

Our first case was an emergency case, a hound who tore a hole in the middle of his ear.  Smack dab in the middle - I could put my hand through it. Naturally this issue arose at night on a holiday.  Cleaning the area and wound the veins were intact, but what a nightmare.  Using the tech skills my vet so wonderfully has taught us, we cleaned, disinfected and applied glue for bandaging and trip to the vet in the early a.m.  The glue would not hold!  Finally, I packed the wound with coconut oil, bandaged it up and  sang the hound to sleep.  First thing in the a.m. we were off to the vet.  Unbinding this wound after a mere 10 hours - we had tissue connection.  We were all shocked.  We decided to continue to coconut oil, and within 4 days the wound disappeared. Complete healing.

I shared this with a friend who was frustrated over a small growth on her hounds rear end. Normally we apply powdered spirulina with a small dab of water to warts and external mast cell areas. Due to the location of this growth, she was having a hard time keeping the mixture on. She decided to use coconut oil as a carry oil for the spirulina and mixed some up.  While applying she used her ungloved hands. Suffering from sun poisoning yet loving to garden, she was in a flare up at the time. Finally getting this mixture on the growth, her hands covered with spirulina and coconut oil - she decided to leave the mixture on her hands, glove up as she normally does at night, and fell asleep. I got the shocked call first thing in the morning - her sun poisoning was completely GONE! Something that normally would take a week or more to ease the pain and rash of - gone in a nights sleep.

Within a few days of this; another late Sunday night - another emergency case arrived at Daphneyland. Emaciated, suffering from mange, hot spots, poor nutrition this little girl was COVERED in holes she had chewed that were 1/2 - 1" deep.  Talk about serious bacterial infections! We did all the typical protocol's we use for these conditions, yet there were so many apparent.  Mange, ringworm, bacteria and infection, open wounds and hot spots.  After the typical Murphy's Oil bath, gentian violet application and neck wrapping - she was so miserable!  We massaged coconut oil into her skin as a test, used lavender oil to get her to sleep.
The next morning she was wagging, bright eyes and the holes in her skin were completely covered by tissue! She was an extreme case, and we began adding coconut oil to her diet.  Within the typical 30 day detox period, this little girl although obviously suffering from immune related issues, was a whole new girl!

I probably have another 30 cases - but I will spare you the telling of them now.

Now came the hard part.  If this works so great externally on bacteria and wound issues, we were ready to try it as a supplement for ALL the hounds.  Reports the world over claimed it was the miracle oil.  Having over 60 basset hounds in various stages of rehab on a daily basis, we were ready to test it - and of course the question was how much? Various websites gave differing amounts.  The general consensus was; no one knows for sure. We began at 1 teaspoon daily for a month, our average weight on a basset is 50-60 pounds..

Our ranch is located at 3800 feet elevation in the Sierra Palona Mountain Range on a southern facing slope. When Santa Ana wind events kick up, our wind can become sustained at 90 mph for several days.  This brings pollens, dust and debris down upon us from the top elevations and the desert communities. Allergens from Colorado hit us hard! Hot spots are common during these events.  This years weather patterns has the winds more frequent than in the past. Since June we have only had 3 incidents of hot spots.  JUST THREE!!!! That's unheard of!!

Hounds arriving in emaciated condition are regulating their weight much faster.
Hounds arriving obese (Bubba came in at 98 pounds and was unable to lift his body weight for any period of time) Ros-Cow, Clayton, Daisy to name but a few, all rapidly regulated and lost weight at a faster pace than pre-coconut oil.  Rosie arriving with severe nasal dermatitis was recovering within a week of rubbing it on her nose as well as a food supplement.

As of this blog post (October 15, 2013) we are feeding 1 tablespoon daily to each and every hound here at Daphneyland.  Using pure honey and Coconut as the supplements to our regular diet, the hounds are happy, healthy and sustaining energy throughout their day of sunshine, exercise and bellyrubs. Despite a season change that came in like a lion - we do not have the typical issues many kennels faced; no outbreaks of kennel cough, no hot spots, no hair loss, itching, chewing and depression.

