Holidays are… Stressful?

So, a lot of things happened this 4^th of July.

It was not only America’s birthday, but my Mother’s (I won’t tell you which one for fear of death).  We got to visit our family, including two of my cousin’s and their families that we haven’t seen in a very long time.  It was overall, a very nice day and I was happy to have it off, because this summer already seems like it’s lasting forever when it’s only just begun.

I do remember the days I longed for school to be out and I was free from the academic for a short while.  Though, that was before I was an “adult” and being paid to care for other people’s children, instead of someone caring for me.  Now I’m actually looking forward to school starting again.

How times change.

Anyway, it was a good day and I was happy to see my family and enjoy good food and a relaxing day.

That is, until we got home.

The dogs had been good, despite it being a long day in the house and us forgetting to put the trashcan out of reach, which I’m sure was a temptation beyond all temptations.  We let them out to do their business for a while and when it was time for dinner, we discovered something was amiss.

Luka and Mystic were gone.

Dumb

Dumber

Apparently, someone had come into the backyard during the day and left the gate open, which of course gave the dogs the opportunity to run away.  Before I go off on a rant about inconsiderate boobs, let me tell you something that will shock you.

Luka came back.

It happens!!

Let me allow that to sink in for a moment.

……………………

Are you scraping your mouth up off the floor?  I was.  Mom wants everyone to think that he wanted to be good and came back for that, but in all honesty.  He hadn’t been fed yet.  It was, as we call it at our house, “dog o’clock” and Luka most likely realizing that with his rumbling tummy.  Regardless of his motives, I am very proud of him for coming back when he could have easily run and been in danger of being hit by a car.  He was a good boy, albeit motivated, boy.

Mystic on the other hand, didn’t seem to care it was Dog o’clock, one way or another and headed for the hills.  Although generally she’s a very good dog, she’s spent so much time going from family to family to family her training has been limited.  When the opportunity to explore arose, she took it.  It was just a horrible day for it to happen.  She had already been gone for half an hour and could be anywhere.  All of us piled into our cars and spent over an hour searching our neighborhood.  I, of course, was in tears most of that time, thinking about all the things that might happen to her.  She’s afraid of loud noises and raised voices, which—it’s the 4^th of July.  That’s pretty much all that happens.  I was afraid that she would get scared and run into traffic and that I would find her lying in the street.  I’ve also heard stories of cretins stealing people’s dogs right out of their backyards and using them in dog fighting rings.  Mystic might look and feel like a tank—but she wouldn’t hurt a fly.  I can’t even imagine her going through something like that and so the thought made me twice as worried.  I had been around our neighborhood what felt like six hundred times and frustration was beginning to set in.  I decided one more time around the elementary school and then I would just have to go home and see if I could leave a message for the animal shelter.  So I head back that way and guess who comes a derp, derping up the street?

My darling tank of a dog.

Derp.

I threw open the door and hollered at her to get in the car, to which she obliged and we finally got to go home.  And I had to fix my make-up.  She did what I figured she was going to do, head for a playground.  She loves kids and people, but I wasn’t sure of her patterns since she hasn’t been with us that long and she hasn’t run since we got her.

I just want to say, I’m used to having to track down dogs.  It’s not the first time someone has wandered away and it’s not the first time it’s made me have a meltdown.  However, someone was in our yard.  I don’t know if they were there to steal something or simply back there to find a lost golf-ball but either way—thanks for being a jerk; because of you, I spent an hour of my life looking for my dog and wondering if she was going to be ok.

I’m really just happy she’s home and I guess she was too.  She’s been very snuggly with me since then, which is unusual since she usually sticks with Dad, but she came upstairs to my room and snuggled with me while I watched a movie and has followed me around like we’re attached.  I kind of love it, I’m just afraid it won’t last now that she’s not in danger of becoming a pancake.

And yes, I purchased them all new ID tags.  they should be coming shortly.

The rest of the week was filled with work and boringness.  That’s ok.  I can’t take more than that.

Until the next crisis,

Jaina

There’s this thing… Called an Update….

I do that.  Occasionally.

