Getting ready for my trip tomorrow, so I dropped Tunch off at Tammy’s and took Lily to my brother’s. As I was driving away from my brother’s, he was walking her in the house, and she struggled so much that she got out of her collar and came chasing after the car. I had to stop in the middle of the road and grab her and he had to carry her, whining, into the house. She’s apparently been crying ever since.
I has a sad.
General Winfield Stuck
It’s not fer nuthin’ dogs are mans best friend. Just wait till you reunite, absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say.
Jeeze, now I has a sad.
Anne Laurie
Bring home a cool new treat or toy for her. Seriously. Find something really desirable, and then only let her have it when she’s “visiting” at your brother’s or Tammy’s or wherever. Of course, when she ignores your departure to play with her Cool Toy, you’ll still have a Sad, but at least you won’t feel so guilty afterwards.
sarah in brooklyn
aw, that is just so sweet!!!!!
RedKitten
Awww…poor little girlie. Why didn’t she go to Tammy’s to play with Sam instead?
DougL (frmrly: Conservatively Liberal)
Looks like your best friend misses you John. All that means that you are a damned good dog owner and Lily is letting you know it.
You is loved, get used to it. :)
slag
Awwwww. That is sad.
Violet
Aww….poor Lily, poor John. Everything will be okay. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all. She’ll be so excited to see you when you come home.
Have you practiced leaving her for short periods of time so she knows you’ll return? Not at your own home like when you go to work, but at friends’ or relatives’ homes? The people you’d be leaving her with when you go on trips. I don’t know if that would help, but it might help her learn that when she stays elsewhere, you do come back and everything is okay. So she might freak out less when you do it for longer trips.
Dreggas
when you get home she will lick the flesh off your face, tunch on the other hand will scratch it off…
DougL (frmrly: Conservatively Liberal)
@DougL (frmrly: Conservatively Liberal):
All that means is that you are a damned good dog owner.
My bongwater for an edit function.
Libertini
The first time I had to leave Jake behind on a business trip, I took him to my brothers, where there was a big yard and two other doggies. He busted out of the canvas pop up crate I had bought for him and paced the house non-stop, and tried to climb their 8 foot fence when he went outside. He made my brother’s dogs so nervous that my sister in law finally bought a wire crate for him and put him in it. I called them every night to check on him, and cried myself to sleep every night of that trip.
Now Jakey stays with neighbors and their dogs who love him to death, and he almost hates to come home. But he still watches for me outside the window every day.
It gets easier, but yes, when we leave our doggies behind, we has a BIG sad.
asiangrrlMN
Awww, sad. Maybe an article of your clothing (with your scent) will help? Cats like that. Poor Lily.
slag
If Durbin is correct here, today is really a great day for progressive activism:
Of course, that’s a big IF. Either way, I’m inclined to use it as positive reinforcement.
kommrade reproductive vigor
Poor Lily. Glad she wasn’t hurt.
The only way our cats signify the giving of a fuck is one will run outside and hide under the house when she sees the suitcases. The other two dash under our feet as we’re packing.
geg6
OMG, John. That has me tearing up here. Poor Lily! She doesn’t understand. In good news, young Cane, who was run over by her former owner (my John’s moran daughter) is doing well after his emergency surgery. And the good news is that she has a new owner, my John. Don’t know how Henry and Otis will feel about this yet though. Could be a rough transition.
Gebghis
I read this very quickly and somehow thought it was Tunch who chased after the car. As if.
slag
Oh. And that last comment was meant to both cheer your aching heart and chide you for not providing a healthcare thread today.
smiley
She’ll forget about you soon enough (when your brother feeds her) but remember you instantly when you return. Non-human animals are adaptive that way.
asiangrrlMN
@geg6: Yay. I am glad that the former owner is now former. Strong vibes that Otis and Henry will adjust.
gnomedad
@kommrade reproductive vigor:
Yup, they know. We had a cat that would lecture us for hours when we got back from a trip.
valdivia
have a good trip John. And I can sympathize with you having a sad. Poor Lilly. Tunch too. No one to lord over.
JenJen
I has a sad now too! :-(
That’s what’s so great about dogs, though. They just love you. And always remember that the best part of any trip is coming home and seeing happy smiling doggy faces and wiggle-butts!
(Gawd, I am making myself sick over here.)
debit
Wait, what? Fox Business is advertising on MSNBC? During Countdown? Wah?
SiubhanDuinne
@RedKitten / 8:14 pm
I seem to have this vague memory that Sam and Lily did a number on Tammy’s house when John went on that “business trip” a few weeks ago.
OTOH, this time TUNCH is staying with Tam and Sam? The same Tunch who had an Excellent Adventure just a few days ago?
Occasionally I am baffled by John’s decision-making processes.
General Winfield Stuck
@slag:
This is mildly surprising to me. I fully expected no PO in the initial bill passed in the Senate, but put back in in conference. It is huge that it will be in the original bill the Sen. passes, mostly for giving it a sense of inevitibility, which is very important with this kind of big sweeping change legislation.
Even Max Baucus has thrown in the towel on the PO and it now is a party wide project that has to be affirmatively defeated with 60 votes from the get go. And any dem who ventures to try by joining wingnuts in their certain filibuster will be committing political suicide as a dem.
Lieberman is the only wildcard on cloture, and I suspect Reid will have to give him something for his vote, maybe a better, or guaranteed committee chairmanship. But I think this is squarely on the rails to become law thru regular order. Fingers remain crossed however.
I’m sure pressure from the base had an impact, but it was Obama’s joint congress speech that turned the worm on the tea bagging fools, imho.
SiubhanDuinne
@debit / 8:27 pm
Yeah, WTF was that all about? Either utterly brainless or marketing genius.
smiley
@kommrade reproductive vigor: That’s interesting because my cats hang around the bedroom and jump on the bed when I’m packing. Maybe they want me to leave because I leave so much food for them when I go away.
beltane
@kommrade reproductive vigor: When I was growing up, our cat used to vomit in my mother’s shoes whenever she saw we were getting ready to go on a trip. Now that was a statement.
CaseyL
Where are you going *this* time? (I’m asking on Lily’s behalf, because I know she wants to know so she’ll know which particular bit of high living you’re abandoning her in favor of :)
I echo the other cat people. Cats know what’s going on the minute the suitcases come out and the clothes pile up on the bed. They try to smuggle themselves along by jumping into the suitcase, or go for pro-active vengeance by vanishing just when you most need to make sure they’re indoors.
Legend tells of kitties that hide in bed box springs and drive their humans completely insane trying to find them. I have a waterbed so my guys can’t do that; they’ve found other ways to make me crazy.
Here’s one tale from about 15 years ago: I was returning home from a one-week vacation. My then-neighbors, who’d been entrusted with looking after the three kitties I had at the time, met me at the car to tell me (apologetic, guilt-ridden, very upset) that Ariel (then a vigorous, imperious young ladycat) had vanished the day after I left and not been seen since. They’d tried everything to find her; they were brokenhearted; “please please please don’t hate us.”
All this while I’m walking from the car to my front door. I’m carrying a suitcase in my right hand and on the other side of that suitcase – unseen by my neighbors who were walking on my left – was Ariel, trotting along as if she walked me to our door every day; as if she had been there all along; as if she had never vanished and driven my neighbors to despair.
