LANDFALL & HANDFALL; BRANDY'S VISION; DALLAS FACES; HOCKEY AND SEASONS

EDITION OF MONDAY, JULY 13, 2020 [PetPowellPress] We’re heading toward a Brandy report in this edition, but first we’re talking storms.
 As you may know, our Eastern Seaboard Bureau, a reliable news anchor in the State of New Jersey for years, avoided being slammed by a powerful tropical storm over the weekend.
Still, the Bureau is on Indian Lake in Denville, N.J., and it did experience some unpleasant weather from Tropical Storm Fay. Our longtime Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andy Fisher, the veteran print and broadcast journalist, reported “The tropical storm has come and gone, giving our vegetation a much-needed drink." Kind of sounds like Texas, doesn't it? Also, "A big branch came down in the driveway of the house across the street..." Yep, sounds like Texas. And, another Jersey-as-Texas moment, "The lake was so low that the two or three inches of rain we got brought the level up just a little bit.”
I told him that I’d been chilled by an early Saturday morning radio news report that Fay was “making landfall in New Jersey.” We’ve both covered stormy weather in our careers.
And I was just typing about hearing that “making landfall” report and was about to whine (as only a native Texan can in hot weather) to Bureau Chief Fisher about the 109 degree-discomfort reading at DFW Airport when suddenly, as I typed, a visitor moved in like a water-logged storm over the Gulf Coast — full and ready to leave an impression. My personal confidante, The Senator, jumped onto the table, sauntered over to my laptop and literally made “handfall.”
 Yes, made “handfall.”
I caught that shot of him flopping on my left hand as I was typing the note to Andy. Shot it with my right hand and my phone — couldn’t have pulled that off in the 20th century. There were no injuries or property loss in the handfall, thus no need to file for federal recovery aid. My goal is to help the government. 
[LARRY FYI: This report brought to you by readlarrypowell.com, the only news site in Texas that covers New Jersey’s animals and the people who love them — we’re almost sure. FYI: That second photo, shot in the last couple of days, shows typical lake activity in Texas, only this one is in New Jersey at Indian Lake, a scene from the Eastern Seaboard Bureau's observation platform. Notice, if you blow it up, the photo shows the skier and the boat maintaining safe social distancing in the wake -- so to speak -- of things.]
BRANDY THE DOG:
A MESQUITE CHALLENGE
We first wrote about this girl Brandy on Tuesday the 7th and over the weekend, as she continued to wait in the Mesquite Animal Shelter, a flurry of interest was stirred up by a change in her description.
We learned about it from our reliable tipster Debra Chisholm, one of the devoted animal biographers at Mesquite’s shelter. Initially the report was this 12-year-old, 35-pound girl Brandy was blind. You may recall that her owner, as he was surrendering her, described the dog as an excellent watchdog — even though she was blind.
But, now, the staff has had time to be with her. It turns out that she is not completely blind, may just be “going blind,” but still gets around like a sighted dog. Debra says the surrender form also said she “cannot hold her bladder.” 
Then Debra writes of a weekend visit, “While I had her in the shelter yard today, I would like to add the following to my original evaluation. She is a calm girl with a low-key personality.  She is curious and investigative in the yard, but was happy also to spend time with a human friend being loved on.  She did her business in the yard.  Brandy would easily capture your heart after hanging out with her.  Such a sad state of affairs to spend 12 years with a family and then end up in a city shelter.  Please help Brandy if you can.
 The Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix was surrendered on July 1 because, the owner reported, “No longer able to care for her.” The original evaluation by Debra also read, “She is not spayed and it looks as though she has had more than one litter of pups in her lifetime.”
So this looks like one of those instances where a human heart simply needs to decide to give Brandy a chance at a happy life with affection and understanding — like we all want.
By the time you read this, I hope she’s already been adopted and is being cuddled like a new baby at a family reunion. Just in case, to talk about her use her ID #44986439 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityofmesquite.com.
On Sunday I looked through the Mesquite Cats online and found that the shelter had some named for rock stars, some for states, some for no particular reason and this fellow, a small black and white cat listed as “Foghorn.” I’m betting there’s a reason for that name. He’s on hold right now, but the 2-year-old small, magnificently accented in color and design boy cat came into the shelter on June 29, so should be available soon or adopted soon. See the cats and dogs awaiting at Mesquite with brandy by going to THIS SITE.
