August 6th thru 14th

I finally figured it out.... Freakin Headphones!!! That's how I block out the phone that keeps ringing the dogs that keep barking the overwhelming sadness that follows waiting to jump me like some rabid dog plotting it's attack.

Call me fatalistic, say I'm a drama queen...... I don't care... it never goes this well for this long.

Something is bound to bring it all crashing to the bottom of the barrel I'm oh so familiar with.

I guess until that happens, I'll keep smiling and I'll keep doing what I do, because I do it so well.

My last post here was in August right after the raid on the Pit puppy mill in Martinsburg,

I look back at my calendar and I see I've been a little busy, but how do I blog it? What's important enough in my life to warrant writing about it.

How in the hell would I even fit it all into one post......OMG!!

So I'll write about it one week at a time.

This post is August 6th to the 14th

I took 5 of the "raid" pups to the vet for a checkup.

We were there for so long, all the pups fell asleep on the table.

We also got seen by Dr Morton... not really impressed by her.

Took what results we got to BCAC and headed home with stinky babies.

The pups are not well. They're thin and vomiting with diarrhea. It's impossible to give them enough fluids.

Friday evening I took Clancy to his new family.

What a terrific fit this is for him. They love him and his new dad is short and stocky too!!! LOL!

Shadow also found a terrific family to call her own.

From being the only dog of a single man to a new Mom and two kids.

She'll be the most spoiled dog ever before long.

Way to go shadow!!! Griz got her stitches out this week. No more kittens for her and no more cats for us.

This has been a learning experience for us. One kitty cat can seriously change the dynamic of this home.... Not good.

The puppies are very sick. I returned 5 of them to Animal Control. They went directly to the hospital and were put on IV fluids. Sunday morning we only had 4. I'm sorry baby girl, we tried but we were too late getting you out of that horrible place.

While I was at AC, I saw this lady. Annie!!!

She's pregnant and an absolute pill. Of course I brought her home and if the county gets control of the dogs soon we'll have her spayed and end the pregnancy.

Just got a call from Clancy's new family. He's in the hospital with parvo.... OMG. My stomach is sick. Such a sweet little fella and now he's on a drip in a hospital somewhere and the worst part is in their moment of despair, the couple who adopted him and are in absolute love with him, blame me. Her words...."Your neglect and improper handling of Clancy has caused this. How many other dogs are you going to try and kill before you stop what you're doing"?

I understand their pain.

So in 7 days.... 15 pups pulled from Pit Raid, 5 returned, 1 died. Shadow and Clancy adopted. Clancy diagnosed with Parvo and hospitalized. Annie pulled into rescue. 5 total trips to the vet and 3 trips to Animal Control.

I love what I do, but sometimes it's a little much. I sat this afternoon and talked with Moses.

I know he's listening, I can feel him near me. The tears still come easy at times and fortunately I have plenty of willing takers when I need to hug a puppy. What will next week bring?

Fragrance of the Morning

Wednesday, 4 Aug. 2010 It began like any other day would in a sleepy little town in WV. The smell of coffee and breakfast wafting from somewhere deep in the tree covered hillside. This, however, would be the last time local residents would wake to such a sweet fragrance. Today was the day the puppies came to town. No more could the smell of eggs n bacon dominate the breeze. No more would passersby close their eyes and inhale, immediately taken back to some childhood memory of Mom in the kitchen. Instead, tourists would run..... residents left on unscheduled vacations and even birds who once flew overhead changed migratory patterns, leave for the swarming Vultures. Had the Apocalypse come? Few knew the cause of the noxious fumes. Even fewer dare pass the garden gate to see first hand, what had caused such mayhem. Even FEWER would dare tell....... for NOBODY wanted to share the beautiful babies that had drawn them here. 16 beautiful baby Pits. Part of a Raid on a local breeder. 94 dogs seized, 86 of them pits and over half of them puppies. All I got was 16. The fowl smell... the diarrhea.... the circling vultures... it's all temporary. Poop will harden and diets will improve and puppies will get adopted. Before long, the smell of bacon will once again be the fragrance of the morning.

Gettin Crazy Again!!

Nacho, as in Not Yo Dog, was here with us for all of two days.

Labeled aggressive, he was about to be the next one killed by BCHS, when I yanked him outta there. Yes, he's sometimes snippy with certain people... SO AM I!! Duh, we don't have to like everyone!!

Since Nacho didn't need any rehabbing, I advertised him right away.

Right away I received a reply from Nacho's new Mama. Of course I didn't know that at the time, but after Nacho and I met her, I knew. He's as happy as a little pig in mud now with his two bigger and older new siblings. Good Luck Nacho!!

This little lady weighs about 4 bags of sugar and is just as sweet. She's been at the pound since July 7th, which is unheard of. Most dogs picked up by animal control are put down in that amount of time unless adopted. Shadow was a special case though. Her owner was what they call an unattended death, which means, someone found him dead. He was found with Shadow next to him and a cat as well. The AC Staff, just couldn't put her down, so they did all they could do to keep her out of the system and unnoticed. Well, yesterday, I went to meet this unfortunate yet lucky little lady. She lives with me now. I'm not sure what I was thinking. It wasn't like I would get there and say no once I saw her, knowing her story. I brought the little angel home.... introduced her outside to my herd of dogs and let them all inside. All the dogs ran into the house and into the dog room. Shadow ran straight for Moses's crate hidden in the corner behind the sofa. In the crate, turned around and looked back out at me. What The Hell???

I forgot to say how after I picked up Shadow, I went to get Moses's ashes. When I got in the car, I introduce Moses to Shadow, put the box of ashes on Moses's bed and drove home. Now Miss Shadow is sitting in Moses's crate and freaking me out a little. Even last night when she wasn't laying on the sofa, she would lay in front of the crate. Is this little girl so connected to death now that any existing energy from it draws her to it? I don't know what it was. I chose to believe it was a sign from Moses that she was ok, because He HATED any dog near his crate. He hated a lot of things, but especially being bothered by other dogs. I'm still going to look for a forever home for Miss Shadow, but until it comes along.... Welcome Home little lady!! Now for the crazy news. While I was at Animal Control... I overheard conversation of a Puppy Mill bust that may be going down. 83 Pitbulls in all... mostly puppies living in a doublewide trailer. OMFG!! This day n age... that kind of thing should NOT be happening and now here I was hearing it first hand. So, today, I go to pick up the litter that I'll be fostering.... maybe two. Yes, A Mama Pit and her 4 - 6 week old babies on top of the 7 dogs I already have here... LOL!!!

The Doggy Rescue World didn't stop revolving Moses. I still miss you buddy, and I will for a long time, but Daddy's got to stay busy and these babies need me just as much as you once did. Check in sometime around sunday when I'm pulling out what's left of my hair!!! I'm sure that MY trip to CRAZY will be a short one!!

One of life's questions and lessons

How exactly are we supposed to gauge success and why is it so important? My guess is, it's taught to us from the beginning. Popping out of the womb, its the first thing we hear. "Ma'am, it was a successful delivery". At least I thought it was me they were talking about.