*sigh*
geg6
I have no idea why I keep referring to Cane as her and she. Cane is a boy. Gotta keep that straight or I might turn him into the ghey or something.
gwangung
@General Winfield Stuck:
Yeah, this is all Obama’s fault. We need to blame him. Just like Bush.
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@kommrade reproductive vigor: Or, as is the case in our household, the cats will pee on the bed to express their sentiments.
slag
@General Winfield Stuck: I think Reid should offer Lieberman exactly what Michael Corleone offered that Nevada senator in Godfather II: Nothing. Sixty votes is nonsense. If Lieberman helps Republicans sustain a filibuster because of the public option, his constituents better make him hurt for it. Badly.
SiubhanDuinne
@geg6
I am incredibly happy that Cane is coming to live with you and your John and your menagerie. The daughter . . . Well, I just won’t say what I think of the daughter and her driving-while-smoking-and-cell-phone-talking-and-not-paying-attention ways, but I’m thrilled that Cane is no longer in her care or custody.
valdivia
@General Winfield Stuck:
I am very very worried that Reid does not have the votes and that this wont pass on the 1st vote in the senate and deflate and stagnate the whole thing. I am happy it made it (I accepted on the last vote in the senate not the first) but now that is in I feel we have a lot riding on Reid. Someone tell me he will be able to pull this off.
tess
Oh, John, so sad! My cat used to do that when I’d leave–she’d walk around the house yowling, and crying, carrying one of my shirts in her mouth and stopping at times to knead at it, yowling all the time.
Even if I didn’t hear it, I knew it was probably happening, and it was awful, just broke my heart. If we had to go back to the house, I would send my husband inside because I just couldn’t face it.
You have to take solace that you are going to return and make her happy, and not worry too much that she doesn’t know that.
mantis
Funny to combat the sad. Tounchdown cake (close enough). Die sad, die!
asiangrrlMN
@kommrade reproductive vigor: When I return from a trip, my boys are all over me for five minutes, and then they stop. When I leave? They don’t much care.
WereBear
@geg6: I am pleased to hear Cane has a new home, :) and is coming along well.
My brother has a nine month old German Shepherd Dog, named Kane. So of course I always call him Charles Foster Kane. (My bro and I are into film.)
I am pleased with the inchworm progress the HRC stuff is making. Remember a month ago? This pleases me.
valdivia
ugh it should read “I expected”.
Demo Woman
@CaseyL: Poor neighbors but that is a funny story.
John, Lily will be okay. She’ll probably whine all night but by tomorrow she’ll be fine. Have a good trip.
annie
I love Lily and Tunch. Tunch is probably under some piece of furniture thinking up tortures for John when he returns, and Lily is wondering what she did to make John go away….
Poor John. I know the feeling. When I leave our cats, I always call home to the cat sitters to see how the monsters are doing. Given our cats’ personalities, I think the cat sitters are suffering more than my cats…
I am still amazed at how much our furry friends can capture our hearts. And, they can.
Let us know when you return home, John, and we want pictures of the reunion. Tunch deserves at least one day of food beyond 4:30pm (or else), and Lily deserves a good long walk and some “Daddy lap time.”
Take care, and be well….
kommrade reproductive vigor
Holy crap. I shouldn’t complain about having to crawl under the house or near death experiences caused by ballistic felines. (Vomiting is a feature, not a bug, Chez KRV.)
I do hate it when I get home and it’s either:
Blood curdling screams of disgust.
or
Smell you later beotch, we’re going out.
or
OMG! SCALPEL WIELDING VIVISECTIONIST! HIDE!
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
Via TPM, the NRSC responds to Reid:
Trying to wrap my head around the image of Harry Reid as a big bad bully. Whatever…I’m proud of him and ready to contribute to his election campaign.
slag
@valdivia:
Well, as they say in the stock market, past performance is no guarantee of future results. And, in this case, I’m not sure if that’s a comfort or not.
General Winfield Stuck
@valdivia:
Because there is no room for error, in that every dem has to vote yea on Cloture, it isn’t a done deal by any means, but a lot will depend on the CBO score and cost of the bill Reid ends up with. CC’rs take tough votes based as much on political survival as anything else, and in the end a bill this big to the dem party will carry a big cost for those who oppose it. They may be Blue Dogs, but they also have a D after their name, and depend on dem party machinery to get reelected.
I also think it gives House Blue Dogs some peace of mind that the Senate is serious and they don’t take the plunge in voting for it for naught. It also sets up the possibility that both arms of Congress can pass identical bills thus bypassing the grief of going thru conference.
slag
@SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta: Hahahahahahahaha. Is that why Limbaugh calls him “Dusty Harry”? These people don’t even have the sense needed to invent a credible slander.
Demo Woman
@slag: I agree. I would allow Lieberman to keep his chair position though if he votes for closure. Democratic members who are obstructionists, don’t need rewards.
geg6
WereBear: I wish Cane had been named for Citizen Kane. John and I hate his real name (Hurricane), so we’ve shortened it to Cane since he was a wee tiny puppy a year ago. Hurricane does not suit his personality, it’s not a proper dog name, and it’s just stupid IMHO.
John O
John, you’re a good man, and you did right by Lily.
That’s how any good dog would react. A REALLY good dog will settle in after a some time and enjoy the (presumably) excellent place they’re at.
sylvia
Lily will be fine until you go pick her up- then she will pout and ignore you – but it’s all because she loves you.
Update on Cutest Dog – Drama, drama, drama…
Contest is on hold – blogging tonight to discuss – problem is these bloggers are nuts! I mean nuts!
I think the bloggers scared Oprah away!!
RedKitten
It was pitiful when we went to Europe and left Dreyf in the care of my in-laws. We had an early flight, and they were driving us there, so the plan was that they’d pick Dreyf up at our place when they returned, and bring him to their place.
Well, the ornery little bugger was fine when we left, but wouldn’t let my in-laws into the house — he was growling and snapping at them the whole time. So my MIL came up with the plan of bringing OUR car instead of theirs to go get him. It worked — he let them take him, obviously thinking that we were in the car. I guess once he realized that we weren’t in the car (or at my in-laws’ place), he got all messed up and wouldn’t eat for two days. He wasn’t a licker, but let me tell you, when we walked in the door 10 days later, the poor little fart just about turned himself inside out trying to give us kisses.
AhabTRuler
OK, which one of you screwed up?
valdivia
@General Winfield Stuck:
thanks! I have been so worried about this simply because Reid has not succesful at all at keeping the cuacus voting together. But what you say relieves this somewhat. I always expected the PO to come in at the 3rd or 4th stage of this process ont he Senate side and now I worry that if this stalls we’ll never get another chance. But if you think this strategy will work then I am breathing easier now.
Something more frivolous but interesting–any Mad Men watchers here? I don’t want to say anything because of spoilers but yesterday’s episode was rocking. This blog has some of the best reviews/analysis I have seen. Warning: link leads right to review of episode so beware if you have not watched it.
AhabTRuler
@sylvia: All I know is that last night, Commissioner James Gorden picked up at least 1000 votes in an hour or less.
kommrade reproductive vigor
@AhabTRuler:
Hmmm…
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@slag: Oooh, that bad Harry. Wouldn’t want to meet him in a dark alley!
