Updates for the New Year
I got another call from Nancy Glass Productions this morning. They have decided that they will feature all the contestants that plan to attend the show in California, but paying for me to get there is not going to work and they said that when other shows closer to me happen then they will feature me. I can live with that. I’m expecting Hershey, Pennsylvania in September to be the next show to shoot for.
I guess paying for 4 plane tickets for us, plus one for the dog on a dog airline, since they don’t fly large dogs in the cabin (there is no way I’m sticking her in the luggage area) is a bit of a stretch. I suppose chartering a Lear jet was out of the question. I wasn’t up to driving 4 days in a car with everyone one way to do this show. I know there are those who do that, but I made that trip every year when I was a kid, before we had to wear seatbelts or be in car seats and it was hard on me then. I can’t put us through that. I know a few who will drive all the way across the country to do this show, and for them, it may be worth it, but not for me. My creative grooming television debut will have to come later on. I wished the other gals good luck in the competition and can’t wait to watch it on TV!
That said, she did mention how impressed they were with the videos I sent them and all the work I’ve done so far. (She let me down easy.)
Meanwhile, I’m finding out that I have some wonderful clients and friends out there that really care about me and all that I’ve been through lately. The New Year has not gotten off to a great start yet, but it’s nice to know I have so many wonderful people in my life who understand and support me. I’m starting to feel like a jinx lately, but from what I hear, it’s happening to a lot of people. We have some bad juju in the stars I guess.
I am currently taking an online course in cats through the Nash academy, and I’m learning some fascinating things about cats I didn’t know.
For instance, (and if THIS doesn’t make you want to run out and SPAY your female cat, nothing will); I found out that the male cat has barbs on his uh… personal parts and that when they mate; the PAIN of the mating is what makes her release her eggs. OUCH! Okay ladies, time to call up the vet NOW to make your spay appointment for your kitty! Just the thought of that makes me cringe! That explains the reason why the female cat will attack the male after mating. Men may not understand this, but trust me all the women reading this will run to their phone and call their vet immediately!
Also I found out that if a female doesn’t get bred when she’s in heat, she will come in heat again within 2 days to 2 weeks UNTIL she does get bred! Holy screaming cats! Another great reason to get her fixed, no more midnight serenades! I also learned that some cats can go into heat at only 3 to 4 months old! I know some vets that will not spay until 6 months old and that may be too late! We really do have a huge cat over-population problem, and Hoofstock Veterinary Service in Pine Village is VERY reasonable on their cat spays and neuters. I know that they will do early spays and neuters, as will North Central Indiana Spay and Neuter in Battleground, and also The Neuter Scooter Mobile Clinic who travels all around Indiana and only does cats. Worth kidnapping a stray cat – and/or an entire litter and spaying and neutering to stop the madness! Many vets will offer a stray cat spay or neuter deal if you just ask them. Don’t be shy, and if it’s not affordable for you, call around! It’s not something they normally advertise, but they are all willing to help stop the over-population problem.
Alright, before you erase that horrible mental image I gave you from above, get on the phone, call the vet and make an appointment NOW! I will never look at cats the same way again, and now neither will you.
1-4-10 Happy New Year
Happy New Year!
Another year is again upon us, wow, where did the time go? 2009 was not the greatest year for us, and many people I know. Financially it was hard, though we've fared better than many have. Emotionally though, it was very difficult. I've lost more dear friends, clients and pets this year and it’s been hard. Here’s hoping 2010 is much kinder to us all.
Now for resolutions…
2009 was the year for miscommunication!
I almost lost an opportunity of a lifetime just this week when I was called by Nancy Glass Productions about a new show they are making a pilot for in February in California about creative grooming! Why? Because I didn't check my voicemail! Half the time I can't get to the phone, find the phone in time or hear the phone ring due to the noise of drying dogs, or barking dogs etc. I am rarely away from the house, but it never fails, the minute I step outside the door the phone rings. Or when I'm on the phone with a client, call waiting always comes in. I can't switch over, most of the time I won't because I think it’s rude, but why does the phone ONLY ring when I'm already on it?
Another pet peeve about phones is caller ID. This does no good when it’s a cell phone. If it’s in another area code, is it a telemarketer, or a client? I know of many people with out of state numbers on their cell phones. So the only logical thing to do is answer all the calls and hang up on the telemarketers. Caller ID has become pointless.