I guess I should try to make everything a success, but what qualifies? I didn't burn the toast this morning... was that a success? I went a whole week and didn't threaten to send anyone to meet their god.... did that qualify? I took the term "responsible pet owner" and used it to end the life of my suffering little buddy, Moses..... does this make me successful? I'm not quite sure what it is that's got me questioning all this.

Yesterday, we had a party here. All the NPS interns from the Harper House came over for a summer evening cookout. I so was not in the mood to set up for company. I was still depressed and I really wanted to just hang out quietly at home and sulk. They all arrived and the evening began. Their tales of mishap and adventures were hysterical. I laughed like I haven't laughed in a long while. The oldest of this group was 27 which made Steve and I feel, well..... even older. About halfway through the night a few of them realized that since I had 3 kids of my own who were 20 to 25, that all of them could also be my kids. This of course really helped with my feeling of being ancient, but at the same time I felt a sort of Sage-like hierarchy developing. These kids were all trying to make it on their own and be successful. They were proud of their achievements and most of the evening was spent talking about them. I should've said how they are all Living History Re-enactors and the highlight of their time here has apparently been their new costumes, complete with fancy hats. We laughed at the stories about loading and firing black powder rifles for the first time. Some told storied from childhood with fondness and just a touch of homesickness. When the evening ended, many of them were reluctant to go. I'd like to think they had gotten a piece of comfort being here or that maybe they didn't feel so much like a visitor to Harpers Ferry, but more like friends.

Yes, Friends was what they were now. We had spent 6 hours with a group of people whom we had only met in passing and now we were all looking forward to hanging out again. There were invitations to stop by anytime and they all let us know how long their internships were, just so we would know how long they'd be stopping by. There were handshakes and hugs and silly laughter at the few who had difficulty going down the steps and the night fell quiet. So I guess I've answered my question. Success isn't something we can gauge in small increments. Only at the end of our life can we tally up. Did we choose to make every life moment a positive one, or did we waste it on self pity or greed or worse.... were we cruel?

Last night, even though I was still missing my Mosey, I cowboy'd up and got this party going. I did it because I wanted to meet my neighbors no matter how temporary they might be. I did it because I needed to focus my attention on something other than sadness and grief. Mostly, I did it because I have this unnatural mothering instinct and that includes the two legged orphans as well. A dorm full of 20 somethings qualifies. We ate the food.... we drank the beer.... we ate the cake. They loved the door prizes (I always have door prizes) and they all made it back across the street safely to their beds. I would have to say the party was successful even if it doesn't qualify me as a success. I'm happy to have 12 new friends and it would be super nice if I knew them for many years to come. If time takes them away from us, then I will always cherish the fun we had laughing last night and how 12 strangers took the pain away for an evening. Thanks guys, Thanks for adding to my total. I hope you come again and again!!

I Miss you Moses

I was going to write something witty, but this time I can't hide my pain behind the laughter. My Mosey is gone. I knew he was nearing the end, but I refused to pay it too much attention, until he quit eating. Moses never wasn't hungry, and now he even turned away from chicken. The blood in his stool had turned to just blood. I laid awake on the couch with him the whole night. I sang him his favorite songs and told him his favorite fairy tale. The one about the big-headed Ogre who had captured him for food, but discovering he was just skin and bones decided to fatten him up. Little did the dimwitted Ogre know that he was being tricked. Before long Moses had convinced the Ogre that the two of them were best friends and best friends just didn't eat each other. So they set off on a lifetime of adventures together. Well Damn it, I'm not done with my adventures and my best friend is is gone. I held him in my arms as the needle pricked the vein in his tiny little leg. His eyes just stared into mine, never blinking. His tongue darted out and licked the tip of my nose. Something he always did when I asked for kisses. I saw his eyes sparkle just before his little body went limp. I laid him on the blanket and sobbed. I cried hard for my Moses. I still do. I could have held onto him a few more days, but I had promised him when his time came I would NOT let him suffer. He had suffered enough in his short little life. I lifted him from the table and clung to him begging him to forgive me between sobs. I didn't care what anyone thought. It wasn't their hearts that had just been ripped from their chests. Composed, or so I thought, I opened the door to leave and the entire vet staff was there to console me. The tears flowed once more. They had all been there too when Moses was first brought in. They had seen his amazing recovery and his spunky little run and they also saw it when the light returned to his eyes. I apologized that I couldn't stay and headed for the car. I drove him to the crematorium and left him in their care. Moses will return to me this coming tues. There isn't a single day that I regret having Moses. He taught me many things, but the most important lesson was this. He taught me how to forgive and be happy. I miss you Moses.

.....and it's only been a week.

It's been a week since I last posted. I am SO Freakin Tired. Will I ever get caught up on lost sleep or am I supposed to write it off and trick my mind into believing I no longer require 8 hrs of uninterrupted slumber? Whatever I decide, the fact remains, I am stumblina. I almost qualify as narcoleptic. In my dream like day to day I have managed to have quite a productive week. JR has been here since the 18th, so add that to the regular puppy schedule. At least when I tell a dog to lay down they do it. Then on the other hand.... the dogs won't take the trash out for me or pick up poop. I'll keep him!! The Rescue week started on tues with a visit from our friend Lori. She was looking for a playmate for hr sweet little Yorkie, Zoe, and was thinking that maybe Caesar would be a good match. Zoe didn't care much for Caesar, but Caesar was IN LOVE with Miss Zoe. Lori loved him too and they were off. He's won Lori's heart already by piling her bed high with stuffed animals and not chasing any of her 30 cats. He's humped quite a few, but no chasing. Lucky little Caesar... I think he's Manny now... not sure if she settled for a name yet. Be good little fella.... I'll miss you! Dash had his first Dental. Poor fella, they did him late in the day, so when I got him he was still drugged and running into things. He mostly slept all evening and through the night. I just covered him up and would rub his head once in awhile. The next morning he was a little better but not 100%. His breath is amazingly fresh now though... YAY!!! I can pet him and scratch under his chin without wanting to vomit now!!! Echo was also scheduled with the vet. She finally got her spay completed. No more puppies for this gentle little Mama. She's destined for a life of luxury now. Her adoption is final and we will meet her new Mama on fri morning at Dulles Airport. Little Miss Echo, given away by a well intentioned hoarder and covered in fleas, I took her in and got her into Crested Rescue. Now she's going to live in Maine as an only child and be spoiled as much as possible. Have fun little lady. I'll miss you. The same evening Dash n Echo were recovering, I had a visit from a bubbly young lady who had been looking for a black male cat for so long she was beginning to think males didn't come in black. I totally could have taken off on that one, but didn't know her that well so I let it go. She's already called me like 4 times to share funny kitten stories and to give me the date of his neuter, so I could confirm she was being a responsible pet owner. I'm starting to like people again.

