I just officially adopted a 12 year old chihuahua mix named Butters and I'm considering changing his name (he's only known this name for like 5 months so not like he's had it his whole life). Since he's not the brightest bulb tho, I'm hoping to keep it similar sounding so it's easier to teach him. Any ideas??
And if you wanna see him, here ya go :)

My childhood dog, my little Pancho, a 17 year old deer head chihuahua, passed away last Sunday. This will be a long post, and maybe this is me seeking comfort from strangers, or maybe this is me trying to get a more objective view on what happened, I don't think I know for sure. I am physically sick with grief and guilt, and while I know these feelings are a normal part of the grieving process, I've already wept and sobbed my story out to all my friends and family who would listen and have nowhere else to turn to. Maybe this is too self indulgent, maybe I'll delete this later. I don't know. But here goes.
What happened?

• Pancho started to have an increased breathing rate late Thursday. He was still eating, but he was also very lethargic. I took care of him that day, and decided to give him Friday just to monitor his condition and see how he was feeling. No improvement, so I took him in to the vet on Saturday morning.
• He had fluid buildup in his lungs and body, and had an infection the vets couldn't pinpoint without an ultrasound, so I paid to get the studies done and was prescribed vetmedin and everything else you get for a dog with CHF (I will add, I wasn't even aware at the time that it was CHF because I didn't ask the vet many follow up questions, I found that out later by obsessively googling his symptoms.)
• They told me that since he had eaten at the vet, I could take him home and give him his medicine and wouldn't need to hospitalize him unless I wanted to, and to bring him in on Saturday for a follow up once he was feeling better. I started crying, I asked if I had been negligent, if this was my fault. They reassured me that these conditions can develop rapidly, that I didn't know what I didn't know, and that it was nobody's fault.
• The next morning, he was really weak and cold, so I put him under the covers with me and just hugged him close to try to get some heat back in him. In that moment, I think he seemed as responsive and comfortable as he could have been. He touched my face with his nose. He was still able to breath.
• I took him to the kitchen to try to give him his first pill, and everything went south almost immediately. When I picked him up, he spasmed and peed a little, so I put him down to clean him up, and just the sight of him on the floor, not moving, breathing these small shallow breaths… in my gut, that's when it really sunk in how bad it was. When I picked him up again to try to give him his pill with a little bit of water, his head lolled over, and his breathing changed from rapid to extremely slow and labored.
• That's when it hit me like a truck that he was dying. I'm a 30 year old woman, but I currently live with my family, so I rushed upstairs to wake up my brothers. I sobbed like a madwoman. I wrapped him in his favorite blanket, sat with him and my brothers on the couch, and held him until he stopped breathing. And it was over

Why didn't I take him to the vet sooner?

• He was old. He was old and I didn't want to take him in and seem like an overly sensitive hypochondriac freaking out over regular signs on aging and racking up a bunch of vet bills.
• More selfishly, I was scared of being judged for being a bad owner, or of being asked to pay exorbitant bills for procedures or surgeries he needed. He'd had this cough for a while now, according to my phone archives by at least in 2022 if not earlier, and no other symptoms other than what I had perceived at the time as regular signs of aging (he was still active up until early mid 2023, really started to slow down after he went blind due to glaucoma.) I remember googling stuff about the cough, about his energy levels, about how much he should be sleeping, about how much he should be moving now that he had gone blind, and a lot of the results said that decreased energy was normal, that not moving around as much was normal for a dog his age and especially for one who had lost his eyesight, that older dogs are more likely to develop allergies as they age. But I was scared of going in for this cough and getting asked about it, getting asked "How long has he been coughing?" "Oh, for about a year now." and getting the news that the cough was cancer actually and I had killed my dog by not bringing him in sooner.
• It was like, if I didn't get a diagnosis, then it wasn't real. But I was also always checking him, I checked him for lumps, I moved his paws and frisked his body, I pressed on his chest and eyes, to make sure nothing hurt, and that he was still comfortable. It seemed like he was. He was still sleeping well, he was still eating. Sometimes with less enthusiasm, on those days I would feed him his favorite dog approved snacks instead (bananas, blueberries, bits of rotisserie chicken), and he ate those. Even the day before he died, he was still eating, so we didn't hospitalize him.
• So now I'm the world's biggest asshole, because the cough \was** a sign of deeper health issues. I didn't take it seriously, I avoided the harsh reality of what it could mean, and I set myself up for the kind of traumatic passing that ended up happening. I got what I wanted, I got what I deserved. But HE didn't deserve to go like that.
• People keep telling me that I was a wonderful owner, that I took such good care of him, and that I clearly loved him a lot and was always with him. But I'm a coward. Yes I took him to the vet for a couple of different issues (a tumor in his mouth, a weird callus on his paw, one time he licked a smidge of chocolate syrup and I freaked out and took him to emergency immediately), but I never mentioned the cough. I thought it was allergies, I wanted it to be allergies. I was scared of living with the shadow of his death, I was scared of the vet bills, of being in and out of surgeries, and medicines, and seeing him actively waste away. Through inaction, I just chose to have all of that happen anyway, but in a way where I wasn't actively aware that it was happening and I got to live in blissful ignorance while my poor baby got worse and worse.
• EVEN WHEN HE STARTED SHOWING SERIOUS SYMPTOMS OF LATE STAGE HEART FAILURE, I WAITED A DAY. I could have taken him in on Friday, and I waited a day! I took him in first thing Saturday morning instead when it was clear he wasn't getting any better.
• AND THE WATER. Why did I think it was a good idea to drop feed him water? Since he wasn't eating very much and was also having bouts of constipation, I thought using a dropper to give him some water might help his stomach. But if his body was retaining so much fluid, and I was adding more, then what was I doing? I might have drowned him! Giving him water to on that Sunday morning might have caused the crash that lead to him suffocating.
• How can I live with myself? How can I live with my awful stupid choices? This is the same song and dance so many other pet owners go through, I know. I've prowled this forum plenty over the last week, and have had nothing but sympathy and grace for other owners going through similar emotional torture over how their beloved pets died. But I just can't get out of the hole alone. I don't feel like I deserve to get out of the hole at all.

Why I feel guilty:

• I let him languish for an entire year. A whole year of exhibiting heart failure symptoms, untreated. One full year of being tired, frail, skinny, and coughing, and all I did was ADD MILK TO HIS FOOD like an idiot, thinking the extra fat and calcium would be good for him and help him put on some weight (my dog hated water and never drank it throughout his whole life, so we always had to add extra water to his wet food to try to keep him hydrated, until eventually he even started to reject the water in the food so I swapped it for milk and he regained his food enthusiasm and started eating again, but as I understand it now that might have been a supremely bad choice and been quite bad for his pancreas.)
• Like the absolute asshole I am, I just assumed this behavior was normal and inevitable for a dog his age. I was just focused on being with him and keeping him comfy, like I had basically already given up on him. I could have been treating these symptoms, I could have given him a better quality of life throughout this last year, I could have maybe given him more time with us if I had just ASKED ABOUT HIS COUGH ONCE.
• Maybe taking him home and not hospitalizing him was good, so I could be with him when he died. Maybe not starting him on the meds for CHF was ok, since he had bad kidneys, and apparently diuretics can cause kidney failure. Maybe the treatment would have killed him sooner. If he was in heart failure for the past two years, that's about the maximum amount of time a dog is supposed to have after showing clinical symptoms. I keep reading about CHF over and over again, because it's all I can think about, and it seems like it's a total crapshoot of a condition, whether the medicine helps them or not. And I know dog's aren't immortal, and he lived a pretty long life all things considered. So maybe I did ok. But I can't look at the reasoning behind my choices, and my inaction, and feel like a responsible owner.
• I feel like a monster, an absolute and total failure as an owner.