A conversation I had on Facebook made me realize I’ve neglected updating in about a million years.  Whiiiich of course I remembered, AFTER I had already given them a link to the site.  That’s never embarrassing.  We haven’t had any recent adventures here at Chez Lotta Pets, but then again, Mom of Lotta Pets hasn’t had a day off in a while.  Well.  That’s not true, I went to Disney for a week, but despite it being a vacation, still didn’t get to adventure with the pets.  Which may have been a good thing, because as much as I adore all of them.  I have days I need to not think about medication,  chopping cucumbers or if there’s enough chewsticks in the house to keep Uno satisfied.

Summer camp started for my work two weeks ago, so I’ve been a little busy with that, getting into my schedule and trying to not to burn to a crisp every time we go to the pool, which is twice a week and several times for field trips over the next few weeks.  Although it doesn’t require me to get up at 5am every morning now, I do have 8 hour days at the park, pool and whatever adventures the kids have planned for them, and I must admit it’s definitely exhausted me and put a bit of a damper on me doing anything of the things I normally do.  I get off work in the afternoon tomorrow and I have Sunday off, so I’m hoping to be slightly more productive.  Creatively, housework-idly and of course pet care-idly.

Too Hotz for Husky Puppies! Need Freezer!

I’ve also been battling a sinus infection since Tuesday, it was ugly for a day, now I’m just trying to stop hacking near anyone I like.

Ah needz a Kleenex

It’s been warm around here, to the point of being yucky. and so has the room with all the animals.  I have two fans going and most of the lights are off, but I don’t know if it’s helping.  The Pigs have been flattened out like little piggy rugs to keep from sweltering, both Evie and Uno seem to have gone into summer hibernation and my tanks have warmed up enough I was greeted to an algae bloom in Winston’s tank.  Turned off the heaters until I feel like they aren’t going to boil and I don’t have oddly colored algae crawling all over the glass.

Is Gud!

I think the only ones that have been staying reasonably cool are the rabbits.  The weathermen have been crying rain for the entire week and although it’s rained, sort of, it hasn’t been the thunderstorm special I was expecting.  Plus with the heat, I was afraid they’d get overheated and I wouldn’t be home to prevent them from getting sick, so they’ve had to stay in their indoor hutch.  I think it’s time to just get the outdoor hutch and figure out how to stabilize it from The Tank AKA Mystic doesn’t knock it over in her haste to see them.  I want them to enjoy the outdoors without risking them getting hurt or overheated.  Any of the hutches I’ve looked at have nesting boxes that a few frozen bottles of water won’t cool down.

Regardless of all this chatter, I should get to sleep.  Still have to get up for work even if I have the afternoon off.  Maybe I’ll end up being more consistent.

…..

Who am I kidding?

Until then,

Jaina

P.S. I’m not sure when I’ll get the actual button, but I recently decided to participate in a little blog program in conjunction with a company called Ears of Experience.  It’s a Travel Agency that I assume works fairly independently sending people to Disney, which, as you know, is one of the greatest places in the world in my opinion.  If you decide to go on a trip, you can get their information from me, just let them know I referred you and it looks like we both benefit.  The TA I set this up with is an independent contractor and her little business is called Wonders Dreams and Wishes.  I have her card if you need it, just let me know!

You'll always have a blast

I Haz the Sadz

So last night, my Mom and I were looking through the adoptable pets list of some of the shelters in the area.  I’m not sure why we do that as often as we do, but I suppose we just like to look at the little fuzzy faces and wish that we could do more for them.  Typically when we find a sweet face, we try it on Dad and he says no and we’re back to just looking.  But last night was a little different:

Does that look like anyone we know?

(My beautiful Paisley)

That’s because it’s Paisley’s mom.

When we were perusing the lists we saw a Husky/Lab mix adult female up for adoption– We thought it was a little strange to see that particular breed combo again, but didn’t think anything of it until I saw the dog’s name is Mystic.  Which was the name of the Husky/Lab female that had given birth to Paisley and her brothers and sisters back in July of 2010 at PAWS & more.  I told Mom it was too much of a coincidence that this dog was the same breed mix, the same name and was almost a carbon copy (albeit, older version) of Paisley.  When we read the description, all it told us was that Mystic had been brought to the shelter and a microchip had been found but the owner had not.  The way it was worded, it sounded like they had not been able to get any information about the owner that had been attached to the chip.

