Benjamin

March ~26, 1994 - December 20, 2006. Benjamin Meshach Thompson. dairy cat. moody boy. shower kitty. instigator of fisticuffs. best impressionist of Snoopy pretending to be a vulture. My grand poobah of cats, my lynchpin, my friend. My Benjaminimin.

miss me?

Between a recalcitrant computer and nonstop celebration of the recent elections, I have not had a chance to update this thing in awhile. I suppose I should also blame our past 6 weeks of freaky weather...global warming sucks.

More later. Maybe.

carnage

Three days later, my boys no longer smell of dog spit & blood. I was so proud (of them? of me?) that it had been over 6 weeks since their last "incident". I heard it start in the garage. I ran outside to blast them with the super soaker. No success. I hit them with the super soaker; still no effect (other than to break off a piece of the stupid soaker). So I dragged over the garden hose and turned it on them full bore; I swear it took 15-20 seconds of drenching before they finally broke up. Sopping wet and immensely apologetic, I made them stay outside. (Hold on *they* were wet & apologetic, I was merely pissed. Okay and wet.) No one needed suturing, but for the first time little Yoke got the brunt of it. They *knew* they were in the proverbial doghouse, and for two days it was nothing but "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am".

The morning after the incident, as it is 95.8% of the time, the boys were wrassling in the backyard like happy idiots, the best of buds. Now today is Day 3...let's see how far we get this time.

Bait but no switch

Remember the (not-so-)old jingle, "It's Joe Albertson's supermarket, but the (fill in the blank) department is mine."? Well it ain't ol' Joe's store anymore.

I tend to buy groceries at the end of the advertising week. This is normally a fine thing, unless you want to pick up a good deal at Albertsons: by then, the shelves are totally cleaned out of anything you had wanted that was on sale. Since it's been my fault waiting to go until there was nothing left to restock, I decided to go in yesterday, Day 2 of the weekly sale. My favorite cereal bars were on sale, and I wanted to stock up (otherwise, I probably wouldn't have even gone to A's this week). I was pushing my shopping cart & dutifully patting myself on the back...until I reached the cereal aisle. My favorite cereal bars were on sale, alright. At least they would have been, had there actually been any on the empty (yet still messy) shelves. On Day 2!

Is it me, or is this not very good customer service? Are they lazy about restocking? Accidentally poor planners? (That I doubt, since it happens all the flippin' time at this chain.) What is wrong with Albertsons? My family has always had a soft spot for A's (based in Caldwell, Idaho). Not only is half my family from Idaho, my mom & cousins went to the (formerly*) College of Idaho in Caldwell. So it's a loyalty thing. At least it was, until this whole SavOn/Osco push came in several years ago. It's no longer Joe's family's store, it's morphed into something else. Based on my experience yesterday, no wonder A's is struggling. What a shame.

*Yeah well it's Albertson's C of I now. What possessed the regents is beyond me.

on a happier note

Let's talk about TV. TV critics across the country are opining about the new fall season, so why shouldn't this Opinionated Person add her two cents worth? (Please don't answer the rhetorical question. Thank you.)

First let's back up a bit. It's first season is already over, but psych is pretty darn fun. I'm also happy to see two of my favorite actors, Dule' Hill (Charlie on West Wing) & Tim Osmundson (Sean on Judging Amy) on such a good show. Check it out when it returns in January. Same for Kyle XY, which appear cheesy but is actually a fascinating character study (with the added bonus of Nicholas Lea). Eureka is also a bunch of fun; the premise is far fetched, but the characters are rich and there's lots of good acting (especially the sheriff & his main rival).

The Amazing Race is the only reality show I watch. Period. To give you an idea how good it is: I actually got goosebumps watching the opening credits this year. Phil Koeghan and his arched eyebrow rule. The race this year started in Seattle (I kept exclaiming, "hey I've been there! I know that place!"); it was a brutal first episode, though, wiping out two teams instead of just one. Youch.

The best of the best returning shows: Veronica Mars, 24, Boston Legal, Law & Order: SVU (just when will an Emmy go to Christopher Meloni?!?), Grey's Anatomy (I got hooked on this one over the summer, dammit. The medical stories are often horribly unrealistic (what Izzy did to get Denny a heart? oh puh-LEASE) but the characters are compelling.), Lost, and last but sure as frak not least, Battlestar Galactica.

And an honorable mention to a show that no longer has first-run episodes: The Justice League. I'm still on the first season, but it's definitely not just a kiddies show.

Then the new shows that have me quite intrigued: Studio 60 (stellar cast, Aaron Sorkin, plus in the first hour they call Pat Robertson a bigot? What's not to love?!?), Heroes, and The Nine (John Billingsley & Chi McBride? I am so there!). If I discover any others I will, as part of my sacred TV advisory duty, let you know as soon as I do.

Happy couch potatoing!

curses, foiled again!

Apparently you can tell if you had a good therapy session (e.g., hit some proverbial raw nerves on the head...or something like that) when the next day you have to go back to bed because of a headache. Bah.

Amongst other things...

Civilization can perform at least a small happy dance today: the White House "blinked" first vs. Senators Warner, McCain, Graham, & Collins & former Secretary of State Powell! The administration is backing off of "clarifying" the Geneva Conventions. How horrid is it that we actually have a president of this great nation who wants to torture people. Um excuse me, but Jack Bauer on 24 is fiction... yet the Great Divider seems determined to undermine our moral authority (what's left at this point) as well as expose our own soldiers to the disaster of "clarification" should they become POWs. The shame.

how's that ark coming along?

Rain. Pitter patter. Splish splash. Mixed with the occasional midnight deluge. Yes, rain is back in the Pacific Northwest. Not that I mind (yet). I don't have to worry about the outdoor watering schedule, the rain sounds quite peaceful, and I'm off the hook for any yardwork. (The gray...now eventually the constant gray will be maddening. But not yet.)

The only current drawback is with the dogs. I really had no idea just how much energy 2 young adults & 2 8-month old pups can expend! At least now that the majority of their play time is in the house. There is at least one disemboweled squeaky toy strewn about the living room. Muddy paw prints form a new mosaic on the kitchen floor. The cats all stay at least 3 feet off the ground. And... housetraining issues are exacerbated. I swear, I have never had this problem before with pups this age! Case in point: today the good news was that, for the first time, I saw Yoke lift his leg. The bad news? He did it in the den. Ack! I love my dogs, I love my dogs, I love my dogs. Yeah, that's it.

OUCH

So I am finally on my "permanent" work schedule (now that one doctor is back from her maternity leave), and I think I will like it very much. I work Sunday & Monday nights (6p - 9a) & Friday day (8a-6p). Although Tuesday day is pretty much spent sleeping, it still gives me 3 days off in a row. Plus Saturday.