Remembering to check voicemail after you get the client’s dogs groomed, feed the family and do the home-schooling and housework is the hard part. Then by the time I manage to get to the voicemail, oops it’s too late to call anyone back! UGH! I need a secretary!
So now I'm up to making a video interview for them, and it needs to be to them by Monday, January 4th, no pressure! I hope get picked to go to California in February. If not, they plan on going to other shows later on so there’s always hope. I am from California and still have friends there that I can stay with so a reunion with old friends is REALLY the reason behind wanting to go on this trip. They haven't met my kids; it’s been a really LONG time since we've been together in person, although we regularly e-mail each other and keep in touch, a free flight for the family and dog would be a wonderful way to get my year off to a fantastic start!
So for 2010 I am VOWING to do much better to check voice mails, and e-mails and get back to people quicker.
Organization is also high on my list of resolutions. I have to get it together! (When I do I'll probably forget where I put it.) I preach it, but I'm bad at doing it. Better communication and more organization is my plan to get the New Year started off right. Is there hope for the chronically disorganized? It’s not so much getting organized as it is keeping it organized. Putting things back where they belong is a big one I'm trying to change.
Weight loss? Puleeze! I won't even go there! I will not beat myself up over that issue. I am what I am like it or not. Okay so I'm not perfect, nobody is. We all have things we'd like to change about ourselves or our lives. My pets love me the way I am, so that’s good enough for me. They also have the good manners not to point out any of my many shortcomings, which most humans don't have. Next time you are feeling a little bit down on yourself, go hug your pets and remember what is really important, and let’s all be glad that 2009 is OVER and we can start fresh once again!
Another year is again upon us, wow, where did the time go? 2009 was not the greatest year for us, and many people I know. Financially it was hard, though we've fared better than many have. Emotionally though, it was very difficult. I've lost more dear friends, clients and pets this year and it’s been hard. Here’s hoping 2010 is much kinder to us all.
Now for resolutions…
2009 was the year for miscommunication!
I almost lost an opportunity of a lifetime just this week when I was called by Nancy Glass Productions about a new show they are making a pilot for in February in California about creative grooming! Why? Because I didn't check my voicemail! Half the time I can't get to the phone, find the phone in time or hear the phone ring due to the noise of drying dogs, or barking dogs etc. I am rarely away from the house, but it never fails, the minute I step outside the door the phone rings. Or when I'm on the phone with a client, call waiting always comes in. I can't switch over, most of the time I won't because I think it’s rude, but why does the phone ONLY ring when I'm already on it?
Another pet peeve about phones is caller ID. This does no good when it’s a cell phone. If it’s in another area code, is it a telemarketer, or a client? I know of many people with out of state numbers on their cell phones. So the only logical thing to do is answer all the calls and hang up on the telemarketers. Caller ID has become pointless.
Remembering to check voicemail after you get the client’s dogs groomed, feed the family and do the home-schooling and housework is the hard part. Then by the time I manage to get to the voicemail, oops it’s too late to call anyone back! UGH! I need a secretary!
So now I'm up to making a video interview for them, and it needs to be to them by Monday, January 4th, no pressure! I hope get picked to go to California in February. If not, they plan on going to other shows later on so there’s always hope. I am from California and still have friends there that I can stay with so a reunion with old friends is REALLY the reason behind wanting to go on this trip. They haven't met my kids; it’s been a really LONG time since we've been together in person, although we regularly e-mail each other and keep in touch, a free flight for the family and dog would be a wonderful way to get my year off to a fantastic start!
So for 2010 I am VOWING to do much better to check voice mails, and e-mails and get back to people quicker.
Organization is also high on my list of resolutions. I have to get it together! (When I do I'll probably forget where I put it.) I preach it, but I'm bad at doing it. Better communication and more organization is my plan to get the New Year started off right. Is there hope for the chronically disorganized? It’s not so much getting organized as it is keeping it organized. Putting things back where they belong is a big one I'm trying to change.
Weight loss? Puleeze! I won't even go there! I will not beat myself up over that issue. I am what I am like it or not. Okay so I'm not perfect, nobody is. We all have things we'd like to change about ourselves or our lives. My pets love me the way I am, so that’s good enough for me. They also have the good manners not to point out any of my many shortcomings, which most humans don't have. Next time you are feeling a little bit down on yourself, go hug your pets and remember what is really important, and let’s all be glad that 2009 is OVER and we can start fresh once again!