I’ve heard of stories where the dogs have gotten too far away from the area they were chipped in and the information has been partitioned to THAT area, making identification difficult.  So I thought maybe I could help if that was the case and sent an e-mail to what I’m assuming is the director of the shelter Mystic is currently at:

Hello!

My name is Jaina– I was looking at your adoptable pet list when I noticed a somewhat familiar face.  In September of 2010, my family adopted a Husky/Lab puppy from PAWS & More Animal Shelter in Washington Iowa.  She had been born at the shelter to two Husky/Lab mixes, one of which was a female named Mystic.  Mystic had been adopted just a few days before we brought Paisley (our puppy) home.  I noticed that your description of her included her having a microchip (something PAWS & More offers with every adoption) but that you were having trouble locating the owner.  Although I cannot be completely sure, since I never met her in person and only saw her from afar, I am almost positive it’s the same dog.  She looks like a carbon copy of my Paisley.  I don’t know if this will help you, but I know that when we adopted Paisley, PAWS & More recorded all of our information, including her microchip number.  Perhaps you could contact them to see if they can reunite her with her family.

Unfortunately, our Paisley passed away this passed November due to an undiagnosed heart condition.  She was a joy in our household and we miss her dearly; it would make us so happy to see her mother reunited with her forever home if it is indeed the same Mystic.  If you have the time to let us know if this is the case, we would be delighted to hear from you.  We know how much happiness our fuzzy family members bring us, I can only imagine Mystic’s family is feeling great sadness at her being missing.

Thank you for your time,

Jaina

I honestly didn’t know if it was going to help or if  it would make a difference.  In fact I wasn’t expecting an answer at all this morning, since the shelter is closed on Sundays and they don’t open till noon on Monday (shelters always have such odd hours) but I got a response that they wanted my phone number.  At first I wasn’t sure if they thought I was Mystic’s owner pulling a fast one or what, but when I got on the phone, the heartbreak just kept getting stronger.

According to the woman I spoke to, Mystic had been found in the area and the microchip had sent them to get information from PAWS & More (confirming it was Paisley’s mom) but the owners that had been attached to the chip, had stated they had “given her away to a new family, but couldn’t remember who they gave her to”.

I don’t know about you– but if I was “giving away” one of my fuzzy babies, I would KNOW every detail about who I was giving them to.  And the only way I would be doing that is if I was TOTALLY incapable of taking of care of them myself.  Anyone who knows me or has seen this blog knows I have many animals and although I work two jobs, they’re only part time and I’m not exactly making the big bucks; but I think it’s pretty clear my pets aren’t exactly suffering for anything.  But if it did come to that, I wouldn’t just give them to some joe-schmo who said they wanted them.  That kind of story makes my Gibbs-Gut go off and tells me that this family didn’t give Mystic away, they dumped her and now they don’t want to take responsibility for it.

Regardless of your situation, surrendering a dog to a shelter isn’t difficult to do.  They’re happy to help those animals that need it and it’s far more humane than just letting a dog rot on a street corner.  Granted I don’t know the real story, but I know people and this is what happens: They walk into a shelter, see pretty blue eyes and striking pointed ears and that’s it– they’re in love.  They don’t take into account that this particular dog is not only Labrador (so FULL of energy) but is also Husky (so FULL of energy and a deep desire to RUN) and that although they’re sweet, loyal, loving dogs, they honestly have been built to run and leap and escape and cost you hundreds in shelter fees.  If you don’t understand that– don’t get a Husky, or a Labrador– or for that matter any dog, because you don’t get it.

So now Mystic is right back where she started, just in a different shelter.  They had had trouble getting her adopted at PAWS and only just got her a “forever home” a few days before we adopted Paisley.

Hasn’t she been through enough?  She’s a sweet dog, according to the woman I spoke to today and at first she cringes like she’s been beaten, but apparently her temperament and attitude is similar to that of Paisley and it just breaks my heart.  I don’t understand how people can so senselessly throw their pets away, not when they don’t do anything to deserve it– they don’t know anything more than what’s in their hearts and souls to do, that’s why we as human beings, the supposedly ‘master species’ are supposed to care for them and keep them healthy and safe.

