Trash?

This is Tommy.  I've copied the notice about him and the pictures strait from the Hope Rescues website.  I just don't understand people sometimes.  You don't have to love dogs if you are not a "dog person".  But this?  Unbelievable.

Every time we think we have seen the worst of what people can do to an animal we are proven wrong.  This poor dog was starved nearly to death, beaten, burned, and had an extension cord that had grown into his neck tearing at his flesh. Then to top it off his owner simply put him out with the trash, literally.  Tommy was found by the trash man as he dumped the can into the truck.  Hope Rescues rushed to his aid and took him to Horseshoe Lake Animal Hospital where he is today for immediate medical attention.
The staff have commented on how he wags his tail non stop, and gives kisses to anyone who will allow him to give 
them a kiss, even though he must be in unbearable pain.  
Hope Rescues is working with the Cahokia police department to try and bring this barbaric person or persons to 
justice.  In the meantime we ask that you pray for Tommy, he will be undergoing surgery, and will have a long road to 
recovery ahead of him.
When you go home tonight, give your own pet a longer hug, and a softer pat on the head, and be thankful that they are 
with you and not with someone who would do them harm.
If you have any information on the person or persons who may have done this please call Lieutenant James Jones
618-337-9505

Theme Thursday

The theme for this Thursday is Halloween.  Check out other Theme Thursday posts here. 

Last night was once again a time to do something together as a family.  We carved pumpkins.  Because of martial arts, we had dinner at 7.  Then 2 of the kids had to finish homework that was started before martial arts.  So it was getting late by the time we started the pumpkins.

We bought the pumpkins from the kids down the street.  They had planted a pumpkin patch at their grandparents farm and tended it all summer.  Two of the kids were with me.  They took the last two "extra large" pumpkins for sale.  So they got one of the "large" ones for their big brother.

Time to start carving.  Big brother doesn't want to participate because the pumpkin his little brothers picked out was smaller than theirs.  Obviously, they did this out of disrespect for their elder brother!  Whine, whine, bitch, bitch, we get past it.

Then there are spats over who gets the knife first, no one wants to stick his hand in the goo inside the pumpkin, who gets to put which candle in his pumpkin, etc.

Right now all I can remember from the night is the complaining.  But I did get some good pictures.  If a few years we'll think we had a great evening carving pumpkins together as a family.

5 Little Words #4

Thanks to our dear friend rxbambi, I've got 5 little words from her to comment on.  This nice little meme was started by Little Ms Blogger with 5 words for Bambi.  Check them both out!

Friendship

Friendship is really complex in our day and time.  For those of us who are "old" (I'm talking 40ish and above), the advent of all of the social networking sites has allowed us to connect with people we haven't seen or talked to in years.  Many of them we haven't even thought about since the last time we saw them.  When I signed up for Facebook, I had bunches of people from high school send "friend" requests.  There were a few of them that I was really happy to hear from.  There were several that really surprised me.  These people were not my "friends" in high school.  In fact, many of them weren't even very nice to me in high school.  Why do they care what I am up to 25 years later?  Why to I really care what they are up to?  

Part of it, in all honesty, is probably ego.  I have done well since high school.  I've got a PhD in biological sciences.  I've been published in scientific journals.  Other scientists have asked advice and have valued my insight and opinion.  I've had a 20+ year successful marriage.  I have 3 healthy kids.  Maybe I want some of those people to know that I didn't turn out to be a total fuck-up.  Maybe I want them to know that I've succeeded and have a great life despite not being in the "in" crowd in high school.

 

I friended most of the ones that requested it; and I have looked through their pictures and updates.  But that is probably as far as it will go.  I won't be looking them up if I am in their city of residence.  They may be on my friend list, but they are not really my friends.

On the other hand, I have reconnected with people that truly were and are my friends through both email and Facebook.  These means of communication really can help you stay connected to people far away.  We lived in Alabama for a time and I made some really good friends there.  I've been able to stay in touch and "see" them through email and Facebook in a way that written letters and even phone calls can't supply.  I just emailed one of them yesterday because her birthday is coming up.  I miss hanging out with her and her kids.  Maybe keeping up via computer is not as satisfying as seeing her in person, but I really enjoy looking at pictures on her Facebook page and seeing how the kids have grown.

