Sunday, June 19, 2011

Seriously?

I have not blogged in ten days?  Actually, I am only blogging now because I am bored out of my skull and have the dog tied to my ankle, literally.  Friends of friends have written an independent film in which I am playing a small part and then we offered our home for them to film two outside scenes.  They have been here since 9:00 am and it is now 5:32 and they are on the last scene which is being filmed on the front porch.  As the dog is rather curious I cannot have him running the house and working his way into the film by breathing on the front door so here we are in the computer room blogging with his leash around my ankle.

This weekend was uneventful really.  Yesterday we ran some errands that consisted of The Brit's Father's Day gift and running my mom around to a few places so I could get off her shit list as she has not seen me too much lately.  Working full time will do that and then this past week was VBS at the church and I was playing a small part each night so it was a run,run, run kinda week, as in get off work, have 45 free (LMAO...free if you call vacuuming, sorting out dinner and changing clothes free time) minutes before hauling ass to church till 8:45.  But I will say that it was the most fun I have ever had at a VBS.  Those of you who have been following me for some time know how much I hated it at the old church because I had to co-run it, I already worked there so that meant more of my day VBS week was spent at the church then at home, and then more often than not, we would have 6 kids show up.  This past week, I did not run anything, we had several dozen kids, it was extremely well run and the kids had a fab time.  I will gladly help again next year even though it makes for a hectic week.

I think part of the reason I have not been blogging so much is that life is just so busy but it is mostly mundane.  Nothing extraordinary is happening despite the fact that I am crazy busy.  Yesterday during our errand running, I bargain shopped very well.  Got a yard sale kitty tower for $20 and a wooden filing cabinet for $15.  Cannot beat that. In the last few days I have broken my own mold and elected to buy some dresses to wear to work during the hot summer months.  Those of you who know me well know I am not a dress up girl, but pants get hot during the summer.  I have purchased four dresses for about $25. Again, cannot beat it.  I love me some second hand bargain shopping.  Just because it belonged to someone else does not mean it is not in perfect condition and completely washable.  It is my contribution to being green.

I think I am ready to have an extraordinary day.  Will someone please get on that?

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Don't Ya'll Faint Now

Yeah, two in two days!  Who would have thought?  Jimnotmike threw down the gauntlet after all so I guess I need to try to get back on the ball at least a wee bit.  No promises but I am trying.

Today has been one of those days I have been in awe of.  Nothing extraordinary happened, but it was just a good day.  Work was busy as we have a huge event Saturday night (I do not have to be there but am very involved in the prep work), so my day was spent on laminating and creating signs, working on silent auction items, helping B, my work husband who is head of Events, and running errands.  B and I went off to lunch together and there has been lots of camaraderie in my little department which is a welcome change from all the kitten sadness that will eat me alive if I allow it to.  It's just nice.  My boss thanks me on a daily basis for my work, T, the head Admin, jokes and carries on with me all day which is great fun, B and I get along famously and my least favorite staff person just gave her notice.

Tonight, The Brit and I went out to dinner with another couple we are friends with, Emily and Dave, and my church gals, who I adore.  We had some wine, chatted and laughed for two hours and I just again marveled at the way God works.  In an odd way, I thank Him for the horrible things that happened at the old church because they caused me to finally leave a place I was not being fulfilled.  Though it was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do, when I think of how it all turned out, I am just amazed.  When I think that I could still be at that old church, fighting to keep it together and not getting anything back spiritually, I almost shudder.  I cannot imagine still being somewhere that is close to dead now that I am a part of something that is on fire.  Sometimes our blessings come in unexpected and unwanted at the time packages.

This weekend we are heading out for the day Saturday, potentially to a dog peach near Annapolis.  I still adore my pup and I want him to have some doggie fun on the weekends.  He loves other dogs so I try to find him some playmates over the weekends.  Next week starts VBS so I will be busy every night.  Yes, I hated VBS at the old church but I do not have to run this one and I am only playing a part in the drama each night.  Bring it!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

My Non-Existent Blog

Yeah yeah yeah.  I know.  I suck.  If someone could create another eight hours in a day for me or better yet, a pill that enabled me to only need one hour's sleep a night, I'd get a lot more done.  

Work has been rough lately.  Really rough.  It is not uncommon to walk around a corner to see another employee in tears or to hear two employees who are really good friends, exchanging angry words.  Fuses are short and emotions are running high.  We are all there because of our love for animals and we are in the heat of kitten season and it sucks.  