12-18-09 Reach out and touch
Reach out and touch
Has Christmas snuck up on you this year? I’m told it’s a sign of aging when the months go by so fast you can’t keep up. It’s been an emotional year. I’ve attended more funerals than ever, and lost so many dear ones to me I’m still in shock. Maybe that is why Christmas is so hard for me to get into the spirit of this year. I’ve never been good at sending Christmas cards, if you get a Christmas e-mail from me, consider yourself lucky!
Last night I started having dreams of clients that have moved away, and then I received a nice Christmas card today from one who moved to Texas. I think of them whenever I see a Yorkie, and they think of me whenever they get their dogs groomed.
This must be a “sign” to get back in touch with those we’ve lost touch with. Of course that is going to be one of my resolutions this year. I’m thankful for the “facebook” website and being able to see what everyone is up to on there. If they don’t have a computer, well then it’s going to be a little bit harder for me. I am bad about writing letters, sending cards and returning phone calls. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I’m easily distracted and time runs away from me faster than I can keep up, and by the time I look at the clock, it’s too late to return calls. Okay, so I’ll call it what it is. I don’t MAKE time to do those things. It’s a bad habit I’m trying to break. Unfortunately, I have a lot of bad habits I want to break.
I know I’m not alone, lots of people want to make their lives a little less chaotic and hectic, and change is usually a good thing. This year has been very hard on so many people and their pets. The number of pets coming into shelters and rescue is steadily rising and it’s harder than ever to find good homes for the pets that need one. People have lost jobs and homes and the family pet usually gets the brunt of it.
So if you are among the fortunate, and you have a secure job or income, and your home isn’t in jeopardy, consider adopting an older pet this year. Puppies are wonderful of course, but everyone wants puppies and kittens and once they are grown, nobody seems to want them. No pet will love you like a rescued pet. I speak from experience. Every rescued animal I’ve ever had has been the best behaved, easiest to deal with pet. Once they are mature, you don’t have the usual puppy issues of chewing up your stuff, or potty training. A pet that has been in a reputable rescue has been in foster care and they can tell you all about their temperament and quirks. Most rescues, the vet work has already been done so you won’t have the expenses of spaying and neutering, vaccinations and heartworm testing. The best Christmas gift you can give is the gift of a loving secure home to an animal in need, and there are so many in need!
If you can’t make room at your Inn, consider helping a neighbor or relative with their pet. Offer to walk their dog for them, run to the grocery store or feed store for pet food, and check up on them. Elderly folks rarely have a lot of family and friends to look in on them. Be a Christmas angel to them and reach out and offer your help. Little things mean so much. Go on and be brave, knock on their door and ask them if you can run an errand for them or help them out in any way. They will appreciate that someone cared enough to ask, and the feeling you will get from truly giving of yourself is amazing.
Has Christmas snuck up on you this year? I’m told it’s a sign of aging when the months go by so fast you can’t keep up. It’s been an emotional year. I’ve attended more funerals than ever, and lost so many dear ones to me I’m still in shock. Maybe that is why Christmas is so hard for me to get into the spirit of this year. I’ve never been good at sending Christmas cards, if you get a Christmas e-mail from me, consider yourself lucky!
Last night I started having dreams of clients that have moved away, and then I received a nice Christmas card today from one who moved to Texas. I think of them whenever I see a Yorkie, and they think of me whenever they get their dogs groomed.
This must be a “sign” to get back in touch with those we’ve lost touch with. Of course that is going to be one of my resolutions this year. I’m thankful for the “facebook” website and being able to see what everyone is up to on there. If they don’t have a computer, well then it’s going to be a little bit harder for me. I am bad about writing letters, sending cards and returning phone calls. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I’m easily distracted and time runs away from me faster than I can keep up, and by the time I look at the clock, it’s too late to return calls. Okay, so I’ll call it what it is. I don’t MAKE time to do those things. It’s a bad habit I’m trying to break. Unfortunately, I have a lot of bad habits I want to break.
I know I’m not alone, lots of people want to make their lives a little less chaotic and hectic, and change is usually a good thing. This year has been very hard on so many people and their pets. The number of pets coming into shelters and rescue is steadily rising and it’s harder than ever to find good homes for the pets that need one. People have lost jobs and homes and the family pet usually gets the brunt of it.
