One day at a time...

Wanna hear something funny?

So, tonight I went to the school board meeting. (Choir was canceled). Now, I sent in a letter to our local paper regarding the local television not broadcasting our local Village and School Board meetings, and if they were on, they were not able to be heard. I wrote another letter to the local paper and sent it in yesterday- it was confirmed today, and isn't it funny- somehow  MANY of my points were answered tonight at the meeting. Some after a phone call that took some of the board members away from the meeting right smack dab in the middle  of it. What makes is to astonishing is that the paper doens't come out until Friday. Jeez- they mus have ESP- or maybe a friend at the local paper?

The joys of living in a small Village.

The result

So, I spoke with the principal. She wasn't aware of the book, I understand that and she asked that I leave it with her.  No problem. I wasn't angry or nasty or even huffy- more like, hey, were you aware of this?

Anyway- I took my errant daughter into school this morning for detention (What you get if you don't hand in your homework!) and we saw the principal in the hallway- Ally asked her if she saw the book. Her response surprised me, "Yes,and I took it off the shelf, but you shouldn't have been frightened by it- you know the facts, and yo have dogs, right?   

Huh???  Do we have DOGS?? Ally looked at me, I looked at her, and Bless her, she said something like, well, I was still frightened and upset by it, it made me uncomfortable. (Good for her!)   I said, "well, yes, we have dogs, but  they're all male , and well, that doesn't make any difference."

Geesh.

On another note-I can't believe that girls are already getting catty. I mean, I know that Ally is pretty sensitive, but she has been getting picked on a bit at school. It breaks my heart. She comes home and SOBS to me, and I try to stay out of it as much as I can, except to ask her what she thinks she should do. Today she made a difficult choice to tell a good (or someone she thought was a good ) friend that she didn't want to be friends with her anymore if she continued to talk about her,and call her names. Ally said it didn't matter if the girl said she was just teasing when she  said mean things, they still hurt her feelings, and made her sad. GOOD FOR MY GIRL. She told me that it was bullying, and I agreed. I didn't influence her in any way, but supported her totally.  I'm glad that she is strong enough to stand up for herself, even if it hurts her heart.  OY, Middle School is going to be JUST GRAND. 

What does that book say???

I'm trying hard to be objective, I really am.  I am not at all a prude, I taught my kids the correct words for all their genitalia, They know (or knew) what they needed to know about their bodies and the body parts and what happens with them from ME. Their Mommy. 

So, when Ally comes up to me and says it is embarrassing to read about a penis, I a teeny bit concerned. Well, honey, where are you reading about it??  "In my Library book."   Which library book?  From where?  "From our school library." Elementary School. Ally is in 4th Grade.

Hmm.  Let me see The Book.  Naomi in the Middle by Norma Klein.  So, I open the book and read what its about.

A mother is pregnant. There are already 2 sisters, Barbara (Bobo) , 9, and  Naomi, 7. They are having the usual angst about a new baby - and then they are discussing what about if it is a boy.

"Will he have a bath with us if he's a boy?"  I asked Bobo when we were in the bath.

"Maybe."

"Then he might put his penis in our vagina," I said. "That's what boys do."

"They don't do that till they're much older," Bobo said.

"Sallie Cartwell says herbrother does it right now and he's four."

"The people in your class are crazy."

Now I see where A is alarmed. She does , after all, have a 5 year old brother. 

It goes on to explain:

"Bobo said the baby got there by Daddy putting his penis in you," I said, "Is that right?"

....Mommy said, "Yes, that's is"

"I wonder why it has to happen in such a funny way. Is it always like that?"

"Yes."

"I don't think I'd like it," I said, "I wish I could lay an egg."

"When you're old enough, you'll like it, " Mommy said. "Most people do, it's just like hugging someone, but part of them is inside you."

Now I suppose it a rather sweet explanation of the way it happens, but I am rather annoyed? angry? Dismayed? that Ally could get the book right out of the school library without any  kind of knowledge of what it is about. She said she like the cover, and she thought it was about a new baby.

I remember reading  Judy Blume and others, but that was in Middle School. Am I wrong to be a bit perturbed by this? I will of course talk to the principle at school (oh, boy) and the librarian, but it still bothers me. Maybe I should have received a call saying, Hey, Ally wants to check out this book , an it talkss about sex, is it OK? I'd say no, because I'd want to be around when she read anything like that the first time in case she had questions. 

Too much to think about tonight.....

How to change a life...