January 1st: Friendly Monster
January 2nd: Donkey
January 3rd: Daisy Tortoise
January 4th: Floppy Pig
January 5th: Golden Langur
January 6th: Dire Wolf
January 7th: Grey Owl
January 8th: Fox Terrier
January 9th: Donkey Piñata
January 10th: Glitter Fawn
January 11th: Dazzle Dachshund
January 12th: Grey Himalayan
January 13th: Giraffe
January 14th: Groundhog
January 15th: Gorilla
January 16th: Gemini Butterfly
January 17th: Guinea Pig
January 18th: Diamond Doggy
January 19th: Decade Dragon
January 20th: Giraffe
January 21st: Eluvant
January 22nd: Fleecy Sheep
January 23rd: Good Fortune Hedgehog
January 24th: Frog
January 25th: Grey Vole
January 26th: Golden Shepherd Pup
January 27th: Gingerbread Puppy
January 28th: Green Snowy Pup
January 29th: Friendly Monster
January 30th: Desert Monkey
January 31st: Griffin
February 1st: French Poodle
February 2nd: Darling Dino
February 3rd: Grey Arabian
February 4th: Earth Dragon
February 5th: Green Earth Puppy
February 6th: Gemini Butterfly
February 7th: Grizzly Bear
February 8th: Darling Dino
February 9th: Golden Lion Tamarin
February 10th: Ginger Bunny
February 11th: Enchanted Giraffe
February 12th: Griffin
February 13th: Green Seadragon
February 14th: Green Shimmer Snake
February 15th: Fennec Fox
February 16th: Gingerbread Elf
February 17th: Golden Turkey
February 18th: Gargowl
February 19th: Grumpy Cat
February 20th: Grey Vole
February 21st: Fabled Goose
February 22nd: Golden Eagle
February 23rd: Eskimo Dog
February 24th: Golden Retriever
February 25th: Fiesta Chihuahua
February 26th: Grey Wolf
February 27th: Daisy Pig
February 28th: Grey Langur
February 29th: Frosty Fawn
March 1st: Grey Langur
March 2nd: Gecko
March 3rd: Fennec Fox
March 4th: Flutter Cow
March 5th: Floral Fox
March 6th: Golden Deluxe Dragon
March 7th: French Bulldog
March 8th: Daylight Dragon
March 9th: Donut Pup
March 10th: Duck
March 11th: Golden Deluxe Dragon
March 12th: Green Seadragon
March 13th: Green Shimmer Snake
March 14th: Floral Fox
March 15th: Deer
March 16th: Golden Eagle
March 17th: Grey Owl
March 18th: Groundhog
March 19th: Floppy-Eared Bunny
March 20th: Denim and Lace Pony
March 21st: Fire Bear
March 22nd: Fire Bear
March 23rd: Fox
March 24th: Emerald Dragon
March 25th: Floppy Pig
March 26th: Fluffy Speckled Chick
March 28th: Farm Kitten
March 29th: Guinea Pig
March 30th: Good Fortune Hedgehog
March 31st: Dachsund
April 1st: Ginger Car
April 2nd: Elephant
April 3rd: Gingerbread Elephant
April 4th: Grey Owl
April 5th: Ginger Cat
April 6th: German Shepherd
April 7th: Earth Dragon
April 8th: Eluvant
April 9th: Gingerbread Bear
April 10th: Garnet Rover
April 11th: Grey Wolf
April 12th: Golden Fawn
April 13th: Dreamy Sheep
April 14th: Desert Monkey
April 15th: Doodle Fadoodle
April 16th: French Bulldog
April 17th: Gorilla
April 18th: Enchante Elephant
April 19th: Dreamy Sheep
April 20th: Glamour Gecko
April 21st: Flower Frog
April 22: Golden Shepherd Pup
April 23rd: Flower Frog
April 24th: Grape Soda Pup
April 25th: Garnet Rover
April 26th: Decade Dragon
April 27th: Donkey
April 28th: Guinea Pig
April 29th: Griffin
April 30th: Flutter Cow
May 1st: Grape Soda Pup
May 2nd: Fleecy Soft Kitten
May 3rd: Friendly Dragon
May 4th: Dire Wolf
May 5th: Glacial Fox
May 6th: Enchanted Elephant
May 7th: Gingerbread Puppy
May 8th: Deer
May 9th: Daisy Pig
May 10th: Gemini Butterfly
May 11th: Gobler Turkey
May 12th: Enchanted Giraffe
May 13th: Fables Goose
May 14th: Gingerbread Bear
May 15th: Fleecy Sheep
May 16th: English Cream Retriever
May 17th: Friendly Monster
May 18th: Green Snowy Puppy
May 19th: Dire Wolf
May 20th: Emerald Dragon
May 21st: Grizzly Bear
May 22nd: Dodo Bird
May 23rd: Fleecy Sheep
May 24th: Golden Deluxe Dragon
May 25th: Fire Songbird
May 26th: Fiesta Unicorn
May 27th: Glamorous Gorilla
May 28th: Good Fortune Hedgehog
May 29th: Gelato Parrot
May 30th: Deer
May 31st: Googles
June 1st: Golden Eagle
June 2nd: Doodle Fadoodle
June 3rd: Fleecy Soft Kitten
June 4th: Glamour Gecko
June 5th: Ginger Bunny
June 6th: Duck
June 7th: Golden Retriever
June 8th: Ferret
June 9th: Duck
June 10th: Fleecy Soft Kitten
June 11th: firefly
June 12th: FrooFroo Fox
June 13th: Domestic Cat
June 14th: Donkey
June 15th: Flower Frog
June 16th: Grumpy Cat
June 17th: Green Seadragon
June 18th: Daisy Pig
June 19th: Daisy Tortoise
June 20th: Green Earth Puppy
June 21st: Eagle
June 22nd: Fiesta Bull
June 23rd: Diggity Dino
June 24th: Doodle Fadoodle
June 25th: Dalmatian
June 26th: Gelato Parrot
June 27th: Grey and White Cat
June 28th: Denim and Lace Pony
June 29th: Fox Terrier
June 30th: Friendly Dragon
July 1st: Golden Shepherd Pup
July 2nd: Fairykinz Panda Cub
July 3rd: Gobler Turkey
July 4th: Fire Songbird
July 5th: Gingerbread Bear
July 6th: Grey Wolf
July 7th: Eagle
July 8th: Farm Kitten
July 9th: Dawn Dino
July 10th: Donut Pup
July 11th: Golden Fawn
July 12th: Enchanted Giraffe
July 13th: Gelato Parrot
July 14th: Fluffy Speckled Chick
July 15th: Fiesta Unicorn
July 16th: Grey Vole
July 17th: FrooFroo Fox
July 18: Fire Fawn
July 19th: Gingerbread Elf
July 20th: Diggity Dino
July 21st: Golden Deluxe Dragon
July 22nd: Grizzly Bear
July 23rd: Ginger Bunny
July 24th: Gobler Turkey
July 25th: Gold and White Cat
July 26th: Fennec Fox
July 27th: Fiesta Bull
July 28th: Glamour Gecko
July 29th: Golden Retriever
July 30th: Fairykinz Panda Cub
July 31st: Golden Pegasus
August 1st: Friendly Dragon
August 2nd: Domino Cat
August 3rd: Ferret
August 4th: Daisy Tortoise
August 5th: Dalmatian
August 6th: Dawn Dino
August 7th: Golden Shepherd Pup
August 8th: Gypsy Vanner
August 9th: Eluvant
August 10th: Fox
August 11th: Golden Turkey
August 12th: Floppy-eared Bunny
August 13th: Enchanted Elephant
August 14th: French Hen
August 15th: German Shepherd
August 16th: Fabled Goose
August 17th: Domestic Cat
August 18th: Frog
August 19th: Eagle
August 20th: Dachsund
August 21st: Diggity Dino
August 22nd: Flutter Pig
August 23rd: Glacial Fox
August 24th: Domino Cat
August 25th: Floral Fox
August 26th: Fire Songbird
August 27th: Firefly
August 28th: Fiesta Unicorn
August 29th: Earth Dragon
August 30th: Green Earth Puppy
August 31st: Desert Monkey
September 1st: Flutter Pig
September 2nd: Gargowl
September 3rd: Emerald Lab
September 4th: Golden Turkey
September 5th: Glamorous Gorilla
September 6th: Grey Arabian
September 7th: Donkey Piñata
September 8th: Golden Langur
September 9th: French Poodle
September 10th: Googles
September 11th: Darling Dino
September 12th: Emerald Dragon
September 13th: Dawn Dino
September 14th: Fox Terrier
September 15th: Gecko
September 16th: Fox
September 17th: Dreamy Sheep
September 18th: Floppy Pig
September 19th: Grey Squirrel
September 20th: Donut Pup
September 21st: Groovy Gorilla
September 22nd: Dodo Bird
September 23rd: Frog
September 24th: Grey Squirrel
September 25th: Gingerbread Elf
September 26th: Domino Cat:
September 27th: Eskimo Dog
September 28th Garnet Rover
September 29th: German Shepherd
September 30th: Golden Lion Tamarin
October 1st: Gingerbread Puppy
October 2nd: Googles
October 3rd: Elephant
October 4th: Emperor Dragon
October 5th: Grey Arabian
October 6th: Golden Lion Tamarin
October 7th: Donkey
October 8th: Giraffe
October 9th: Frosty Fawn
October 10th: Grey and White Cat
October 11th: English Cream Retriever
October 12th: Firefly
October 13th: Grey Himalayan
October 14th: Glitzy Dragon
October 15th: Gingerbread Elephant
October 16th: Flutter Pig
October 17th: Frosty Fawn
October 18th: Dazzle Dachshund
October 19th: Decade Dragon
October 20th: Gypsy Vanner
October 21st: Glitzy Dragon
October 22nd: Dalmatian
October 23rd: Fairykinz Panda Cub
October 24th: French Poodle
October 25th: Fiesta Chihuahua
October 26th: FrooFroo Fox
October 27th: Ginger Cat
October 28th: Farm Kitten
October 29th: Grey Himalayan
October 30th: Glamorous Gorilla
October 31st: Domestic Cat:
November 1st: Fiesta Bull
November 2nd: Grey Langur
November 3rd: Dodo Bird
November 4th: Groovy Gorilla
November 5th: Gold and White Cat
November 6th: Fire Bear
November 7th: Green Shimmer Snake
November 8th: Glitzy Dragon
November 9th: Grape Soda Pup
November 10th: Emperor Dragon
November 11th: Dachshund
November 12th: Daylight Dragon
November 13th: Fire Fawn
November 14th: Golden Fawn
November 14th: Glitter Fawn
November 15th: Grey Squirrel
November 16th: Fire Fawn
November 17th: Donkey Piñata
November 18th: Flutter Cow
November 19th: Elephant
November 20th: Emerald Lab
November 21st: Gold and White Cat
November 22nd: Emerald Lab
November 23rd: Grey and White Cat
November 24th: Eskimo Dog
November 25th: Golden Pegasus
November 26th: Gecko
November 27th: Emperor Dragon
November 28th: Denim and Lace Pony
November 29th: Daylight Dragon
November 30th: Diamond Doggy
December 1st: Gingerbread Elephant
December 2nd: Gargowl
December 3rd: Green Snowy Puppy
December 4th: Golden Pegasus
December 5th: Golden Langur
December 6th: Fiesta Chihuahua
December 7th: Groundhog
December 8th: French Hen
December 9th: Fluffy Speckled Chick
December 10th: Diamond Doggy
December 11th: Glacial Fox
December 12th: Gorilla
December 13th: Gypsy Vanner
December 14th: Ferret
December 15th: Green Shimmer Snake
December 16th: Diamond Doggy
December 17th: Golden Deluxe Dragon
December 18th: Deer
December 19th: Doodle Fadoodle
December 20th: Green Shimmer Snake
December 21st: Floppy-Eared Bunny
December 22nd Green Snowy Pup
December 24th: Grey Vole
December 25th: Giraffe
December 26th: Eskimo Dog
December 27th: Gingerbread Elephant
December 28th: Farm Kitten
December 29th: Gemini Butterfly
December 30th: Daisy Tortoise
December 31st: French Poodle

