Fierce Hunter Cats

This morning I woke up to find that my cats had been busy during the night - they had caught and killed a mouse and left it on the living room floor for me. Um, thanks? I am happy that they killed it, because I don't need it doing damage in my house, but I would have liked it better if they had managed to killing it without partially eviscerating it too.

What a way to start a Monday. Thanks kitties!

And of course the problem with having five cats is that I had no idea who killed it, or if it was team effort or what, so I made sure to thank them all. Pounce (cat treats) all around! Come and get it.

A not totally dog related entry, for once

First, I promise that this post will NOT be all about my dogs. I really do have other things going on in my life! They just kind of overpowered everything this last week. I will say, however, that Willow's ear is fine. She had to have stitches to get the bleeding stopped, and even then, it was still bleeded up until last night (I have a band-aid on the end of her ear now, which is just too cool for words. I'm calling her my band-aid wearing dog). But it seems to have stopped now, and she isn't bothered by it at all. Also, Bernie went and had his elbow x-rayed, and the vet thinks it is just an old break that didn't heal well. She said that's probably how he ended up at the SPCA - the people who had him didn't want to deal with it, so they let him loose to find his own way in the world, where he managed to get way too skinny and become permanently lame before he got picked up by the dog warden and ended up at the SPCA. People suck ass sometimes. But it will be fine - he'll just have a stiff elbow that will never be right again, but it isn't bothering him right now. At least not much, because he's still using it.

Okay, that's the end of the dog news. See? I told the truth, because now I'm on to other subjects. And the first of those other subjects is that I got a call from my brother's girlfriend, which told me some very odd and disturbing news about him. News that I don't really feel comfortable telling here, because it isn't my place to spread his dirty laundry all over the Internet (oh wait, did I already do that? Oops. But this is worse than just being a drunken thief). It's something that he may or may not have done in 2000, which may or may not end up getting him sent to jail, and that's all I'm going to say. Except that it is a sad statement of our relationship that I was; first, happy that his girlfriend wasn't calling to tell me he was going to show up on my doorstep (whew, dodged a bullet there), and two, that I was not at all surprised at what she told me, and that I could totally see him doing it if he was drunk at the time, which he most assuredly was. And that's all I really felt about it. Not saddened that his life had gone down this bad road, because he's been heading himself down bad roads for a very long time now; not upset that he was going through hell right now, because frankly I'm pretty sure he brought it on himself, and if he really did what they say he did, then he deserves to pay. And finally, something that just ocurred to me - I'm kind of happy that this happened now, and not when my Mom was still alive, because it would have killed her, and he disappointed her enough in his life.

And that's all there is to say about him. And after that kind of news, I don't really feel like talking about anything else, so I'm going to end this here (and I'm sorry if I made you very curious about what he did). I hope everyone is having a great weekend! Because frankly, despite the news about my brother, I'm having a wonderful Saturday. Willow's ear stopped bleeding, I've been playing the Sims and watching TV all day while wearing my pajamas, and therefore life is good. I love Saturdays.

Willow in a kerchief

This is Willow, after her first day in the house with Bernie while I was at work. She isn't wearing the festive bandana for fashion - she's wearing it because she apparently growled and snapped at Bernie one too many times, he retaliated, and she came out of it with a tear in the tip of her right ear. The bandana (and the one under it that isn't visible) is now acting as bandage that will hopefully both absorb any blood that is still leaking out and stop her from shaking her ear and making it start to bleed again. So an injured Willow is what I found when I came home from work - that and a pile of poop on my upstairs hallway floor. So, yeah, the decision I made this morning to let Bernie stay in the main part of the house with Willow instead of putting him in the mudroom, like I did the last two days, was not a good decision at all.

I am absolutely sure that Willow instigated this - she has been very grumbly and snappy since he came to live with me on Friday - but somehow that knowledge doesn't help at all. I am so mad at Bernie right now. I will forgive him, but not tonight. And he will NOT be out in the main house with Willow when I'm not here anymore. But as much as I'm mad at him, I'm even more mad at myself. Not for bringing him into the house, because he really is a very sweet dog who had never lost his patience with Willow before today (and believe me, he had plenty of cause). I'm mad at myself because I saw Willow being nicer with him last night and this morning, and I thought that meant that they were starting to be friends, and that the two of them were going to be like my old dogs, Bo and Bailey, were with each other. But of course, it's far too early in their relationship, and the trust was an error in judgment that cost Willow a wounded ear. And I'm hating myself for that just a little bit.