John O
@smiley:
My cats clearly hate it when I break out the suitcase. My particularly nasty one climbs right in it and cries at me to make it clear.
I left my last dog in a kennel once. Never again. When I got back, his nose was all cut up from trying to get out of his cage, and he was so excited to see me it broke my heart. My dogs don’t spend a lot of time in cages once they’re housebroken.
Never again. No dog in my presence, and I don’t have one now, lacks for the luvin’.
Nowhere is it clearer that the love you take is equal (or better) than the love you make as it is with dogs.
Just make sure you tell her you missed her when you get back, John.
Bad Horse's Filly
This is actually good for her, John. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but as a rescue dog she most likely has some separation anxiety. The more you go and always come back, the more relaxed she’ll become. The more trust she will have, the easier it makes things like overnight vet visits less stressful. Eventually you’ll be able to go away and she’ll be like, ‘oh yeah, I get a vacation with my friends, see you when you get back.’ At least that has been my experience with all my rescues – I travel a lot, so it was important they adapt to that quickly.
And I second someone else’s comment about a smelly sweatshirt or t-shirt. Couldn’t hurt.
anonevent
@slag: This is exactly why I am glad Obama didn’t try to lead on this. Democrats – those in Congress and those out in the rest of America – have finally figured out what has to be done to get something they want. Whether or not Obama did this on purpose, this change in attitude is almost as good as getting a health care bill through.
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@AhabTRuler: Holy FSM.
CynDee
John, sorry about your traumatic leave-taking of Lily. Such a thing can really take the wind out of a person right when they’re getting ready to sail.
Maybe this won’t happen to you, but one time when I came back from a trip, I was shocked to find that my sweet little doggie was mad at me the entire day of my return. Took to walking conspicuously in front of me and sitting down with her back to me. This was certainly a new side of her character as well as her person. I would have said that this was more cat-like than anything.
Anyway, she did let me know that she was not to be taken for granted.
This doggie went on to reveal many complexities of character that caused us to appreciate the depth of her personality.
I just wish you could tell them, “I’ll be back in four days,” etc. Instead, hey don’t know if you’ll be gone for an hour or a year.
Hopefully Lily will do the more usual doggie thing and be all over you when you get home.
The Main Gauche of Mild Reason
Not a problem anymore, thanks to Reconcile! (http://www.reconcile.com/)
Of course, fluoxetine is also known as Prozac when it’s prescribed for humans. Somehow it kills me that they’re prescribing antidepressants for pets now.
SiubhanDuinne
@AhabTRuler: were they voting for Bitsy all that time? Because, you know, some things can be forgiven.
General Winfield Stuck
@valdivia:
Although I wouldn’t want you to worry, I must also confess to being a John Edwards primary supporter. Grain of salt and all that.:-)
WereBear
Well, ya know, geg6, you can go ahead and tell him he’s named after Citizen Kane.
It’s not like he’ll know the difference…
My Norwegian Forest Cat mix, James Bond, is very devoted. He once got the “kennel colon” problem because I went away for a week… which I had prepared him for, and then I went away for a weekend… which I didn’t prepare him for.
(The vet was like, “if this were a dog, I’d know what to call it,” and we put it down to the same anxiety.)
Seriously, if I hold him up to the calendar and put his paw on each day, and do this a couple of time before I go, he’s okay. (Not happy, but okay.)
But if I get held up at work, I have to call home and have my husband tell him I’ll be late.
SiubhanDuinne
@kommrade reproductive vigor: Wow. Cheney? Cole? What does this mean?
John O
@anonevent:
Thanks, anonevent. Obama is a seriously good politician, and I believe we’re set up to get the best outcome we could’ve hoped for.
Frankly, I’m shocked a public option is in both House and Senate bills.
I don’t see how anyone with any historical perspective could not see this as well played, so far.
Laura W
I’m hoping this will be (one of my) last posts on the Cutest Dog Competition. I was lying on the couch, trying to focus on last week’s Project Runway episode for the 87th time in days, thinking about the last few weeks and what my overall take on the Bitsy Thing is tonight. I realized the more I stayed away from the petty, myopic drama “over there”, the better I felt. (Much like I avoid threads here that are nothing but bantering with spoof trolls.) The more I focused on the goal, which was to raise funds and awareness for animal rescue here in WNC, the more energized, motivated and creative I felt.
And then I thought of how Bitsy rallied the BJ community around a positive and productive shared goal for so many weeks. And then I thought of how many other bloggers and media sources picked it up, and how the cliche “pebble in a lake ripple effect” just kept broadening and widening. And how after all those weeks, and even me feeling at one time like it was a “lost cause”, we all kept on, because the race was not ours to call, after all. AND BITSY WON the final week. The magic of the internet and the power of networking and grass roots campaigning prevailed.
Evelyn told me privately that this cause had brought their whole Real Estate office together when we were musing about the positive, spin-off results, whether or not Bitsy “wins” the big money. So all this was spinning in my head and I came in to check email and went over to the Dog Blog to find this post from Sylvia. #9 in this thread. It totally verifies for me that everything we have done and tried to do over all these weeks has been worthwhile and toward some greater good we might not see from this vantage point quite yet.
And may I just say how very proud I am that I live in the same city as Evelyn, Sylvia and Bitsy, most gracious and giving “women.” Only good can come of this, regardless of outcome. And…I eagerly look forward to finally meeting Sylvia and Bitsy in the flesh, since our relationship thus far has been totally online, and I will be sure to get photos and movies for the Juicers.
Stay Classy, Sylvia, Stay Classy!
sylvia Says:
October 26th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I guess I’m slow but I really don’t understand why people are upset with the contest administration. They have been very available and have also answered questions when we have asked. When there were technical problems, they were taken care of.
When the Mafia Wars issue arose it was looked at and decided how it would be handled. It wasn’t what some wanted to hear so there were complaints.I think we are the ones causing the problems. We have become whiners. Just because we feel someone isn’t listening to us or agreeing with us- we complain. I am amazed Joel would even write a letter to us – if it were me I’d say – You guys are nuts!!! He’s right – we tried to make it our own contest.. and it’s not ours. We didn’t come up with the idea – we didn’t develop it – we didn’t start it – so we really don’t have a say in it. They have been very professional in listening to all of our compaints and dealing with fradulent voting. If we don’t like it, we can leave it. You don’t have to be a part of the contest if you don’t want to!
The letter posted above from Alfred’s owner is very clear. She wanted to be removed from the contest. Why is this an issue with anyone? She wanted to be removed, she was removed. I’m still at a loss as to why we are discussing this or why it’s a problem. It isn’t our business. Seems pretty cut and dry to me.
I thank Joel for this contest and a chance to get our rescue cause out to so many people. This has brought my community together for a wonderful cause. The number of people that have come out to support us with this has just blown me away! It wouldn’t have happened without the Cutest Dog Competition and I for one appreciate it!
Thank you Joel!
Sylvia
geg6
AhabTRuler: Holy shit. That’s terrifying and I’m not a fearful flyer. Assholes. Who wants to wager that these idiots are Ayn Rand fans?
