Hi Gang, Rivers Here,
We want to thank all of our friends that came by and gave us or sent us treats. A special thank to some of our Indianan friends, Jet, Roshi and Brew. Thanks gang!
Well as many of you know, Abraham the blind senior Husky in Indiana actually was an Abbey and Northern Lights Sled Dog Rescue took her for fostering into a home after her medical checkup. It looks like she may need to have the same operation I had to become Pain free. However, let us hope that Abbey is her way to a happy ending. Abbey’s picture is up at http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=5906765
Mike has contacted Northern Lights to obtain information about donations specifically for Abbey by other than PayPal. If you are interested in this information, please e-mail us privately.
The open house was super. I lost count of how many people stopped by. I had “ERO” (Ear Rub Overload) which probably accounts for why I lost track of who showed up.
Pennsylvania Pat and her crew stopped by with some Pet Angel tags for our collars. I hope the picture Mike took shows up well. Stormy says the dog image on the tag look a bit her Aunt Sandy.
Another friend has a great gizmo that Mike took a picture of. 
It is an eyeglass holder. Mike said it was pretty cool. Here is a picture of that plus some words from Karen. “Each Pin "LOCKS" the reading glasses or sunglasses in place when not in use so one never has to ask, "Now WHAT did I do with my glasses???". They all are guaranteed against breakage; which means, if the circle or portion that pins to the garment breaks or if any portion of the Pin itself breaks, the customer returns the main portion of the design to the company for a free replacement. It is inexpensive and has multiple uses, besides keeping track of glasses.” Contact Karen at salchlorhi@juno.com.
Here are some pictures of the cake that Mary 
purchased for the Open House. Lakota told me all about it and it made me drool.
At the get together, our friend Keith announced that he was considering running the 2008 Iditarod. He said that He would be working with Lynda Plettner. Way to go Keith.
Barking of running the Iditarod, I hope Keith reads Paul Ellering’s “Wrestling the Iditarod.” Mike told me that it is excellent book of one man’s insight as to how to make it to Nome behind a 16-dog team. Mike said he highly recommends the book for anyone looking for a good fast informative and entertaining read about what it takes to run this race. Mike does not read any other books except computer technical stuff while working on our books (yes he is working on Rivers Book 3). Therefore, for Mike to break his routine means that Paul’s book is something special. Check out Paul’s site at http://www.paulellering.com/ .
Sky Queen from GA came up for a full week and spent time with us. She always brings us treats and stuffed toys for Tundra and tennis balls for the rest of us. Icy (Christmas in our books) told me that Sky Queen gave Mary a nice a gardener’s bag and Mike the first 3 season of “Due South.” We started to what the show in the garage and they are cool. Well I did not watch but Stormy was doing great job of telling me what was on the TV.
There were so many visitors that I really lost count. I know they really enjoyed themselves as we did. Well, Lakota and I did, the girls stayed outside and barked at everyone. Too bad they have not learned not to bark at our friends. They sure missed a lot of great treats and ear rubs.
Take care
Rivers
Hi Gang, Rivers here,
Well yesterday, Friday, had a cool adventure for me. One of my 
eye sockets was tearing a lot lately and Mike decided that I should go see Dr. Jim. So, Mike took what he calls a “Comfort Day” off from work and made an appointment for me to go yesterday. However, Mike was called for job interview yesterday so what should have been a fast run into town to see Dr. Jim, turned out to be an all-day event. Now, I really did not mind because I get to ride in the back of the truck in a nice comfortable travel crate, with a padded floor. Now, that is a lot better than riding in a dog truck to mushing sites.
Moreover, I am going to visit Dr. Jim. Since no one told the rest of the dogs what was happening, Lakota and girls were curious as to where I was going when we left.
It was a nice day to be outside, so I did not feel bad that my buddies were going to be in the kennel all day. Now, Sky and Stormy are having a bit of a problem. I am not too sure what is causing the problem, but Sky has been picking on Stormy. Stormy is smaller than Sky so she does not fare too well. Stormy may be causing some of it because she likes to play jump at us and sometimes that does not go over well. Therefore, since I was going to be gone all day, Mike put Stormy into my kennel, which I share with her anyway. The other dogs were in the bigger kennel
Well it turns out that I have a small ulcer in my eye cavity that was causing all of the tearing. So, Dr. Jim gave me a local anesthetic and cleaned up the eye cavity. He also gave Mike and Mary some medication for them to put onto the artificial eye to help heal. Now, if you have been keeping track of my adventures, you will know that after I had my eye surgery I gave Mike and Mary a lot of trouble when they try to get my eye medication in. Well, at that time I was in a strange place which people I did not know. I really was not sure what they were doing. But now, after living with them for nearly 5 years, I know that they are only trying to help me heal. When Mike told me to sit, I sat so he could open my eyelids very gently so Mary could squirt the medication in it. I did not fight with them. In fact, the medicine felt pretty darn good. You know, sometimes these humans are really good at taking great care of us pooches.