While at the vets office dropping off Dash n Echo, I casually mentioned Byrdie the Border Collie Puppy.I was immediately bombarded with staff. Apparently one of the staffs father had recently lost his BC of 15 yrs. and was testing the water, so to say, about getting another.I agreed to bring Byrdie with me in the evening when I returned to pick up my dogs, if they could have him there. He was there alright and although he was a little apprehensive, which is understandable when you've lost a pet, he was obviously under byrdie's spell within minutes.(Update) I received the call from him Monday. Byrdie has been to the vet, and her new name is Gracie May.Way to go Gracie May!!!

Thursday came and Jaime arrived with Bailey to meet Kai. I truly didn't think Kai would ever be adopted when he came to me. Separation Anxiety and panic anxiety are two conditions that are hard to overcome and Kai had them both. His behavior had improved significantly and although I was unsure if he was ready to be adopted, I felt good about his recovery so far and Jaime had Bailey who was Kai's sibling. How could I ask for a better arrangement for Kai. If he was going to thrive outside of my home, it could only be in Jaime's. The Jury is still out however. Kai has had a few issues... destroyed some blinds, ate a baseboard, and suffered one serious panic attack during the thunderstorms a couple nights back. Jaime doesn't want to give up on him yet, though. He's in good hands!! Hang in there Kai. I know you loved living here, but Jaime's gonna spoil you a helluva lot more than I would have. Friday morning started WAY too early. I got JR up at 6:15 and we were out the door. Our first mission of the day was to find a suitable new home for the Big Ass Groundhog we had caught in the live trap. This was the same Groundhog that had been eating the garden to bits. A few people... who are all knowing, tried to tell us that groundhogs don't eat tomatoes. Hmmmm... that's what I baited the trap with and it was gone when I found him in the morning. I'm starting to dislike people again. We dropped off the groundhog and a safe woodsy area with plenty of nearby ...... um.... food. I wouldn't dare say nursery or orchard. We then headed over to Animal Control. 7am, here we were picking up two HUGE Labs that needed transported to Myersville MD. They were awesome boys though. So friendly and well trained. Animal Control had found them as strays... kept them the required amount of time and now they were off to Lab Rescue. We met our contact at McDonalds, handed over the precious cargo and were on our way over Catoctin Mountain to Thurmont for a fun filled morning of shopping for fabric.... YAY!!! JR had never been in a Fabric Warehouse.... and better than that... A WHOLESALE Fabric Warehouse. We found the fabric we needed for our patio sails and awning cover and headed back to Martinsburg. It was Fri and today was the last day for a certain doggy at the shelter. Andy was brought in to the shelter to be put down by his elderly owners. They both cried as they signed the papers and left him. Andy is 11 yrs old, going blind, riddled with tumors and becoming a little incontinent. Too much for the elderly couple to handle, so rather than just drop him somewhere they made the responsible pet owner decision. The staff however couldn't bring themselves to euthanize Andy. He was too happy and didn't appear to be in any pain. They gave him 4 days to be adopted and if by Friday he was still there, well he would be put to sleep. He's with me now. bathed and brushed and clipped, he's a little grumpy from time to time, but he's super. If I manage to find him a place to live out the rest of his life, then great. If he ends up here until the time his quality of life drops to an unacceptable level, then that's fine too. I just couldn't allow him to go just yet. Hang in there Andy!!! Friday night/ Saturday Morning I was supposed to meet the transport that was bringing me my newest Chinese Crested. I was a little confused, because the e-mail I had received said the transport would be Sunday morning, but the lady who called said sat morning. So, here it was 2am and I was sitting in the parking lot of Petsmart in Hagerstown, MD There were four other families there to get their dogs as well. I was 2nd and when I told the fella the name of the dog, he kinda screwed up his face and asked me if he could get the other three first. I knew then the dog wasn't on the transport, but it was cool, because the truck delivering these dogs was none other than "Last Chance Highway"..... the new animal planet series. No puppy named Ripley on the truck for me, he apologized, took down all my numbers and promised to have someone call me the next day. I planned on making my own phone calls as well. I'm NOT a night person anymore and driving at 3am is not fun for me. On my way home though, I pulled into the shelter parking lot to check on any dogs who may have been dropped in the overnight kennels. Sure enough, both kennels were full. One had a full grown Red Rotti in it... super sweet dog! The other had a litter of little black pups, a single yellow retriever type and one little basset/mix. The little basset/mix wasn't responding though. It was still so hot out and this little fella's fur was so thick, not to mention he was only about 8 to 10 weeks old if that. I made sure there was water for all of them, and put the little guy in the car with me. I called the next day to let them know I had him and that he was doing better. Clancy is his new name and I'll make sure he gets dewormed and vetted before he goes off to his new home. I won't be advertising him for awhile. We're having too much fun with him and he's a terrific training tool for the other fosters. Little Clancy.... such a sweet little boy!! Saturday, in case any of you were in a coma, was a living hell as far as the temps outside went. We hit 120 in the sun and 106 in the shade. Needless to say we only went out to water the garden and feed the chickens. I cooked and did laundry and Steve kept JR entertained with JR's new Sudoku board game.... Geeks!!! Saturday night came and once again I had to drive to Hagerstown to meet the transport. I was so tired around 11pm that I got in the Jeep and left early. I figured I could sleep in the parking lot. I did.... unfortunately all I had for a pillow was a stinky dog bed and a stinky dog blanket. I was so tired I didn't care. On my way there the transport called and said they would be arriving around 1:30..... WOOHOO a whole hour earlier. What would I do with a whole extra hour for sleep!!! LOL! Sadly the truck this night was a different truck and not so glamorous. It didn't even have a name on it. One huge section on one side was all smashed in. I hope this didn't happen when it was full of pups. There was a different driver too.... not nearly as rugged as the one from the night before. He opened the trailer and pulled out his nearly dead flashlight which was necessary because the interior lights did not function. (Fortunately the AC did) Bins and boxes were scattered across the floor and in the middle of it all was a small plastic carrier with one frightened and trembling Chinese Crested named Ripley. There was no applause like there was the night before as each dog was brought forth to meet the their new family. Just a sad tired little man who handed me a crate and some paperwork. I thanked him, carried Ripley to the jeep and introduced myself. I don't think I've ever met a more petrified dog. I walked him so he could go pee, put him back in the crate, covered it with a blanket, put on some soothing music and headed home.

Ripley's recovery will take some time. He's the product of a backyard breeder who didn't socialize the dogs at all. I hope she rots in hell.

He's been bounced from home to home, from foster to foster, and now lives here.

He will stay here until I feel he's ready for adoption by a forever family.

Just stay sweet Ripley and we'll get though all this together.

There's nothing on my Calendar for today. Whew!! To think it's only been a week.... what a week!!!

Casa Dean (The Movie)

I think I've learned at least 6 new ways to say I'm exhausted.

GO, GOOO, GOOOOOO, GOOOOOOOOOOOOO, CRASH.

That's the life of a puppy..... This puppy, Byrdie.

