RFP - 8/31/09

Mornin, Mornin... Mr. Sweetie is turning 16 in January and his doggie dementia continues to get worse as time goes along... He sleeps most of the days and nights now, but when he's up, he's awake and letting you know he's here (on his good days)... Last October he got caught midway through the doggie door flap and I guess it traumatized him, so he will NOT go through the doggie door if the flap is down... It's a small doggie door, so we've used the screen and patio doors to lessen the opening, but it is still there to some extent...

While I'm a nutso about smells and odors, there are times that that small opening will allow flies to come into the house... And even one in the house is annoying to all of us, so I have been trying that Amish ziplock bag, water and penny trick since yesterday... So far, it seems to be working even if it looks as goofy as can be...

I was looking at it yesterday afternoon and was thinking how much everything around us is really a mirror of ourselves... It is said if you don't like someone, it is usually because they exhibit something you don't like about yourself subconsciously... There could be something to that, for sure...

I have often thought how Desiree is a reflection of me and how what she does is a direct reflection on what she's seen me do or say... When she looks as cute as a bug, or does something so compassionate and/or spectacular, I know DEEP inside there is a warm glow of pride that holds me through some of the bad times...

With men?... I'm not so sure their mirror is as exacting as ours is... I guess to some extent it operates like ours does... They seem to worry more about the reflection of achievement physically as opposed to emotionally like we women do... I've never been impressed with how much a man has, but what they did with what they had... Hide their good attributes behind a basket of bravo and I tend to feel sad for them instead of being impressed... Some guy might have a LOT of money, but if it is a matter of just 'having' and not doing something with their good fortune, it is a total waste IMHO...

And I know without a doubt our dogs are a mirror or reflection of us... I used to be embarrassed or felt awkward when someone told me how well behaved this dog was or how beautiful that one was, etc... I sure see embarrassment in some people when their dog misbehaves or decides to take a poop on someone else's lawn... Well, most times... sigh...

I take a GREAT deal of pride at adoptions when someone comments the dogs get along so well together, they've never seen such friendly Chihuahuas, or even ask me if I'm sure they are indeed Chihuahuas 'cause most Chis they've seen are 'yappy rat dogs'!!!... If you're stressing, your dogs pick up on it right away for sure --- and usually nervous, respond accordingly...

I guess our communities are direct reflections of our values, desires and dreams - not only for us, but for our children and grandchildren as well... But just like the evil witch in the children stories, people can look into the mirror of themselves and not see what the mirror shows, ya know?... I used to see this all the time when I was a tailor - women would try to fit into clothes a size smaller and/or split out the seams, then complain about the work instead of those extra donuts that showed up on their waists and hips!!!... smile...

Sometimes I wonder about our values... If the mirror is more of a sideshow carnival version, warped out of distortion by money, greed and/or power... How do you keep Windexing that mirror of your soul, removing smudges and distortions so that you truly do see the honest reflection?... Will you look back at the mirror timeline of your life and be happy with what you see when energy levels ebb lower and your greatest strengths - heart, mind and soul - slowly begin to beat slower as you approach the end of your journey...

That is the real question, huh?... Being as proud of your mirrored reflection at the end of your life as you were when you were young and vibrant?... The frame may change along the way, but we all strive to be a great and shiny reflection of those we love, care about and who have walked, ran, "paw-printed" or journeyed through our life...

I don't have many answers, but I have lots of questions... I'm not so sure I even have a true understanding what is expected of me some days, but the great thing about life is that tomorrow you get to do it all over again, God be willing --- or attempt it at least!... Let's just be glad our life span is not as long as the common housefly, huh?... We gets LOTS of days instead of just 25!!!

Hugs!
As Always,
The Lady

RFP - 08/30/09

Mornin, Mornin... Today is a hodge podge of thoughts, so this might be a classic 'ramblin'... (smile)... I was going through my email this morning and sometimes I just have to stop and ask myself what planet someone else is on... Take for example, this news article this morning...

