Quiet

14 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

Home from work and a quiet night which is pleasant in itself.  Let the big dogs out of their crates, loved  them, medicated where necessary, fed Max, put my phone on charge, nightgown on, Diet Coke open.  And here I am unwinding.

Right now I’m wondering what it will be like when I retire next year, when I no longer have to work nights or weekends or with people I don’t like.  What will it be like when I can focus myself on what I want to do and on my interests without being perpetually exhausted?  Ronnie and I have talked about how exhausted we both are, how many things we have committed ourselves to, and what, if anything, we could let go of in order to make our lives less stressful.  So, what are we looking at here?  Right now I have: my job (12 hour shiftwork), our volunteering with animal rescue (which used to include fostering until we kept so many that we don’t have room anymore), my sewing classes and time to do some sewing, serging or machine embroidery, blogs, a new website under construction, a couple of dogs that have special needs, trying to keep a path open through the house and clean clothes on our backs, and learning 3 new software programs in my spare time (which includes some more classes).  Then there is the committee I’m on at work (in its 3rd year).  Oh, yeah.  And my husband and my family, too.

What of this am I willing to give up?  The answer is always the same: none of it.  All the things we do, we do because we enjoy them and we feel good about the donations that we make to society.  We have so much.  We have each other.  We are so happy.  And we like to spread it around.  It’s such a sense of freedom to be able to do what we want, give what we want without restraint.  To DO.  To BE.  To LOVE all we can in any way we can.  What a wonderful gift from the Universe.  Why would I want to give it up?  Maybe it’s because I’m so damned tired?  Nah, can’t be!  LOLLLLLLLLL

When I fall down and can’t get up, I’ll quit something…but I’m not a quitter, never have been.  Except for retirement.  One more year and I’ll have my 30 years in with this company.  One more year and I’ll be financially able to retire.  Is that quitting?  No, I don’t think so.  I think it is the payback for all the years I have worked (since I was a teenager).  Retirement is earned, not given, so I don’t feel it’s quitting, giving up.  It’s just getting to be my time of life.  My life.  My freedom.  My peace.  My happiness………yeah.

Maximus

08 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

Maximus

Where we going, Mom?

Welcome to our world.  I just moved here from Blogger and am trying to learn a new system–please bear with me.  Today’s feature is Maximus Bigamus Dogamus, aged 12 months, weight 80 pounds.  Max has lived here with us for most of his life.  At the ripe young age of 8 days he woke up from his nap to find a new, quieter bed to sleep in and a big brother who adored him.  Bandit would sit by his crate every day and watch him sleep.  If he stirred, Bandit would let me know something was up so I could check on Maximus.  It was love at first site….and still is.

Image by cherilindsey152

Peace

21 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

How often do you see humans peacefully coexisting like these two obviously different dogs?  Both are happy to just lay out in the sunlight and enjoy the leaves falling from the trees and the slight breeze blowing through their hair.  I love this picture.  It’s one of those that I said, “Oh, crap, look at them!  I’ve got to run get the camera!”.  And I did.  And they stayed right there enjoying the peace and quiet until I snapped several pictures of them just to make sure one of them would be good enough to save.  And all of them were good.  And as soon as they saw the camera and me behind it they ran like hell to get petted.  I’m glad at least I got pictures.  This is a picture of rescue dogs.
“Rescue dogs” brings a different picture to everyone’s mind.  Dogs dirty and skinny, injured, sick and smelly; humans around them equally dirty and smelly from digging them out of some hovel.  And that’s how we get a lot of our rescues.  Some nice human took the time and expended the energy to dig out these poor starving 4-legged creatures from wherever they were holed up out of the weather when their previous humans let them down, kicked them out, or just didn’t care at all.  Their fear and sadness is written all over their little faces.  They just want to be warm, healed and loved…maybe not in that order.  Most of all, they need to be loved.  That’s what foster homes are all about.
That’s what we do.  We bathe them, feed them, love them, spoil them if we can.  And if we’re lucky we find furever homes just for them, that fit them and their needs or special-ness.  Sometimes homes are easy to find, but sometimes the babies stay here for months or more.  Some of our dogs started out as fosters but we fell in love and couldn’t let them go.  That’s when we just adopted them ourselves and relaxed.
In the picture are Dusty, who was found in Alvin, Texas, and never claimed.  I fell in love with the first picture of him I saw.  Never had to foster that one.  He’s mine and the feeling is mutual.  On the right is Louise.  She was abandoned by her owners, found emaciated and scared wandering a neighborhood.  Luckily she was found by a kind lady and sent to us to foster.  We love her so much that it will take a really good new home to make us turn her loose.  LOL  If we had enough room we would just go ahead and adopt her.  She loves us just as much, which is a good thing for all of us.
Besides these two there are six more, some of which are looking for new homes, too.  They’re not cold, hungry or lonely.  They’re not unloved, wet or frightened, but they need loving homes where they’re the only dog so that they get all the attention they deserve.  Here they have to share our love but in the home we look for they are king; they are the special one; they get everything that the gods intended for them.
Won’t you help us to help them?  You’ll be happy you did.

