For the 1st time in 14 years we had to flee to the basement for a tornado warning:/

October 26th, 2010 - 2:02 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and taking cover lovers.

I love the fact that we had 6 minutes to get us and the kids to the basement. We has some serious weather coming our way and tornadoes were ripe for the popping. The sirens went off and we almost lost power. Of course I took my beloved lap top with me so we could track the warnings.

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The sky turned black and the hail started. That really scared Emma and she straddled the Mayor for protection.

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There was no thunder or lighting so the Mayor was very comfortable and relaxed with his storm pill. Here is now….

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Normally he would be climbing and crying. Good Boy. I am just glad he can relax.

More hoping the fleeing is over….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

Bassethoundtown under tornado watch….

October 26th, 2010 - 12:12 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and wierd weather lovers…..

We are currently under a tornado watch and expecting 60 to 70 miles per hour. The Mayor is resting comfortably with his storm pill kicking in.

OMD – the sirens just started going off….gotta run

More later….Cat

There is an outdoor kennel at the Biltmore…

October 24th, 2010 - 11:11 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and kennel question lovers. There is a 6 bank kennel to park your hounds if you want to. I did not take a picture because I am a fool. I forgot. We went down and looked at it.

The set up is all outside. There are self locks and keys. There were about 4 dogs staying there. I was not comfortable leaving Chaps and Emma as you can imagine. It is very primitive. I was very mad. Howl can an estate such as the Biltmore leave dogs to languish like this? I complained to anyone that would listen.

It is a pound type set up with a pad lock. Most of the pad locks did not work. Again, it was very sub par. So, do not bank on this.

Thank Dog the weather was good for us and we could leave Chaps and Emma in the car. It was about 60 degrees and we parked in the shade. The mountain breeze was blowing. Here is where they stayed.

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We considered the kennel until we saw it. What really makes me mad is that this is the Biltmore!

They loved dogs in their day!

Picture 6 pens stuck down behind a parking lot. Very sad! GIVE ME A BREAK!

I give the Biltmore an F for this effort!

More grading later…Cat, Chaps and Emma

Biltmore at the end of the day….

October 24th, 2010 - 10:10 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Biltmore at the end of the day lovers.

Check it out! The last self tour for the Biltmore was at 3:45pm. We took that last self tour with an audio visit. It costs 10 bucks but it was well worth it. You really must take the audio tour. Just go to the front desk and get your audio package.

But the best part of this last tour is your total access to the property. We went back to the BHV that had Chaps and Emma in it. Of course this is all weather permitting. It was a 60 degree day and the kids were totally find in my BHV. We drove back to the front of the property for sun set.

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You can drive right in front of the estate as you drive out. You don’t know this when you pull in and you are directed to the parking lots. But, you can pull right up front if you want to go to the garden store.

It is also your way out but they don’t tell you that.

Anyway, we figured it out! After the last tour we basically had the estate to ourselves!

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We had so much fun walking the kids all over!

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Look at the Lions. The kids are hooked up to each one!

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This picture is the kids hooked up as well. Just check out the enormity!

Then we had the run of the place. Every one was gone.

You are not going to believe this….A fellow and his wife were volunteers from GA basset hound rescue that took this picture. What? Can you believe it? They were so excited to meet us. They saw the BHV in the lot!

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Emma was watching from a far!

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Then the sun went down.

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There was no one at the estate but us. We parked down by the gates right off of the parking lots. It is the way you go to the garden shop. It passed right pass the estate. We had the best experience.

It was so cool!

More all to our selves later…Cat, Chaps and Emma

I now have a Jethro, just like Cindy, bht resident! hehehe

October 24th, 2010 - 7:07 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Jethro the Basset Hound Lovers! Basset Hound Town Resident Cindy has her very own living and breathing Jethro. He also holds the record for the longest ears in Basset Hound Town!

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Here is my Jethro!

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He is a design by Jim Shore. Here is the link to this item if you are interested.

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If you click on the link you will see a lot more detail and the colors. Just so pretty!

I love his work and as you can see I have the Jim Shore pig. Grandma and Grandpa bought the pig for me on my birthday. I had admired it for some time. Then, Grandma and I wondered into a shop in Gatlinburg and saw Jethro!

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It’s mine, all mine! Thanks to Grandma! Thank you Grandma!

Can you see Chaps in the mirror sleeping? Emma is there as well but she is under her gully blanket. We say gully instead of security.