And I'm giving myself a headache, and my night has been very stressful and chaotic (do you have any idea how much a dog's torn ear can bleed? Because apparently the answer to that is a fucking lot more than you would ever guess, and just when you think you've gotten it to stop, they'll shake their head and it will start bleeding all over again - hence the improvised bandana bandage), and I have a test in my accounting class tomorrow, and I have to get up at 6:00 to take Bernie to the vet to have his elbow x-rayed and his infected neutering incision taken care of, and all I want to do is climb under the covers of my bed and stay there until at least Saturday morning.

Bernie the Dish Wearing Dog

Notice something different about Bernie in this picture? He's sporting the latest in doggy fashion - the Elizabethan collar! Somehow he managed to tear open his neutering incision and get it very infected, and now he has to take antibiotics and wear this collar for a while so that he won't lick his wound anymore. I noticed it yesterday and took him to the vet this morning. I also had the vet examine his right front leg, because I had noticed him holding that leg up from time to time, and his elbow is very swollen. So I get to take him back to the vet early Thursday morning, so that they can put him under for a while and x-ray his leg, and while they have him under, they'll clean his neutering incision up and clear away the necrotic edges so that it'll heal better. Dog ownership is so fun. Thursday will be just under a week since I picked him up, just over a week since I went and paid to adopt him, and by the time I pay off the bill for Thursday, I'll have spent about $475 on him. Oh, the joys of dog ownership!

My vet was very worried about his elbow, though. Since we don't know his history, and are only estimating his age (she figured 2-3 years old), she can only make guesses about what is going on with his elbow. The first possibility that she mentioned was that it could have been fractured at some point and never healed properly. The second thing she mentioned was a bone tumor - cancer. But I'm not letting my mind go there. He's a little bit too young for cancer to be likely, and since he was a stray, there is every possibility that he broke his leg at some point and didn't have any medical attention. But we'll find out for sure Thursday afternoon when I pick him up.

But this isn't making me regret my decision to adopt him one little bit. He is an incredible dog; very sweet and affectionate and gentle, and you have to take the bad with the good. I would have hoped that he wouldn't start costing me this much money until I had had him for a while, but sometimes things don't work out the way you would like. And somehow I think I was just meant to find him, so that I could take care of him the way that he needs, and if that comes with bills, that's okay. My vets are kind enough to let me do payment plans if the total goes too high, and they are incredibly kind, caring people who I trust my animals with implicitly.

And I'll definitely update again on Thursday about what the x-rays show. Until then, think good thoughts that it will be just about anything except cancer!

Progress!

Okay, I swear the dog talk will stop. Soon. But I just had to write that...there is progress in doggy relations! First, Willow let me sleep last night. She still grumbled, but nowhere near as much. Although Bernie tried to sleep on my bed last night, and that just isn't going to be able to happen - he is stinking huge, and he tried to sleep on top of my head. Uh - no.

Second, he is feeling better since his surgery, and he and Willow tried to play a little bit this morning! This really gave me hope that they'll be friends soon. Look! Proof:

Bernie Update

The introduction of Bernie into my household has gone pretty well. He is incredibly laid back and friendly, and he even likes my cats - he's tried to lick two of them (they weren't too keen on that idea, but it made me feel good). I am, however, dealing with some incredible sibling jealousy. Willow is losing her mind.

She did really well meeting him. I had Jamie come over and he held Bernie's leash while I brought Willow out to meet him. She was okay with him being outside - she even acted like she wanted to play with him (but he was just neutered, so he wasn't quite up to that). And when we first brought them in, she was still okay. I think she might have thought he was Jamie's dog, and was just visiting. So when I fed them both their dinner, reality seemed to begin to set in, and boy did the grumbling begin. She has been grumbling and barking over just about everything since. And driving me crazy in the process! She kept me up half the night growling because he was in the room with us, and has been showing the jealousy still all day. For his part, Bernie is handling it all really well. He's letting her bark and growl and he's not reacting to her at all. He's such a good boy!

And for my part, I've been trying to reassure her and be patient with her, but man is it ever hard! But I know that she'll get over this jealousy, and they'll become friends eventually. And in the meantime, I got really lucky with him. I don't have to worry about the two of them getting into a fight, because he isn't reacting, and he's definitely big enough to take care of himself. And I don't have to worry about him bothering the cats, because he likes them. I got really lucky.

Although, if the grumbling and barking don't stop soon, I may snap before the weekend is over. :)

My grumbly girl Willow.

My new boy.

Bernie

I did something very unexpected and spur of the moment today - I went to the SPCA and adopted another dog. Here he is - isn't he cute?