Almost 4 years ago a friend of mine had her 40th birthday.  We were best friends since the 6th grade.  We survived high school together (even though we went to different, all-girl, private high schools).  We survived boyfriends and break-ups.  We were in each other's weddings.  Then distance separated us for quite a long time.  When I went to her house to celebrate her birthday, I was a little nervous.  We hadn't seen each other in so long.  Yes, we'd sent cards, and emails.  We'd talked on the phone a few times.  But we hadn't been together.  Well, it just didn't matter.  As soon as we were in the same room together it was like we had never been apart.  In my heart, I know that she is a true friend.  Jen, I love you! 

Aloha Friday 10/23/09

Aloha Everyone!  It's Aloha Friday, a tradition started by Kailani over at An Island Life.  The idea is that Friday is a day to take it easy so let's just ask and answer a simple question.  We all get to know each other better and it's not a lot of bloggy work!  

So my question is: Have you been to a professional hockey game?

My answer is yes.  I like to go to the local professional hockey games - the St. Louis Blues.  We share season tickets with my sister, so we each get tickets to about 11 games each season.  Since we only have 2 seats, I either go with my hubby or one of us takes one of the kids.  Tonight is "Pink at the Rink" night to support breast cancer awareness.  It'll be interesting so see how many of the tough guy-hockey fans show up in pink!

5 Little Words #3

5 Little Words Again!  As I mentioned before, Rxbambi sent me 5 words to comment on.  (A little meme started by Little Ms Blogger).  So here's the third word: 

Hand-made Art

Well, that's really two words, unless you want to call the compound word two words.  In that case, it's three words.  But, oh well, I love hand-made art.

Here is an ATC (artist trading card) I made some time ago.  I've made several others, but have only traded a few.  That's the point of ATC.  You make them, then trade them.  It's a fun way to have a little hand-made art without spending a fortune.

I also love altered books and other altered stuff.  My wonderful sister, you know her as rxbambi, made me a great altered book.  It's full of pictures and stories from our youth.  I've included the page from our trip with our parents to Hawaii.  On the opposite page is our dear departed Bonnie Jean.  Our first dog.

I've done a couple of altered books myself.  The Play Ball book and the Best Friends book on the shelf are a couple I've done.  The one on the far left is one my son made in art class.

I like to buy hand-made art and hand-made other stuff too.  I've got some of the lovely stones that Julochka makes.  Sis bought those for me for my birthday.  We have two paintings in our house bought at a local gallery when we lived in Birmingham, AL.  I've got a painting on my mantle that was painted for my grandparents.  It's a lovely landscape of Pleasant Valley, NY.  It was painted in the 1940's or 1950's.  And I've got a portrait of my grandfather painted by his secretary probably in the 1960's or early 70's.  I posted a while back about some art I bought at the local farmer's market.  And I've got artwork from my kids all over the place.

When I was younger I didn't really appreciate art.  And to be honest, I can't spend long days staring at artwork in a museum.  I get overwhelmed, I think.  Then I can't appreciate what the artist was trying to say.  

This past weekend the local artist community held their annual ArtEast event.  Local artists either open their personal studios or take their art to galleries or other places (restaurants, banks, libraries, etc. love to participate).  They provide a map and viewers can go from place to place, visit with the artists, purchase art if they wish, eat snacks and drink wine.  It's a great time.  I'm inspired and would love to do some art to show.  My main problem is finding the time while parenting 3 boys, doing a buttload of laundry, keeping food on the table, etc.

I also like to make cards and do scrapbooks.  How about you?  What are your thoughts on hand-made art?

5 Little Words #2

Well, It's time to get back to those 5 little words given to me by rxbambi (started, of course, by Little Ms Blogger).  I've been really super busy lately with kids and dogs and laundry and such.  Speaking of dogs, one of the words I'm supposed to post on is Chocolate.  Chocolate and dogs?  Don't get the connection?  Well, read on.

Chocolate

Today I'll let you know a few thoughts I have about chocolate.  But first, it's time to say goodbye to Snickers.  She obviously fits in this word category because of her name.  And because she's as sweet as candy. (ooh, isn't that sticky sweet!).  Today I'll be taking Snickers to her new family.  They seem to be a very nice young couple with another dog that looks like a large version of Snickers herself.  I understand they will be changing her name to Daisy.  That's a sweet name too.  This couple met Snickers last week at PetCo and walked her around the store with their dog Gracie.  They loved her, so they filled out the application, got a great recommendation from their vet, and were approved.  I met them yesterday at a local dog park and the dogs played together well.  Today we'll be meeting at another park where Hope Rescues has an adoption event going on. (That way I don't have to deal with the money; they can pay Hope directly!)  Then I'll watch Snickers go off into the sunset.  Ok, not sunset, but off to be with her new family.  

