Sleep

First night sleeping in the bedroom.
She had the choice of a mattress on the floor or my bed, she chose best, the bed!
The bump on the left is the Critter, under the covers and laying against her.

After our first walk in the middle of the night, (which went well, although she still is startled by every little sound she hears and every move I make (she then dives and freezes for a sec, but immediately recovers so we can walk again. This is the reason why I walk at night for now, she has to deal with so much she can't handle any more stimuli)), we went to bed and I carried her up the stairs cause that thing is too scary and unfamiliar to her.
Not much after putting her on all fours in the bedroom she relaxed and even began to investigate the whole room in a very calm manner while the Critter went berzerk, running round and round on the bed, inviting her to play, but she didn't want to yet.
Then she discoverd my fake blanket chest stuffed with old blankets for the dogs and such. So stuffed the lid is wide open and there is a large bump of blankets on top.
Well, she rubbed her face in the blankets and then decided to climb on top of it all!!!! Hahaaaaa, way cool!!!
Then she rubbed her scent all over those blankets.
For a moment I expected the chest, made out of thin wood, to crack, but it didn't.

Immediately after this she stepped on the bed, greeted me, yep, I was already laying flat, and she lay down at my feet, over my legs...
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think we slept like that all night cause when I woke up she was still laying on my legs, this time with only her head.

These pics are taken soon after waking up, well, at first only I was...

Downstairs in the living room she is again a bit timid, logical cause of all the triggers that are over there

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Yvina inherited this from her mom Soyala; laying down with her feet crossed

Intimidated by Softy Byron

Byron is the largest Coon and although such a softy he excelled in intimidating Yvina.
Later on he managed to chase her to another spot, just by staring at her, slowly walking towards her, creepy Byron! So I asked him to go away and leave her alone, as he did so

She is avoiding possible conflict.
Good girl!

And steps back

So Byron is stepping forward as she indeed leaves

Triumph!

Experiencing the Garden

Yvina's first morning after her arrival at my home, already off leash in the garden, exploring it very early in the morning when it was still cool outside and quiet on the streets

"Well, I am not familiar with you, but I do recognize a camera when I see one!"
Yeah, I don't look or sound as Tony, I know...

Leah, she looks so regal indeed!

The Critter thought he would be as big as she is, whilst standing on a log... nah, failure

Meeting the Critter

This was the exciting, somewhat scary, part of meeting ~~~ the Critter ~~~!!!
And he, he was only interested in me cause I walked with only Yvina, Yvon took Kyanu and walked behind us. He went completely berzerk!!! Yapping and doing his utmost best to pull Yvon towards me, LOL. So yeah, he only showed interest in me, 'never saw another dog'..., so I was soon able to hold both leashes and let them walk next to each other.
We didn't go far of course, just to let them meet each other.

Yvina was spooked by all the traffic that was over there.This truck was the last one she could handle, she layed down in the grass and it was obvious, so we decided to go back to the car, heading home...

And since then the Critter acts as if she's always lived here with us.
Good boy!!!


All pics by Yvon

Jenny's Meeting Point

RSDR's Jenny welcomes everyone with the dogs in her garden so they can stretch their legs and relax for a bit while everybody is getting to know one another

Still avoiding contact for the most part, she herself has to make the step when she wants to come in contact with me

Center of attention? Nah, just in the center...  ;-}

Jenny was so kind to let Yvon, Yvina and me sit in a quiet part of the garden and let's not forget Ineke who is the solid rock in the Netherlands for RSDR

Yvina was very interested in the Shepherds across the ditch

Beauty

All pics by Yvon

Yvina's Arrival

Oooooohhh, the anticipation...
This is the moment I were to meet Yvina.
Transported by this van and its drivers who drove for 2 days all the way from Bulgaria

There she is!!!!

So hard not to look at her, avoiding eye contact not to stress her out even more

First wif

She was okay with Gary who, next to the other driver, took care off her during their long journey

Poor girl, having no idea what just happened in her life...

Gary saying his goodbyes to her

Me welcoming her...

All pics by Yvon

Yvina

Yvina was born around November 30, 2011 in Bulgaria in the Rudozem area.
She is one of the many dogs saved by Antony and Diane Rowles and their family, especially their youngest son Luke, by whom it all started. Diane founded the shelter, Rudozem Street Dog Rescue (RSDR), and it is now inhabitat by many, many dogs and several cats. They only adopt to the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Please have a look at both sites.
I fully support the way they run things in regard to both the animals and the adoption process.
Evie, a 3,5 year old female born on the streets but luckily she, her sibblings and mother were saved just in time from the snow and freezing cold by the Rowles's.
Her sister Pauline is still living at the shelter, the last one of this family. Most of them, also mom Soyala, were adopted years ago already.
I can't imagine why Yvina was overlooked. She has such wild stunning beauty and charisma.


All pics by Yvon

Forever Silhouette

My beautiful and only girl passed away this evening.
At 15 years of age she's used up all of her 90 lives.
Silhouette was such a sweet, silly, special, tough and loving girl.
She came to live with me when she was 5 years old.
She used to live at my friend Miriam's place, but was teased by the other cats, mostly by her own daughter, so she was better off at another home. When I met her she truly made clear she liked me, showing off, acting all silly and such, and immediately doing her best to connect...
As small as she was for a Maine Coon she stood her ground among the big male Coons and the dogs.

My sweetie, you lived a long life
Thank you for choosing me
Thank you for your love

Congratzzz Kendall

Kendall turned 15 today!!!!

"Did someone say Party?"

Lush Green

At the Haringvliet

Kooisteebos Encounters

The Critter enjoying running at the Kooisteebos this afternoon

And he is enjoying all the nice smells

This is how he still feels about having his picture taken

We saw a Broad-Bodied Chaser (NL: Platbuik)

A Heron was sitting on one of the totem poles

Critters sometimes can fly

And jump

And be immitated by Lawaz who we met after a while