I hope you like the pictures. Mike told me there are pictures of us 
in the clinic and others taken outside by the trees. Well the tree shows had to wait until after the trees and I became “good friends.” Dr. Jane joined us and I believe that there is a picture of her with Dr. Jim and me.
After the picture session and when Dr. Jim finished with my eye cavity, Mike might put me back into the truck and I head him and Mary talk about going to McDonald's for lunch. That made me very excited because I know that when they go to McDonald's I get freedom fries (Mike refuses to call them French fries!). There is only one thing I like better than McDonald's fries. Do you know what that is? Hamburgers! Now I would bet you thought frankfurters or hot dogs. Well at one-time you would be right, but my tastes have “grown up” and I love hamburgers. So, when Mary said she was going to throw in a hamburger with my fries because I was really good at Dr. Jim's clinic, I got really excited.
Unfortunately, it was not in the cards for me to have fries and a hamburger. It seems that the McDonald's that Mike and Mary always went to when they lived in Anchorage was closed for remodeling. Bummer!!
Mike and Mary had one more stop to make before we headed back to our home. They made that and before long, we were back on the road. Unless there are other dogs traveling with me, I tend is take naps when I travel in the back of trucks. I mean I cannot look out the window, can I? Therefore, there is really nothing to interest me. If Lakota was with me, we would talk and trade trails stories. However, he was back in the kennel, loafing in his is big doghouse, watching the world go by.
When we got home, the girls were all questions about where I went, what I did and what I ate. I smiled and told them nothing! It was my day with Mike and Mary. I visited my good friend Dr. Jim and met his associate Dr. Jane. For your information, Dr. Jim, is the doctor that made be pain-free, the same Dr. Jim that makes cameo appearances in our books and Christmas stories.
Well, that is about it for my adventure yesterday. As for Mike's interview, he said he felt he did well. He gave it his best shot so only time will tell. He told me it is a job that he would really like to and felt he could do well. He also would be able to help many people. All that is good for all those people who would benefit from them hire Mike. What interested me was that he told me he would be 6 miles and 20 minutes closer to home. You know what that means? We would get 20 extra minutes of the ear rubs each day!
Outside of yesterday's adventure, it has been somewhat quiet around here at the Howlin’ Rivers Home. The temperatures are in the high 30s which means that there is no more snow or very little of it. It is still a bit icy on the trails. If there is no ice then there is mud, rocks and dirt, which means poor trail conditions. As of right now, nobody knows where the Iditarod will restart. From what Lakota told me, Wasilla looks like “break up.” If that is true and we do not get a lot of snow shortly, the restart may be in Willow.
We have not heard much from Lt. Tony and his team in Iraq. I know he is very busy and I do hope that you will continue to send all those in the war zone your prayers and best wishes. Please do not forget the cards and notes. They do wonders for our military personnel who are a way from home.
Something smells very good. Wait a minute, it is time for chow. Smells like Mary is cooking up something special for us tonight. Now I know you would not what me to miss my chow time, would ya?
Take care
Rivers
Hi gang, Rivers here,
Well it has been bitter cold here at the Howlin’ Rivers home for the last week is so. Friday, we had another dusting of snow. However, it was that very fine stuff which blows away quickly.
Lakota is doing fine. Mike says he looks like he is gaining weight. He is actually getting some tummy fur back from what I understand. Mike and Mary do not keep him out too long because the bitter cold temperatures can give Lakota frostbite very quickly. He does not have enough tummy fur to protect him.
We received new collars this week and I here is a picture of Icy and one of me wearing them. 
The collars are blue with reflective material on them. Very classy from what I am told and very high quality. Mike ordered the collars from Howling Dog Alaska (Howling Dog Enterprises LLC). They web site is located at www.howlingdogalaska.com. Their e-mail address is jinolke@gci.net Jim and Ivana will be more than happy to answer your questions regarding their very nice merchandise.