Kitten season means that cats are out there producing at alarming rates because people are irresponsible and don't have their cats spayed or neutered and then they let them outside.  Those with male cats probably figure that their tomcat is not going to bring home any kittens and that would be correct but someone is finding them and bringing them to our door.  Little balls of sweet fluff who are unwanted in the world and who were brought into the world due to human irresponsibility.  It sickens me.  

The shelter is completely FULL right now which essentially means that anything that comes in right now is given a death sentence.  71 animals were put down in one day this week, simply because we are out of room and I would bet that the majority of that number were feline.  Each afternoon on break, I go back to the feline holding room, find a little kitten that fits in the palm of my hand and take it back to my desk to love on for 15 minutes and when I take it back to the cage I have no idea if I will see it tomorrow.  This is the reality of shelters  during kitten season.

Is this post doom and gloom?  Yeah, probably, but it is a hard time for us right now.  

Yet there are happy moments too.  Yesterday, The Genius was out walking the dog before I left for work and he called me from his cell phone, announcing he had found a "puppy" and no one was around.  I drove a few blocks over to meet him and the "puppy" was actually an elderly chihuahua.  I put the little girl in the back of my car where she sat politely for the ride into work.  Checking her out once we arrived, we found her nails had been recently trimmed and she smelled as if she had been recently bathed, but she was off the streets and not in any danger of being hit by a car or worse.

By that afternoon a crying elderly lady was at the shelter, so grateful that her beloved companion had been found and rescued.  The dog, who was actually 16 years old with a heart condition, had apparently slipped out when her husband had left for work, but now she was back safe and sound with her human mama.

These are the good stories and the reason I love my job.  I know we are working for the greater good, but at times it is so painful.  We see the stupidity of people firsthand; their lack of caring and their inability to comprehend that their decisions dictate a horrible fate to a lesser but in my opinion, far more superior species.  

We do the best we can.  If only the general public would strive to do better then maybe one day kitten season could cease to exist.

Oh and Strat, I dunno.  I have thought about writing THAT book before but am afraid they will find out and sue me for some reason...or stone me. 

Thursday, May 26, 2011

This Makes My Blood Boil

A Shady Grove couple found guilty in April of abusing nearly 80 farm animals have been cited again, now for the alleged abuse of four dogs at their home.

A total of 14 animal cruelty citations were filed against Ralph and Susan Fries, said Franklin County Humane Society Police Officer Floyd "Buck" Hessler.

They have not yet entered a plea with Magisterial District Judge Duane Cunningham.

The dogs, which Hessler described as "husky-type," were seized April 23 from the couple's residence at 1704 Buchanan Trail East. Hessler said he acquired a warrant to go to the home after a neighbor contacted him about the conditions there.

All four dogs, one male and three females, are currently being held at Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, Chambersburg.

Three of the dogs had medical issues when they were seized, Hessler said.

The Frieses are cited for not providing veterinary care to the male dog, which allegedly had severe infections in both ears. After the dog was seized, a veterinarian prescribed medication for the infections.

"The dog was in severe pain because this was not taken care of by a vet," Hessler wrote in the citation.

Two of the female dogs exhibited a "severe skin condition," according to Hessler. Medicine was prescribed for both dogs after they were seized.

Hessler's citations allege that he found the dogs living in unsanitary conditions. He said they were forced to live in contact with their own feces and urine.

It appeared that the dogs, all adults, were kept in small cages in one room of the house "for hours at a time" whenever they were brought inside, Hessler said.

The cages were too small for the dogs to stand or turn freely, Hessler said. Urine and clumps of fur were "all over the floor" of that room, according to one citation.

The strong smell of ammonia from urine inside the house "took your breath away," according to another citation.

In an outdoor kennel behind the garage, Hessler wrote that he saw dogs "walking and standing in the mess" of feces that had not been cleaned out.

One citation alleges that shelter in the outdoor kennel was inadequate, since there were no dog houses "to protect the dogs from weather conditions rain, snow, cold, heat, wind."

Another citation alleges that the dogs were not properly groomed, and had long toenails and clumps of fur falling out due to a lack of brushing.

Hessler said the dogs were apparently being fed and provided with water.

Ralph and Susan Fries each face seven summary citations for the alleged neglect of the four dogs.

Hessler said that if the couple is found guilty, he intends to ask for the maximum fine of $750 on each citation. He is also asking that they permanently surrender the dogs and pay restitution for veterinary, grooming and kennel fees.