Temperatures were “a little bit warmer than normal,” said Bill Hoffer, National Weather Service spokesman. (news article)

Uh, excuse me... But it was 105 degrees~!! "A bit warmer"??? What planet does the National Weather Service reside on~!!... Even the dogs have been having a difficult time breathing outside the past few days between the 100's in degrees and the smoke/ash that's been drifting out way from the fire...
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People on Planet Earth in pain, hurting and bad to no medical care ~~~ I'm really opposed to national health care - I have friends in Europe and Canada that constantly complain about not being able to get decent health care... I have a friend who saves up the entire year to bring her father here to get what I consider is normal health care~!!!... And I've seen some of the examples of national health care personally... It's inhumane, let alone decent...

Yesterday I read something from the League of American Voters that NBC and ABC are refusing to run an ad they've got going... If these media networks can run all of the other junk they do, why not this?... Maybe the LAV should have added, "But WAIT~!!... There's MORE~!!!" and the ad would have been run???

A doctor in the League of American Voters ad asks: "How can Obama's plan cover 50 million new patients without any new doctors? It can't." The 33-second ad, which features a neurosurgeon who warns that a government-run healthcare system will lead to the rationing of procedures and medicine, began airing two weeks ago on local affiliates of ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS. On a national level, however, ABC and NBC have refused to run the spot in its present form.

You can see the ad on their website HERE... hopefully... And ya know?... When news is shifted and screened, it is no longer news IMHO...
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Planet Earth - NIGHTMARES - Oh My! ~~~ This is the stuff nightmares is made of... CharliesAngelNCa sent it to me, so of course I had to browse through the website.... <>... The weirdest animals on Planet Earth...
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Personal note from this Earthling... Well, I have to tell you all - 2 days of Celebrex and I can walk without a limp again... The age of modern medicine - OMG~!!... I suffered through 2 weeks of terrible pain trying to get the doctor's office to get on the same page about all of this... It's back down to about a 4-5 and that I can deal with - as long as I don't push beyond my normal, I can get through 6-8 hour days (and this I can live with!)... LOL...
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Question? Why is it that men push the remote control button and if it doesn't work, they push it HARDER and repeatedly?... If it didn't work the first time, why do they think it is going to work the second time???... (smile)... Ever notice this behavior?
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I want to recommend something we've been using for a few months now - Toodled - this is the website: http://www.toodledo.com/ ... Desiree found it for me, so I can't take credit for the find... This is a good comparison of their product versus others on the market...

I was trying to locate a 'to do' list software that would work on my computer and my iPhone at the same time... My rescue partner and I were sending back and forth thousands of emails trying to stay on top of everything that needed to be done or was going on... And after a few hundred, you can't find what you're looking for~!!! GRRRRRRRRR...

There's a free version - we upgraded the annual fee so that we can load up files and share them, instead of trying to figure out who has this file on which computer or laptop... It has saved BOTH of our sanity's! Great find!!! Now if I can just find a fantastic way of getting rid of ants that doesn't hurt the dogs, it will be a GREAT day!... LOL...
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Last week I finally took the final step in recycling around here, and while it has been months since our family made a concentrated effort to lower our footprint and what is going into the local landfill, all three of us have now dramatically changed our habits and behaviors...

We've been recycling the glass and plastics plus the aluminum can (tabs for the Ronald McDonald House) for quite some time... Once a month, I haul them to the recycling center and actually get paid for our trash!... About $20-$40 depending on how long I've let it pile up in the three large trash containers out back... As we rinse out everything before it goes there, it doesn't have an odor either...

Initially I put a plastic tub on top of my stove and the other recycling went in there... But I was emptying it several times a day which was annoying... I moved to a larger container, but even that caused numerous trips a day...

Last week, I decided I was going to add a second trash can as much as I didn't really have the room in the kitchen... All of our friends now have two trash cans in their homes and I thought, 'why not us too?'... While at Walmart's looking at the stainless steel versions of step-ons trash cans, Desiree found a dual that has two lids and compartments, and two 'buckets' inside...