Oh, read this. The ANGEL from whom we adopted Peaches wrote this :

Peaches tribute

Maria is one of the most selfless people I know. Yes, she saves cute puppies who we all know are going to get a home,those sweet babies that come from Puppy Mills, but she also takes in the poor little souls, like Peaches, who have almost no hope-. Those neglected, sad, hurting little ones who need somewhere safe to live their final  days.   Her dogs have brightened our lives in so many ways, over and over. Visit her site,  Little Forgotten Friends Rescue.  The stories of the dogs she have saved are amazing. She is a 5013C, so if you were so moved to make a donation, it's tax deductible.  I don't think I can adopt another one of her special babies anytime soon, it's too hard on my kids, but I surly can help support her.

Petey came to us from Maria.  Sadly, Petey died shortly after we got him. He was, I think, simply heartbroken to  be separated from his original family.  Petey had  a small tumor on his spinal cord that affected his lower half. He used a wheelchair to get around for long periods, but got along just fine in our house- he even navigated the steps to our family room!  Petey's original Mommy was suffering from cancer, so she had to give him up.

This is our Winkie. We got him the same day at Petey. In fact, we had gone to Maria's to get Winkie, but Petey decided he needed to come with us, too.   Winkie is our joy- truly one of the happiest, calmest pups I have ever met. His tail DOES NOT stop wagging. Winks is a Puppy Mill Pup, that is where he lost his eye. (Hence the name Winkie, get it??!!)  The mill was going to keep him in a cage for breeding  where he would have never know love, a warm lap, hugs, kisses , and the joy of being part of a family. They would have bred a dog with KNOWN congenital defects simply to make a buck- not  worrying about the family who would buy one of Winks pups who could carry the same gen to have eye problems (Common in Pekingese) Winkie has an undescended testicle, which prompted the mill to  finally give him up. We are training him to get his Canine Good Citizen accreditation, so that one day he can be a therapy dog. He has too much love to not share it with those who need it.

And lastly, our Peaches, Here she is in her Reindeer outfit. She has a GREAT Christmas this year.  She got lots of treats, and loved being with her other "brothers".  She and Fuzzard had a love/hate relationship, I think Fuzzard was FREAKED out by her because she looked so much like Camille, but in her last days, Fuzzard would come and lay with her, keeping her company so that she wouldn't be alone. All of my dogs took care of Peaches- when she would bark getting lost in the house (Poor Peaches would get herself cornered in the kitchen, and bark for help) one of my dogs would go and stand by to reassure her until help came. 

I can't in good conscience not mention my poor Bruce in this post. Bruce wasn't from Maria, he came from a Virginia rescue that needed a good home for him. We thought he was a Pekingese, but meeting the rescue person in Pennsylvania, we soon realized that he was a Tibetan Spaniel. Tibbies may LOOK like Pekes, but they are not a thing like them. They are restless wanderers, while loving their families  are always looking on the horizon to see what's next. Bruce had escaped from our double fenced backyard a few times, and darted out the front door, too. Once resulting in being hit by car and breaking his jaw, requiring surgery. Bruce had only one eye, so he wasn't able to see the car coming.

3 weeks ago, I was in the hospital with a staph infection- (not fun, I assure you) and my 2 best friends went to my house  to prepare it for my return. As they were leaving, Bruce darted out the door, and as he was joyfully running to the park across the street from us, he was struck and killed. Poor Carolee and Cathy. Poor Bruce. He's running in the field near the Bridge, for sure. 

This was a Christmas photo of all our pups. l-r

Peaches, Gabey, Winkie, Fuzzard, and Bruce.

Gabey is the puppy Ally got for Christmas,(her only wish!) Gabe and  Winkie are fast friends, playing and rolling around our house.    Fuzzard is an almost 17 year old Peke was adopted as a hospice 3 years ago. Despite a cat 4-5 heart murmur, having a few strokes, rupturing an eye, and metastasized testicular cancer, he is still going strong! I think he finally found a family that adored him, so he doesn't want to go anywhere!

If you are ever looking for a dog, first, think about whether or not you NEED a puppy- they are tons of work, while adopting an adult or senior dog is not only saving a life, but you know what you are getting

• Reasons to Adopt a Senior Dog
  
  * Senior dogs love to sleep and cuddle the day away. They enjoy a brisk daily walk, but the best part of the day is the nap. They love for you to join them.
  
  * Senior dogs have a tremendous amount of love to give. When you rescue a senior dog, you have a best friend for life.
  
  * Senior dogs reward your care with an unwavering devotion. Nothing matches the love of a senior dog for his rescuer.
  
  * Senior dogs have learned many of life's lessons. They know, for example, that shoes are for walking and bones are for chewing.
  
  * Senior dogs know that great outdoors is for eliminating and the house is for relaxing. Your carpet will last longer with a senior dog.
  
  * Senior dogs can learn new tricks and be valuable family and community members. They make excellent therapy dogs.
  
