The Animal Faces of Rescue

I came across this link, while reading Puptastic. It's one of the Picture Stories from MSNBC. Click HERE or the picture above to have a look at some of the dogs and other animals rescued during Katrina. It seems obvious to me how much these pets and animals mean to their owners and others in times of crisis. Pets and animals can be such a comfort in times of crisis. Just to stroke an animal has been proven to have a calming effect on blood pressure and many other conditions.

Away for the Weekend

My weekend will officially start after work today. As soon as I finish the kennel, it's fun, fun, fun for me. Casey and I will head out tomorrow to Atlanta, where we'll be attending DragonCon 2005. Yes, I admit it. We ARE "nerds, geeks, dweebs", whatever you want to call it, but this nerd is definitely going to have fun. I plan to spend the weekend submerging myself in all things Star Wars, while nodding politely and waving to the Trekkies. I'm sure that we'll be doing plenty of other things in, while in Atlanta. We have all day tomorrow open, so who knows? I'm going to try to get some Audio Blogger posts on here throughout the weekend. I still have so much to do before we leave. I'm sure that I'll be up late tonight. Thank goodness we are going to take our time leaving in the morning. For now, I'll leave you all with some scenes from my past weekend judging the dog show. Everyone have a great weekend!

Scenes from the dog show

Disaster Relief for the Animals

I see the news broadcasts and feel so helpless. I listened to some horrible audio stories on CNN about the devastation to the affected animals. It makes me feel so frustrated that I can't do more to help. What a nightmare for all of the animal control workers and shelter workers. I'm sure that many of you feel the same way. If you would like to make a donation to help rescue and reunite animals affected by Katrina with their owners, you may do so by clicking the following links. The American Humane Association , The Humane Society of the United States , and the ASPCA have disaster teams in route and stationed in the areas hit by Katrina. You can donate any amount, and every little bit will help.

To make a donation to American Humane's Animal Emergency Services click HERE.

To make a donation to The Humane Society of the United States Disaster Relief Fund click HERE.

To make a donation to the ASPCA's 2005 Disaster Relief Fund click HERE.

Be Prepared

It's really more than just a boy scout motto, you know. We weathered Katrina pretty well in Shelbyville. Thankfully, Katrina wasn't all she was cracked up to be, by the time she got to my house. I'm very thankful for that. All of this has really made me aware that I need some kind of disaster plan for my pets. It really hit home last night, when Casey and I were trying to figure out what to do with the little outside dog next door. We were trying to find a place to put him, where he would be safe from the elements and flying debris. Luckily it didn't get that bad, but it did make me more than uncomfortably aware that I need to formulate a plan. What would happen if something happened to my house while I was at work? Who would get my dogs, cats, and reptiles out? Where would they go, until I could get to them? Where would I go afterwards? Who would catch them if a tree fell into the house, and they were running loose in the neighborhood? The American Humane Association has an online tutorial to help you formulate your own disaster preparedness program. For more information and to design your own plan, click HERE. You can order a "Be Prepared" kit and check card, along with a wallet pet emergency card by clicking HERE.

Also if you love animals, and would like to help shelter or rescue during disasters, you can receive training and be a part of The American Humane Red Star Emergency Services. They are holding volunteer training sessions across the U.S. right now. Click HERE to find information on a training session near you, or to find out when the next one is scheduled.

I was lucky this time. There are many who were not so lucky. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone that has been affected by Katrina. Next time, I will be better prepared. Everyone have a safe and happy day!

The Honorable??

First of all, my thoughts and prayers are with all of those in the path of Katrina. May you stay safe and well.

What a weekend!! It went by so fast that I hardly even noticed it. I took Friday night off from Kindred Spirits, so I could get a little rest. It was a good thing too! I was asleep by 8:30 p.m. I can't remember the last time that I went to bed that early. Saturday was a good day at the kennel. Since I had gotten a lot of my routine stuff throughout the week, I got to be with the dogs a lot more. I took Cash, the big silver lab, out for a walk and some heeling lessons. I also got to take Tipper, Jennie's border collie, over to the little local park. He and I walked over 2 miles on the path, before coming back to cool down under the picnic pavillion. I made several great pics of Tipper to share with you all this week. Every kennel is full. We have big dogs. We have little dogs and every other size in between. The next couple of weeks are going to be really busy.

Yesterday was the Celebration Dog Show. It went really well. I was more than a little nervous, when I arrived. As the show got going, I started to relax. They had twelve classes. They had costume, look-a-like, children 8 yrs. and under, 9 yrs. and over, puppy, women's, men's, obedience, and several others. The show had nearly 500 entries!! I couldn't believe that it was so big. Some of the classes had over 30 entries. One of my favorite classes was the trick class. We had a smaller class, so it was a lot easier to judge. The winner was a blue heeler and his little buddy that was a yorkie. The heeler led the yorkie around on a leash. He then put the yorkie in a sit. Then, he went around and collected everyone's trash and put it in the trash can. At the end, he went and got a rose in his mouth and presented it to me. What a cute little pair of dogs!! I really did enjoy myself. It was crazy to hear myself announced as "The honorable judge Richardson." I tried to judge fairly with the knowledge that I have. I think most everyone went away happy. There was even one schipperke there in the puppy class. Oh so cute! Let me tell you, that puppy class was way to cute! There was also the cutest and tiniest little chihuahua. I did get a lot of pictures, but it zapped my camera battery. So, it's at home charging today. I'll have them up for you all tomorrow.

Today will be pretty busy work wise. It's the first day of the fall semester, so I expect that it will get pretty crazy. So you all hang in there with me for the next couple of days. It may get hairy here because of the weather. Hurricane Katrina is supposed to barrel through Tennessee at tropical storm force. We are expecting bad storms and high winds. They tell us to expect power outages as well. What a week! Everyone hang in there and have a great day!

Working Like a Dog

Whew!! I'm really glad that it's Friday. I've been pulling double duty all this week. I've been working at the library and at Kindred Spirits all week. I really haven't minded it at all, but I am definitely starting to get tired. I have to admit that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is getting weak at this point. I've enjoyed getting to spend the afternoons with all of the dogs. It's a really good way to unwind from the day. Wednesday afternoon, I took Bear with me. He got to run around and play in the small play yard. After I was finished with the afternoon feeding, I went out and we played ball. He was so funny running around with his little tailess butt. He got all of his playing out. He slept on the ride back home, and that's something he NEVER does. We've not had many other dogs this week, so I've really tried to spend good quality time with the boarders. We've played ball and frisbee everyday. It's amazing how little it takes to make a dog really happy. It's so unconditional.

Last night, I spent my time finishing the deep clean that I had started this past Saturday. This consisted of cleaning the play yards, cleaning the kennel gates and top dividers, and really giving the kennel room a good, disenfecting mop. My back and hands are really feeling it today too. It's a good thing I got finished, because we have every kennel booked for the next two weeks. Then my time will be spent on baths, training, and lots of laundry!! There's never a dull day or the same day twice there. We'll see what there is to do tomorrow.

Sunday is the day that I'll be doing my dog show judging stint. I talked with the organizer, and I think they have about nine classes scheduled. There will be a kids costume class, and adult's costume, ladies class, gentlemen's class, and a best in show that I know of right now. I hope that I place everyone well, and most people are happy with my choices. I've got a couple of people that are going with me, so I should be able to get some good pics to post here next week. I'm going to try to be better about getting pics posted, but I just haven't made any lately. Everyone cross their fingers and wish me luck! I hope that everyone has a great weekend!!

Thank You!

Thanks to everyone who did blog posts of their own, e-mailed, signed the petition, and commented on yesterday's post. A very special thanks to Brittany at Nasvhille Is Talking, for picking up this information and posting it for all of middle Tennessee to read!! It is really appreciated. I just checked the petition this morning. The signatures now number over 4,000! What a difference a day can make. This story is making big news. I've had many people e-mail me and tell me of incidents that took place like this in their own towns. The scary part is this: a lot of these people they were telling me about were later arrested for commiting heinous crimes against humans. This is a big warning sign folks. There is DEFINITELY a connection between animal cruelty and violent crime. It's time elected officials took notice of this. For more information about the link between animal abuse and crime, visit the The American Humane Association's web site or click HERE. Again, thanks to everyone for all of your help. Hopefully, we can see to it that these dogs did not die in vain.

