What's With This Mr Fox No.12 Thing Anyway?

SUMMARY: A little actual explanation.

Updated at various times after the original post--scroll down to the end for the breaking news.

Two or three or four years ago, posts between Sidney Thompson and various friends started popping up in my Facebook feed. They were witty, clever, entertaining, educated... sometimes made me laugh out loud. As I learned more, I discovered that Sidney is a Kromfohrländer, an uncommon dog breed that makes for cute and energetic photos, who lives in Cornwall, England, and performs uncommon activities (for a dog. Actually for a person, too).

Sidney in a contemplative moment.

And Sidney rules the world. I mean, not just like an ordinary pet would: He is fabulously wealthy (owns estates, islands, and possibly entire countries), fabulously talented (I believe that he once won both Wimbledon and the Tour de France on the same weekend), fabulously successful (he has run for  Prime Minister on several occasions), deeply generous (he allows his Assistants to sleep in the cubby under the stairwell despite their frequent pathetic activities).

And about the Assistants--poor, abused, ignorant slaves that they are--they post for him on FB (he's likely too busy to bother) and he dispenses wisdom through them.  It's always clear when he's being quoted:

Sidney says it's his 7th birthday today and let's face it, with all the doomsters, purveyors of misery and general negative thinking out there, he's sure his friends will join him in celebrating a true global community and positive force for good. For those that can't handle colour in their lives, here he is in black and white (as a pup) he says.

or such snapshots of his life:

Sidney says autumn is officially here and the grand fireplace has been brought back into use. It’s a rainy night so he’s sent his assistants outside to chop wood, he says.

Somewhere along the line, Sidney and Mr Fox (who eventually became No.1) met up and formed a partnership. Mr Fox No.1 traveled a bit and posted photos of himself doing fun things.  Fans of Sidney started clamoring for Mr Fox to visit *them*, too, so they could take Mr Fox to fun places and do fun things. Lo, it was discovered that Mr Fox was just one in a litter of some as-yet undefined huge number of Mr Foxes-- first about 7, then maybe 10, then about 16 by 2017 as reported in Vogue...

...then by Sept 2018 even more...

Sept 2018: Sidney says as well as being his birthday today, not that he's making big deal of it or anything, it is also the birthday of all of the Mr Foxes. It was a rather large brood (as well as being a big lass their mother was a real vixen). Below is a list of all the Mr Foxes. Sidney would be grateful if they could be pampered for the rest of the day, he says:

• Mr Fox no.1:   Top Fox. @ Sidney HQ.
• Mr Fox no.2:   Breaking Bad fox @ Sidney HQ
• Mr Fox no.3:   Roxy Foxy, in Sidney's limousine @ Sidney HQ
• Mr Fox no.4:   Mr Typically Tropical (f.k.a. Ultrafox). Worldwide traveller. Currently having a rest @ Sidney HQ
• Mr Fox no.5:   a.k.a Twiggy. Living the dream with Auntie Chris (HAG, AA) and Auntie Cynthia in Salt Lake City, USA
• Mr Fox no.6:   a.k.a. Trevr. Living with Auntie Gail (SHAG, AA) in Colorado, USA.
• Mr Fox no.7 & Mr Fox no.9:   the original Australian foxes. Currently resting @ Sidney HQ
• Mr Fox no.8:   Arctic Fox. Living with Auntie Virva (SHAG) and Bruce the Moose in Oulu, Finland.
• Mr Fox no.10:   a.k.a Mr fox no.10 from no.10. Living with Auntie Catherine (SHAG SAG SNOG) at Cotterill Towers, Stafford.
• Mr Fox no.11:   a.k.a. Brendan Foxter. London Marathon runner. Living with Uncle Andy (MUG) in Cheshire, also his running partner and personal trainer.
• Mr Fox no.12:   California Fox. Living a hippy lifestyle with Auntie Ellen (AA, HAG) in San Jose.
• Mr Fox no.13:   Lady Vixen a.k.a. Dark Fox. f.k.a. Lucky Fox. Shacked up with Sidney's nemesis Sparkle the Cat, NTAL and Auntie Judith (HAG) at Beamer's Castle in Porthleven, Cornwall.
• Mr Fox no.14:   Mr Chelan Fox. Living with Auntie Gailanne (HAG, AA) next to Lake Chelan, Washington State, USA.
• Mr Fox no.15:   Living with Cousins Elsa and Will and Auntie Karin (AA) in Peoria, Illinois.
• Mr Fox no.16:   OzFox resting in Perth, Western Australia with Uncle Rob (MUG) & Auntie Ellie having completed a 20,000km circumnavigation of Australia on a motorbike and then crossed it again just to visit IKEA in Brisbane.
• Mr Fox no.17:   Baltic Fox or Konsta's Fox. With Cousin Konsta and Milla in Savonlinna, Finland.
• Mr Fox no.18:   The new Ultrafox. Living with Auntie Sylvia and Uncle Wolfgang near Vienna / Wien.
• Mr Fox no.19:   Hendricks Pinkman or 'HP Fox', a.k.a Neville's Fox. Living with little bro' Neville, Auntie Carol (SNOG) and Uncle Paul (MUG) in Reading, UK.
• Mr Fox no.20:   Living with Auntie Susann in Hannover.
• Mr Fox no.21:   Tamar Fox, living with Auntie Sally in the Tamar Valley.
• Mrs Fox no.22:   Brigit Bordeaux. Living with Auntie Ozzy & Cousin Mes in Frankfurt.
• Mr Fox no.23:   Wire Terrier Fox (WTF). Living with cousin Bertie Pickle, Auntie Tracey (SNOG) and Uncle Neil in the Hundred Acre Wood, Narnia.
• Mr Fox no.24:   Retro Fox, Living with Uncle Paul Jones (MUG) in Essex.
• Mr Fox no.25:   Africa Fox, living with Auntie Fiona Cameron (SHAG SNOG) in London.
• Mr Fox no.26:   a.k.a. Huron Valley Fox, living with Auntie Mary Dixon (AA) in Michigan, USA.
• Mr Fox no.27:   Living with Auntie Brydie (SHAG SAG) in Staffordshire
• Mr Fox no.28:   Wees Fox, living with Auntie Jan (AA) at Wees Farm, New Jersey.
• Mr Fox no.29:   living with Auntie-in-Chief Oma Carla, Staffordshire
• Mr Fox no.30:   Blaze's Fox, with Uncle Paul in north Essex.

2019 birthday update: 

Sidney says Auntie Virva just reminded him of this comprehensive list of his Mr Foxes. He's aware that a year ago his assistants should have sent Mr Fox no.31 to Auntie Georgette and there are a couple more homes that deserve a Mr Fox as well. Please bear in mind that his assistants are of a very limited ability and barking at them doesn't have any effect. Believe him he's tried, he says.

April 2020 updates to list: See end of this post.

The original plan, when only a few Fox brethren had been discovered, was that each fox would stay with someone a while and then that someone would mail it on to the next person on the list.  Well, somehow, some Mr Foxes started being assigned permanent positions.  Right now, it's not entirely clear to me which of our Mr Foxes really should be moving along to new assignments.

Sidney also has the most astounding team of creatures who surround him; Mysterious Sue who speaks only in morse code, knows all and sees all and, I believe, can see the future, for example. (If one sees photos of them all, they look like your regular stuffed toys, but wow what an unusual collection with the creative names that always give me a smile.)

And, it also turns out, Sidney bestows titles on some of his followers.  I started commenting on Sidney's posts and then posting posts to Sidney's page after he accepted my friend request, and it continued giving me fun. Suddenly, during one of the annual award ceremonies, I was promoted to... OMG I don't remember (Sidney is quite sad about my memory)... special reporting correspondent or such.  Pretty exciting for me!  But I was not yet an Auntie.  Auntiehood and Unclehood are bestowed only on those who go above and beyond some level of something that only Sidney and possibly Mysterious Sue understand.