So here’s my warning people– when you adopt a pet, it’s for life.  You can’t get it and say “just kidding” and if you decide that’s what’s going to happen, be a grown up about it– take it back to the shelter so someone who’s able to take care of them can.  Don’t let them suffer because of your failings or any honest hardships that may befall you.  That’s not fair.

I’m sorry about your mommy, little one.  I wish there was something I could do.  Miss you.

~Jaina

Bed Hog

Who is this?

Bed Hog

Yes, a bed hog.  This particular bed hog, has always been a bed hog, however, it appears her hogginess has only gotten worse.

Who, me?

Yes, you.  The last three nights, I have noticed I’ve been waking up with my face perilously close to the edge of the bed and a good kick from behind would land be squarely on my nose.  Took me a few minutes to realize what that might be, until I turned and noticed a familiar blonde face.

This one.

Positioned behind me, in such a way that she had over half the bed and I was lucky to get a corner.  No wonder my back has been hurting!

I live with a pig! And she’s doing it again!

From the floor,

Jaina

One of these Things is not Like the Other…

So– Remember how I adopted two rabbits, back in May?  From PetCo– The supposed experts?  And remember how they were both boys? Baxter staying Baxter (a boy), Duke becoming Watson (also a boy).  And how Duke, now Watson, had come in with his sister, but didn’t get a home right away because no one wants almost full-grown rabbits and especially not full-grown rabbits that are boys?

Remember the part where they were both BOYS?!

Well, since living under that assumption for the past several months– I thought it would be nice to see if Baxter and Watson could live with one another.  They’ve lived side by side with one another, simply divided by thick chicken wire and thus far it has been successful.  Male rabbits can be just as aggressive as anything else can, and I’ve had experience with female bunnies not even giving each other the chance to say hi before trying to maul each other (I have the scar to prove it).  But I’ve seen how they try to talk to one another and it hasn’t been malicious.

I’ve also felt a little guilty that they have a limited amount of space because of the divider and lately I’ve been dreaming of getting them big, two bunny hutches.  One for outdoors and one for our basement where they stay for the winter.  The outdoor hutch will have to wait until I can gather the funds for that one, but the smaller, indoor hutch, I could probably get in the next few months.  It’s a double-decker, and has lots of hopping room for the both of them.

Because bunnies can get bent out of shape when introduced to one another, it is very important to do it slowly and carefully so no one gets hurt.  We’ve been reading up on strategies other people have used to help their rabbits bond.  Some of them seemed a little harsh and scary for rabbits.  I’ve been trying to do it as slowly as possible.  I try bringing them up together when I take them outside and for the last couple of days I’ve tried letting them hop around our living room for a while.  Last night, they didn’t even look at each other.  Baxter found a place under the piano to chill at and Watson decided to keep close to me.

Tonight?  Whoa.  Not the same.

Baxter went to his usual spot, Watson was trying to get onto my lap again and then all of a sudden they spotted each other and I held my breath, waiting for something to happen.  However– I did not expect what happened.

Baxter pulled a Romeo.

It did not go well.

Watson was traumatized, obviously.  I can’t unsee what I saw.  And it got the cogs turning that something was amiss.

After some searching and finding of photos.  We have decided that Watson.

Is a girl.

I don’t even know what to think right now– Other than…

Fabulous.

It’s hard to sex rabbits, but after putting poor Watson through as microscopic of an examination as I could do, not being a veterinarian I’m 97% sure he’s a she.

This puts a crimp in my plans to put them together, obviously– Since I don’t want any mini Waxters or Baxsons, that will have to wait until I can take someone in to have the bits necessary to do so, you know, removed.  It’s sounding like Baxter, who I am sure is a boy (Don’t ask me how I’m sure) will need to be neutered if I want them to live together.

It might not be a bad thing, if we can get it taken care of and everyone makes it through surgery ok.  Which is a whole can of worms on it’s own, since the last two times I’ve taken rabbits to the small animal expert around here, they’ve either been diagnosed with a terminal illness or died (paranoia?).  I am very much in love with Baxter and Watson, I don’t think I could deal with another loss like that.  So I have to make a decision of what to do.  But as I was saying, it might not be so bad if we get through that stressful bit– If Watson really is a girl and Baxter is neutered, then perhaps they can be bonded and Watson will be a Bunwife and Baxter a Husbun.