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Welcome back to the Reformed UPG of the Week!
Gonna leave this here because reddit is still a massive pain these days

Slight update, the new reddit UI has made it almost impossible for me to quickly do these, like I used to be able to do. Thus, theres a chance it becomes UPG of the every other week until the problem is fixed. I can't spend every one of my entire Monday mornings working on this for hours with stupid formatting issues.

Last week I was reminded just how many Unreached People Groups there are in America. So today we are doing the largest unreached people group in the US, Jewish peoples of America.

Region: United States

map of Jewish peoples in the United States
Stratus Index Ranking (Urgency): 34
It has been noted to me by u/JCmathetes that I should explain this ranking. Low numbers are more urgent, both physically and spiritually together, while high numbers are less urgent. The scale is 1-177, with one number assigned to each country. So basically on a scale from Afghanistan (1) to Finland (177), how urgent are the peoples physical and spiritual needs.

The Stratus Index - Synthesizes reliable data from different sources to clearly display the world’s most urgent spiritual and physical needs.The vast majority of missions resources go to people and places already Reached by the Gospel, while only 3% of missionaries and 1% of missions money are deployed among the Unreached. This is the Great Imbalance. As a result, there are more people without access to the Gospel today than a decade ago. Stratus seeks to equip the global church with fresh vision to accomplish the Great Commission by addressing some of the factors that perpetuate the Great Imbalance. We hope this tool allows the church to better understand what steps will be required to overcome the barriers that prevent needs from being met, spurring informed and collaborative missions strategy. Stratus Website

New York City
Climate: With its large size and geographic variety, the United States includes most climate types. To the east of the 100th meridian, the climate ranges from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south.
Frozen Great Lakes
LA, California
Terrain: Measured by only land area, the United States is third in size behind Russia and China, and just ahead of Canada. So its hard to get a bead on all the types of Terrain. The coastal plain of the Atlantic seaboard gives way further inland to deciduous forests and the rolling hills of the Piedmont. The Appalachian Mountains and the Adirondack massif divide the eastern seaboard from the Great Lakes and the grasslands of the Midwest. The Mississippi–Missouri River, the world's fourth longest river system, runs mainly north–south through the heart of the country. The flat, fertile prairie of the Great Plains stretches to the west, interrupted by a highland region in the southeast. The Rocky Mountains, west of the Great Plains, extend north to south across the country, peaking at over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) in Colorado. Farther west are the rocky Great Basin and deserts such as the Chihuahua, Sonoran, and Mojave. The Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges run close to the Pacific coast, both ranges also reaching altitudes higher than 14,000 feet (4,300 m). The lowest and highest points in the contiguous United States are in the state of California, and only about 84 miles (135 km) apart. At an elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190.5 m), Alaska's Denali is the highest peak in the country and in North America.
30A in Florida
Denver, CO
Mississippi River
Wildlife of US: There are 311 known reptiles, 295 amphibians and 1154 known fish species in the U.S. Known animals that exist in the US include white-tailed deer, bobcat, raccoon, muskrat, striped skunk, barn owl, American mink, American beaver, North American river otter, red fox, American Black Bear, Hawaiian Monk Seal, Black-Footed Ferret, Gila Monster, Groundhog, Pronghorn, American Alligator, Crocodile, American Bison, bald Eagle, wolves, mountain lions, Grizzly bears, polar bears, lynx, muskox, caribou, and now I'm tired of searching for lists that include all the animals. We have tons of venomous snakes, we have invasive pythons in the everglades.
Unfortunately, there is an invasive but existing population of wild monkeys in Silver Springs Florida.
Bison in Yellowstone
Pigeons in New York
Environmental Issues: Environmental issues in the United States include climate change, Ohio, species conservation, invasive species, deforestation, mining, nuclear accidents, pesticides, pollution, waste and over-population.
Languages: While many languages are spoken in the United States, English is the most common. Although there is no official language at the federal level, some laws—such as U.S. naturalization requirements—standardize English, and most states have declared English as the official language. Three states and four U.S. territories have recognized local or indigenous languages in addition to English, including Hawaii (Hawaiian), Alaska (twenty Native languages), South Dakota (Sioux), American Samoa (Samoan), Puerto Rico (Spanish), Guam (Chamorro), and the Northern Mariana Islands (Carolinian and Chamorro). In Puerto Rico, Spanish is more widely spoken than English. According to the American Community Survey, in 2010 some 229 million people (out of the total U.S. population of 308 million) spoke only English at home. More than 37 million spoke Spanish at home, making it the second most commonly used language. Other languages spoken at home by one million people or more include Chinese (2.8 million), Tagalog (1.6 million), Vietnamese (1.4 million), French (1.3 million), Korean (1.1 million), and German (1 million). The Jewish Peoples of America speak English.
Government Type: Federal presidential constitutional republic

