Happy Monday Everyone!
I can’t believe how quickly the time is flying by. It is the beginning of another week! Everyone is so busy getting ready for the holidays and all of the upcoming festivities that this time of the year brings.
On this day, though, I’d like to take a moment and wish MY JOHN and DOTTIE…Happy Anniversary #8! At one o’clock in the afternoon on December 19, 2003…they were married! As Dottie was commenting to MY JOHN this morning…and “WHAT A FABULOUS 8 YEARS IT HAS BEEN! WE ARE SO, SO FORTUNATE AND BLESSED!”
Needless to say, I agree! I have been around for most of this time…and enjoying every moment with them. Since they both spend a great deal of time doing HORSE ACTIVITIES and at BARN 55…it is as though WE ARE ALL ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY!
The “adorable SOPHIE SHIRREFFS” asked that I extend her special greetings to them on this day as well.
Cheers and Blessings to all!
I must say, this is such a FUN way to begin a holiday week of celebration…wishing MY JOHN and DOTTIE all the best on their special day!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
carol in utah
went equi-base web…could not find the blind mare…did find pic of marlene’s little herd…pic of “little clouds” mom-to-be…now for the question…what is little clouds’ mommy’s name???
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
Dear, Zenyatta. Thank you for sharing such a special occasion with us! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to our dear Dottie and John! Yours is such a beautiful love story. It is so wonderful that fate brought you two together and what an amazing ride it has been so far!! When I see pictures of the two of you, it is obvious the feelings you have for one another. Thank you for sharing so much of yourselves with us and for making a difference to the many marvelous horses and other furry friends in your care and to the racing industry as a whole. You have touched my own life in amazing ways and will remain forever special to me! Love and hugs to you both, may you continue to be blessed with a lifetime of joy! Once again that little Miss Sophie is just TOO CUTE!! The picture that Sarah posted on Friday of you was wonderful too Zenny. Standing there with your head up, posing for the camera and your ears gorgeous against the light, very special. I am so happy that your paddock is right in the middle of all the activity and that you get to enjoy watching everything. I always loved hearing John talk about how curious and interested you were in all that was happening at Barn 55. You are one sweet, intelligent girl, Zenny. It is wonderful that you and Tasty get to remain together and raise your little ones side by side. I love to see your remarkable friendship. It reminds me so much of this diary site. We all have come here from points across the U.S. and around the world. We each bring with us our own likes and dislikes, educational background, family life, ideals, interests and experiences. The beauty of a quilt is not based on the uniformity of the blocks which make it up; rather it is based on the differences. Each fabric brings its own unique pattern and colors, which when sewn together create a marvelous whole. Most of us have never met face to face, yet like you and Tasty we have become friends who genuinely care and support one another. We now share our likes and dislikes, our education, our family life, our ideals, interests and experiences with each other. We have been sewn together by our shared love of you Zenyatta and I find great joy in that. Love you. Sweet dreams. Hugs and kisses. XXXOOO
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
@Karen G – I loved, loved, loved my wonderful Smilebox Christmas wishes!!!! They really lady inside and out!! Love you!
@Shari – Happy Monday my friend. A couple of Christmas surprises are coming your way! Love you!
@Abigail – Know you are away enjoying the big city, but had to wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Can’t wait to hear about your adventure.
@Peggy – Hi, sis! I hope everything is great with you!!!
@Daina Ryan and Patti from South Carolina – Patti, I too really enjoyed the book “Snowman”. He was an amazing horse and the story of he and Harry is remarkable. I had posted this book as one of my selected Bookmark entries a few weeks ago. Daina, thank you for your response, it was great to read about your connection to those individuals who actually lived the story. It certainly is a small world!!
@Cynthia H – I’m praying that you are feeling better, sweetie. I hope you have some time you can stay home and rest. Be sure to drink plenty of that good English tea you make, stay warm, and curl up to watch Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, of course placing the movie on pause and napping when required is expected. Love and hugs!