Ketchup

09 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

I’ve dropped by my own blog many times and wanted to post but I’m always too busy, too tired, or too uninspired.  Today I was also too determined, so here I am.

Today is a slow day sitting around in my nightgown being kissed alternately by one of eight (8) dogs.  Five of them actually belong to us; the others are gravy….big, slurpy, puppy kinda gravy.  I’ll definitely have to shower and rinse out the pores before we go to dinner tonight.  I wonder how many different kinds of microbes could be found on my body today with so many contributors around me.

I’m also trying to do something constructive: like the laundry, for instance.  The washer and dryer are both running, I’m happy to say.  I didn’t say the vacuum cleaner was running though, please note. And it probably ain’t gonna happen today either!  I wouldn’t like to actually break a sweat; it is, after all, my day off.

I’d like to use the excuse that I spent too much time on Facebook (’cause I did), or that I didn’t get much sleep (which I didn’t), or that I’m so depressed I can’t function (big, fat lie, that one!).  But I’ve seen times that I am only half in my mind (like after I take a sleeping pill but before I fall down) that I still came here and blogged. 

So, what’s the big deal with not posting??????  I’ve been busy.  (Yeah, that sounds good!) Oh, nevermind!  I made it and that’s what’s important, right?  Don’t need substance, right?  It’s just a b-l-o-g, not the Encyclopedia Brittanica, for gawd’s sake.  Okay.  That feels right……..

Anybody want to adopt a rescued animal?  We’ve got all shapes and sizes and ages.  One thing they all have in common: They’ll love you more than they’ll love themselves.  What a deal?  Who could pass that one up?

Dustypoo Turns 2

03 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

Little Dusty (formerly Hobo) just turned 2 years old.  He’s my baby, my sweet, my heart, my arm-candy.  Everybody loves Dusty.  Everyone who comes in this house wants him, then finds out he’s not looking for a home (he owns this one, why would he want anything else?).  LOL
My brother-in-law put him inside his shirt and said goodbye.  I threatened to shoot him if he walked out the door with Dusty.  LOL  That’s how cute and sweet our Dusty is.  I found his picture on one of the rescue sites one day and filled out an application on the spot (before I even got home!).  And it’s a good thing I did because there were 5 applications received that afternoon and mine was the first!  Thank gods!!!!!!!!  Because he’s mine!  All mine!!!! Bwahhhhahahhhhhhhaaaaa! 
Oh, where was I?  Oh, yeah.  So our Dusty just turned 2 years old October 1st.  For a while there we didn’t know if he was going to see 2 years old because last year he got really sick with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE).  He was bleeding anally, vomiting and losing weight.  Since he was topping 3 whole pounds at the time we didn’t think he could afford to lose much.  After several doctor visits and much dispensed medication he pulled through and his tummy started healing again.  We changed the food he was eating, too, in case that had any effect on him.  He seems to be digesting food pretty much normally now although it’s sometimes very smelly where he sits.  He is silent but deadly and will empty an entire room when he gets that gassy thing going on.  As little as he is, he will actually stop conversation in the room immediately.  That’s our Dusty!
But we love him, no matter what!  Happy birthday, Dusty man!!!!!!!!


Responsibility Sux!