I sat watching Byrdie run about the house yesterday and just laughed, imagining if she could talk what she and the rest of the dogs would be saying.

"Oh, here comes the big one that steps on me.... RUN UNDER THE CHAIR" "Whew, made it just in time." "What's that underneath me?" "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know someone else was hiding under here."

"I'm NOT hiding", said Emma, the hairless Crested "I DO NOT Hide".

"She's just a Baby", said Dash, the old Shepherd, "Leave here alone".

"She's a pain in my Tail", said Roux, the fat brown Dog.

"She wouldn't BE a pain in your tail if you could MOVE your tail", said Echo, the hairless Crested.

"You can Lick My Tail", said Roux.

"That sounds like Fun", Said Byrdie, and she was off again.... with the big dog Kai, the Pit Mix, right behind her.

"Stop, Stop, Stop, Stop all that ruckus you ornery kids", yelled Moses the old Crested Powderpuff, from his bed beneath the table. "I can't get any peace n quiet with all this running".

"What's his problem", asked Byrdie.

"He's just a grumpy old FooFoo", said Caesar, the PomChi. "He doesn't know how to have fun".

"I DO TOO, you little shit", said Moses. "Call me FooFoo one more time and see how much fun I have kicking your shaved Chihuahua Ass"

"OK, Everyone", said Dash... "calm down now, before we all get in trouble for yelling". "The humans don't like us to yell".

"Yeah, Byrdie", said Kai, "Let's just play over here away from all the girly girls and the old men".

"OK", said Byrdie.... "Can I bring this stuffed toy I just found"?

"I'm NOT A TOY", Screamed Caesar, "LET ME GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

... and they were off again.

The pack I love

What a messed up day.

It started out great and slowly picked up speed down hill. It was headed directly for a giant pile of, festering in the sun, shit.

I guess I'm exaggerating a bit, but a few of the people I had to deal with made it seem like hell.

Despite all the aggravation and the head games and the annoying phone calls with dimwitted twats, a few good things did happen today.

Muffin, the Schnauzer is now in her new home with her great new family.

She got adopted by a young military couple whose family also have Schnauzers.

Muffin totally took to them as soon as they arrived, which was really nice to see.

Coco is also on her way to her new human.

She almost didn't make it though, because sometime around 2pm I got a call from the BCHS telling me the Cow that left Coco in the overnight drop at the shelter had called wanting to know if they still had him.

That's when the self appointed Nazi COW that runs the shelter told the minimum wage, barely capable of following simples directions staff to tell me I had to return Coco to the shelter so they could return him to the person who abandoned him 3 weeks ago.

I was like... "The HELL I will".

That woman never took Coco to the vet and didn't even know how old he was.

Did I need to remind them that she left him in the middle of the night at the shelter???

Did everyone suffer a freakin brain meltdown or something?

We don't reward irresponsible pet owners with their dog back when they call us.

I took Coco to a transport where he will go to meet his new owner.

BCHS and it's power tripping board president can kiss my ass.

I may need medication after today.... some people just never know to leave my last nerve alone.

On a good happy note.....

I also picked up a new puppy at the same time.

Some douche bag on Craigslist posted that his puppy "HAD TO GO NOW", "BEFORE IT PISSED ANYMORE IN HIS HOUSE".

This cute little Border Collie is 10 weeks old.

I called the guy and he told me there were like a dozen other people in line ahead of me.

I said thank you, wished him luck and hung up.

An hour later he called back telling me she was available.

I had people coming to meet Muffin though and couldn't go right away.

His response.... "I don't care as long as she's the F%#K out of my house by tonight.

I made a call and asked a friend to pick her up.

He really was a douche. Dickheads like him need to be castrated.

I picked up this sweet little girl in Martinsburg.

Kai has been having a blast with her... well all the dogs have been playing with her.

She's so much life. I forgot what it was like to have a puppy in the house.

She's a little shy of men and that's most likely because of her short stay with Sir Douche.

I'll get her over her fear though and on her way to a new family soon enough.

She's wearing the hell out of all the dogs here.

She's even got the Cresteds playing!

I've never had a Border Collie in the house... well not a puppy.

Looks like I'm in for some really tiring playtime. She's non-stop!!

Even with a new puppy running back and forth and causing mayhem....

it's so quiet with Muffin gone.

Schnauzers really are loud.

Poor Coco... I tried to like him, but I just couldn't help it... he was a poodle.

I kept apologizing to him... telling him how sorry I was that he was a poodle.

He didn't seem to care and would lick my nose.

It's 10pm and I'm tired.

Oh yeah... I forgot about the earthquake this morning.

Steve and I totally did not feel it.

The dogs however knew it was coming.

4:52am Dash n Kai jumped on the bed and Muffin and Coco and Echo who were upstairs, started barking and whining.

All the dogs were upset and we couldn't calm them down.

I guess they knew something was up.

I just rolled over and yelled ... "Why an I Awake"??? The first day this week I didn't have to be up at 5am and the dogs woke me up.

I was furious and all I could do was roll over and cover my head.

Later when we read about the earthquake, we realized how the dogs must've felt it and tried to warn us.

I love my pack!!!

Updates and more

Today was interesting. Emmas appointment went great.... well as great as it could be. She did well I should have said. I saw my fist dog heart today on the sonogram and it was a fat 10 yr old heart. Poor Emma has Degenerative Valve Disease along with a list of other things like an enlarged heart and Super high blood pressure in her lungs. Not a good outlook really. They're pretty positive her recent episode was a blood clot that caused a seizure. Basically she's primed to have another clot at any time and it could mean sudden death. So, they prescribed a low dose aspirin 5mg and viagra... I laughed too. The Viagra would relieve some of the pressure on the right side of her heart by expanding the vessels. It would actually help her, but at an average of $100 per month, the rescue really can't afford the bill. I believe they're going with quality of life on this one. She's 10 yrs old. She's morbidly obese and she has several heart conditions. I'll keep her happy until that fateful day or until we can find her a forever home.... however long forever may be. Kai stayed home again with the other dogs. Eliminating his neurotic behavior is making him into such a great dog. Now we need just one good thunderstorm, so we can test my theory. Echo has two adoption applications filed on her. One looks really good, the other needs a few more english classes. Yes, that sounded really racist, but could they refrain for just a moment from sounding ghetto. At least long enough to appear intelligent.

"Do da dog be gettin along wit kids"?