And a year or so after that, to my surprise, I earned the basic Auntie title (AA), and then another year later, Auntie HAG ( where the HAG stands for something and again I've lost the post where it's all explained).

And also somewhere in there, Sidney sent Mr Fox No.12 to keep an eye on me!

Mr Fox No.12 ("Cal") at Morro Rock in Morro Bay.
Apparently not pleased with the scenery or the photographer.

So-- Mr. Fox No.12 came and we've done many many things together and I've barely posted a few of his photos anywhere--here or Facebook or my photo page. But, for reference, here are the Taj MuttHall posts that, so far, mention Mr. Fox, describe his arrival, or include photos of him (you might want to start with the oldest first).

And here are some photos that I don't believe have been posted anywhere yet...

Cal relaxing in the nifty old travel trailer that he rented one weekend via AirBNB.
The experience was delightful and full of flamingos, he says.

Cal found a taste of Europe here in California.  He's not sure how authentically Danish it is,
but there were windmills and pastries, so he was happy.

Here's my question: Which of my friends originally befriended Sidney, and how, and when? Because currently many, many of my friends are also his friends.  Maybe I should ask Mysterious Sue.

Update several hours after the preceding post:

Sidney says this is very comprehensive assessment, sufficiently fawning without stretching to sycophancy. He says AA stands for American Auntie and HAG is Holy Auntie Group. Auntie Ellen thoroughly deserves her Auntie status, he says. 

And Gailanne M., a friend from agility for quite a few years who now cohabits with Mr Chelan Fox in Washington state, lays claim in a thoroughly credible way to being Auntie Ellen AA HAG's introduction to Sidney's Little World of Happiness and Tennis Balls^TM

Updates to the list April 5, 2020:

• Mr Fox no.5:   a.k.a Twiggy. Living the dream with Auntie Chris (SHAG) and Auntie Cynthia in Salt Lake City, USA.
• Mr Fox no.4:   Mr FujiFox, (f.k.a Mr Typically Tropical, f.k.a. Ultrafox). Worldwide traveller. Currently having a rest @ Sidney HQ.
• Mr Fox no.6:   a.k.a. Trevr. Living with Auntie Gail (CoW, SHAG, BAA, AA) in Colorado, USA.
• Mr Fox no.8:   Arctic Fox. Living with Auntie Virva (CoW, SHAG) and Bruce the Moose in Oulu, Finland.
• Mr Fox no.10:   a.k.a Mr fox no.10 from no.10. Living with Auntie Catherine (CoW SHAG SAG SNOG) at Cotterill Towers, Stafford.
• Mr Fox no.11:   a.k.a. Brendan Foxter. London Marathon runner. Living with Uncle Andy (SMUG) in Cheshire, also his running partner and personal trainer.
  
• Mr Fox no.12:   California "Cal" Fox. Living a hippy lifestyle with Auntie Ellen (AA, HAG) in Silicon Valley, CA.
  