We NEED To Do Something About This!!!!

I received this information in my Petwarmers list this morning. This is absolutely horrible!! Since Chrissy lives in Texas, maybe she can shed some more light on this. My thanks to Kathleen for her permission to post this!

A TEXAS TRAGEDY

by Kathleene S. Baker

A horrible atrocity has been committed in Texas.

Please brace yourselves before reading further. However, being Petwarmer members and pet lovers, I feel you must be informed.

Hopefully, if enough of us join together, we will create a force to be reckoned with. A tragedy of this magnitude must be prevented from happening again ­- EVER! ANYWHERE!

In Jourdanton, Texas, on or about July 11, a City Supervisor ordered two employees to cage and drown the dogs in their animal control facilities. For this to happen in water is beyond imagination, but these unfortunate animals were drowned at the sewer plant -- in sewage!

Sadly, a young child witnessed this from a distance. Can you imagine how helpless he felt, or the visions that will remain with him? They will be visions of a nightmare that took place before his very eyes in broad daylight -- visions of man¹s best friend suffering a terrible fate. And more than likely, he will forever remember the fearful, desperate sound -- those of screaming and yelping dogs as they fought to live.

The City Manager did his best to sweep this nasty event under the carpet, and when approached about it, he wrote a simple reprimand to the Supervisor. Nothing more. Only a reprimand for torturing animals -- when there are laws against it.

It truly boggles the mind and breaks my heart! Not to mention, taxpayers shell out money to pay wages for people of this caliber.

I thank each and every one of you in advance for signing the petition. We cannot allow things of this nature to take place, and especially with no consequences for those involved. Why do we have laws, if they are not to be enforced?

When you give your pets hugs and kisses this evening, please remember the dogs that suffered a tragic, terrifying death at the hands of two heartless, evil human beings.

-- Kathleene S. Baker

___________________________________________

You can learn the details of this story by going to the Google search engine at: http://www.google.com and typing in the words, "Jourdanton Dog Drownings". A list of sites with stories will pop up.You can also help tremendously by signing the petition:

HERE

It's the people like this that I try to stop. It just makes me sooooo mad!! What idiots! I hope that you all will join with me by signing the petition. Let's all just flood their e-mail boxes and give them LOTS of bad publicity! If you would like to e-mail Kathleen drop me an e-mail, and I'll get her address to you.

Frisbee Anyone?

I'm working some extra evening time over at Kindred Spirits this week. Jennie's busy with the new house and floors, so I volunteered to do the afternoon feedings. It's been pretty quiet this week. We only have a couple of dogs in for now but by the weekend, we look to be pretty booked. Last Saturday, after all of the work was done, I decided to take Jennie's border collie, Tipper, out to play. The heat was pretty intense, but he wanted to play so badly. I decided that we'd head out for about 15 minutes. I figured that was all he or I could take. Anyway, we headed out to the big play yard for a game of frisbee. Tipper has had a lot of training. He's received his AKC Good Citizen certification, and he's had intensive agility training. We always use him as a demo dog, when we do group obedience classes. Also, Tipper's got a ball drive that won't quit. Anyway, we got out there finally and began to play. Tipper was just so happy. He looked like one of those championship Frisbee dogs! We both had so much fun! His form was quite good. I accidentally sailed the frisbee over the fence once, and Tipper seriously considered climbing the 7 ft. fence to get it. Anyway, after a few minutes in the heat, we were both ready to get cooled off. I promised him that we would play again soon. Yesterday presented the perfect opportunity to have another game. I think that our cool front finally came through, and it was decent enough by around 6:30 last night. As soon as I had everyone feed, Tipper and I headed back outside with the frisbee. He was even more impressive yesterday! It was cool enough that his energy level was very high. We continued our game for about 30 minutes yesterday. I decided to play as long as he wanted. He finally let me know it was time to rest by dropping his frisbee in the water bucket. We headed back inside to get him settled for the night. Needles to say, I had a very happy dog on my hands. I'm hoping to get some pictures of Tipper in action this week. I even have feature to make some little Quicktime movies. If I can figure out how to post those for you all, I will. Anybody know how to do that? I'm hoping to take him out every afternoon this week, if the weather permits. I guess you all can tell that I'd do this, even if I wasn't getting paid...(just kidding Jennie...wink, wink)! Everyone have a great day!

I'll Just Pencil You In

I had a great weekend! The week has started out on an exciting note too. I can jot one more thing to look forward to down on my list. My fall is looking like I'm going to be a busy girl indeed. I guess it will officially start next Sunday. That's the day, I found out, that I'll be judging the Celebration Dog Show. The organizer told me that it will involve judging six to eight classes. Afterwards, the whilwind ride of my fall will begin here's a list of the events that I'm looking forward to the most:

Sept. 3-5, 2005 - DragonCon-SciFi/Fanatasy multimedia convention. - Atlanta, Georgia - Yes, where the true geek in me comes alive. I'm going to be doing the StarWars track of course. Casey and I were planning on being in Atlanta that weekend anyway for his birthday. We figured we'd drop in and have some fun.

Sept. 27, 2005 - The Outlander series sixth installment, A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, is finally released!! Whoopee!! I thought the wait would never end. It's my favorite series of books EVER!! If you are looking for a great read, I highly recommend them.

Sept. 29, 2005 - Book signing by Diana Gabaldon at Davis Kidd Booksellers in Nashville!! I'll be there in line with my book hot of the press! I can't wait to meet her! Kim and I will definitely be hotfooting it to Nashville that day.

Oct. 15-16, 2005 - My friend, Melissa, that moved to Ohio in June, will be here for the weekend. We are planning on going the Tennessee Titans game.

Oct. 23, 2005 - The Moody Blues at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. They are doing a special show for the celebration of the tribute album that was done for them. The album was called Moody Bluegrass. A wonderful album of all Moodies songs done by some of the top names in Bluegrass music. The Moodies themselves will be at this show performing with the bluegrass lineup!! I can't wait!

Oct. 29, 2005 - The Moody Blues at the Aronoff Theatre in Cincinatti, OH! I'm making the trip up to stay with and go to the Moodies show with Melissa! We are gonna have so much fun!! This is just one of their regular concerts on their tour.

Nov. 1, 2005 - The release of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on DVD, not to mention the re-release of the dark chocolate M&M's. Absolutely delicious!! Also the release of the new book Star Wars Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader. This book tells what happens between Episodes III and IV. I'm betting a pretty good read.

I'm going to be such a tired, happy, broke girl!! It's good that I've bought the dogs their greenies in bulk! I've got so much to look forward to. It just makes my head spin! Have a great day!

What Have I Forgotten?

Have you ever had one of those days that when you get up you are already out of sorts? I believe my mother used to say, ...got up on the wrong side of the bed?" I'm not in a bad mood, but I'm uber nervous today. I'm all discombobulated (or however it's spelled) and very nervous. The thing is, I have no idea why. I went over my mental list before I left today. Nope, didn't forget anything. Got my watch. Brushed my teeth. What could it possibly be? Is there some deadline or major thing that I was supposed to have gotten done? If there was, I certainly can't think of it. I can't really think of anything that should be stressing me out. I haven't slept very well this past week. I've been restless and unable to relax. Maybe this is just a manifestation of the past week. I guess it could be because I'm not really on my regular schedule. Maybe I'm getting too much caffeine. I've been really drinking a lot of coffee lately. By a lot, I mean that I'm having more than my usual weekend cup. I feel like I could swim about a billion laps right now. Hopefully, I'll settle down in a bit. Maybe I'll put on some music. That usually seems to help. I think I need a walk as badly as Bear does this week. It's been rainy most all week in the afternoons, and when it hasn't been raining, it's been TOO hot to get out. I miss it. He misses it. We're both antsy. Hopefully, I can put an end to that today.

There's just not a whole lot going on for the weekend. Casey's last shift at the game store is Saturday. Because it's inventory weekend, he'll work most of the night Saturday night. I'm not sure what we'll get into Sunday. We may come over to campus and spend some time at the pool. I'd really like to get to the movies this weekend. The drive in is out because of Casey's work schedule, so we'll have to do matinees this go round. There are several movies that I'd really like to see before they are gone. Tomorrow is Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department's Dog Days of Summer . I attended last year and really had a great time and won some great prizes. Jennie said that I can take a couple hours off tomorrow and go if I want. I'd really like to take Bear. I'm not sure if I'll go, since gas is so high. I hate to make an extra trip that far in, when it's not necessary. We'll see. Wow, this post is quite disjointed isn't it?