He said the total cost of caring for the seized dogs is not yet known.

If they are found guilty, Hessler wants the Frieses to be prevented from owning any animals during a court-ordered probationary period.

While the law allows higher-level charges for repeat animal cruelty offenders, Hessler said he couldn't seek such charges in this instance, because the dogs were seized before the Fries' were found guilty of a previous set of violations.

On April 28, Ralph and Susan Fries were found guilty of 14 citations for the mistreatment of 70 goats, seven donkeys, a horse and a pony kept on a farm in St. Thomas.

Magisterial District Judge David Hawbaker ordered them to pay court costs and fines of $100 for each citation. Those animals remain in the care of a farm at an undisclosed location, Hessler said Thursday.


*****

So not only have these asshats been in trouble with animal cruelty charges before, but now they keep freaking appealing while their dogs SIT IN A SHELTER.  The dogs have been in the shelter for a year and if these idiots keep appealing the dogs could be in the shelter for years more.  If these people ever got these dogs back, the poor dogs would be so screwed up from the incredible stress of shelter life that they would probably wind up right back there again.  DO THE RIGHT THING.  Admit you screwed up, stop appealing and allow these poor animals to be adopted so they stand a chance.

The laws for animal rights, as I am learning, are downright shameful.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Ever Have One of Those Lives?

I am finding myself beyond frustrated.  Most days (not today) I love my job and I don't mind working full time, BUT everything else is so much more complicated.  Part of it is my control freak ways.  My house needs vacuumed desperately and it BOTHERS ME.   I am putting on some weight and it BOTHERS ME.  Basically, it makes me feel like shit.  I don't feel as good as I did when I was working out regularly.  My kids are at asshat ages and it BOTHERS ME.  I hate that they are here alone so much because The Genius cannot be trusted.  I feel helpless in my own life and I have little to no idea what to do about any of it.  

Getting to the gym means the possibility of pissing off people.  But the fact is, if I get a handle on my exercise again, I may feel better in all the other aspects of my life.  Once a week kickboxing and walking the dog are not cutting it for me.  I felt strong in almost every aspect of my life when my workouts were regular.  My patience level was better.  I was not freaking exhausted ALL THE TIME.  I accept the fact that I am getting older and maybe being more tired is normal, but not this desire to nap half the freaking afternoon.

I love my dog, but at times it is hard to have him at work everyday especially now in the hotter months.  I could otherwise get a few things accomplished on my lunch hour.  Granted, when the kids are out of school, he will be staying home at least part of the time with them.  They need to learn the responsibility.

So I need a PLAN.  I cannot keep going this way.  It is making me crazy.  There are days when I feel like I am on the verge of tears all day long just because I hate the helpless feeling of not being in control of my life.  

So there are options for the gym.

I love my Wednesday night service at church but I am considering giving it up to go workout and then going back to the church for 8:00 rehearsal.   I can either get to the Y on a Sunday or I need to switch my grocery day so I can workout on Monday.  I have stuff here at home to work out but every time I attempt it, I am inundated with children and questions and mocking about what I am doing.  Plus, my resources are limited here and with it being the onset of summer, we don't have central air and I am not about working out in a sauna. 

I don't care if I go to the gym before or after dinner.  Either works.  I just need to get there...though it is harder to leave to do it once I am home, but I will just make myself do it.  I think my eating took a nose dive when the church blew up (and incidentally, more people are leaving) and I have not regained control.  I am still a size 18 but things are not as roomy as they once were and if I do not intervene, I will not stay an 18.

If this plan doesn't work (and when The Brit travels I am not sure at all of how it can work) something has to give.  The way I feel right now this moment cannot continue.

Just sayin'

Sunday, May 15, 2011

I do not understand the male species....

....AT ALL.



They set things on fire, they lie, cheat and steal, they find farts hysterical, love cartoon movies, have an answer for everything, always think they are right and can turn the tables on you in the midst of any argument where you have been wronged.  I love them, but I just don't get them.  Not even a teeny, tiny bit.

And with that being said, please let me say that single moms....you have my absolute respect.  I have had a big enough dose of single parenting lately to know that I salute those of you who do this every single day of your lives.  I hate it.  I hate it even more working full time.  I love, love, love my job, but trying to single parent around nine hours a day?  Not fun at all.

