An Animal Rescuer's Life

Happy Mother's Day!

I have my Doodle girl back today.  My husband really wishes we could keep.  As do I but it's just not possible right now.  When her mom dropped her off, she cried.  I was concerned that she'd be making a five hour drive upset but she said she'd be ok.  As mad as I was at her bringing her back, I still felt bad for her as I watched her walk away.  Doodle's hair seems to have grown some since I last saw her in February.  It's got a little more wave in it now.  She was actually happy to see me.  After a few minutes at home, she settled back in nicely.  She likes to aggravate Monty.  She stinks her nose in his butt, which makes him growl and snap at her, then she runs away with a big dumb goofy grin.  She seems to think it's a great game.

Took this one tonight.

I had Monty groomed today.  He could've been better about it but then I knew it was going to be a fight.  The girl that does it, seemed to be busy so I offered to help her out.  She owns the business and does all her grooming out of an RV that is completely outfitted for a groomer.  (I can only imagine what it must have cost)  She doesn't make you come to her, she drives to you and does everything in your driveway.  Her RV holds 200 gallons of fresh water so she doesn't even need to hook up to anything.  It's really pretty neat.  While she was washing another dog, I was shaving Monty.  All I can say is at least he didn't need a muzzle.  By lending a helping hand, I may have gotten myself a part time job.  I don't want to get my hopes up and even if it doesn't pan out, it was still a nice surprise.  At first, I just left with a fresh Monty but went back to the RV to get some business cards in case I ever found someone who wanted a good groomer.  She said she was hoping I'd come back and wanted to get my information for when she needs help as I seemed knowledgeable and "good people."  And the dog looks pretty good now too!

The "new" Monty.

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I'm in a better mood today than I was yesterday.  Been overly emotional lately.  Comes with being female. 

We took Jasmine to the zoo in Toledo, Ohio today.  We weren't sure what zoo we'd be visiting on husband's vacation but we eventually (or I eventually) decided to do the one in Ohio now and then the one in Indianapolis in the summer as well as Chicago.  (I've been to all of them but I like to go once a year)  We had  a really relaxing day.  It was a bit on the chilly side when we first got there.  I was glad I'd brought Jasmine a sweater and a blanket.  Once the sun came out it warmed up enough that we could all take the extra clothing off.  It wasn't supposed to be a gorgeous warm day so there was very few people there.  It's a lot more enjoyable for everyone when you don't have to constantly scream at your toddler to watch where their going.  She was able to explore without being shoved out of the way or without tripping adults.  Now, I'm still not sure how I feel about zoos and some are definitely better as far as the animal enclosures go than others.  My favorite animal was a sloth bear who would've much rather been out of his enclosure than in.  We spent quite a while with him.  There was only a (dangerously outdated and thin) piece of glass between him and us.  I had noticed earlier while sitting on a bench that he would go up to people at the window and then stick his head at the bottom.  After everyone wandered away, we made our way to see him.  Eventually I figured out he was trying to sniff us.  Scary thing was, I could FEEL him exhale on my hand through the seal in the window.  Hmm, I think that needs to be updated.  I sincerely doubt he would've mauled anyone to death had he gotten out though.  He was very much like a dog and seemed to just want to sniff us and eat any treats we may have.  I think people may throw food to him (big no-no) through the fenced area because if he saw you had food, he would go sit in front of you until you walked away.  Little beggar.  I loved him though.  Nice old man bear.  The saddest part of every zoo for me is the gorillas.  I have a hard time seeing them locked in.  I look in their eyes and I don't see an animal, I see a human looking back at me.  I had a rather bittersweet moment with the large silverback.  Again, we were separated by glass (MUCH thicker this time) and we were nose to nose.  He didn't seem to be trying to intimidate me, just looking at me, as I was looking at him.  I wanted to touch his face and tell him how sorry I was that he was fated to this jail.  He was a beauty and he showed his strength to any male visitor that stood taller than him.  He would pound his chest.  One of the male keepers was there and said the gorilla doesn't like him because he is a rather tall human male.  Therefore, he always tries to slouch when near the enclosure and never makes eye contact and tries not to even look at him when the silverback is paying attention.  He was the first person we heard him pound his chest at.  A few minutes after the keepers left and we were walking away, an idiot... er patron walked up that was bigger than the gorilla and pounded his chest.  Do I even need to say how pissed the silverback became?  I told my husband, well at least if he manages to get out, he's gonna kick that guy's ass first.  The silverback paced and pounded his chest till the guy walked away.  You know there was a small part of me wishing he would get out and beat that guy to a pulp.  There was a female gorilla who was very pregnant.  She already had one young one to tend to and then another on the way.  I'm sure the youngin will learn quickly that mom has to take care of the baby's needs first.  There were also some lovely monkey's, who's name I cannot recall.  They had a baby and were obviously the parents.  Again, they remind me of humans.  The interaction with the baby was so... familiar.  They played with him, cleaned him and he would get a mischievous look in his eye and smack dad, then high tail it to the highest point.  All and all, it wasn't a bad day.  Jasmine slept all the way home, as did I.  It's only about a two and a half hour drive but we hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. 

