VonHoledigger

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Freeway Freida Marie

2002-2015

Our sweet girl

Hated her picture taken.

Guarding her food against George

Tonight our heart is heavy with sadness. We lost our little girl, Freeway Freida Marie. Frieda came into our lives with a will to live and fire in her belly. James found her on the Freeway. He was going to work one day and called home all upset about a little dog against the wall in downtown Detroit. She appeared to be road kill. The next day going to work he noticed her eyes wide open. He got off the expressway went back around and ran through traffic. Four lanes of traffic. In a narrow spot she was. He scooped her up and ran back through traffic and took her home. She was so weak she couldn't stand. Once she was well she took charge of the house.
She controlled the boys. She killed a rat and let Birki take credit by letting him prance around with it, she would guard any food bowl you put in front of her, let's be honest she helped us raise this motley crew we call the VonHolediggers. She would mother them all. Every new dog, she took an interest and washed and loved them.
She was well traveled. She swam in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Plus, the great lakes. She visited 28 states. Her favorite was Honeymoon Island in Dunedin, Florida where she would swim with her true love Birki.
Her loyalty to her family was like none other. She never had to be on a leash because she was so thankful to be with us. Tonight we are grieving a girl we loved so much but most of all are more thankful she was in our lives. She was Freeway Freida Marie from Detroit City!

In the beginning stages of the VonHolediggers there was the "Fab Four".
In the picture is Wally, Birki, Freida, and Sir Thomas Thorton aka "Tommy".
They loved to swim at Honeymoon Island but after they all received a bath.

Christmas 2004

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Christmas the dog that saved us...

Christmas in culvert

Last Labor Day our friends went to New Jersey to celebrate a wedding. They asked if we could watch their 15 year old black lab, named Christmas? Of course we would, even though the younger dogs are neurotic and could not be around him. They thought he was threatening, whatever! He was a gentle giant full of love and kindness. I kind of had a crush on him. When he arrived daddy made us trout with our dog food. It was so wonderful. We spent time lying in the sun and relaxing.
Then tragedy approached. In the early morning hours daddy and Christmas went out to tinkle. It was a foggy, rainy morning. Just awful, the rain was coming down so hard. Christmas disappeared. We thought for sure he would be back at any moment. However, that day became night. The parents searched, made signs, went to neighbors, the animal control, etc. There was not a trace...
The next day became the next night and then it became three nights. The parents did not want to ruin our friends celebration in New Jersey but realized they had to share that Christmas was gone.
They understood he was old and would wander off. They were not mad but just expressed we only wished we saw him one last time to say goodbye. Heartbreaking.
To make a long story short. Mom took the Springer Collection out on a Saturday morning and heard a faint bark. She heard it again...

Daddy digging for Christmas

She brought the misfits in to get daddy. It was six-thirty in the morning. Now, you must remember every time we heard a horn honk, a dog bark, the wind blow a funny noise. Daddy was on alert and in the car to look for Christmas. This was day number four and the chances of Christmas coming back were next to nothing.

Christmas resting

Daddy came out and he heard it too. He went to the edge of the driveway and said it is real, there is a faint bark in the culvert under the road. Mom brought dad a flashlight he looked and said I see nothing over here, lets go across the street. Now the brush is over ten feet and the bank drops to a steep hill. Daddy went in and said it's CHRISTMAS AND HE'S ALIVE!
They started digging and digging, they took turns because of the hill, all of the dirt was washed down to the end of the culvert. Finally, with much soil moved they pulled him out, he was weak. However, he was able to go home to his family. Christmas has since passed on, he was there to say his goodbyes to his beloved family.
What he taught all of us is plenty. When times are hard and you feel like giving up just push forward, it will all work out in the end. Days we feel so overwhelmed we just look at Christmas and how he fought at an old age to see his family, living under a road scared and alone. He knew there was something worth living for.
With that being said we can all endure...If Christmas can make it, so can we. We now find ourselves in hard times saying: What would Christmas do?
-Freeway Freida Marie

Thursday, February 13, 2014

RIP BOGEY

02/14/2001-02/12/2014

Tonight you are hiking with Poppa Bear and snuggling with Momma Bear. We love you and will miss you!

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Johnny the good boy!

This year the VonHoledigger family decided to do something different. We knew if we hung up the traditional ornaments that came from love ones, present and past. That baby Johnny would pluck them off the tree like dog candy. So, we hung up cards of love and well wishes from near and far. Needless, to say Wally got caught up in the string of lights and took the tree for a walk through the living room, Frieda buried her food in the far back corner, George broke enough branches off the bottom to get to his new drinking bowl (the stand) and Putter thought it was a scratching post. The only one who did not do anything to the tree was Johnny! Lesson learned: Never to make assumptions!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Henry Banned from Walmart...

Henry Banned from Walmart...

Daddy took Henry, Danny and myself to Walmart this morning. It was cooler temperatures so we could finally go for a ride.

It was all going fine until Henry, who is on the smaller side, launched out the window while daddy was driving and ran into Walmart.

By the time dad stopped the card and went in to get him, there was three Walmart employees gathering up Henry. The one man accused dad of dumping us. Daddy said no I am not dumping my dogs! He jumped out the window, he's excited to be here.

With all that being said dad is embarrassed, mom is mad because her children were not safe, and Henry is still excited he activated the Walmart doors.