  * Senior dogs often fit into your household with ease. They find the softest, warmest spot in the house and claim it for their own, but they will share with you, too.
  
  * Senior dogs make excellent companions for everyone, especially senior people.
  
  * Senior dogs are often the first to be killed in area shelters. Passed over for cute and cuddly puppies, they often do not have a chance and must go to make space for more puppies.
  
  * Adopting a senior dog saves a life!

Written by The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs.
Reprinted by permission.
http://www.sanctuaryforseniordogs.org/

To read more about some of our other pups,  see:

Lovely Camille

RIP Petey

Sweet Camille

Peaches

Our Peaches died today. We did not have her for years, merely months.   We did know her as a puppy, nor even as a 'whole" dog, but only as a poor dog who really needed our love.  She had been through so much, she was beaten and hurt and unloved, until she was rescued by Little Forgotten Friends Rescue, then she came to us.   We knew the moment that she first looked into our eyes that she was meant to be ours.

For almost 3 months we adored her- the spoiled only princess fur-baby in our house. We loved her even more for the special needs that she had- her getting stuck in corners,  barking for help,  looking right into our eyes as she walked to us.  Even when we knew she was really sick, when her little eyes wouldn't open right, when she couldn't walk but in circles, when we knew something had gone terribly wrong, we circled around to surround her with all the love we had to give her. We knew we had to fit her lifetime of love in one night.  We all sat with her, holding her, cuddling her as we told her how special she was, how much she was loved, how much she was a blessing to all of us.

In the morning. I took her to  to the vet, knowing what I was going to find out. Poor Peaches had had a series of strokes. Her pupils were pinpoints and fixed, she had a major brain event. So , I held her close and  whispered words of love to her as she  left this world to the next.  She went knowing she was well loved.

We all wrote special messages to our Peachel on small slips of papers and attached them to balloons.We told her how much we loved her, how much she meant to us, and how we'd meet up with her again someday. Then we launched the balloons straight up to Heaven to meet Peaches as she got there.Surely St. Peter read then to her.  There must be a warm blanky, some yummy bones, and lots and lots of loving hands there to greet her.

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet
goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times
gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very special, someone who was left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the istance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body begins to quiver. Suddenly, he breaks from the group,
flying over the green grass, faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses
rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into those trusting eyes, so long gone from your life, but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together

Rainbow Bridge

Dance.. dance... dance

Tonight was the "Night in Tuscany"dinner dance at our school. It was so much fun!  The kids really had a ball dancing, and yes, they REALLY dance!  Not boy/girl, of course, but they were boogieing away! I had to embarrass the heck out of my daughter by getting up and dancing the Electric Slide... it was so much fun!

I am still super tired from being sick, and this night has kciked my butt, so I am going to bed.  I cna't believe the Dr said aI coudl be this tired for 6-8 weeks!   At least I have 2 weeks down.

Our dog Peaches isn't doing very well. I think she may have had another stroke. We'll be going to the vet tomorrow morning. Please send up a little prayer for our girl pup. We love her.

Here I am again!

I know... Iknow..I said I was going to blog more. It was my New Years Resolution this year- to keep up with my blog. But, life happens, and I spent New Years Eve  ( and the week after) in the hospital, with a staph infection, so no blogging for me- then, I got caught up in getting well and all that fun stuff. Then, I kept thinking OH!  I need to blog about that, and I was overwhelmed with  all the stuff I didn't write about, and got discouraged. So,  I have just decided to DO IT, and write.

In a nutshell- We got 2 new dogs-  Peaches, a lovely 9 year old peke mix who has a brain trauma from being beaten (bast*** who did that to her should be beaten himself). She also is deaf, and is in kidney failure. She gets 'lost' in our home- puts her head in a corner and can't quite figure out how to get out,  but she is a love who needs us,a nd we need her. We adore her.

Gabey, or Puffball, or Gabriel is Ally's Christmas Puppy. All she asked for Christmas was a puppy. (Somehow, having 4 dogs wasn't enough for her, she wanted on of her OWN!)  Santa called and said that  he thought that Christmas Morning was too chaotic for a new puppy to enter a home, plus being on the sleigh was not good for the puppy, so he sent us to a place to pick him out herself. He is a 7 pound 7 month old Pekingese, and adorable. Ally is deciding now if she wants to joining the show training circuit with him.

Sadly, Bruce the Dog met up with a Mack truck in a story that needs to be told another day.  He is now running free over the Bridge- no gates, fences or leads.

Aedan has become OBSESSED with all things Back to the Future and Delorean. His birthday party looms as a BTTF bonanza.

David, oh, my David, He is in the middle of launching his own record. Soon , you'll be able to download his songs on CD Baby. I'll write more about it later.

I promise to try my best to write more- look for me tomorrow!

s