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I just love these pieces! Especially MY Jethro! hehehe

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More having my very own Jethro later….Cat, Chaps and Emma

As promised, more tee shirt art from Gatlinburg…..

October 24th, 2010 - 7:07 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and tee shirt art lovers. I have come to the conclusion that air brush art is kind of like tattooing for really good artists. This guy is really good! As promised here are the pictures of his art work!

This is the tee I bought Grandma…..

Grandma actually took this picture of Emma and we call it the glamour shot.

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I picked the Chaps photo for my shirt. I am going to order an Emma shirt soon.

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I am just awe struck with this air brush artist. Can you believe it?

More loving my fantastic finds later……Cat, Chaps and Emma

Today would have been Grandpa’s 84th birthday….

October 24th, 2010 - 6:06 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and remembering Grandpa lovers…..

Well, Grandma and I decided to celebrate his birthday the same way we always did with lunch at his favorite spot, the Green Derby (forgot camera) and a piece of cake with the kids when we got home. Here is a picture from a previous birthday….

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His favorite things in life included his grand hounds…..

This morning when I went to feed the hounds I saw that I needed to come up with a hot topping for the kibble. What to do?

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As you can see, the fridge is bare!

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The only things left are Smart Balance butter spread and an old jug of apple juice. I had bought the apple juice for Grandpa prior to his passing. I just let it sit in my fridge.

I decided to microwave a spoon full of Smart Balance in some water to add some flavor and heat to the kid’s kibble. Look what I saw as I pulled it out of the microwave!

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A butter heart…….I ran to get my camera and I was so hoping it did not melt all the way……

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Emma was so hungry….

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It really made me smile and also reminded me of the Lily book. It’s was Grandpa’s idea to make the butter in the shape of a heart on this page…..

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Happy Birthday Grandpa, we think of you and miss you every day…….

More Grandpa memories later…..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

Welcome home to bassethoundtown!

October 23rd, 2010 - 10:10 am KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and coming home lovers…..

We had so much fun but it is always good to come home.

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I was anxious to see howl the kids would react. I was wondering if they would be all giddy with joy to be home but they seemed like they were just home.

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So that tells me that they had a great time. They loved all of the smells. They are so good on the road.

As you can see from the previous blog posting, the blogging has a much better view!

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Can you see Emma outside to the right?

Then she moved for this beautiful picture. It is going to 75 degrees today!

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More pretty as a picture later….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

Last night in Gatlinburg – Blogging in a dog friendly hotel!

October 22nd, 2010 - 9:09 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and blogging in a dog friendly hotel in Gatlinburg lovers…..

Back when I was making reservations for our trip I was getting desperate for lodging in Gatlinburg. I finally found lodging that would take dogs over 30 pounds. Whew….

It is called the Midtown Lodge. When we pulled out today I made the comment, “well I guess the Midtown Lodge served it’s purpose allowing dogs over 30 pounds but not much more.”

I would call it a dump. The owners were rude and snobby. Howl can anyone be snobby to the Mayor?

Even the cabins in Asheville had internet access. This place only had access in the lobby. Since I was close to the lobby I was able to dip into the lobby’s hot spot via this location in my room but no where else…

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I am sure there must be more places in Gatlinburg that take real dogs, dogs that have some meat on their bones! hehehe

I will never stay here again. Here is an ariel shot of the hell hole. I took it from the sky lift ride. It is the brown one in the front.

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Grandma and I took a sky lift to the top of one of the Smokey Mountains.

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It was scary fun! See the chair behind me?

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Anyway, back to the bug infested, smoke alarm going off hell hole.

Here are the kids after I tucked them in. Sorry for the bad photos. It is almost like night vision….

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I had them all covered up because the AC did not work and the air was pretty stale. I had the windows open and the mountain air was getting pretty cool. It just felt and smelled so good, plus I could hear the bluegrass band playing across the street. Ahhhhhhh mountain music! Just like Chaps and Emma howling;)

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The kids slept really good the entire trip.

I was just glad to check out. I cannot tell you howl much I am looking forward to buying my mini RV.

More almost home later….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

You have no idea howl happy I am right now!

October 21st, 2010 - 10:10 pm KY Time

Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and salt water taffy lovers…..

I am so happy!

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The last time I had this taffy I was 8! I am pretty sure my Dad took this same picture of me.

More loving this precious package later….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

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