Who knows, I have limited experience in this, but it could be a good thing.

Anyway, I have to figure that out.  But first:

SURPRISE!

That’s how I feel too.  Despite that, here are some really horrible quality cell phone photos of my new baby bo–girl?

Iz hiding in ur shirtz!

Booooo!

Eyyyyyyye seez you.

Iz too coot for you!

I’ll try to keep you all updated on what happens– I don’t know what to do just yet, but hopefully whatever I decide will be the right decision!

Until then,

Jaina & Baxter & Watson (Jane Watson)

Really?!

Really????!!!!!

Words that don’t belong to the English language aside– WHAT?!  Should I be offended (Which I’m inclined to believe, yes) that someone stumbled upon MY delicate flower of a blog with “really discustin pictures” as their search topic?

To what “discustin” pictures are they referring to?  My pets?  The odd squeaky toy?  Me?

Will I ever know?

Until then, Ah’ll be lookin’ for really discustin’ vocabelury,

Jaina

~*~EDIT~*~

Some people were interested in seeing what other search terms come up when people do a search for my blog– I thought I’d do an update:

A few if these I can understand and even welcome… I’m not sure about the rest…

This is How Paisley’s Mind Works…

“Throw the really disgusting dirty pig on the girl’s plate and I’ll get the last, completely unsatisfying bites!”

It worked.  And now she’s trying to throw disgusting dirty pig onto anything edible– Case in point, I had a little cereal for dessert and had to fend of her flyby attacks.  A few tries in, she very nearly got the frigging pig into my Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

She’s such a rat.

Faith Goes Christmas Shopping

So, yesterday was “Black Friday”.  Or for those of us who work in retail/grocery– Hell.  Luckily I didn’t have to work until well after the rush was over and frankly, I’m not thinking a lot of folks are looking for deals in their local grocery store.  At least not after 1pm.  So, I avoided that… Work-wise…

Mooooom, however, found a deal for something that couldn’t be passed up.  And guess who got to go get it?  Yeah.

So I made Faith go with me.  It was a little chilly out so I bundled her up in her new coat (her fur is really thin, oook?)

Weady! Wewe's my Cookee?

Isn’t she adorable?  The hood is faux-fur lined and everything.  It even has a pocket on the back– Why?  I don’t know, extra cookies?  Though if we did that, we’d make millions because Faith would become the world’s best canine-contortionist.  No way would she leave cookies back there, all alone and unattended!

Anyway, we left, knowing we might not come back alive and I say this half jokingly, because honestly there have been several deaths associated with this horrific sales day– not counting the brawl that broke out between two people at an outlet mall nearby over a Bath & Bodyworks item no less– which is really sad.  Honestly, is there anything at all in this world that’s worth trampling someone for?  It defeats the whole point of Christmas.  However, when you can go into a store and see people lined up clear to the back with 6 cartloads each of crap no one really needs.  You have to laugh out loud, with a touch of horror, because you’ve just joined the masses.

Which, we did.  I cannot believe I actually waited 20 minutes just to park my car and it looked sort of like this:

http://www.life.com/image/56273378

I had several people point out the spots they were in, letting me know they were leaving.  Which was nice, but not terribly helpful as there were still at least six cars in front of them that would keep them from exiting for a while.  One woman decided she wouldn’t be waiting and reversed anyway, nearly smashing into one car and coming precariously close to mine.  Thank goodness my car has a surprisingly loud horn because I was not having any of that.  Just got the window fixed on that thing, not going to have the butt-print of some idiot’s car imprinted on mine.  Unfortunately it wasn’t a white Prius, so I couldn’t make a connection…  But oh well.

Finally after circuiting the store several times, speaking with clueless and clearly exhausted employees, I found what I had been sent for– in the shoe section.  And let me tell you.  I wasn’t looking for shoes, I was looking for:

http://www.hoverspeed.com/Ferry%20News/Expats-given-present-tips/

Haha, like I would actually tell you what it is. It’s a present for crying out loud!  I’m just saying, it’s not shoes!  It shouldn’t have been in the shoe section!

