Molly's Story

Last Monday night when I was at a humane meeting, I got the chance to talk with Molly's foster Mom. Every rescue dog has a story, and for some reason, I had not heard Molly's. This is what she told me. Molly was found locally as a small puppy. She belonged to a family, where nearly every member beat her. When they were done, they put her in a hole in the back yard to die. My wonderful humane lady went out there and got that precious puppy and took her to her foster Mom's house. Her foster Mom said that she was very shy, nervous, and skittish for about the first month she was there. Who could blame her, after what she went through. She finally settled in and began acting like a normal puppy should. She played with the other dogs and finally learned to trust humans again. Molly lived with her foster Mom, until she was nearly a year old. She had only been at the shelter about three weeks, when Casey and I met her. I immediately took to her, because she resembled Shingo so much. I mentioned her to Casey, but he threatened divorce if I considered bringing another puppy home. When it became obvious, several weeks later, that Shingo needed a playmate (since we were about to die from exhaustion), she was the obvious choice. The original plan was to get her for an afternoon to see how she did. As you all know, she's been with us ever since. I'm so glad that she's mine now, and that Casey and I can give her the kind of life she deserves.

Busy Today

WOW!! Today has really gotten away from me. I had meant to get a post ready about my newest addition, Molly's, rescue story. It broke my heart, when I first heard it on Monday night. I guess that will have to wait, until tomorrow. For now, I'll share this with you all.

I Adopted Your Dog Today

I adopted your dog today

The one you left at the pound

The one you had for seven years

and no longer wanted around.

I adopted your dog today

Do you know he's lost weight?

Do you know he's scared and depressed

and has lost all faith?

I adopted your dog today.

he had fleas and a cold,

but don't worry none.

You've unburdened your load.

I adopted your dog today.

Were you having a baby or moving away?

Did you suddenly develop allergies or was

there no reason he couldn't stay?

I adopted your dog today.

he doesn't play or eat much

He's very depressed, but

he will learn again to trust.

I adopted your dog today.

And here he will stay.

He's found his forever home

and a warm bed on which to lay.

I adopted your dog today.

And I will give him all that he could need.

Patience, love, security, and understanding.

Hopefully he will forget your selfish deed.

-Author Unknown

Stunned

I couldn't believe the news, when I heard that Heath Ledger had died yesterday. It's such a shame. He was SO young, with so much life ahead of him. Casey was just as shocked as I was. I'm not really into following the entertainment fluff that much, but he seemed so under the radar. You never really heard much negative press about him. I've heard different reports that he was sufferning from insomnia and anxiety, partly made worse by the working on the very dark Joker role in the Dark Knight movie. How true that is, I have no idea. I'm sure there will be LOTS more stories to circulate in the coming days. As I'm typing this, I'm sitting here looking at the HUGE A Knight's Tale poster that Kim and I have hanging in our office at work. It just makes me sad. One of my friends posted one of her favorite Heath moment's from 10 Things I Hate About You, but I'll always remember him like this:

Daily Musings

Well the snow and ice that were predicted for the third time in less than a week, never materialized. From this point forward, I think I'm just going to do it the old fashioned way: look out a window!

Casey and I had a nice, relaxing weekend. Saturday night, my mom fixed a big dinner for the whole family. She made homemade stew, along with her homemade cornbread. It was soooo yummy on such a cold night! On Sunday, we drove over to Franklin and just sort of shopped around. We didn't come home with much, but it was really nice to get out in the sunshine. Yesterday, we were just basically lumps. We watched a House Hunters marathon and just lounged. Not much got accomplished.

So, back at the regular routine today. I'm just trying to keep warm. I'm SOOO ready for spring! I'm ready for the warm, sunshin-ey days. What about you guys?

I got this in my inbox last week, and really wanted to share it with you all. It's a Rescuer's Prayer:

A Rescue Prayer

Now I lay me down to rest I pray my soul can stand this test Of watching critters lose their homes While owners gripe and cry and moan

I long for strength of spirit that They'll find a loving home again Where they will know a loving heart I can't do much, but it's a start

And spare me from the owner's pleas About the baby's allergies Or how they're moving out of state Or spitefulness 'tween cat and mate

Please keep me sane while dealing with The woman who bought as a gift A wriggling tiny ball of fluff That now is playing way too rough

Remind me I should bite my lip When confronted with "he grew too quick" "I didn't know he'd get so large" "He seems to think that he's in charge"

Protect my heart when I hear them say "I think we'll breed our dog one day" Sometimes I think it'll break in two; Each day brings trials harsh and new And if I die before I wake I pray one hopeless soul you'll take My tears are gone, my faith is bare Lord, please hear my rescue prayer. ~ Unknown

Bundle Up!