I think that speaks highly for the use of Coconut oil.
I give it 5 stars and we will be continuing it with our daily protocols.
Anyone have a few cases of coconut oil to donate?

Luis of Daphneyland. Feral hounds steal the heart.

When a rescue group gets hit with a large intake from a puppy mill situation, there are no magic guidelines on the issues you will see.  Such an intake happened a few years back for our sister rescue Golden Gate Basset Rescue.  They did a remarkable job with the intake of 61 "bassets" all in one day! I do believe it is still the single largest intake of basset hounds in the country to date.

As these hounds came in, several were terrified.  Living their lives with limited human interaction, lack of vet care and proper socialization, many of thee hounds were what we in rescue consider to be "Feral".  Daphneyland agreed to help with the 10 worst cases to alleviate the burden of "feral" hounds in a foster based group.

Luis was one of the first to come down South to Daphneyland. Arriving with a companion whom has long since been adopted, Luis clearly was a mix despite supposed AKC registration.  This puppy mill kennel was also breeding King Charles Spaniels and Luis clearly had some genetics that tied him to both breeds.  That does not make us love him any less.

Luis was fearful of humans.  Complete terror.  It took some time before he began to trust us, and we worked night and day, talking to him, underhanded treating and petting.  Gentle leash walks and the tincture of familiarity and time.  Singing the song "Louie-Louie" became his theme, and he knew it was for him.  Luis became responsive to me within a short period of time, yet his fear of men continued.  Bruce worked with him while up at Daphneyland on weekends, and slowly Luis came around.  Our first breakthrough happened about a year ago, Luis suddenly had a large mass on his abdomen which required emergency surgery.  We thought we were loosing him then, yet we were able through a series of operations to handle the horrible abdomen and get healthy tissue back.  During that time we had baths and rinses and lots of hands on touching - all the while singing gently to this boy.

The daily improvement with Luis was amazing.  Each day he would come running to my voice, he sought me out in the pack, and would give gentle kisses - as long as no one else was around.  Strangers entering the yard had him LEAP into my lap quivering in fear.  Yet he sought me out - his protector.

2 weeks ago Luis began picking at his food.  Tempting his appetite and putting him on meds, he just was going downhill, so we decided to move him to my home and see if that had any impact.  Luis cuddled up on my bed - watching TV for all he was worth.  At night he snuggled in between warm bodies and sought out kisses and cuddles.  Tears fell as we all realized the final breakthrough with Luis happened.
At the end of his life.

This morning I sang amidst a million tears, as the final vet determination was called...... terminal cancer.  His pain had begun yesterday and the miracles for Luis were at an end.  I nodded, and kissed him singing in his ear all the while.

It is so hard to say goodbye when we all wanted happily ever after.
Luis had a home.  It was my home. He slept in bed with snuggles and kisses. He will be loved forever.
Some will say Luis had his happily ever after - he found the courage to overcome his fear of humans and trust before he left this world.  Luis arrived at Daphneyland as a feral.

Luis left this world well loved, seeking human touch and getting kisses.
May his journey never end, and may the lessons he taught us along the way be ones that help many more hounds.

Golden Gate's Luis of Daphneyland.
ATB 10-9-13

My Heart Dog - Forever loved.

I have always had Basset Hounds, or should I say - they have always had ME?
After graduation, several jobs and room mates it was time for my basset babe.  I searched high and low. I inquired with reputable breeders and was told I was not yet ready, I inquired at rescue and was told the same. I went to the shelter with no luck - and I eventually bought a pup from a newspaper.

The day I met her and her 10 siblings, she waddled over, climbed in my lap and marked me.  I knew it was meant to be.  The Northridge Earthquake occurred the day I was to bring her home. No ability to call, travel or even gt to her, it took 2 weeks for me to get her, and when I did she had parvo.

