Obviously they deserve to die!

Look at these precious faces.  These are the faces of "under-performers".  They were breeding stock in a puppy mill (2 boys and a girl).  But they weren't producing enough puppies.  So they were scheduled to die.  Luckily for them, Hope Rescues in Alton, IL (a no-kill shelter. check them out at www.hoperescues.com) was contacted and they had room to save these 3 and a few more from the puppy mill.  But how many thousands of these sweet faces die every year because no one contacted a rescue or there was no room?  Or how about when a puppy mill is raided.  Many people who flock to the humane organizations that take in the puppy mill dogs (because they want a pure bred dog at a discount price) don't realize that those organizations can only take in several hundred of the puppy mill dogs if they "clear out" their current stock of perfectly adoptable but mixed breed dogs.  Those unlucky ones often have to be put down to make room.  What's the answer to this tragic situation?  I'm not an expert, but I think there are a few obvious steps everyone can take. 1. Consider adopting a dog from a shelter.  Many shelter dogs are pure-bred and often the shelter will put you on a call list in case one comes in. 2. If you want to buy from a breeder, check them out first.  Red flags include breeders that won't let you visit or insist on meeting you at a rest stop somewhere.  Hmm, wonder what they are trying to hide? 3. Spay or neuter your pet.  If money is a concern, many places offer low-cost spays and neuters.  Just check with your vet or a local shelter.  

Need Affirmation?

Everyone needs some affirmation sometimes.  Sassy is just the dog to supply it.  She loves everyone.  It doesn't matter if you live with her full-time, or if she's just met you.  She loves you.  She shows this by sitting next you, laying her head on your shoulder or chest, and looking up at you with her big brown eyes.  Those eyes say it all.  "I love you.  You are wonderful.  You make my life worth living.  You are special."  The pictures above illustrate this.  Sassy had just met my friend Ed, yet she's sitting next to him, loving him. 

I know this trait isn't unique to Sassy.  She is a dog, after all.  Did you see the recent movie "Up"?  There's a scene where a dog, who can talk due to a collar designed by his owner, says to one of the characters - who isn't all that nice to the dog at the beginning - "I slept under the porch because I love you."  The scenes with that dog are brilliant in the way they capture the attitude of the dog toward the grumpy old man.  Dogs are devoted, loving creatures that adore their loving masters.  (even those of us who don't deserve it all the time).  

I'm reminded of my college days.  Those of you who went to UT Martin and hung out at the Interfaith Center in the mid to late '80s may remember the affirmations we did as a group.  We'd  get together with one of the campus ministers and take turns telling one person what we liked about them.  Sounds corny, I know, but it was very - well - affirming!  I try to remember to do that once in a while with my kids and my friends.  Especially with kids I think we parents are so busy correcting (or nagging, maybe) that we forget to be affirming.  I mean sincerely affirming, not just telling them what great artistic talent they have after they've shown you their latest masterpiece.  Or agreeing with a six-year-old that yes, he is as steady as a ninja since he can balance his spoon on one finger (Truth is stranger than fiction.  As I wrote the masterpiece sentence my six-year-old said "Look Mom."  I asked him what I was supposed to be looking at.  He said, "My spoon.  I'm as steady as a ninja!")

Anyway, thank God for Sassy.  She reminds me that I am, despite my doubt sometimes, someone worth loving.  And, more importantly, she reminds me how important it is to affirm my family and friends.  So to my friends, remember the words of Stuart Smalley and repeat after me "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!"

Mon aeroglisseur est plein d'anguilles

Mon aeroglisseur est plein d'anguilles

Since my DH and I will be in France in a few days, and Laurence is the only one in her family that speaks English, I thought it would be prudent to look up a few useful phrases.  I've got a phrase book on my kindle, but thought I'd see what I'd find online.  Ominlot.com has a list of "useful French phrases" that includes the above phrase.  Have I given you enough time and space to figure it out if you want?  The translation is: My hovercraft is full of eels.  I wonder if I'll be able to use this phrase in a conversation?  

Ginger and Spooky

Here's a nice picture of Ginger and Spooky in my unmade bed.  Notice Ginger's butt up against Hubby's pillow.  And he's allergic - mostly to cats, but the dogs bother his allergies (or allerjesus, as one of our kids said as a youngster) a bit too.

I don't know exactly how long I wandered around after being dumped out by the creek.  It was a chilly spring day and I was scared.  I found my way up to a small cul-de-sac and hid inside one of the storm drains for what seemed like hours.  I was so confused! Where was I?  And where was my food bowl? My litter box? 