• Mr Fox no.13:   Lady Vixen a.k.a. Dark Fox. f.k.a. Lucky Fox. Shacked up with Sidney's nemesis Sparkle the Cat, NTAL aka Auntie Judith (HAG) at Beamer's Castle in Porthleven, Cornwall.
• Mr Fox no.16:   OzFox resting in Perth, Western Australia with Uncle Rob (SMUG) & Auntie Ellie having completed a 20,000km circumnavigation of Australia on a motorbike and then crossed it again just to visit IKEA in Brisbane.
• Mr Fox no.19:   Hendricks Pinkman or 'HP Fox', a.k.a Neville's Fox. Living with little bro' Neville, Auntie Carol (SNOG) and Uncle Paul (SMUG) in Reading, UK.
• Mr Fox no.23:   Private Fox. Wire Terrier Fox (WTF). Living with cousin Bertie Pickle, Auntie Tracey (SNOG) and Uncle Neil in the Hundred Acre Wood, Narnia.
• Mr Fox no.24:   Retro Fox, Living with Uncle Paul Jones (SMUG) in Essex.
• Mr Fox no.25:   Africa Fox, living with Auntie Fiona Cameron (CoW SHAG SNOG) in London.
• Mr Fox no.27:   Living with Auntie Brydie (CoW SHAG SAG) in Staffordshire
• Mrs Fox no.31:   Foxy Loxy. with the Wicklands and Hamish in Perth, Australia
• Mr Fox no.32:   Longlevens Fox. With Auntie Gwen in Gloucester
• Mr Fox no.33:   Kupe Fox, with Sally Newhook in Hastings, New Zealand
• Mr Fox no.34:   Mr Wolf (Shaun's Fox), with Georgette in Surrey
• Mr Fox no.35:   Fox Redwood, with Auntie Crystal in Chisholm, Minnesota, USA
• Mr Fox no.36(?):  name TBD, with Auntie Molly Marie and housemate Rocket in [location TBD]

Other Mr Foxes not originating from Sidney HQ:

• McFox, with Carol Neill in sunny Carnoustie, Scotland
• Fellover Fox with Janet on Bodmin Moor.
• Basil, with Auntie Carol (SNOG) in Silkmore Crescent, Staffordshire

OTHERS WITHOUT FOXES:

• ? any?

ABOUT ALL THOSE DELIGHTFUL ACRONYMS:

May 31, 2018: Sidney says: (Updated 4/5/20 by Auntie Ellen from assorted FB posts)

• SHAG is ‘Super Holy Auntie Group’ the creme de la creme of Aunties, of which there are only five. These witches of Eastwick are Auntie Gail, Auntie Virva, Auntie Brydie, Auntie Fiona (who has many additional titles) and not least Auntie Catherine, he says. 
• Below that is the Holy Auntie Group (HAGs) 
• and below that simply Auntie, of which there are maybe thirty or so dotted around the world, 
• and a dozen or do Uncles 
• and four MUGs (Mighty Uncle Group). 
• (AA is Aunties in America)
• (SMUG is Super MUG)
• (BAA ?)
• (CoW?)
• (SNOG: Sidney’s Nurses Official Group)

He hopes this clarifies things, he says.

Dog Musicals

SUMMARY: Titles of dog musicals -- from a Facebook post by a friend

(FB post is public)

Robert loves puns. And so, apparently, do many of his friends, who are clearly up on the latest dog theater culture. With permission from Robert, the titles (and more), with credit for the person providing the title.

First, this subset of musicals that I would classify as dogs' favorites:

• (Anna Sweet) Cats!
  
• (Mishka Ferguson) Into the Woods
• (Tom Tobey) You're a Good Man Charlie Brown
  

Next are *our* favorite dog musicals:

• (Robert Morgan) Corgi and Bess
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Westie Side Story
• (Dean Ruggles) Hound of Music
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) My Fair Labradoodle
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Phantom of the Otterhound
  
• (Donovan Drane) The King Charles Spaniel and I
  
• (Mishka Ferguson) Mary Puppins
  
• (Mishka Ferguson) Fiddler on the Woof
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Forty Shepherd Street
• (Jeff Cooperman) Runt
  
• (Robert Morgan) Thoroughly Modern Collie
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Hello Collie
  
• (Mishka Ferguson) Best Little Doghouse In Texas
• (Iván Cavero Belaunde)   I am the very model of a modern German Shepherd…
  (Taj MuttHall notes, technically this is a song title--from The Pirates of Vizslance?)
• (Tamsen Mitchell) Laberet
  
• (Tamsen Mitchell) The Mikapoo
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Pomilton
  
• (Mishka Ferguson) Guys and Dogs
  
• (Tamsen Mitchell) Avenue Poo
  
• (Anna Sweet) Mary Puppins
  
• (Robert Morgan) Jersey Good Boys, featuring the hit song “Stay”
  
• (Arlin Robins) Nope, Robert - Jersey Borzoi.
  