We left one for trash (that goes into the landfill) where the original kitchen trash can was, and the back part (or right) of the dual trash can is now for the recycling (non-plastic or glass bottles and aluminum cans)... So far, none of us has had that much difficulty using the new version...

But I can tell you this much - in what?... Less than 9 months, our family has lowered the volume of trash going into the landfills by more than 75%... And trust me, it hasn't been that difficult to do either... The first few weeks were a bit testy as we kept trying to second judge ourselves as to where it should go and what was recyclable...

We seldom (if ever) fill up our weekly blue collection container, and as that stuff goes directly into the landfill, this is a MAJOR contribution to keeping our community cleaner for Desiree's generation and the next few... We have three grey collection containers and those go to the recycling plant directly... Most weeks, all three are filled and it with a LOT of pride I see those grey trash cans outside on our curb...

I look at some of the neighbors and feel sad they're not doing more to protect this planet for all of the children who will one day have to deal with the bulging landfills the past few generations have left for them...

Bottom line is that if we can do it, everyone can!... And in closing, I wonder what planet others intend on living on in the future if they contribute only to the problems and never to the solutions~!!!

As Always,
The Lady

RFP - 8/27/09

Mornin, Mornin... Yesterday I was at the vet's office at 7:30AM - one old dog recheck and a new one to see what is wrong with... While at my vet's office, I run into someone who has adopted a puppy from us and concerned, I sat with her will waiting for them to get my two done...

Once I got the dogs and carted the one kennel back into the garage, I was bushed~!!... I don't think I've ever thought about how much it can hurt to stand up, sit down, etc. to simply take two dogs to the vets... Even with the lumbar support in the truck seat, I was sweating like bullets by the time I got both dogs inside the house...

Soon as I hit the door, I could tell the trash had not been taken out... And I play these stupid mind games with myself... "Linda, it's only 49 steps to take the trash out - you can do it - you're a tough old broad - get to it!"... And I don't remind myself it is ALSO 49 steps once I've taken out the trash to get back inside the house~!!... ... BTW, it is 61 steps to the mailbox one way!... LOL... No wonder I don't bring in the mail much when my back is hurting~~!!!...

Once I got the trash out, I then discovered not one, two or three but four separate swarms of ants inside the house between three rooms... Oh brother!!! I never realized how many times I go to the bathroom each day either... When it hurts to sit down and hurts to stand up, you seriously debate with yourself just HOW badly you have to go~!!... LOL...

Anyway, I digress... I popped three Advils, got my bucket and mop along with the vinegar and got started...

As much as I hate the mop, last week I attempted to clean my floors like I do normally and discovered after about half an hour I couldn't get up... I was immediately reminded of that hamburger lady ("Where's the beef?") who used to do some commercial - "I've fallen and I can't get up~!!"... So I succumbed to the mop until I can get my back in order...

I got rid of all the ants, did the floors in three rooms and realized I couldn't do the rest of the house right then... Debated with myself and then decided I'd lay down and take the pressure off my back, then get up and do the rest of the house...

I was rinsing out the bucket in the sink when I tempted that old "it can't get worse" gremlin in my head... I shut off the water and went to take the bucket out of the sink when I heard water still running somewhere... I followed the sound outside to see Niagara Falls by the hose in the back... Apparently the little hose from the faucet to the wheelie thingie had split at end where it connects... As I use the hose at least once a day here, I realize I have to fix it and with heavy steps, went into the garage to my tool box to find a mini saw, screwdriver, etc...

I finally managed to get it fixed, looked at my watch and it is 11AM... Why did I feel like it should have been about 4PM?... LOL...

Anyways, I got lots of emails about the last Press...

I was in the same situation as you for years!! and I finally got out of the house. How many marriages/relationships are as we dream about???? I think very few!!

and...

However I know myself exactly how you feel! I am guilty of the same thing you are. We give too much and we get less and less and less in return then we get pissed when it's our turn to be the recipient of TLC and none is given!

and...