Now that I've rambled for quite a while, I'll give you all an interesting doggie tidbit.

John Walker

Dogs are not only allowed into the Bau House Cafe in Seoul, they are encouraged to make themselves at home.

There's a cool dog friendly cafe in Seoul, South Korea. Dogs, cats, and their owners are all welcome at this cafe. If you're out shopping and would like for your dog to have some refreshment, you can leave him here. Click HERE to hear the full story and see a slide show on NPR.

Everyone have a great weekend!

Is That A Knock? Oh, Hello Opportunity!!

What a long week this has been. I usually feel this way, when my work schedule has been rearranged. Everything has been going normally at work. It's been a bit slow though, since no one is on campus right now. Casey is working out his last few days at the game shop this week. He'd really like to keep it, but the way the schedule is running between that job and his full time job, he's had two days off in the past month! He's bordering on exhaustion.

I got a call from Jennie at Kindred Spirits late yesterday afternoon. Every year during the Celebration (Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration), the organizers put on a dog show. Now, this isn't like an AKC event. They have little contests and talent things like we did at Celebration Pet Day. Anyway, the organizer called Jennie and wanted Kindred Spirits to judge the competition. Jennie, who is right in the middle of building a house and running a business, just didn't feel that she could get free to judge. So, she called me and asked me if I'd like to go judge and to represent Kindred Spirits. I agreed. It sounds like it will be fun. It's the kind of thing that I would usually go and do anyway. So, on August 27th, I'll be judging the Celebration Dog Show for a couple of hours. I don't have all of the details yet. Jennie was going to contact the coordinator to find out all of the details and what time that I'll need to be there. I'm actually looking forward to it. I'm sure that I'll take my camera. Surely, I'll be able to get some really good shots there. I'll keep you all posted on all of the details.

Now in the spirit of dogs....I'm not guilty of any of this.....really?!!!!

How Do You Know When You Have Too Many Dogs

1. When you have more grass in your driveway than in your backyard.

2. When your neighbors find ANY dog running loose and automatically bring it to your house.

3. When you want to watch TV and you have to sit on the floor because all of the furniture is "occupied".

4. When it takes you longer to wash your dogs' dishes than your own.

5. When you have to use a wash tub for a water dish.

6. When you have to run an obstacle course to get to the phone.

7. When you see one of your dogs doing something bad (like chewing something up or leaving a "dog deposit" on the rug) and you have to run through the entire list of dogs' names in order t o yell at the right one and by then it is too late.

8. When the hazmat team comes to your house on trash day to handle the "deposits" that you have placed in your trash can.

9. When you have all of your dogs in the back seat of your car and it automatically changes lanes when they move to the other side of the car.

10. When you NEVER go anywhere for a vacation because it costs more to kennel your dogs than to go to Hawaii.

11. When you have an extension on your king-sized bed so you all fit.

12. When Iams/Eukanuba makes home deliveries.

13. When you move your bedroom into the garage and put a king and queen sized bed together so all of your dogs can sleep with you.

14. When you can't remember all of your dogs' names and just call them by colors.... ' little black dog'.

15. When you take your dogs for a run in the park and people think it is a dog show. [more like a 3-ring circus!!!]

Everyone have a great day!

Bow Wow, Bow Wow!!

I just knew it all along!! For years, people have been convinced that it's not the actual words that dogs understand, but it's the tone used. It seems that researchers are finding this false, and dogs DO understand what we are saying to them. I discovered this reading an article at MSNBC. I surely could have told everyone this. Vocal commands are the basis of obedience training. At the kennel, we use different worded commands for the behavior that we want. The dogs understand us and perform the command. Also at home, it always seems they understand what I'm saying to them. I just knew it! For the full story and information, click HERE.

Manuela Hartling / ReutersBorder collie Rico, who can fetch at least 200 objects by name, retrieves a Pokemon toy June 10 in Berlin. Rico can figure out which objects his owner wants even if he has never heard the word before.Border collie Rico, who can fetch at least 200 objects by name, retrieves a Pokemon toy June 10 in Berlin. Rico can figure out which objects his owner wants even if he has never heard the word before.

Such a great article! Everyone have a great day!

Barking for the World's Record and Local Fundraisers

This past Saturday, over 100 dogs gathered in a local park in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Their purpose was to raise funds for the LaCrosse Humane Society and set the world's record for the loudest bark. Interesting idea, I think. They accomplished their goal. To read the full story in The LaCrosse Tribune click HERE.

Speaking of local fundraisers, The Nashville Humane Association is hosting ANIPALooZA this weekend. All of the proceeds benefit the humane association. Here's the pertinent information from an e-mail:

Come to ANIPALOOZA, The Summer's Hottest Bash, this Saturday and:

LAP UP...exotic cocktails at the open bar

CHOW DOWN...gourmet hors d'oeuvres from Nashville's biggest caterer

WAG YOUR TAIL...to the live '70's Funk & Soul Groover of "DELICIOUS"

BEG FOR A TREAT...at the Silent Auction (over $15,000 worth of goodies from Nashville's top shops and restaurants)

MAKE A CANINE CONNECTION...with doggie speed dating

LAST CHANCE TO SAVE $15 OFF ADMISSION – CLICK HERE!

100% of proceeds benefit the Nashville Humane Association

When:

Saturday, August 20th - 7 p.m.

Where:

Nashville Humane Association Courtyard

213 Oceola Avenue (directly behind Sprintz on White Bridge Road)

Price: $50 in advance, $65 at the door (includes bar, hors d'oeuvres & valet parking)

Maybe I'll see some of you all there! Everyone have a great day!

Cat Hackers?

Here's an interesting tidbit that Lindsey sent to me. Are you having trouble with cat hackers getting into your computer? While you're away, the cats play, or download, or surf the web? Well, now there's special software designed to solve your problem. It's called PawSense. This software says it will protect your computer from the harm that cats can do by walking on your keyboard. It detects "cat-like typing" on your keyboard and stops the problem. Here's a blurb from the site.

When cats walk or climb on your keyboard, they can enter random commands and data, damage your files, and even crash your computer. This can happen whether you are near the computer or have suddenly been called away from it. PawSense is a software utility that helps protect your computer from cats. It quickly detects and blocks cat typing, and also helps train your cat to stay off the computer keyboard.

Go and check out their webpage HERE. Thanks Lindsey for the "paws" up!

I had a lovely weekend. I didn't get around to doing much of anything, but that's o.k. Sometimes, that a good change. I worked a half a day at the kennel on Saturday. Afterwards, Casey and I just lazed around. He gamed, while I either read or napped. Casey grilled steaks that night, and we had dinner with my mother and brother. Yesterday I managed to get a long day in at the pool, so I'm happy about that. Not a whole lot on the agenda this week. This is Casey's last week at the game place, and they are taking advantage of all of his spare moments. He works every night but two! I'm sure that he'll be glad, when this week is over. Everyone have a great day!

Furry Friday Findings

Wow!! It's finally Friday. I can't believe how fast this week's flown by! I'm actually getting the next few Saturdays off. Summer classes are over, and there's nothing going on until fall classes start. I've swapped my day around at Kindred Spirits, so I'll be working for a while there on Saturdays for the next few weeks.

I have several animal related tidbits for you all today. The first is a new blog that I've added to my blogroll. It's called Amazing Felines. There's all kinds of good cat and kitten information there. Everyone go on over and say "hi" to Katharina!

I found a really uplifting article about pet custody this morning. I found it on MSN. It's about a couple that decided to share custody of their dogs and cats, and actually had it written in the divorce settlement. They have such a unique arrangement. It's an interesting read. For the full story click HERE. Now, if only people could have such good arrangements for children.

I hope that everyone has a great weekend! Maybe I'll actually get around to doing an AudioBlogger post. We'll see! TAH!

Furry Delivery

Check out this amazing kitten story from MSNBC. Seems some kittens got mailed several states away by accident and are doing fine. Click HERE to read the whole story.

