Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Mediocre white men think RFK Jr’s pathetic midlife crisis is inspirational. The bar is set so low for them, it’s subterranean.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

Beware of advice from anyone for whom Democrats are “they” and not “we.”

Celebrate the fucking wins.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

They want us to be overwhelmed and exhausted. Focus. Resist. Oppose.

“I was told there would be no fact checking.”

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Stand up, dammit!

That meeting sounds like a shotgun wedding between a shitshow and a clusterfuck.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

Books are my comfort food!

the 10% who apparently lack object permanence

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

So very ready.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

America is going up in flames. The NYTimes fawns over MAGA celebrities. No longer a real newspaper.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

The “burn-it-down” people are good with that until they become part of the kindling.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Dog Blogging / Some Good News!

Some Good News!

by | 80 Comments

This post is in: ,

Remember Garnet, the adorable St. Bernard who had a rough life, was rescued by MARC, but needed expensive heartworm treatments? I posted about it, and you generous souls donated a ton of money and got her and a bunch of other animals the help they need and deserve. Well, I have an update. It appears that Garnet was transported from Tennessee to PA, where she was picked up by commenter Keith, who had applied to become her forever home. Here’s a pic of Garnet in her crate on her way to her forever home:

Garnet on way to PA

We saved a dog’s life, got her a forever home, and that forever home is someone within the Balloon Juice Community! If that isn’t the most awesome trifecta ever, I don’t know what is. Hopefully Keith will end me some picks and pop in the comments section to give us updates.

Coming to you in 2014- GARNET IN THE PETS OF BALLOON JUICE CALENDAR!

Reader Interactions

80Comments

  3. 3.

    John Cole

    @ruemara: I used to think that way before I got Lily and Rosie, but now, when I hear about pet adoptions, I think “YAY FOR THE OWNER!” We get so much more out of this deal than the dogs do. All it costs me is a little food, some treats, and I have the best friends in the world.

  6. 6.

    Raven

    @John Cole: And cataract surgery, 5 eye meds twice a day for life, Atopica for Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia and special food for all her problems! I wouldn’t trade her for the world!

  13. 13.

    Ed in NJ

    I love stories like this. Keith is a lucky guy. I remember the feeling of first bringing our dog Champ home.

    Unfortunately, we suddenly lost our beloved Chow/Shephard mix a couple of weeks ago and the house just doesn’t seem the same. It hurts just to write this. Hopefully in a few months we’ll start thinking about adopting another, but after 15 years, it’s going to take some time to get used to the idea of someone else.

  14. 14.

    Alison

    @Ed in NJ: I’m so sorry, Ed. It is so so hard to lose them, isn’t it? And yeah…it takes a long time for things to feel “normal” again. Hope you and yours are holding up okay.

  16. 16.

    geg6

    Such great news! Congratulations to Keith and to Garnet!

    Speaking of the BJ pet calendar, will it be ready for the upcoming pagan winter celebrations? I’m dying to see what month my Otis is one of the poster boys for.

  17. 17.

    jacy

    This is likely to be the most awesome Balloon Juice Christmas story for a long time to come. Congrats to Keith and to Garnet and to all the critters who were also helped out.

    This is the best online joing ever, and don’t let anyone tell you any different. :)

  18. 18.

    phoebes-in-santa fe

    By the way, does anyone know when the 2013 pet calendar is going to be released? I have four cats in it; two gone but still loved and two still around. Look for “Alice Obama” and “Robin Obama” sitting on a table, looking out the front window at a bird’s nest. They’re the ones who are still here and are mightily happy they didn’t have to have their names changed to “Alice Romney” and “Robin Romney”!

  20. 20.

    trollhattan

    That’s no mooncrate!

    Awesome, congrats to Keith and Garnet and good work, everybody. Next: research kibble by the long ton and purchase of a rather large shovel.

  21. 21.

    JPL

    Long ago before global warming, a high school friend walked to my house during a snow storm with her St. Bernard. The dog got warm by cuddling with Dad on the sofa much to his surprise. They are great companions and I’m sure Keith will share many stories with us.

  22. 22.

    Ted & Hellen

    Wonderful, glad, and happy yuletide news in this season of joyful celebration of the birth of our lord and savior Christ Jesus.

  24. 24.

    hintn

    Here’s how sorry I am – While finally checking out the BJ store I figured out that the proceeds from this mother go to Jasper freaking Tennessee, which is right next door to me and the mother of all (…) words fail me, but suffice to say that us folk around heah don’ have a good opinion. SO, great for Garnet, great for BJ and REALLY great for our neighbor (and d’oh for me!!!)! Also too, even though we have three more calendars than we rightfully require, when is the doggone BJ calendar comin’ out so I can send more money to these deserving folks just down the GD road?