Now if life would only cooperate with my new schedule. The good news is that B is now back to a normal appetite (keep those drugs a comin') & no longer hiding. But of course I still spent Tues & Wed stressing about it & so didn't accomplish a whole bunch other than a couple loads of laundry. (In my defense, he didn't get back to normal until last night, at which point I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I would have hugged him, but of course B doesn't do hugs.)

So today (Thursday) was supposed to be Run All the Errands Day. Did I mention I actually went an entire 36 hours or so without needing any pain pills for my back? I had nary a twitch, it was wonderful. Not that I was going to make the garbage dump run or any other heavy duty project, I knew better than to trust my back that far. But I'm out of bagels(!), which of course requires immediate correction; a Costco expedition was primed and ready to go. Or so I thought.

The door bell rang late this morning, and I went to get up to answer it. But I did not get up. I could not get up. Each time I tried, my back (figuratively) hollered so loudly that I (literally) could not stand. Sonofabitch! (So my apologies to whoever rang my door bell, I did not mean to be rude.) A few minutes later I did manage to sort of rise & get to the bathroom & the Vicodin, then straight back to bed. So no Costco trip today; not only would I be unable to haul a 36-pack of pop, but I doubt I could even comfortably drive 3 blocks.

So no bagels. No returning the catalog order to JCPenney. No mowing the front yard (yeah like I'm shedding tears on that one). Yes it's inconvenient, but looking on the bright side: it's not a drastic crisis such as occupied so much of the past 3 years, it's manageable with drugs, the critters are happy with mom home for 3 straight days, and there is that mild Vicodin buzz. Now as long as I can make the drive to work tomorrow, the rest will be easy. Gulp.

mish mash

A sunny day, but not hot. Gotta like that. Little bit of a Vicodin buzz, which is nice of course but then there's the reason(s) you had to take it in the first place, which pretty much negates the whole buzz thing.

In the wee dawn-breaking hours this morning, I awoke to my classical Vicodin scenario: yes, the dreaded Early Morning Migraine. (That plus my new cell phone's battery was beeping for my attention.) If left unchecked it would have been a doozy, too: a half hour post pills, it was still gripping my head. (The headache, not the phone. In case that wasn't obvious to the non-Vicodin influenced crowd.) Fortunately I fell asleep shortly thereafter and awoke 8 or 9-ish no longer with a vise clinging to my head. Not that it's over, mind you...I know my body well enough to have already taken a follow-up pill. I can still feel it hovering (the vise, not the pill), especially as I look at my Benjamin. Which, I realized at 5 am whilst waiting for the vise to loosen, is the reason this thing struck in the first place.

I brought B home from the hospital yesterday. Three years ago I diagnosed him with kidney disease, and until now he has done fantastically well. But last Friday he wouldn't eat his breakfast & looked fantastically puny; I hauled him to work w/me & discovered his kidney values had shot sky-high. So the vet had to hospitalize her own cat, hooking him up to IV fluids to flush the toxins out of his system. He was well behaved for everyone (yeah sure he was there, here at home is a different matter). Hopefully the only major "hassle" will be administering his fluid injections & new meds. Although I'd feel much better if he would have lapped up his milk a few minutes ago with his usual gusto; as it was he just took a sip. (Did I mention his superhero name has always been Dairy Cat?) So we'll see if a few injections help his tummy. And me, heh. Meanwhile he's gone back to his nap on top of the fridge. Get your appetite back, dang you.

And here I thought I was done with Vicodin for awhile. Not because of the Current Crisis or from lack of headaches until now (although I am of course grateful for that), but because I had to pop a fair amount of it last week. Do you ever end up with an injury of some sort and wonder what the heck you did? I do that all the time, especially with bruises and the like. This time, though, it was my entire lower back. I have no clue what I did, but lordy I could barely move! So I crawled (or something like that) to the walk-in clinic and was prescribed naproxen (prescription-strength Aleve) & Vicodin. Darn this 40-something body falling apart! Oh well, at least I can move again.

And, of course, a farewell "crikey!" to the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. You know, I never watched his TV shows but I certainly appreciated his enthusiasm and respect for the Animal Kingdom. His sudden departure seems to have hit hard for many of us; we can only hope his outlook inspires a whole new generation of conservationists. RIP, Steve.

Thank the heavens!

They had me worried there for a bit. Scientists were seriously considering letting sentimentality and public opinion decide the facts. Not that I have anything at all against someone considering Pluto one of their favorite celestial bodies, but for pete's sake it's not a planet! Sure it's got its own moon, but c'mon! Its orbit is kattywhumpus to the plane of all the "real" planets, plus it sneaks inside Neptune's orbit for part of its year. And where would it end? Xena? The next dozen objects they find out in the Kuiper belt? Would you seriously want your kid to have to build a solar system model with 10,000 planets?

Okay yes, Pluto has been a planet since the 1930s, but guess what -- the asteroid Ceres was labeled a planet for 50 years before they discovered it was just one component of the asteroid belt. That's how science works: corrections are made as new facts are discovered. For example, Brontosaurus was renamed Apatosaurus when it was realized the same dinosaur had been discovered twice (the official name going to the first find).

So sorry all you Pluto fans, your fav (along with Ceres, Xena, and who knows what all) is now properly called a dwarf planet. Although as a nod to sentimentality, I would have been happy with the proposal to call them all plutoids but that didn't stick. Oh well. Can't win them all.

Lockdown!

So last Friday at work we had a wee bit of excitement. Shots fired, squealing tires, manhunt, lockdown, the whole nine yards. The initial incident happened just across the street from us, so it made for an interesting workday. Especially since (on the lighter side) none of us had brought any lunch, and here we were stuck in lockdown! (Our boss helpfully suggested we had lots of dog food, lol. Thannnnks...)

we are legion

Fortunately for me, I don't suffer from nearly as many migraines anymore now that I have treatment for sleep apnea. But here is the latest info for those who could use it.

My Own Private Dustbowl

We have been fortunate here in the Pacific Northwest not to be slammed with the horrific heat waves that have afflicted much of the rest of our country. We've had some scorchers, mind you, but none of the deadly variety. Yet, anyway.

But what we (okay, I) do have is a dust bowl. In my backyard. Adjacent to the patio. Largely thanks to four wrestling (& occasionally digging) dogs, the grass in that area has vanished and left behind an apparently quite comfy dirt bed. At first, the dust only kicked up when the dogs were on that patch. At this point, though, the slightest breeze will bring up a dusty cloud worthy of The Grapes of Wrath. I suppose this wouldn't be much of a problem except for the garage...or rather everything IN the garage. Which is in the path of the dust cloud. So my nice blue suitcase is no longer blue, etc.

I would wish for rain, but then I would have a plethora of muddy paw prints (and dogs to go with them). I'll just hope I can vacuum my suitcase.

fields of dandelions

They make the back yard quite pretty, actually. And no, I'm not going to mow them down. At least not today. Well unless I get too bored with doing indoor chores. Ah, choices.