Would YOU give a dog to THAT? NOT!!! So basically Echo has a potential adopter.... YAY!!! Now if I could just find a home for the Poodle and the Schnauzer and the ChiPom and Emma and......... You get the picture. I got a call yesterday from Paul n Keith. Turns out miss Daphne is a drag queen. I never said I was an expert at sexing kittens... especially 4 week old kittens. That's how old they were when I checked them last, to see if they were male or female. Apparently, the only girl of the litter was a little undeveloped and is in fact a boy. Fortunately they liked that kitten because of the markings and not the sex. Now little Jeremiah Johnson has a brother to play with instead of a sister...... they just need to come up with a new name!! I insisted he could still be named Daphne, since cats never answer to their name anyhow. I can't wait to hear what they decide!! It's a beautiful overcast day here in the ferry. Billowy banks of fog are drifting along with the river and obscuring the top half of the mountain. Everything is dripping with cool droplets of water from this mornings shower. The geese down in the ruins are sloshing about in the puddles and it's quiet. A calm, silent, damp summer morning. It's as if i have it all to myself as I watch it from my window up here on the hill. Soon the cars will start flying by and the trucks will start their usual delivery beeping and the NPS will be scurrying about trying to look busy and important and I'll ready myself to head out for dog food and eggs. When are those hens of mine gonna start laying??

What's your Favorite Spice

Yesterday, was a down day. I did something to my ankle almost two weeks ago and it's still bothering me. Well, I did trip on the back steps and twist it and then day before yesterday I tripped over a piece of rebar and strained it. I guess a down day was good. I got piddly shit done though.... like sewing and organizing my fosters records. I did go to Mal-Wart and get my drugs... YAY!! Not caring right now about my ankle!! The BIG NEWS about yesterday, was that Kai stayed home with the rest of the pack while I went out. My anxiety ridden, neurotic little boy rested peacefully at home while I went about my errands, totally not concerned about his behavior. I was right. He did great!!! Just like always... I walked right past the dogs when I got home. They don't get acknowledged until after they calm down. That was fine for Kai and he accepted his treat reward with calm excitement. I'm so happy his rehab is going well so far. Not that his adopted family did anything wrong, but like I often say and like I told them.... Sometimes the behavior is situational. Kai, as content as he may have appeared to them, was not right for them. He's a pack dog and SO NOT AND ALPHA. He needs another dog around to fill that roll or he gets nervous. No problem here since he's currently one of 9 dogs. Today will be his second chance to prove to me he's getting better. Emma has her visit to the cardiologist at 10 am. I'm probably a hateful person for saying this, but a 10 yr old dog that morbidly obese..... is that really worth a $500.00 procedure? It's not my money, so I'll have her there. I know, it's like saying Grandma's old let put her in a home, and stop buying her all those expensive drugs. I'm just sayin!! Helping one at a time I reckon is just getting to me when I see every day so many more discarded. HA!!! My latest idea is to force every scum sucker that surrenders their dog to eat a bowl of dog pudding made from the dog who was euthanized to make space for theirs. That's right...one in.... one out, only you have to eat the one leaving. Of course you do have the option of slapping yourself and saying, "Hey, maybe I'll be a responsible pet owner"!!! Not likely gonna happen, so what's your favorite spice. Well, I'm off with Emma, and anyone with trendy dog pudding recipes, please feel free to submit. I prefer the ones with small chunks left in. Hug your pet and be proud that you're not eating them.

Misfit Island

Today was a busy day on Misfit Island. I took Coco to the Shelter where I got him from so he could get a rabies shot. I was there on time.... and hour later, the vet tech who assists the vet who STILL wasn't there came waddling in. I took Coco in, got his shot and put him in the Jeep. Since I had been there an hour I had time to look at all the dogs in their prisons and see 5 more dropped off by their owners. I think it's sad that some piece of shit human that can't deal with responsibility gets to call themselves the "owner" of an animal that gave them nothing but unconditional love only to be disposed of when they got too big. Anyhow, there was this 5 yr old Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix that was terrified and trying to bit everyone. One of the staff told me he wouldn't be there the next day. When I asked why, she told me, based on his aggressive behavior he would be killed. After I groomed him and shaved all the matted fur from his belly, he was a different little guy. Now he's asleep at my feet and he's super sweet. The shelter staff that thinks they can assess an abandoned, kenneled dogs behavior inside that concrete prison is horribly mistaken. Just because the dog growls or snaps does NOT mean it should be euthanized. Anyone reading this, that feels the same, could contact the FOUR board members of the Berkeley County Humane Society and why only one of them is allowed to make live or die decisions. Yes, One persons decision is all it takes to have a dog killed. She's not qualified in dog behavior. She's simply a paralegal on an ego trip. Ummmm the Dog Nazi is what the call her.

Here he is.... Meet Caesar.

I arrived home in time to see Paul n Keith before they left with their new kittens. They adopted a girl and a boy. Now they're off on their new adventure. They moved from our back porch to a cabin in the woods. I can't wait to watch them grow up!!! On my way home from the shelter I dropped Muffin off at what I thought was going to be her new home. Turns out I was wrong. They insisted she was a great little dog, just not the dog for them. She's back with us here now and I'll find her forever family soon!! It's taking me a little time this time to find good homes for these misfits of mine, but there's a reason for everything I reckon and I'd rather they hang around here than in a home where they weren't happy.

Dinner fixed and dogs walked, now it's time for me to take a pill and lay down.

Tomorrow I'm gonna rest and play with my pack of puppys.

Dash, Roux, Moses, Kai, Emma, Echo, Muffin, Coco and Caesar.

Still missing nemo.

Happy weekend everyone!!!!

New/old friends and doggies too

Finally some relief from a very weary week. The rain came.... slowly falling and soaking the parched hillside out back. Even the chickens quietly sat and enjoyed their little bath before going into the henhouse. Still this morning... rain falling silently, warm but cool at the same time. I love the rain. I'm taking my coffee to the front porch here shortly. We had some of the nicest company last night. Kate, who I met when I was assisting with ESL class and her partner Cherie joined us for the evening. What a terrific way to spend a friday night. Neither of them had ever been here before so we got to do the whole tour and explain how wonderful where live is and why we never want to leave it. LOL... Such a wonderful story, and I do love sharing it. Our first time meeting Cherie and definitely not our last. Have you ever met someone and felt as if you've known them your whole life? This was the case with Kate n Cherie. I hope to become the kind of friends with these two that will stand the test of time and drama. Two real spirits that can light up a room with their kind smiles. We talked and visited and ate and drank and laughed like we'd known each other for years, and when it was finally time for them to go, it was hugs and promises of the next time and who would visit who. I walked them to their car still chatting away like good friends do and once they were safely there, I waved goodbye to our new/old friends and headed back down the hill as the rain started to fall. I paused a few times just to feel it on my face. Once to shuffle the last two hens in the henhouse and back in our house for a few moments with Steve, before we crashed to our pillows. The dogs were perfect tonight. they all greeted our guests as if they had just returned home from a long journey, and then promptly found their place and parked themselves on it. Having this many dogs can be a chore, but when they're all this wonderful, it's no stress. Still missing Nemo... thought about him a lot yesterday. At one point when I was calling the dogs in from outside, I even called for him. Oh Nemo, I hope you're happy fella. Today is Sat. Coco goes to the BCHS to get her rabies shot at 11:45. This is in case the poodle rescue up in MD somewhere takes him. My hope is that Briggs Animal Adoption Center will take Coco AND Muffin. I took both of them there yesterday to meet the intake staff. Their fear is not being able to place a dog that's 7 yrs old, and they're both 7. How about being able to place an already altered, house broken, socialized dog that has no issues. Is age discrimination really something we have to dump on our less fortunate k9 companions? Christ... it's bad enough that they were discarded by some lame-ass loser who should never be able to own a dog, now they're just old and should be put down. Why, so we can make room for all the cute little puppies the breeders are still pumping out. Now see... I got started on puppy breeders.... I hate them. Don't care if you are one or know one. Breeders are evil.... just visit the pound once and see the faces of all the unwanted dogs and cats and then tell me it's ok to force more into this world. My punishment to anyone who drops their dog off at a shelter would be to force them to eat the dog that got euthanized to make room for theirs. Yes, if they can't help with the overcrowded situation that they created, then they have to keep the dog and get over whatever petty excuse they were using to dump their dog. Grow up and be responsible for a change. If you can't afford the dogs food... quit that nasty smoking habit and use that money to buy them something to eat. I guess in the end the dogs are better off in the shelter than with the morons that claim they "loved the little dog" . I may vomit. So, I'm going to go wrap myself in warm memories of last nights guests and that's going to get me through this day of dealing with dogs and rescues and shelters. Paul n Keith are coming this morning to get their two kittens. I have no idea what they named them... (I think it's been changed a few times). I do know that these two kittens are going to be the most spoiled cats I'll know. Guaranteed!!! It's 8:30, time for me to go feed the chickens and pay attention to the whining dogs at my feet. Have a great weekend everyone.