I've finally managed to get my camera here with me today. So here's some of those pictures that I promised. On my way home from work Saturday, I, unfortunately, ran into some inclement weather. I ended up pulling off on the side of the road four times on my way home. I definitely wasn't the only one. It was some much needed rain for our area. It's been VERY hot with little to no rain. We are not even mowing our front yard this week. It's all dry and crunchy! Wouldn't you know that not a drop fell where I live. While I was on the side of the road waiting for the storm to pass, I called Casey, knowing it was just as bad there. Nope! The sun was shining at home. After an hour and a half and four stops, I finally made it home.

The view out of my driver's side window.

The view out the passenger window. You can tell which direction the wind was blowing!

The view out of the front windsheild.

The windsheild wipers were totally useless in this storm.

Just the usual going on today, so I'd better get to it. Everyone have a great day!

Doggie Bones

Quite a few bits in doggie news today.

On August 15th, Animal Planet launches a new show called K9 Karma. Hosts, Kari Harendorf and her husky mix, Charlie teach the newest human/doggie yoga moves. The show airs weekdays at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. E.S.T. For more information click the picture above or click HERE

Scoped this out at MSNBC this morning. Britain's having a dognapping problem. Seems there's a huge problem with pet owners being "held up". People are being held up at gun point for their pets even. They say that the number of missing pets in Britain is around 50,000!! Too scary. I can't even imagine the thought of someone doing that to me. For the whole story click HERE.

Everyone have a great day!

Catching Up

My weekend was pretty ordinary and uneventful. On the way home Saturday, I did get caught in one of the more violent storms that moved through the area. My usual thrity-five minute trip home took me an hour and a half! I ended up pulling over four times. It rained so hard for so long, that I whipped out the camera and started taking pictures. I had meant to get them posted today, but my camera battery died. So, it is at home charging today. I'll have them up tomorrow. Sunday I managed to get to the pool and get laps done. I also managed to get some more play in on the X-Box, so I was happy. Yesterday, I got my day in at the kennel. There was a lot of outside work to do, so I spent most of yesterday outside. There's not a lot going on today. It's been kind routine and boring in my life lately. I have to admit, it's a welcome period too. So here's a little something more interesting for your reading pleasure. This is another story about dogs and music. Seems that music has been proven to really "sooth the savage beast". Cool little artical on MSNBC. Click HERE to read more.

Doggie Paddling

It's the weekend finally! I think a lot about swimming, as you all know, during the summer. I can't believe this story that I came across, while I was surfing the web this morning.

Photo and story from MSNBC.com

It's a story about Jake. Jake is the first dog (a Golden Retriever) to swim from Alcatraz to the San Francisco shoreline in history. He swam the WHOLE thing with 500 other competitors, along with his owner. Not only did he finish the swim, but he placed 72nd!! Waaaaaaay to go Jake! I wish I could doggie paddle that good. Click HERE to read the full story on MSNBC and see the video coverage!

Not a real busy day today. I managed to get a lot of stuff done during the week. I got caught up with the laundry, got the house cleaned, and got Bear out for his walk most nights. I've also been busy learning how to play Casey's new X-Box. That thing definitely makes me feel old and uncoordinated. I am getting better now. I'm playing Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. I'm playing the Padawan level, which makes it a great game to learn to play. I hate to admit it, but I am getting addicted to the thing. Casey's been busy playing Halo and Halo 2. Between the two of us, we've been keeping the X-Box hot. Not a lot planned for the weekend. Casey has to work at the game place ALL weekend. I'm not sure if we'll make the drive-in tonight or not. A lot depends on the weather and how Casey feels this afternoon. I'm planning to get by the pool again today. I did managed to drag my lazy self over there yesterday. I got quite a few kickboard laps in, but it took forever to get a lane. I'll be back at the kennel working on Monday. It will be nice to see what dogs are there this week. I really do miss it, when I'm away. I hope that everyone has a GREAT weekend!

"Feline" Humorous Today

A friend of mine came over and gave me link to a GREAT website today. If you need a lift, or just something to make you smile, Stuff On My Cat is the place for you. People download pictures of their cats wearing various things, doing various thing, and in various situations. It's hysterical!! I laughed for a long time just looking at the different "cat"egories! You can even submit your own pictures to be submitted for the site. Too cool!! Below is just one example of their offerings. It is entitled: Brilliant.

Click HERE to go to the website. Everyone have a happy Friday!

Can I Get A Hallalujah!!

Really cool. I heard on NPR that a church in Virginia is allowing members to bring their pets to the weekly service with them. A really interesting thought, I think. I guess that it could make for a VERY interesting service at times and not because of the sermon. Still, I have to admit that it is an appealing idea to me. To hear or read the whole story, click here.

Pretty normal day today. NOTHING at all going on. Sorry to be rather boring, but it has just been so routine this week. Hopefully, I'll be more interesting soon! Everyone have a great day!

Music Appreciation

Share a tune or two with your pooch. Check out this album of tunes just for your favorite canine friend. Click here to read more about it and to hear three songs for yourself. I think that my group would just go CRAZY for Squeakey Deakey. They just love squeakey toys!

Pet Accessories Equal BIG Deals

The big pop culture companies are betting pet owners will buy eye catching fashions and accessories for their pets. Deals are in the works with media moguls from FOX, Nickelodeon, and many others. There are deals pending for pet items such as sweaters, water bowls, leashes, tags, and other pet supplies bearing images of The Simpsons, Spongebob Squarepants, and Clifforford The Big Red Dog to name a few. I'm just not quite sure how Bear would look wearing a sweater with either Spongebob or Homer Simpson on it. I CAN picture him with something that has Bart Simpson on it saying, "I'll eat YOUR shorts man!" or something of that nature. To read the full story click HERE. Everyone have a great day!

Nashville Links Up!!

Whoohoo!! I just made the discovery that Nashville Is Talking has listed Richardson Zoo on its site! Hopefully, I can help to impact the homeless animal cause with more exposure. This site is hosted in part by a local news station and helps to link all of the Nashville area bloggers together, along with local current events. They are also linked to post my updates in their sidebar. Oh the pressure! To see the posting yourself go to: Nashville Is Talking and look for the August 1st post: Brand Spankin' New Blogs.

Lounging By the Pool

Casey and I had a wonderful weekend. Casey had to work at the game place on Saturday, so I spent the afternoon over at the pool. Even though it was really hot on Saturday, there weren't a lot of people at the pool. Hard to believe, but the swimming laps were all open. I managed to get all of my kickboard laps done and was able to relax too. The water was near perfect. Casey had Sunday off (his first day off in 15 days). Since he was planning to hook the new X-Box up, I hadn't planned anything for us to do. I figured that he would just want to sit around and chill. Boy was I wrong. He was hyper to do something. I suggested more swimming off of the top of my head. He absolutely jumped on it. So, we got our suits on and headed out. We didn't leave the pool until closing time. After an entire weekend of swimming, I'm wondering what took me so long to get back to the pool this year. I'm already planning on getting over there tomorrow afternoon and this weekend.

Yesterday, I took Mom in for her regular doctor's checkup. He said that everything looked good and did the usual bloodwork. After her appointment, I took her out for a nice belated birthday lunch. We went by the mall and did a little shopping too. We spent the rest of the day running around Nashville in the heat doing errands. I had saved up all of the little things to do in one trip. We didn't get home until after 5 p.m., and I was totally exhausted.

Not much going on today. I'm just trying to get odds and ends cleaned up. I have some pictures to post, but I'm charging my camera battery. Hopefully, I'll have updates in a couple of days. Everyone have a good day!

Weekends Are Wonderful

I've been so busy today that the day has just flown by!! Casey and I enjoyed our swimming so much yesterday afternoon. I've decided to go back again this afternoon. We've both decided to try to just chill out this weekend. We are going to spend the night at home tonight. Casey's getting a new X-Box this afternoon. We'll probably spend all night playing Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic. I'm not very talented with video game controls, but since this game is turn fighting, I'll even be able to play. I'm really looking forward to it. Bear will get his daily walk in today. The weather has turned out really nice the past couple of days, so the walks are enjoyable again. Last week it was so hot, that he would get outside and just sit down. Sunday is a free day too. We don't have any plans. Mom's decided that instead of lunch tomorrow, she would like to eat in Nashville after her appointment on Monday. So, we'll just hang around the house and rest tomorrow. That's about the long and short of it for me. I hope that everyone has a great weekend!

