Hmm, been a few days of "dog adjustments" going on here, too busy to write an update. Otter is still here, though it appears he prefers to be an outside dog. I had a big dog-house sitting near the back of my house (which is always shaded) as well as a securely fenced yard. A couple nights ago I took him out around 10:00 at night, and he had a great time -- ran, ran and ran. I couldn't believe how FAST he could run; he'd circle the yard, come back to me and let me pet him, then off he'd go again. He has figured out he has space to RUN, and I've always thought dogs and horses should have plenty of safe space to RUN!
Anyway, he came back inside willingly that night, but seemed depressed the next day indoors. When we went out the next night, he simply would NOT come back indoors. So I allowed him to stay out there, and due to the heat, gave him access to get underneath the house...which is rather high off the ground and cool during the day. He is adjusting, though still doesn't like loud noises during the day and will hide. It is definitely going to take some TIME to help him, and I don't think he'll ever be a "normal" dog...but he does have so much fun at night. He will lie on his back, let me rub his belly, then lick my hands, almost like a "normal" dog. I love seeing him happy like that, and last night he even barked a couple times: low, deep "woof, woof," when he was patroling the edge of the chainlink fence.
It's LOTS of trouble and effort, like just about ANY living creature is. I'm not giving up on him, but if I ever think he'd be happier at the vet's I'll take him back there. Imagine living his whole life in a crate, with just intermittent periods of exercise/voiding. He is just discovering he can "run with wolves" at night, and I don't want to do anything to discourage him getting his exercise.
During the days though he wants to hide, and lawnmowers, etc. scare him. As long as he has his "safe place" (under the house in a crate) I think he feels okay. Time will tell, I suppose. I DID put a leather collar with his rabies tag/name tag on it just in case he should escape.
Otherwise, it's hot as Hades here. We have been getting thundershowers late in the afternoon, which helps somewhat. Horrible during the day. I guess it has nothing to do with global warming though. (sarcasm) Try to imagine EVERY summer being this HOT and DRY, and you may understand what the next generation will have for an environment.
Thank goodness I got moved back to town before the gas prices started soaring and soaring. No relief in sight on that front either.
And that's it for today, since my sister and nephew are arriving shortly. Jonathan goes back to college next weekend, so this will be his last visit for awhile.
My Novels
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Otter is home
Wow, what a hectic Saturday! I went to pick up Otter at Pet Depot, and he wasn't there yet so I visited Big Lots next door. While shopping, I ran into my uncle; then while we were talking, I saw my mother-in-law enter the store. Now, I've never had a good relationship with her, and see no reason to start now that DH is dead.
But, as ever, I was polite and talked a few moments with her. I asked if she'd visited the VA and ordered the footstone she'd wanted to put near DH's dad's grave. She said she had...and then dropped this bombshell: their family was thinking of getting a headstone for DH -- a double one, so my name could be put on it when I died. Um, what do you say to that? I was aghast, probably just mumbled, "Whatever."
The thing is, DH and I had talked about this lots and lots of times and he said over and over HE DID NOT WANT TO BE BURIED IN THAT CEMETERY. No more than I want to be buried in the cemetery ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTY where MY father is buried. So I'm in a quandry: Should I just ignore what they intend to do, or let my mother-in-law know that DH WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED a headstone. The footstone from the VA I think is okay; DH did serve during the Vietnam Era War. But to go so far as to put a headstone where NO BODY OR ASHES will ever be? That seems a bit extreme...and a waste of money, space and worse, just plain ridiculous. I'm debating what to do.
Back to Otter, he's a perfect pet. No barking. I've never heard him utter ONE bark, though he will occasionally whine when I am out of his sight. The Pet Depot was a mad-house Saturday; the local animal welfare organization had about ten dogs, numerous cats/kittens and all were excited. Dogs barking, except Otter. I got him a bit later, and brought him home. Of course, he's going through a period of adjustment, but so far, so good. He is the sweetest, quietest dog imaginable, and I love him to pieces.
I haven't introduced him to the cats, though I have had his "smell" on me when with the cats, and the cat's smell on me when with him, and none of them seem upset. Today I bought a huge crate at Tractor Supply, and when I eventually introduce them, I'll have Otter securely in the crate until I feel sure they can all get along. Or not. For now, Otter (or "Ottie" as the rescue people called him) is living part-time in my empty bedroom.
Also, it turns out that my vet raised him from a tiny pup. Someone dumped him there, and they took him in, raised him; he's spent his entire life of one-and-a-half years in the vet's boarding quarters. His health is superb, but of course, staying in such an environment, he has "emotional" issues. He's lovable (due to some attention by the vet and family and assistants) but also feels more "secure" in a small, confined space. Outdoors he is very nervous. I don't know that some of this behavior can be changed, but heck, he reminds me more of a cat than a dog! Scared of everything!