People: Jewish Peoples of America

Jewish man of America
Population: 4,596,000
Estimated Foreign Workers Needed: 92+
Beliefs: The Jewish peoples of America are 2.7% Christian, but only 1.6% Evangelical. That means out of their population of 4,596,000, there are roughly 73,000 believers who share their faith. That slightly more than 1 believer for every 100.
Like all those who deny Christ, the Jewish peoples are deceived and follow a false god. For religious Jewish peoples, God (not the true God at this point) is the Supreme Being, the Creator of the universe, and the ultimate Judge of human affairs. Beyond this, the religious beliefs of the Jewish communities vary greatly. Orthodox Jewish peoples generally follow the traditional religious beliefs and practices found in the Jewish literature that interprets Scripture regarding ethical, religious, civil and criminal matters. Conservative Judaism is less traditional than Orthodox and combines different ethical, philosophical, and spiritual schools of thought. Reform Judaism is the most liberal form and interprets Jewish beliefs and practices in light of contemporary life and thought. Reform Jewish peoples do not believe that the Jewish Law is divinely revealed. They are not restricted to kosher (traditional, approved) foods, nor do they wear the skull cap (yarmulke) when praying or use Hebrew in prayer. All religious Jewish peoples believe in the coming of a Messianic Age, but only the Orthodox Jewish peoples look for a personal Messiah.
Not all Jewish peoples are religious. Some understand their "Jewishness" only as a social and cultural identity. American Jewish peoples are more likely to be atheists or agnostics than most Americans.
The Wilshire Boulevard Temple, known from 1862 to 1933 as Congregation B'nai B'rith, is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 3663 Wilshire Boulevard, in the Wilshire Center district of Los Angeles, California, in the United States. Founded in 1862, it is the oldest Jewish congregation in Los Angeles.
History: Jewish peoples were present in the Thirteen Colonies since the mid-17th century. However, they were small in number, with at most 200 to 300 having arrived by 1700. Those early arrivals were mostly Sephardi Jewish immigrants, of Western Sephardic (also known as Spanish and Portuguese Jewish) ancestry, but by 1720, Ashkenazi Jewish peoples from diaspora communities in Central and Eastern Europe predominated.
For the first time, the English Plantation Act 1740 permitted Jewish peoples to become British citizens and emigrate to the colonies. The first famous Jewish person in U.S. history was Chaim Salomon, a Polish-born Jewish person who emigrated to New York and played an important role in the American Revolution. He was a successful financier who supported the patriotic cause and helped raise most of the money needed to finance the American Revolution.
Despite the fact that some of them were denied the right to vote or hold office in local jurisdictions, Sephardi Jewish peoples became active in community affairs in the 1790s, after they were granted political equality in the five states where they were most numerous. Until about 1830, Charleston, South Carolina had more Jewish peoples than anywhere else in North America. Large-scale Jewish immigration commenced in the 19th century, when, by mid-century, many German Jewish peoples had arrived, migrating to the United States in large numbers due to antisemitic laws and restrictions in their countries of birth. They primarily became merchants and shop-owners. Gradually early Jewish arrivals from the east coast would travel westward, and in the fall of 1819 the first Jewish religious services west of the Appalachian Range were conducted during the High Holidays in Cincinnati, the oldest Jewish community in the Midwest. Gradually the Cincinnati Jewish community would adopt novel practices under the leadership Rabbi Isaac Meyer Wise, the father of Reform Judaism in the United States, such as the inclusion of women in minyan. A large community grew in the region with the arrival of German and Lithuanian Jewish peoples in the latter half of the 1800s, leading to the establishment of Manischewitz, one of the largest producers of American kosher products and now based in New Jersey, and the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the United States, and second-oldest continuous published in the world, The American Israelite, established in 1854 and still extant in Cincinnati. By 1880 there were approximately 250,000 Jewish peoples in the United States, many of them being the educated, and largely secular, German Jews, although a minority population of the older Sephardi Jewish families remained influential.
Jewish migration to the United States increased dramatically in the early 1880s, as a result of persecution and economic difficulties in parts of Eastern Europe. Most of these new immigrants were Yiddish-speaking Ashkenazi Jewish peoples, most of whom arrived from poor diaspora communities of the Russian Empire and the Pale of Settlement, located in modern-day Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova. During the same period, great numbers of Ashkenazic Jewish peoples also arrived from Galicia, at that time the most impoverished region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with a heavy Jewish urban population, driven out mainly by economic reasons. Many Jewish peoples also emigrated from Romania. Over 2,000,000 Jewish peoples landed between the late 19th century and 1924 when the Immigration Act of 1924 restricted immigration. Most settled in the New York metropolitan area, establishing the world's major concentrations of the Jewish population. In 1915, the circulation of the daily Yiddish newspapers was half a million in New York City alone, and 600,000 nationally. In addition, thousands more subscribed to the numerous weekly papers and the many magazines in Yiddish.
At the beginning of the 20th century, these newly arrived Jewish peoples built support networks consisting of many small synagogues and Landsmanshaften (German and Yiddish for "Countryman Associations") for Jewish peoples from the same town or village. American Jewish writers of the time urged assimilation and integration into the wider American culture, and Jews quickly became part of American life. Approximately 500,000 American Jewish peoples (or half of all Jewish males between 18 and 50) fought in World War II, and after the war younger families joined the new trend of suburbanization. There, Jewish peoples became increasingly assimilated and demonstrated rising intermarriage. The suburbs facilitated the formation of new centers, as Jewish school enrollment more than doubled between the end of World War II and the mid-1950s, while synagogue affiliation jumped from 20% in 1930 to 60% in 1960; the fastest growth came in Reform and, especially, Conservative congregations. More recent waves of Jewish emigration from Russia and other regions have largely joined the mainstream American Jewish community.
Eastern European Jewish immigrants arriving in New York ca 1887?
Culture: Typical qualification that all people groups can't be summed up in small paragraphs and this is an over generalization.
In North America, most Jewish peoples live in urban areas on the east or west coasts. New York City has the largest Jewish population in North America, with over a half million Hassidic Jewish peoples alone. In South America, they also live in cities, but keep themselves as a distinct religious and ethnic minority.
While maintaining a Jewish identity, the majority of North American Jewish peoples conform to the mainstream American culture. "Jewishness" is often defined in more secular terms such as the use of Yiddish words and family traditions, rather than in religious aspects, such as the following of Jewish laws regarding dietary restrictions. Not all Jewish peoples are religious. Some understand their "Jewishness" only as a social and cultural identity. Understanding what it means to be a Jewish people begins in childhood. It takes place in the home through storytelling and by taking part in Jewish rituals and festivals such as Rosh Hashanah (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Passover. Socialization also takes place through participation in Hebrew school or synagogue youth groups. At the age of 13, the Bar Mitzvah ceremony for a boy (or Bat Mitzvah for a girl) is an important rite of passage, which marks him or her as an adult member of the community. While these ceremonies were more spiritually focused in the past, they have become equally important as social events.
Marriage and family relationships among Jewish peoples are much the same as other Americans. While Jewish families have fewer children, they are child-oriented, indulgent, and permissive. Although wives generally take on their husbands' surnames, Jewish identity is traced through the mothers. That is, if one's mother is a Jewish people, then he is, according to Jewish law, Jewish. He or she is entitled to all the rights and privileges that status brings, including the right to immigrate to Israel and settle there as a citizen.
I couldn't not include a pic of the notable cultural event of the American Hasidic Jewish peoples who dug a tunnel in New York
Cuisine: Popular dishes in American Jewish cuisine include:

• Bagel – A doughnut-shaped bread roll. The dough is first boiled and then baked, resulting in a dense, chewy interior with a browned exterior: A bagel and cream cheese is a popular pairing.
• Bialy – A bread roll similar to a bagel, but without a hole, and somewhat less chewy as the dough is not boiled before being baked.
• Blintz – A fried crêpe, usually filled with farmer cheese and served with various toppings.
• Brisket – An inexpensive cut of beef that is braised as a pot roast.
• Challah – A light bread made with eggs, used as regular food, and on ritual or holiday occasions.
• Chicken soup – Chicken broth with herbs like parsley, dill, or thyme, and often with egg noodles added.
  • Matzah balls are sometimes added to the soup instead of, or in addition to, noodles.
  • Kreplach are small dumplings that are another common addition to chicken soup.
• Chopped liver – A liver pâté made with hard-boiled eggs, salt, and pepper. Served as a side dish, hence the expression, "What am I, chopped liver?"
• Corned beef – Beef brisket that has been cured with brine and spices and then sliced.
  • Corned beef sandwich – A common use of corned beef.
• Gefilte fish – Ground fish – often a combination of carp, pike, and whitefish – that is mixed with other ingredients, formed into patties or balls, and poached; usually served as an appetizer.
• Kishke – A large, starchy sausage made with grain, vegetables, beef or chicken fat, and spices.
• Knish – A type of savory baked turnover; various fillings are used, such as potatoes or ground beef.
• Kugel – A baked casserole made with egg noodles or potatoes.
• Latke – A pancake made with grated potatoes and other ingredients, fried in oil.
• Lox – A sliced fillet of cured salmon. Belly lox is cured with brine and is therefore rather salty. Nova lox is cold-smoked. Lox is often eaten as a sandwich, on a bagel with cream cheese.
• Mandelbrot – A crunchy cookie, sometimes made with almonds, formed by baking a loaf which is then cut into small slabs and twice-baked.
• Pastrami – Beef brisket that has been cured with brine, rubbed with pepper, garlic, and other spices, smoked, and then sliced. Like corned beef it is usually served as a sandwich.
  • Pastrami on rye – Pastrami on rye bread topped with spicy brown mustard.
• Rugelach – Small baked pastries made by wrapping dough around a filling.
• Whitefish – Smoked freshwater whitefish, either filleted or made into whitefish salad.

