I am a fiction writer trying to learn how to write memoir, in small manageable bites. My dog, Cricket, is small and she bites, so I thought she could help.
Cricket is a fourteen pound Cockapoo (cocker spaniel/poodle mix), born on July 13th 2007. She has a strong grasp of the english language, when she wants to. But, most important, she is my social bridge. In the real world, she drags me outside to meet my neighbors, and random strangers with dogs who smell interesting. I’m hoping she can act as my social bridge online, as well, despite the lack of obvious smell.
update: We added Butterfly to the family on November 20th 2012. She was rescued from a puppy mill at eight years old and has added years to the life of this blog.
Butterfly before her bath
update: Miss Butterfly died at age 12 and 3/4, after almost five years of wonderfulness. It took us a year to find a new dog to keep Cricket company, but I’m pretty sure Butterfly found Ellie for us. Ellie came to us in July of 2018, a five year old Havanese, recently retired from a breeder.
I recently self published my first novel, Yeshiva Girl, with Amazon. Please check it out!
You can reach me at: cricketpages@earthlink.net
rachelmankowitz 
You (and other) have done something wonderful in rescuing a helpless and loveable creature from this kind of exploitation. Well done!
Thank you!
Wow, I love your dogs! My cat is a rescue cat, and he’s a little darling. He’s even my gravatar! Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Thank you for the return visit. My dogs are huge cat fans, though the fandom is not often returned in kind.
Thanks for visiting our blog.
We enjoyed reading about cricket just now. Lily & Tim
Thanks for the return visit!
Your babies are so cute!!
Thank you!
Thanks for following Poppy’s blog. Enjoy reading your posts. You have a great following.
Thanks!
Dear Rachel,
I saw that you had “liked” my Moonbow Over Charleston mention on Tonya Tucker’s blog. Tony and are not kin to each other even though we have the same last name. Just a coincedence. Anyway, do you have a book on Amazon I could buy? I see that you are a writer. I have a few. But think I think might interest you is my website has a funny old dog pic on the first page. He is a golden receiver named Red Dog. In my book, Charleston Kisses, a favorite character is Red Dog; hence, the site cover. Well, I guess it’s all right to ask if you would mind mentioning my books on your blog and/or showing pics of the covers. It’s about the only way I have to let people know about them. Write back at terrywardtucker@comcast.net if you want to. Thanks for sharing Cricket’s life and times. Nice thing. By the way, my books are clean, so you don’t have to worry about them reflecting well on you. Sincerely, Terry (terrywardtucker@comcast.net>
My author page on Amazon is: amazon.com/author/terrywardtucker
Guess I should have proofed the above comment before I posted it. Oh, well. Always next time. Sorry. Terry
Thank you visiting today. Beautiful dogs you have.
Thank you for coming by!
A woman “after my own heart”..!! People think I’m crazy when I mention I’ve been in South Florida (Ft. Lauderdale area) for almost 2 years, and haven’t been to the beach yet. In fact, I honestly can’t remember even SEEING the ocean (within a “distance”)!! Furthermore, I truly believe the closest my Gracie will ever get to any large body of water.. is my bathtub..!! Just have NO desire for the ocean.
OK..OK.. So I’m (just a little??) crazy.. 😉
The crazy thing is that Cricket loves the beach, but hates the water. God forbid I try to give her a bath, or rain plinks on her head.
Thank you, Rachel, for visiting my blog. I always thought a “dog” should be a biggish sort of dog, but your two could change my mind! 🙂
Cricket fills a room like a big dog, and pulls a leash like a tractor. I just have to figure out a way to stack one dog on top of the other and then we’re set.
🙂
And thank you so much for the “follow.”
You’re welcome!
I’ve nominated you for an award, but acceptance is purely optional. If you’re interested then please check out this post: http://feastingwithfriendsblog.com/award-cabinet/
Thank you so much!
Your very welcome Rachel! Keep those precious pet stories coming!
I am a shy person and part of the reason I finally got a dog was I knew it would force me to be more social. In the past 2 years of having my dog, Zeke, I have talked to more people than the 28 years before that! It is a very good thing.
Dogs are amazing at bringing people together. Totally counter-intuitive, but it works.
Hi – thanks for your ‘like’! I’m trying to get my first blog started so would really appreciate a follow 🙂 I’m Eat Sleep Bake Repeat. Kim x
You bet!
Thank you for the follow. Dogs and babies never fail to help us make friends out of strangers everywhere we go.
Thanks for the return visit!
My best friend’s birthday is July 14th. I bet Cricket and I would hit it off really well. 🙂 It’s wonderful to hear that you rescued Butterfly from those horrible mills. Kudos
I’ve never checked out Cricket’s astrological sign, do these July girls all do things their own way, everyone else be damned?