We'll see, and time will tell. For now, it's great to have him here and enjoy learning about him, trying to help him feel secure and loved.
But, as ever, I was polite and talked a few moments with her. I asked if she'd visited the VA and ordered the footstone she'd wanted to put near DH's dad's grave. She said she had...and then dropped this bombshell: their family was thinking of getting a headstone for DH -- a double one, so my name could be put on it when I died. Um, what do you say to that? I was aghast, probably just mumbled, "Whatever."
The thing is, DH and I had talked about this lots and lots of times and he said over and over HE DID NOT WANT TO BE BURIED IN THAT CEMETERY. No more than I want to be buried in the cemetery ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTY where MY father is buried. So I'm in a quandry: Should I just ignore what they intend to do, or let my mother-in-law know that DH WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED a headstone. The footstone from the VA I think is okay; DH did serve during the Vietnam Era War. But to go so far as to put a headstone where NO BODY OR ASHES will ever be? That seems a bit extreme...and a waste of money, space and worse, just plain ridiculous. I'm debating what to do.
Back to Otter, he's a perfect pet. No barking. I've never heard him utter ONE bark, though he will occasionally whine when I am out of his sight. The Pet Depot was a mad-house Saturday; the local animal welfare organization had about ten dogs, numerous cats/kittens and all were excited. Dogs barking, except Otter. I got him a bit later, and brought him home. Of course, he's going through a period of adjustment, but so far, so good. He is the sweetest, quietest dog imaginable, and I love him to pieces.
I haven't introduced him to the cats, though I have had his "smell" on me when with the cats, and the cat's smell on me when with him, and none of them seem upset. Today I bought a huge crate at Tractor Supply, and when I eventually introduce them, I'll have Otter securely in the crate until I feel sure they can all get along. Or not. For now, Otter (or "Ottie" as the rescue people called him) is living part-time in my empty bedroom.
Also, it turns out that my vet raised him from a tiny pup. Someone dumped him there, and they took him in, raised him; he's spent his entire life of one-and-a-half years in the vet's boarding quarters. His health is superb, but of course, staying in such an environment, he has "emotional" issues. He's lovable (due to some attention by the vet and family and assistants) but also feels more "secure" in a small, confined space. Outdoors he is very nervous. I don't know that some of this behavior can be changed, but heck, he reminds me more of a cat than a dog! Scared of everything!
We'll see, and time will tell. For now, it's great to have him here and enjoy learning about him, trying to help him feel secure and loved.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Otter: my soon-to-be dog
Meet Otter!
Yes, I'm getting a dog! I will, hopefully, adopt him Saturday at Pet Depot. I saw him there a couple weeks ago, and simply fell in love with him. He is a Corgi/Rottweiler mix, and though I've had lots of advice against any dog with Rottweiler in it, I'm fairly certain there's more "Corgi" than "Rottweiler" in Otter.
Additionally, I'm probably going to start doing volunteer work for a local animal welfare organization that is just getting started. They get pets from the animal shelter, and foster them out, try to find good homes. That's how Otter ended up at Pet Depot, since they have cats/kittens/dogs there for adoption. And most of the ones there DO find good homes.
I saw that Otter was still up for adoption on their website, and contacted them via email. The lady wrote back and said that Otter HAD been adopted out the day I saw him, BUT they only kept him one day because he was so shy, he hid under the bed. The people had children, and apparently the noise scared him. Now that is MY kind of dog!!! Poor Otter, when we took him out of the crate at Pet Depot, he was trembling all over, as if scared to death. That is why I almost adopted him then and there.
At any rate, the lady said Otter would be at Pet Depot Saturday and she would also. And I could adopt Otter, and sign up for volunteer work with their organization. IF I still had the farm, and that large barn, I'd no doubt let them use it to house homeless animals. But I think I'm about to embark on a new direction in my life -- still writing, of course, but having another meaningful part-time volunteer project to help animals.
I hope all this turns out well, but at least I feel like I am about to embark on a fun adventure!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Sex & the City
I've recently gotten hooked on watching episodes of "Sex & the City." I didn't watch it on HBO, when it was on, because I only have basic cable. I was looking forward to it when I realized it would be re-run on TBS and FOX--late at night, of course. But then when I watched it earlier, I really wasn't all that interested.
However, once I actually started watching it NOW, it has become a minor obsession. First off, it's not necessarily about SEX or the CITY of NYC. Rather, it's about women and friendship and how "relationships" with men threaten female friends. Every episode just gets better and better, and sometimes I'm reminded of how my high school female friends (with whom I was VERY close) were so upset when I decided to get married. I'd always told them I would NEVER marry, nor would I have children. The "remain child-free" vow turned out to be correct -- but, of course, I DID wed.