New York Bagels

Prayer Request:

• Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth loving Christians to work among the Jewish communities.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to grant wisdom and favor to the missions agencies that are focusing on the Jewish peoples of North and South America.
• Pray that the Jewish people will understand that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
• Ask the Lord to soften the hearts of the Jewish peoples towards Christians so that they might hear and receive the message of salvation.
• Pray that God will grant Jewish believers favor as they share their faith in Christ with their own people.
• Pray that strong local churches will be raised up in each Jewish community.
• Pray against Putin and his insane little war.
• Pray for our nation (the United States), that we Christians can learn to come alongside our hurting brothers and sisters and learn to carry one another's burdens in a more Christlike manner than we have done historically.
• Pray that in this time of an upcoming election and insanity that the needs of the unreached are not forgotten by the church. Pray that our hearts continue to ache to see the unreached hear the Good News.

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Here are the previous weeks threads on the UPG of the Week for Reformed from 2023 (plus a few from 2022 so this one post isn't so lonely). To save some space on these, all UPG posts made 2019-now are here, I will try to keep this current.

People Group	Country	Continent	Date Posted	Beliefs
Jewish peoples	United States	North America	05/06/2024	Judaism
Jordanian Arab	Jordan	Asia	04/29/2024	Islam
Bouyei	China	Asia	04/22/2024	Animism
Arab Libyans	Libya	Africa	03/25/2024	Islam
Gafsa Amazigh	Tunisia	Africa	03/18/2024	Islam
Hindi	South Africa	Africa	03/04/2024	Hinduism
Arabs	Iraq	Asia	02/26/2024	Islam
Bagirmi Fulani	Central African Republic	Africa	02/12/2024	Islam
Gujarati	Portugal	Europe	02/05/2024	Hinduism
Western Cham	Cambodia	Asia	01/29/2024	Islamc
Yadav	India	Asia	01/22/2024	Hinduism
Thai (updated)	Thailand	Asia	12/18/2023	Buddhism

a - Tibet belongs to Tibet, not China.
b - Russia/Turkey/etc is Europe but also Asia so...
c - this likely is not the true religion that they worship, but rather they have a mixture of what is listed with other local religions, or they have embraced a liberal drift and are leaving faith entirely but this is their historical faith.
Here is a list of definitions in case you wonder what exactly I mean by words like "Unreached".
Here is a list of missions organizations that reach out to the world to do missions for the Glory of God.

Hello, I have a 3 year old female deer-head chihuahua and upon taking her out to potty I noticed that she had diarrhea. It was a small amount with a mucus like look to it and a couple drops of blood. She squatted a second time and about 3 drops came out with no diarrhea. Blood was bright red btw. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain and is acting like herself, playing and eating just fine. A few days ago she threw up a couple times but her bowels movements were normal and so was her behavior so I assumed she just had an upset stomach. Is this something I need to rush her to the vet for or should I wait for any negative changes in her behaviohealth?

Hey guys so my beige-colored, deer-head Chihuahua is starting to darken and now his whole body is turning grayish, Black. Does anyone know why this is happening? Is it natural or a health condition? I want my baby to stay beige