So if you are among the fortunate, and you have a secure job or income, and your home isn’t in jeopardy, consider adopting an older pet this year. Puppies are wonderful of course, but everyone wants puppies and kittens and once they are grown, nobody seems to want them. No pet will love you like a rescued pet. I speak from experience. Every rescued animal I’ve ever had has been the best behaved, easiest to deal with pet. Once they are mature, you don’t have the usual puppy issues of chewing up your stuff, or potty training. A pet that has been in a reputable rescue has been in foster care and they can tell you all about their temperament and quirks. Most rescues, the vet work has already been done so you won’t have the expenses of spaying and neutering, vaccinations and heartworm testing. The best Christmas gift you can give is the gift of a loving secure home to an animal in need, and there are so many in need!
If you can’t make room at your Inn, consider helping a neighbor or relative with their pet. Offer to walk their dog for them, run to the grocery store or feed store for pet food, and check up on them. Elderly folks rarely have a lot of family and friends to look in on them. Be a Christmas angel to them and reach out and offer your help. Little things mean so much. Go on and be brave, knock on their door and ask them if you can run an errand for them or help them out in any way. They will appreciate that someone cared enough to ask, and the feeling you will get from truly giving of yourself is amazing.
12-7-09 Life and Loss
Life and Loss
Just when I thought life couldn’t throw me any more curves, it does. My cat Dixie passed away, thankfully in the loving arms of her vet Dr. Cathy Alinovi on Thanksgiving Day. It was unexpected, and a huge shock to me. I hadn’t planned on her dying, I fully expected her to rally and come home. We still don’t know exactly what the cause was, she was in renal failure but she didn’t seem to be having any real trouble with it. I figured I’d have at least a couple more years. She was only 10.
Of all the pets I’ve lost, this one seems to have hit me the hardest. Maybe it’s because of all the build up of stress, or just that it was such a shock but I really took it hard. I’m still in a funk and can’t seem to get myself back on track. This is also the first pet I have had an individual cremation for. I’ve always either buried my pets or had a group cremation at the vet for them, but I couldn’t seem to do either of those, so I opted for an individual cremation.
I didn’t know what to expect, since I haven’t had any experience with it before, so I called on some friends of mine who have been there and had it done, and got their opinions. I was glad they were able to ease my mind a bit, and convince me that it’s normal to feel the way I do. They explained to me how they had several little boxes and urns around their own home of pets they’ve lost before. Funny, I guess I hadn’t really noticed it before.
I had a lot of silly questions, for instance in my house what “if” one of the other pets would knock off the box of ashes? What then? Do you sweep it up; toss it out with the dirt you swept up with it? I could see all sorts of horrible scenarios happening. Well I found out the ashes are sealed up in a bag inside the box, so that alleviated some anxiety.
I’ve always thought that when you sprinkle someone’s ashes in their favorite spots, it was a sweet and memorable gesture, the problem is Dixie’s favorite spot was my lap. That didn’t sound like such a good idea. I guess if you grow up unaccustomed to cremation, you tend to let your imagination get out of hand.
So what’s the first step? Well for me, since I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with her, I called up Bob Maus who was kind enough to walk me through the process, and in fact, is gracious enough to handle pet cremations through Hippensteel funeral home in Lafayette. He went to the vet, picked up Dixie for me, and took her into Hippensteel’s for me. He also goes back and returns her ashes to me. They come in a beautiful carved wooden box. Bob went over and above for me as well, and at my request clipped a little fur for me to keep. I would’ve clipped it myself, but he was kind enough to know that I really didn’t want to see her that way as my last memory, and he offered to do it for me.
I learned there is cremation jewelry too, little necklaces and trinkets to keep a smidgen of hair or ashes in for lasting “close to the heart” memories, to help you heal. I learned that there are all sorts of memorial things you can do with ashes, for instance there are places that can turn ashes into diamonds! Yes, it’s expensive, but wow what a neat lasting memorial that would be. There are artists that will incorporate ashes into paint and paint a memorial for you. There are artists that will incorporate ashes into clay and make pots out of them. It may sound kind of strange to some people, but I can see why that makes sense, and can bring peace, from ashes to art. Not such a bad idea. Of course I had to order a memorial stone from Nathan Maus, who has a wonderful line of pet memorial markers he can make for a very reasonable price.
I’ve drawn a picture of her; made a “you tube” video of her photos, ordered a wooden cut out painting of her, and cried my eyes out almost daily since Thanksgiving. Then I felt guilty I didn’t do that much for the other pets I’ve lost. I loved them too! I think when you lose a pet unexpectedly it hits your harder. When they are older or sick, your mind has more time to process it. You will still grieve, but it seems like when you aren’t expecting it, you are really thrown for a loop. The kids had a hard time with it, simply because they didn’t get to say goodbye.
