Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Scary story Ca. April 27, 2009
I wrote this after returning from my fun-filled adventurous Michigan trip with my friend Linda. Be careful out there!
This is a true story and it is spooky and a caution as well! I was traveling back from Michigan Sunday night. I had not pottied the dogs (or the humans!) for about 2 1/2-3 hours and it was time to stop, just past Florence, KY at the rest area along the four lane at that point eastbound I-75. I knew the girls probably had to go potty and would want to stretch their legs. I needed to pill one of the dogs. I figured I'd do that and then take each to potty, but something told me not to. For some reason it seemed like a terrible and dangerous idea, which really did not make sense considering I have control of my dogs and that's what leashes are for. Hmm. At any rate, I pulled out the one, dropped a pill in her throat and instead of walking her I chose to put her back...we'd be home in an hour and 15 minutes and I wanted to get going. GOOD THING because suddenly Kelly appeared around the side of the crate, trying to get to me to the back of the JEEP! She managed to get out of her Precision crate which either the latch came loose (most likely) on the bumpy (at times) ride or she was able to slide the simple latch out of the hook OR (least likely but possible)--I forgot to lock her in at last stop. It occurred to me with a chill that, had I walked dogs I would have left the back open.......and she would have gotten out to find me! She might have panicked..and the rest is too much; I'm glad I listened to my intution!! And I'm thinking of no longer using that simple crate for travel. I need to upgrade to better security. SIGH. Wow am I glad I listened to myself, or to my ESP!!!!!!! Thanks for reading and be safe!!
This is a true story and it is spooky and a caution as well! I was traveling back from Michigan Sunday night. I had not pottied the dogs (or the humans!) for about 2 1/2-3 hours and it was time to stop, just past Florence, KY at the rest area along the four lane at that point eastbound I-75. I knew the girls probably had to go potty and would want to stretch their legs. I needed to pill one of the dogs. I figured I'd do that and then take each to potty, but something told me not to. For some reason it seemed like a terrible and dangerous idea, which really did not make sense considering I have control of my dogs and that's what leashes are for. Hmm. At any rate, I pulled out the one, dropped a pill in her throat and instead of walking her I chose to put her back...we'd be home in an hour and 15 minutes and I wanted to get going. GOOD THING because suddenly Kelly appeared around the side of the crate, trying to get to me to the back of the JEEP! She managed to get out of her Precision crate which either the latch came loose (most likely) on the bumpy (at times) ride or she was able to slide the simple latch out of the hook OR (least likely but possible)--I forgot to lock her in at last stop. It occurred to me with a chill that, had I walked dogs I would have left the back open.......and she would have gotten out to find me! She might have panicked..and the rest is too much; I'm glad I listened to my intution!! And I'm thinking of no longer using that simple crate for travel. I need to upgrade to better security. SIGH. Wow am I glad I listened to myself, or to my ESP!!!!!!! Thanks for reading and be safe!!
Funny story ca. April 26, 2009
Here's my funny trip story!� My friend Linda and I were
STARVING Saturday afternoon after the show and after touring a
couple of antique malls. The day manager at the hotel said the
Bavarian chicken really WAS good, not just a tourist trap. "What
is Bavarian chicken," I wondered? There was a sign for a place
called Freeway Fritz's, but I couldn't tell if it was supposed
to be at our hotel's exit or further on into Frankenmuth. A
quick trip down the road revealed that Freeway Fritz's was very
closed; so that couldn't be the Bavarian chicken place; just
another German restaurant (of which apparently there are many,
none of them open--but we'll get to that). Linda and I decide
we'll bet on Frankenmuth, so we continue down the road, when
RRRRR-stop! HUGE billboard pointing us to the Famous Bavarian
Chicken ("is a FrankenMUST", the sign read); mouth watering, I
pulled into the parking lot, in the pouring rain. I proceeded to
potty the dogs, in the pouring rain while Linda ran for the door
and waited. "Wrong door," she said, so we trotted around the
front (why is it when I take my umbrella, I forget to use it
anyway?). Ah, the door opens and in we fall and no sooner are we
in when a friendly face says "WELCOME!" Then "Grab a plate, try
anything you like!"...huh? There are picnic tables set up, paper
plates, paper cups, a cooler containing ice, women, men and
children dressed in ethnic clothing and signs for "African",
"Asian", "German", "North American", etc....food...hmm, an
international buffet night at the Bavarian Chicken restaurant?