Rest In Peace Nemo

July 6 2000 - July 7 2010

Nemo came to our home on the 3rd of June 2010. He was a sweet, gentle, quiet, precious dog. Blind in one eye and going blind in the other... didn't bother him. He knew my voice and he followed it. Right up to the end, I could count on him for a hug when I needed it. Rainbows Bridge received a special soul tonight. I'll miss you little buddy and your goofy way of slamming your head into my chest. Your soft muzzle on the back of my leg when you just had to make sure I was still standing next to you. Nemo suffered 4 seizures today. The day after his 10th birthday. The last seizure was almost fatal so the decision was made to put him down and prevent any more pain. He didn't know what was happening to him and he definitely didn't deserve to hurt like that. I miss him, but I'm glad I got to spend this past month with him. I hope I made him happy because I know he made me smile. Goodbye Nemo.

All in a days work

This morning started off like any other. Walk the dogs, feed the dogs, feed the cats, clean the cats litter box, pick up after the dogs, fix the coffee, wake Steve up, fix Steve's breakfast, fix his coffee, see him out the door... start my day. I began with replacing the trim around the windows in the French Door that so many dogs have chewed on over the years. The phone rings... I take a break. Thump Thump Thump... what the hell is THAT. I look under the table and Nemo is full on in the middle of a seizure. I hold him down and gently talk to him as it subsides and his breathing returns to normal. I get up wash off the urine and the poop put the blanket in the wash and notify the rescue of his seizure. Nemo is Epileptic. It said so on his records. He hadn't had a seizure since Jan, so we thought maybe he was gonna be ok. Not so. Three seizures later, the rescue picked him up and he's now on his way to the hospital. Poor Nemo, such a sweet fella. He shouldn't have to suffer all this. A recent surgery removed several tumors form his chest and now this... just not fair. I'm keeping him in my thoughts. They'll probably put him on phenobarbital, which will just make him sleepy and less active than he already isn't. He must be the most relaxed dog I know and now he's gonna be even more laid back. Back to those chores I started earlier... like loads of laundry and watching Emma. No more dog drama today would be nice.

Close Call

Miss Emma is my Chinese Crested Hairless Foster girl that weighs in at 17 lbs. That's about 10lbs more than she should weigh. She's also had a life of laying in the sun because she's burnt brown and her hair is sun bleached white. Neither of these things are good for a Crested, especially one that's 10 yrs old. Yesterday, I'm sitting on the floor working on whats left of our back door after years of dogs chewing through it, when I see Emma try to stand and fall down. My first thought was the old gal didn't think about it before she tried it. Then she tried again and fell to her side..... legs straight out. That's when I jumped up and grabbed her. Carried her to a blanket and began to assess her condition. She was foaming at the mouth, thrashing about, throwing her head back and I could hear her barely wheezing air into her lungs. That's when she stiffened, peed herself and the eyes rolled back in her head. Perfect symptoms of a seizure, except she had quit breathing. Years of training kicked in and I went into action. Check for object in throat. Tilt head back and make sure airway is clear. Pinch nose and administer CPR. Breathe... one.... two.... three.... four. Breathe... one.... two.... three.... four. Breathe... one.... tw She coughed, spit her tongue out at me, rolled to her side and continued wheezing. At least now, although she seemed a bit out of sorts, she was calming down. I grabbed a large towel, wrapped it around her and we were out the door. This girly was NOT gonna die on my watch. By the time we got to the vet, she had calmed down almost back to her normal state of fidgety. They did blood work, checked every vital and decided she could have had one of three things. A Seizure, A blood clot that passed, or a heart attack. Emma has a Heart Murmur and yesterday they said her murmur was Very Loud, so based on that they were going with a heart attack, even though her symptoms were very much like a seizure. So, whatever it was that happened, I now have refrigerated suppositories in case she has a seizure-like episode again. I still can't seem to brush and gargle enough to get the old dog taste out of my mouth. She slept last night a little rough and is still asleep this morning. She didn't even want breakfast, so she MUST be sick. I'll just keep my eye on her and hope for the best and if she does pass on my watch, I hope it's peacefully. The things we do for our four-legged friends!! btw... thanks for the pic Miriam!!

Mountain Madness

I hope everyones 4th weekend was as nice as ours!! Steve took the day off Friday and we totally revamped the garden. Repotted a lot of things and made more space by arranging the patio a little different, Now if the temps would just drop below 100, we could enjoy it some more. We hauled two loads of yard debris to the dump as well. It still amazes me how it can accumulate so fast. Like some twisted little gnomes keep adding to the pile of broken boards and discarded rugs. The piles get bigger and bigger and suddenly a second one will appear a little farther up the hill. However they may have gotten there.... they're gone now. The Zen quality of our back hill is returning!!

Friday was also one of those mixed emotion days. Just three weeks after her arrival here, Ping left for her new home. Her first day here she snarled and snapped at me. By the end of the week, I was her best friend, but she still didn't trust me. After retrieving her numerous times from the upstairs bedroom where she would go to poop, she realized she wasn't getting beaten for hiding her poop and decided she DID trust us and that she would go outside now to do her business. Breakthrough number one was hard fought, but the only breakthrough we needed to turn this snappy little girl into a bouncy bundle of love. In her mind, not being hit meant she could play games and run and snuggle and do all the happy things puppies like to do.