Pool Bound!!

Woohooo!! After an entire summer spent trying to get there, today, I'm finally going to the pool.

After going 3 times a week last year, I can't believe I've been so lax this summer. I guess I've just been so busy with other things, but I'll be hoping on out here this afternoon to laze around and bake my flesh! I do hope that the dogs will forgive me for getting home later than usual! I plan to really give that kickboard the whatfor today. That wondermous cold front did finally come through, and the weather is absolutely fabulous. It's still in the upper 80's but the humidity monster finally took a hike. I'm just so happy and hyper today. Going to the pool just has that effect on me. Also on Sunday, Casey and I are finally putting up a little above ground pool of our very own. We finally caved and got one of those EasySet Pools, so we aren't required to have any real skill. We got the 18' model. I just hope that we can find a spot in the yard that is fairly level. If not, I guess I'll just buy a rope and have a "shallow end" and a "deep end".

I'm also happy because of some Moody Blues news. As you all know, The Moody Blues are my very favorite band in the whole world, and that Justin Hayward is my favorite singer. I found out that they are going to perform 2 shows close enough for me to attend!! One is right in my backyard in Nashville. The other is in Cincinnati, OH. That show is a double bonus, because I get to visit with Melissa, who just moved back there. Both of us are already happily making plans for that weekend in October. Because of the Moodies show, I'll get to visit with her twice in October. She's coming home for a visit in the middle of October. I can hardly wait. Visiting with friends and two whole weekends of Moody Blues music! The week after that Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is released on DVD. That way I can enjoy my little obession in the privacy of my own home. Yes indeedy!! The future is looking good!! Everyone have a great afternoon!

Still So Sleepy

It seems this week that no matter how much sleep I get, I still need more. These past two weeks have been such a whirlwind. Casey and I have been so busy that the time has just flown by. There are so many phone calls that I need to return and so much stuff that needs to get done. All of that has taken a back seat to the ever powerful nap. It's irritating really. There are times that I just want to sit down and read. I get started and read a few pages, but soon my head is nodding and my eyes are drooping. I just find myself sitting there staring at the page. Hopefully this weekend will bring some much needed rest.

I got busy with projects yesterday and didn't get around to making a real post. I had meant to post that yesterday was my Mom's birthday. We didn't do much celebrating on a week night. We all had a nice dinner at home. This weekend, we plan to take her out for a really nice meal and a shopping trip. She's been a little bit under the weather, so waiting until the weekend to celebrate is just fine with her. I just have to say, that I think I have the very best Mom in the whole world. We've always gotten along so well. Right now, she's trying to decide if she wants to shop on Sunday or if she wants to wait until Monday. On Monday, we do her regular three month checkup with her primary doctor. Since we have to go into Nashville, it's a great opportunity to shop. By the way, a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Today holds the promise of another busy day. I have several work projects that I need to get done. At least the heat wave has come to a temporary end. We are expected to have a high in the low 80's today, instead of the triple digits. It is a more than welcome relief. Casey's only too thankful for the break too!

I stumbled onto a great little slideshow at MSNBC this morning. It's called Animal Tracks . It's a funny little slideshow of animal pictures. You can even subscribe to the little newsletter, so you can get periodic updates. Some of the pictures are absolutely hysterical. Go to the MSNBC homepage. Scroll down until you see the image that I've posted here. Click the image and away you go!! Enjoy! Everyone have a great day!

Why I Do What I Do

"There is no one on earth more deserving of help than a good old dog who has given its heart and soul to its family and then lost its home." -Annie Simon

A GREAT statement that sums it all up for me. The same applies to cats for me as well. Just something to think about.

ASPCA Launches A New Look

The ASPCA launches its newly redesigned website today. It has really cool personalized features. You can track your progress in their action campaigns and even keep up with your donations. If you are not already a member, you can sign up. Everyone click HERE or the picture above to have a look.

Couch-O-Rama

This weekend was busy!! It was go, go, go nonstop and hotter than Hades!! I'm ready for the heat wave to just give it up! Casey and I did just chill on Saturday night. As a matter of fact, we were both so exhausted that we were taking a nice, long nap by 5:30 p.m. We managed to pull ourselves up around 8:00 p.m. and scrounge up some dinner. We decided just to rest and take it easy on Saturday night, since we knew Sunday was going to be a busy day. We got up Sunday morning and after some breakfast started to move furniture around. We got the full pie safe moved out of the way into the kitchen. We also got the old sofa moved out and stored in the garage. I wish that we could've just taken it to the trash center, but we didn't have morning access to a truck, so we just have to wait for the city pick up day. I did mean to tell you all that we ended up buying both of the sofas (they match). Casey said that he wanted one to lounge on all his own. After we got the furniture all moved out of the way, I started vacuuming all of that long, lost forgotten junk up out of the floor. I also cleaned the carpet too. We managed to get the sofas picked up in M'Boro and back to Shelbyville without any trouble. It took quite a bit of manuevering to get them through the front door though (we had to take the front door off of the hinges). If they'd been an inch bigger, it wouldn't have worked. Even so, it took a good bit of trying to get them in the house. I had the dogs penned in the back part of the hall and house by using a baby gate. Both Bear and Fergie managed to escape and get out of the front door. Fergie just ran around to the back door to be let in the front part of the house. Bear ran out just as Casey and our neighbor Grady got the second sofa part way in the door. I heard Casey make the comment, "Forget the couch, catch the dog!!!" Luckily, Grady's wife, Tammy, was standing there. Bear being the social butterfly he is, just had to stop and visit. So, Tammy just grabbed him and kept him there. I was SO glad. I could have ended up chasing him through the neighborhood in the 100 degree heat! Fergie is well trained with her "come" command, but Bear is just starting to be trained. It is in instances just like that that it really comes in handy. I'm able to stop Fergie cold, just by using my voice. Anyway after the dog recapture, we finally managed to get them both inside. Casey and I got all of the furniture back in place. We ended up redesigning the living room a little, but we decided it looked better and gave us more space. I'm very pleased overall. I'm going to make pictures tonight to post. We are also enjoying having a lot of stretch out room too! After we grabbed a bite to eat, Casey went in to work.

Yesterday was busy as well. I worked a long day at the kennel. Jennie is busy with the final stages of her house building, so I stayed and took care of the kennel for her. It wasn't a busy day, so I could really take my time on everything. We had some of the cutest dogs there. We had a fiesty little Papillon named Taz, a speckled Cocker Spaniel puppy named Freckles, and a tiny (probably only 2 pounds) Yorkshire Terrier named Shiloh. Both Freckles and Shiloh were there for training. They were so cute doing their little "sit stays", "downs", and "places". I couldn't help but giggle at them. You could tell Freckles "down", and it looked like someone had flattened him to the floor. It was just so funny! It was too hot yesterday afternoon to let the little dogs out in the play yard, so I just let them out to play in the training room. Taz and I really had a good bout of playing. It's not often that we get the toy dogs, and I really enjoy having time to spend with them.

There's not much on the agenda today. My goal is to keep Casey from having heat stroke. His new job requires him to be out in this heat for about 6 hours everyday. We have heat warnings out. Our heat index yesterday was around 108 degrees! I think our actual temp was around 98. The air is still thick with humidity. You only have to be out a couple of minutes to be completely soaked. I gotta run get some work done. I hope everyone has a fabulous day!

Chocked Full of Busy

I feel like I'm just dangling out there in the wind today. Last night was busy just like Thursday night. I worked, got the shelter done, and then went grocery shopping. I had dropped Casey off at his game store job on the way home from work. We had the most spectacular electrical storms last night. The lightning was just awesome. I'm usually not one for storms, but these didn't seem destructive, so I tried to enjoy. I was just glad for the break from the oppressive heat. The storms came in 2 waves. The first one lasted about 15 minutes. I quickly took the chance during the break to get the dogs out for the night one last time. It was about 9:30 p.m. I bopped outside, thinking it would be cool and refreshing. I was wrong. The air was so thick and heavy, you could cut it with a knife. You could just feel yourself walking through the humidity. I felt the mosquitos swarming and the damp air coil itself around my body. I'm telling ya, it was just ICK!! The dogs were panting in just minutes. I checked the temperature when I got inside. It was still nearly 90 degrees. I've changed my mind. I think I liked the dry weather we were having before. I guess it just goes to prove that we are never satisfied. The second wave of storms moved through around 10:30. Casey was supposed to close the store at 10:00, and the power went out. He had to wait to close out until the servers came back up online. He had a good wait. He called and told me to wait for a while to pick him up. It was probably about 11:30 p.m., when we finally got home and after midnight, when we finally got in bed.