26 Sep 2011 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

This is what my month-old dress glasses look like after the dogs found them on my night table—where I left them because I had them on when I fell exhausted into bed at 9:30 last night.  I was too tired to get back up and put them on my desk in the office where I always leave them…..now I am paying for that little faux pas.  And I will pay for them for the second time at the doctor’s office soon.  I hate it when I have no one to blame it on!  Responsibility sucks!!!!!!!!
My wonderful housekeeper just left and I let the dogs in from the backyard.  They always walk around on tiptoes post-cleaning just getting used to the new smells.  They don’t trust “clean”.  It doesn’t smell like what they’re used to.  Hint!  Hint!  I can’t really say much about the doggie smells because they don’t really have a scent.  Probably because our housekeeper comes in twice a month and keeps the nasties out of the house.  Also, it helps that half the backyard is cement (but don’t tell that to my husband—he wants to pour more.  I think he doesn’t like to cut grass.  I asked him where the dogs were supposed to potty if we don’t have grass.  He didn’t have a good answer for that, so he hasn’t poured any more concrete lately.)
Well, have to go back to doing laundry and spending money.  Oh, yeah….I already spent all the money.  Guess I’ll just have to content myself with laundry.  Ugh!  Calgon take me away!!!!!!!

Canine Condos

13 Sep 2011 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

On a recent Saturday we went to Petsmart and spent all our money in one day.  Well, almost all.  Our baby, Maximus, 67 pounds at almost 7 months old had outgrown his crate.  Since we have no room in the kingsized bed (there are already 5 Chihuahuas that sleep in it) in our room that necessitated buying Max a new crate.  We did some research on products, crate sizes and prices and decided to go for broke…literally.  We bought the biggest one we could find and a $50 cushion that said “chew resistant” (they were wrong; it didn’t even last for the rest of the day before Bandit disemboweled it).
After blowing our finances we spent the rest of the afternoon putting them together, which became a community effort.  Three people at Petsmart helped Ronnie get all the pieces in the right place.  The first one we had was bumfuzzled and they only had one more, so they put it together in the store to make sure all the pieces were there.  That’s about the same time we realized that it wouldn’t fit in my car, even in pieces, so we had to go home and get the truck.
We took it home intact but soon realized that it wouldn’t go through any door in the house, so Ronnie diligently took the whole thing apart, brought all the pieces inside and put it back together again.  Man, was that sucker huge!!!!!!!  We had to move some furniture out just to get all the dog crates in!
It was obviously worth it because Maximus went right in and made himself at home.  We had to put Aidan and Bandit in their crates; they wanted to be with Max.  They sleep in their crates just fine; at least Aidan does.  Bandit thinks Max’s Cave is his, too.  So they double up and cuddle all night.  From the day I brought Max home from the shelter Bandit has loved him.  Now they don’t have to be separated at all.  Kind of sweet when you think about it.

Swimmin’

26 Jul 2011 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

Well, who is happier?  Me or the dogs?  I think it’s a toss-up.  Last year we bought a little pool because all we had was Chihuahuas; this year Ronnie found a big one and it was an immediate hit.  Even after I got out the big dogs would get back in, especially Maximus.  I was so glad to see that.  Too bad we can’t leave water in it for them all the time; it’s so hot and dry this summer.  But if one of the little ones drowned in it I’d never forgive myself.  And, too, the big dogs would probably chew it up and then no one would have a pool.    Sometimes there’s too many details to having fun……..
This has been a good set of nights; peaceful even if somewhat busy at times.  And Sunday night Baby Liam got his new heart.  I’d been so worried that he wasn’t going to survive long enough for a transplant but it all worked out and he’s doing well.  Somehow I think the relief I feel after months of worry has kind of pulled the props out from under me.  Now I’m exhausted and just want a break.  Thankfully I’m off until Friday so a break is in sight for me.  Maybe I’ll finally have time to sew!
Sewing is a whole other subject.  I’m in the market for a serger now and have volunteered to embroider some things for TNT.  Haven’t gotten a lot done, but I intend to.  I also have a keepsake quilt started for Coralee and some sewing to do just for us.  Hope I have time to accomplish some of it on my days off.
Well, time for Ronnie to get up for work so I’d better get back to my real life.  TaTa!