His name at the shelter is Bernie, but I don't know if that'll stay. For now, maybe, until I think of something better. He's a Bernese Mountain Dog mix. He was a stray, so they don't know how old he is, exactly. They estimated about 4, but I thought he was probably younger than that. But who knows. He's very sweet, very big (which you can kind of tell by the picture, but not much), and I already love him, even though I don't get to bring him home until Friday. I took my other dog, Willow, with me to meet him, because I had to make sure they'd get along, and they seemed to. Her fur stood up on her back, but she calmed down after a few minutes of mutual sniffing, and he didn't seem to have any problem with her at all. I'm hoping they'll become fast friends. And that my cats will forgive me for adding another canine into the house.

I wasn't planning on getting a second dog right now. I always wanted to get another one, because I think dogs are happier when they have a friend of the same species to spend time with. But Willow seemed pretty content being an only dog, and I hadn't been looking for another one to adopt. Then Sarah IMed me to show me a dog on the SPCA's website that looked like he could be Willow's brother. I went to see him, saw Bernie first, and that was that. I called and made an appointment to go today to look at him, and now I'm going to have another dog. Yay!

Remind me that this is a good thing when my house is in chaos for the next month or so until everyone settles in and adjusts.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Being single, Valentine's Day is not a holiday I think much about. In my new job, I've had to create an ad for a store with hearts in it, and I've had to e-mail the campus about Valentine's stuff at the campus store, but other than that, I haven't given it much thought at all. I forgot that it was even today. Until my nephew, who goes to school here, walked through the door with a Gerbera Daisy plant and a teddy bear for me, from my sister. How sweet is that? I never seem to be dating anyone at Valentine's Day - any of the major holidays, really, so that I always get cheated out of those gifts - so this is the first time I've gotten anything for Valentine's Day in a very long time. It was a very nice surprise, and just another reminder of why I'm lucky to have the sister I have.

I hope all of you are having a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Thank You Neighbor!

I had to write another post today, because I had to document how nice people can be. I came home after school today, and my weather wishes didn't work - my driveway was filled in with too much snow for me to drive through. So, I pulled to a stop in front of my mailbox, I put on my flashers, and I went out, waded through the snow to get to my shovel, and started working on clearing the driveway. I had my spot about half cleared, when someone stopped and asked if I wanted help! I said if he had a second shovel, I would love the help, so he parked his truck, got out and got his shovel and helped me finish the driveway. How nice is that! It turns out that the person I bought my house from in 1999 bought the house from this guy's grandmother originally. He also lives just one street away from me, and he raises Akitas. Cool! (He was a talkative guy, if you couldn't tell.) He asked if I had a Rottweiler, and I said I used to, but she died this summer. Then he told me that his brother raises Rottweilers, and that he used to have two of them. But one time his father came over and the dogs got out, and as Rottweilers will do, they went roaming, and they ended up getting shot by a Sheriff. Which was very sad.

But still - thanks neighbor dude! I really appreciate your kindness!

Illicit Work Day Post

I feel the need to write here right now. Why? I have no idea. Except maybe to say that, as was pointed out by Sarah in my comments, I forgot a few things when I was writing that meme! First, in the TV show list, I should have included Smallville. How could I have forgotten that? And of course, the movie list definitely should have included Serenity. My only excuse there is that the movie is so new to me on DVD that I have only had the chance to watch a couple of times instead of the countless times I will eventually watch it. And the biggest omission of all - how could I forget that I took a trip to Tennessee in July to visit my oldest brother and his fiance? Man. That is really unforgivable. My only excuse is that it was right in the middle of my losing my two dogs 30 days apart - Bailey died at the end of June, I went to visit him over July 4th, and Bo died at the end of July. So, I guess I'm blocking that whole time out of my mind as much as possible.

And of course, in the discussion of favorite TV shows, I feel I must expand on the list of current favorites by adding a list of past favorites, which would include the following: The Dick Van Dyke Show, which is my favorite TV show of all time. I love Dick Van Dyke. I would also have to include a show that I discovered on DVD, which is still on the air, but I can't watch it because I don't get UPN, so I have to wait for the current season to go on DVD before I can see it - Veronica Mars. I was amazed how good that show was when I got the DVDs. I want to buy them so that I can own it and watch it whenever I want. And there are countless others that I love to watch on DVD or in repeats whenever I catch them on - M*A*S*H, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, That 70s Show, Laverne & Shirley, WKRP in Cincinnati, Quantum Leap, Will & Grace and so many others that I can't keep naming them. TV is a big habit of mine, in case you couldn't tell. And TV on DVD is the best invention since electricity. I love it.