Our journey together had many twists, many was the time early in her life that health and nutrition played a vital role. At 4 years of age a liver problem had the experts recommending euthanasia, yet my basset stubborn nature prevailed.  A year of ups and downs and we found the path to health and well being for the next 8 years.  8 years of vitality and there is not a day with her that I would trade for anything in the world.

Picnics, Parades, Media, Rescue.  Cocshall and my world expanded.  Traveling the coasts, mountains and country has so many wonderful memories locked inside my heart, forever etched for visits.

Daphneyland began in July of 2002, and we moved onto the property and began the daily chores, back breaking work and emotional roller coaster of building a rehabilitation and socialization center and network. Cocshall and Barnaby by my side.  In September of 2002 Cocshall began to decline. All of my learning and mentors jumped on board again and we tried every trick in the book, yet clearly Cocshall's time was nearing the end.

October 2, 2002 I held my Princess as we sent her to the rainbow bridge.  My heart broke that day.
11 years later and I wake up on this day mourning my girl still.  11 years and I still burst into tears my heart aching and missing her velvet paw rule.  I love you my angel, and will one day be with you again. Keep our gang of beasts together, for one day there shall be a huge reunion.

The Rainbow Bridge

She taught me so many things. Without her Daphneyland would not have been possible, and would not exist today.  Thousands of  hounds whom have benefited from all the love and teachings she brought into our lives.
My dedication is to never let those lessons go to waste.  In Cocshall's Memory and with the love she gave me we continue in this mission to help our beloved.

As A Season Changes

The beauty of life in the country never ceases to amaze me.  Leaves changing colors, wildflowers throwing straw, chamomile turning brown - the majestic purple of the hillsides.  Among it all the never ending hunt of the wildlife struggling to survive as man encroaches on their territory.

Crisp days and chilly nights with velvet skies burning bright with stars of worlds we have yet to even know of.  As those nights begin, the hounds snuggle into quilts and beds - tired from the days activities and taking the best of a hounds life - the everlasting nap.

With this many hounds, we rotate routines daily.  Weekdays are full of the main pack and newer hounds learning the ropes, those that do not do well with group play wait until late afternoon when the others are in their hound daily coma, and they come out to chase leaves, sniff the scents and howl at the moon.

Along our perimeter the coyotes.
Fall sees many rabbits, cottontails as well as jack running into our fenced in acreage - we have often laughed and called Daphneyland the Hound and Rabbit Refuge.  Once the property was fenced in, the rabbits felt a false sense of security and can run through chain link with hardly a pause.  Coyotes can leap in freely - yet it does slow down the hunt.

Acton is the old gold mining towns of years gone by, and old mines exist all over the hillsides.  Now turned to wildlife dens one is on a neighboring property and often I watch the cycle of life as the kits come out in the spring, and the adults hole up in the winter.  Nothing can be as bone chilling as a coyote packs celebration on a meal.  Silent hunters, they send a female in heat out into the community to lure back their meal.  The celebration is the feeding frenzy - too late to save that life.  Coyotes hunt 24 hours a day, 8 days a week, and those who come from the city new to the country are often fooled by thinking they are not out during the day. We see them constantly yet it takes a well trained eye to pick up their coats out of the countryside at this time of year.

Only once did we have a coyote come over our fence after a hound.  It was in the early years, and I had a senior out for last time of piddle - Big Barney was at my side.  We were inside the kennel structure tucking hounds in when we heard a ping on the chain link - ever so faint.  Barney looked at me, and I looked at him and we ran outside through opposite doors.  I arrived just in time to see a snarling whirling flash of basset teeth and ears at the heels of a retreating coyote - one leap clearing the 6 foot fence.  My lesson was learned and seniors are not allowed out after dark without supervision and never alone.