I also know that the grief process is different for everyone, and we all deal with it in our own time and ways. While some people hardly act affected when their pet dies, others fall apart and into a deep lasting depression, completely unable to function. Then they feel guilty that they are so deeply mourning a pet and didn’t mourn the humans in their life so badly. I think that’s because pets are like children to us, they depend on us, don’t talk back to us, and give us unconditional love. They don’t hurt our feelings like humans do; they just want to be there in your presence. When we hurt, they don’t tell us to just “get over it”, they come up to us, concerned, they lay with us and give us the sad, understanding eyes when we are full of sorrow and a little kiss to make it all better. I think that is what I’ll miss most about Dixie, she was my little lap magnet, if I sat down she was on my lap, as if to say, finally you’ve slowed down and rested, let me keep you here a while.
I’m not in the market to replace her; I have plenty of critters to deal with now as it is. But there will be a deep hole in my heart just for her, and with all the billions of cats in the world, there was only one Dixie, and for that I’m grateful I’ve shared the last 6 years with her.
Just when I thought life couldn’t throw me any more curves, it does. My cat Dixie passed away, thankfully in the loving arms of her vet Dr. Cathy Alinovi on Thanksgiving Day. It was unexpected, and a huge shock to me. I hadn’t planned on her dying, I fully expected her to rally and come home. We still don’t know exactly what the cause was, she was in renal failure but she didn’t seem to be having any real trouble with it. I figured I’d have at least a couple more years. She was only 10.
Of all the pets I’ve lost, this one seems to have hit me the hardest. Maybe it’s because of all the build up of stress, or just that it was such a shock but I really took it hard. I’m still in a funk and can’t seem to get myself back on track. This is also the first pet I have had an individual cremation for. I’ve always either buried my pets or had a group cremation at the vet for them, but I couldn’t seem to do either of those, so I opted for an individual cremation.
I didn’t know what to expect, since I haven’t had any experience with it before, so I called on some friends of mine who have been there and had it done, and got their opinions. I was glad they were able to ease my mind a bit, and convince me that it’s normal to feel the way I do. They explained to me how they had several little boxes and urns around their own home of pets they’ve lost before. Funny, I guess I hadn’t really noticed it before.
I had a lot of silly questions, for instance in my house what “if” one of the other pets would knock off the box of ashes? What then? Do you sweep it up; toss it out with the dirt you swept up with it? I could see all sorts of horrible scenarios happening. Well I found out the ashes are sealed up in a bag inside the box, so that alleviated some anxiety.
I’ve always thought that when you sprinkle someone’s ashes in their favorite spots, it was a sweet and memorable gesture, the problem is Dixie’s favorite spot was my lap. That didn’t sound like such a good idea. I guess if you grow up unaccustomed to cremation, you tend to let your imagination get out of hand.
So what’s the first step? Well for me, since I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with her, I called up Bob Maus who was kind enough to walk me through the process, and in fact, is gracious enough to handle pet cremations through Hippensteel funeral home in Lafayette. He went to the vet, picked up Dixie for me, and took her into Hippensteel’s for me. He also goes back and returns her ashes to me. They come in a beautiful carved wooden box. Bob went over and above for me as well, and at my request clipped a little fur for me to keep. I would’ve clipped it myself, but he was kind enough to know that I really didn’t want to see her that way as my last memory, and he offered to do it for me.
I learned there is cremation jewelry too, little necklaces and trinkets to keep a smidgen of hair or ashes in for lasting “close to the heart” memories, to help you heal. I learned that there are all sorts of memorial things you can do with ashes, for instance there are places that can turn ashes into diamonds! Yes, it’s expensive, but wow what a neat lasting memorial that would be. There are artists that will incorporate ashes into paint and paint a memorial for you. There are artists that will incorporate ashes into clay and make pots out of them. It may sound kind of strange to some people, but I can see why that makes sense, and can bring peace, from ashes to art. Not such a bad idea. Of course I had to order a memorial stone from Nathan Maus, who has a wonderful line of pet memorial markers he can make for a very reasonable price.