Last week The Lawyer set fire to a trash can outside from a cigarette butt my sister in law left in the outside ashtray.  He decided he wanted to know what would happen if he set fire to a plastic bag that was in the trash can.  Well, he found out.  It melted the trash can.  Thankfully, a neighbor came down to help put it out and then his wife proceeded to make me feel like a terrible mother, offering to let The Lawyer be in her daycare for an hour a day for $20 a week because "he is obviously lonely and trying to get attention." Gimme a break-he is home for an hour and fifteen minutes before I get here; he was just being a boy and I kicked his butt for it.

The second part of The Genius story is that he did not just drop out of Credit Recovery because of track.  Noooo...he dropped out of track too so he could walk to his friend's house in the west end of town every day when he was "at practice."  So he is currently under a microscope and he is grounded from his phone and life until he passes this class and gets his Biology grade up to at least a 75% which is what he needs to pass for the year.

The Lawyer fried his phone in the bathtub because he talks to his great grandma on the phone at bath time so it was just waiting to happen.  He, of course, blamed it on the cat.  Go figure.

The Brit has been gone more than he has been home, thus my salute to single moms.  I don't think anyone has any idea of what we do and what we have to deal with when we are on our own.  There is no down time.  By the time the kids are in bed, the lunches are packed, the house is semi-cleanish,  and the pets are taken care of, we are too freakin' exhausted to do anything more than go to bed so we can wake up and do it all over again.  Men often come home and when they walk in the door, they are done for the day.  They sit down to dinner and move from there to the television.  This is not my life.  Not when there are meals for the next day to think of, laundry to do, dishes to deal with (the men in my house think we have gnomes who do the cups and spoons they just lay in the sink when they are finished...a huge pet peeve of mine.  It seems to just be an assumption that I will do them.  I mean, how else will they get done?), grocery shopping to do, yard work, etc.  All the stuff that HAS to be done.

I tried not to complain about any of this when I was 20 hours a week, but it is harder to keep my thoughts to myself at 40 hours a week.  I just wish there was more help.

Next week is Tod's show "1776" and I am looking forward to a night out...again with my kids...but with some friends as well.

The dog is the light of my life at the moment.  He is a constant companion who does not argue with me.  His name should have been Houdini as we cannot seem to confine him to the computer room to go anywhere.  He is left alone VERY rarely.  He has so far eaten though a gate, knocked one over and crawled under another.  Yesterday, The Brit cut a door off and put it on hinges to keep him in there but today when the kids and I went to church, he jumped the door.  Nothing funnier though than pulling up in front of the house and seeing his handsome head pop up from where he is laying in front of the door.  Too cute and he has so far not been destructive so I guess we will give him the downstairs on a test run for Tod's show!

Hoping my week is uneventful as that would be a great chance of venue for me!

/rant

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Interesting Weekend

So yesterday we went to breakfast and ran into the whole old church crowd.  Several said good morning, Strat's dad waved though her mother would not look at me, and The Puppet Master's wife came back and hugged us both.  Not sure what the hell that is all about.  

The rest of the day was yard work, which I love, and a haircut at yet another new salon: Bella Salon and Spa.  A bit pricier than what I am used to, but a great haircut in a professional atmosphere.  My last cut was done by someone else in my former "new salon" and she screwed up the stacking in the back and after my appointment, the girls were all spinning their boyfriends around in their chairs and flipping each other off, etc.  Now, I am no saint but when I am paying for a service after a long day at work, I do not wish to see children playing adults and not succeeding, ergo Bella Salon.  Apparently, I am getting old.

Today was Kirk and Brent's graduation from Eastern Mennonite University and I was a little apprehensive about going due to folks from the old church who were my friends but I had not heard from since I left my job out there.  I almost didn't go, but Kirk has been such a good friend of mine for a long time so I went and had a really good day other than it being cold and rainy and the graduation being outside!  But it was fun and good to be around everyone again.


So a good day.

My friend Renee from California is running an experiment this week about us girls taking care of ourselves.  Our assignment for tonight, the first night, is to gauge on a scale from 1-10 how we were/are feeling about tomorrow at 8:00 tonight.  I gauged myself at a 5 mainly because I was and am tired from the long drive today and being out in the chill and rain.  Then before bed, I have to sit cross legged on the floor and take five deep breaths.  The experiment will progress this week and I will try to blog to keep you all informed.

Still in love with my dog.  He is a total love bug and so cute.


I mean, who in their right mind can resist this face?