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@valdivia: I have to admit I am nervous too, though I feel more confident there will be a PO with the bill starting out with it in the Senate.
Read this on HuffPost:
Max
I had to leave my Max with a friend while I went to DC this past weekend, and he didn’t eat his food while he was away from me. He did eat his treats, so there was some nutrition.
I will admit that I sort of like that he missed me so much that he was too sad to eat. I obviously don’t want him to be upset or starve without me, but I often wonder if he loves me as much as I love him.
Then again, it could have just been the new surroundings and nothing to do with my absence.
John O
I have a feeling our President likes his vote-count better in conference.
Just a guess.
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta: Last paragraph should be block-quoted also.
sylvia
@ AhabTRuler -Yeah – that voting was wild!
Now it seems the contest is taking a break to talk to all the crazy insane Bloggers.
Heard that some are threatening to sue the contest and threated to sue Oprah and that’s why she pulled out.
Insane I say!!!
The Moar You Know
You’re lucky, John. I had a cat that, the night before my return (lord only knows how he knew I’d be coming back) would take the biggest shit right on my pillow.
There is absolutely no mistaking that message.
John O
@Max:
Max, I dog-sit my fair share. It is unusual for them to be a little anorexic for 1-3 days, I can assure you. It’s all good.
And if you’re sitting and they start eating heartily, well, just oh my.
They like you! They really, really do!
Bad Horse's Filly
@geg6: Am I the only one who thinks there was something more prurient going on here?
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@Bad Horse’s Filly: I always tell my dogs and cats where I’m going, how long I’ll be gone, and when their papa will be home. Mr. SIA laughs at me but I think they get it.
I second the t-shirt or something with your scent on it to comfort her. Also, maybe “sleep over” at your brother’s house with her occasionally to get her used to the experience. We have also used the natural drops “Rescue Remedy” which you can get at the health food store – especially with Woofie who gets hyper-anxious during storms.
Just Some Fuckhead
In two days, she won’t even remember who you are. Dogs are resilient like that.
John O
@John O:
Oops. It’s unusual for them NOT to be a little anorexic…
kommrade reproductive vigor
@SiubhanDuinne: It would be irresponsible not to speculate.
AhabTRuler
@The Moar You Know: Somehow, they know these things…
John O
@The Moar You Know:
I would be super pissed off and simultaneously proud of that cat.
I mean, that’s some serious cat FU. Cat distilled.
Anne Laurie
@geg6:
Congratulations! If Cane hasn’t been introduced to a crate already, this is the time to do it. He’ll need to be kept from doing anything stupidly athletic while he’s recovering, anyways. And if I remember correctly, Henry and Otis are older, and having a young stud getting all up in their grillz 24/7 is more stress than they need. (And dogs recovering from surgery are notorious for re-injuring themselves while trying to establish their position in the household.) At least for the first few weeks/months, crating Cane before you leave the dogs alone together will keep Cane from hurting himself or your furniture while giving Henry & Otis a break from his enthusiasm.
We’ve been living that lesson here recently, since introducing five-year-old Gloria to eight-year-old Zevon and three-year-old Sydney. Gloria quickly learning that pestering the cats got her a “time out” — she’d spook one of our congentially timid ex-ferals, we’d yell, “Gloria, time out!”, and she’ll go directly to the living-room crate while wearing an expression that says “Yeah, yeah, whatevs — totally worth it.” But in the last couple weeks, since our elderly queen bee Flicker died and Gloria’s status changed from foster to adoptee, she’s also started scrapping much more seriously with the two boys. She’s slightly larger than they are, and of course they’re inhibited from attacking a female while she suffers from no such genetic impulses, so whenever things start ramping up the new dog gets sent (briefly) to Coventry, which is perfectly sensible by canine logic. She’s still taking over the Number 4 spot in the family pack — behind me, the Spousal Unit, and Zevon, and ahead of Sydney — but nobody’s required first aid or worse. Including the human pack leaders, whose job includes breaking up the arguments!
P.S. Has Cane been neutered yet? If not, can his doctors take care of this before you bring him home?
slag
@John O: Don’t forget, though, Reid is fighting for his political life right now. He’s rightly seen as very weak. If he can pull this off, it will not only be a good show, it will serve a good purpose. Which is exactly the combination that the Democrats need.
Cain
@JenJen:
My cats always wait by the door when I come home and there is a lot of love as they kind of turn in place and do a meow. Good stuff. I always feel good that I’m coming home and knowing that I have cats at home.
cain
geg6
I am watching Rachel and getting outraged. Some bunch of scum who back the murdering piece of shit who killed Dr. George Tiller are raising money for his defense by auctioning off “souvenirs” of other providers murderers. This is seriously disgusting. These people are sick, sick, sick with their fetus fetish.
Laura W
@sylvia: Oh my.
I think you’ve inadvertently found your new cyber-home, Sylvia.
This is probably good news for McCain!
SiubhanDuinne
@geg6 / 9:11 pm
Sorry, I’m honestly not being confrontational and I’m certainly not defending the pilots, who behaved idiotically no matter how you cut it, but I’m mystified how you get from their spending time on laptops (which is, indeed, terrifying for us helpless members of the flying public) to their being Ayn Rand fans. There’s a piece of your reasoning that I’m missing somehow.
Thadeus Horne
@AhabTRuler: Cheney? Cole? WTF?
MikeJ
Orange tail on a white cat? Who does that remind you of?
http://icanhascheezburger.com/2009/10/26/funny-pictures-see-a-retailer/
Baby picture?
valdivia
@General Winfield Stuck:
whaaat? now you tell me? ;-)
I just don’t trust Reid’s instincts.But maybe now they will get their act together.
Anne Laurie
@smiley:
Human animals, also. Toddlers are notorious for throwing hissy-fits when “abandoned” at daycare or playschool, and then happily joining the party as soon as Mommy or Daddy drives off feeling like the world’s worst parent. As a rescue, Lily’s got bad memories that may keep her from ever being perfectly comfortable away from John, but she’ll be that much more joyful when he finallyfinallyFINALLY ! ! ! comes back for her.
jl
Poor Lily. But, she will be happy to see Cole when he gets back, and she will learn to enjoy the company of a good dog-sitter to take off the edge.
I look forward to reports on both Tunch’s and Lily’s behavior while their loyal and trusty servant was away on the trip.
Last trip we had an alarming report of a pee-less Lily, but no follow-up. I presume she peed before you got back.
Hope Cole has a good trip.
jl
Also. Do Tunch’s sitters know what they are getting into? Do they have special instructions or protective equipment if he gets really really hungry?
Steeplejack
@John O:
Lily to John’s brother: Okay, do you think he bought that whole departure scene? Good. Now where’s my bed and what’s for dinner?
jl
@valdivia:
“I just don’t trust Reid’s instincts.But maybe now they will get their act together.”
If Reid’s current instincts stem from his fear of defeat in the next election, I semi-trust them for now.
Demo Woman
@Anne Laurie: My rescue was left with friend when I was closing on the house where we had lived. She was aware of all the boxes and new something was going on but appeared fine. She howled the entire two and a half hours that I was gone. I had brought her toys with her and I’m sure she took that as a signal that was her new home.
A week later the same friends took care of her when I had to close on the house where we now reside. I left her toys in the car. She was fine.