John Grey says in one of his books.....give, then wait till you get back, then give some more, then wait till you receive etc. If they are too brain dead to realize you are waiting, go get the flower vase and leave it empty by the front door till they get it or whatever it takes to get the message through what you want. Sad....but that's the way it has to go or it goes the way of the go ahead and do it all.

There have been more as well, but these three comments really stuck home with me... I've thought a LOT about all of this the past few days... I'll 'own' that I shouldn't let others moods, comments and actions affect me personally... I should be able to 'shake it off' and not be sensitive, but I would have to teach myself how to be 'de-sensitive' about others around me that I love and care about...

Can I do it?... Probably... But will those that love me as I am, love me if I change that much?... That's a question I don't have an answer for... And I have been making a concentrated effort for over a year now to say 'thank-you' BEFORE someone expects me to --- or out of the blue --- so they know it comes from the heart and hoping it is reciprocated, but if not, I deal with that... I'm pretty sure I've talked about this already in the Press...

And ya know?... How many of us have told our children to say 'thank-you' and 'I'm sorry' as they were growing up?... Either one of those mean a lot to me, but not if they are prompted, but come from the heart spontaneously... When someone says they're sorry, but keep repeating whatever it is they said they were sorry for, what depth of value does it really have?... I mean, is it OK to do things that hurt others, knowing that a 'I'm sorry' later will somehow undo the hurt?... Another question I don't have an answer for... sigh...

As for my back, I 'bit the bullet' and went back to my doctor's practice this morning after I was told it was $170 to get a copy of my medical records so I could see another doctor OUTSIDE of their practice (there is three volumes of my medical records so I guess that's the reason for the high costs)...

Thirty minutes later with a VERY young doctor this morning, we went through the laundry list I could have predicted (and should have taken a bet on!)... Physical therapy (done that), PT daily exercises (doing that already every day), spinals (done that, had three, can only have 4 total), pain management therapy (done that - refusing to take narcotics sorta/kinda fizzled that one out), Xion 8000 treatments (did that for 5 weeks and it worked)... Bed rest (not possible)... Hiring help at the house (won't happen)... Stress therapy (HUH??? Me stressed out??? LOL)...

Finally when he ran out of steam (LOL), this young whipper snapper then said he believes I have sprained my back or 'tweaked it' again and his only recommendation was anti-inflammatory meds (the EXACT same thing AND exact med that I called their office about LAST week, asking them to renew an old prescription of mine!)... OMG~!!! ... He went to medical school and I'm just the 51-year old owner of this body???

WHAT DO I KNOW???????????????

As Always,
The Lady

RFP - 8/25/09

Mornin, Mornin... I'm not talking to Paul and haven't since Sunday night... It is my way of dealing with him and his issues - maybe it is not the right way, but when you have two people so dynamically different in dealing with issues, it is the only way I can do it...

He's been a grouch since last week, flying off the handle without advance warning or reason (for the most part)... My nature is to deal with him, ignoring it for the most part... And then he 'fills up the patience slot' with enough and that's it... PERIOD... If I'm in a weak spot myself, I can take no more and let him know in loud terms I've had enough!... I probably ignore 8 or 9 out of every 10 of these incidences, but when they do eventually happen, it's always hell around here!

The sad part about all of this is even after 12 years, Paul still does not recognize when he gets like this, nor the harm it does to me when he strikes out at the closest person around him (usually me)... He professes to dislike hollering strongly, but fails to use the same rules for his own self!

I got a tetanus shot on August 4th and for the first week, I felt no ill effects from it - nothing like they told me about at my doctor's office... About week two, I started getting more extreme pain levels (particularly in my hips and back, then it moved onto my knee joints)... Not two weeks into having the shot, I could barely walk... Each step was like getting socked in the back of my brain at the base of my neck!

Eventually I gave in and called my doctor who has been seeing me for 12 years now... The next day after the tetanus shot he was hospitalized and isn't expected to be back to his practice until at least the end of November... I don't have another doctor to see or know, so I'm stuck trying to deal with this now...