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No one knows what its like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

No one knows what its like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies

But my dreams
They arent as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
Thats never free

No one knows what its like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you

No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

But my dreams
They arent as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
Thats never free

When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool

If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat

No one knows what its like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

Some days I just don't feel like I'm good enough for anybody.  I have worked so hard to become the person I am.  I like the person I've become but no one else really seems to.  More and more, I'm an embarrassment to my husband or at least that's the way it's portrayed.  The things about myself that I love, he hates.  Some days I wonder if there's anything about me he really likes.  How does he really see me?  It doesn't seem like it's in a good light.  I am floating through this life.  There's no place I feel I belong.  I just float along, waiting to stick somewhere but the wind just doesn't seem to blow me where I belong.

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I can't believe I have yet to post this story.  I'm not sure if it will be as funny on here as it was at the time but you will get the gist.  A few night ago, me, the husband and Jasmine went to dinner at Logan's.  After a little while an older couple came in and sat across from our booth.  I had been people watching and noticed the look in her eye when she would look at the man that was with her.  We proceeded to eat our dinner but all through I would glance at this couple.  Eventually, even Jasmine was watching them and I said to her, you noticed to huh?  My husband wanted to know what I was talking about and I said, just a minute.  I then leaned over (I FREQUENTLY talk to strangers just because I feel like it... it's a newer habit) and asked if they were married.  She said no but they would be in three weeks and then asked why I wanted to know.  I said because she had that "look" in her eyes when ever she would look at him and they were either really lucky (being in love that long), in a newer relationship OR that they were both married but to someone else and having an elaborate affair.  Ohmigod, I thought my husband was going to spit tea all over me.  His face immediately turned red.  The woman by the way thanked me for my comment and said she was so glad that it showed in their faces and she glowed the rest of the dinner.  My poor husband's face stayed red until we were safely in the car.  They were a very nice couple (another thing I noticed is that she was extremely polite to her waitress) and we chatted on and off throughout both of our dinners.  As I've gotten older, I have become extremely honest in my comments to people.  Now I'm not going to suddenly exclaim in the middle of a store that "You know, those jeans do make your ass look huge."  But I have become known to say what's on my mind.  It's a trait that I like in myself and don't really mind if others don't.  It's also a fun thing to use to embarrass my husband.  You see, I don't embarrass easily, at all.  And then I'm the one that embarrasses myself.  There's little you can say about me, in public or private that is going to turn my face red.  There's only one time in the almost nine years that my husband and I have been together that I even remember turning red and it was a few weeks ago.  My mom will easily recall this event and I don't think I will EVER live it down.  We had just picked up one of the dogs from the vets office and since Glory Jeans is two doors over, I thought I'd pop in for a coffee.  Now, at this point and time, the window on the driver's side of my car, didn't roll down easily.  It would come off the track and you would have to maneuver it down with your hands, while pushing the down button.  I prefer to use the drive thru rather than walk my lazy butt inside so I stopped in the middle of the parking lot, parallel to the building to try and get the window down.  My mom made a comment that it must look pretty ridiculous from outside the car and I'd better hope no one is watching because it looks like I'm stuck.  No sooner do those words come out of her mouth than I notice a waitress coming out of the bar across from me.  She's obviously saying something to me but again, hello, window won't go down so I open the door.  She says are you ok?  I said yeah why?  She said ohmigod we all thought you were stuck inside your car and we were wondering if you couldn't get out.  Yeah, THAT turned me red.  I'm imagining a bar full of people talking about the nutcase in the parking lot and then the waitress goes in to tell them the woman was just trying to get a coffee.  I decided to walk in to get my coffee rather than try to get the window down anymore.  My mom laughed till I thought she was going to pee herself.  I was still red when I got inside Gloria Jeans but it was all I could do not to laugh while placing my order but then I thought I'd look like a nut for a whole other reason in a whole different store.  Like I said, I usually embarrass myself.  Probably to a point that I've gotten so used to it that it doesn't bother me.  I will change clothing in the middle of a parking lot without so much as a blush.  My mom hates it.  When we went to Ohio, I realized when we got there that my clothing wasn't appropriate for the weather so I grabbed a different shirt out of the trunk and changed right there in the car.  All the while with my mom saying she hoped that someone walked by, even though that really wouldn't have embarrassed me.  That doesn't mean I like to walk around naked or anything but I had a bra on that covers more than most bikinis. 

