I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY... by Janine Allen

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels.
I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her.
I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid.  As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage.  I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today.  Sometimes the overworked shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.
As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past.  I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life.
She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me.  I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.  Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship.  A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms.
I would promise to keep her safe.
I would promise to always be by her side.
I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.
I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor.  So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors.  So many more to be saved.  At least I could save one.
I rescued a human today.

My favorite moment of this election!

http://jubal51394.livejournal.com/1012997.html

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

Golden Retriever:

"The sun is shining, the day is young, we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and you’re inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?"

Border Collie:

"Just one. And then I’ll replace any wiring that’s not up to code."

Dachshund:

"You know I can’t reach that stupid lamp!"

Rottweiler:

"Make me."

(If you think this is a joke, you've never owned a Rottie!)

It’s been sixteen days since Sophie dug her way out of the yard on the 9th

http://jubal51394.livejournal.com/1145983.html

I haven’t written much about my life since then. I haven’t actually been able to. I’ve been way too busy. I just realized, rereading my account of that adventure… that I’d left out the most important episode… how I felt when it was finally over.

I am 65 years old, 5’2”, and weigh a whoppin’ 120 pounds! I have had a heart attack (or two) and a stroke? And do ya know that Sophie weighs 95 pounds and is only three years old?

http://www.amrottclub.org/introduc.htm

"The Rottweiler is a robust, powerful and loyal breed with pronounced protective instincts. He is an outstanding companion and guard but ownership of a Rottweiler carries much greater than average legal and moral responsibilities, due to traits possessed by this breed, their size and strength. The Rottweiler is not a breed that fits into every home.

TRAINING: The Rottweiler has been developed for its working ability and often blooms when given a chance to work with its master. It is very necessary to establish your control of the animal and obedience training is often the easiest and most rewarding way to do so. Rottweilers can often be controlled using verbal reprimands alone, and while they occasionally require strong physical corrections, some trainers tend to be much rougher on Rottweilers than is necessary. Women have been very successful with the dogs in obedience training. Physical mastery of the dog is generally less important than sensitive, patient, and positive training methods. Patience is an important factor in training a Rottweiler.

DISCIPLINE: The Rottweiler is a sensitive, intelligent and loyal animal and usually wants to please its owner. Occasionally, it can be quite stubborn though, and requires more attention. it is imperative that discipline is consistent and firm without being overly rough. A harsh word will often suffice, although sharper corrections are sometimes necessary. Ownership isn't for the timid or very busy person who cannot or is not inclined towards careful supervision of his/her pet."

Yeah! I knew all this stuff before we got Sophie. I actually provided Honey with this link… and counted on him to take it seriously and train this “big black brat” like a responsible owner should. Silly me!

Well… after bringing her back home nearly killed me, I decided that I wanted the job done right... We all know what that means, right?

She is so very stubborn! It has taken me ten whole days to teach her to come… instantly and unquestioningly. (The other night at bedtime Honey put the dogs out to pee and ten minutes later he woke me to go get Sophie to come in. Not funny!)

I’ve been way too busy and way too tired to actually write anything creative. I’m taking today off but… tomorrow we start leash training… so when you don’t hear much from me, just know that me and MY Rottweiler are very busy!

 *note

I did not write this piece. It was written by Phillip Butler, who was a friend of John McCain’s when he was young.

Why I Will Not Vote for John McCain

From:
http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,164859_1,00.html

Why I Will Not Vote for John McCain
Phillip Butler | March 27, 2008

As some of you might know, John McCain is a long-time acquaintance of mine that goes way back to our time together at the U.S. Naval Academy and as Prisoners of War in Vietnam. He is a man I respect and admire in some ways. But there are a number of reasons why I will not vote for him for President of the United States.

As fortune would have it, John, a First Classman (senior) and his room mate lived directly across the hall from me and my two room mates. Believe me when I say that back then I would never in a million or more years have dreamed that the crazy guy across the hall would someday be a Senator and candidate for President!

John was a wild man. He was funny, with a quick wit and he was intelligent. But he was intent on breaking every USNA regulation in our 4 inch thick USNA Regulations book. And I believe he must have come as close to his goal as any midshipman who ever attended the Academy. John had me "coming around" to his room frequently during my plebe year. And on one occasion he took me with him to escape "over the wall" in the dead of night. He had a taxi cab waiting for us that took us to a bar some 7 miles away. John had a few beers, but forbid me to drink (watching out for me I guess) and made me drink cokes. I could tell many other midshipman stories about John that year and he unbelievably managed to graduate though he spent the majority of his first class year on restriction for the stuff he did get caught doing. In fact he barely managed to graduate, standing 5th from the bottom of his 800 man graduating class. I and many others have speculated that the main reason he did graduate was because his father was an Admiral, and also his grandfather, both U.S. Naval Academy graduates.

