Ann Chambers Theis - Dogs

Sookie Stackhouse aka Eva Destruction aka Flittermouse joined the crew in late August 2006.

She is a rescue dog saved by AARF, a local Richmond group who went up to Lynchbug to save puppies that were due to be gassed. Sookie was about four months old when she joined our pack. AARF thought that she might be a Basenji - Collie mix. Could be - no one is sure what she is, but the consensus is that she has really big ears. We suspect she is a Lurcher - not a breed, but a type of dog - and is most likely Greyhound and smooth coated Collie mix. Appropriately, Sookie speaks fluent Lurch from the Adams Family. She grumbles, groans and moans Lurchishly when her sleep is disturbed.

Sookie is named in honor of Charlaine Harris and her heroine (a paranormal cocktail waitress from New Orleans). Canine Sookie is not a blonde like fictional Sookie, but she has been conferred honorary blonde status by two of her fav blondes (Paula and Resa).

 

Georgia (Sally Lulu Emma Peel) Blue - gone but not forgotten. Georgia developed bone cancer and died in June 2003. Georgia's photo album

She weighed in at a svelte one hundred plus pounds, was over two feet tall, and was longer than four feet (not counting her curly tail). She was the Hound of the Theiskervilles aka wolfgrrrl. Named in honor of one of Ross Thomas' characters (a rogue secret service agent featured in Out on the Rim and Voodoo, Ltd). Probably part Akita and Irish Wolfhound; as well as something with webbed feet. Spoke fluent Wookie, sang the Akita arooo song, and did the Akita happy turnaround dance. Liked to dominate Burke (THWACK) and give her folks kisses. Favorite games included taking toys away from Burke, peek-a-boo, and her version of soccer - which involved whacking around assorted balls. She did not retrieve things. She was very fond of Asian pears from the Virginia Gold Orchard. Paul Estabrook warned us . . .

Some of her favorite authors may be found at Tart City - she was a huge fan of tart noir and of the noir tarts. Georgia also enjoyed reading about Nina Zero, the pop noir heroine of Robert M. Eversz books Shooting Elvis and Killing Paparazzi. Some of her favorite books: She liked the outstanding and well dressed mutant dogs in Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis and the exceptional Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. She recommended Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles, Ellen Godfrey's mystery Georgia Disappeared (though she found the title a bit unnerving), and Sujata Massey's The Salaryman's Wife, which briefly mentions the noble Akita Hachiko. Georgia was also partial to any book by Rosemary Sutcliff which includes a large dog. Of course she adored Philip Pullman's books, especially those about Sally Lockhart and her noble dog Chaka (" ...as black as night and, to judge from its shape, a mixture of bloodhound, Great Dane, and werewolf" - from Shadow in the North). She had a grudging respect and fondness for Randy Wayne White's late, legendary, boatstealing dog Gator (featured in Bat Fishing in the Rain Forest).

Her role models included: Emma Peel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ivanova from Babylon 5, Sally on Third Rock From the Sun and Anita Blake. She had been known to watch the Powerpuff Girls and liked Buttercup best. She thought Diefenbaker of Due South was pretty cool, too.

Her least favorite cartoonist was George Booth - "think good thoughts about a pussycat." Her favorite artist was Roy De Forest. Theme song: Ride of the Valkyries. Wanted to meet Daniel Pinkwater and his wife Jill. Also Laura Lippman.

 

Burke

The adorable enigma hound. Part lots of breeds - maybe long-haired weiner dog, plotthound, beagle, cocker, and ? Some suspect he is a tortie cat simulator. Speaks fluent Curly from the Three Stooges. Burke (aka the Burkserker or circus boy) is somewhat obsessive. He likes to run around the yard rolling flowerpots with his nose. Has been known to run around with a flower pot on his head, then toss it backwards over his tail. He is also a determined and demented destroyer of pink, plastic flamingos. Really. Burke remained convinced he could have eventually dominated Georgia even though his head fit in her mouth on a regular basis. Burke loves to retrieve his frisbee. Since Georgia's death, Burke has actually become part of the cat pack.

Favorite authors: James Lee Burke, James Burke and Jan Burke. Liked Dogland by Will Shetterly and was amused by Open Me...I'm a Dog by Art Spiegleman. Favorite artist: George Rodrigue. Favorite cartoons: Courage the Cowardly Dog and Underdog. Favorite video (cartoon): Wallace and Gromit. Favorite movie - Shrek, Burke bears a striking resemblence to Donkey. He would love to fix some waffles - but we won't discuss stinky gas. Theme songs: "The Happy Wanderer" and/or "Excitable Boy". He thinks Lulu (the basset hound in David Handler's Man Who mystery series) is hot. Burke would like to star in a Mighty Dog food commercial. He wants to meet everyone, as soon as possible.

More Dog Tales: Both Burke and Georgia suggest reading Paul Auster's Timbuktu, Michael Z. Lewin's Rover's Tales and J.R.R. Tolkein's Roverandum. They also liked William Marshall's story "Woof " which "presents a new and original Yellowthread Street story full of dogs, demons, fear, fright, and human frailty, all set amid the trashcans of Hong Bay on the first day of Chinese Lunar New Year". They also were impressed with Colter: the True Story of the Best Dog I Ever Had by Rick Bass. Both are amused by Jane Siberry's song about dogs.

Both Georgia, Burke and Sookie were rescued dogs, and we are grateful to the folks at F.L.A.G. in Goochland and AARF for saving them.

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