At some point I accepted that I'd been abandoned.  There were people around but I was afraid of them.  Sometimes they'd talk to me.  I always ran away - usually into the storm drain.  I heard one of the neighborhood ladies call me the "sewer cat".  I guess that's easier to say than "storm drain cat".

I'm a good hunter.  There was a man in the neighborhood that really admired my hunting skills.  And he is a big-game hunter himself.  He's even hunted in Africa!  He said he loved to watch me from his window while I hunted for chip monks and lizards.  But I would have rather he fed me. I did find food at one house pretty often.  There was a dog there named Daisy.  She had a food bowl outside.  I would go see if there was anything in there when she was in the house.  She didn't like seeing me eat her food.  I heard her barking and whining while I ate.  I think the lady of the house knew I was there.  Maybe she didn't mind.

One day I noticed a new puppy at one of the houses in the neighborhood.  She reminded me of a puppy I once knew.  I started hanging around that house so I could see her.  Her owner tried to get me to come to her, but I was afraid.  I did let the puppy near me, though.  I liked her.  We became friends and the people in the house started feeding me.  First they would throw me something from the grill or bring leftovers out from dinner.  Then they started leaving food out on the deck for me.  Sometimes the raccoons would come and eat it.  I was scared of those things so I stayed out of the way.  

One day the lady of the house caught me and took me to the vet.  She told me it was for my own good and the good of Ginger (the puppy).  You see, Alabama has a problem with rabies in the raccoons.  And I saw those creatures every night!  So I got my shots, learned I'd already been neutered (thank goodness I don't remember that day!), and officially became part of the family.  I still stayed outside.  I hung out with Ginger on the deck, kept the squirrel and lizard populations down, and started to trust the people in the house - a little.

Everything was going along well when the family got another dog.  She was not as calm about me as Ginger and I was a little afraid of her.  Then the lady of the house caught me again and put me in the bathroom!  That was strange.  Next thing I knew, everything in the house got loaded up on a truck, I got put in a kennel in the car, and we drove for 8 or more hours to a place called Illinois.

I spent about a year in the basement of my new house.  The people tried to get me to come out.  They were very patient.  They came down and visited with me and tried to coax me out.  One day I got brave enough to go upstairs.  I found a great spot under a bed in the master bedroom.  That's where I spend most of my time now.  I still like to go down to the basement.  And I've found that when the kids are gone during the day, I can sit on the steps and look out the front windows.

And now I sleep in the bed.  Barb (that's the lady of the house) doesn't mind, although she'd rather I not wake her up during the night.  As soon as the man gets out of the bed, Ginger will join us.  

As soon as the dogs went out for their morning business, Spooky came down to watch for them out the window.  He's been coming down to the main floor of the house a lot more lately.  I really think he is beginning to feel a part of the family.  He spent the whole first year here in the basement.  Most of that was behind the couch.  Then he discovered the bedroom upstairs and claimed the space under my bed.  Now he pretty much roams the house.  The dogs still chase him, so he has to sneak around.  But if they come near him when he's in the bedroom, he'll come flying out from under the bed and attack.

I guess he's better off now than when he was living in the storm drains in Alabama.  I'd like to let him outside, but he's such a fraidy-cat that I'm afraid if he ran away no one would be able to catch him.  Then if animal control got a hold of him they'd assume he was feral since he'd be freaking out.

Anyway, he's a beautiful boy and I'm glad he's a part of our family.  I just wish I could get him to stop digging his claws into my back or head when I'm asleep so I'll wake up and give him some love and attention.

New ATC

I've added a new ATC to my "Sheepdogs" series.  It's the second one.  The first one was made several months ago (see my first post).  I like doing ATC's.  They are quick (usually) and give me a much needed creative outlet without a big time investment.  And they are not all about the dogs. 

I've been making the dog ones into greeting cards lately.  I'm trying to get a bunch done for the up-coming charity event for Hope Rescues.  We are participating in the annual neighborhood yard sale next weekend with all proceeds going to Hope.   (Check them out at hoperescues.com)  If you are near Glen Carbon, come check us out!  There will be lots of clothes - teen girls Abercrombie, American Eagle, etc., and little boys stuff especially.  We'll have 2 motorcycles, kids play structures, high chair, car booster seats, household stuff, etc, etc, etc.  Hopefully we'll make a lot of money for the homeless dogs and cats!

Check out my sister's blog at rxbambi.blogspot.com.  She's funny.

Thanks for reading!