WOW!! It's cold out there. The temp is not actually all that bad at 31, but the wind chill makes it feel like 20. The temp is only supposed to drop for the rest of the day too! All of this cold and the snow that was predicted, totally missed us. If it's this cold, I really would like to have some snow with it, thank you! I think everything I'm wearing today is polar fleece. I even have polar fleece pants, which I cannot recommend highly enough! There's not much going on today, except trying to stay warm. I do have a good book, some Netflix movies, and Casey made a HUGE pot of chili last night. So, it looks like I'm set for the day. I think it may be just the day for a pile up on the couch with all the critters with a warm blanket. Hope you guys stay warm too! And as always, don't forget your outdoor furry friends during this cold weather. Click HERE for the ASPCA's Cold Weather Pet Tips.

Legislation

On January 14, 2008, Senator Tommy Kilby, of Tennessee, introduced Senate Bill 2738. SB2738 bans owning Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes of 50% or more in this state. Ownership would be classified as a Class A misdemeanor. Here is a snip of the bill:

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, relative to pit bull dogs.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 2, is amended by adding the following new section thereto:

§ 39-14-215. (a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Own" means to harbor, keep or exercise control over the dog, and "owner" means a person who, at the time of the offense, regularly harbors, keeps or exercises control over the dog; (2) "Pit bull dog" means any pit bull terrier; and (3) "Pit bull terrier" means any American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier breed of dog or any mixed breed of dog which contains as fifty percent (50%) of its breeding the breed of American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier, so as to be identifiable as partially of the breed American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American bulldog or American Staffordshire terrier. (b) It is an offense for any person to knowingly own a pit bull dog in this state. (c) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

To view the legislative action on this bill so far, click HERE. To view the bill in it's entirety, click HERE. I think people are quick to ban the Pit Bull. We've all heard the stories. Heck, even our "spare dog" was attacked by a Pit Bull, but I refuse to judge an entire breed by the actions of a few. I KNOW there a good, well-mannered Pits out there. I've even seen one in action at work. He works as a special assistance dog for a disabled patron. He's wonderfully sweet, and he does his job well. I really think that Tennessee should look at Dangerous Dog legislation, instead of breed banning legislation. They should hold the owners of dangerous dogs accountable, instead of dooming thousands of innocent dogs.

Also, the bill proposes the surrender of the illegal Pits to the humane associations, but provides no funding for the enforcement or care of these animals to the humane associations. We all know these organizations are VERY overworked and undercrowded. This bill essentially shifts the responsibility and manpower to these organizations, and it isn't right. I believe they are taking as someone close to me says, "a shotgun approach, when a rifle would do a better job", approach. I feel this law would only punish the owners that do what they are supposed to in the first place. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't feel this legislation is well thought out at all.

To all of my friends in Tennessee, we can't let this happen. Let's instead push for Dangerous Dog legislation that is enforceable. To find out who your reps are and how to contact them, click HERE.

First Snow

We saw our first snow of the season late yesterday afternoon. Casey and I had some errands to run, so we were out and about when it started to fall. It was that pretty kind of snow; thick and wet that sticks to everything. No matter how old I get, that first now is always exciting. I guess it brings out the little kid in all of us. Casey and I had planned on dropping by the grocery to pick up a few things. When the snow started falling, we decided against it. We just didn't need that kind of crazy to finish our day.

It was snowing hard by the time we got home. We just couldn't wait to let the dogs out in it. Fergie loves the snow. Shiloh, well not so much. Bear was the biggest snow dog. He always loved to plow right through it with his nose to the ground. He was our personal little snow plow. I was curious to see how the puppies would react. It seems that neither rain nor snow stop either of them. It made them both frisky. They really seemed to enjoy themselves. I had really wanted to get pictures of them out in the snow with their sweaters on today, but by bedtime last night all of the snow had turned to rain. Boo! It looks like I'll have to wait until next time. I may not have to wait very long. There are several chances of snow in the forcast for the next week!