I'm a little off whack today, but at least I'm home. This is a make-up day off because I worked an extra one last week. I guess working Sunday & Monday nights & then Wednesday day this week was just a wee bit too much as well... my circadian clock (or some such body system) is punishing me a bit. Good gravy I may actually have to go take a nap. (Oh DARN!)

At least July is done. Just a few too many (painful) anniversaries; it will get better w/time but there were two new ones this time. (Fireworks were always a big thing for me & my dad when I was a kid, my mom's birthday, and of course the one-year mark for my dad's passing.) Probably a big chunk of why I haven't been blogging much, since I tend to retreat into my cave whenever I am troubled.

Hah of course I've also been getting used to this thing called Full Time Employment again. So between the two, I can't say I've had much energy for much of anything else! But BOY is it an awesome feeling to be able to just go ahead & pay monthly bills without having to double-check the ol' bank account. That's a sense of security that has been missing for a looong time and I LIKE it. I like it a LOT.

So what is new (or old, even) in your world?

Finally, an evangelical leader who makes sense

This isn't the first evangelical leader I have heard take a different tack, but you can read all about it here. (And I'm not sure what's up with the Lutheran church mentioned in the article...)

good news!

The VW Rabbit is back!!!

What, you were expecting world peace?

writer's anti-block

I realized today why I haven't been posting much. It's not that I have nothing to say or nothing's been happening; it's more like I can't decide which of numerous events &/or thoughts to start with. (Yes, a fine example of an ACOA Perfectionist. You so want to get it right the first time that you end up never starting because it must be perfect from the get-go.)

Outside of my new work shoes (stupid bunion), I am really enjoying my new job. I am really enjoying having a job. I am especially enjoying having a regular income and not having to second-guess how many groceries I can buy in a week.

I am not enjoying my neighbors. Just one couple though, all my other neighbors are awesome. The good neighbor behind me just finished replacing the north wall of my 6-foot fence (which was/is ~40 years old, my father & grandfather built it). During the time of No Fence, there was chicken wire in place to keep my dogs from getting out (and by golly it worked). Problem was, Peter had a little problem with barking at everyone he saw...even though he knew them (yeah it's a little embarrassing). When I wasn't home, my good side neighbor kept an eye (& ear) on my dogs. I thought I was staying on top of it enough, and my fence-building neighbor was very understanding.

Yeah. Well not so much the neighbors beside him, who share about 6 feet of my back fence line. These are people I have talked to before. Been quite friendly with. When they had a sweet little Jack Russell that kept getting over the fence (!) and into my yard, we had several pleasant conversations. So you know what my oh-so-friendly neighbors did? They filed a complaint. Didn't talk to me. Didn't so much as give a peep of "Hey you must not know how much your dog is actually barking & it's driving us nuts." Nope. I received a letter from the county. Of course I had assumed it must be some nearby neighbor that didn't know me, that thought I would go ballistic or something if they brought it up. (Honestly, if my dog is creating a nuisance I want to know!) But no. My side neighbor guessed who it was (they are her back neighbor), and my fence-building neighbor confirmed it.

The ultimate irony of all this? For over FIFTEEN YEARS, they left their dog in the back yard all the time by herself. And she barked every evening. And barked. And barked. Did my family or the other neighbors file a complaint? Nuh-uh. (And yes, I do wish now that we had. But honestly I felt so sorry for that lonely dog...) Did I complain when their sweet little dog got over the fence into my yard? Nope. Did my side neighbor turn them in when they had a little yapper that wouldn't shut up? No. (She spoke to them instead, fancy that.) Does any of that give me a legal leg to stand on? Of course not!

All they had to do was talk to me, and it would have been taken care of right then.

Oh, and fyi.... they got rid of the yapper fairly soon. And the sweet, gentle Jack Russell? She developed a knee injury & they didn't want her anymore. Are we surprised? Thought not.

oh please oh please oh please!

WP: Dems eye Obama for 08

Proud of our brain power!

Smartest city in the U.S.? It's Seattle!

Okay, so technically it's the best educated city...but I never object to being called smart.

What dog are you?

You really should take this test, if for no other reason than to see the hilarious pictures. ;)

The Blue Heeler You are 35% Loyal, 16% Aggressive, 75% Intelligent, and 25% Friendly!

Equally loyal and intelligent, the Blue Heeler or Australian Cattle Dog makes the perfect companion. They are fast learners and understand a great deal of what their masters say. They are also excellent at judging people's moods and acting accordingly. The Blue Heeler is generally aloof with strangers and prefers the company of its established friends.

Link: The
What breed of dog are you? Test written by karmagirl84
on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

It's Ali-i-i-i-ive!!!

Really. I promise I'm really here.

It's just the last couple weeks have been hella-crazy in terms of my work schedule. (Yes! I have a work schedule! Sweet!) I've been filling in at both places and have had like 1 day off at a time. Hey the money's good so I ain't complainin'.

Oh yeah and I had a crisis with my 15-year-old kitty Nutter Butter... she's fine now, but it took me a lot longer to recover. (Picture me holding my beloved cranky gramma kitty, crying into her fur "don't leave me, don't leave me". Yeah, lots of fun. Her? She was merely annoyed at getting wet, lol.)

So I'll post again the next time I come up for air. :D

darn blogspot!

So it turns out that if you start an entry & finish it a month later, it gets posted way back at the start date. So for "My Meme, My Own", please page down to April 15th. Bah.

working girl

Need I even say not that kind? Yeah didn't think so.

The Job Hunt may very well be over. Since The First Potential Job (FPJ) work interview was/is dragging out over a month, I decided to cover my bases & look elsewhere. I followed up with a veterinary-specific job hunting company and subsequently had an interview last week with a 6-doctor day (& night ER) hospital. I was offered the job before the end of the interview. (I am vet, hear me roar!)

Tomorrow is my working interview...I have a sneaking suspicion I'll tell them "yes" before the day is done. The FPJ has a lot of pluses: smaller clinic, location where the vast majority of clients can easily afford treatment for their pets, good workers, etc. Unfortunately, though, the FPJ has insufficient monitoring equipment, no I.V. fluid pumps, no dental drills, etc. The S(econd)PJ has all of these things, plus an ultrasound machine and a board-certified internist who uses their clinic as home base. Their doctors can have whatever drugs or surgical supplies they want (okay within reason, no multi-thousand dollar surgical lasers or stuff like that), PLUS they can almost certainly pay me what I'm worth; I doubt FPJ can match any of that.

Sorry this is a bit of a dry post. But hey I worked an extra day last week so my creative juices are a bit dry.

If not now, when?