I’ve drawn a picture of her; made a “you tube” video of her photos, ordered a wooden cut out painting of her, and cried my eyes out almost daily since Thanksgiving. Then I felt guilty I didn’t do that much for the other pets I’ve lost. I loved them too! I think when you lose a pet unexpectedly it hits your harder. When they are older or sick, your mind has more time to process it. You will still grieve, but it seems like when you aren’t expecting it, you are really thrown for a loop. The kids had a hard time with it, simply because they didn’t get to say goodbye.
I also know that the grief process is different for everyone, and we all deal with it in our own time and ways. While some people hardly act affected when their pet dies, others fall apart and into a deep lasting depression, completely unable to function. Then they feel guilty that they are so deeply mourning a pet and didn’t mourn the humans in their life so badly. I think that’s because pets are like children to us, they depend on us, don’t talk back to us, and give us unconditional love. They don’t hurt our feelings like humans do; they just want to be there in your presence. When we hurt, they don’t tell us to just “get over it”, they come up to us, concerned, they lay with us and give us the sad, understanding eyes when we are full of sorrow and a little kiss to make it all better. I think that is what I’ll miss most about Dixie, she was my little lap magnet, if I sat down she was on my lap, as if to say, finally you’ve slowed down and rested, let me keep you here a while.
I’m not in the market to replace her; I have plenty of critters to deal with now as it is. But there will be a deep hole in my heart just for her, and with all the billions of cats in the world, there was only one Dixie, and for that I’m grateful I’ve shared the last 6 years with her.
November 10, 2009 Feasting on Thanksgiving
Feasting on Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving! What a wonderful holiday! It brings to mind all of our blessings and that which we are thankful for. The feast of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie! My mouth is watering just writing this! If your pets are anything like mine, and you are having Thanksgiving at your house, you may want to take a few precautions.
If you are having company and your pet isn’t really comfortable with company, please give them a space of their own, in a room of their own or in their crate where they can feel safe from the noise and activity going on. Nervous dogs and noisy crowds aren’t good combinations.
The smell of food is so tempting for your pet; you know they are bound to be underfoot waiting for you to drop a few morsels for them. Make sure your pet isn’t in your way while you are cooking or serving, nothing like tripping over the dog and dumping the turkey platter on the floor to make you re-think your blessings. Put your pet in a safe place away from the kitchen and dining areas until you are finished. Then you can share a few leftovers with them.
Here is what is normally okay to share with your pet, turkey, potatoes, veggies, but not in huge quantities. Most pets will gorge themselves if you let them on the good stuff. What is NOT okay to share with your pets are cooked turkey bones, or any cooked bone for that matter, cooked bones tend to splinter and your dog may not be lucky enough to pass them easily. You also don’t want to have to rush your pet to the emergency vet on Thanksgiving. Raw bones, oddly enough don’t splinter and if your dog can chew it, those aren’t so bad. Also on the no-no list are grapes, raisins, onions, garlic and chocolate. Those foods can be toxic and deadly to your pet!
Which brings me to my next point, large dogs, agile smaller dogs and cats are experts at getting to your food no matter how high you think it is safe from them. We have learned at our house, that as soon as you cook a meal, you better put it in the microwave or oven until you are all done otherwise you will have critters getting at it!
Jasmine is an expert at opening things and getting high enough to reach whatever she wants. It’s hard to break a bad habit when you aren’t in the room to catch them. She would never do these things in my presence, but if I go to answer the phone, or leave the room however briefly, she will go for it.
Luckily pumpkin pie isn’t toxic to dogs, that I know of, because just a couple of weeks ago, my husband, so happy from his trip to the IGA to get some food, got a hankering for pumpkin pie and bought one and baked it. The smell of the pie swirled around the room and I remember warning him when he took the pie out of the oven and put it up on the stove, that isn’t a good place for the pie. He of course scoffed at me, saying there was no place else to put a pie to cool, it would be fine.
I was envisioning kitty cat paw prints going through the pie since cats can jump up on counters. Luckily the cats were busy doing other things and didn’t go near the kitchen. The phone rang and I went to answer it, it was my mother long-distance and I sat down to chat with her and we were having a great conversation when I heard the yelling; “Mom! Jasmine got into the pumpkin pie!” and then heard my husband yelling and doors being slammed, chaos had erupted. So much for a lovely Sunday meal, half the pie was gone, the other half now in the trash, sigh. I told him that wasn’t a good idea. One day he’ll learn to listen to me.
