Initiating play

Trying to initiate some play after breakfast before I put him up and left to work.

Diary of Rosebud installment

Picked up Linus, formerly known as Rosebud and also known as "the twinkie" from the vet this afternoon.  He was vetted and is home now sans balls, hw negative and vaccinated.  The vet indicated he was easy to work on, a cupcake in her estimation.  They had no problems with him at the vet except he seemed somewhat fearful.  Didn't want to come from his run and had problems walking on the leash.  He was carried back on Thursday as the tech had no luck getting him to walk with him. No coaxing in the world was going to get him to leave the lobby.

He walked out on his own tentatively but at least on his own.  He is quiet when he rides, just curls up in a ball in the back.  He wears a body harness when he's out on the tie and on a leash since he can't back out of it nor can it slip off his head. It's a "right fit" in a figure 8 style that prevents slipping out.  We spend a lot of time just looking at each other. Me from the porch with my zoom lens and him from the yard.  At least he is not freaked out by the camera as many dogs seem to be.  He seems the most comfortable outside.

The Diary of Rosebud

Rosebud is what I thought of when I was looking him over with his delicate little blush colored nose and pink lips.  He was pulled from a shelter this week and I'm concerned about him and his ability to move into a pet home. He is not an adoptable dog - not now anyway.  He seems shy, too shy, too un-socialized.  It's sad, really sad to see this dog and see his general distrust of people.  I've unfortunately seen this before in other dogs that haven't made it.  There is a little bit of hope that he can come around and adjust and learn to actually like people.  I just don't know. He's a mature dog that came from a cruelty investigation. Living on a chain his whole life and probably has met very few people outside of a neglectful and potentially abusive owner.  He is easy to handle, doesn't offer any aggression. Allows himself to be manipulated and evaluated but it is clear he does not enjoy it and would like the touching to stop.   He accepted his first bath, grooming, vet inspection and even allowed me to give him a dental today to clean the tartar from his teeth.  He has a long time to go before he can be considered adoptable and I wonder if he can make it to be a pet.  Everything is new, leashes, cars, crates, bowls, stairs, doorways everything is a new and painful experience to him.  He seems to struggle with the basic concepts.  Only time can tell if he will improve.  A sneeze during his meal sent him reeling about three feet before he recovered.  He would still rather not eat unless I am several feet away from his bowl.

I don't know what will become of him and how I can reconcile this if he doesn't make it. I know that I can't put down another unstable dog.  Kiki broke my heart and I just can't bring myself to take part in it again.  I would rather walk away than do it again but this time the choice is not up to me. He is here now for better or for worse and how we will manage is something I don't yet know.  

Fruit flies

I don't know if they are fruit flys or gnats but they have been plaguing me for weeks now. I don't know where they came from...the fruit, potted plants or what but they are a nuisance. Just when I think they are gone, another one flies in front of the computer screen or my face as I'm watching TV.

The wine in vinegar remedy hasn't been tried yet because I've been sick and can't bring myself to ruin a good bottle of wine if I can't imbibe

The truth about Euthanasia

I wish people would "get it", listening to the excuses is heartbreaking.  So many wonderful animals and there is nothing left for them.  No-one cares and everyone wants to blame the shelters for their owns shortcomings as human beings.

A version of Meet your Meat (what they don't want you to know)

Ants and Houses

This has been a frustrating Spring/Summer. I've been attacked by ants, both the crawlies and the flying. I don't know where they are coming from.  This spring, I had ants in the bathtub and it seemed worse when it rained. Now that they are gone...I've got the flying kind and I can't see them coming in anywhere.  I've never had this many bugs.  going to have to sprinkle that seven dust around the foundation to see if that will make them go away.

Crazy cosmo still has his allergy problem and that's new this year with the eye discharge and dirty ears.  We are now eating a combo of Science Diet Sensitive Stomach and Sensitive Skin blended with the Blue Buffalo Sensitive Skin.  Put him back on the Derm Caps

As far as the house hunting. There's a lot of crap out there in my price point.  A lot of angry and just plain ol nasty livin people.  The way some people take care of their stuff is gross when you have to look at what they leave behind. Makes you wonder if they were raised by wolves or pigs.  Then the angry people who just tear up stuff on their way out pissed at the Bank for calling their note.  So much for taking personal responsibility. The banks did a whole lot of shady lending when housing was at it's peak but that didn't mean you had to cash in on the deals.  You only suffer in the end.

House hunting again

Going to look at another house today.  It disappeared and re-appeared on the listings last night. From a price reduced motivated seller, now selling for 3K more.  This all seems like a game. Dropping houses off the market so they don't appear to have been listed that long.  Everyone knows a house that stays on the market has "problems" so they play these little tricks to make you think it's brand new.  Maybe if this motivated seller isn't the bank the house will have hope to look nice. It's not nearly as cute on the outside as the previous house.  I really loved that rounded front door.  I could have totally seen myself in that house.  Sadly, I just don't have the skills to make the amount of repairs needed to make it habitable.

House Hunting

That time of the year and I really want to own my piece of the American Dream again. It's been three years since I had a place that I could call my own and it really makes you feel like you are a permanent member of society, not just out on the fringes. My landlord wants to suck me into another year lease and I can't find a house that will allow me to move out. The tenants upstairs smoke in the house so it filters down to my place. The neighbors can't find the time to supervise their kids so I have to put the toys out of the drive way to go to work. Kids everywhere and not a parent in sight. Hope they aren't surprised one day. I don't think I could stay inside and not watch my preschooler play in the street. There must be a completely different race of parents out there today.

I'm tired of living here, feeling like I can't make this place better or do things I want, own pets I want to have or just plant a garden, fence a yard....the simple things that make you feel like your house is a HOME.

I found the cutest little house today that would have been perfect. In a nice area, nice houses and in a place where it looked like people cared about what they owned. Until I walked inside and realized it was a foreclosure and the bitter owners tore the place from stem to stern making it un-inhabitable for the next person. There is no way I could pay the price of the house and spend the 50K to make it habitable again. They even tore out the ceiling in the living room. Tore the screens out of the porches and nailed the backdoor shut. So sad, such a cute little cape with a round edged front door and a full attic that could be expanded to become living space.

Quote

Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you’ve never been hurt and live like it’s heaven on Earth. (Mark Twain)