It doesn't matter a whit if you are red, blue, or lime green: surely all can agree that the genocide in Darfur is an abomination. Unfortunately the U.N., NATO, and individual governments do not act on moral outrage alone; they need political capital. Here is your chance, as a decent human being, to provide that capital. Sign the postcard. Join one of the rallies in major cities throughout the U.S. this Saturday, April 29th Sunday, April 30th.

As the saying goes, all it takes for evil to win is for a good man to do nothing.

of peeps & yardwork

Sunshine! Oh 'tis glorious indeed. (Overly dramatic? Dude, I live in western Washington...any weather here that doesn't involve gray is equivalent to a national holiday.)

It's sunny, it's warm, and the back yard awaits my attention. The grass is gunning for 12 inches, the dandelions are forming conga lines, the doggie doolies are hungry, and the survivors of the Pansy Debacle await transfer to a puppy-safe habitat.

This will be good for me. Not just the sunshine, which for a person with dysthymia is like a big hit of cocaine jolt of caffeine...but the activity as well. Physical activity in terms of exercise. Physical activity in terms of distraction.

Since finding out The Potential Job is not (yet?) mine, I have had to scramble. I sat down & created a cash flow spreadsheet. I cancelled call-waiting, cancelled ProActiv (hey was thinking about that anyway because the stuff at Costco is SO much cheaper), put Netflix on hold, and (gasp) pared down to the most basic of cable (no SciFi! no Jon Stewart! oh the horror!!) (seriously, the horror!!!). I also took all automated payments off my credit card and have whittled groceries down to only the Must Haves (i.e., cat litter & caffeine). Good thing I'm a child of children of the Great Depression & a Costco shopper...my pantry is already stocked so I won't starve anytime soon. Gulp.

And oh yeah I haven't been to my therapist in almost a month. And unless she's willing to take $10 down payments, there won't be appointments anytime soon.

I'm not panicking. I've had a low-grade headache all week, but I'm not panicking. Nor am I complaining (no, really!) as much as I am just sharing/expressing. I told the job hunting lady to pursue 2-3 of the postings she sent me. Next week I'll go over the classifieds in the state vet newsletter again. I also have a classmate who said he's always looking for relief doctors. Something will work out.

Speaking of sharing....a disclosure of sorts. I finally, for the first time in my life, ate peeps. Shocking, I know. But it's true. They're all gone now, but perhaps the temporary sugar high will help with the yard work. Darn, if only I had thought ahead, they could have made interesting lawn decorations.

too lazy to actually write something

And then blogspot was too lazy to delete the entire entry. So here you go.

so NOW what?

I thought I had a job. I may still have a job...but at the moment I don't have a job. Confused?

Last month I had an interview. It seemed to go exceedingly well, and I learned that I was the only candidate that Potential Boss Lady was bothering to interview before leaving the country on a long vacation. I worked 4 days for her while she was away. During that time I was either brave or foolish and asked the office manager (who has been w/PBL for a loooong time); she had the same impression as I, that PBL would be calling me with a job offer upon her return. Yay, I thought.

PBL's first day back at her clinic was 2 days ago. I had realized on Easter that it was very unlikely she would call me on Monday, since her desk was probably piled higher than she is tall with All The Stuff That Happened While PBL Was Away. (An impressive pile indeed, especially after the Anesthesia Double-Whammy Disaster that happened on my last day. Thank heavens the kitty apparently is making a full recovery.)

By Tuesday evening, however, I couldn't take the suspense anymore.

I called.

I asked if she had made her decision.

No, she hadn't.

WHAT?!?

My brain did the mental equivalent of looking at The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and reading the words in big, pink letters: DON'T PANIC. Before I could get out any intelligible sounds, however, she had more to say. First, I received favorable reviews from her staff. (We all got along really well.) Second, she wanted to see how the two of us worked together. So I am working Tuesdays (w/PBL) & Wednesdays (solo) for the entire month of May.

Which (in hindsight) makes perfect sense: Gee, think it might be a good idea to see if you & the PBL can even stand each other? Hmph. Yeah.

So this will provide enough income to take care of the month of May. Unfortunately I was counting on considerably more to take care of what's left of April!

Time to get a little creative and see where the axe can fall.

how's your weather?

Sunny autumn day Your forecast: 52°F, 24 mph wind, 27% chance of precipitation

What your score means: Please note that all variables are scaled to a range of 0 to 100. I'd like to present some of them differently, but the OkCupid system doesn't seem to allow independent scaling of variables. Category names are not meant to be taken literally. They are only weather patterns that match your score for the three variables. A person might be classified as "hurricane" because he/she is outgoing, athletic and compassionate; it does not relate to any destructive behavior by any means. Temperature measures your relationships with other fellow humans. A high temperature means you are caring and compassionate, and you tend to keep a personal touch with all your friends. A low temperature means you are more independent, and although you may like to hang out with your friends, personal life rarely enters the picture. Wind measures your level of energy. A low wind says you are usually calm and composed, somewhat introverted, and perhaps do not prefer intense physical activities. A high wind says you are energetic, extroverted, and tend to lead an active lifestyle. Higher wind can also mean greater ambitions in life. In extreme cases and especially when coupled with high precipitation, high wind might suggest a tendency toward violence. Precipitation measures your mood. A sunny sky, as you might guess, is associated with a bright, optimistic mood. People like this tend to be satisfied with their lives, and might take the effort to help make other people's lives better as well. A rainy sky would be the opposite: people in this category tend to be moody or depressed at times. So, What do you think? Do the scores seem fair to you? If not, you can help make it better by sending me a message with your comments, suggestions, rants, death threats, whatever. Otherwise, your vote is very much appreciated. Thanks!

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: http://is1.okcupid.com/graphics/0.gif" border=0> http://www.okcupid.com/">%20alt="free%20online%20dating"%20src=" You scored higher than 16% on temperature http://is1.okcupid.com/graphics/0.gif" border=0> http://www.okcupid.com/">%20alt="free%20online%20dating"%20src=" You scored higher than 0% on wind http://is1.okcupid.com/graphics/0.gif" border=0> http://www.okcupid.com/">%20alt="free%20online%20dating"%20src=" You scored higher than 33% on precipitation

Link: The what kind of weather are you Test written by LTbot on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

My Meme, My Own

You know the drill, children...get to it!!

1. Comfort food: Ritz crackers

2. Comfort music: Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown TV music

3. I would happily listen to _______ read the phone book:
Dennis Haysbert

4. I won't answer the phone during these TV shows: 24, Lost, Battlestar
Galactica, Veronica Mars

5. PMS survival tool(s): chocolate

6. Food I prefer not to eat: olives, cilantro, green peppers

7. Food I refuse to eat: liver (especially chicken), anything involving neural tissue (prions begone!)

8. Food I can't get enough of that others won't eat: mushrooms

9. Dream car: VW New Beetle with Subaru AWD & a Toyota hybrid engine

10. Dream vacation: China, 2 weeks in the UK, RVing thru 49 states plus Canadian provinces (once they develop a solar-powered/hybrid RV).