Sasha
Next time bring a John Cole-scented shirt so that she won’t feel so lonely.
Bad Horse's Filly
@SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta:
This.
Cain
@Demo Woman:
And now we know why Obama chose to keep Lieberman in his position. He’s got a hanging axe over his head. We have him where we want him. The poor fuck.
cain
Just Some Fuckhead
@Laura W: This place could use a Cutest Commenter Contest. I’m getting tired of all the harmony and good will.
MikeJ
More cynically, I’d say that he expects to cash in on the netroots more than he’s afraid of angering them. What percentage of NV voters are good liberals anyway? Whatever, I don’t care. If the takeaway from this is “act liberal and get cash” I can live with that.
Betsy
Oh, this reminds me of my dog growing up. Every time she saw one of us take out a suitcase, she would get upset. Especially after I went to college – she’d always been my dog, rather than my mom’s, and every time I left after coming home for a visit she would get so sad. She wouldn’t leave my room from when I took out the suitcase to when I walked out the door, and she always slept pressed against my bedroom door after I’d left. It always made me feel terrible, because I couldn’t explain to her what was going on, why I was leaving, etc.
Ohhhh…I miss that dog. :'( She was with me from when I was 8 years old and saw me through some very hard times.
Elie aka The Amateur
Cat owners generally do not have your heart wrenching experience, except…
A few years ago my older cat Bill had a bad bout of inflammatory bowel disease and he was hospitalized for a couple of days. When I went to see him, I didnt know what to expect.
The veterinary tech led me to his kennel. When he saw me, he just mewed with pleasure and put his face against the kennel…when she lifted him onto my lap, he made sweet mewing sounds and kneaded my lap (a typical pleasure sign for a cat — has to do with their experience using their paws to express the milk from their momas as they nursed)…I will never forget that — holding him and having him purr in recognition and comfort as I stroked him and cuddled him … I got him to eat some kibbles and no one else had been able to — that is LOVE
So while I have never had a dog, the scene you paint resonates completely in every way, John…that is LOVE
valdivia
@jl:
I certainly hope so too.
kommrade reproductive vigor
Heh.
John O
@Steeplejack:
LOL, Steeplejack. Yes, dogs in particular can be bought, emotionally.
But in my experience it varies a bit from dog to dog, some owners claiming it is difficult to get them away from their caregivers, others saying it was obvious their dog would rather open a vein than spend another night with the Other.
But I’m with you on one thing: The TRULY great dogs know how to play it. They get their cake and eat it, too.
geg6
Anne Laurie @84: Cane has been neutered already. It should be interesting. Henry and Otis have problems getting along after 3 years. Henry is 11, so he is king of the pack, no doubt. He’s also the biggest (literally; he’s the biggest Lab I’ve ever known). Otis is approx. 5 (as a rescue, we can’t be completely sure), with some excitability problems due to being abused in his past life. We keep them apart, mostly. Henry gets most of the house (the bedroom is the really important room but he likes the kitchen a lot due to stray food) and Otis gets the rather large entryway, the eat-in part of the kitchen (equal stray food opportunity), and the sun room. We put a baby gate between the cooking part of the kitchen and the dining part and that keeps them from getting into it. They never try to break down the gate and will act somewhat friendly and affectionate through the gate. Just can’t put them together long as Otis irritates the hell out of Henry and, like I said, Henry’s BIG (even if he’s old, he’s mighty). I have no idea how this will work with Cane. He already has a crate, though, so he might have to be crated for a bit longer than he really should (in my opinion) while we see how he and Otis get along. I think they will work okay, but not sure. Henry will in no way tolerate this young would-be usurper. So I’m counting on Otis.
Elie aka The Amateur
Komrade reproductive vigor @ 107
ha,ha,ha,ha,ha, ha, snort snort ha, ha, ha!
Yeah!!! Nice little cat you got there Elie! (I knew that I should lay off those vitamins!)
SiubhanDuinne
@MikeJ / 9:30 pm
Actually doesn’t remind me of His Exalted Tunchitude at all. But please tell me the FSM (blessed be he) did not design this cat. I refuse to believe it. If she were mine, I’d just name her PhotoShop and be done with it.
On a totally unrelated topic — and yes, this just might be the most Off-Topickiest thing I’ve ever posted — I am enjoying a most remarkable confection right now. They are little hot coffee ginger chews, and they are strong enough to strip the veneer off a grand piano. I’m keeping a few around in case I get a cold and need something to clear out my sinuses fast, but they are wicked tasty if you like hot and strong (and I think you do, if you take my meaning). Truly, these are great and addictive. They’re made by The Ginger People. I bought them at Whole Foods. Yum.
Must.have.another.ginger.chew.
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
I hope that the rescue person–Evelyn?–has been using all the collateral publicity to solicit donations to her cause, and not putting all her eggs in the winning-the-contest basket. (And somewhere I noticed that it’s not a lump-sum million, either; it’s paid out over 30 years or so.)
Not trying to rain on the parade. What you gracious and giving women have accomplished is marvelous. But the contest hoopla has been getting really flaky the last few days.
John O
@Cain:
Agreed. More evidence that Obama has his best deal out on the table, at least privately.
People need to get over that some of us have skeelz (Tiger Woods…Federer…LBJ…Einstein…Mozart…J. Wadd…DaVinci…et al…the naked truth is that some of us are born with stuff the rest of us just fantasize about.
I’m about 95% sure whatever we get will suck by my own preferences, but also about 85% sure we’ll have done as well as we can at this particular point in our history. (We need a couple million more old people to pass.)
Trying to run this whole place is definitionally, purposefully hard.
Steeplejack
@Bad Horse’s Filly:
What, Brokeback Boeing or something? Haw.
Elie aka The Amateur
Siubhan:
I am up in Bellingham Wa way away from Whole foods down in Seattle.
I would love to get some of those up here. I will look them up on the web — our local coop is pretty good about getting stuff like this…
MikeJ
Metropolitan Market has them here in the Emerald City. Yummy.
Elie aka The Amateur
Okay Mike J —
Just have to reel them into Bellingham…
Bellinghamsters love this kind of stuff
Elie aka The Amateur
113 – John O
“I’m about 95% sure whatever we get will suck by my own preferences, but also about 85% sure we’ll have done as well as we can at this particular point in our history. (We need a couple million more old people to pass.)”
Trying to run this whole place is definitionally, purposefully hard”
i hear that
SiubhanDuinne
@Elie aka The Amateur
You can order on line at http://www.gingerpeople.com. I used to order from them all the time — they are great — but when WF opened less than half a mile from my house thank you very much, it proved much easier just to roam the aisles. BTW, GP also make killer ginger juice, which is wonderful on ice but simply blissful served hot. And you don’t want to get me started on the chocolate-covered ginger.
But these hot coffee ginger chews are something else. You get a nice buzz while your sinuses are being Roto Rootered.
Genine
Awww, Lily is very strong and resilient. I’m sure she’ll be just fine. Just think about how happy she’ll look when you come back.
Tunch will be alright, of course.
Laura W
@Steeplejack: Did you read my post? I know you’re a pretty deep guy, so maybe I was not clear. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt here. No matter about the contest. Bitsy won $500 (hopefully she’ll see it in her lifetime.) She could win lots more, too!