The first thing I wish to “bark” at you about is an outstanding DVD about Karen Ramstead. As many of you know, Karen is a very seasoned musher and Iditarod veteran, who runs beautiful but very race competitive Siberian Huskies. I think Mike is including a picture of one of the Huskies named Grover who is featured on the DVD jacket. The DVD was produced by our good friend Donna Q who is a three-time Emmy winner for her camera work on various primetime TV shows. 
Of course, being blind, I do not get a chance to watch much TV. However, Lakota and the girls do and they tell me what is going on. From what Icy says, and she is our resident movie critic, this is one good DVD and if you are a collector of Iditarod goodies, you really need to add this to your collection. Please contact Donna at www.huskyproductions.net for more information about this great DVD. And while you are at it, how about checking out Karen’s web site at www.northwapiti.com.
A while back, I mentioned that Mike gave Mary a unique Christmas gift and that it is in the garage. Unfortunately, none of you who submitted guesses guessed correctly. It was brought to my attention that I never told you what the gift was. Mary spends a lot of time in the garage working on how various projects. She asked Mike for a TV for the garage so she could listen to the news and favorite shows while she works on her projects.
So Mike brought her a TV set, complete with a DVD player and VHS tape player. Now this is very cool because we spend time in the garage keeping Lakota’s company while he gets better from his surgery and run-in with cancer. And, since Mary likes our company, we get to watch TV with her! Well, I get to listen and the girls and Lakota get to watch, but they tell me everything.
You may all think that all of this TV watching and loafing in the garage is making us couch potato dogs and you are probably right. Lakota and I are retired, Icy does not mush at all, and her girls do not know what they want to be, even though they are inclined to be rabbit chasers for some reason. Well, Sky and Stormy are the rabbit chasers, Tundra prefers chasing tennis balls. However, to make sure that we will stay on track with our good husky heritage, Mary plays “Snow Dogs” quite often.
Needless to say, we are having a lot of fun with this and I am sure that once the warm weather comes and we go outside, our TV days will be suspended until next winter. Icy told me she has found a new calling in life. She wants to be a film critic. Icy asked me if she could do a move review about a movie she just watched with Mary. Sounds good to me but I must warn you that you will probably read reviews on "chick flicks
Okay Icy, it is all yours.
Hi. Mary received a great flick called "Must Love Dogs" as a Christmas present. It is a cute story about two middle-aged divorcees who are looking for new companions in life. There are several very good dog charactes that really make this flick a winner. Now I do not know anything about the dating game, you know we dogs do not date, but this film was very funny. There are a lot of ups and downs in it so it does not get boring. A good family story because it shows how family stick together. I give it a three paw rating. Take care to next time, Icy.
Rivers here again. Well there you go, you have Icy’s review of that movie. I guess I better warn you that when Caitlyn comes over Caitlyn selects movies for her and the dogs to watch in the garage also. So do not be surprised if Icy does a review of "Steward Little”
Please do not forget that if you are going to be in the area for the Iditarod, which starts in Anchorage on March 4, we are having an open house on Sunday, March 5 from 11 to 6 p.m. We asked that if you are going to visit us to please let us know so that we can send you directions and get an idea how many biscuits we need to get for our visitors and guests.
There has not been much news from Lt. Tony and his team in Iraq. As soon as we hear something, we will pass it on to you. Please keep your cards and notes going to those military personnel serving in the war zones. Your kindness means a lot to them.
Take care
Rivers
Hi Gang, Rivers here,
First of all, the gang and I want to wish you a very Happy New Year and sincerely hope that 2006 brings you all of the joy, love, prosperity, and happiness you truly deserve.
We celebrated a very quite New Year’s Eve watching “Northern Exposure” episodes with Mike and Mary, while begging for some of the pop corn they ate.
Mike and I traveled to ITC HQ to meet Tammy and her daughter Ally yesterday afternoon. We signed copies of our books for them and I “walked” Ally all over the parking lot. I heard her giggle so I guess she did not mind playing “lead dog”.
The Lakota update. Lakota asked me to thank you for all of the cards and e-mail he received wishing him a speedy recovery.
Mike told us that the lab result came back last Friday and the tumor was malignant. However, Lakota’s vet said that the lab result indicated it to be a very low grade cancer. He also said that the position of the tumor, as it was attached to the kidney, might have reduced the chance of it spreading. The chest x-ray was clear and the vet said he did not notice any other tumors in Lakota when they did the surgery. The vet wants Lakota to regain some of the weight he lost, then take a wait, and see attitude. He did mention that this type of cancer does not respond well to chemotherapy. Lakota weighted 87 pounds last March and was 72 when Mike took him in for surgery the Wednesday before Christmas. The tumor was 3 to 4 pounds. So Lakota probable weighed 68 pounds after surgery. Our goal is to get him to 75 -80 pounds.