  25. 25.

    Violet

    Yay for Balloon-Juice and Garnet and Keith! Happy news for everyone. Garnet looks so sweet in the crate. She doesn’t know the exciting future she’s going to with Keith and her forever home. Awww…

  28. 28.

    JPL

    @Ed in NJ: I lost a Shar Pei and a Golden within two weeks of each other. The Golden was over sixteen and after Pudgy died, lost the will to live. I waited over two years before adopting the most beautiful girl in the world and that was the most miserable two years of my life. btw.. If you have the 2012 Calendar, Moxie is Miss September, although she’s in the lower left hand side. She was on display at the Pet’s Mart adoption event and I saw her earlier in the day and somehow, I just knew if I went back at five, she’d wait for me. She’ll be around 14 in February.

  29. 29.

    MattR

    @Violet: Some WP error. Others have posted more technical explanations but it seems to be related to the “edit” functionality and generally goes away once you refresh the webpage after the time to edit your comment has expired.

  31. 31.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    @John Cole: John, that goes for people adoptions too. I used to hear “That’s such a good thing you did for those kids” and my reply was “No, that’s such a good thing they did for me.”

  32. 32.

    Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason

    @J. Michael Neal: I worked on a novel, oh, about 30 years ago. I posted Robert Heinlein’s rules of writing on the wall (and yes, this is from memory).

    1. You must write.
    2. You must finish what you write.
    3. You must not rewrite except by editorial order.
    4. You must put it on the market and keep it on the market until sold.

    Brutal. I never got through #2. Keep it up.

    Oh, and Heinlein’s rule for dealing with editors:

    “Always leave at least one mistake. After the editor pisses in it, he likes the flavor better, and then he buys it.”

  34. 34.

    Calming Influence

    Way to go Keith! Hoping you’ll enjoy many years of big wet slobbery St. Bernard smooches.

    And Cole, once again, you done good. Cheers.

  38. 38.

    MikeJ

    So when are that guy from Wings and that guy from Foo Fighters supposed to go on? I can do without Bon Jovi.

  43. 43.

    jl

    The pic for this post is not the Garnet shot for the calendar, is it?

    Should get a good beefcake short of Garnet, to go with the sultry kitty.

    Garnet looks like he would make some good canine beefcake.

  44. 44.

    PurpleGirl

    This is a great development for Garnet and Keith. I hope they have each other for a long, happy time.

  45. 45.

    MattR

    @MikeJ: McCartney goes on last and the Nirvana guys are supposed to join in 15-20 minutes in. Minute by minute spoilers are here (though the setlists have not been 100% accurate so far)

  48. 48.

    Higgs Boson's Mate

    Congratulations to Keith and to Garnet. Three years ago I adopted my first pet in 50 years (The USN had a “No dogs on Destroyers” rule). I had no idea why I brought him him home and now I have no idea how we lived without him.

  49. 49.

    MikeJ

    @MattR: Thanks! Looks like “last”is kind of relative though. After Grohl are The Who and The Rolling Stones, although from other stages.

  50. 50.

    Raven

    @Higgs Boson’s Mate: I have a picture somewhere of my dad’s WWII destroyer, The USS Crosby, APD17/DD164 with a dog on deck. Of course in 4 years in the Pacific war they probably made a few rules of their own.

  52. 52.

    jl

    @Raven: Where was that info? In the comments? From the posts I thought Garnet was a he.

    I guess I just revealed some contemptible canine sexism. Sorry.

    Well, just don’t put the pic of the poor dog peering out of the crate in the calendar, is all.

  53. 53.

    notoriousJRT

    @Ed in NJ:

    My condolences, Ed. It is a hard kind of sad. I hope you get a new 4 legged pal to help fill the void as soon as you are ready.

  55. 55.

    MattR

    @MikeJ: I think you are reading that wrong. It goes down each column, then over to the next one. Clapton is on next and then the Stones go on after him (with Chelsea Clinton and Jimmy Fallon as filler).

  56. 56.

    Raven

    Garnet was rescued from a high kill pound. She obviously did not have a good life. She may be 3 or 4 years old by her teeth but sometimes acts like a puppy! She has worn off all her front teeth almost to the gums and her canines are broken. Maybe from trying to chip ice to get water or biting at wire or metal to get free. She is quite skinny and her coat is dry. It seems to be getting better and growing in some since she has been with her foster parents who like to foster the giant breeds. She is smaller than most Saint Bernards. She went today ( November 26th) for her first heart worm treatment. Total of 3 treatments are needed and the total cost is $535.00 in addition to expenses of being spayed, vaccinations, and intestinal worm treatment. She is a sweet and gentle girl who now deserves to become healthy and find a loving forever home. Your help is needed. Donations can be made via PayPal at MARC website: marc4change.org/~marc/

  60. 60.