@Kari – Thank you for the great links you shared! I just adore AP Indy, he is such a sweetheart and what he has done for the industry is remarkable. Christmas is just around the corner and I was thinking to myself how wonderful it would be to remember to celebrate the spirit of Christmas all year round. Every new day is a gift from God. It comes wrapped in a golden sunrise and is filled with amazingly positive possibilities. It is ours to do with what we will; joy, laughter and love come to mind. It ends tied up in the crimson ribbon of a sunset and the blissful peace of night, perhaps to dream a special dream. A gift like that just has to be shared, so I share this day with you my dear friend. Your remarkable life force has touched my heart. You remain always in my thoughts and prayers. Here’s to the thought of Christmas every day!!
@JAG – I lite a few more candles for Zenny. I hope you all enjoyed your day at the races; of course it has to be wonderful to see John and Dottie so often! Loved the quote from Trevor Denman and your other links!!!
@Barbara Wood – Your story about your husband’s try at surprising you was TOO CUTE!! Thank you for the link to the amazing rescue of the horses off the island, brought tears!
@Susan in TN – The passage from “Black Beauty” was lovely. I so enjoyed hearing about Chester, Chopper and their new girlfriend, Anne. I hope time together does the trick and Chester ends us with two great friends, he sure deserves it!
@signofthetimes – Lots of wonderful information, thank you so much! I agree, Zenny’s John definitely belongs in the Hall of Fame!!
@Sandy in NE Ohio – HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!! Trina’s poem was great.
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
@Max – Loved your link and information about Frankel. You know the first time I saw him run; I was struck by how very much he reminded me of my beloved Barbaro. They not only look similar but move very alike, when you see them make their kicks and move out. Of course I really enjoy researching pedigrees, so I pulled both of theirs to see if they shared similar bloodlines. It is amazing the number of names that appear in both their sire and dam lines. I found it very interesting. Here is Barbaro’s pedigree.
http://www.pedigreequery.com/barbaro4
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
@Max – Here is Frankel’s pedigree.
http://www.pedigreequery.com/frankel3
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
@Dottie and John – Thank you too from the bottom of my heart for all that you done and continue to do for our most beloved of all, Zenyatta!
Ingrid Arnone. South Beach.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
A pretty rose for a pretty lady! Sophie, she is so adorable, like all of you!
Love you all, Ingrid.
Jeffrey M
Congratulations Guys.
CA racing is so lucky to have you both.
Terry Crow
@Susan in TN-How nice that you thought of me, I think. @Judy Berube-Rosemary McCauley tipped me off about the Rhode Island Reds.@Denise in AZ-Defintely RN. You don’t need to provide a picture. I’ll take your word about something like that. @John and Dottie-Zenyatta may be the queen, but you are the first couple of racing. Congratulations. Will resume the humor tomorrow as this day is special and I don’t want to intrude on the general feeling.
Delrene from Carlsbad - (California)
What a wonderful way to start the 400 series. Happy Anniversary to two terrific people. Thanks you for sharing and I join in all the good wishes and thoughts for many more happy, healthy years together.
I love the idea of a rose named for Zenyatta…. You are working and living in the land of Pasadena/Arcadia area and beautiful roses. What a way to honor our girl….Queen Zenyatta (perhaps a Blush-Blush pink???)
Thank you for all the great postings. Enjoy your special day .
signofthetimes
Dear Dottie and John:
Wishing you the Happiest of Anniversaries. You are a very special couple so very glad that you found each other. Hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks so much for sharing Zenny with us for so many years. And love that BLINGO, he is a character !!!!
XXXXXXOOOOO
signofthetimes
Dear Dottie and John
Forgot to mention how cute Sophie Sherriffs looks on HRTV
when you are on that station. She is always licking you, what a very cute and sweet little dog. Hope she gets a treat tonight, too.
Leanne
Happy Anniversary John and Dottie and you you celebrate many, many more!
Casey
Happy, Happy Anniversary John and Dottie- may there be many many more wonderful days like this one.
Roberta Smith
Hello Pretty Girl! Please pass on my sincere congratulations to John and Dottie too! God Bless you all! I love you Zenyatta!