But life goes on around here - there is no one else to pick up my slack when I go down, so I kept pushing through it... Last week (I think it was Wednesday), I could no longer put off a few errands that I had to get done, so I fed the dogs early in the morning, gathered my list and off I went... By 2:30PM, each and EVERY step was painful - like a number 8 or 9 on a scale of 10 - and I called it quits for the day...

I sat in my truck underneath the breezeway and cried... I'm not normally a crybaby about pain, but just the thought of trying to get all those groceries into the house by myself was simply overwhelming... After a 15-minute period of feeling sorry for myself and debating about how soft the ice cream had now become, I thought about the small collapsible dolly we have and that I could probably get most of the cold stuff into the house with that...

I sorted out the groceries and managed to get all into the house, leaving the non perishable items in my truck for someone else to bring in... Then step, by painful step, it took me almost an hour to get the dogs out, the doggie door put back in, everything put away inside the house I'd purchased that day, get the dog dishes picked up and finish putting the kitchen back of some kind of order...

Paul came into the house shortly thereafter - he is always a man of fixed habits - reached up to the cigarette box to get a pack for his briefcase before he set it up for the night... OMG... Dependable and reliable Linda had not magically refilled the cigarette box!!!... I committed a crime and his body language plus the look skyward to the ceiling along with the grimace and comment that I hadn't gone to the cigarette store??? was like stepping on my last nerve!

Open a dictionary and look up "jerk" and you'll see my husband's face that day!

I consider it a major accomplishment to have gone and done all those errands, plus feeding the dogs, getting their meds, the house picked up, the normal chores done... Shame on me for not making 8 stops instead of 7 that day~~!!!.. And in no short terms, I told him so when he got back... Not politely either!

It's that old 80/20 principle, ya know? 20% of the people do 80% of the work, and 80% of the people get irritated when the remaining 20% of the work isn't done like they expect it to be!... Things just 'magically' get refilled around here... No one notices them when this house operates as status quo - only when it doesn't...

I don't like whiners and complainers and absolutely do my best to not be one, but that day? If any day? I certainly was entitled to be grouchy and should have been tended to by my family members instead of getting that rude behavior... I can put both of my family's pain levels together and mine will still exceed their combined total! (and to my own detriment as well)...

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon (after a MISERABLE adoption day on Saturday with my body's aches and pains)... Paul snaps that he NEVER gets a day off and is tired... Ya know that nerve he stepped on Wednesday?... He tore the scab right off of it all over again!... GRRRRRRRRRRRR...

He doesn't get a day off from life?... Well, no one gets a day off from life...

You buy a house?... You have things that need to be tended to, repaired, maintained, fixed, whatever - if you don't want to do this, you don't buy a house and continue to rent so someone else has the responsibilities...

You get married?... You have a relationship that needs to be nurtured, respected, tended to, etc. - or stay single and don't have the responsibilities.. You have children?... You have to fed, clothe, cuddle, love, interact, etc. or just don't have kids (or pets, same difference)...

This is life and when you get 'time off', you've stepped into your coffin... Then you have an infinite number of days off... I wish I'd gotten a day off somewhere in my life and still been able to live the rest of it... I've always been a wife, mother, friend, employee, partner or something that required me to show up for life each and every day of life!... There has ALWAYS been something that needs doing or tending to, fed, cleaned up or whatever!

Heck, I still have a kitchen cabinet that needs installation from when I redid the entire kitchen in the summer of 2008~!!!... If I could install it by myself, it would have already been done!...

And remember when Desiree plowed my truck into the brick flower bed three years ago???... It's still in disrepair and I don't know how to do brickwork... If I did, it would have been fixed already and whenever I use my truck, it wouldn't annoy me like it does...

Every year, twice a year, I 'balance the tightrope' and cut the vines back alongside of the pool, walking along the edge of the brick... How wide is a brick? 4"?... And it is 50' long as you bend over, cut and drag the vines to the other end... I haven't fallen into the pool yet, but then again, I'm not dead yet either, so I'm sure I will before it is all said and done...