    Higgs Boson's Mate

    @Raven:

    My dad was an assault boat coxswain throughout the island hopping campaign in WWII. His APA (Assault Troop Transport, think “Away All Boats”)that was the mother ship had a ship’s dog. I think you’re right; the was in the Pacific went on for so long and was so brutal that the rules were pretty much up to the skipper.

    While stationed ashore in a combat zone in yet another war my Navy outfit was adopted by two local mutt dogs. That was forty four years ago. The dogs were named Mash and Ralph.

  61. 61.

    MikeJ

    @redshirt: For the big picture yeah, the load issues seem sort of silly, but they happen so rarely (now that the election is over) they’re hardly worth fixing. Really fixing it would probably mean moving to a blogging platform that doesn’t have to be all things to all people and can therefore be efficient, unlike the pig that WP is. Sadly there’s not anything that works anything close to off the shelf that’s much better than WordPress.

    WordPress is so awful because it’s customizable and extensible and it’s just so darned easy to make it run slow. Its strength is its biggest weakness.

  64. 64.

    pat

    please please please do not go to discus. I refuse to sign up so I can no longer read comments from Roy Edroso and a couple of others. Sigh….

    fywp is no problem at all in comparison…

  65. 65.

    pat

    whoa, there is that missing argument crap everyone has been going on about. Sheesh. But still better than having to sigh up for discus.

  67. 67.

    MikeJ

    @pat: You don’t have to sign up for discus to read or comment on it. I comment at edroso’s and at slacktivist and have no discus (or facebook) login. (I do have a google login, but I don’t use it for commenting.) You can put in any username you want and any email address you want, just like you can here.

  68. 68.

    TaMara (BHF)

    @Ed in NJ: That hole is just awful, I know. The new one won’t necessarily fill it, but they will sure carve their own spot.

    And yay on Keith and Garnett. And no those aren’t tears, I’ve got a terrible cold. Really.

  70. 70.

    pat

    mikej: I’ll go back and take another look at discus, but since I updated some dumb thing or another in IE, it keeps asking me to sign in. I hate updates. Just when you learn how something works, some idiot decides to change it to make it “better.” If BJ ever squats out on me, I’ll turn off my computer for good and get a HELL of a lot more done..

  73. 73.

    Elie

    Joy to all — to Garnet, her new forever friend and to all of us who were uplifted this day to bear witness to goodness.

    thanks be!

  74. 74.

    asiangrrlMN

    Yahooooo! Yay for Miss Garnet and Keith! I hope you have a long and happy life together. Pics and stories definitely needed. And, yay for the BJ community for coming through yet again.

    @Ed in NJ: I’m so sorry for the loss of your Champ. What a gorgeous dog, and how hard it must be to lose him so suddenly. My deepest condolences to you and your family.

  75. 75.

    WereBear

    @Ed in NJ: What a Champ!

    I can see chow in the face. I had a Newfie mix who had a purple tongue. That was the only way you could see the chow, really, except the chow stubborness came out in the way he really really really wanted to love you :)

    I’m so sorry.

  79. 79.

    Sawgrass Stan

    Bro. Keith– a lot of us gave money, but you REALLY stepped up. We’re hoping for lotsa pictures, ’cause we know that Garnet’s getting a good home. Major, major props.

  80. 80.

    Sue (Garnet's foster mom)

    Hi guys! This Balloon Juice thing is great! Not only did y’all donate LOTS of money for Garnet’s HW treatment and to help other animals through MARC she found a wonderful forever home w/ Keith and Karen and their two other BIG girls! My husband Perry and I were Garnet’s foster parents. I am one of the directors of MARC in rural TN and we have soooo very many dogs and cats we cannot possible help them all but we try.

    I just heard yesterday from Keith and Karen that Garney, as we fondly call her is very happy and fitting in very well. I believe they are working on getting some good pictures of Garnet and her sisters so we can all see them.

    As an aside, the lady who did the home visit said that the home and family were so great she wanted them to adopt her!!

    Thank you all soooo very much for helping our Marion County TN animals. You haven’t seen the last of us! Please come visit any time you are in our neighborhood!
    Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and hope everyone has a Peaceful New Year! Sue Scruggs

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