After acquiring the target, the challenge then extended to getting through the line quickly.  Seeing as I only had one item, that self-serving part of my brain began listing all the reasons why I should be able to skip in front of all these “Black Friday” nerds with their game plans and reusable bags, purses unzipped for easy wallet access and store charge cards getting sweaty in their grubby paws.  But no.  I had to wait in line too.  Even when a “1 item or less” line would have been handy!

20 minutes later (20!  I’ve never waited that long in line before!) and I finally got checked out!  20 minutes…  Unnnnnnbelieveable.

Never again my friends!  Never again!  If I get my Christmas shopping done early, I’m perfectly content to pay full price or maybe snag a deal a few days before Christmas, but never will I traverse into the wild that is this after Thanksgiving “special”.  It should be renamed After Thanksgiving NIGHTMARE!  And to think there are people out there, that actually sit out in the rain and cold and snow and CRAP, late into the night, so they can be the first ones in at 3am.  NOTHING is worth that.  If I had kids, I’d love to see them smile, but I don’t think I can ever love them enough to buy a Happy-Slappy-Facelift Barbie that early in the morning.

Good grief!

However, we did survive.  Within an inch of our lives (did I mention it took another 10 minutes to get OUT of the parking lot?) and neither of us was the worse for wear– Well, maybe:

Bwack Fwiday makes me sweepy...

Me to Faithee, me too.

At least one of our posse is happy about things:

Give me, de bottwle and I wiww weave you awone!

She loves plastic bottles, just as much as Faith, if not more.  If Mom happens to have a bottle of water, she better get it done quick because Paisley will be watching.  The second you set it down, it’s hers!  No questions asked.  Or permission– what’s permission?

As demonstrated here...

She really shouldn’t be on the furniture, but there’s that whole listening thing again… /

Hewwoooooow?

Guess who’s fitting in nicely?

Well, that’s all I’ve got for now.  Sorry it wasn’t more interesting, but with school, homework, the holidays and all that other crap that means I’m an adult, this sort of stuff doesn’t get done as often!

Until next time!

Jaina & Faith

The New Squeaky-Not-Squeaky

Dis… Is a catastwophe…  I don’t know how it happened, or why.  Just dat it happened.

Today… Mom bought a squeaky and actuawwy said– IT’S NOT A SQUEAKY!!!!!

First of awl, dere is no such ting as “not a squeaky”.  I mean, sewiously, doesn’t it wook wike a squeaky?

It's a squeaky... I know it.

Mom says I have to be nice to it.  I guess I can be, but I wemember saying we should go to Target for an ACTUAL, WEAL, BOOTIFUL SQUEAKY… Do you HEAR DAT MOM??!!  Geez… And to make it worse… It doesn’t sweep at night.  Holy squeakies!  How am I supposed to get any sweepies!?!  It’s aways in dat stupid wheel thingy!  I don’t know how much wonger I can take it.  Could you?

Don't fall for it...

It's blurry... But dangerous

At weast my mom’s fwend, Kelsey came over (she helped buy de annoying squeaky-not-squeaky) but she played tug wif me and I guess dat made it easier for me to wike de new bebe:

I'm winning...

Still winning

Did I mention I was winning?

Yuwi is not amused.

I WON! I WON!

Heeeee. I wuv it when I win!

No, weally. I wuv it.

And den she frew it again. Geez.

Besides being annoyed by de new bebe.  Wast Saturday, gwandma, gwandpa, Mommy and her boyfwend (Who, by de way, did not bwing me a new squeaky) went to de park for a pickynic.  We had hot dogs and beans, cheesy Cheeto poofs and oweo cookies.  De not-fuwwy puppies had dis stuff called potato-salad… Blech!  I wouldn’t touch dat for awl de squeakies in de world… Well,  maybe awl of dem– Anyway, dat was gwoss, but de pickynic was fun and I hope we get to do it again.

Yuwi was twying to sneak up on de Cheesy Poofs... I tink dey saw him

I wuv dis wheaver

Gwandpa ate an oweo wifout me. Not. Fair.

He tinks he's sneaky. But, we can seeee him!

And dat was my week.  Too much to do.  And not enough squeakies.  Oy.

~Faith