Another day at the VonHoledigger House, life is good!

-George

Thursday, August 8, 2013

VonHolediggers go to the mall...

Henry Thomas

Danny Nelson

Vinnie told me it was my time to write a post, the reason I usually don't is because of pure emarrassment of this motley group.
Let me explain how this went down. Mom went to work and dad took us. I am going to explain how everyone acted.
George goes strutting in and heads to the Sears for a new suit. He thinks he is Liberace with all his chains and he needs new duds to impress the young male puppies. There is not much more I can say.
Freeway Freida Marie goes to Fredricks of Hollywood. She dresses like a slut, she still thinks she is in her twenties and wears her clothes way to tight. Even her paws hang over the toes of her heels, come on get a size bigger.
Vinnie thinks he is important and looks for anyone who recognizes him. Being president of the dog world is so yesterday.
Freddie is so lazy he just stays in the food court.
Wally is so busy chasing tail like is some retired rock star.
Bogey and Putter act like they are better then everyone because they come from some well to do County in Michigan. Hate to tell the little brats with bad haircuts they are not there anymore.
Johnny is such an idiot he has to go to the toy store and break everything in sight because he is such a spaz.
Barney finds the mall cop and tells him he is the VonHoledigger security and proceeds to ask the guy where he gets his uniform.
Come on all ready. How ridiculous can you be.
Danny was actually kind of cool this trip. The two of us went to the Ralph Lauren store and bought some polo's and chino shorts. Have to keep up the image. After we finished we were out of there and went and sat in the car until the fools were done.
When we got home I had to take a pain pill because my head was killing me. I should of gotten into Wally's stash.
-Henry Thomas

Friday, July 19, 2013

Detroit the city that defines me...

Detroit the city that defines me...
As you all know by now my name is Wally and as Dr. Platz says I am a Detroit Special.
I was discovered in Detroit and will always be a Detroiter.
Detroit has been taking a bit of a black eye in the media right now and I want you to all take
the time to support the City that I love.
I have asked my mom some questions and memories to share what a special place
Detroit really is. SO here we go...

My mom grew up in Birmingham Michigan which is a suburb of Detroit, she moved there when she was 14 years old. She lived there until she was 29 and married daddy who had a house on the Eastside of Detroit. She said it was a beautiful home with a slate roof, marble fireplace and a separate garage that at one time the upper level of the garage was a chicken coop. She mentions this to show the beautiful homes Detroit has with wonderful people she has met.

She has so many wonderful memories: She shared once when going to a Detroit Red Wings game and leaving Joe Louis Arena, it was a decent walk to the parking garage. She explained that the next day was her birthday (maybe her 19th) and her brother started singing Happy Birthday to her and before you know it, hundreds of people were singing with him to her. She says there is a spirit to Detroit that is untouchable and at that moment she realized it!

She shares that there is nothing more wonderful then going to a Detroit Tiger's game and seeing the skyline. The excitement is awesome. The sounds, smells and feeling is like a hug.

One of her favorites is going to Easter Market on a Saturday morning. Spending the morning with good friends and starting it all out at Vivio's for a bloody Mary. Talking about the night before and what we are looking to buy after several tasty drinks...

Fox Theatre she says is another hidden gem where she would see so many amazing performances. The Nutcracker at Christmas topping the list.

She reminded me about the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Corktown, always the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day and bringing Tommy. Sharing that she was there with daddy and Ms. Davis. Well they spent a bit too much time and the gates locked.
SO here they are all having a good time when they realized the only way out was through the bar. Oh, I forgot to mention they were at Nemo's. Well at this time Tommy had his arms around mommy's neck with Ms. Davis yelling dog emergency and they weaved their way around hundreds of people. Allowing them to go first because of Tommy. Again, it's that Detroit Spirit!

Mom loves the fact that in Detroit you can look across the Detroit River over into Canada. She said when she was younger that she use to love to go over to Canada because the legal drinking age was 19. She says she does not condone her young behavior but simply sharing her story with me now that I am a bit older. She said it was some fun times coming home and singing and honking your horn through the tunnel that goes under the Detroit River and connects Canada with the US.

Lafayette or American? Now a Detroiter would get this. Hotdogs and Chili fries. Nothing better.

Taking us to Belle Isle where I always got in trouble. I am sorry I am not a fan of geese.

Greektown, Hamtramck for Paczki Day, Tom's Oyster Bar, and Pewabic Pottery are some of her favorites...

Music like no other, I am leaving a website on the bottom of this page for you to read. Some of the best music has come from Detroit. So many good memories mom says. She told about going to the Rolling Stones at Ford Field with Daddy and Ms. Davis, I believe they were third row. Awesome! Speaking of Ford Field home of the Detroit Lions, how we love them!

The love of cars and the auto industry. What provided a job for most families and directly effecting our own from the sadness of the economy.
People ask if we have so many nice things to say about Detroit, why did we ditch it? Like mommy says she would of never left Detroit if her parents were still alive. She said traveling the Country and moving to a new area with daddy was like her going away to college and seeing the Country. She feels a sadness from lost and realizes sometimes you can't go back only move forward...
She also says Detroit helped build her. Mom says she might be crazy but she is loyal. She was taught hard work and how to appreciate all walks of lives and ethnicity's. Just like Detroit!

-Wally