Okay. I feel better now for having updated my list to include those. Now I need to get to earning my pay, so I'm off. And if anyone reading this has any pull with the weather gods? At least for the weather over my house? Please use your pull to make my driveway not be blown in with a ton of snow when I get home after class tonight, okay? I really hate shoveling. Thanks.

My First Meme

So far I've resisted the urge to post a meme here, but I saw one on dooce's website that I actually liked, so here it is! (edited to add what Sarah reminded me that I forgot! See below in the TV, movies and vacation sections to see what parts of my life I completely forgot about.)

Four jobs I've had
1. "Area hostess" at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA. This was my first job ever, and if you guessed that an area hostess is the person who walks around in a stupid costume and sweeps up cigarette butts all day, you were right! But I was 16, and it was a job. And I was outside all summer, so I got a great tan. Um, on my face, upper chest and forearms, because that's just about all that was in the sun. Moving on!

2. Front desk clerk, at various hotels in Williamsburg, VA and two here in Central New York. This is an interesting job when you work for a large hotel with over 200 rooms, not so fun when you work at a small hotel with only 20 rooms (boring). But 3-11 is the perfect shift for a just out of high school 18 year old. Staying up until 4 a.m., sleeping until Noon, and laying in bed watching TV until Days of Our Lives was over and it was time to get ready for work. Ah, that was the life.

3. Teller, at Crestar Bank in Virginia and one here in New York. It was a fun job, and I met and dated a few guys while I was working there. It turns out that sitting in the teller window is a great way to meet men. Who knew?

4. Secretary, at a lame country club here in New York. One of the worst jobs I have EVER had. I hated it from the first minute I walked into the office. Yuck. I quit it to go back to school, which led to a job in my current company, so it all worked out for the best!

Four movies I can watch over and over
1. While You Were Sleeping. I love this movie so much - I can quote every line and I still want to watch it over and over.

2. The Sure Thing. 80s John Cusack. I loved it as a teen, and I still love it now. How can I not love a John Cusack movie?

3. Dirty Dancing. Of course! Baby! Johnny! Dancing! What's not to love?

4. Moonstruck. I always try to say "Snap out of it!" like Cher does, but I just can't get it right.

5. And I'm cheating and adding a fifth, because how could I forget Serenity! Man! It's a good thing Sarah reminded me.

Four places I have lived
1. Bouckville, New York, from birth to age 10.

2. Newport News, Virginia, from age 10 to 12.

3. Williamsburg, Virginia, from 12 to 24.

4. Various small towns in Central New York, from 24 to now.

Four TV shows I love
1. Medium
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Monk
4. The Ellen Degeneres Show
5. And hello! Smallville! Man, I suck at remembering my life.

Four places I've vacationed
1. Orlando, Florida
2. Oahu and Maui, Hawaii. Two places, but during the same trip.
3. Central New York, when I was living in Virginia
4. I haven't got a fourth place, because those are the only places I've vacationed. Good thing the Hawaii trip was huge, huh? And I have been other places, but for work, so they don't count.
5. And I hope my oldest brother never finds this site, because I completely forgot that I went to visit him in Tennessee over July 4th last year, and that does count as a vacation. Oops!

Four of my favorite dishes
1. Sweet and sour chicken. Yum. With egg rolls and white rice, with the sweet and sour sauce on the rice.

2. Chicken and hush puppies at Long John Silver's. We just got one of these restaurants here where I live, but I grew up eating it in Virginia, so I knew of the love way before it came here. I don't go very often, but every once in a while my grease level gets low, and Jamie and I go for lunch.

3. Boiled dinner. Ham, cabbage (which I don't eat), potatoes and carrots all boiled together. Yum. This is what I ask my sister to make for me for my birthday most every year, because it's just not something I ever make for myself. What single girl is going to go out and buy a ham?

4. Lasagna (just cheese) or cheese stuffed ravioli. Two more dishes I never make for myself (or at least not often), and ones I don't eat very often because of the cheese (I'm lactose intolerant, but can usually handle cheese okay - but I don't like to push my luck with it).

Four sites I visit daily
1. Sarah. She doesn't update every day, but I check anyway.
2. Bitchypoo. She does update just about every weekday. And she has very cute cats (I want to steal Sugarbutt).
3. I'll put these as one - frontiernet.net and gmail, because they're my e-mail providers.
4. Netflix, because I'm always checking to see if they've received what I mailed back and if they've sent my next disc.

Four places I'd rather be right now
Well, I'm home, so this doesn't really apply. Home is my favorite place. But I'll dream big and say:
1. Hawaii
2. France
3. Ireland
4. Maine

Four people I am tagging
No one, because I won't do that. It feels too much like a chain letter. If you want to do it, do it! If not, don't!