I'll never forget how shocked and angry a few of my girl-friends were; they just couldn't believe I'd marry a man I'd only known for three months. As emotionally clse as we were though, I'd never really confided in them about my horrible abusive homelife/parents. I felt ashamed, since that was an era (1960s) when NO ONE understood or cared about "child abuse" or alcoholism. They had no idea how desperate I was to "escape" even though I HAD moved out of my parents' home, but then returned when my siblings needed me. My parents were separated and I thought my mother would continue divorce proceedings. She didn't. And then suddenly my father was back, and I was stuck there again...even helping financially support the household. It was the final straw, and sometimes I think I married because a guy came along who "promised" to "take care of me." (He did, always!) But my girl-friends were angry with me, and I don't think they ever understood.
At any rate, why is it that "men" and/or "male relationships" so often come BEFORE our female friendships? That is what "Sex & the City" really explores. No wonder it won awards over the years. I guess I'm just late in discovering how interesting the show is.
I have had a few good days lately (in regards to writing), though I'm not writing as much as I'd like. But I DO have a new word processing program on my laptop and "promised" myself I'd write more. I have several good ideas for flash fiction stories, and I'm working on the plot/characters for a novel (based on the last two years of my real life)...so at least I AM getting back into the writing world.
Ugh, the HEAT is awful here. I put off riding my bike until around 7:30, and even then, it's nearly too hot/humid to ride very long. What a loooong heat wave we're having. The last time I remember a heat wave like this was waaaaaaaaaaay back in the early 80s. I recall my grandmother's sister visited and my sister and I drove them around town, looking for "fabric." My great aunt loved to sew, and remained agile and alert into her 90s. My grandmother was mentally alert also, but physically challenged. At any rate, I recall how suffocating the heat spell was back then...
I'm still having awful sinus problems, but will see a specialist a couple days from now. My head is stuffy all the time, and nothing seems to help. Not sure what the problem is, but I'm beginning to suffer sinus headaches, and I hate those.
That's it for tonight.
However, once I actually started watching it NOW, it has become a minor obsession. First off, it's not necessarily about SEX or the CITY of NYC. Rather, it's about women and friendship and how "relationships" with men threaten female friends. Every episode just gets better and better, and sometimes I'm reminded of how my high school female friends (with whom I was VERY close) were so upset when I decided to get married. I'd always told them I would NEVER marry, nor would I have children. The "remain child-free" vow turned out to be correct -- but, of course, I DID wed.
I'll never forget how shocked and angry a few of my girl-friends were; they just couldn't believe I'd marry a man I'd only known for three months. As emotionally clse as we were though, I'd never really confided in them about my horrible abusive homelife/parents. I felt ashamed, since that was an era (1960s) when NO ONE understood or cared about "child abuse" or alcoholism. They had no idea how desperate I was to "escape" even though I HAD moved out of my parents' home, but then returned when my siblings needed me. My parents were separated and I thought my mother would continue divorce proceedings. She didn't. And then suddenly my father was back, and I was stuck there again...even helping financially support the household. It was the final straw, and sometimes I think I married because a guy came along who "promised" to "take care of me." (He did, always!) But my girl-friends were angry with me, and I don't think they ever understood.
At any rate, why is it that "men" and/or "male relationships" so often come BEFORE our female friendships? That is what "Sex & the City" really explores. No wonder it won awards over the years. I guess I'm just late in discovering how interesting the show is.
I have had a few good days lately (in regards to writing), though I'm not writing as much as I'd like. But I DO have a new word processing program on my laptop and "promised" myself I'd write more. I have several good ideas for flash fiction stories, and I'm working on the plot/characters for a novel (based on the last two years of my real life)...so at least I AM getting back into the writing world.
Ugh, the HEAT is awful here. I put off riding my bike until around 7:30, and even then, it's nearly too hot/humid to ride very long. What a loooong heat wave we're having. The last time I remember a heat wave like this was waaaaaaaaaaay back in the early 80s. I recall my grandmother's sister visited and my sister and I drove them around town, looking for "fabric." My great aunt loved to sew, and remained agile and alert into her 90s. My grandmother was mentally alert also, but physically challenged. At any rate, I recall how suffocating the heat spell was back then...
I'm still having awful sinus problems, but will see a specialist a couple days from now. My head is stuffy all the time, and nothing seems to help. Not sure what the problem is, but I'm beginning to suffer sinus headaches, and I hate those.
That's it for tonight.
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