Monsters Walk Among Us

I have reached a conclusion: There must be a plutonium stash under my house. What else can explain the insane growth of almost every creature in this household? (Now for a couple of the cats, all adults, it's a matter of different cat food & their mom still working out how much they need a day. Not how much they want, mind you...need.) (Their mom has been finding this also works well for herself, but is occasionally stymied by the fact that the one responsible for dishing out her food for the day is, well, her.)

But I digress. Yesterday on my way home from work (yes, work!) (relief work at the moment but more on that later), I stopped at a pet store to finally buy puppy collars. It's about that time when they'll be joining Peter on car rides (Caramel too, as long as she has her Dramamine), and I don't particularly want them off the property without ID. I carefully picked out brightly colored collars: blue for TwoSpot, green for Yoke, and purple for Brownie. These, I thought, are going to be seriously stylin' puppies!

I proudly brought home the new collars (ID tags as well) and got to work. I took each collar out of its packaging, made sure I had the appropriate tag for each, and then took the first collar into the living room to adjust to a puppy. I checked to see how far the first one would go around TwoSpot's neck. Lengthened it several inches. Checked again. Added another inch. Checked again...fine perhaps for a tightened choke collar but certainly not for a pup. Extended it as far as it would go. It still was too tight! Faced with the indisputable facts, as a relatively reasonable person I acknowledged the situation and made efforts to correct my actions accordingly. (ahem*BushCo!*cough!!)

So I think to myself, "Self, it's just that TwoSpot is a humongous boy. Go back tomorrow and exchange his collar for a bigger one." Satisfied, I take the next collars to adjust to the smaller pups. Much to my dismay, these collars are also too small. These puppies are only 12 weeks old!!! Stunned, I glanced around the living room. I looked at the snakes: twice as big as 3 months ago. I looked at the Aquarium of Doom: the red hook has grown by at least half and the tetras have tripled. I pondered this, and suddenly I was really wishing that Geiger counters were standard household equipment.

So perhaps I have found yet another benefit of going back to work: decreased exposure time to something akin to kryptonite (would that be the red one?). Tomorrow I shall return to the pet store & exchange the collars for medium ones. I can only hope that they won't have outgrown those by tomorrow afternoon.

THIS IS IMPEACHABLE

EXCUSE THE SHOUTING BUT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AN ACT OF TREASON CAN WE F'ING IMPEACH HIM NOW?!?!?!?

Addendum: Ah damn. Damn, damn, damn!! From the Washington Post:

WASHINGTON - Legal experts say that President Bush had the unquestionable authority to approve the disclosure of secret CIA information to reporters, but they add that the leak was highly unusual and amounted to using sensitive intelligence data for political gain.

here here!

I do on occasion wax political, but when someone else says it best I'm happy to share. This guy supported invading Iraq, so see what Richard Cohen has to say.

aunt update

Okay the discombobulation isn't all gone, going by the nap I just came out of. Oh well.

I realized today that in the midst of all this craziness I never provided an update on my gravely ill aunt. She's home! The sepsis caused permanent damage to her heart (at least to the extent that she'll be on heart meds for life) and the antibiotics that saved her damaged her hearing so she has to get a hearing aid. She also doesn't remember much since my uncle's funeral...I keep telling her that's just her brain protecting her. (If you almost bled to death from ulcers and then got your body cooked by E.coli all within 6 weeks, would you want to remember?)

So sincere thanks to all those who said a prayer or held a positive thought for her.

Discombobulated Goose Eggs

It's probably only a duck egg, thanks to the ice pack. On my forearm, of all places. There would be another one on my knee if it weren't for the lack of sufficient soft tissue. Although I will no doubt have a lovely array of colored bruises on at least three limbs soon enough. (They will match nicely with the ones previously set in place by Caramel, who has yet to master the concept that my body is not made of the same material as the bed.) (Who needs tattoos?)

I have noticed a certain phenomenon when I take a spill. You know how they say that most of our brain processes are so fast we are not consciously aware of them? (Well I'm sure that someone has said that, somewhere.) When my brain realizes that a nose dive is inevitable, my consciousness seems to go into slo-mo. Before the fall gets underway, I am aware of my eyes scanning the target area, my brain recognizing any danger points, my brain then directing my hands/arms what to aim for & my skull/face what to avoid, and then my body getting the all clear to relax (mostly) and go with the flow. All this in what, a second? Fascinating stuff.

I'm hoping that incident was the last of a very discombobulated couple of weeks. Funky sleep patterns. Getting the flu. Fighting off the flu. (Yes, the cells of my immune system wear super suits...why do you ask?) Bringing home Jackson's ashes. Working my first day at The Probable Job. C-pap machine acting up. Cleaning up after 5 puppies (4 of which were not yet house trained) who developed The Explosive Diarrhea of Too Sudden of a Food Change. Administering a couple of anesthesia drugs to a friend's dog in the wrong order (don't worry absolutely no adverse effects to anything other than my ego). Losing my little date planner book thingy. Cleaning up after Peter and his own personal version of gastroenteritis. Proudly leaving for my therapy appointment on time, getting 15 minutes late because I-5 was backed up wayyyyyy north of Seattle, not being able to call said therapist because I forgot my cell phone on the end table, and arriving only to discover that the appointment had been scheduled for 10:15 not 10:45 & it was now after 11:00. Frack-a-doodle-doo.

So here's hoping that the current discombobulation as come to an end. I think I'll pull an Opus and find me a dandelion patch.

As if it wasn't already obvious...

You are a Social Liberal (76% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (18% permissive) You are best described as a: Socialist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

The House of Vice Viruses

I can't do anything. Well that's not true...I can take a 2-4 hour nap at the drop of a hat. But that's about it. Did you know you can have the flu and not have congestion, sneezing, or a sore throat? It's true . Now we're not talking about the grossly inaccurate moniker of "stomach flu" here (that's usually food poisoning, unless your name is Mel ). Flu refers to influenza, caused by a multi-membered group of respiratory viruses. The "base camp" of all influenza viruses (viri?) is waterfowl. (So the next time you see Donald Duck at Disneyland...you may wish to have a word.) From here they mutate (& sometimes successfully) transfer to other species. Humans are quite good at finding these mutations (Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918, anyone?). Horses got their version started in the 1960s. The dog version is now making it's way across the U.S. The current scare of "bird flu" has been picked up by cats & humans (but so far ONLY from direct contact w/an infected bird). These are viruses that know how to travel!