They are the queens of the house! 🙂
Hi, Rachel! Congratulations! You’ve just been nominated for The Shauny Award for Excellence in Blogging! (Yes, there really is such a thing.) Alas, no honor comes without its obligations. See today’s post, December 9, in “The Getting Old Blog” (www.ninamishkin.com) for instructions on what to do next. 🙂
Thank you!
You’re very very welcome!
Thanks for visiting the blog. I can see now that Misty was the draw. 🙂 Usally, though, it is Sasha who gets most of the press. We all enjoyed reading/hearing the stories about your pup friends today.
Thank you!
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I nominated you for the Dragon Loyalty Award! Congratulations 🙂 To see your nomination, go to http://cristinsadventures.com/2013/12/17/dragon-loyalty-award/
Thank you!
Hello! I’ve nominated you for the Sisterhood of The World Bloggers Award. I enjoy reading your blog very much and hope you will accept the award. Here is the link to the post and nominees: http://photogwriter.com/2013/12/17/the-sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award/
Thank you!
I have nominated you for the Dragon’s Loyalty Award! Participation is optional, and if you want further information visit me! http://watchhatchfly.com/2013/12/18/dragons-loyalty-award-2013/
Cheers!
Thank you!
Hi Rachel, Thanks so much for becoming a follower of my blog and liking my post/drawing of Lucy. Lucy bites me. That is why Gidget moved in. I thought Lucy was biting me because she needed cat company but that turned out not to be the case.
I had similar hopes with Cricket. She was lonely and needed dog company. But now she has a sister and she still bites me. Oh well. At least she doesn’t bite her sister.
Hi Rachel
Thank you for visiting my blog!
You’re welcome!
So glad you visited my blog because I might not have found yours otherwise. I love your blog (and the lovely Cricket and Butterfly)
Thank you so much!
Hello Rachel! Thanks for stopping by and Liking my blog. Delighted to have you visit. I thought I spied poodle (I’m partial to poodles) in this gorgeous picture of Cricket, promptly confirmed when I went on to read she’s a Cockapoo! Great name. I hope in the imminent future to be lucky enough to share my home with a couple of rescue dogs. The older the better. Just chuck my way any blind, on their last legs (all three of them) unwanted poppet and they’ll be welcome. I’m working on it. This year or bust! Happy New Year to you and your pretty two. R.
Thanks for coming by! Good luck with the rescue plans. Butterfly has transformed herself from an eight year old rescue dog to a spitfire puppy in less than a year. I can’t wait to see what comes next!
I can’t wait either and she’s a little Spitfire on legs because you’ve given her a new lease of life. She’s loved and knows it. Well done you and many thanks for your support and for following. Much appreciated and I’ll be sure to keep you posted! Until then, take care and TTFN. R
Thank you so much for liking one of my posts. We rescued two year-old pug brother-and-sister puppies and get a total kick out of their daily antics. It’s delightful to see them so happy. There are three laps in our family for them to choose from. Happy New Year! 🙂 Jane
Happy new year to all of the laps and the puppies who own them!
Thought we’d bring a reward to your day, we’ve nominated you for The Lighthouse Award, details and badge can be found at : http://decidinglybob.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/bobs-diary-the-lighthouse-award/
Thank you!
Thank you for liking my post. 🙂
You’re welcome!
So glad you liked my latest blog entry, Rachel, thank you. To be honest I did think of you when I posted the picture of Meg the poodle. Not the best photo but sweet nonetheless.
Very sweet puppy!
Thank you, that’s very kind. Hope you like the latest ones! R
Like your blog, Rachel! I wish the dogs I take care of at the shelter (check out my blog under “Friends with Paws”) were lucky as your dogs. Good job
Thank you!
Thank you for liking my post! I too am an aspiring fiction writer, so I’ll be following your blog and perhaps we can help each other out!
Sounds good!
Thanks for checking out WordSisters! I’ve enjoyed your blog as well.
Thank you!
Thank you for your Likes, Rachel. I enjoyed this post very much. What lovely neighbours you have. It was good to read. I once tried to catch a lost dog in a busy high street, panic on its face, its lead streaming out behind him. I tottered after him best as I could (ME/CFS notwithstanding) in my heels and two minutes later in the opposite direction came staggering back the same way. Sadly I never did catch him. And indeed, cats can certainly emulate dogs to the extent mine even woofed at one stage. But then he was a strange little soul…
Rachel! I just managed to delete the above message and your reply about meeting Shingalana. Have re-posted. Honestly, I think I’ll just pop along to the toilet stick my head down the bowl and flush the chain.