I feel something akin to a zombie this morning. I guess that I'm just getting past the point of being able to pull off things like that. I'm trying every little trick to stay awake. Right now, I'm listening to the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith soundtrack. I discovered a site online, where you can listen to the whole album. Click here, if you want to have a listen. Lots of great stuff by John Williams. I have the actual CD at home. It came along with a 70 minute DVD that features clips and music from all 6 episodes. Really good. I've put in a lot of extra time at the main job this week, so I'm going to leave early today. I'm headed for home and a nap early this afternoon. We were going to try to go to the drive-in tonight, but we are both so tired we are going to stay home and rest. I doubt that I can make it until 1:30 a.m. this week. Casey's been working both jobs and hasn't had a day off yet, so I know he's too tired. We are going to be busy tomorrow bringing the new sofa home. We have some cleaning and moving around to do. Monday, I'll be back at the kennel and the regular routine. Hopefully, next week won't be so busy. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

You'll Never Catch Me Copper!!

Got this funny little story at MSNBC today. Just kinda made me giggle.

A golden retriever named Murphy has been sent a summons to appear in court. Apparently, Murphy was walking around with his owner without a leash. To read the full story, click HERE.

Tidbits

It's Friday ya'll!! What a busy week it's been. I can't believe how the time has just flown by. Do you realize the next week is the last week of July? It won't be long before we're all talking about snow and Christmas. We sure could use some of that snow today. When the alarm went off at 4:45 a.m. this morning, it was already 80 degrees!! The meterologist smugly reported that this week has seen some of the hottest temperatures that we've had since 2000!! Casey figured it would be this way, just because his job requires him to work outside.

Yesterday was just crazy. I spent most of my day working on a big project out in the stacks. I was on the move. Casy had to work last night, so I decided to clean house. I started just as soon as I got home. Got that knocked out. Then, I went to the shelter to do the afternoon duties. I got all the dogs and cats put up and cleaned up for the night. I left them happy and full of treats. On my way home, I grabbed a bite to eat. I got all of this done before dark. I got the arrangements made with our neighbors to pick up our new sofa on Sunday!! YIPEE!! I'm so looking forward to it. So Sunday morning, Casey and I have to get everything cleaned up and the way cleared to bring everything inside. I'm going to do a little carpet cleaning underneath stuff too. That way, all we have to do is bring it in and sit it down.

Today looks like a busy one too. I've got to finish up my work project and get my bindery stuff ready. Casey has to work again tonight, so I'll be on my own. I'm also doing the shelter stuff again too. After that, I should be able to relax a little. Maybe I'll get the laundry started. Got to get up early in the morning. I have to follow Casey to the tire place to get a new tire put on. His is as flat as a pancake. Hopefully, the old tire will inflate with fix-a-flat! I've gotta run. I hope everyone has a fabulous day!!

Fishtank In a Thunderstorm

Yesterday was a pretty interesting day. Casey got to be on his own at work, so he paced himself a little more. He was not nearly as wiped out as much last night. I think he's finally getting used to it. During the day yesterday, Casey had found an ad for a 30 gallon fish tank and stand. We were intersted. We can't use our 29 gallon, because of a bad leak. We've been looking for a replacement. We drove out to see the tank after work yesterday. It was raining like crazy, but we forged ahead. We bought the tank, and ended up buying a nice, barely used sofa in the process. It was in GREAT condition. Our old sofa at home was Casey's Mom's, and it is about 17 years old. After much dog and cat traffic over the years, it is in dire need of replacement. Casey and I had talked about replacing it soon, but we hated to buy a brand new one right now, just for the dogs and cats to lounge and wallow on. So, this sofa was really a find. It was only $25!! Believe it or not, it even matches the colors in my living room. We sat on it for about 30 minutes to test it out. We got to see right where it came from, so we're pretty sure there's nothing weird about it. The woman selling it had just repainted her house and realized that it REALLY didn't match. She said that she really hadn't planned on buying new furniture at all, because this was fairly new. After she'd looked at it a while, she finally decided it didn't match at all and decided to sell. I'm so excited. Now we just have to figure out how to get it home. Our neighbors have a pickup, so we thought we might ask them. I'm going to call the U-Haul place to see how much they charge for the day. I'd definitely say our fishtank trip worked out.

Most Animal Hoarders Are Women

I found a rather interesting article on Slate.com this morning. Studies show that most animal hoarders are single women.

Not all animal hoarders are cat ladies, but most are. The typical person who gets caught with more pets than she can handle is a woman over the age of 60 who lives alone. Experts say there are a handful of animal-hoarding cases per 100,000 Americans each year, which translates to a few thousand incidents annually.

Photo from Slate.com I'd never really thought about it that way, but now that they mention it, it's been true in the cases that I've dealth with. They also go on to mention that it is a world wide problem. I know that it's related to mental illness. It's often said that may hoarders feel that they are truly "saving" these animals from a sad existence. I've often wondered how many of these people start out legitimately, and then it gets out of control. To read the full article click here. For more information about animal hoarding, click here.

I hope that everyone is having a great day!

A New "Zoo" Link: Wampi

Today, Richardson Zoo, has a new and very worthy link. It's the Save Wampi blog. This is a blog dedicated to saving the family pet, Wampi. Wampi is a Maine Coon cat that took a six story tumble off a roof in New York City. It has required some very expensive surgery and many vet trips to aid and heal Wampi through his miraculous recovery. Read Wampi's story here. If you'd like to help with some of Wampi's vet bills, you may donate directly through the Save Wampi blog. I felt that I had to share Wampi's story here, since so many of the Zoo's readers work to help so many animals, and this is something I'm really good at. So Zoo readers, hop on over and have a visit with Wampi. I've also added Wampi's button to the sidebar, so we can check back with him often.

Everyone have a great day!

Another Week

Here I am. Back at the normal schedule. Sometimes, I really do think I need a vacation. I've decided to wait to take a real vacation this year until Christmas time. Now, I'm feeling that I may have to take several long weekends to be able to survive. It's not that I don't feel well. I'm just tired. I've decided that I need a day off for myself. A day off where I'm not running errands, doing housework, taking someone to the doctor, or other things like that. Enough of that.

The weekend was really good. Casey was off at his part time job and was very thankful for the entire weekend to rest. Since he's been at an office job for the past seven years, his new job requires adjustment. He's on his feet walking outside for five to six hours every day. What's really wearing him out is this unrelenting heat and humidity. Our humidity has been awful these past two weeks. Right now, at a little past 10:00 in the morning, our temperature is 87, which isn't too bad. Our heat index makes it feel like 97!! I really feel bad for him. We've been trying to come up with little things to help him stay cool. I think I may get him some of those cooling things that hang around your neck to wear, while he's out there. If anyone has any tips, please leave a comment and let us know.

On Saturday night, Casey and I did manage to get to the drive-in. The movie was a little late starting, because the line was so long to get in. Casey and I got there early and managed to have our dinner. About time the movie started at 8:45, the bottom fell out and it started to pour. We were there seeing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Bewitched. It stormed for a good while. We took it all in stride. We rolled the windows up, turned the engine on, and ran the windsheild wipers. The movies were so good, we really didn't even notice. We had a good time anyway. By the second movie, Bewitched, the storm had passed and the skies had cleared. The stars had all come out, and there was this big, beautiful moon to look at right to the left and above the screen. I wish that my photography skills were better, and I could have gotten a good shot of that. Because of the late start time, Casey and I didn't get home until really late, like nearly 2 a.m.!! Needless to say, we spent Sunday just being lazy and watching more movies. We watched Coach Carter. I highly recommend it. It was outstanding.