One of the sisters who adopted one of the Tres Amigos, came back to meet Ping. She was in desperate need of a dog unlike her new chihuahua, Brody, that would play with her 8 yr old son. They visited here for a few hours and I let them take her the next day for a sleepover. It became final sunday morning. Ping now lives with her new best friend Ethan in Brunswick MD. I will get to see her again, because I'm puppy sitting in DEC!!!! Have a wonderful life Little Lady.

Friday evening surprised us with a visit from Miriam. She's been MIA for many months now while posing as a working girl in Wash DC. Miriam is a LFF (Likable Female Friend) as opposed to FFB (previous post). I can't say BFF, because we'd have to eat breakfast together at least once a week to qualify for that, and since she moved to the city, well..... impossible. Anyhow, we visited and played with critters and she took lots of really awesome pics, including the ones below. Drank some wine, dished about the things and the people that annoy us and eventually said farewell. The result of a very cool outcome of her visit will be when Griz (the mama kitty) goes to live with her in the city. Yes, she adopted Grizelda, come august 1st!!!! We still have kittens to wean and vet visits to make. NO MORE KITTENS FOR GRIZ!!!! This little fella is still looking for a home. Just as sweet as the picture says!! This little fella is by far the fastest one in the litter. I've been calling him Gates, because he's off as soon as the gates open.

Saturday, our friend Jesse came to visit and have lunch with us. We don't get to see him as often as we would like to, but I understand because he has so much going on in his life right now.

He and his smokin hot GF Denise are going to REALLY get busy here in the next few months!!!! WOOHOO!!!

I didn't say anything..... :-)

Sunday we were supposed to go have dinner at another friends home, but when I went checking e-mails, I discovered we never really confirmed the date with each other. It was only mentioned and then stuck in my head. I have to admit, I was sad to discover we weren't going. I haven't seen them in ages and really miss their company. Soon though, I will drag them to our house and make them hang out!!

Monday, Jon, Step, Chris, Beau, Turk and the unborn CJ came to visit.

Yes, for those of you counting... Five adults and Eleven Dogs.

It was pure bliss. You couldn't move more than 3 ft without getting another hug.

I love doggies and I'll admit 11 in this little house is too much. We're on the downhill side though.

Home's will eventually appear and doggies will disappear and pretty soon we'll be back to our three. That's how it happens. I'm already getting sad thinking about it.

I could live without the yappy Schnauzer however!!!

With all this warmth and great visits from friends..... it just wouldn't be my life without a little bit of drama. I'll leave you today with the phone call I received Monday afternoon. Here I was totally believing I had made it through the whole weekend with any drama and then the Mountain called!

Imagine a wheezing, bitchy Harvey Fierstein with a 5th grade education, sitting on the front step of her trailer.

Ring Ring..... RING RING.....

Hello

Is this Gary Dean?

Greg Dean.

You got my cat.

I'm sorry, are you interested in adopting a kitten?

I lost my cat Angel like a month ago and she was pregnant. I saw your ad at the PO and she looks like my cat.

Ok... where do you live in Martinsburg.

I live on the mountain.

(authors note.. the "mountain" referred to is the ghetto of Jefferson County. Dogs tied to trees, trucks on blocks, confederate flags, FFB's)

Well this cat came from Martinsburg.

You said she was rescued here in Harpers Ferry.

The flyer says I live here in Harpers Ferry. the cat came from Martinsburg.

Well she looks like my cat.

How long did you say your cats been gone?

I been looking for her for at least a month... a long time.

Well..... since the kittens are now 5 wks old and I've had the Mama since the 6th of May and her ad on Craigslist was posted twice, so that adds another two weeks, your cat would have had to have gone missing around the 20th of April. Plus, the person who took her would have had to transport her to Martinsburg to the family that had her when she had her first little of kittens and then give them time to buy food and litter and a litter box, which they gave to me when they surrendered her.

Well she looks a lot like my missing Angel. Well, if you're interested in adopting a cat that looks like the cat you're missing, she'll be available in a few weeks, after she's spayed, for $25. Thank you for calling and good luck finding your cat.

Getting past 10:54

I laid in bed last night and watch the digital clock change from minute to minute actually counting the seconds in between, until it actually said 10:54. I breathed a sigh of relief. That would be one whole minute after the time my phone had rung a year ago, telling me Cathy (my daughter) had been in a motorcycle accident. The lady that called me was calm and precise... " Your daughter Cathy and her BF have been in an accident. Paramedics are on their way. We're at the 340 and 230 intersection." The whole time I could hear Cathy yelling and crying in the background. My heart stopped and for the next several hours I was on autopilot. I told Steve, told my Nephew Kyli to watch JR and was out the door. I actually followed the ambulance there and parked right behind it. There was my first born lying on the side of the highway with some strange man holding her head still. Bobby was laying on the opposite side of the road with a broken leg and only feet from the motorcycle that had thrown them and the deer that almost killed them and me as well. Bobby was taken off in the ambulance to Jefferson Memorial and Cathy was flown by helicopter to Winchester. The thoughts that race through your mind when something like this happens are a little overwhelming. I managed to get through the whole night without being too emotional. Bobby eventually was taken to Winchester as well for surgery on his leg, but Cathy was released to us later that night.... VERY skinned up and bruised and yes, cracked. She recouped at our house for a week and her mom came to pick her up. She's healed for the most part. Still with the BF that almost took her life, and hopefully never getting back on a motorcycle. I had my shining moment of emotions the day after the accident. While driving through the intersection on the way to the grocery store... I discovered I couldn't breath. My chest got so tight I knew it was a heart attack, but I managed through it. In the store however, I snapped at the guys with me (Steve, Kyli n JR), shoved a cart into a bread rack and had some kind of hissy fit next to frozen foods. It took about 6 weeks before that intersection didn't make me wince. It's been a year now and I can't begin to imagine what today would have been like had that day been worse. It's definitely a day for celebration!! I still have my beautiful Daughter and I can still hear her laughter whenever I want to. 10:54 won't be so important to me in 2011. I've gotten past that psychological trigger. Have a Happy 4th of July everyone.... I know mine will be.

RIP Senator Byrd

Far too many people tend to focus on the less colorful aspects of a politicians life rather than the achievements. I realize of course Senator Byrd once had ties with the KKK, but he since has apologized and I accept it. He's done great things not only for our beautiful State of West Virginia, but for our country.

We've lost a great man who dedicated his life to something he loved.

Rest in Peace Senator.

Steve took time off from his work day to head down to the Capitol to pay his respects.

I would have liked to join him, but had a difficult dog at home to deal with.

He told me it was done very nice.

This is the funeral card they had prepared.

Steve's ticket into the Senate Gallery.

WV mourns your passing.

Sleep sweetly with the angels.