Sionia
Chapter 9
Map First Previous Next
“Ow! What the” I exclaimed suddenly awakened in pain and squinting my eyes against the early morning glare.
Pamba was on my chest and had nipped me on the end of my nose. She was nose to nose with me and staring intently with unblinking eyes. I recognized the look as Bo the chihuahua had the same look each morning when he needed to go outside to do his business.
“Alright. I get it.” I said and Pamba reached out her paw to touch my chin with a little whinny squeaking noise.
Sitting up and yawning. I watched Pamba jump off the bed and headed to the door. Looking over at Freya who was still asleep but has kicked the covers off. It was the first time I saw Freya fully nude and she was a sight to behold. Absolutely beautifully stunning is the words that came to mind. Pamba barked and made a couple of circles and I realized I had better hurry. Getting up, I pulled on my clothes and retrieved my slippers that I had bought from Shu. Once dressed, I opened the door and Pamba bolted as fast as she could run to the spiral staircase to the main level of the tower.
Entering into the main hall, I noted most of the solders eating breakfast along a table to the far left of the lord's raised dinning table that looked out to those in the hall. About twenty female servants were eating at the other table on the right side of the hall as the central area was an open space. I headed outside through the main entrance that was wide open with a footman posted who had to be in his seventies hunched over with hair totally white from age.
The courtyard despite being very small did have a garden off to the side surrounded by apple and a lime trees. I watched Pamba rustling though some ornamental bushes that formed a wall of sorts about five feet high. After a bit, Pamba came running having finished her constitutional and leaped into my arms and climbed onto my shoulder where she rubbed her cheeks against mine.
“Ok, Ok, I get it. You are happy and now want something to eat.” I said with a laugh which I swear Pamba's reply of yips, cries and barks sounded like the words “You bet I am”.
Back in the main hall, I picked up a slice of bacon from a silver service on the Lord's table and fed it to Pamba who greedily scarfed it down.
“Would you like some eggs Lord?” Asked a young girl no more than fourteen years old as she sat an earthenware plate with dark colored bread and a bowl of fresh churned butter before me.
“Yes, that would be fine. Some apple juice and some strong tea would also be nice.” I answered with my breakfast preference.
“Right away, Lord.” Said the young girl who curtsied and almost ran out of the hall through a door that I assumed led to the kitchen.
“Good morrow, Lord Wyatt. I hope you had a restful night.” Asked Leander who entered the hall through a door that was set under the stairs that appeared to be an office with a cot in it.
“I can not complain. Though, I am not a morning person. I would prefer to stay in bed till midday.” I said with a laugh.
“I fully understand. Lord Tinsen often sleeps several spans after dawn's first light if not well past midday.” Said Leander that sounded bit off like a disapproving kind of admonishment.
“Has Lord Tinsen returned?” I asked with a raised brow as I cut a slice of bread.
“No, Lord. I do not know how long his business will take.” Replied Leander shaking his head no.
“Oh, well. I understand today is market day. I think I will visit it before leaving the city. I am expected at Duke Boasag's castle.” I said as I began to spread some butter on the bread.
“Very good. I will send your regrets to Lord Tinsen on missing him.” Leander offered with a bow of his head.
“Yes, please do. Also, thank Lord Tinsen for his hospitality.” I stated in what I thought was proper etiquette.
“I will pass your words on, Lord Wyatt.” Leander said with a short bow.
“Here is your juice and some coffee Lord Wyatt.” Said the young girl again with a curtsy.
“Thank you. What is your name child?” I asked for I had just noticed she had a silver ring on her finger.
“Keira Tinsen, Lord.” Answered Keira with a blush and another curtsy.
“Keira is Lord Tinsen's distant relative and ward since her parents died when pirates seized the ship they were passenger of.” Leander explained and gave Keira an odd look of warning.
“I see. Well, Keira, thank you for being a proper hostess and seeing to my comfort.” I said with a slight bow of my head.
“Thank you, Lord Wyatt.” Replied Keira who curtsied yet again before fleeing out of the hall.
“Please forgive her Lord Wyatt. She is still learning how to properly behave.” Leander apologized with a sour look.
I suddenly had an odd feeling that something was not right. Keira had done exactly what a viscountess would have done minus the excessive curtsying. I suspected she was being treated as a shirttail relative. Pushing that aside as I did not need anymore complications to my already overloaded plate focused on my meal. Looking over, Pamba now full rolled onto her back and I swear made a sigh like any human.
“Lord Wyatt, good morrow.” Said Sam joining me at the head table as she grabbed a large slice of bacon then stuffing it into her mouth.
“Good morning Sam, I see you are extra bright and happy this morning.” I replied to Sam's greeting and Pamba rolling over sat up and reached out her paw almost like a salute.
'Hum hum.” Sam said as her mouth was full and waving to Pamba who made a cue cue sound.
Looking up at the staircase, I saw all the girls in their new clothes coming down to have breakfast. Leading the way was Freya who looked stunning in her full length lavender colored chiffon dress. Sam even stopped eating when Freya sat down next to me and began to cut herself a slice of bread. Sam taking a long drink of my coffee was looking intently at Freya.
“You have a glow about you from your exploits last night, Freya.” Sam said in a serious tone.
Freya nearly choked on the bread at Sam's statement where I quickly slapped Freya's back to stop her from choking.
“You knew?”Freya said quietly as the other girls under my care were eating at the long table about six feet to twelve feet away.
“I am sure everyone knows. You were quiet enthusiastic last night.” Sam accused with a raised eyebrow and an exaggerated toothy smile.
Freya blushed to a shade of pink I had never seen before and she cupped her face in her hands. Sam giggled for a second before looking me in the eye and winked.
“She beat me fair and square. I thought you too tired to have fun. My mistake.” Sam said with a laugh and bright smile while grabbing another slice of bacon.
This time it was my turn to turn a shade of pink as all the girls stopped eating and were staring at me. Taking a long drink of apple juice I decided best course was to act as if nothing happened and just ignore the teasing jabs.
“Tell me Sam, what are your plans? I will visit the market today and then head back to the tavern where my escort is staying. From there, I will head on to Duke Boasag's castle.” I asked diverting the conversation to a more business like atmosphere.
“I think I will join you at the market this morning then check back with the information broker in the afternoon as I need to find my niece Illya. I also expect a message by whisper bird today. Depending on the message, I may continue on with you or return to Quenya.” Replied Sam as she waved at a servant and pointed to the empty dishes of bread and bacon.
“I see.” I said then stood up clearing my throat called out for all to hear, “Listen up ladies. We will leave within the span and head down to the market. I will give you each one koper to spend however you wish. So, be ready by the carts within the span.”
The nine girls at the long table cheered and clapped at the news. Sam just shook her head and Freya had a look of shock at my announcement. Sitting down, Keira brought two more cups of coffee and then directed a twenty something servant to refill my cup with apple juice and had another bring more food and sat the eggs before me. Reaching into her apron, Keira brought out a finger bowl which she ordered filled with water that she sat before Pamba who sniffed and gave a short yip in a yes motion.
“Aw cute.” Said Keira and then took out a handful of amazing reddish orange cloud berries setting them before Pamba.
Pamba went into an excited frenzy at the gift and made a long yip sound that I swear sounded like she shouted “Yes”.
Leander came to the door of his office and made a very loud cough and clearing of his throat. Keira turned a bit pale and fled back to the kitchens. Leander with a slight smile went back into his room and slammed the door with some force.
“Well, he is clearly not happy this morning” I said as I shook my head.
“Seems that our stay is cutting into the budget of the castle. As chamberlain when there is a shortfall, he is held responsible. Lord Tinsen could cut his pay by half. However, nobles who do such a thing are not very honorable or do not have enough revenue to support the current holding.” Freya remarked on the situation.
“I see, how did you come by this information?” I said with a curious look on my face.
“The servant woman who bathed me talked about the castle and its problems. Besides, I have been trained to manage a castle and lands.” Freya answered in an almost disinterested manner.
“I see. Was your ring stolen?” I asked realizing the impact of Freya's answer.
“Yes. That detestable bastard ripped it off with a laugh.” Freya said with venom in her voice.
“Would you like me to replace your ring?” I asked showing my understanding of her position.
“No, I will be given a new one when you take me to my father in Asgard. There will be a ceremony as there are always ceremonies for everything.” Freya stated rolling her eyes and clapped twice to rid bread crumbs from her hands.
Freya and all but two of the girls went back to their rooms to ready themselves for travel. Sam finished a moment later after poaching some of my eggs and also went back up the stairs. I decided I needed to do the same taking Pamba into my hands and swinging her onto my shoulder playfully where Pamba made a joyful yipping bark.
About an hour later, I approached the girls milling around the carts where they gathered awaiting my arrival.
“Ok, girls. Line up along here.” I directed pointing to an imaginary line in front of one of the carts.
I then reached into my pocket and pulled out ten coins I had previously readied. I handed each girl one koper coin which nearly all held the coin to their chest like it was something precious. When I reached Freya, I also handed her a coin that she took and looked at both sides of the coin with interest.
“Where is mine?” Asked Sam with a big bright smile.
Sighing, I reached into my pocket and pulled one more koper and flipped it to Sam.
“I was only joking but it also was a test. You are a very kind and a generous person.” Sam said seriously before her smile returned.
“I see. A test.” I responded with a laugh.
Sam then dropped the coin into Freya's hand and headed to the second cart.
“Everyone climb aboard.” Sam called as she actually started to swagger before climbing onto the driver's bench.
Looking over to the guild mercenaries I motioned them to come closer to me.
“We are heading to the tradesman's guild where you will continue to guard these carts until late afternoon. After that, your contract is done.” I explained to the mercenaries the plan moving forward.
“Good. Easiest two days for excellent pay!” Stated the oldest of the mercenaries and waved for the others to mount up.
About thirty minutes later, we arrived back at the tradesman's guild. I had the mercenaries guard where Torgan had directed the carts to be parked close to the stables. Leading our group through a couple of the main streets, the girls were showing excitement. A few minutes later, we arrived at a central plaza that was lined with stalls of all types selling all sorts of goods. There were also acrobats and singers attracting people to give them coin for their performances. It was truly a lively market.
“Stay in groups of at least three ladies. In two hours, we will meet by the statue over there.” I informed the girls who immediate broke into three groups and headed into one of three long rows of stalls.
Sam and Freya each took an arm and we also headed down the first row of stalls.
After a bit, we had a snack of honey filled and berry filled pannekoeken. Reminded me of Amsterdam in Netherlands where they had several shops and street carts with this tasty snack. After this, I stopped at a stall of a book seller. What caught my attention was several maps on display. I quickly purchased a generalized world map showing the locations of all the nations of Sionia. More importantly, it showed nation capitals along with other notable cities and rivers. The second was a map of the Kingdom of Astria that showed roads and bridges. The last was a map of the region of Sionia that contained the Shadow Lands, Dune Sea and Thermodon Wasteland. These maps cost me two koper which for me was a steal though Sam hinted the price was too high.
I also bought a book that describes animals and monsters of Sionia. It was more or less a children's picture book that gave name and brief description of the animal along with what it was known for or dangers they provide. I vowed to study this book nightly.
Finally, it was time to meet up with all the girls some who had bought trinkets, scarfs or hair ornaments. We headed back toward the tradesman's guild stopping at a tavern dinning hall that was serving roast deer, potatoes sweet bread rolls and mixed vegetables. After that excellent meal, it was finally mid to late afternoon when we arrived back at the tradesman's guild.
“Stay with the carts and I will be right back” I told the girls and headed over to the tailor's shop to pick up my custom fitted clothes.
Thirty minutes later, our little group was heading out of Id and south toward the tavern where Sir Jas and his men were being cared for.
“Hold up!” Called Sam after about an hour on the road.
Stopping the cart, I looked back and saw a colorful bird mostly green with yellow and blue feathers circling the cart around Sam. Jumping down as I was not sure what was happening and ran to Sam's defense with Pamba hanging on for dear life. Sam having stopped her cart and had climbed down as I came up beside her. Sam then pulled out a whistle and blowing it while she held out her arm.
“The whisper bird with the message I have been waiting for.” Said Sam as the bird finally lighted onto her arm.
“I am Sam Svarta Sigmar.” Sam spoke loud and clearly to the bird.
“Samantha, you are to return to Quenya post hast. You are to see General Xandi at Hag Garneth Fortress.” The bird spoke very clearly a message.
“Listen and Remember. Hear and obey. Seek General Nixor Svarta Sigmar. Speak my words: I will start my travel from the city of Id in Astria on the morrow. Now, fly and deliver.” Sam stated sending the bird aloft with the final words of command.
“To bad, I was looking forward to tonight. I must return to my homeland. I need to retrieve my florse at the tavern and return to the city of Id.” Sam stated with a sad expression and the first I had ever witnessed.
Pamba made a whining noise and reached out her paw to Sam. Sam scratched Pamba on her chin which made me sad to watch.