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Happy Anniversary John and Dottie! I think everything that COULD be said HAS been said by now so I will just echo all of the sentiments. Best wishes for a great day of celebration and a wonderful year ahead.
Sandy
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
@Sharon Call, Atlanta, GA
Thanks for the link the the absolutely adorable card!
Sally B. (Wi)
Sweet Z Thank you for sharing this terrific news! Please extend my best wishes for two beautiful people John & Dottie on their special 8th Anniversary.
Their kindness is as beautiful as the rose.
Christmas is so close. I wish you peace, joy and love Z as well as to your wonderful family and extended friends and may your New Year be full of happiness and good health.
p.s. Sophie is so cute in that basket.
Sally B. (Wi)
P.S. Sweetie Z you know I love you, always!! love, hugs with 2 kisses on your soft nose, one for baby z
Robin - Ventura CA
Happy Anniversary to John and Dottie! May you many more wonderful years together. Loved the pic of Sofie, very cute. Have a wonderfulday Zenny you big beautiful girl. Love you forever!
XOXOXOXOX
Stephanie (S in San Diego)
Happy Anniversary John and Dottie. Like everyone else…I hope you have a wonderful day and evening followed by many more years and years of happiness. We all adore you. Zenny, Sophie and all the dumplings scatter around the world..You are our Royal Couple :)
Max
@Dawn Conrad. I just looked up a picture of Barbaro and he does look like Frankel. What a beautiful horse he was. He had so much potential. I remember that terrible day of his breakdown and the hope that everyone had for a miracle recovery. It was a great tragedy that his racing career and his life were cut so short. I also like to follow pedigrees. Speaking of which, I do love in particular Barbaro’s sire. Dynaformer is a highly interesting horse. He is almost as tall as Zenyatta, but apparently without her sweet disposition. If anyone has any stories about him, I would love to hear them.
Sally B. (Wi)
@LisaB; Congrats on your adoption of your lab/mix!! You will have many special moments.
Sue Fredrick - Wisconsin
Dear Zen thank you so much for sharing this wonderful special day with us. Send our love and congratulations to Dottie and John with a wish for many more. Just think if they had never met how different everything would be. We are truly blessed to have them in our lives, and Dottie as your voice!!
Love and kisses on all your noses.
Marilu V.
HAPPY ANNIVERSY JOHN AND DOTTIE.
May you be blessed with many more. This is a good time to thank both of you again for sharing Zenyatta and the horses in Barn 55 with us. Enjoy the rest of the day with family and friends.
What an adorable picture of Sophie. She is too cute!
Zeny – hope you and Tasty are doing good.
Love and Hugs,
Marilu
Sue Fredrick - Wisconsin
@TERRY CROW yeah thanks a lot for putting the kiss of death on the Packers. On a lower note Sally B will be a true redneck(per your joke) as she will have more tattoos than teeth after our mud wrestling match. HA H
@SALLY B I’ll meet you in the pig yard (as per your post #399) but you’ll have to be barefoot because those size 12 gunboats you wear will give you an unfair advantage floating on top of the mud. HA HA.
@DAWN I loved your comparison of all of our diversity to the quilt….beautiful.
Sue Noel/Sun Valley ID
Happy,Happy Anniversary!!!!!!
Hope you are having as wonderful a day as on your wedding day!!! What a marvelous couple you are—and how much you have done for the racing world!! And,for us!!!!! You are truly loved by more people than you could possibly be aware of and we are all so appreciative for all you have done,and for all that you are!!!!!
I’m so looking forward to Breeder’s Cup 2012,when I hope to be able to meet you both!!!
Happiness Always!!!! Much love!!! Sue
(and Traveler and Casey!!)
Cathy Marshall
Wishing John and Dottie a very Happy Anniversary!
Beth Buckley
A very Happy Anniversary to both John and Dottie and may there be MANY more to come. Oh, and Sophie IS too cute!!!
Randy
Happy Anniversary John and Dottie. I hope you have many, many, MANY more years of happiness together. I’ve never met either of you but thanks to this wonderful website I feel sort of like you and everyone on Team Zenyatta are my old friends who I just don’t see very often. Congratulations on a wonderful milestone.