One of the Mesquite dogs, by the way, is this guy Sawyer (#45005442). Debra says he’s an Aussie Shepherd mix who came in as a stray on July 5. [LARRY ASIDE: A stray on July 5 always makes me think he was scared to the point of escaping on July 4 and left wherever he was living to avoid the horror of explosions. He’s about 6, weighs 69 pounds and isn’t neutered — another reason to be out straying.] … Debra’s bio says, “He has a low-key personality and is a calm, gentle and well-mannered fellow.  He has a moderate energy level.… It's probable that this boy has been an outside dog due to the condition of his coat and general appearance.  Those beautiful brown eyes, cute ears, and attractively colored coat make him a standout.”
STARVING BOXER GETS ONE BREAK,
NEEDS TO GET ONE MORE BIG ONE…
His next big break oughta be getting a loving home. 
We got the report on this guy from our reliable tipster Sydney Busch of Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake. She sent this story of the Boxer:
 “This boy was rescued a few weeks ago from a situation where he was being starved. The rescuers have given him his shots. He has been neutered and microchipped and is on heartworm preventative. He’s approximately 6 years old. He does have food aggression but that’s due to the situation he came from.
“They feel like he is healthy now to pursue a new home. They were never in a position to keep him as they have big dogs and small children in a small house but they could not watch him starve  to death.”
 To offer to help the Boxer boy, email sydney@friendsoftheanimals.org.
FOUR FACES OF DAS,
TWO CATS AND FREE IS ENDING…
The last couple of days have been the Bissell Pet Foundation’s Empty The Shelters event at Dallas Animal Services. In the time of the virus, the event may not have emptied the shelters. Only 20 adoptions on Saturday, according to the DAS Facebook site. Plus, the site says, “Regular adoption pricing resumes next week so this is your last chance for a free best friend for a while! View adoptable pets and adopt online [HERE].
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In hopes of helping, we grabbed four great faces’ photos to present in our Monday edition. I hope those four were adopted Sunday, but, just in case they weren’t, pass ‘em on to your friends and remind those friends that animals are still adoptable in Dallas. (See the inventory at dallasanimalservices.org). 
P.S. Can anyone at DAS let us know if Craw’Dad, the one-eyed cat, was adopted? [Email dallrp@aol.com.] We posted him several times in hopes of helping the ol’ gent find a home. In the meantime, there are still cats waiting at DAS including this little girl Tammy. She was still on the adoption list Sunday.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
NO BULLS RUNNING; A UNIVERSITY HOCKEY NOTE; AUTUMN AND THE FAIR
Looking for some empty hospital beds? Try Pamplona. The annual Running of the Bulls, scheduled July7-14 was canceled, so there won’t be as many chuckleheads needing “I’ve been gored” surgery or concussion protocol this year. At readlarrypowell, we always root for the bulls just enough to keep them safe and to teach some lessons. We’re kinder than the runners and the people who force the bulls into this barbaric behavior. … Anybody know if the University of Beringia Gray Wolves have already canceled the 2020 hockey season? (Some of you are smiling, right?) … When does autumn begin in Texas? 8:31 a.m. Fort Worth/Dallas time on Tuesday, Sept. 22. Unless, of course, someone in a government office somewhere cancels it. FYI, had things gone on as planned, the State Fair would have begun AFTER the arrival of autumn — running Sept. 25-Oct. 18 with the theme “Celebrating Texas Icons.” Maybe for the 2021 Fair (Sept. 24-Oct. 17) one of the Texas Icons will be the Lone Star scientist who comes up with a quick, easy, cheap, 100 percent effective vaccine for this virus. FYI, in 2021, Autumn starts at 2:21 p.m. Fort Worth/Dallas time on Sept. 22. I mention this for those who look forward to some stability in the universe, i.e., Autumn arriving each Fall. Yeah, I smiled when I typed that.
—- Offer a way out of all this or suggest coping skills by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing dallrp@aol.com. —-