People often ask if I was a Prisoner of War with John McCain. My answer is always "No - John McCain was a POW with me." The reason is I was there for 8 years and John got there 2 ½ years later, so he was a POW for 5 ½ years. And we have our own seniority system, based on time as a POW.

( John’s treatment as a POW: )

I furthermore believe that having been a POW is no special qualification for being President of the United States. The two jobs are not the same, and POW experience is not, in my opinion, something I would look for in a presidential candidate.

Most of us who survived that experience are now in our late 60’s and 70’s. Sadly, we have died and are dying off at a greater rate than our non-POW contemporaries. We experienced injuries and malnutrition that are coming home to roost. So I believe John’s age (73) and survival expectation are not good for being elected to serve as our President for 4 or more years.

I can verify that John has an infamous reputation for being a hot head. He has a quick and explosive temper that many have experienced first hand. Folks, quite honestly that is not the finger I want next to that red button.

I’m disappointed to see John represent himself politically in ways that are not accurate. He is not a moderate Republican. I fear for his nominations to our Supreme Court, and the consequent continuing loss of individual freedoms, especially regarding moral and religious issues.

John is not a religious person, but he has taken every opportunity to ally himself with some really obnoxious and crazy fundamentalist ministers lately. I was also disappointed to see him cozy up to Bush because I know he hates that man. He disingenuously and famously put his arm around the guy, even after Bush had intensely disrespected him with lies and slander. So on these and many other instances, I don’t see that John is the "straight talk express" he... markets himself to be.

In short, I think John Sidney McCain, III is a good man, but not someone I will vote for in the upcoming election to be our President of the United States.

(just in case you missed it the first time...)
"I can verify that John has an infamous reputation for being a hot head. He has a quick and explosive temper that many have experienced first hand. Folks, quite honestly that is not the finger I want next to that red button."

 

The morning glories are taking over for the Honeysuckle.

Common Names: lantana, shrub verbena
Family: Verbenaceae (verbena or vervain Family)
http://www.floridata.com/ref/L/lant_c.cfm

When I moved to Florida in 1987 I had never even heard of Lantana. It is considered and invasive weed in Florida… but I thought it was the most beautiful flowering shrub I had ever seen. I had a landscaping business in Florida and I soon learned to get rid of lantana every chance I had.

Then, in the winter of 1997 I moved to Oklahoma. When the first spring came here it popped up in my front garden. Evidently, Grace(who built this house and my garden here) saw the beauty of the lantana the way that I did. It’s not at all difficult to control it’s spread here…

WARNING: Pets have reportedly become ill after ingesting lantana. The unripe berries are known to be very toxic and the foliage toxic to livestock. Lantana is listed as a Category I invasive exotic species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, which means that it is known to be "invading and disrupting native plant communities in Florida." Lantana is also invading natural areas in Texas and is a huge problem in Hawaii.
 

 “Happy Birthday America!"

"Sometimes it can be comforting to look back..

There was Senator Joe McCarthy- that was a shameful period of American history- with the US polity mirroring that of Stalin's Russia in staging show trials of intellectuals- but McCarthy got run out of town eventually.

And then there was Vietnam.

And Watergate.

There's nothing the Bush administration has done- waging disastrous imperial wars, corrupting the political life of the Republic- that hasn't been done before- and worse. America has these massive mood swings- and when she turns nasty the rest of the world cowers- but she always pulls herself right in the end.

I'm not an American, I'm not even particularly Americanophile, but I believe as a sober matter of fact that the USA is the single best political idea we (meaning human beings) have ever had. A Republic based on the values of the Enlightenment- how cool is that!

Of course America has done horrible things- which nation hasn't?-

but she remains- because of the vision of her founding fathers-

"the last best hope of earth".

That's a quote from Abraham Lincoln- the nearest the dirty profession of politics has ever come to producing a saint.

So, happy birthday, America,

You'll get over these recent set-backs-

Of course you will.”

Back in mid-May I sent my hubby out to buy me a thistle feeder. He’s a terrific guy who adores me. He does love our dogs as much as I do but he has no interest in the other things that fill my life… like the birds or the garden…. Beyond eating anything in sight before I can get it matured and cooked.  I suspect that he would be interested but harbors a belief that such things are somehow magical and he could never really understand them.

His mother raised Pekinese so the dogs, he gets. He does admire the gardens but thinks I’m some kind of magician for being able to create food!
 
Because he doesn’t quite “get it” he often has very unorthodox ideas that end up working out beautifully for me.

We live on a rural acre, with an orchard... and up until two years ago, I had the top quarter producing enough fruits and vegetables to keep our pantry stocked year round.