• (Mishka Ferguson) Noodles FTW!
  
• (Arlin Robins) The Unsinkable Collie Brown.
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Les Malinois
  
• (Linda Levy) You’re a good dog, Charlie Brown..
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Amadaneus
  Ellen Levy Finch) You have a dog named Dan?
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Pug of Mormon
  
• (Stieg Hedlund) Pembrokelahoma
  
• (Ellen Levy Finch) OK, this isn't technically a musical, but it has a famous song associated with it: Breakfast at Sniffany's with the song sung by Audrey Shepburn:
  
  Blue merle, lighter than a tri
  Your eyes are like the sky, today
  You toy chaser, you fast racer
  However you're playing, I'm playing your way.
• (Ellen Levy Finch) Dogs! is obvious. Some songs are *clearly* about dogs and dog toys:
  
  • Invitation to the Jellyfilled Ball
  • The Rum Tum Tugger
• (Ellen Levy Finch) Also friend Holly Newman's dog-agility adaptation of a popular song from The Sound Of Barking -- https://blog.agilepooch.com/.../my-favorite-agility-things/
  
• (Linda Levy) Woofin' in the Rain
  
• (Linda Levy) Royal Waggin
  
• (Linda Levy) World's Greatest Showdog
  
• (Ellen Levy Finch) Yellow Pupmarine. (Don't ask why it's yellow) -- with its dog-agility focused title song, The Yellow Contact Zone
  
• (Tamsen Mitchell) Pugmalion
  

Headers and profiles and sites, oh my!

SUMMARY: Just nonsense about blogs and other websites that need--yes, need!-- photo choices.

Everything that one does online these days demands (yes! demands!) a profile photo. How to choose the look that one wants? Do you want people to like you or not? Do you want them to think you're strange or not?  Do you want them to get a flavor of your personality, or hobbies, or environment, or family, or history? Or not?

I have generic-y photos that I can put anywhere, and mostly do for professional-y things.  Like this one, looking all normal-y (blue/purple tie-dye is normal, right?) surrounded by professional-y-looking grammar books, style guides, and dictionaries. (And professional-y-looking stuffed animals, water bottles, and random professional-y-looking crap. For authenticity.)

Which I can crop down to just get my true essence, of light-hearted professionalism with tie dye, and some books.


But what's the fun of normalcy?

(Side note: OMD, just noticed how long ago I took that photo! I like to think that I look exactly the same, but, eh, I don't. I should take a new one. Or should I go much much older, back to scanned photos from my film camera days? Very professional-y, eh?)

I currently have different profile photos for my Blogger account --which is here--and for my Google account--which I log into to edit my Blogger account. They display really really tiny in chats and stuff -- here's what I see while editing my page (lower left and upper right):

The left one above I created using xxx-ize me sites (such as simpsonize me (no longer exists, sorry), peanutize me, and so on).  Like these:

Plus big yellow dogs.

Plus big blue-merle dogs (wellll... gray. it's the closest I could get with the tool).

Plus kitchen.

Should my profile photo include my dogs?  Like my current Google one-- but, oh, my, the site limitations on cropping often limit what's appropriate.  For example--original photo:

As displayed on my Google account, I have one complete dog, one half dog, and a random dog ear in case someone's goes missing:

(Side note: yep, that's out of date, too, by 3 years and 3 dogs. So, do I need a new one? It's always something.)

And then there's Facebook--  FB simplifies changing the profile and cover photo. Very simple. Too simple. Because that means that they DEMAND, yes, DEMAND to be changed frequently!  For a while, I posted a different shot of me with dogs every week.  Then a different shot of me with some random hat every week.  Then it just became random things at random times. OK, so, if you want to see ALLLLLLL the profile photos I've ever used in my 10 (?) years on facebook-- try this link (you don't have to log in or sign up; just say Not Now and then click on a photo, use arrow keys to skim thru them. Not that intriguing, really).