We'll be getting a new foster dog sometime soon.  But first we'll take a little break and work on Ginger's issues (barking and fear-biting).

So,  chocolate.  I do love chocolate.  You know that stereotypical chocoholic woman?  The one for whom you'd buy a tea towel with some sort of "chocolate is better than sex" saying on it.  Well, that's me.  Minus the tea towel, as no one has ever given me one.  I have gotten cards about chocolate.  And I've gotten chocolate as gifts.  The thing that sucks is that I'm a diabetic.  And, as you learned from my previous post, I have issues with food.  So if someone gives me a lot of chocolate, I usually eat it all.  And if it happens to be sugar-free, I'll eat it then be in horrible pain, with horrible gas and have horrible, well, let's not go there.

What more can I say?  I could go into the history of chocolate, or the manufacturing of chocolates.  There's lots of info on the internet.  But that would get long and I do hate long posts.  So I'll be back with my next word.

5 Little Words

5 Little Words.  Seems like a not-too-hard challenge.  Little Ms Blogger recently passed along a little meme to Rxbambi containing 5 words for her to comment on so they could get to know each other a little better.  Now Bambs has passed 5 words along to me!  She got to choose the words.  I get to comment.

So, here goes:

Hope 

Confession: I have an addiction.  No, it's not a fun one like drugs, alcohol or sex.  It's an annoying one.  It's food.  I've known for a while that I have a food problem.  When I'm happy, I eat.  When I'm sad, I eat.  When I'm lonely, bored, tired, stressed, you get it, I eat.  But I have hope.  I meet often with a group of people like me.  We talk about our challenges with food and we help each other with coping skills.  It has helped a lot.  That gives me hope.

Since I'm diabetic, the word "hope" reminds me of Christmas and a fundraiser the American Diabetes Association does called "Gift of Hope".  Diabetics submit their original artwork that then appears on the holiday cards.  One of these days I'm going to submit something.  I hope I get around to it!

Hope also has a completely different meaning in my life.  You've no doubt seen my posts about the foster dogs I've had in my home.  Happy Gilmore was the first.  Now we have Snickers (for just another day or two).  I'm fostering for a great organization called Hope Animal Rescues in Alton IL.  These ladies are amazing.  They started their rescue in response to hurricane Katrina.  According to stats on their website, to date they have rescued 873 animals and have rehomed 841 of them (after this weekend, it will be 842 when Snickers goes to her forever home!).  Most of the animals come from animal control offices on what would have been their last day of life.  They truly get a second chance at life.   Here is Snickers making herself comfortable on my clean laundry and on the couch rolled up in a mirror-image of Sassy.

Ok, stay tuned for the next words.  I'll try not to take too long!

Happy Hour Friday

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Thanks to Otin and RxBambi for hosting Happy Hour Friday.  

Now, what makes me happy this week?

• I'm up at the butt-crack of dawn.  Actually, way before dawn.  One kid came in at about 4 a.m. because of a wet bed.  After getting up to help him, my DH and I couldn't go back to sleep.  DH got up so the puppy wanted to get up.  She wouldn't poop for him in the rain so when she got in bed with me she wouldn't settle down.  I finally got up before 5 and took her back out into the rain to poop. Now she's asleep on the couch and I'm blogging.  
• Blogging before everyone gets up makes me happy because then I don't feel guilty about blogging instead of doing all the "mom" things!
• I'm happy that I'll be spending the evening with my sister at a friend's house.  We'll be at a scrapbooking party.  I hope there will be wine. Maybe I should bring some!
• I'm happy that I went to my workout yesterday despite wanting to stay home.  I'm not particularly happy about how sore my legs are today.
• I'm happy that Mark Buehrle of the White Sox has leant his name to a bottle of wine (Buehrlot) and that proceeds from the sale of that wine benefit my favorite charity, Hope Animal Rescues.  If you like wine, why not try a bottle?  The link is on Hope's website.
• I'm happy that the puppy follows me around like, well, a puppy.
• I'm happy to have a wonderful husband and great kids.  Today I'm going to make sure I let them know that.

Happy Friday!

Random Thoughts Tuesday

It's Random Thoughts Tuesday thanks to the Un-Mom! Check her out for lots more links to random thoughts!