The country is beyond beautiful.  The mountains sentinels of tranquility.
Nature is often brutal - the cycle of life shocking to those far removed from the daily hunt for food.
Maybe this year I will revisit a shopping mall on Black Friday - I hear it can be as brutal, I might need that reminder.

A Rescuer takes a weekend off

Animal rescuers NEVER take time off.  Even if one is lucky enough to be able to find those willing, talented, dedicated people to cover for one of us - the act of actually traveling brings you into situations you would not necessarily encounter in a normal day.

Thankfully we have help that already know the hounds, the daily routines, are familiar with medical issues and emergency cases.  Still, trying to coordinate 3 days away and plan for, have coverage for, and a back up plan for contingencies is difficult at best.  Made harder by the individual needs of those willing to cover a rescuers shift.  Few people have the type of life where they can dedicate 24 hours to running a rescue organization, email, phone calls, fundraising, supply shopping, medical needs, daily routines that start at 8 a.m. on personal hounds, 10 a.m. for rescue hounds and continue until 2 a.m. daily.  Who would want that responsibility or stress?

It took 2 weeks to arrange.  11 volunteers, family - all friends stepped up to the plate! It was really happening, 3 WHOLE DAYS OFF! It's been two years since I last had a weekend off, and that had ended in catastrophe - very hard to rest when one's entire mental outlook is a constant mantra of: "Please keep the hounds safe!"

It is always astonishing to myself and fellow rescuers that the general population is so unaware of what the daily requirements of someone who does what we do daily involves.  Part of that misperception is our own fault - we never find the time to truly explain what our days are like. So many people think that rescue is a paying job or only a few hours a day. Those of us who do this daily KNOW that is the perception, yet seem unable to explain fully how ridiculous that concept is. Fundraising constant needs for every hound requires funding that does not just magically appear, phone calls of people wanting to surrender animals, alert us to dogs we already are tracking in shelter systems, medical issues, new adoptive families needing support and assurance, old adoptive families giving us updates or asking for advice, emails with all the same content as well as some you cannot imagine.  Volunteers wanting to help but not willing to spend time training, driving, or following directions on our protocol's, individual needs and requirements of those who do know how but have a family, career, companions and various hardships of their own.  Not to mention those wonderful hounds that are ever changing and in our constant care requiring 2 meals a day, nutrients, exercise, cleaning, loving, walking, singing and treats.  It all adds up.  No ONE person can maintain a rescue organization by themselves, It's impossible.

For me, my away team would NOT have been possible without the following folks:  Marin, Sandi, Bruce, Jim & Sherrie, Kim, Jim, Rita, Sam, Lisa, Julie, and our vet staff!  Your dedication and love for the hounds has me grateful on a daily basis.

I traveled to a small community in Sequoia National Park - Camp Nelson. The road is pretty tricky, 16 miles of switchbacks that take you past boulders and streams, the flume, with steep canyons. My advice is to not try this road in the dark. Once up in those giant redwood tree's it is a slice of heaven right here on earth. Cabin rentals are managed by a wonderful gal named Margret - who runs Sequoia Mountain Cabin Rentals. (They also rent Mountain bikes)  We were fortunate enough to stay at Roberts Retreat.  Just amazing.  Gorgeous view of slate mountain, covered with redwoods, oak - everything you can imagine.  The babble of a river, the daily visiting of deer and fawns.  Blue Jay's who were so demanding they made a ranch full of hounds seem like a walk in the park!  Squirrel's frolicking.  What an adventure!

We traveled to a nearby town of Porterville and took in a community play at The Barn Theater.  A historic theater which was originally a barn.  They indeed have a wonderful small town troupe, and it's so refreshing to see the community running such a presentation.  We enjoyed "The importance of being Ernest" - and we laughed, clapped and enjoyed ourselves immensely.  The theaters claim to fame is that Turkey Vultures return to Porterville in late September, and they celebrate it!  I am also HIGHLY impressed that they run a live performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show throughout the year!  If you ever get a chance to visit Porterville - make a plan of visiting The Barn Theater.  Your ticket donation keeps it alive! Jeans and Tshirts are the normal attire!