Frustration

Casey and I spent the better part of the afternoon yesterday in frustration. Our tub was clogged again! Luckily, everything else was draining. We decided not to wait until everything was overflowing and went ahead and called the plumber for reinforcements. He met us afterwork yesterday. After a few minutes, he came back to say that everything was clear. We took a look at the tub, and there was still water standing in it. He came inside and looked at it. He asked if we had a plunger. He plunged twice and the water started moving. It's nice to know that we're too stupid to do a thrity second job. My new motto before calling the plumber now is: When in doubt, plunge it out!!

Today's Funny

Casey and I went out for lunch today. We just needed a break from work. We ended up at Zaxby's. They have all that stuff on the wall, like a lot of restaurants do. We sat at a booth with an old scan of NY Times advertisements from 1919. We saw an advertisement for "...beautiful, creamy blouses of extreme daintiness". I nearly spit my tea all over the table, when Casey said that sounds like some blocking spell that you would use in Dungeons and Dragons or a role playing game! So, in our lunchtime boredom we started casting spells using our "blouses of extreme daintiness". Yeah, we were bored.

Flowing Freely

Well, the crisis is over. I can now shower, brush my teeth, and other unmentionable things with my very own drainpipes. We waited all day on the plumber. He got held up, because of the nasty, stormy weather that moved through late yesterday afternoon. At 5:30 p.m., I was finally able to use the facilities at my house. It seems that we were clogged in every direction. Oh well, I guess the wait wasn't too bad. I had lots of puppy love to keep me distracted.

Clogged!!

I'm stuck at home today still trying to get the drains unclogged!!! YUCK!! Looks like I may have to call in a plumber after all.

Another Day.....

...older, and hopefully wiser. Unfortunately, I woke up this morning to a clogged kitchen sink. I suppose it's nothing a good plumber can't fix. It was just a crappy way to start out a birthday. I had the feeling that I should have stayed in bed. Luckily, the rest of the day hasn't been bad at all. I've received LOTS of birthday wishes and calls. I also have a pan of homemade toffee bars, courtesy of my good friend Zinia.....YUM!! So, I guess I can't complain. I don't have any real celebration plans for tonight. We're waiting until the weekend to really celebrate. On Saturday, Casey, Mom, and I are going to Mufreesboro to shop and have a birthday meal. We have some gift cards that are burning holes in our pockets. I do think that Casey is making me my requested meal of jambalaya tonight. Right now after the last week and few days off, I'm looking forward to getting home and seeing those, too cute for words, puppies of mine.

Something Fun

Because I'm obviously getting to old to think of anything creative for myself, I've decided to steal this from Jennifer:

1. Do you wear a name tag at work? Sometimes

2. What kind of car do you drive? 2001 Nissan Altima

3. What do you order when you go to Taco Bell? Nacho Bell Grande

4. Have you ever had a garage sale? Nope. That's what E-bay is for

5. What color is your iPod? I don't own an iPod. I HATE headphones. Casey has a shuffle though.

6. What kind of dog do you have? How many lines do I get here? 1 Shepherd mix, 1 Jack Russel/Dachshund mix, 1 Dachshund/Chihuahua mix, and 1 Dachshund/Something mix. I also have 1 spare dog (the neighbor dog, Trixie) that is a Pomeranian mix.

7. What's for dinner tonight? Whatever Casey decides to make.

8. What is the last alcoholic beverage you had? I had a little Bailey's Mint Chocolate in my coffee last Saturday.

9. Stupidest thing you ever did with your cell phone? I can't remember doing anything particularly stupid. I just use it to answer calls.

10. Last time you were sick? Not sure when I was sick, sick, but I threw my back out about this time last January.

11. How long is your hair? Mid back.

12. Are you happy right now? Yes, I suppose. More bored than happy really.

13. What did you say last? 117 days until our cruise!!

14. Who came over last? My mother.

15. Do you drink beer? Nope!

16. Have your brothers or sisters ever told you that you were adopted? Nope.

17. What is your favorite key chain on your keys? My "I Love My Schipperke" chain.

18. What did you get for graduation? A trip to Texas.

19. What's in your pocket? Lint.

20. Who introduced you to Dane Cook? Casey

21. Has someone ever made you a Build-A-Bear? No.

22. What DVD is in your DVD player? It's empty right now, since I sent everything back to Netflix. Before, I had Airwolf, Season 2 in there.