I also tend to get songs stuck in my head... sometimes for days on end.  It's really difficult to fall asleep at night when you have the latest stupid pop song on repeat.  (and I don't listen to pop music)  You want to change the station but it seems like every station in your head is playing the same song.  Last night it was Benny and the Jets by Elton.  We'll see what it is tonight.  It seems like when something happens, I always end up with a theme song in my head as if in a movie and the appropriate song always comes along for the moment.  A friend of mine has this same problem but he has ADHD to the extreme so it really gets on his nerves when it happens.  At least I like Benny and the Jets but I didn't want to wake up with it still on repeat in my head first thing this morning.  Ok, that's enough of my crazy for one day.  You only get it in small doses.

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Doodle, my very first foster that was adopted in February, is being returned.  I am very unhappy about this situation.  I have no problem taking her back into my life, she was a wonderful dog.  The problem I have is the reasoning.  The woman has two children, ages 4 and 6.  From what she says, Doodle was sleeping on the couch, when her son (4) got on the couch and Doodle grabbed him by the throat.  She didn't break the skin but the woman felt she couldn't keep her for this reason.  The only thing I have in the woman's defense is that she was crying while on the phone with one of the other volunteers.  My opinion?  Doodle was asleep and the little boy came running through the house, jumped on the couch or even Doodle herself, startled her and yes she snapped at him and then realized what she'd done.  I would never believe that she would do this on purpose nor that she would have continued the behavior once she was awake and alert.  My daughter was able to ride her around the house and rough house with her and never did Doodle even nip at her or growl.  I will not have this dog be considered another bite case.  I have offered to take her back as my foster but have yet to hear anything.  (even though I have the matted mess, Monty)  I would love to have her again, even if for a little while.  We loved this dog and let all sixty pounds of her sleep in bed with us every night.  At least the lady didn't just drop her off at her local shelter and is driving the five hours to return Doodle to us this Saturday. 

Tomorrow our windshield is being fixed.  I was driving and a rock smacked into the windshield, cracking it.  They are going to try a quick fix and see if that takes care of it, otherwise they will be removing the windshield and replacing it with a new one.  (this is all done through our insurance)  It's an inconvience to be without a car for the day.  My other car is... not drivable at the moment.  I always take my husband's car to work on Saturdays since my car has the car seat, it's just easier.  After work this past Saturday, I started the car and everything felt normal until I put it into gear and then I felt something give in the brake petal.  I managed to drive down the road to Hobby Lobby after talking to my husband to come meet me.  I had no brake whatsoever in the front.  I was using only the rear pads to stop.  We think it blew a brake line but we won't know till husband gets under it and takes a look.  I sure as hell wasn't driving it home so we left it there and husband's friend towed it back to our house.  I've been lectured both by my mom and husband about how dangerous it was to drive the car to hobby lobby, yadda yadda. 