We can’t possibly know the future ramifications of what has been set in motion here. Evelyn has been self-funding her rescue efforts out of her own pockets for decades. I doubt she had even one egg in this basket. Over the last week, she has emailed me about 9 or 10 additional animals she has pulled from our kill shelter and placed in foster homes, while working real estate, while tracking this contest, sleeping little and giving much. All of this attention, press and concentrated energy CAN ONLY HELP the cause. I really don’t know what to say to be any more clear.
Except:
BITSYGATE.
I had to get that attributed to me in print before Fuckhead stole it and claimed it was his. He’s sneaky that way, you know. And a pathological, bouncing liar to boot.
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@Cain: Hope you’re right Cain. As of Oct 16th:
http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/10/16/news/a3-nejoe.txt
Fucking wanker.
gwangung
@SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta: Wanker, but he’s playing it for all he’s got, for the maximum leverage.
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@Bad Horse’s Filly: Do you use for dogs or cats, or both? They have a hard candy drop too that I use since I’m off alcohol 29+ years and can’t do the drops. Helps when I get in that screaming mood! :)
John O
@SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta:
Joe the L is one of my more despised human beings. To this day, I can’t believe the Dems were stupid enough to throw their weight against Lamont.
It really is just another frat.
Just Some Fuckhead
The itsy Little Bitsy
Climbed up the winner’s list
Out came the crazies
To catcall, boo and hiss
Down went the contest
In totally disarray
But the itsy Little Bitsy-
She had her special day.
Elie aka The Amateur
SiubhanDuinne
Thanks… I will do — also with the ginger juice…
BTW
I have gotten completely into locally layed, real chicken, eggs. Our local farmers market has two to three vendors who have supplied the community with beautiful, multi colored and very rich, eggs from chickens which are out and about scratching and eating bugs, etc. These eggs have bright yellow orange yolks and are creamy in texture scrambled— to die for…… Made a great coconut cake from em….
Hope my cholesterol stays under control …
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@John O: Funny you should say that. I was just musing to myself about which were my top three most-hated dem senators. I truly despise Ben Nelson. I loathe Landrieu, especially since her ridiculous comments about how people thought the public option meant free health care. But even more than those two, I hate, detest and abhor Joe Lieberman. Then I remember hate is very bad for one’s soul and try to think about puppies instead.
John O
@SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta:
That’s exactly how I go about it, SIA.
But it is easier for me to forgive Landrieu and Nelson, because at least they’re sort of conceptually and science-fictionally representing their constituents. Joe, not so much.
Joe represents Joe. And I’m tired of it, and a smart political party would’ve been tired of it in time, too.
Litlebritdifrnt
@Elie aka The Amateur:
One year there was a particularly nasty grey cat in my neighborhood that pissed everyone off. It was just mean. Someone called the pound and in a defensive move the pound picked up every grey cat in the neighborhood, including my boy Con, who is fixed, wore a collar, with a bell even! (Imagine the same scenario with humans, “black haired man sought in murder case, so they pick up every black haired man and put them in jail until someone can vouch for them). Anyhoo, I noticed Con was missing and of course went to the pound to look for him after he did not come home for dinner for a day or so. After initially not letting me in the cat room cause I had open toed shoes on (what is up with that), they let me in and I looked in all the cages. He wasn’t there, but there was one cage that looked empty, except it had a large cardboard sign on it that said “WILD” in large red letters. I looked into the back of the cage and there he was cowering in the corner. I said “Con sweetie pie where have you been?” He came straight to the front of the cage and tried to claw his way out, I went to open the cage door and the volunteer handed me a pair of heavy leather gauntlets “you may need these” he said, I laughed at him. Con immediately jumped onto my lap while I cried and he covered my face with kisses. The full time worker lady from the pound was laughing fit to bust and said “well there’s no doubt who momma is there”. I made bail and Con came home with me (without the need for leather gauntlets), he pretty much lived on the computer monitor from that point, you know just to be safe.
Just Some Fuckhead
Maybe they were just picking up all the cons in the area? That’s not unusual.
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
I get that. And what Evelyn has accomplished is a marvel. I guess I am addressing some vague itching from the spidey sense that wonders whether she is working too hard all on her own and possibly not letting in the universe to help.
Has she set up a charitable organization to which people can make tax-deductible donations? All the publicity that Bitsy is getting is great, but sometimes you still have to ask for the money. Otherwise people just read and think, “Well, glad that’s being taken care of.” Hell, even a whip-round with the BJ crowd would probably net some significant bucks, and I don’t remember that ever being mentioned.
Again, let me stress that I’m trying not to rain on the parade. What Evelyn and the rest of you have accomplished is near-miraculous, and the chaos and stress of the last week have taken their toll, I’m sure. But the contest is not the end goal. The goal, as you said in your message–which I did read–is “to raise funds and awareness for animal rescue here in WNC.” The contest is an avenue to (potentially) raise funds for Evelyn’s rescue operation. But there are other avenues.
All of that attention, press and concentrated energy can only help the cause, as you said, but energy always needs a medium through which it can be channeled into reality and made manifest. Just sayin’ make sure the lightning rod is deployed on the roof and hooked up to the generator.
My apologies if there’s already a charitable organization set up, if I missed the passing of the collection plate, etc. I may not have followed all the developments as closely as I could have.
And I brought this up now because you wrote that this would be your last post, or one of the last posts, on the contest.
freelancer
@SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta:
@John O:
The greater hate is my self-loathing for holding my nose and voting for that horrible piece of shit because the alternative was This GUY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hgueKg3yVI
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK7bUYHCTsM
It’s like, even if the property tax allegations were true, WTF?!
I weep, cause I wanted Scott Kleeb, and all I got was this corporatist scold.
Litlebritdifrnt
@Elie aka The Amateur:
I try to get free range eggs whenever I can, I spoke to a farmer at the Raleigh farmer’s market and he told me (could be rubbish but who knows) that organic, free-range eggs are much lower in bad cholesterol and much higher in good stuff than battery hen eggs. I am sure that he could be lying to me, but happy eggs come from happy hens, and I swear that the taste of a fresh, organic, free-range egg is a million times better than the battery hen rubbish that most grocery stores sell. As a bonus most of the eggs he sold me (huge brown things almost the size of goose eggs) were double yolkers, it was well worth the $5.00 a dozen I paid for them.
Litlebritdifrnt
@Just Some Fuckhead:
PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPPPS(or however you do a raspberry in internet speak) :)
PS) He was named Amy’s Con, because one of my DH’s students conned us into taking him.
Little Macayla's Friend
I just noticed a couple of regular commenters are typing in to whom they are responding and the time stamp.
For a couple of days after the Weven War, instead of the gray arrow by time stamps, I had a red X and whatever text there. If that’s happening, I was able to right click on the X, click ‘Show Picture’, and then very quickly click the icon that replaced the red X before the icon turned back into an X.
It was also at that time that I lost the edit function.
If it’s not a problem, my apologies to WP.
SiubhanDuinne
Re eggs: decades ago my father acquired two female ducks (Easter ducklings all grown up). They laid wonderful huge eggs for him every day and trotted after him everywhere he went, like dogs at heel. This was long before anyone knew or cared much about HDLs and LDLs and Trigs, but I’ll just bet those were nice healthful eggs.