Thoughts and plans for a return to this wonderful area are formulating - perhaps a basset event next year. Stay tuned, I suspect we'll be having some more topics on this one!

All of my rescue friends had wagered on what rescue situation I would return with.  So here it is.
We spent 5 hours with a wonderful gal in Camp Nelson whom has a serious issue with a newly adopted pit bull.  The rescue dog in question has a very high prey drive and has taken the life of her two kitties. This can and does happen - one of the reasons that rescues cannot just "flip" dogs.  A rescue group needs to ensure that a potential adoptive dog can fit into an adoptive families lifestyle.  This is why we screen applicants, do home checks, call vet offices and interview adoptive families.  We came home knowing that a very wonderful gal in Camp Nelson, with a heart of gold is in horrible emotional distress.  Her dog needs a different environment and she feels that she has failed.  Anyone have the skill and knowledge to take on a High prey drive, formerly abused pit bull?  That is asking a lot of anyone - major experience and ability to handle this human friendly canine is a MUST.

9/11 - Tragedy. Healing. Redirection.

Many have stories of September 11th.  As the anniversary of this event passes year by year, I share the story of the two bassets that were in our Family Crisis program and reunited with their military dad.  This year I am going to share the story of "What I was doing on September 11th". I think you may see it has justification being posted here.

Knowing that a basset rescue ranch was desperately needed, I had left the City and rented a property for a year. Could I live in the last area of A2 zoning in Los Angeles?  Thus I was living in Palmdale on a rented acre of land and going through "Flat Lander Syndrom" at the time.  In the wee hours of September 11th I was in my van, riding with a beautiful lug of a hound - Mick to the set of the first season of a show called "Scrubs".  Mick and I were to be in a dream sequence where a dog show was going on.  I am rather fussy when doing film or print work and will not put a less than breed standard on camera - Mick was a special case - one that Sue Shoemaker had asked me to help with, and he was living with me at the time.

Driving from Palmdale to the set in North Hollywood entailed my driving on the 14 freeway.  Call time on set was 7 a.m., and thus I left Palmdale at 5 a.m. knowing Los Angeles traffic would be a parking lot.  As we drove onto the 14 freeway, cars were literally standing still, so I turned on KNX 1070 to hear the traffic update.  I immediately exited the freeway on ramp and took a side road, Sierra Highway.

KNX was talking about a plane crash into the Tower.  My mind was numb as I wondered how in the world an air controller could allow this to happen.  The side road was moving, and thus 55 MPH was achieved, as I half listened to the radio, crooning to Mick the Basset we were making good time.

Then it happened.

The announcer started screaming "Oh my god - another plane!" and with total horror I listened as the second tower was hit.  In my mind I knew at that moment we were under attack.  My mind reeled and the tears started - I hit the brakes HARD and spun out, hitting soft dirt on a side turnout I finally parked the van.  Shock. Disbelief.  I climbed into the back and uncrated Mick, cuddling and hugging him dearly. Tears unchecked - the world had just gone upside down.
September 11, 2001.

The road I spun out and was parked on is what today is the turn off to Daphneyland.

The tragedy of 9/11 I never saw coverage of - I was on the roads until 11 a.m., no other vehicles in sight - no air craft. Mick and I traveling back from the set where we had shared the news of the attack - the shoot was cancelled and filmed another day -  the return trip was so very eerie - no cars, no traffic on the streets of Los Angeles nor the Air.  The world forever changed.

To those whom lost their lives - candles burn here at Daphneyland in your memory - to honor your lives, and those who love you eternally and their loss.  For the K9 units and military personnel - the first responders and hero's of 9/11 - and for all the troops.

I will never forget.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x-kTEE19BU