Then there's the whole thing about header photos! What feel do I want to give my blog as a whole? And what photo looks pretty good wide and short and with space where the heading text isn't hidden by what's in the photo? And am I even capable of taking such photos deliberately? Challenging.

Sometimes things work out OK.  Not too long ago I changed this long-time header photo--

 To this:

Which I just now replaced with this.

Whatchu think?

Do you post profile photos and/or header photos?

    What do you think about when adding a profile photo or header photo?

        Do you have multiple sites that can each have different profiles or headers?

            DO they each have different ones?

                How often do you update each?

                    What ...is your quest? What ...is your favorite color? (oh... sorry... carried away there...)

Demanding, inquiring minds want to know.

Lisa's Remington

SUMMARY: Well-taken care of.

I just saw this, posted on FB by the late Lisa's friend Mitzi:

As all of my agility friends know, we lost one of my best agility buddies yesterday. Lisa Pomerance was not only an agility friend, but a true friend in every way. I have shed many many tears, and I will continue to mourn the loss of my dear friend. Lisa had always said to me, if I die you have to take care of Remington for me.

I struggled yesterday trying to figure out what was best for him. Since [my current dog] and Remington are both "high needs" dogs, and I am getting a puppy in a few weeks, I knew I would not be the best choice. I have found him a loving home with my friend [name] who will treat Remington with the love and "cushy" life he is so accustomed to. I will also get to see my little Buddy Remington all the time!!! Thank you [Lisa's sister?] for allowing me to give Remington the life Lisa would have wanted for him.

Rest In Peace my beautiful friend Lisa, I will always love you, and I will always watch over Remington!

UPDATE April 20:

Lisa collected hedgehog toys and accessories for Remington (I didn't know this until yesterday), so a friend suggested that we post hedgehog photos in our Facebook profiles in her memory. Here's mine--some of Jake's leftover favorite nubbie squeakies.

Words of the Day

SUMMARY: Facebook word/photo meme

There's this thing that's been going around on facebook. The original description was something like,

"To counter the horrible photos of animals being abused, let's post photos of happy, well-loved animals. I was given the word 'spunky' and here's Tootsie showing her usual spunky self. If you click Like, I'll give you a word."

Although, sometimes they changed it to "if you comment on this photo, I'll give you a word."

So, apparently, I Liked a post with the first variety and commented on a post of the 2nd variety without meaning to, and then (thinking I had no words), I asked a 3rd post for a word.  Suddenly I had 3 words from 3 different people.

Since I hate being forced into either silence or accepting a word, I rephrased like this when I finally posted:

"OK, the game has been to post positive animal photos related to a word that you've been given. (If you ask me, I'll give you a word.) I inadvertently received 3 words, which took a little pondering, but here's the result (thanks, Susan Fallon Paulsen ("dramatic"), Joni Hulen Grace ("frolic"), andMitzi Keating ("hat" -- ha ha) for the words)."

So, now, if you want a word for Facebook or for your blog or anywhere to post your own photo, ask and I shall give you one!

So What's Going On on Facebook?

SUMMARY: A status cloud generated from (in theory) all of my status posts since I joined facebook.

This means (in theory) that it picked the most common words (other than "and" and like that) and represented by size the relative frequency. [And apparently it uses only words of more than 3 letters, and probably avoids common words like is, does, and can-- hence appearance of isn't, can't, doesn't but not the positive versions? I don't think I'm that negative--] So what does this tell us? Hmm, it says that I have enough time on my hands to squeeze in a use of http://statuscloud.icodeforlove.com/. And that I do a lot of thinking, pondering and wondering.

You can compare and contrast to my September 29, 2008 clouds (generated by "wordle") for August and also September 2008.

Or here's the wordle for some portion of my recent posts--the tool takes RSS feed info but I don't know how it collects it. It's interesting that "Boost" doesn't seem to show up here at all (you can click on this to see a larger readable version).

 Do you think that, in both cases, it shows a preoccupation with the USDAA nationals?