But for me, we're just talking plain ol' flu. At least I think this is the flu. Curiously I have yet to have a "real" fever, although my melting body last night wanted to argue with the thermometer. I actually woke up this morning without the persistent, laugh-in-the-face-of-excedrin headache...at least for a little bit. But...I dread what should come next: The Cough. I cannot afford The Cough, not now. The end of this week I have my first of 4 days of relief work at The Potential Job. I...must...not...cough. My sole hope is that this is some other cockamamie virus of temporary duration and there will be no cough. Yes, that's it. That must be it.

I did say the house of viruses, did I not? Between myself and the antics of The Herd of Ravenous Monster Puppies (THORMP), heaven forbid that the cats be outdone. Ever since MaoMao staged the Great Escape last year, all the cats have been playing hot potato with a respiratory virus of their own. (Before I got sick, I considered naming this entry The House of Herpes...but that would imply something a wee bit different than intended.) Probably 80% of the feline population has been exposed to herpes (one of several "kitty colds" than kittens often have) & many of these cats become long-term carriers. Just like in humans, the herpes virus tends to pop back up during times of stress to wreak havoc once again. And trust me, THORMP provides plenty o' stress to The Orderly World of Cats.

So po' Benjamin has what's called dendritic keratitis; stereotypical lesions on his corneas caused by herpes, sort of like little ulcers. Treatable (no disintegrating eyeballs in this household, thank you) but for a cat that already objects to his daily pills, eyedrops 4 times per day are just such a bonus. This also means that at least B & MM will have to take lysine twice daily for the forseeable future; after all, herpes is The House Guest That Never Leaves.

Let's just hope it & influenza never hook up.

muah hah hah hahhhh

You Are 10% Evil

You are good. So good, that you make evil people squirm. Just remember, you may need to turn to the dark side to get what you want!

How Evil Are You?

David Horsey

Mr. Horsey is a Pullitzer-winning editorial cartoonist in Seattle. I'm hoping this link will stay on this particular cartoon.... http://cartoonbox.slate.com/hottopic/?topicid=11&image=0

Goodbye Old Friend

It's taken me almost a week to write this post. Jackson was truly one of the most gentle souls I have ever met. He was my parents' dog for many years; he loved Dad and just plain ol' adored Mom. He was there for both of them when they each left this world, and so I was there for him. Despite the "herd" running around this place, it seems a little empty now... or maybe that's just my heart.

Between my aunt and my dog, I don't currently have time to author much of anything. So here, let this fine fellow distress the bejeebers out of you:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/13/AR2006031301484.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

Leave my aunt alone!

My poor Aunt June. Uncle Jack passed away in January (they had over 50 years of marriage). She helped him with his Parkinsons for ~20 years, so along w/the grief this was the time for her body to heal as well (caregiving can take a horrid toll on your physical reserves). But such was not to be.

1. Seven weeks ago she was rushed to the ER for what turned out to be 6 pyloric & duodenal ulcers. She had lost so much blood that any longer and they might have lost her.
2. Two weeks ago she caught that horrid gastrointestinal virus that's been going around. She was so dehydrated she was given intravenous fluids.
3. Tuesday my cousin found her incoherent. She was rushed to the ER again and this time was diagnosed with The Pneumonia From Hell. The fever has finally broken, but yesterday her lungs weren't looking any better (x-rays) and she had developed a horribly rapid heartbeat.

The poor woman is literally sick & tired of being sick & tired! She is the only one left of my mom's siblings & in-laws. She is fighting (she & Mom were twins, so the stubborness factor is HUGE, lol). But now we have to wait to see if her body if up to the challenge as well.

I literally want to yell "leave my aunt alone!" at someone or something, but generally life is more complicated than that. For any of you that do that sort of thing, prayers &/or kind thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Editor's update: What is it about the power of a blog? Second time today that I learn something new as soon as I've finished posting. (Excuse me while I look around for Rod Serling.) Just talked to one of my cousins, and today the doctor said that she doesn't have pneumonia. Her lungs look bad because it's her asthma w/a very nasty flare-up. However, she does still have a horrible bacterial infection -- but it's in her bloodstream (septicemia). So she's going in this afternoon for a battery of tests to try to locate the original source. Keep those prayers comin'.

concerned, I am

The pups are adorable. Individual personalities are starting to make their appearance. Jackson & Peter are no longer telling them to back off with every other breath.

Yet I still have all four remaining puppies. Since I e-mailed the application forms, I haven't heard anything back from the families. For over a week now. Even emailed the best candidates again this week...nothing.

I mean, I planned to keep whoever (if anybody) was left. But FOUR PUPPIES? and their MOM? Aye carumba. This is so totally not the Correct Order of the World...you can't have more dogs than cats. Trying to train four crazy bundles of joy at the same time? Ack, give me four kittens anyday! (Er, not now, please. Oh lordy no.)

Mind you, I'm not panicking. Merely expressing. I've started teaching them their names just because it seems rather undignified to only answer to "poopy poopy". Maybe it's just me.

Addendum: Aw dammit, gumby. Just got a reply from TwoSpot's new owners...they are bowing out. Things are about to get interesting.

my eyes hurt

I don't know what it is about cats & computers, but they have some sort of strange cosmic connection. I have Yoda who offers the obligatory bats at the screen saver, five of the cats who type all sorts of things into my IMs (much to the recipients' confusion), & Wilbur Jeeves who can merely walk by the back of the CPU and the whole thing resets (strong in the Force, that one).

But leave it to Mao Mao to offer up a new one. Today, in his Infinite Kitty Wisdom, he decided to sit/lean on the left edge of the keyboard. Thinking nothing of it (stupid, stupid human) I continued to read Mel's blog. Suddenly the blog morphed from something amusing into a huge freaking BILLBOARD. I checked Tory's ...same thing. I checked my home page...nothing of the sort. But alas, as soon as I go to my blog, IT'S A BILLBOARD.

So do me a favor. The next time you see your cat(s), please grovel appropriately and ask them if they might deign to offer a solution. Seriously, I'm getting a headache from the eyeball pain.

dealing with them thar christians

Melodee & I were high school classmates; she was one of the smart & witty ones. Since our 20th reunion we have endeavored to keep in touch, and I daresay we were both surprised (well I was) to discover we were different colors, e.g. one red & one blue. (Now before you jump on me about generalizations, for two such complex people it would be far more accurate to say she is a strong violet & I am a deep purple. So hush.) Check out her latest entry here.

for all you rat lovers out there

You can read about Quinn's travails with her new charge here .

behold the power of chocolate

Coconut truffle You scored 40% Dark, 51% Crunch, and 78% Chewy!

You are a smooth coconut truffle: Creamy coconut filling accented with coconut flakes, in a milk chocolate shell. Soft and irresistably sweet. I would label you as an introvert though....you prefer to keep more to yourself or small groups than to be at a wild party. But you're a lovely person and friend, someone that others can truly count on. And you see the world through rose-colored glasses, which is getting harder these days, so hold onto that optimism :) Like this one? Try my other tests! The Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Test What Type of Human Are You? Which Mixed Drink Are You? Which Major US City Are You? What Kind of Place Are You? Please rate 'em if you like 'em! :)

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 6% on Dark You scored higher than 13% on Crunchy You scored higher than 73% on Chewy

Link: The Box of Chocolates Test written by weerediii on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

a pic is worth ... well you know the rest

What happens in Vegas...