• I'm supposed to be cleaning my room.  (DH doesn't want to trip on anything during the night.  It's a problem now that he's "older").  
• BTW, today is my DH's 42 birthday.  I should bake a cake!  (I'll probably just go buy one.  He won't eat it anyway).
• I volunteered in the workroom at my kid's school today.  What is it about me or my kids that makes me so recognizable?  This woman in the workroom was talking to me and asking questions about my kid like we knew each other.  I don't know who she is.  This happens to me a lot.  People will know my name and I have no idea who they are!  Maybe I've just forgotten them.  Maybe I'm getting too old! (I'm only 43) Maybe I should go see Dr. Grumpy!
• My sweet Ginger is not so sweet to people she doesn't know.  I paid a trainer to come to my house and tell me what I already know.  I have to be consistent!  I have to be the pack leader.  I have to insist that she listen to me.  I have to work with her and not just send her out and hope no one will walk by.  
• Most of the things the trainer told me about the dogs are the same things I've been told about my kids.  I have to be consistent!  I have to be the MOM (i.e. pack leader).  I have to insist that they listen to me and when they don't, I have to follow through with the threatened punishment.  I can't let them treat me like a door mat.  Grrrr.  I'm working on it.
• My feet are cold.  My shoes are wet because I went out with Ginger in the rain just in case someone walked by.  Someone did.  So I was able to get Ginger to sit while the person walked by.  But Sassy barked her ass off!  Good thing for them I love dogs.
• I made it to my "Finding Inner Peace" class last night.  But I hadn't done the homework since I missed the last two classes.  So, no, I've not found my inner peace or my dharma yet.  Still looking.
• I need a good mantra too.
• I'd better go clean my room.  That's the least I can do on DH's birthday.

Fabulous Award :)

Thank you, rxbambi, for nominating me for this award!  I hope you didn't do it 'cause you felt you had to.  You know, because of our "relationship".  Anyway, I'm honored.  The rules of this award are that I have to tell you all my 5 most recent obsessions.  Then I have to pass the award on to up to 5 worthy bloggers.

So, my obsessions:

1. Chocolate Devotion at Cold Stone Creamery.  If you love chocolate but are trying to stay away from it, DO NOT go to Cold Stone and try one of these.  They are addicting.  I could get one every day.  Luckily, they cost $4.16 for the smallest size.  More (I think) than a latte so too much to spend every day.  

2. Dogs.  I love dogs.  Right now I am totally into fostering for a great rescue.  Our latest foster, Snickers, is the most adorable little thing.  She's so cute I don't even mind that she's not house broken.  Her newest thing is to climb into the laundry basket full of clean laundry.

3. Laundry.  I guess I must love laundry.  I'm constantly doing it.

4. Finding my dharma.  I'm searching for inner peace and my dharma.  At the moment, they are both being rather stubbornly elusive.  I'll let you know when I find them.

5. Blogs.  I love reading blogs.  I'm trying not to spend too much time on them.  But they are rather addicting.

I'd love to nominate for this award:

Julochka at moments of perfect clarity

McGillicutty at Inner Rambling of a Mid Life Mama.

Check them out.  They're Fabulous!

Aloha Friday 10/2/09

Aloha!  It's Friday.  A day to take it easy.  So we are just going to answer an easy question!  Then scoot on over to An Island Life for more Aloha Friday fun.  

My question today is in honor of our new foster puppy Snickers.  So, if you had to choose only one, would it be a Snickers bar or a Milky Way?

As cute as Snickers is, my first choice is the Milky Way.  Sorry Snickers!

Everyone does not love a Snickers

Queen Sassy here.  I have to disagree with Barb's last post.  Everyone does not love a Snickers!  Why is she here?  She has completely disrupted my life.  Sure, she's cute and all.  But I'm the one who deserves all the love and attention!  And she's been playing with my toys, chewing on my blankets, and loving on my boys.  

I thought my life would get back to normal after Happy Gilmore found his forever home.  He was here 5 long weeks.  But last we heard, he was being loved and adored by his new family.  Good.  I never really liked that dog.  He was always playing with my toys and my boys.  Now this.  Why do they need another dog around here?   Plus, she got to go to the gym with Barb today.  Something about socialization or some such.  Ginger and I would love to go.  But did we get to?  NO!

OK.  I guess she really is pretty cute.  And, as far as puppies go, she's very calm and sweet.  But I'm the queen here.  Would one of you kind-hearted people PLEASE take her home with you?

Thanks.  Don't forget to love your dogs!

Sassy