Yesterday was my regular kennel day. So on my way to work, I dropped Bear off at the new vet's office. Our old vet finally retired, so it has been a daunting task to find another that we are really comfortable with. Fergie's vaccinations were done last week, so now, we have half the crew through with their yearly updates. We try to stagger them out. With such a big group, so we don't have to sell our souls to pay the vet bills. When I picked Bear up, the vet tech at the front desk told me how much Bear had charmed everyone in the office. Seems he made the rounds and loved on everyone. They just were crazy about him. Bear just has that kind of personality. He's the little superstar everywhere he goes. He got a clean bill of health, which I was very glad to hear. No ill effects from the shots, except that he's a little tired. He did seem to be his old self, when I left for work this morning.

Nothing big on the agenda for today. Just the ususal. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that Casey doesn't have a heat stroke or something. Again, suggestions are welcome battling the heat. Everyone have a great day!

Well Read!!

My very own copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince on my desk!

It's finally arrived! The release day of the 6th Harry Potter book: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Being the "Oldie McOldington" that I am, I didn't think I could last all the way through the midnight release party last night: especially since I had to work today. So my coworker, Kim, who was going agreed to buy it for me and bring it to me today. Well about noon, my copy arrived. Because I work in a library, I'm always amazed, and I can't help but admit fascniated, by the "Harry mania" that always occurs on release days. Kim said that the party was absolutely insane last night. She said the line was soooooooo long. I have to give my all out gratitude to Kim that I'm able to have the book on the first day! Not long after Kim brought my book, I decided to take a lunch break and dive right in. I'm several chapters along now, and I have to say a good read so far. Don't worry. I'm not giving any plot away here. I'm sure that I'll be spending a good amount of time tomorrow reading!

Not tonight though! Tonight is Saturday, and you guys know what that means. It's drive-in night! Hopefully, the weather will cooperate. I'm about tired of the remnants of Hurricane Dennis!! Honestly, I'm drenched. Now go away!! I'm really looking forward to seeing both Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Bewitched. Especially since it's only $5 to get in for both! I'm not sure if Casey and I are having dinner before we get there, or if we are eating from the concession stand. Secretly, I hope it's the concession stand. They have the best food.

Jennie and I didn't make it to the obedience trials today. She and her husband are in the middle of building there house and have to get some work done today. So, we may try to go tomorrow. I really wanted to go, but I'll get to see it later in the summer.

Monday is kennel day, so I'll be back to my regular schedule. I have a lot to catch up on there, since I've not been in 2 weeks. I can't wait to see who we've got boarding this week!!

I'm going to run for now. I'm going to try and do another AudioBlogger post over the weekend. Thanks for all of the comments. I'm glad that everyone enjoyed it. Maybe I'll do a post from the movies tonight. Everyone have a great weekend!

Wake Up!

Boy, am I ever sleepy today. I slept so good last night, that I'm having trouble getting awake today. I guess that means I'll have to double up on coffee today. There's not much on the agenda for today, which is good. I'm awfully glad that it's Friday.

Casey and I are going to fill in at the shelter Saturday and Monday through Friday of next week. One of the regular workers is going to be gone on vacation. All we have to do is the afternoon duty, which is no problem at all. I'm really looking foward to seeing all of the shelter dogs and cats. I'm betting that I'll get to do a little more training too!

Casey's new job is going really well. We appreciate all of the good wishes coming our way. I think that he really likes it. After working for a police department for so many years, he's really enjoying his scheduled time off. It's so different for him to have a block of time off from work that in no way can be interrupted. He's also very much looking forward to campus shutdown during the Christmas holidays. He's also very lucky that he has such good people in his department. In fact, one of his coworkers worked with him at the police department. They always have birthday celebrations for everyone, and they've also got a white water rafting trip planned too! So, in a word, his department has camraderie. He's loved his first week.

We are planning to have a good weekend too. We are going to try to get back to the drive-in. The movies have cycled out. They are having a great double feature on one of their screens this weekend. It is Bewitched and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I've got to make sure that I rest up tomorrow, so I can last through the last movie.

Jennie and I are planning on going to a local obedience club's obedience trials tomorrow. They are holding them on the other side of campus, so I'll probably head over there and meet her around lunch time. Those are always so interesting to attend. You can pick up some really good tips. It's always fun to get to meet and talk with other people that are into dog training. It helps to get a lot of other perspectives and share secrets. That's about it for me this morning. I hope that everyone has a great day!

Top Dog

The week is going by pretty fast for me. We are still busy at work, but at least we are not as busy as last week. Things are starting to settle down. Casey is really enjoying his new job. The only draw back is getting the dogs on a new schedule. With Casey's old work schedules, the dogs have pretty much had someone there with them all of the time. There was very little time they were left to their own devices. Now, we are both gone for about 8 hours everyday. They've been really well behaved, but it is major joyous chaos as soon as we get home. They are just so excited to see us, after a long day. They've all done really well with their potty breaks too! I just hope the goodness continues. There are no petsitting services in Shelbyville, so I've considered hiring our neighbor across the street to come and let them all out around lunch time. I don't know yet, but it is still something to consider. Not much else going on. I've had a pretty calm week, so far.

On Slate.com there is a really interesting article about Labrador Retrievers. Click the picture below or the link.

Photo from Slate.com

If you are interested in learning about living with Labs, visit my friend Joan's blog called Lab Tails. She lives with the cutest bunch of Labs and tells great stories. There are also great pictures too!! Everyone have a great day!

Tagged!!

I can't believe that I haven't gotten around to the meme from Christine. Since I'm lacking in inspiration today, here goes:

What 5 Things Do You Miss About Your Childhood? "Meme"

Remove the blog at #1 from the following list and bump every one up one place; add your blog's name in the #5 spot; link to each of the other blogs for the desired cross pollination effect.

1. Ben

2. Meeta

3. Motor City Bad Kitty

4. halfgeek

5. Richardson Zoo

Next: Select friends (non-obligated) to add to the pollen count.

1. Anne

2. Pennie

3. Chrissy

4. Lindsey

1. The ice-cream truck. We had a little neighborhood ice-cream truck that cruised through my neighborhood, everyday, in the summertime. As kids, we'd all hear it and tear off after it. We just couldn't seem to wait the fifteen minutes for him to actually come down our block.

2. Playing outside, in the yard, after a rainstorm. My parents' big backyard had a drainage problem in a lower corner. After a good rainstorm, the water would pool up nearly knee deep. As soon as it was safe, all of us would run outside to go "wading" in our instant pool!!

3. Seeing my best friends everyday. Growing up, some of my very best friends lived less than a block away. My friend, Jennifer's, family was the best. We never lacked for anything to do or places to go. We had such wild, crazy imaginations. Jennifer and I and her brothers all had the best times. We were all so close. I remember this one time, we were trying to play Star Wars, and we didn't have enough lightsabers to go round. Being the imaginative children that we were, we headed for the wood pile and pulled out logs to use as our weapons of choice. Unfortunately my grip was too loose when I was unmercifully attacked, and I walked around with a lump on my forehead for weeks. We still keep in close touch, but I miss seeing all of them so often.

4. No worries. I really don't want to sound cliche here, but I do miss the simpler times. Wasn't it wonderful as a child to really not have to worry about things, except what cool toy you were getting next, or whose house you were spending the weekend at? I remember wanting to grow up, so I could have all the freedoms I wanted. It's not until you're an adult that you realize childhood was one of the greatest freedoms of all.

5. I actually miss going home and seeing both of my parents everyday. I grew up with two of the most wonderful parents. My Mom and I are the best of friends, and we talk to each other and visit with each other every day (she lives next door to me). My Dad, unfortunately, has passed away. In fact, it was only a couple of days after my 20th birthday. There are lots of things that I wish I'd asked him or told him.

A Real Shout Out!

Weekend!