Maybe. Linda and I exchange glances and shrug, wondering where
and when we are supposed to pay! More people smile at us and
suggest we get in line. Well okay then! We fill our plates. We
follow the other full plates through another door. Inside,
people are spreading plastic cloths on large card tables; lots
of people are sitting down family style, already chowing down;
beyond all the tables are pews...and an altar..and someone
getting ready to perform. UH-OH! This is most definitely NOT the
Bavarian Chicken restaurant! A friendly, florid, chubby man
welcomes us and wants to know "How did you hear about us?" Well,
I admit we "stumbled" upon him, but I do not say "quite by
accident," nor that I mistook his church for a famous German
chicken bistro. I humbly sit down and EAT. Others sit down and
eat with us and want to get to know us. We try. Mary and her
little son ask us about the "pet show" (I don't remember calling
it a pet show) We get up and get more food. Linda and I are
thinking the same thing. Soon I nudge her and tell her I'm going
to get dessert right quick and then we'll skedaddle, before
Mary's sister starts singing and we can no longer exit
gracefully! I don't tell Mary the plan Linda follows me back
into the corridor where I nab two brownies and a chocolate chip
cookie from the North America booth and make for the door.
Outside I say to Linda "Can I laugh now? Really loud?!" We run
to the Jeep laughing, pull away and when we continue down the
road THEN and only then do we see the sign in front of the
building that reads: UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH.
SO we never did get our Bavarian chicken that night (I briefly
thought of finishing my plate at the free buffet and THEN
continuing on to the Bavarian chicken place). We got into
Frankenmuth, only to find another German restaurant with a sign
on it that said: For Sale.
OH well!!!
STARVING Saturday afternoon after the show and after touring a
couple of antique malls. The day manager at the hotel said the
Bavarian chicken really WAS good, not just a tourist trap. "What
is Bavarian chicken," I wondered? There was a sign for a place
called Freeway Fritz's, but I couldn't tell if it was supposed
to be at our hotel's exit or further on into Frankenmuth. A
quick trip down the road revealed that Freeway Fritz's was very
closed; so that couldn't be the Bavarian chicken place; just
another German restaurant (of which apparently there are many,
none of them open--but we'll get to that). Linda and I decide
we'll bet on Frankenmuth, so we continue down the road, when
RRRRR-stop! HUGE billboard pointing us to the Famous Bavarian
Chicken ("is a FrankenMUST", the sign read); mouth watering, I
pulled into the parking lot, in the pouring rain. I proceeded to
potty the dogs, in the pouring rain while Linda ran for the door
and waited. "Wrong door," she said, so we trotted around the
front (why is it when I take my umbrella, I forget to use it
anyway?). Ah, the door opens and in we fall and no sooner are we
in when a friendly face says "WELCOME!" Then "Grab a plate, try
anything you like!"...huh? There are picnic tables set up, paper
plates, paper cups, a cooler containing ice, women, men and
children dressed in ethnic clothing and signs for "African",
"Asian", "German", "North American", etc....food...hmm, an
international buffet night at the Bavarian Chicken restaurant?
Maybe. Linda and I exchange glances and shrug, wondering where
and when we are supposed to pay! More people smile at us and
suggest we get in line. Well okay then! We fill our plates. We
follow the other full plates through another door. Inside,
people are spreading plastic cloths on large card tables; lots
of people are sitting down family style, already chowing down;
beyond all the tables are pews...and an altar..and someone
getting ready to perform. UH-OH! This is most definitely NOT the
Bavarian Chicken restaurant! A friendly, florid, chubby man
welcomes us and wants to know "How did you hear about us?" Well,
I admit we "stumbled" upon him, but I do not say "quite by
accident," nor that I mistook his church for a famous German
chicken bistro. I humbly sit down and EAT. Others sit down and
eat with us and want to get to know us. We try. Mary and her
little son ask us about the "pet show" (I don't remember calling
it a pet show) We get up and get more food. Linda and I are
thinking the same thing. Soon I nudge her and tell her I'm going
to get dessert right quick and then we'll skedaddle, before
Mary's sister starts singing and we can no longer exit
gracefully! I don't tell Mary the plan Linda follows me back
into the corridor where I nab two brownies and a chocolate chip
cookie from the North America booth and make for the door.
Outside I say to Linda "Can I laugh now? Really loud?!" We run
to the Jeep laughing, pull away and when we continue down the
road THEN and only then do we see the sign in front of the
building that reads: UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH.