BTW, the ducks were named Phenooken and Jacoby after a couple of TV cops (flatfeet, heh).
ellie
Whenever I have to leave my husband at home to watch the dog and the cats, he says they look at him with these unbelieving looks on their faces like, “What the hell do you think you’re doing? I thought you were one of us and that lady took care of us all.”
Morbo
Kind of reminds me of my aunt and uncle’s dog. Give her some time; he eventually got pretty used to being left at my grandparents’ and not making a big fuss. (That might have something to do with the fact that they tend to drop food for him sometimes intentionally sometimes not). And he lets me walk him when they leave him at home, which he doesn’t do for a lot of people. I’m sure it doesn’t make you fell any better now, but it’s just part of growing together.
And you both have something to look forward to when you get back.
Just Some Fuckhead
@ellie:
omigod, u know how to use the can opener?
Florida Cynic
Blast past all the comments. You has a sad, Lilly has a sad. When you come back, the bond strengthens. For both of you.
SiubhanDuinne
@SiubhanDuinne / 11:00 pm
Turns out “Phenooken” is actually “Finucane” from a 1959 show called Manhunt.
Lieutenant Jacoby was in Peter Gunn.
Thank you, IMDb. They’re still good names for ducks.
Laura W
@Steeplejack: I’m too exhausted tonight to go back and link you to every single, repetitive comment I’ve made on this blog over the seven or eight weeks since this Sunday morning initial post. August 30th.
But I will say, if you are not ad blocking, two of the three PW ads (I had about 12 created for this purpose) that are running currently in the left sidebar give clear indications of the name of Evelyn’s soon-to-be non-profit org and the mailing address. Those were two of the very first, and we intentionally got her permission to use her info in such a public manner as to solicit direct funds. Many, if not all, of my comments in threads when questions arose addressed these issues specifically.
Would it really be appropriate for me to ask John to ask BJ readers to give money to a local NC animal charity because I requested it? Why me? Why WNC? You can follow that thread to its logical conclusion. I asked John weeks ago if he would be willing to front page this contest for this cause, and he did. Here is his first post. Sept. 3. There have been many, many others since, as the contest gained popularity and Bitsy gained momentum and Juicers rallied behind the cause.
I don’t mean to sound (too) pissy here, Steep, but this has gone on since late August and now we’re nearly at Halloween. Ain’t been much we’ve not tried to do and cover and explain on a near-daily basis.
But thanks for asking!
Violet
Laura W. and Sylvia,
It was fun to be a part of such a good cause, helping Little Bitsy help other animals. I hope the contest finally ends in such a way that people can find a way to be happy with it. And of course I hope Little Bitsy prevails. But more than that, I’m glad it brought you guys together and raised awareness of animal rescue in your neck of the woods. That’s a win for everyone.
And sylvia, if this is your new online home, welcome!
Steeplejack
@Laura W:
My apologies.
Anne Laurie
@SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta:
I’ve heard two other possible explanations for this all-too-common behavior. One is that the ‘abandoned’ pets are setting up their last line of defense — they may have to give up the rest of the house but THE BED IS SACRED and they will protect it at all costs. (I actually knew one dog who did this when his interim caretaker slept at ‘his’ house. in the guest room, but not if the same person just stopped by several times a day to feed & walk him.) The other is that your cats figure you’re liable to get lost without their help to guide you, and they’re scentmarking your bed ‘Yoo-hoo, over HERE, yes we MISSED you!’ the way an escaped cat will home in on their owner’s sweaty tshirt or sock left outside as a scent-beacon.
Elie aka The Amateur
Littlebitdifrnt:
Oh I know how you felt as you felt Con’s joy! As with Bill, it rippled through his whole body I bet. That kind of pleasure/joy/love is what life is about…I am so happy that I and you and others have lived to experience it…
The eggs to Littlebit and Siubhan:
Yeah…I am a city slicker at heart but in the last few years have gone over to the other side in relation to food. Ahhh those huge, heavy, healthy hen’s eggs from happy chickens are heavier, their shells are thicker and their yolks sit up on the whites totally differently than usual store bought eggs. Our egg lady has Rhode Island reds, Leghorns and Auracona (medium sized, light blue eggs). She brings pics of the “hen of the week”. She says that they follow her around in the yard. She lets them out in the garden and they pick it clean of vermin/bugs. She has to get em back into the coup at night though, cause everything loves to eat chickens from racoons, weasels, and fox to your neighbor’s dogs. Believe me, I am toying with the idea of having a few myself.
SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta
@Anne Laurie: Yes, those are definitely possibilities. One (or both) the cats have taken to peeing on the dog beds. Not as serious as peeing on MY bed which has only happened a couple of times, but troubling. Our 12-year old beauty Maggie died about a month ago, and it’s possible they’re just still upset about that. And Mickey, our “little” dachsund/rottweiler mix, affectionately nicknamed “Sarge” has occasionally gone after the cats a bit aggressively when they intrude on her space. so they could be doing a passive-aggressive thing with her. We have the dog beds covered with those diaper looking things people use to housetrain a puppy. It’s driving me crazy whatever the reason.
Danceswithwords
I dogsat a dog who had a very definite Person. The late lamented Floyd lived with me when Doug was my roommate, so he knew me and the house and loved the neighborhood, but I was not Doug.
After Doug moved out, the first time I dogsat Floyd, he was a little frantic, and settled down into a routine unhappily. But then Doug came back.
The second time I dogsat Floyd, he was antsy, but settled in after a while. Then Doug came back.
The third through 25th times I dogsat Floyd, he was on alert the first night for Doug’s return, but settled in happily after that and had a good visit, and was ecstatic when Doug came back.
Dogs live in the moment, but they also learn patterns. Hopefully, Lily is having a good time while you’re gone, so that she has pleasant associations with your dogsitter of choice. That way, you can leave her there knowing that the parting is hard but that she knows you’ll always be back for her.
2th&nayle
@Steeplejack: “You’re a better man and than I am, Gunga Din.”
2th&nayle
@2th&nayle: Strike the ‘and’. My kingdom for an edit button!
Steeplejack
@2th&nayle:
Thanks. I think.
The vibe here has been weird the last few days. Uptick in troll incursions, longer and more involved troll-baiting, longtime commenters involved in lengthy misunderstandings (including me, apparently, LQTM*). There was one long one yesterday that turned on whether unemployed people would have more or less time to volunteer at the food co-op.
Yeesh. It’s not a full moon, is it?
Or maybe it’s just me.
* LQTM = laughing quietly to myself. Funny, but not as funny as LOL.
2th&nayle
@Steeplejack: You read me right, and no, it’s not just you. It may that the crazy over at the cute doggy contest is contagious or something. Not sure, but things seem to be in an altered state around here. But discretion being the better part of valor and all that, I think you made the right call. h/p
Anne Laurie
@Steeplejack:
Nope. Season of the Witch. For those of us in the temperate northern hemisphere, shorter days, colder nights, all the leaves are brown and the sky is grey. Even though we can turn night into artificial day & no longer have to worry about storing up enough food to get us through the upcoming lean months, it can make us sad & anxious & irritable. You can call it Seasonal Affective Disorder if you’re afraid the scientismers will snap at you.