It's finally the weekend. Maybe I'll get a little rest in this time. Not a lot going on today, and for that I'm thankful. It's been such a crazy, busy week that it feels good just to be still. No big plans for this weekend. I'd like to take it easy. Casey and I only have one thing planned to do tonight. We are going shopping for Casey. He desperately needs to get some new clothes. He's lost quite a bit of weight the past few months, and he needs new clothes that fit. I'm hoping to sneak a couple of things for me in the purchase too!! WINK, WINK!! Mom and I are hoping to get out a little this weekend together. Casey has to work tomorrow, so we figured that'd be as good a time as any. I'm not sure what we'll get up to yet. Monday, I'll be working at the kennel. It was nice to have the holiday off last week, but I feel like I've really missed out on what is going on with the dogs. It will be good to get back into the routine.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of the people that are on the U.S. Gulf Coast this weekend. It seems that Hurricane Dennis is unmercifully bearing down on them. Last year hurrican season was devastating for them, and it seems that this season may be even worse. To all of you in the path, stay safe! I worry so much about the animals in the paths of these storms. Many of them are left behind. Chrissy has a great post on Warm Puppies about taking pets with you during evacuation. Click here to read it. Also for further disaster resources, check out The American Humane Society and The Humane Society of the United States

Christine has tagged me with a meme, so check back a little later. Hopefully, I can get creative and come up with some really good answers! Everyone have a great weekend!

Tripping the Light Catastic!!

A friend of mine e-mailed me some links to some really great cat stories. One is of an owner and pet being reunited. The other is about a cat that saved an entire family from a burning home. I love great animal stories with happy endings!! Enjoy!

London

We were so busy around here yesterday that I didn't get a chance to say how sorry I am about the events in London. Bless you all. My thoughts and prayers are with you. What a senseless act of terrorism!! My thoughts are especially with those affected, whose loved ones were affected, and the law enforcement and emergency workers (K-9 units included!!) Be safe!

Doggie Fashion Sense

You know you wanna know what the latest doggie fashion trend is this season. What ARE all of the finely coiffed and couture canines wearing this season? Wonder no more. Check out MSNBC for the latest rundown of this season's trends for the fashion conscious canines. For the full story click here or the picture. Everyone have a great day! "A pink terry cloth bathrobe, made by Gooby Pet Fashions, is just one of the many new clothing accessories available for dogs."

Saturdays at the Drive-In

Here are some of the sights from the last trip to the drive in with Melissa. There was a classic car cruise-in that night, which was a nice suprise. Enjoy!

Classic car night at The Montana Drive In. Melissa and me (sorta)with the screen behind us. Classic car lineup. Me and Melissa, having a GREAT time! Whatta GREAT classic Chevy!!

Catching My Breath!

Wheeeewww! I can't believe how non-stop yesterday was. From beginning to end, it was a rat race. To expound a little on my weekend....like I said, the reptile show was a complete bust. Casey and I got to Smyrna, hoping, that this would be a good show. We got to the entrance and paid our $14 admission, only to find that more than half the vendors hadn't even shown up!! The few vendors that were still there were all angry about badly this show had gone. So basically, Casey and I paid all of that money to look at a room full of mostly nothing. We complained, muttered, and groaned the whole way home. We did leave with a couple thousand crickets to feed our scaley crew, so I guess not all was lost. We stopped on the way back through by PetSmart to stock up on dog food, cat food, and brand new "woobies". Fergie's original "woobie" finally saw its untimely death, so it was time for a new one. We got the same kind. We got two this time, so we could have a spare. Bear and Fergie were both so excited, when we got home with them.

Sunday was a strange day for us. Casey and I went out to the shelter to help install the new air conditioner. There were several out there helping, so I just managed to stay out of the way and work with the dogs. I worked on training two, in particular, to sit, and lay down. I figure anything I can teach them will help make them more adoptable. It took about two and a half hours for the air to be finished, but we finally made it back home. After we cleaned up, Casey and I headed out to Murfreesboro for an afternoon movie. Yes, you already know what it was....Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. I just wanted to see it one more time, before it left the big screen. The sound quality and the picture quality were so much better in this theatre. It was a digital theatre with THX, so I noticed a lot that I hadn't before. Even Casey commented on the things that he had missed before.

On Monday, July 4th, Casey had to work most of the day. I took the opportunity to whirlwind the house. I managed to get a lot of the deep cleaning done, like cleaning the ceiling fans and washing down the baseboards. I was also busy getting things ready for our big cookout that night. We had a group of about seven come over and celebrate the 4th with us. After dinner we were all planning on heading out the city park for the fireworks celebration, but we were all so worn out that we decided to just stay home. We all watched the broadcast of the Nashville fireworks show. It's supposed to be the 3rd best display in the country. It wasn't too shabby at all, and it was nice to sit in a nice, cool, comfortable place to watch as well.

I took Mom for her final cataract surgery on Monday. Everything went well. Her recheck went well yesterday too. She is still seeing some shadows in this eye, but the doctor said that should clear up in a week or so. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I've got to run. The day is about to get crazy again. I'm determined to post those photos up on the photoblog today. Sorry that I got busy and they didn't get up last Saturday. I'm also posting some of the pictures of the drive-in the night my friend, Melissa went with us. Everyone have a great day!

Super Busy!

Today has been crazy!! So much to catch up on and with after the holiday break. This will promise to be our busy work week of the year. We have textbook vendors coming in to inventory hot and heavy. We just finished up one run that took nearly three hours to do. Wheeewww!! I have so much stuff to catch you all up on. Here's the short version. We had a wonderful weekend. The reptile show turned out to be a complete bust. Casey did take me back to see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. I managed to get my house completely cleaned before all of the company came over for our big 4th of July cookout. We all had a great time. Mom's surgery went very well yesterday, and her follow up was good this morning too. I'm sorry this is so short, but I've just got to run. I have a funny story to share in tomorrow's post as well. Everyone have a great evening!

Fun Holiday Weekend!

It's finally the long holiday weekend. Once I'm off from work today, I'll have the next couple of days free, sort of. Casey and I have quite a lot on our plates for the next three days. We've decided to hold a cook out for some neighbors and friends of ours. In total, there'll be about 10 people, which is a lot for us. After the cookout, we are all planning to go out to the city park and watch the fireworks show. It's small, but not too bad for our little town. They always have food and a midway there too. In the meantime, Casey and I are going to deep clean the house the next couple of days. The carpets are going to get their July shampoo, and we are going to really try to whip the place into shape.

We are planning to try to squeeze a lot of fun in too. After work today, Casey and I are going to the big reptile show in Smyrna. We usually book our Florida vacation, so we can go to a big one in Orlando every July, and we are just tickled that one is actually coming to us this year. It's the first big one to be held in our area. I've looked at the schedule, and they have some really nice vendors coming. We really aren't planning to buy anything this year, but we may see something that we just can't live without. It promises to be a lot of fun. We always enjoy the shows. Tomorrow, I think we are going to work on the house some and then go swimming. I can't believe that it's July, and I haven't been in the pool once this year. I've gotta get myself in gear. Gimme that kickboard!!

I've almost gotten Casey talked into taking me to see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith one last time, before it leaves the theatres. They are running a special ticket promotion this weekend. You can send your ticket stub in and enter a contest to win a special pinball machine. They are also doing a "buy 2 tickets, get the 3rd one free" promotion as well. Hard to pass up! Here's the cool 4th of July promotion pic.

I don't work at the kennel on Monday. Jennie and I decided to be closed, so we can enjoy our holiday too! She and her husband Jason are planning on coming to our cookout. I'll miss getting to see all of the dogs on Monday. I'm planning on working one afternoon next week though.

Mom's scheduled to have surgery on her other eye on Tuesday. She's just done fabulously with the other one. She's so excited about how much improved her vision has been. She can't wait to get the other eye done. I hope that this surgery goes as smoothly as the next one. Because of the surgery, I'll be away until Wednesday. Maybe I can remember to do an Audio Blogger post at the fireworks display or something. I need to try it at least once. I'm also posting new photos on the photoblog today. They are of the drive-in movie events last weekend. Hop on over and have a look. Everyone have a fabulous weekend and a safe 4th of July!

Blogger Survey

Saw this over at The Blonde Librarian's blog. MIT is doing a blogger survey. Click the button to participate.

Such a Shame

Today will shape up to be a pretty busy today again. It's still VERY hot and muggy here. We are supposed to get some rain this afternoon, so hopefully that will cool things of temporarily.

Came across an interesting news story today on MSNBC. A pet store in Orlando, Florida was burglarized by puppy bandits, and they caught the whole thing on tape. You all know that I don't advocate buying puppies from pet stores, but this is still wrong on SO many levels. I sure hope they catch the thieves, and they are punished. Click the link, or the picture above to see the full story. These links will take you to the MSNBC video page. Click the "Puppy Napping Caught on Tape" icon.

Everyone have a good afternoon!