23. What's something fun you did today? Nothing yet, but I am swimming after work.

24. Who is/was the principal of your high school? Mike B.

25. Has your house ever been TP'd? Yep!

26. What do you think of when you hear the word "meow"? Are we out of cat food?!!!

27. What are you listening to right now? Kim reading a news article. Drinking? nothing.

28. What is your favorite aisle at Wal-Mart? The toy aisle with the Star Wars toys, and the pet sections.

29. When is your mom's birthday? July 27

30. When is your birthday? January 9th

31. What's the area code for your cell phone? If you don't know, I ain't telling it here. (Same answer as Jennifer's hehehe!)

32. Where did you buy the shirt you're wearing now? Old Navy.

33. Is there anything hanging from your rear view mirror? My campus parking permit.

34. How many states in the US have you been to? 10, I think.

35. What kind of milk do you drink? I don't drink much milk, but I drink whole when I do.

36. What are you going to do after this? Go home.

37. Who was the last person you went shopping with? Casey

38. What is your favorite fruit? Peaches, strawberries, and pomegranates.

39. What about your favorite dessert? Chocolate chip cookies.

40. What is something you need to go shopping for? I need to start getting stuff ready for the cruise in the future.

41. Do you have the same name as one of your relatives? Yeah. My dad, a cousin, and one of Casey's uncles.

42. What kind of car does one of your siblings drive? A Ford Tarus.

43. Do you like pickles? LOVE them!!

44. How about olives? Love those too!!

45. What is your favorite kind of gum? Eclipse Spearmint and Cinnamon.

46. What is your favorite kind of juice? Stawberry Banana

47. Do you have any tan lines? Yes!!

48. What hospital were you born in? Bedford County General

Leave me a comment, if you decide to play along!!

Sign of Aging

Now, I know that I'm getting old. I realized this morning, with quite a start, that tomorrow is my birthday!!! I REALLY let it sneak up on me this year. I think it probably would have been better, if I had remembered it on Thursday!!

Snow Day....Sort of

Even though we don't have any snow here, we got the afternoon off from work yesterday. On the coldest day of the year, our building didn't have any heat. The thermometers were reading only 40 degrees in some offices on the lower floors. We don't have any heat again today. They are attempting to fix the unit. So I should know around 9:30 or so, whether we'll close early again today. You should have seen us all yesterday, filing out into the parking lot, whooping and hollering just like a bunch of kids let out for a snow day.

This is how I feel today:

How I Spent My Christmas Vacation

I hope that everyone is having a Happy New Year!! Seems like I've been away forever. I'm back in the normal grind now. It's tough to get back to normal after the holidays. I didn't get nearly as much done as I had planned on vacation. BOO!!! BUT....I did catch up on my rest. Casey and I both turned into couch potatoes. I spent most of my vacation sitting on the sofa watching movies. Sitting on the sofa, alone, is unheard of at my house. I have at LEAST two dogs on me at all times. Check it out. They are all made with the cell, BUT HOORAY, I've finally found the camera battery:

I've titled this next one, I Sleep With Dogs! HA!

That's Fergie on the far left, then Shiloh, Shingo, me, and Molly. Oh yeah, and the occasional cat, Biscuit, above me.

We did have a couple of VERY stressful days that turned us into slugs for the rest of the week. Casey didn't feel well right up until Christmas Eve. Thankfully, he felt pretty good afterwards. On Christmas night, my brother started having seizures for unexplained reasons. His CAT scan from the hospital came out clean, so we are still waiting for the doctor's explanation today. It was stressful for several days, because of the confusion that accompanies Grand Mal seizures afterwards. Thankfully, by Thursday he was back to his normal self and feeling much better. Please send prayers this way that everything turns out well for him. It would be greatly appreciated.

Other than that blip, we had a good Christmas and New Year. We got some great stuff and enjoyed visiting with our family and friends. How about yours?