Steeplejack
@2th&nayle:
I’ll stick to safe, straightforward issues like “Obama [is | is not] a sellout because he [does | does not] want a public option.” That’s the ticket.
Steeplejack
@Anne Laurie:
Hey, that’s, like, poetic. You should write a song or something. LQTM.
I take your point. But it’s still weird. Maybe because autumn is my favorite season.
2th&nayle
@Steeplejack: Ohh yeah! That ought to work out REAL well for ya! No controversy there! haha!
Andy K
Aww, Cole, this story’s worthy of a song…This one, mebbe:
Walter Brennan- Old Shep
2th&nayle
@Steeplejack: What? No reference to “Season of the Witch”? Donavan will be crushed. Stephan Stills too!
Steeplejack
@2th&nayle:
I was thinking it, I was thinking it! Jeez, now I’ve got to see if I can dig out my old copy of Super Session.
Holy shnikeys! It’s only $7.98 on Amazon. It’d be easer to order it than to find it in all my junk. . . . Hmm, MP3’s available.
Steeplejack
@2th&nayle:
Damn it, now you’ve got me spiraling down the music hole.
This can only end with me listening to Moby Grape at 5:00 a.m.
2th&nayle
I once left my Border Collie with some friends while I went out of town for three days. When I got back she was sitting out by the main road and about had a heart attack of joy when she saw my truck. As soon as I opened the truck door she jumped in and wouldn’t come out until I got her home. My friends told me she sat out by the road watching for me the whole time I was gone. After that, when I had to leave, I just left her at home and one or the other of my friends would come by to feed her. Even now when she rides with me, I have a hard time getting her out of truck. I guess “burn me once” is her motto now. Good dog!
Steeplejack
@2th&nayle:
Good dog, good story.
Okay, I’m going to try to pack it in before the late-night music thing gets out of hand. I’ve already linked to “Abraham, Martin and John” on the other thread. That’s a cry for help right there.
2th&nayle
@Steeplejack: “You’ve got to pick up every stitch…”
It’s amazing the music you can find these days if you just look around. We have an excellent used record/CD store here locally. A while back I got this old, fairly obscure, Dylan song in my head that was off the sound track to “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid”. Anyway, I call him up and ask if he can find it for me. He sez it’s my lucky day and he’s got a pristine LP that he’ll hold for me if I want it. Album didn’t have a scratch and he charged me $6.00 and burned me a CD for nothing. Hell, I think I payed more than that back in the day! Couldn’t believe it!
Steeplejack
@2th&nayle:
That’s cool that you can get the LP and a burned CD. Hmm, hadn’t thought of that. There’s lots of LPs I would be interested in that never made it to CD, but I wouldn’t want to invest in all the equipment to transfer them to CD (or just to the computer) myself.
I’m finishing my drink and I’m out of here. No, really, I’m gone. I’ll check back in the morning.
2th&nayle
@Steeplejack: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Story of my life! “Just one more then I’m out a here!” Oww, that reminds me! I’ve got some beer out in the truck left over from Saturday! Ha! Thanks for reminding me Steep!
“Think I’ll roll another number for the road…”
Lisa K.
This might help your sad.
href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6C6YCTNqVo&feature=player_embedded”>
Evelyn Bridges
@Laura W: This is my first time to write on this blog. I am the one who found Little Bitsy and rescued her. I have been overwhelmed with the support for Little Bitsy by Laura W., John C, Ann A, and so many others. Without the help of ballon-juice and its followers, I know that Little Bitsy would not have won Week 12 of the Cutest Dog Competition with 9,030 votes. What an accomplishment. I want to let everyone know that my gratitude runs deep for all the caring for our needy, hungry, abused, injured, abandoned, unloved and lonely animals. Just with the $500 that Little Bitsy won a as a weekly winner, we can spay/neuter and give shots to 10 animals to help them find loving homes.
When I got home last night after a roller coaster day of
“yes, we are going to Oprah Show” to “no, we are not going to the show” and so much drama and discord about the contest itself, I had a letter from someone in Seattle, WA (I live in Western North Carolina). Inside was a letter and a generous donation to the Charlie Powers Memorial Animal Fund (which has been listed on balloon-juice website for weeks) from Mary L. She is a regular reader and thanked me for helping the animals and sent money help. WOW..I cannot tell you how much that touched the very essence of my soul and heart. That has been the whole purpose of Little Bitsy being in the contest: to help our animals have a happy ending like she has had with Sylvia and Barney. What a blessing this has already been.
So again,thank you from me, Sylvia, Little Bitsy, and all the animals being helped now and the ones that are stilling waiting for our help.
Evelyn B.
jnfr
Thanks for checking in, Evelyn, and for all the work you do. It’s great to know this little campaign has had a good impact for the animals.
Comrade Darkness
@Elie aka The Amateur: When we picked our cat up after minor surgery (just overnight) he was SO grateful. Just ecstatically pawing, rubbing affectionate. And stayed that was for a week or so.
The vet must be a horrific place for an animal. It must smell, like screaming flashing sirens would be for us, of pain and fear and animal-instinct flight response.
JenJen
@Cain:
Cats too!! When I come home from a trip, while the dogs are barking and dog-smiling and wagging their butts and jumping and just being generally thrilled, my sweet old kitty Joey lays in the middle of the floor and does a Happy Roll. Over and over and over again. :-)
By the way, Cole, et al… ever see this video? Get the hankies ready:
My Dogs greeting me after returning from 14 months in Iraq
Comrade Darkness
@Evelyn Bridges: Thanks for posting. Good luck on the next round. I have a good feeling about her getting in. If for no other reason than two pomeranians is at least one too many.
JenJen
@Evelyn Bridges:
That makes it all worth it so far, doesn’t it? And what wonderful news about the donation from Mary.
Evelyn, we are really pulling for Little Bitsy! In fact, I’d say most of us are quite emotionally invested at this point. :-) Best of luck in the final vote!
Randy P
I Am Not A Cat Person.
However, the cats I have lived with throughout the course of my marriage never knew this, or chose to ignore it. I am currently the main human company for our supposedly-independent black long-hair. She’ll disappear for hours through her kitty door (though in fact we know most of those hours are spent on the porch just the other side of the door). She puts on every sign of independence, except…
Once a day or so, for no good reason, she’ll come in and start mewing loudly and pitifully as she walks through the house until she encounters a human to pick her up. She really, really seems to need to be picked up and held for a while a couple of times day. But she can’t stand being in laps. It has to be a standing human.
I keep telling her she’s not doing this feral cat thing very convincingly, but she’s not listening…
My wife thinks it has to do with age, that she was wilder when she was young and has gotten needier as she aged (she’s 8 now). She’s the expert, so she’s probably right.
LiberalTarian
It wasn’t so long ago you were indecisive about whether you should bring her home. Then, you weren’t sure she was ever going to get over where they had her before. Now, she’s the glue that holds your day together, and apparently vice versa.
Amazing what can happen in a year. Just amazing.
I’m so glad you gave her a chance. Funny, I bet you can’t even remember having mixed feeling about it.
asiangrrlMN
@Evelyn Bridges: It’s really good to hear from you, Evelyn. You’re doing such important work.