I can’t wait until someone invents a pet proof kitchen. Until then, like I’ve always said, dogs are like children. Just like a 2-year-old child but FOREVER! You cannot leave them outside on their own, or with tempting things in their sight. They are bound to get into things just like kids. You have to watch them, or put them someplace safe until you are done. We have lots of places to put the dogs with gates to keep them out of rooms, but nobody did it. I can’t blame the dog for doing what she did, she’s a “toddler” but if the person supervising the toddler doesn’t make sure the toddler doesn’t get into things, then whose fault is it?
This dog is amazingly smart, and cunning! She can open cabinets and eat the food in them that are in boxes. She can open the refrigerator too, and pulls out leftovers and shares them with the other pets. She can open the trash cabinet too, and has been known to close it after the cat has jumped in to feast on the garbage, trapping the cat inside it.
I’ve actually installed cabinet locks and alarms for the fridge to scare her away from it. So much for tossing out the baby-proofing items from the kids, now I have to get more. I was so glad when the toddler years were over, sigh.
Here is another suggestion, one I should heed. Exercise your dog thoroughly before you have company or plan a large meal. A tired dog is a good dog! I’m not talking a little walk. I mean RUN that dog, wear them out! Make them so exhausted that all they can do is collapse on the living room floor when you get home. Enlist the aid of the younger members of your family to wear Fido out. I’m sure that would help out Jasmine and her antics. Like I tell her, “good thing you’re cute”.
I am still thankful I have a smart dog, albeit too smart at times. .
So count your blessings this year, for they are many, and keep an eye out for your pets, no matter how mad you get, you are still thankful for their company.
Thanksgiving! What a wonderful holiday! It brings to mind all of our blessings and that which we are thankful for. The feast of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie! My mouth is watering just writing this! If your pets are anything like mine, and you are having Thanksgiving at your house, you may want to take a few precautions.
If you are having company and your pet isn’t really comfortable with company, please give them a space of their own, in a room of their own or in their crate where they can feel safe from the noise and activity going on. Nervous dogs and noisy crowds aren’t good combinations.
The smell of food is so tempting for your pet; you know they are bound to be underfoot waiting for you to drop a few morsels for them. Make sure your pet isn’t in your way while you are cooking or serving, nothing like tripping over the dog and dumping the turkey platter on the floor to make you re-think your blessings. Put your pet in a safe place away from the kitchen and dining areas until you are finished. Then you can share a few leftovers with them.
Here is what is normally okay to share with your pet, turkey, potatoes, veggies, but not in huge quantities. Most pets will gorge themselves if you let them on the good stuff. What is NOT okay to share with your pets are cooked turkey bones, or any cooked bone for that matter, cooked bones tend to splinter and your dog may not be lucky enough to pass them easily. You also don’t want to have to rush your pet to the emergency vet on Thanksgiving. Raw bones, oddly enough don’t splinter and if your dog can chew it, those aren’t so bad. Also on the no-no list are grapes, raisins, onions, garlic and chocolate. Those foods can be toxic and deadly to your pet!
Which brings me to my next point, large dogs, agile smaller dogs and cats are experts at getting to your food no matter how high you think it is safe from them. We have learned at our house, that as soon as you cook a meal, you better put it in the microwave or oven until you are all done otherwise you will have critters getting at it!
Jasmine is an expert at opening things and getting high enough to reach whatever she wants. It’s hard to break a bad habit when you aren’t in the room to catch them. She would never do these things in my presence, but if I go to answer the phone, or leave the room however briefly, she will go for it.
Luckily pumpkin pie isn’t toxic to dogs, that I know of, because just a couple of weeks ago, my husband, so happy from his trip to the IGA to get some food, got a hankering for pumpkin pie and bought one and baked it. The smell of the pie swirled around the room and I remember warning him when he took the pie out of the oven and put it up on the stove, that isn’t a good place for the pie. He of course scoffed at me, saying there was no place else to put a pie to cool, it would be fine.
I was envisioning kitty cat paw prints going through the pie since cats can jump up on counters. Luckily the cats were busy doing other things and didn’t go near the kitchen. The phone rang and I went to answer it, it was my mother long-distance and I sat down to chat with her and we were having a great conversation when I heard the yelling; “Mom! Jasmine got into the pumpkin pie!” and then heard my husband yelling and doors being slammed, chaos had erupted. So much for a lovely Sunday meal, half the pie was gone, the other half now in the trash, sigh. I told him that wasn’t a good idea. One day he’ll learn to listen to me.