I just returned from my 6-day adventure in Las Vegas. No not a vacation adventure, but an educational one: the Western Veterinary Conference. Fourteen thousand vets & staff descended on the Mandalay Bay Convention Center...I dare say Las Vegas was the best place for a sick pet to be. (Okay, so most of us aren't licensed to practice in Nevada...must you be such a stickler for detail?)

I learned quite a bit during my stay, and it wasn't all regarding my profession:

1. Avoid realtors in red clothing. For the second year in a row, the Mandalay Bay put us and Kelly-Williams in the same area, added seasonings, and shook well. We were inundated with cult-like groups wearing some gawd-awful combinations of red hats, red coats, red shoes, red glasses, blinking lights...you get the idea. Some of them one-on-one, of course, seemed to be pleasant people; but in packs and herds they were rather an obnoxious, pushy lot. Our only consolation was hoping we could gross them out if they eavesdropped on some of our more gnarly horror stories.
2. Jay Leno is still funny. I saw Mr. Leno about 16 years ago (ironically while in vet school) and thought he was great, but I can't say I find him as funny on The Tonight Show. How the WVC landed him for our opening event I don't know, but he was freakin' hilarious. If you have a chance to see him in one of his club outings by all means do so.
3. No matter how much cash you bring, it won't be enough. And I'm not talking about gambling. I'm talking about eating! The food is still great, but it's definitely no longer $20/day. I took $120 cash and put some meals on my credit card, yet I still came home without a single dollar bill.
4. Southwest Airlines is still a great way to fly, but what happened to all the crazy jokes? When I first started going to this conference years ago, it took me a couple times before I discovered SWA. The fares were inexpensive, the planes were clean, and all the employees were pleasant & professional. (Key reasons why today SWA & JetBlue are the only airlines in the entire country that are in the black.) But best of all -- each and every one of them was (on purpose) FUNNY. They cracked jokes from the ticket counter all the way until landing. ("If you are flying with someone who needs assistance, please place your own oxygen mask on first before you help your husband.") But they don't do that anymore. Sure they are still pleasant & courteous...but I miss chuckling through the entire trip.
5. Wear layers. Because it doesn't matter that you were completely comfortable for 2 days and never wore that jacket you hauled around. Because on that third day, when you leave your jacket in the hotel room, THAT will be the day that you have to sit in a room that has delusions of being an ice box.

So that was my stay. I updated my textbooks, picked up some good practice tips, and came home with a lot of dirty laundry. As to anything else...that will, indeed, stay in Vegas.

enneagrams

>the Perfectionist Test finished!

you chose CZ - your Enneagram type is ONE. "I do everything the right way" Perfectionists are realistic, conscientious, and principled. They strive to live up to their high ideals. How to Get Along with Me Take your share of the responsibility so I don't end up with all the work. Acknowledge my achievements. I'm hard on myself. Reassure me that I'm fine the way I am. Tell me that you value my advice. Be fair and considerate, as I am. Apologize if you have been unthoughtful. It will help me to forgive. Gently encourage me to lighten up and to laugh at myself when I get uptight, but hear my worries first. What I Like About Being a One being self-disciplined and able to accomplish a great deal working hard to make the world a better place having high standards and ethics; not compromising myself being reasonable, responsible, and dedicated in everything I do being able to put facts together, coming to good understandings, and figuring out wise solutions being the best I can be and bringing out the best in other people What's Hard About Being a One being disappointed with myself or others when my expectations are not met feeling burdened by too much responsibility thinking that what I do is never good enough not being appreciated for what I do for people being upset because others aren't trying as hard as I am obsessing about what I did or what I should do being tense, anxious, and taking things too seriously Ones as Children Often criticize themselves in anticipation of criticism from others refrain from doing things that they think might not come out perfect focus on living up to the expectations of their parents and teachers are very responsible; may assume the role of parent hold back negative emotions ("good children aren't angry") Ones as Parents teach their children responsibility and strong moral values are consistent and fair discipline firmly Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele The Enneagram Made Easy Discover the 9 Types of People HarperSanFrancisco, 1994, 161 pages You liked the test? so please RATE it :-) You are not completely happy with the result?! You chose CZ Would you rather have chosen: "_new">AZ (THREE) BZ (FIVE) >CX (TWO) CY (SIX)

This test tracked 2 variables. How the score compared to the other people's: "0"> "black" border="0"> /> Higher than 0% on ABC "black" border="0"> Higher than 0% on XYZ

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Link: "http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid= 12721960859055255705">The Quick and Painless ENNEAGRAM Test written by felk on Ok Cupid

okay maybe not the tofu dogs...

You Are Lisa Simpson

A total child prodigy and super genius, you have the mind for world domination. But you prefer world peace, Buddhism, and tofu dogs. You will be remembered for: all your academic accomplishments Your life philosophy: "I refuse to believe that everybody refuses to believe the truth"

The Simpsons Personality Test

no wonder I liked that super bowl ad

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know. You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems. Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green. Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The Muppet Personality Test

can I hear an "amen"?

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/13/national/13evolution.html?ex=1297486800&en=ce76ae431c32fd46&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&
emc=rss

Be glad you're not related to me

This is getting ridiculous. Actually we passed ridiculous a good year & a half ago... surely we are onto the category of Defies Belief. Wait, no, that one's been passed too. Okay, Defies Description. Not that I won't try.

For those of you who are not familiar with my recent history, allow me to recap. Almost two years ago, my mother died unexpectedly. Two months later my cat was having grand mal seizures (fyi, seizures in cats are usually a Bad Thing). One month later I was forced to close my veterinary clinic (my Dream) and start bankruptcy proceedings. Calls from a zillion collection agencies lasted for months. At this point I became a full-time caregiver for my father, who was grieving terribly and had his own serious health problems. Two of my closest friends began drifting away. Two months later my uncle died. Two weeks after that I finally had to admit it was time for my 17-yr old dog to join her brother Up There. During this time I developed the most severe depression I've ever had (duh). A month later my dad ended up in the hospital with a crushed vertebra from osteoporosis. A month after that one of the friends cut off all communication. Dad's mental & emotional decline continued, only he didn't realize the mental aspects & insisted he could drive, etc. (thank heavens he didn't act on it). The bankruptcy was finalized three months after the holidays. Then one day last summer I came home from helping a friend for a couple hours to find that Dad had passed away. (For both of my parents, their loyal dog Jackson was with them. Talk about a heavy duty job for a dog.) Two months after that, I diagnosed my chronic kidney disease cat w/hyperthyroidism. Then came the first holidays without either of my parents. My uncle reached the last stages of Parkinsons and passed away just last month. Now today my aunt was rushed to the hospital and is getting blood transfusions as I type; they found multiple gastric and duodenal ulcers.