Then last year I had a minor stroke… on an airplane, mind you. When they took me to a hospital to check me out they discovered from some pretty extensive EKG’s that I had also had some kind of heart event in my recent past. I had no clue. That led me to a bunch of tests and a battery of medications and left me a bit depressed. I also have the usual hip and shoulder joint troubles that arthritis brings us in our later years. I felt pretty crappy most of the time. I think I was probably going to just lie on the sofa and watch TV while I waited to die.

 Well… Honey would have none of that. Maybe I didn’t have the strength to walk up the hill to the garden or to wield a spade to cultivate the ground. He built me a window box on the front porch and then he brought me home a couple of whiskey barrels which he filled with river rock for drainage and potting soil so I could start a container garden in the front yard.

 

Last May, I sent him out for thistle seed. He ended up Tractor Supply … where he saw a livestock feed bunker.

He brought it home, stuck it in the front yard, drilled drainage holes in it, then filled it with an appropriate amount of river rock and potting soil… and handed me a sack full of seeds, tomateos and bell peppers. I must say… he IS learning. I wasn’t at all sure how this gadget would work out then. It was fairly expensive so I told my friends, “Don’t go running out to buy one. Give me a season to find out the pros and cons first.”

That was then. This is now.

The best feature of this container garden is that it can be moved. It slides real easy. As you can see my young plants do very well in it… almost too well. I have thinned them out as much as I can.



I have put the ones I pulled out into the ground… and have discovered that:

1. The plants in the ground are way harder to care for since I now have to bend down to the ground to do it.

2. They now have to be weeded pretty frequently while in the bunker the weeding was minimal.

3. The potting soil in the bunker is loaded with fertilizer. The plants in the ground must be fed.

4. I can move it around to accommodate the changes in the angle of the sun with the change of seasons.

5. And there’s been a significant decrease in the number and varieties of pests that get onto my plants in there.

6. I could even bring it inside if we get some early cold weather, as long as I compensate for the drain holes we drilled in it by adding catch pails under my drains. That could extend my growing season… maybe even all winter.

When I got it in early spring, I said that it was a bit expensive. It was a little more than an hundred dollars. That seemed like a whole lot to me then. Now… it seems cheap at twice the price.

I think I’ll buy another one and move the rest of the “thinnings” into it. I wouldn’t even be too surprised if I decide to get another one next season.
 

 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Jesus said it.

George Carlin told it.

“George Carlin mourned as a counterculture hero”

Like it or not... George Carlin  changed our world forever.



"So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I’m perversely kind of proud of," he told The Associated Press earlier this year.

He won four Grammy Awards, each for best spoken comedy album, and was nominated for five Emmy awards. On Tuesday, it was announced that Carlin was being awarded the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which will be presented Nov. 10 in Washington and broadcast on PBS.

"We were working in Chicago, and we went to see Lenny(Bruce), and we were both blown away," (George)Burns said, recalling the moment as the beginning of the end for their collaboration if not their close friendship. "It was an epiphany for George. The comedy we were doing at the time wasn’t exactly groundbreaking, and George knew then that he wanted to go in a different direction."

That direction would make Carlin as much a social commentator and philosopher as comedian, a position he would relish through the years.

"The whole problem with this idea of obscenity and indecency, and all of these things — bad language and whatever — it’s all caused by one basic thing, and that is: religious superstition," Carlin told the AP in a 2004 interview. "There’s an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. ... It’s reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have."

Keep learning. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil’s workshop." And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s. ~George Carlin

Rest in Peace, old friend.

Doggie Birthday Cake
(Peanut Butter Carrot Cake)

Naturally sweet, colorful and flavorful, this cake is simple and easy to make.

* 1 cup flour
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 cup peanut butter
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 cup shredded carrots
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1/3 cup honey
* 1 egg

Mix flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 8" round cake pan and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Let cool.

Puree cottage cheese in blender for icing. Decorate with more peanut butter and carrots.

I sat the cottage cheese in a sieve over a bowl for about an hour to drain so it maybe wouldn’t make the cake soggy. Then I ran it through my food processor and added a couple of tablespoons of honey.

She knows perfectly well that she’s NOT supposed to get her nose up onto that table. But Daddy promises it’s OK The middle piece with the extra peanut butter is for the birthday girl.

Check the tongue action here…


Duke loved it.

Cheech loved it.

Sophie loved it too, but she had "wolfed" hers all down before I could get to the other side of the kitchen with the camera.

Powder got seconds. She loved it of course!

This was what was left. Daddy gave it to Powder when the others weren’t looking. Thought y’all might want to see what it looked like inside.

Yes, we each ate a piece too. In human terms it really wasn’t much to write home about. It was very rich and super heavy… and it could have been much sweeter for me… and I would have loved some raisins but I think they’re not OK for dogs. For a doggy birthday it was a rousing success. Sophie’s b’day is the end of this month. We will definitely do this again.

A new family tradition has been initiated!