Ah, yes, Shingalana the barking cat, pawn star. The full story can be found in my free eBook “Cat Tales” (details on http://www.rosemarybachholzer.co.uk) and I didn’t mean for this to turn into a plug! Sorry about that. Sadly, you’ll need the services of an individual who is tuned in to the other side to meet him but if you scoot on down to the 16 Dec 2013 entry of this blog link you can see a picture of him. My funny boy. http://rbachholzer.wordpress.com/2013/12/ … probably not working. I’m calling it a day! Bye, best to beautiful bubs of yours. R
Hi Rachel, thanks for stopping by honeylemontea.com! I’ll check back here often. Best wishes!
Thank you so much for coming by!
Hello Rachel! Love yr blog … thankyou for liking my post and pointing me toward yours 🙂 Love dogs and cats – so funny and clever. Mine are Bella (Australian Kelpie, bella by name, bella by nature) and Daisy (Siamese x Tabby, should be called Boadicea). They make me laugh every day even if I’m a bit cross with them (ah, that would be Daisy…). Look forward to reading more of your stories. (btw, where do u live?) Sue
I’m in Long Island, New York. And even when the girls drive me CRAZY, they are also making me laugh. It’s a bit disturbing.
Thanks, Rachel, for liking my posts. 🙂
you’re very welcome!
Hi Rachel, thanks for visiting and liking my Spanish blog. As you are a writer, you might like my writing blog too at http://www.sandradanby.com/. I write fiction, I think I’d find memoir a bit intimidating! How’s it going? SD
Memoir is very intimidating. I’m trying to wear out the fear in small chunks.
Hi Rachel, Your story, “Pet Olympics or Synchronized Peeing” has been reposted through tomorrow at betterendingsnow.com. Great pics and wonderfully timely peeing; I mean…running! I mean, posting! Thanks for letting us share this with others!
Rachel–thanks so much for the like. Your blog is a riot! I LOVE your puppy stories–and the fact they are rescues. All my pets have been rescues. Good on you!
Thank you! Butterfly is a rescue, but Cricket was with us from the beginning. And yet, Cricket is the difficult one, by a lot. The girls make things very interesting around here.
I thought you were already a Spikey Rachel… if not, well you’ve joined a growing clan of folk known to be followers of Uncle Spike 🙂
Thank you… I really appreciate that as I for one, know how many interesting and entertaining blogs are out there.
My aim is to deliver an eclectic offering of posts, from my ‘point n shoot’ attempts at photography, to the sharing of my travel adventures since the 70′s, as well as day to day happenings on the farm. Oh, plus a few observations on life as I see it. Of course, if you have any suggestions for me, I’d love to hear from you, serious; email me.
In return, I promise not to be overbearing with perhaps 2-3 posts a day tops. But if you are at a loose end one day, maybe you’ll enjoy trawling through some of my older stuff too. I have added plenty of categories to help in said digging process.
Thanks again for your vote of confidence, particularly from your good self, a media ‘expert’ 🙂 and hope you have a great day…
UNCLE SPIKE
Great day to you too!
🙂
Wow…very happy to see such a passionate dog-lover 🙂 glad to follow your Blogs. Thanks for visiting my Blogspace 🙂
Thanks for the return visit!
Thanks so much for visiting our blog, Rachel! I very much enjoy yours, and your pups are perfectly adorable.
Thank you!
🙂
The inimitable (and Nobel prize winning author) John Steinbeck wrote a book called “Travels With Charley” about traveling with his dog. He wrote “a dog is a bond between strangers.”
Butterfly goes up to everyone for a sniff and they smile, or they don’t, and then I know who I’m dealing with.
I agree heartily with Will Rogers– “if there are no dogs in Heaven then when I die I want to go where they went.”
Absolutely!
Hi there, thanks for visiting my blog and liking my post, mutt or purebred at http://drewllew.wordpress.com/2014/03/09/purebred-or-mutt/
I love it when people read and like or comment on my posts, so thanks again.
You’re very welcome!
Thank you for reading my humble attempt at a blob.
Rescue dogs are by far the best dogs – We have 2, and I can’t imagine a day without them.
My little Butterfly makes me feel like anything is possible, so I agree with you wholeheartedly!
Thanks for liking my drawing! 🙂 at http://byallmeanspaint.wordpress.com/
You’re very welcome!
I’ve nominated you for a blogger award. I’m not sure if it created a pingback because I linked to your whole blog rather than a specific page. Here’s where I nominated you: http://nikkiharvey.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/versatile-blogger-award/
Thank you so much!