Sabtu, 24 April 2010

Congratulations Jack!

Jack A Roo won a 5 point major yesterday (Friday) at the Lewiston, Id dog show. Go Jack - just heard that he won another 5 point major on Sunday.

Rabu, 21 April 2010

A CHILL in APRIL

Even though allergy-induced stuffiness has planted itself firmly in my sinuses I am managing to get out and about, walking dogs and running errands. Admittedly I slept away half of yesterday but it was the day all the demons moved in and took over!

Well, today I returned SECRETS OF EDEN to the library and was reminded I'd not blogged in a bit.
True.

Fact is, early this a.m., while traipsing along on a jaunt, I thought, hmmm, put the blog on hold. Then this encouragement is delivered firsthand. So, on I go. Good or bad.

But where are my topics? I've strayed from animals/pets and shall try to re-incorporate them in stories.

Actually, the shelter, where I spent so much time in the last 4 years that I don't dare try to total the hours, will soon be out of my life entirely. At least, directly out of my life. The emails and FB postings will still flow. I have 2 or 3 more weeks of Paws 2 Read with the 4th graders and then will not be at the shelter. It's my decision.

Funny how one can become so entrenched in chaos and still remain optimistic. Then all it takes is a moment of awakening and understanding. Things will not change. Over the past 6 months I have divorced myself from all activities there, giving plenty of notice that I won't be doing a particular aspect of the work. It's a shame and it hurt a great deal at first.

But, there comes a time, and in my case it came quickly, of realizing departing was the right thing to do. When it was obvious to me then I accepted it. And, I'm glad I did for the turmoil now resides atop the chaos which is burying the frustration and underneath it all is a lot of SH_T.

We all know that a person can offer help to another soul but unless there is receptivity the offer hits a closed door. For an awful lot of long time volunteers this has happened, repeatedly.

It can be said the animals suffer. I do not find that to be factual. The animals suffer before they get to the shelter. There they are taken care of and know nothing of the political drama and ineptness. There's "day to day" staff handling them. And, fresh, new enthusiastic volunteers who should choose to remain ignorant of the trappings.

You're right, this isn't a cheerful tune. And, I'm dancing around pointing out issues - no blog could hold them and what good would it do?

The observation and lesson, in hindsight are simple: Don't get involved beyond what you can do and leave behind at the end of your work time. The people who stay as volunteers are clueless. They go. They do something. They leave. They think nothing of improvement or change. Had many of us taken that approach we'd still be on hand.

Minggu, 11 April 2010

Brew visits Hiltz Beagles

Brew and I drove south to visit with David and Lesley. And Brew got his teeth cleaned and ended up having to have four teeth pulled - OUCH! Maybe now he'll stop chewing on those rocks. LOL

Honey, the Mail is Here!

I love getting the mail. When it goes to 5 days a week I will be sad. The mailman is a nice guy and I enjoy chatting with him, long enough to appreciate him but not so long as to make him late, for an important date or anything else.

Sometimes he brings great surprises. Rarely are the pleasant ones advertising. But this week I rec'd an oversized postcard which I was happy to get. Not that I'm in a buying phase, not when I need to get my glasses fixed, just spent a bundle for 11 pets flea or flea and heartworm meds for 4 months (big mistake before taxes are due), and when I need new tires. Thanks anyway, BMW.

Thanks, because you sent me a postcard with a reminder about life's reality. At a time when this country, this world, STILL is fighting to keep its economic head above water, when change is everything we bargained for and a whole lot more, when I'm relating more and more to what my grandparents and parents were thinking, BMW comes along with a simple declarative statement: JOY SHOWS NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN.

Admittedly, my first thought raced to our Frieda Joy, gone for 5 months and grieved every day. She was joy in breathing form, even though she never developed the confidence to recognize it in herself. But she had gumption; she TRIED continually, striving to BE. It just couldn't be and she was so unselfish.

Which brings me to a choice. This free will thing God heaped upon us has blessing/curse traits. Either I can celebrate her or weep at the first sign of her image or personality. Probably there are places for each. What a waste of her life it would be if I chose only to weep.

Instead I embrace the sentence sent without knowledge of the days I wish I'd never given her "Joy" as a middle name. It shows up far more now than I ever realized. But this sentence says so much, so much which is bigger than my heart's wounds from loving and losing a tremendous dog far too soon.

JOY SHOWS NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN. It brings me relief. It brings me compassion, even consolation. I realize my beauty girl will never slow down, never stop teaching, even in her absence. And, she will never stop delivering joy. Would that I could emulate her. Would that I could teach others of joy, could give it in its intangible form, in a way which allows me to turn and walk away, smiling to myself about the outburst the recipient is about to enjoy. See? There is joy in enjoy/enjoyment.

Thank you, BMW. Your marketing gurus had no clue. Thank you, USPS, your sorters and delivery folks had no clue. Thank you for reminding me. Joy is everywhere. It is here to stay. It cannot be drawn into the battles of daily life for it is above and beyond those. At the end of the day, think about the joy of having lived it.
JOY SHOWS NO SIGNS
OF SLOWING DOWN!