I was viciously bitten by one of my mom's outdoor cats today.  Ok, ok, mom I'll tell the truth.  I kind of provoked her.  She's always been a loose canon and it doesn't take much to get her going but I was expecting her to play with me, not try and eat me.  She grabbed onto my hand with her jaws and didn't let go till I forced her jaws to open.  And then she proceeded to growl at ME!  Evil Hitler cat.  (she has a hitler mustache and considering she's always been a bitchy cat, we call her hitler from time to time)  Now I have another bite to keep an eye on.  They're starting to call me a sadist at work with how seemingly uncaring I am when it comes to getting bitten or scratched.  Yes it hurts but it goes away and sometimes you have little choice in the matter.  I told my director the other day that I have pretty much been bitten by every common animal in the area from small to large.  I will list the ones that come to my mind first.  Mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, degus, guinea pigs, rabbits, (both of which hurt far more than you would expect) lizards - big and small, several different (and some wild) species of snake, birds - everything from a finch to an amazon, raccoons, skunks, deer, goats, horses, donkeys, squirrels, dogs, cats, and I'm sure there are plenty I'm leaving out.  I don't fear the bite, I fear the pain that comes in the seconds, minutes, and hours AFTER the bite.  Oh and now, I've also been bitten by humans... Jasmine.  Maybe I am a bit of a sadist after all.   *wink*

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I've really become addicted to scrapbooking and I haven't even started!  I was originally only going to do my foster animals.  (let's face it, after a while, I'm going to manage to forget SOMEONE)  Now I think I'll do some family ones as well.  I was thinking one of me and Shawn as we met, got engaged, had a kid, got married.  And then Jasmine growing up.  And of course, I have a ton of my person animals, past and present.  I could spend a ridiculous amount of time in Hobby Lobby just looking.  I always thought people who scrapbooked where boring.  It's fun and creative.  It also creates memories in a way that you can't do in a regular photo album.  Yes, I'm in scrapbook love.

Apparently, we have a male cat visiting us occasionally.  When we came home this evening, we noticed a very strong cat urine smell at the front door.  I thought that was odd but it didn't immediately occur to me that it could be a stray or a neighborhood cat though.  I don't leave food out for strays because we're not really in an area where there are many and I don't have any outdoor cats that aren't confined.  I mentioned the smell to my husband and he said he'd noticed it too.  I went outside with a flashlight as it was dark by now and found that something has been living under our porch.  The bottom is enclosed so something had to dig under.  It's obviously not something large but it has been there since the last rain.  My husband swears he heard a cat meowing while he was outside but again, I do have cats that are outside and they meow... loudly.  I left some food out to see if it eats anything.  I'm curious as to why it's at my house.  I have no unfixed cats so he's not here for a girlfriend.  He also sprayed my front door which I'm not real pleased about but it was obviously the first time.  I'm wondering if there's a smell that I can put on the door or by it that would deter that behavior.  Now if he comes and eats.... I will probably continue to feed him as well as trap him and have his cajones removed... promptly.  Several vets in our area do ferals at a very low price.  It's still strange that he's hanging around.  My husband said how do you know it's a boy?  Well, girls don't spray dummy. 

I bought two plants today.  One is a hibiscus with beautiful rich red flowers.  I couldn't leave without that tree.  I swear it was like that flower spoke to me and I had to have it.  I also got a flowering vine that is very pretty but I can't recall a the moment what it's called.  The hibiscus has a really strong smell to it.  Something I never noticed with my other one.  Although the flowers on the new one are much larger than the one I have in my back yard.  I'll have to get pictures before that flower closes up.  I hope I don't manage to kill it, although my thumb has turned noticeably greener this year compared to last.  I managed to grow catnip this year, as well as snapdragons.  Both of which I have tried the last two years in a row and got nothing.  I have about two hundred morning glory seeds that already have roots and I haven't even gotten them planted yet.  I'm going to cover most of the cat house with them this year. 

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A picture of some of the mats I took off him.  Keep in mind these are SOLID pieces.  That means that entire area was pulling on his skin.  Most would be larger but there were times he insisted on taking a break and I'm not going to argue with his jaws.  And Lisa, the smile is already starting to return little by little.

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