I can’t wait until someone invents a pet proof kitchen. Until then, like I’ve always said, dogs are like children. Just like a 2-year-old child but FOREVER! You cannot leave them outside on their own, or with tempting things in their sight. They are bound to get into things just like kids. You have to watch them, or put them someplace safe until you are done. We have lots of places to put the dogs with gates to keep them out of rooms, but nobody did it. I can’t blame the dog for doing what she did, she’s a “toddler” but if the person supervising the toddler doesn’t make sure the toddler doesn’t get into things, then whose fault is it?
This dog is amazingly smart, and cunning! She can open cabinets and eat the food in them that are in boxes. She can open the refrigerator too, and pulls out leftovers and shares them with the other pets. She can open the trash cabinet too, and has been known to close it after the cat has jumped in to feast on the garbage, trapping the cat inside it.
I’ve actually installed cabinet locks and alarms for the fridge to scare her away from it. So much for tossing out the baby-proofing items from the kids, now I have to get more. I was so glad when the toddler years were over, sigh.
Here is another suggestion, one I should heed. Exercise your dog thoroughly before you have company or plan a large meal. A tired dog is a good dog! I’m not talking a little walk. I mean RUN that dog, wear them out! Make them so exhausted that all they can do is collapse on the living room floor when you get home. Enlist the aid of the younger members of your family to wear Fido out. I’m sure that would help out Jasmine and her antics. Like I tell her, “good thing you’re cute”.
I am still thankful I have a smart dog, albeit too smart at times. .
So count your blessings this year, for they are many, and keep an eye out for your pets, no matter how mad you get, you are still thankful for their company.
October 31, 2009 When It Rains, It Pours
When it rains, it pours.
I don’t know what it is about bad news, but as they say it always happens in three’s, well the past couple of weeks have been rough, I lost a dear friend, one of my friends lost a sister, and one of the sweetest dogs in the world died. I’ve been very depressed.
Then I have had clients with bad news, missing dogs, lost dogs, and a lost cat all in one day! I put out an S.O.S. to all the rescues and contacts in the areas the pets were missing in hoping somebody might spot them. So far, I haven’t heard much.
Now you all may think I’m crazy, (and some of you can confirm it) but I have met a person who is a “Natural Health Consultant for Body, Mind and Spirit” She specializes in herbology, kinesiology, body work and flower essences. Her name is Stacy Lowe and she lives in the Greencastle area, but comes to Waveland on Wednesdays. The amazing thing about Stacy is that she has a gift, she is an animal communicator. What that means is that she is sort of a psychic for animals and can give a reading on what is going on with them emotionally and even physically.
I’ve seen her work on animals and I am of course, ever the skeptic, but willing to keep an open mind. She did readings on my animals and although I didn’t find out anything really earth shattering, what she told me made perfect sense and I took it to heart. I’ve seen her do some work on animals that were suffering and she eased their pain. She does everything “prayerfully” and gives God credit for her gifts, and encourages her clients to pray and have faith as well.
Well, one of my clients who has 2 dogs missing called her to see if Stacy could help her find her dogs, Stacy told her the dog was 1 ½ miles northwest of her house, gave her some identifying markers and my client looked there and she found one of them! She was exactly where Stacy told her! Even my client’s husband was impressed! (You know men, if their wife calls an animal communicator to find a missing dog; he thinks his wife is off her rocker). Imagine the surprise when it worked! The other dog at this time is still missing but Stacy keeps “seeing” her within ¼ mile of the house. So I’m sure as I write this my client is busy searching that area.
The amazing thing is that all of this was done over the phone and she read through my clients vibes. She didn’t have a photo to look at, and Stacy can do readings by looking at your pet’s photo, so they can be emailed to her and phone readings are possible.
After hearing about her success in finding one dog it made any skepticism I had before go away. I am impressed!
I know there are psychics out there and many are truly gifted, I’ve had one give me a reading that was so right on it was scary! I myself have had some “visions” myself before that were after the fact, but amazingly accurate. I think most people have a little psychic ability but it’s not usually tapped into.
Stacy also does a lot of work with flower essences, which I am just learning about the benefits of and intend to have her work on me soon. There is just a big world out there with things that can help us we’ve never heard of and I’m always ready to learn.
So if you want to learn more about herbology, flower essences or are in need of an animal psychic, give Stacy Lowe a call at (317) 919-7262 or email her at stacyr@ccrtc.com
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