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Sheila is a dog-lover who works to support her two great danes.
By day she is a business analyst or product manager, by night she
slaves to make sure her danes are comfortable and happy. She lives
well beyond her means and struggles to find ways to return to the
reality of her paycheck. Her dogs are unfazed by her heroic fight
and continue to insist that only the best will do, with extra treats
weekly to top off a luxurious existence.
Sheila adores gadgets and fun techy stuffs but, in an ironic twist
of fate, insists that she shouldn't need to read a manual to figure
out how to work these things (until several years ago, she was employed
writing user manuals!). She maintains that E-Z-Pass and the apple-peeler-corer-slicer
are two of the best inventions ever.

Sheila's danes, Panda, Tonka, and Sera, were the bestest, most
beautiful great danes ever to grace the earth. Although completely
opposite in temperament and looks, they remained united in their
devotion to the woman who feeds and pampered them, and in their
hatred of the neighbor's cats.

Panda, a gorgeous fawn with cropped ears, was a princess of the
highest order, and her favorite story is, in fact, The Princess
and the Pea. She weighed in at a modest 145 lbs with a height of
32 inches (to shoulder). Panda adored those she knew since puppyhood,
and was cautiously worried about new people. She was a worrier who
thought everyone adored her and wanted to take her home. In her
own environment, she was a sweet loving girl who greeted you with
furious tail wags and wrrooo-wrrooos to express her delight. She
was often found with stuffie in mouth asking for a game of catch
me if you can or wriggling on her back begging for tummy rubs.
Tonka was just the opposite: a fun-loving, people-crazy overgrown
goofy pup. He was a majestically silly black dane with four white
paws a splash of white on his chest. Weighing in at almost 170 lbs
and close to 36 inches high, he was a big boy who loved to be loved.
Tonka had not a clue in the world that he was big as a horse, and
insisted on sitting on guests' laps and sucking up to them in his
enthusiastic quest for new friends. Tonka did not appreciate Sheila's
singing (she has, after all, no talent whatsoever), and would leave
the room quickly when she inevitably began crooning tunelessly.
Nevertheless, Sheila tortured him at Christmas with a Tonka-inspired
rendition of Frosty the Snowman (a preview: Tonka the Wonka was
a jolly, happy soul, with four white paws and a big long nose...).

Note: Panda died of osteosarcoma in late 2006, and Tonka of
lumbar sacral disease in early 2008. A third adoptee, Sera, died
in early 2008 from oral melanoma as well.
Sheila occasionally travels. Several times a year, she takes short
trips to Annapolis, MD, where she meets with friends who live relatively
close by. She is drawn to Sedona, AZ, where she owns a time share
(oops, that would be vacation rental or some such phrase). Sheila
plans to someday visit Rhode Island, Maine, Alaska, Aruba, New Zealand.
Meantime, she'll keep spending that vacation money on dog seminars
and short trips.
In 2007, Sheila made the change from a Technical Writer to a Business
Analyst. It's a similar field with many of the same goals (clarity,
communication). It's been an excellent transition and she's enjoying
the work quite a bit! In late 2009, Sheila took on a new challenge
and transitioned to Product Management, where she is learning a
whole new disipline.
Fortunately for Sheila, she has a lovely circle of wonderful friends
who are interesting and intelligent, sympathetic and downright nice!
She treasures them and all that they are. Uuntil 2010, Sheila was
also blessed with a very endearing mother who, in her 80s, was a
feisty clean machine. She still misses her mother dearly.
So that's all ABOUT US. We've got dogs and work and friends and
family and vacation. So far, so good. Stay tuned.
Sheila
Panda, Tonka & Sera (always in my heart)

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