Now Mike and Lakota talked about this, but I was not privilege to their conversation. What I do know is that Lakota has a great attitude, eating very well and is very active for a dog that just underwent kidney surgery 11 days ago. He is very playful and dances around the garage waiting for chow when he knows Mary is getting ready to feed us.
Lakota and I have not talked about this. I do know that those of you who have met him consider him a shy dog. However, I know he is a fighter and he told me he would overcome this challenge. I believe him. From what Lakota told me, he will have his stitches removed Tuesday Jan 3 and get a weight check. His normal yearly check up is in March so he will get another weight check then. Hopefully, there will be a weight gain. His fur should all be grown back in by August.
Moving on. Mike received an e-mail from Lt. Tony in Iraq. He asked Mike to pass on his heartfelt thanks to all of you. Lt Tony told Mike he received a package from the Comms Company that was filled with calling cards. There were so many that Lt Tony was able to give some to other needy soldiers that he knows but are not in his group. Lt Tony thinks that one of you, in the Rivers Group, arranged this. Well, who ever you are, you made a lot of soldiers’ tour of duty a bit easier. Thank you.
Time to go.
Take care
Hi Gang, Rivers here,
We sincerely hope that all of you had a nice Christmas. Ours was pretty much uneventful. Icy, her girls and I spend the better part of the day in the kennel loafing, while Lakota rested in the garage. The picture you see to the right was taken last year. The temperature was near 30 from what Stormy told me the thermometer in the kennel read. We had no snow.
Several of our friends stopped over for the Christmas gathering. Caitlyn and her mom, Karen, came Christmas Eve. Caitlyn was full of Christmas cheer or youthful energy by the way she bursting into the garage to give us all her “Christmas Kisses”.
June P, lead dog of the Idita-support group and our buddy Keith came by as well as Margie and her son Dan. Margie broke her ankle last week. Margie has her own dog lot and I am sure it will be a challenge for her to care for her dogs with a cast on her ankle.
Everyone left kind of early since Monday was a work day for many of our friends who visited us. Once the last car pulled out of the driveway, Mike came to the kennel and turned us free to run to the garage. Yes, I run to the garage also, then double back to get Mike. He lags behind cleaning up or walking with Lakota if he is out with Mike. Mike tells me he is just amazed how well I can find my way in the back yard.
The house was filled with the good smells of great chow and I will freely admit that I was drooling. We all checked on Lakota who told us he is feeling better and he did eat some food. Icy told me he is looking good and he came out to the kennel several times during the day to go to the bathroom. Since he has no fur on his tummy, he can only stay out for a few minutes. Icy told me that he is moving well.
Before we could settle down in the garage, Mary came out with our bowls full of good food. All I heard was the jiggling of our dog tags on the metal bowls as we shined the bowls clean. After a few tummy and ear rubs, we head back to the kennel for our after meal break. Lakota joined us for a few minutes but then headed back to the garage with Mike.
When we came back into garage, Mary gave us the presents that several of you send to us. Yummy!! Thank you. Mike was working on a few projects in the garage so we kept him company, getting in his way, and pestering him for ear and tummy rubs. Guess he does not mind since he stops what he is doing to give us the TLC we ask for.
To kind of shift runners here, our good friend Stan S, Iditarod 93 and 94 passed on this web site for the Alaska Blood Bank. They are holding a screening for Susan Butcher. There is a lot of good info on the site for you. It also provides links to Susan’s website and other sites related to bone marrow donation.
http://www.bloodbankofalaska.org/
Oh, before I forget, Thank you for your nice words about our Christmas Stories. We are very happy that you enjoyed them.
Mike is ready to take me for our walk so I must go.
Take careRivers
Http://home.gci.net/~sleddog
Hi Gang, Rivers here
Yes, we got some snow, not a lot, but enough for Caitlyn and Mary to make a snow person. We all watched them built it, well Stormy gave me the details. But the funny thing is that when we came out from eating chow, Sky would not stop barking at it. She thought it was a stranger in the yard. We all got a good chuckle out of that.