So, like I said. Be glad you're not related to me.

Resistance is Futile

batten down the hatches!!!

Natives of western Washington know there are three natural events (each varying from annoyance to disaster) for which we must be prepared.

1. Flooding. After an almost record-setting rainy January, we're already dealing with this a bit. Tends to happen several times a year in certain areas.
2. Earthquakes. We had a little three-point something tremblor last evening. A nice little "wtf?!?" moment.
3. Windstorms. We usually get one of these suckers sometime between October & December, occasionally January. Our most infamous ones of the past 10-15 years were the Inaugural Day Storm (Clinton's...damn I miss that man) and the smaller one that left many a raw turkey in western Washington ovens some Thanksgiving Day awhile back.

We haven't had our storm yet this winter, and that's about to change. The weather service is telling us that the Big One will hit tomorrow. (Usually The Big One refers to item #2 but thankfully not in this case.) The following warning appears on the yahoo weather site today:

"PEOPLE IN THE WARNING AREA SHOULD BE READY FOR DAMAGING WINDS.SECURE ITEMS SUCH AS TRASH CANS...LAWN FURNITURE...AND OTHERLOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS. HIGH WINDS CAN TOPPLE TREES...DOWN POWERLINES... AND DAMAGE SOME STRUCTURES."

Wheeeeeee! As long as no one is hurt or killed, these storms are kinda fun. The power companies, though, will have to work triple strength to restore all electricity by Sunday morning -- no one wants mass panic on the streets from people trying to find someone w/a working television. GO SEAHAWKS!

A Vast Right-Wing Housecleaning Conspiracy

(Hillary was right, y'know.)

There seems to be fundamental forces at work this week. Last week I returned from Idaho to find my living room carpet had still not vaccuumed itself. As of today it still hasn't gotten it done. It keeps finding delaying tactics...first it encouraged the pets to knock over a couple potted plants, throwing decorative rock everywhere. Which, of course, has to be picked up piece by piece before the vaccuum cleaner can get to work. If that weren't enough of a "this has to be done first before that can be done" situation, the carpet subsequently caused the puppies to have a pee party. The spots had to be treated with Nature's Miracle, so once again vaccuuming could not happen because we wouldn't want to electrocute ourselves by sucking liquid into the vaccuum's motor now would we? Now today the carpet has lulled the Mama Dog With Overly Long Toenails into a deep sleep, & I prefer to trim toenails right before vaccuuming for easy cleanup. The nerve!

Oh great. Now the empty pet food cans in the sink have taken up the cause, refusing to rinse themselves & hop in the recycling bag. How rude.

"Into the Freying Pan"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/30/AR2006013001160.html

He Who Shall Not Be Named

I am sitting here waiting for the president to shut up the State of the Union speech to be over. I am quite proud of my low blood pressure, and I wish to keep it there. I will, however, listen to my PBS pundits (they ARE fair & balanced, dammit) for their takes. I also want to hear the new governor of Virginia speak afterwards...never too early to take a look at potential candidates for some future Next Time. (Speaking of which, omg it looks like Barrack Obama is taking notes...how cool is that!) AAUGHHH Hwsnbn smirked!!! *shudder*

Okay I've crawled back out from under the table. That was close.

A plethora of piddle

Not only have the pups discovered the joy of exercising their lower urinary tracts, but they are practicing with unbridled zeal. Let's hope these puppy pad thingies work.

Oh crap I've caught a cold. I thought I had been sufficiently paranoid around my 20-month-old third cousin last week (well in terms of hand sanitizer, at least) but it appears I was sorely mistaken. Drat. I guess I can be greatful it's just a cold, seeing that I totally spaced on getting a flu shot for this season.

Caffeine in my veins

I have been living on caffeine & its fumes for over 3 days now, but that story will have to wait. I just wanted to deliver the latest poopy update.

Apparently in the three days I was gone, the pups discovered how to pee on their own. Everywhere!

All eyes are wide open & all legs are starting to get a handle on this balance thing.

And this morning, Two Spot & T's pup discovered...(drum roll, please)...DOG FOOD. Pretty soon there were 5 or 6 pups piling into the dish. Poor mama dog, I could see her thinking, "First they suck the life force out of me every day, now they're eating my breakfast?!?" At least she will soon realize the benefits of being left alone a bit more.

They are just so damned adorable, I'm sure it must be illegal.

Oh I hate days like this

About an hour ago I ended up having to put little hereford girl to sleep. She had actually lost even more weight overnight, was weaker, and was having difficulty breathing. Arghh. To her credit, mama dog still wanted to groom her; but this was beyond help of even a mama's love, so I sent the little one off to romp & play in a better place.

POOPIES!!!

Sorry I have been so remiss in posting the past few weeks (especially after the lovely free publicity from Mel). But I have a good reason. A noble very good reason. You see, in my infinite wisdom (or not), I took in a foster dog. A very, VERY pregnant foster dog. So as of today in addition to my regular crew (2 dogs, 6 cats, & 424 gallons worth of tropical fish) (don't try this at home, I'm a licensed professional. really.), I have a mama dog & 7 14-day old puppies. Oh what was I thinking joy!

This experience has had its fair share of travails. The night after the pups were born, my youngest calico wandered too close & Doggy Jeckel turned into Psycho Mama Hyde. Fortunately for all, no ER trip was required, although I did put my poor suffering kitty through the indignity of xrays the next day. (Again, people -- I am a D.V.M -- if this ever happens to you, get your pet the hell into the ER right away.) Mama Dog has pretty much returned to normal re: kitties (as long as the pups aren't involved); however, the other day she was just being an overall pill, not just w/kitties but in terms of housetraining, bossing the other dogs, etc. That is, she was until Nutter Butter came along. Mama Dog was idiotic naive enough to chase Nutter Butter (my cat of 14.5 years of calico 'tude equipped w/extra toes & dagger claws to match). Let's just say Mama found herself cornered, desperate to escape, & with a claw firmly imbedded in her muzzle. She has been oh so good since then. Not to mention that night I had a very-pleased-with-herself cat.

Alas, it appears tonight that I am losing one of the pups (little white face girl, the hereford). I realize that is often the way of things, but it still bites. One reason, I suppose, I took on this dog was to have some lives begin in this house (for a change), so likely having to let one go is not an easy thing. Sigh. At least I have the sense that my mom is waiting to take the little one in, if that must come to pass. [Ed. note -- I just took a break to try feeding her again. Unlike for the past day or two, she actually protested. The subcutaneous fluids I administered earlier seem to have helped. We shall see.]

So. Who needs a new dog or two?