“I understand.” I said with acknowledgment after the exchange with Sam and Pamba.
The ride to the tavern was a somber one over the next hour. No sooner had our group pulled into the court yard, Sam jumped down and ran for the stables for her florse.
All the girls and myself were standing by the corral gate when Sam appeared twenty minutes later with her animal saddled and ready to ride.
“I must go and be back in the city of Id before nightfall. I will be traveling hard over the next several days before I even reach the Dune Sea. Where I go is on the far side of that desolate desert.” Sam stated deliberately letting me know where to find her should I wish to seek her out.
“I understand and its good to know.” I said in response nodding my head.
“We Dark Elves will not forget what Count Ryan Wyatt has done nor the debts we owe. We well see each other again. That is a promise!” Sam said and gave me a hug.
“You have been a good friend, Sam. I will miss your smile for sure. Goodbye and safe travel” I said with genuine sadness as Pamba once again reached out her paw.
With one last hug, Sam gave Pamba a cheek rub. Mounting her florse, Sam spurred it into a gallop toward the city of Id. Sighing as I was shaking my head as I turned to the girls.
"Lets head inside girls.” I said and waved the girls to head into the tavern.
I stood looking around until Endo came running. Endo then unharnessed all the florses and put them into the corral. I also helped Endo push my cart with the earth goods into the barn where I would sleep. I then set up my sleeping bag and set Pamba to guard as I helped Endo with the florses. I wanted to watch how much fed Endo would give the florses so I would have a basic idea how to properly feed them in the future. After the the florses were fed and watered, I started toward the tavern.
At that moment, I noted a group of about twenty soldiers with three carts and a carriage coming up from the south. The group turned into the tavern courtyard and came to a stop a few feet away. With the soldiers, I recognized the boy old Maude had sent to Duke Boasag's castle.
“I am Captain Richard Morgan of his Grace Duke Boasag's house guard. You are Count Ryan Wyatt?” Asked Captain Morgan who stood at attention and gave a formal salute.
“Yes, I am Count Ryan Wyatt. It is good to see you. The men who were escorting me were severely injured and need to be seen by a doctor at a healing temple.” I stated with a return salute.
“Very good. We have brought carts and a carriage for you. We can if you wish leave immediately.” Captain Morgan stated with a sweep of his hand with a formal bow.
“It is a bit more complicated than you were told. I am now guardian of ten women who I must now see them home. I also have two carts of my own. One of those also happens to contain all my property I have in this world. It is precious to me not to lose those items. I have already fought thieves to retrieve my property and that is how I became guardian to the women.” I explained to a shocked Captain Morgan who noted Pamba climbing onto my shoulder as she must have realized what was happening.
“Well. Huh. Not sure how to respond to your story.” Said Captain Morgan as he was flustered and expecting to escort a pampered noble with his guard.
“No problem really. Just have two of your men drive my carts which the women will ride in and make four of the guard you trust personally responsible for the cart and its good with you.” I stated with a pointing finger at Captain Morgan.
“I will do as you say. You wish to return now or in the morning?” Asked Captain Morgan.
“Now. Two of the men need to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible. We must not delay and cost a man his life out of inconvenience to us.” I stated as I crossed my arms in a disapproving manner.
“Very good.” Said Captain Morgan with a salute.
Captain Morgan began ordering his men the tasks to be done. Two of the guards began harnessing the florses which I informed him that all the florses in the corral were mine except the four belonging to Sir Jas and his men. I decided to ride a florse rather than the carriage as I was restless. Instead, I allowed Freya and one of the other Asgard girls to ride in my place after pointing to my gold ring and at Freya to Captain Morgan which he nodded he understood.
After Sir Jas and his men were loaded up into the carts. Old Maude said she would ride with them given Reagan and Cleef had developed a fever with inflamed infection. We ventured onto the road heading south as it was now early evening and about three hours till nightfall. We made time on the road as few were traveling given the large market in the city of Id was already started.
About an hour before dark, we came across a party of riders who were trying to run down a couple of females who were running through an orchard on the west side before crossing the road into another orchard in the east. I immediately kicked my florse into a gallop and drawing my sword as I rushed forward. I placed myself between the two riders and the two females who were dark elves which had caught my attention.
“Hold! What manner of coward are you running down females?” I shouted at the two men who also drew swords.
“Move aside. They are slaves and property of our master who ran away. You know the law! Move aside. Golden noble or not, the law is clear and we will run you through!” Shouted a heavy set soldier while pointing his sword at me.
“What are your names?” I asked turning to the dark elf girls.
“I am Illya Svarta Wendu and this is my sister Rina.” Responded the taller of the two girls.
“I see. You know Samantha Svarta Sigmar?” I asked what I assumed to be a family connection.
“Yes, Sam is my aunt.” Replied Illya surprised by my questions.
“What are you waiting for grab those girls now!” Commanded a short fat man with a silver ring who did not ride well bouncing awkwardly with each stride of the florse.
Switching my sword into my left hand I drew my Sig pulling the hammer and flicking the safety off and resting it in my lap. Sitting as tall as I could in the saddled drew a deep breath.
“These girls are under my protection. Take one step forward and die!” I called out in the most deadliest tone I could muster.
“Count Wyatt. What is amiss here.” Asked Captain Morgan who rode up about twenty yards away from me and my adversaries.
“I am honor bound as these girls are under my protection and I am as of this moment their guardian.
“Nonsense, I bought these girls from a slave trader about ten days ago. Several escaped and we have finally caught up to these two. The law is clear, Captain Morgan. Do your duty or suffer the consequences at Duke Boasag's court.” Spat the fat silver ringed noble.
“Count Wyatt, I must ask you to stand down.” Captain Morgan requested with an outstretched arm.
“It is a matter of honor now. Should you oppose me in this, know you will die the moment you draw your sword.” I threatened as I adjusted my angle to the now five soldiers opposing me along with Captain Morgan.
Looking back at the girls I laughed then asked, “Do you know how to use a sword?”
“Yes. I have reached the third rights level.” Illya stated as she stood behind an apple tree.
“I am only first level. I was to take my forms test before I was taken.” Replied Rina adding that she could use a blade if needed.
“Good.” I stated and tossed my sword at Illya's feet.
Illya picked up the sword and a smile came across her face that gave the impression of death rather than happiness. I then drew my Colt where I released the safety and pulled its hammer back.
“Order your men to kill that idiot, Captain Morgan. I am Viscount Hugh Tinsen and lord of these lands. My word is law here!” Shouted Lord Tinsen who was gesticulating wildly as he shouted.
“I know who you are Viscount Tinsen. However, he is Count Ryan Wyatt. His rank make it impossible for me to challenge in this matter.”Stated Captain Morgan who seemed confused as to what he should do.
“The law is on my side! You will pay for your insolence Captain.” Screamed Lord Tinsen as his face began to turn bright red heading to purple in color.
“I would advise that you watch and bear witness Captain Morgan. One thing is certain, the king will be involved. You understand the implications of a Royal inquiry?” I stated with a bluff what I hoped was correct given how close this world mirrored medieval times on earth.
“I bear witness in the name of Duke Boasag and his master King Leon Astria.” Captain Morgan shouted and made a formal salute to both Lord Tinsen and to me.
Lord Tinsen looked a bit nervous but drew his own sword. Lord Tinsen actually counted his men like a child. Laughing, Lord Tinsen decided numbers were on his side and called attention of his men. Lord Tinsen began motioning to his men to spread out and surround me. While the men were doing his bidding, Lord Tinsen backed his florse behind the largest of the soldiers which was facing me.
“A silver to the man who brings me his head.” Lord Tinsen said with a weird hitching laugh of a small boy.
“The coin is mine!” Said a black haired soldier to my left.
Charging forward, the black haired soldier only had a breastplate for protection. I immediately raised the Sig and took quick careful aim and fired. The black haired soldier fell of the florse being hit in the throat just above the breastplate.
“All attack!” Screamed the big man in front of me.
I aimed well and shot him off his florse and immediately shot the soldier to my right who slumped in his saddle wearing only a studded leather jerkin. The soldier to my left stopped as Illya stepped forward with her sword raised in a stabbing manner.
“What are you morons doing! Kill him!” Screeched Lord Tinsen in alarm.
The big soldier stood up holding his wound over the right side of his chest. I fired two more times striking in the him in the head and again in the chest. The soldier threw his sword at me but it fell about six feet short before he fell face first to the ground. I then turned and fired the Colt at the soldier to my far left who slid off the florse and was immediately slashed and stabbed by Illya to finish him off.
“Look out!” Screamed Rina and I immediately ducked forward leaning as far as I could to my left without falling off my steed.
I felt the pain of a slash and then the blood running down my back. I fired blindly at to my right as the soldier was hit in his left lower arm. The shots spooked not only his florse but mine as well. Falling off my florse, I rolled onto my back and through sheer will and adrenaline for my life, fired both guns at this soldier killing him instantly where he fell head first to the ground. Standing up, I saw that the Sig was out of bullets and holstered it. I was not sure how many rounds I had left with the Colt .380 auto. So, I took careful aim and shot the last soldier off to my center left and watched him fall with a sickening crack of his neck as he hit the ground head first. Looking at the Colt, it too was now out of bullets. However, I released the slide and stepped forward facing Lord Tinsen.
“Drop your sword now or die like the pig you are!” I commanded as I made a grand gesture of pointing the Colt at Lord Tinsen.
“Do not hurt me! Please, do not hurt me! Captain Morgan protect me!” Cried Lord Tinsen as he pitched his sword to the ground and threw up his arms to protecting his face.
“Get off that animal now! Do not make me say it again!” I threatened as I stepped closer showing the most angry face I could muster.
Lord Tinsen quickly slid off his florse and immediately threw himself at my feet clearly crying like a baby.
“Count Wyatt. Please do not kill him.” Begged Captain Morgan who came forward and stepped between Lord Tinsen and myself.
Without saying a word, I turned putting away the Colt and retrieved my sword from Illya.
“Thank you for your assistance.” I said nodding to the girls.
Turning back around, I saw Captain Morgan helping up Lord Tinsen.
“Hold! That pig is my prisoner! His crime is illegal slave trade and deliberate attack on a superior gold ringed noble!” I demanded with my sword raised and a pointing finger.
Captain Morgan froze for a moment and I clearly saw him cursing under his breath.
“Very well. I will take custody of him.” Captain Morgan acquiesced to my demand and waved over his men to escort Lord Tinsen.
“Bind his hands and do not allow him to ride a florse! He must answer for his crimes. I am most certain that the information broker in Trikath will have sent out the word and reward concerning the kidnapping of these girls from the report I know was made in Id.” I stated the facts then pointing to the two girls.
“As you command, Count Wyatt. Lord Tinsen will stand before Duke Boasag who will decide what is to be done.” Answered Captain Morgan with an emphasis on the words “who will decide” with a salute.
Taking a knee as my strength was fading as I realized that I had lost a lot of blood. Illya ripped the bottom of her skirt and began to staunch the bleeding. Old Maude came shuffling up as fast as she could and began working on my wound.
“It is a bad cut Lord Wyatt. It is deep here just before your stab wound and goes up all the way over there as it shallows up.” Old Maude explained as she drew her finger from my left shoulder down my back to about my right kidney area.
I asked old Maude to cleans my wound with hard sprityus which she did. It burned like hell's fire. She then stitched up the wound and cleaned my back which took a good hour for her to finish up. Rina and Illya came up and delivered the brass from the two pistols as I had asked them to pick them up while I was being stitched as a distraction mostly for me rather than them.
I noted that the rider Captain Morgan sent towards a small village that was now returning with a two wheeled cart. The dead soldiers were stripped of their weapons, armor and valuables that were placed in the back of my cart which three of nine girls were riding.
I carefully went to the carriage as I was in server pain with Illya and Rine who were trying their best to help me along. With the battle over and adrenaline gone, I was feeling the wound fully.
“You are a reckless fool. You should not do things like that without a proper body guard. How bad is it?” Asked Freya with admonishment as she had been wringing her hands as old Maude attended me.
“Bad enough and more than I expected.” I answered as I was grimacing in pain.
Freya took a flask from old Maude who whispered something close to her ear.
“I need to get back to attending Cleef and Reagan.” Said old Maude as she shuffled back to the wagon she had been riding in.
“Come, lets get you into the carriage.” Ordered Freya with her eyes tearing up.
“This is Illya and Rina. They are nieces of Sam. They should ride in the carriage. Also, they should be given blankets, food and drink” I stated my own order.
Freya nodded and immediately send the young Asgard girl to ride in one of my carts to give more room to the four of us now in the carriage. When I entered the carriage, Freya laid me down with my head in her lap.
“You wonderfully crazy man! The more I know of you the more I am in love! Drink this and rest now.” Freya said as she soothed my brow handing me the flask from old Maude.
The the flask was a sleeping drought and I fell asleep a few minutes after Captain Morgan got everyone back on the road.