Get a day off?.... PLEAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

As Always,
The Lady

From the email bag: "I want a divorce!"

AUTHORED BY A YOUNG PERSON ... A STUDENT!

American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

We don't like re distributive taxes so you can keep them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.

You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell (you are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them at one time).

We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have your beloved homeless, home boys, hippies and illegal aliens. We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks. We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood ..

You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us.. You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N. ... but we will no longer be paying the bill.

We'll keep the SUV's, pickup trucks and oversize luxury cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find.

You can give everyone health care if you can find any practicing doctors. We'll continue to believe health care is a luxury and not a right. We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute Imagine, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World.

We'll practice trickle down economics and you can give trickle up poverty your best shot. Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you answer which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.


P.S. Also, please take Ted Turner, Sean Penn, Martin Sheehan, Barbara Streisand, and Jane Fonda with you.

P.S.S. And we won't have to press 1 for English.

RFP - 8/24/09

I read this today and it really made me think:

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

How many of us have had dreams, but hesitated for whatever reason, and later down the road, seriously regretted our lack of decision and/or attempting to try and realize our dreams?

I have fallen on my face many times with some of my decisions in life, but I can't tell you today that I've regretted ever trying to make them come true... Most of my ideas never materialized, or weren't good ones to start out with, but if you would have told me to stop dreaming, I might as well have laid down in my coffin and died earlier than God intended it to happen...

And while I don't consider myself a success story, I certainly don't consider myself as a failure --- and having lots of dreams and ideas is really a crucial part of me, Linda, The Lady, whichever aspect of me that you know...

We take a few of the Chihuahuas and do pet therapy with them at a convalescence home... If I ever were to get ill and needed this kind of environment, this would be the place I'd go... As many times as I have been there, not once have I seen something that turns me off... The staff and volunteers have always been kind and loving towards the patients... Always...

When we arrive, it is like a combination of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy all rolled up in one... The residents particularly love Frito because he's so outgoing and friendly; Nacho has been taking his cues from Frito and Nacho is also a favorite because of his lush, silky hair... For many of the residents, it is a tactile thing that I myself can relate to...

Probably 50% of the residents are no longer really functioning mentally or physically... We chit-chat and do small talk, ask them how their day is going, discuss what is for lunch, etc. and for those that want a dog on their lap to pet, some can no longer completely open up their hands, but will still rub with their closed fist... Frito has learned it is OK to accept whatever they are physically able to do (and that he gets LOTS of cookies whenever he comes with us! smile)...

Frito has series of days (weeks) when he really feels punk, so he doesn't go all the time... Last trip, I took Princess with me and she watched Frito consistently to get the lay of the land about the whole experience... I'd like to get Ginger and maybe even Scudderbutts into this program if I can (or as long as I'm fostering Scudderbutts)... Both are friendly and outgoing - Scudderbutts is a major talker and Ginger is a gorgeous longhaired Chihuahua who has a very silky coat... BeeGee's done it many times too...

Especially with the girls, the residents love their little dresses and small size... Some residents tell me every trip that they once had a dog, what size and breed it was, etc... Almost all of the residents 'connect' in some way with the dogs and although I have had a trip or two when I left feeling a bit down about my own health and mortality issues, for the most part I feel good when I leave... Glad that yet again I could do this for another human being... And hope when I get that old (or sick), someone makes a point of coming in to visit me too...

Eventually, I'd like to certify a few in the AKC CGC program, and then onto certifying them as Delta pet therapy dogs... Several times a week, I work with the few that go on a regular basis... And although I might never realize this dream of certification with any of them, it's just so nice to have a dream you believe will come true, ya know?... It gives you something to look forward to and work towards... That's the whole point of dreams and aspirations - not the realization of them but the journey along the way!