A 51 Pound Dog Still Has To Teethe

20 Jul 2011 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

Sometimes it seems unreal that Maximus could still be a baby.  He weighs 51 pounds at 5 months of age.  When he barks the entire house vibrates.  He scares the crap out of the Chihuahuas; his head is bigger than any one of them, and he puts his feet on them and won’t let them up.  That just pisses them off!  He outweighs Bandit by 20 pounds and Bandit is over a year old.  He grabs Bandit by his collar and drags him all over the house.  But Bandit grabs Max by his lip so that has to have a payback, I suppose.  Neither of them cry in pain from their encounters, so I think it hurts me worse to watch than for them to play that rough.
But then there’s times like tonight when after the rough-housing is over, Maximus goes over to his blankie and sucks on it because he’s still trying to cut jaw teeth.  He looks so defenseless and young just laying there, looking up at us, and sucking that blanket for all he’s worth.  Touches my heart.  And it is HIS blanket.  No one would dare touch it upon threat of death or the thundrous voice vibrating off the walls when he barks and screams at the offender.  It scares the crap out of me, too!  He sounds like he’s going to tear someone’s head off.
I’ve had to learn not to be afraid of Maximus.  He started out as this tiny, defenseless baby whose eyes were not even open yet.  I fed him with an eye-dropper the first 48 hours until I could find a nipple he would take.  Then I bottle-fed him for another 5 weeks.  All of a sudden he became this behemoth that shook the walls at 3 months of age.  It took me a couple of weeks to come to terms with the fact that he was the same dog.  Now I can actually grab him by the collar and drag him into his crate if he acts up with the other dogs.  And, wonder of wonder, he sits in his crate very peacefully and when I let him out he’s so contrite and quiet.  He stays close to me for the first minute or so as if to say, “I’m sorry, Mom.  I didn’t mean to upset you”.  Then he goes about his way as if nothing happened.
And he loves to go with me/us.  He’s learning to be a good boy with other humans but still gets upset when other dogs come around us.  I think he’s defending me (mom) not getting aggressive but I don’t know that for sure.  We start him in obedience school next Tuesday and I think it is time for him and I to learn how to deal with each other and the rest of the world in relation to us.  I know there’s got to be a million things I’m doing wrong but I won’t learn them without some training, so this is it.  I may have to do classes for Bandit, as well, but we’re going to start with Max.  Bandit is so easy to teach and such a good dog that I think we can probably teach him with what we learn with Max.   Hope so anyway.  I hope it’s not that hard for me to learn…I’ve heard that you can teach an old dog new tricks…….

Maximus’ First Visit to the Dog Park

24 Jun 2011 Leave a comment

by cherilindsey152 in Uncategorized

Who’s the smallest in the Land?  Why Maximus thinks he knows….it’s him!!!!!!
“Momma, why’s there so many d-d-d-d-dogs here?”

I couldn’t decide which picture to post, so, hell, I just posted them both. 
This was red-letter day for Maximus, and, by default, us.  Max is 4 months, 9 days old, 46 pounds, and finished his puppy shots today.  Therefore, he can go places younger puppies can’t go….like dog parks for one.  So, since I start Nights tomorrow night, it had to be today.  When Ronnie got off work this evening we bundled up Bandit, medicated him for car-sickness, stuck him and Maximus in the Honda, and off we went to the Bay Area Dog Park. 
Bandit had been there before, as has Aidan and Gypsy, so Bandit was happy and running around greeting the rest of the dogs, happy as a clam.  Max was another story.  As soon as we got inside the gate, Max started growling deep in this throat at the first dog that approached him.  UhOh!  This wasn’t gonna work.  Aggressive dogs have to leave immediately.  But we calmed him down and walked further into the park.  Good thing we did because we met some folks that are big dog people who gave us some dog tips for handling his aggressiveness and some training tips, even who/where to take them for good training (which we’ve been talking about).  Max calmed down and we discovered that he was hanging exclusively around me and thought he was protecting me, not himself.  That shed a new light on the subject.  We just let him chill out, do a little growling but no damage to a few poochies under the watchful eyes of their owners, who encouraged it.  Eventually Maximus saw Ronnie and trotted off to play as if he’d been there ever day of his entire life.  I think the next visit will be much better.
The biggest problem we had was that Bandit’s anti-nausea medicine didn’t work.  He chucked in the car again before we got there.  Gotta contact his vet and go to step 3.  Poor Bandit loves to go but gets carsick so it’s not much fun for him to travel.  There are other meds; it’s probably time to move up to something else.  Whatever it takes, we will get it worked out.  We loves our canine babies.

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