My little deer headed chihuahua, Markie, is 9 1/2 so hes hopefully still got a couple years left but I'm thinking about what I'd like done with him whenever he passes.
I like the idea of a plush/soft mount where the main portion of the body is soft and pliable with a firm head. I'm not expecting a 1:1 replica of my little guy, just something with his general shape and size to cuddle with every night like we've been doing since he was just a couple weeks old.
So my question is: does it seem like a good idea? I know pets are controversial because of the emotional attachment but I already know and am aware that it won't look exactly like him. Along with the fact I'd like something to cuddle I think it would be the best option for me. That leads into my next question, is there anyone who has done something like I'm describing for pets?
Picture of Markie attached just because hes cute

Hi there, I am starting to look at adding a new furry friend after losing my sweet girl in January 🥲 I really love the deer head chihuahuas but am having a hard time finding puppies, it seems like every body has apple heads (which makes me question where deer heads come from lol). Any tips or ideas to find my next furry friend? Thanks!

I have been looking for a deer headed long haired chihuahua breeders. I've never gone through a breeder before so I don't know how this stuff works or how to find them. I've only ever had adopted dogs. I think it's time to try something new with something I want. I've also never had a small dog before nor a puppy of my own.
If someone could help me find what I'm looking for, that would be great. I want my dog to have a little friend.
My current dog is a lab.❤️

Looking for the following!
Grey and white cat
Deer
Golden Retriever
Rooster
Hippo (Lil' Kinz or Regular)
Pink googles
Skunk
Sea Otter
Irish Setter
Strawberry Cloud Leopard
Chichi Chihuahua
Pompom kitty
Red wolf (Looking for 40-50 USD CODE ONLY)
I can pay USD or buy items/pets from the EStore <3

I had a dream last night where this chihuahua was chasing me and trying to bite me. Then this fawn out of nowhere stepped in front of me and the chihuahua bit the deer instead. I know, weird dream. Any idea what it means though?

Dog, Chihuahua mix 10 yrs (best guess) Female/fixed 12 lbs Texas
Our sweat pea had dental work a couple months ago, followed by oral antibiotics. Shortly after, she began having bowel urgency and constipation and diarrhea. We tried the chicken and rice diet, plain Greek yogurt, pumpkin for days. Bowel movements were loose and grainey or thin logs. She started pooping on the bed at night and needing to go out many times. Finally took her to the vet. They ran parasite tests (at least neg for Giardia) and other blood work, looked at stools, and diagnosed enterisitis.
She went on ten days of antibiotics, RX canned food, and RX probiotic powder. We finished all treatment, following them to the T.
Then, her symptoms came back. They've been back for a couple days and I stupidly didn't call the vet because I thought it would pass. She has always had a stomach of steel. Well, now it's the weekend and I'm kinda getting concerned. I don't want to be ridiculous and take her to the emergency vet, but I also don't want to wait until Monday.
She also started Flurbiprofen eye drops around the time her bowel issues started.
We're trying to get her prepped for cataract surgery, and I didn't think about the eye drops until just now.... Her opthalmologist is closed so I can't ask, but Google says they can cause gastrointestinal issues.
I don't want to stop the eye drops and mess up her surgical date, but could it be THAT simple?
Other relevant info...we have herds of deer that poop all over the yard. The never eats it, but could she catch some from that?
I'm stuck in how I should play out the weekend.