As Always,
The Lady

RFP - 08/19/09

I'm pretty disgusted with the reinstatement of Michael Vicks by the NFL commissioner and then the Eagles signing him for a year at $1.6 million... Must EVERYTHING in this country ALWAYS be driven and/or motivated by money?...

Seems to me Pete Ross is still banned for life from baseball if I'm not mistaken...

But oh, I forgot... Gambling didn't generate revenue to the government or any big corporations, did it?...

Why wasn't Vicks banned from football for life?... Anyone that can electrocute a dog, engage in the dog fighting industry and all the rest of the horrendous acts he did while enjoying his 'hobby' should certainly have paid an equitable price, if not worse, than Rose did IMHO... Or am I the only person that is questioning why such different degrees of punishment between the two sports figures? Why is the person who took life so brutally not getting a worse punishment than someone who bet on the outcomes of games?

I don't get it, I truly don't...

Oh, I understand football is BIG bucks, but why are some more accountable for their actions than others? And have you watched the video on ESPN?... Talk about 'scripted'... I'm wondering if there was a teleprompter behind the cameras because Vicks sounds that insincere to me!

Vick said he cried in prison about "what I did, being away from my family, letting so many people down, letting myself down, not being out on the football field, being in a prison bed, in a prison bunk, writing letters home. That wasn't my life. That wasn't the way that things were supposed to be."... Sorry, I didn't hear any remorse in his statements... And BTW - it wasn't the way things were supposed to be?... That's EXACTLY how things were supposed to be once he was convicted of dogfighting! Or did I miss something???

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR... Once again MONEY triumphs over what is right in this country... Football and the almighty billion$ of dollar$ it generates won out over what is the right, ethical and moral thing...

Real Family Press - 8/18/09

Mornin, Mornin... I keep trying to get the Press done online and previous attempts failed, but I'll try one more time and hopefully people will follow it to the blog to read it... It is the easiest way for me to do this and maybe one day I'll find the time to go back and load up all the past years of Presses here... Who knows, because my day is seldom the way I plan it!...

Last week I heard of an acquaintance of mine in dog rescue who had passed away... She and I were the 'oddballs' in the group because we both were crafty-type people and consistently were using our talents and hands to come up with new things and ways of fund-raising to help save the dogs from dying in the shelters...

Paula's talent was extreme in that she'd found the money, time and patience to purchase an embroidery machine... Not the hand-held ones, but the full mulligan version which sits in its own table, requires computer software and special threads, etc... She did some absolutely BEAUTIFUL work with that machine - I have a towel hanger on my oven door handle on which she embroidered a full view Chihuahua and it made me tear up when she presented it to me...

Paula was an intensely passionate dog rescuer and she too specialized in one breed (Keeshonds)... Amazingly quick-witted and always thinking, it was a major tragedy that she contract Mad Cow's Disease and this was the cause of her death... There's a memorial service this Sunday for her at their home and her husband, Jack, has barely managed to make it through this horrible period in his life, for Paula's passing has left a tremendous hole in his life and their two little Keeshonds... sigh...

Sometimes you never know what you've got until it is gone, ya know?... We tend to take people for granted who 'embroider' our life with their charm, good humor and give us a reason to live, prosper and be fruitful...

Which brings me to another thought... Most of you all are also subscribers to Julia's list (CraftE1Ldy@aol.com)... They discovered a small brain tumor during a fall she had while out here in California, visiting with her family recently... For those that hadn't heard about this, you probably have missed her mailings in your email box recently - this is why...

Let's send some positive wishes and warm thoughts that it can be surgically removed without harm and Julia can make a fast and speedy recovery from it...

Again, until life gives you bumps in the road, you never appreciate how smooth the ride is... I think about this a lot myself... And try to remind myself even on the bad days that it could be MUCH worse... The other day Paul said he knew I was in pain because of the frequent sighs... And I wondered about that for quite some time, because I go out of my way to not be a whiner and complainer...