Moses is Staying

On the 9th of November 2009, I found Moses on the cold concrete floor of the Berkeley County Humane Society. Dropped there by a woman who claimed she found him on her porch... lying bitch. He was so terribly matted he had to be shaved. His nails were over and inch long and one of them on his back right foot had grown through one of the mats of fur making it impossible for him to stand. He was covered in several thousand fleas... so thick I could scrape them off his frail little body. Too weak to even fight, Moses just laid there while I tended to all his trouble. The vet told me the next day that Moses most likely would not make it. His weakened, anemic, dehydrated, starved skeleton was most likely past the point of recovery. All I could do was make his last days his best. I carried Moses in a blanket for two weeks. His bladder was not under his control, so pretty much everything he laid on got wet... including me. He had tested positive for Lyme and so he needed to be treated right away. The drugs made him throw up several times a day which made it even more difficult to help him gain any weight. The poor boy weighed just 5lbs

It was a constant struggle. Almost a month went by and Moses had finished his med. Some of his fur had grown back and he was learning to run again. Since he was rescued and taken into foster care by me and I was working with A4TA, we put him up for adoption.

This was probably the worst thing I could have done. The new family that took Moses DID NOT listen to me when I told them NOT to crate him and that he still had issues with peeing inside. Dec 5th Moses was taken by a new family. Dec 8th Moses was back in my arms. He hasn't left them since.

The 22nd of March, the last puppy I would foster for A4TA, left my home. Mason was on his way to Minnesota. This was also the week I resigned as a foster for them. The distance to Woodbridge was just too far and I had driven it too many times in the last 15 months. This was also the week I made it final and permanently adopted Moses. He was MINE!!! YAY!!!!

We jump to June 2010. I have a houseful of fosters. Two Cresteds for CG... 1 - 10 and 1 - 2.5, One 10 yr old Cocker for OBG, One 7 yr old Schauzer, One 15 month old Chigi, One 17 month old Pit Mix (Kip) that was born here, and of course my three.... Dash, Roux and Moses. That's 9 dogs.... that's 8 tails smacking Moses in the face. 8 mouths trying to eat Moses's food. 8 dogs that Moses would rather have live somewhere else, since I'm positive he would prefer to be an only child. So, as difficult as it was I made the decision to place Moses for adoption through the CG Rescue. I posted his Bio and pics and made him an appt for the vet. June 29th, 2010. Moses has his vet appt and we discover that he's not 10yrs like we thought. but most likely 12 to 15. Dr Pierson is leaning more toward the 15yrs. She concluded that his frequent urinating is not and infection, but more likely caused by his age. She also told me he's going blind in both eyes. He was also losing weight. He had once plumped up to 12 lbs and was now back down to 10. He's still eating so the reason he's losing weight is a mystery. Moses is no longer available for adoption. He will stay with me and he will die in my arms. I will reduce the number of foster dogs I have and make his life as pleasant as possible. He's MY Little buddy and I'll not question that again.

This is a trip through Moses's recovery... Enjoy!

My Happy Little boy. He may not always remember where the door is, but he has no trouble finding his way to my heart!

A Funny Realization

June is truckin right along!!! JR n I got the chicken coop built and the hen house built and the nesting box built. Then we painted.... and painted and painted. The Chickens love their new home and love that they're in it and on their way to being good layers. Six weeks old now, they should start laying sometime the last week of Sept or the 1st week of Oct. Cathy n Bobby came up this weekend to retrieve my little helper so that he could return home in time for Camp. Seems like just yesterday he was learning how to sit up and now he's off to camp. I really am getting old. :-( A house full of dogs, four adults and a six yr old. What an awesome weekend!! Of course Ping turned out to be most everyones favorite. A dog that was supposed to be food, dog and human aggressive sure gets along well with everyone.

So Sat. we penned up all the critters and went to a cookout/retirement/graduation party at our friend Lisas. This party was held on their farm way the hell down in VA somewhere. I took a whole bag of bug spray and foggers and such. Initially we were going to take the tent and all the dogs and camp over night. 90+ degree heat put an end to that idea. I just made the hour n 1/2 drive and slept in my own dry cool home. Much nicer than a mosquito infested, humid, hot tent with 5 humans and 8 dogs. The party was great!! Great Music, Terrific Food, and interesting people to talk with. The kids, and there were plenty of them, had crafts to do and pools (cow troughs) to play in. JR was in heaven with all the little blond girls running about..... and he's 6 mind you. I found a really cool mushroom and shared my knowledge of it's medicinal properties, then i promptly took a picture of it using Steve as a backdrop for the photo.... LOL!! Mushroom Head... Mushroom Head!!!

Always worried that every one's having a good time, I could keep track of this through my camera lens. I only took about 100 pics.. 82 of which were worth keeping. This one definitely was.... I love her smile!

Our day there ended just after this beautiful sunset. This is NOT a postcard. This is their view from their home. So peaceful...... We returned home to a house full of happy doggies, did the walk thing and we all went to bed. Sunday would bring us another hot but beautiful day and a couple guests. Paul n Keith came to visit and pick out the kitten they would be adopting. They chose the little gray n white girlie that looks most like the mama. She'll have to stay here for at least two more weeks since none of them are weaned yet and there's so much the mama still needs to teach them. Paul n Keith left for home, then soon after the kids packed up and were gone too. Steve and I sat in the house and listened to the silence.... ahhh the silence. Doggies piled everywhere and silent. Monday I placed Moses on the adoption list with Crested Guardians. I love the little guy to death. I would give my life for him. I would also give him a different life because I care that much. Moses hates sharing the house with other dogs. He either stays in his bed behind the chair in the corner or he's barking constantly at the dogs and their tails that are smacking him in his face. As hard as it has been to make the decision to give him up, I know he'll be happier in a home as either an only child or with only one other dog. My keeping him here because of how my bond with him was selfish logic. Maybe he'll never get adopted and if that happens, then fate will have shown me he was meant to stay, but at least I tried to set him free. Speaking of setting something free..... Kip came home this week as well. Kip was one of Maggie's litter that were born here on Inauguration Day 2008. He was the tiniest of the litter and surely would have died if Steve and I had not been here to tie off the vein that was pumping blood out of his 12 oz body. Maggie in her enthusiasm to be a Great mother.... pulled his cord from his body. I pinched off the vein and Steve tied it with dental floss. Problem solved! Now 17 months later, he's a well trained and very healthy young boy. If only his separation anxiety were as easy to fix as that vein. Apparently Kai, as he is now called, suffers from extreme anxiety and must be medicated. We'll see how he does with the pack for now and assess him later. It was a difficult decision for his humans to give him up. Kai was a big part of their lives, both physically and emotionally. Just like what I am doing for Moses though, these decisions have to be made and no matter how hard the decision was, dealing with the outcome of that decision will always be harder. Kai slept well last night and he,s been fine this morning. Well he was fine until I took the little dogs for their walk. That's when he decided to pop out the cat door and come try to find me. When I returned home he was sitting on the front porch with a Park Ranger (not the cute one either). She just knew he was mine... apparently I have a reputation and besides some park employees had seen me out with him. I guess I'll take him with me this afternoon when I take Moses and Echo to the vet. Wish me luck and patience. I'm his last hope. I guess that was the same for all the doggies that have come to me. LOL... me... the last hope... How funny is THAT!! Some realization for a tues.