Mike told us that he had to go to a potluck at his office today. He said he had to bring something to eat for the office staff. Of course, we offered some biscuits and left over chews we had, but he decide to play a joke on them and bring something in called a Kennel Cake. He laughed a lot when he told us that no one would touch it until he had the first piece.
It has become a tradition at the Howlin' Rivers Home to give our friends a Christmas story. The 2000 story appeared in our first book, "Rivers, the Diary of a Blind Alaska Racing Sled Dog.” Before publishing the story, we sent the story to our friends.
The 2001 and 2002 Christmas Stories were sent to our friends before they were published in our second book, "Rivers, Through the Eyes of a Blind Dog”.
Unfortunately, once the books are published, Mike does not freely release the stories via e-mail.
The 2003 Christmas Story was sent out after Book 2 was published. The 2004 Christmas Story is a bit different. And the 2005 Christmas Story is ready for anyone who e-mails us for it. The stories are placed or embedded into the text of the e-mail so you do not need any special programs to open them. Sorry, we can not mail them to you. So if you would like the new 2005 Christmas Story or the 2003 or 2004, just e-mail us.
If you are in Anchorage this Friday, Saturday, or Sunday (Nov 25, 26 and 27), consider visiting the Anchorage Museum for their annual Read Alaska affair. There will be many authors and crafts tables there for to browse. Yep, Mike will be there.
He will also be at Fireside Books in Palmer on Saturday Dec 3 for 11:30 to 1:30. I am not sure if I am going with him.
We hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. We are all thankful that we have friends like you. Our prayers and best wishes go out to the families who are not together during this holiday season. And of course, we keep the men and women in the military in our thoughts.
Take care
Rivers
Hi Gang, Rivers here,
Well we got a new dog truck. A custom 12 hole model! It is a Fetrow and I have included a picture of it at the end of this e-mail.
Yesterday morning, Mary had some visitors just after day break. We heard them come up from the lower lot. Lakota told me it was a mama moose and her 2 babies. This mama moose has been here before. Sky told me that she noticed that the last of the cabbage that was not harvested and some carrots were 
missing from the veggie patch. Lakota told me that he saw some very big hove prints in the dirt when Mike and Lakota went walking over there last weekend. Icy told me that when Mike walked her in the lower lot, she saw a press down area where the moose may have rested.
I guess our barking alerted Mary who had time to get these great pictures of the mama moose and her babies. How do know they are great pictures, since I am blind? Well Tunny and Stormy told me so.
Since we know this mama moose, we stopped barking. She is like family and she most likely will stay in the area since she knows it is safe here on our lot. I notice the rabbits have not been around lately. I wonder if Mike made a deal with the Moose to scare them off!.
Fool you!! This is our new dog truck. Yep it is a toy truck and was made by our good buddy Les Fetrow. Les does the craft shows that Mike and Mary do. So he made Mike this dog truck last year. Les told Mike that these dog trucks really sell very well. Mary gave Les a small toy dog sled to mount to one of the trucks.
Notice the sign on the side doors of the truck? It says Rivers Books. Well Natalie’s Grandmother, Lynette, hand painted the sign on the truck. Lynette also made some beautiful wooded stocking tree ornaments with our names on them for our Christmas tree. She does these nifty craft things and I think sells them at the craft shows.
Nope I cannot go to the craft shows because they have hot dogs and you know how I am with hot dogs
You ask who Natalie is. Well she is the young lady who waited 2years to receive a copy of our books and she finally received them last Saturday!
It sure has become cold here lately. Mike told me that the weather forecaster on the TV said that we are getting January temps in November. Hmm, kind of cold to snow also and the nights have been very clear. At this rate, I wonder if we will get March’s temperatures in Janurary and then May’s temperatures in March!
Time for this puppy to take a nap.
Take care,
Rivers
Pennsylvania Pat and her crew stopped by with some Pet Angel tags for our collars. I hope the picture Mike took shows up well. Stormy says the dog image on the tag look a bit her Aunt Sandy.
It is an eyeglass holder. Mike said it was pretty cool. Here is a picture of that plus some words from Karen. “Each Pin "LOCKS" the reading glasses or sunglasses in place when not in use so one never has to ask, "Now WHAT did I do with my glasses???". They all are guaranteed against breakage; which means, if the circle or portion that pins to the garment breaks or if any portion of the Pin itself breaks, the customer returns the main portion of the design to the company for a free replacement. It is inexpensive and has multiple uses, besides keeping track of glasses.” Contact Karen at salchlorhi@juno.com.
purchased for the Open House. Lakota told me all about it and it made me drool.