SO we never did get our Bavarian chicken that night (I briefly
thought of finishing my plate at the free buffet and THEN
continuing on to the Bavarian chicken place). We got into
Frankenmuth, only to find another German restaurant with a sign
on it that said: For Sale.
OH well!!!
Friday, July 3, 2009
New Addition
Rather than explain my absence from the blog...I'll just come out and announce my new addition, Gigi! She is our new cat, or rather kitten. We had Greta for sixteen years and she was a lovely, sweet girl. We lost her to kidney failure despite our efforts to bring her back to some semblance of health; but she died peacefully with us stroking her. Having never been without a cat...or at least not since early childhood, I could not go long without one and I knew that I needed to heal my grief with a kitten ASAP. I'm so glad I rushed into it because Gigi was clearly meant to BE ours! She caught our attention immediately. Can you guess why?
We asked to see her and when we opened the playpen door she marched right up the bars and onto my chest, then proceeded to continue her climb up and onto Mike's shoulder! I fell in love instantly! What a bold, outgoing and friendly girl! She loves to be held. 
She looks like our dogs and she likes our dogs and our dogs like her :) 
Gigi adjusted very quickly which was no surprise considering her personality! I should mention that we had to pass an interview and reference check process before we were allowed to adopt her. Luckily we passed with flying colors and were able to get her very quickly. I had forgotten that kittens were just as busy as puppies and maybe even worse! We had to do a lot of kitten proofing and Gigi has her own "room" where she can be safe when we cannot watch her. It is a large playpen with ledges and a hammock and dangling toys. Gigi's favorite things include the bathroom sink, her Kong kicker toy, her hammock, climbing as high as she can (and knocking things down), zooming through the house, attacking Kelly's ankles, hugging Kelly, ambushing Libby and Maestro, going to the pet supply stores, and slowly but surely..walking on harness and leash! Of course she also loves to snuggle. Gigi purrs as SOON as you touch her. She loves people and dogs. Gigi is a wonderful addition to our household!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Of Puppies, Travel and Carsickness
Imagine ten puppies and nine puppies' worth of "sick" and drool...this was the story I told my sister yesterday. It was itself a day of travel as we were returning from our deep South family visit in New Orleans and Baton Rouge and Lafayette, Louisiana. One never knows what stories might come up on an 800 or so mile and back trip with a sister or dear friend! And so I thought I'd share it with you.
It was the day my six week old litter was to receive their first of a short series of vaccinations (a necessary evil despite my reduction in things allopathic in approach regarding my dogs' health and diet). I was so proud of my pretty, chubby, fluffy puppies; had given each a quick "spit bath" the day before their "debut" to my long time vet. My husband Mike had hand washed each little colored collar and hung them up to dry like little Beatrix Potter bunny or kitten clothes. We gallantly packed all ten of our little packages into one adult size car crate and embarked on our fifteen minute drive to the vet's office. Some of them barked, some whined, some were just quiet; we thought we heard some gagging, but nothing (not even the smell of curdled milk and kibble) could have prepared us for the sight we saw when we opened the back of the van upon arrival. Nine of the puppies (notice I said nine) had shoestrings of spit dangling bilaterally from their lips, their little white breasts and forearms soaked in copious saliva; their little heads and backs were covered in puppy vomit where they had vomitted atop each other...there was only one little bright eyed fellow among the ten....our "Green" collar boy; he was covered in curdled barf from the others but had not drooled nor vomitted himself. So he was the only one who was like his mother, tolerant of travel from the early age; all the others I found out later, were just like their Daddy who also got carsick as a young dog. We couldn't help but get bent over with laughter at the terrible, comical sight of our pretty puppies looking like wilted flowers. And we had no towels, only paper towels and hardly enough for ten wet, sad-looking puppies! We moved them inside quickly where I was now mortified with their appearance in front of the whole vet office! I found myself telling Dr. John "They don't NORMALLY look like this, believe you me!" We got them dried off as quickly as we could with the assistance of some clinic towels and each got his examination and requisite innoculation. They still looked nauseous when we got them home, but stayed "clean" on the ride back. Funny how just as soon as they were placed back in their warm whelping box on the soft sheepskin pad with their Mama and the milkbar, they immediately thrived and within seconds were fluffy and bright eyed once again! They reminded me of little chicks who dry off quickly after birth, or wilted flowers that get watered and stand tall once again. Ah woe is the puppy who gets carsick! Luckily, repetition is the key! Consistent trips on a weekly basis cured them all, some sooner than others.
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