Yesterday, Desiree gave me the clue that allowed me to put the pieces together about this, asking me why I was sighing, so I knew she'd been the one to notice it - I just couldn't imagine Paul REALLY noticed the number of sighs I did, nor the frequency! I mean - he is a retired detective, but ask him dialogue from old movies and he can quote it, scripture and verse... Ask him trivial things or that you need him to fix something, and it is in one ear and out the other most of the time!... Sighs?... LOL... That's at the bottom of almost everybody's list of things we notice...

And it's not really a sigh either - it's more of holding myself and my body until the sharp pain passes, so I guess I tend to not breathe while I'm doing this and then when the pain is bearable, I breath again? Everyone's tragedies and health issues are SO much greater than mine - even my own family's - that I hate to complain about my aches and pains, ya know?...

When I find myself sliding downwards and complaining a lot, I pull out that purple bracelet and force myself to wear it (it does make my wrist sweat, so that's a fact and not a complaint!)... A few of us got these a few years ago, so if you're a newbie to the Press, you might have missed it... There is a website for the movement and if you read through the faqs, you will see you have to move the bracelet to the other wrist when you catch yourself gossiping or complaining about something, then start all over again for it is believed it takes 21 days to change bad habits...

I'm not sure if I ever will totally make this happen, but if nothing else, it does remind me or make me mentally aware of complaining about things... I guess the real crux of it is that you replace complaints with positive things you see, want to do, make happen, etc. instead of focusing on the negative...

And I think for the most part, I do this... I know I do it with the dogs... Without a doubt, there are times I must say "QUIET" at least 100 times a day some days... I know tomorrow I will probably say it 101 times, and maybe the next day 102 times... But if I keep with it, respond in a consistent tone and not lose my patience, eventually the number of times I have to say it will start decreasing to replace a yappy Chihuahua with a great one... Saying it with a frustrated tone does nothing at all but increase the number of times you're going to say it...

We have a dog baiter here right now... Kelly has had her upper and lower canines surgically removed so that she could inflict no harm to a dog they were baiting with her... Initially she could not eat nicely with any of the other dogs - there are times she still gets antsy and I have to separate her, so I usually judge her mood before meal times... A few weeks after her arrival here and her coat had grown back in (she'd lost half of it, plus had spent 6 weeks in isolation at the shelter), I noticed a change in Kelly... Once she realized she no longer had to fight for her food, she almost went into a chaotic state of mind... From one extreme of behaviors to the opposite extreme, and I spent a LOT of time correcting the behavior...

You almost have to anticipate it in advance... I can't explain it correctly, but it is signs you know it is coming and you don't always catch it... The first few adoptions I took her to were stressful, for she'd do nothing else but bark, bark, bark... Big dogs passing by would immediately set her off (and I have seen her lose her bowels when in the presence of pitbulls too)... Negative behaviors by her would get our attention, and it dawned on me one day that our responses were actually encouraging her instead of what it should be doing... DUH~!!!

Sometimes I need a pile of mental bricks to hit me in the head before I get something... I know I know it, but I need that visual impact to break through the daily rote and routine of my thoughts!... Since then, I have been making a major effort to acknowledge Kelly when she's quiet and this is really positive reinforcement training (yes, I know about it and subscribe to it faithfully, but it took this extreme demonstration to remind me of what I already know!!! LOL)...

As I look over now, Kelly is sleeping in a doggie bed - YES, with two other dogs, butt to head and side to side... Even the hair on the back of her ears has grown back in and she's put back on the weight she'd lost through her stint in the shelter... There are times she slips (don't we all), but for the most part, she is now a well-mannered Chihuahua that is attentive (she favors Paul over me), has canine manners and I hope soon will find her own furever home...

Sometimes we forget to see the small improvements in our lives along the way and do concentrate on only the bad things that happen or are a part of our lives... It is a challenge every day for me to re-set myself mentally and do this... But I know if I fail today, tomorrow I can start again... And (LOL), if I have to switch over that purple bracelet today, God be willing, he'll give me another 21 days to correct the error of my ways!

As Always,
The Lady