Category Archives: Pet

Mixes

Posted on July 10, 2013 | 2 comments

I’ve never gotten a pet from a breeder. I usually go to the shelter and see what I get. My first was a cat, transported in my brother’s pocket across the country because he was kicked off the 7′ shelf he was born on and my sister had to bottle-feed him.

Then I got a dog. She was abused by a deputy sheriff for a year and in a shelter for a year. I started volunteering there the week she arrived and spent time with her every week. When there was a discussion to determine whether to euthanize her the following week, I had her home, for ten years and she led a good life.

Please tell Maddie’s fund that I’m not asking people to have puppies or kittens so their kids can see the cycle of life. Grow up and do it yourself. Ten years ago we got a six-week old pup from a shelter and a few months later had to do the research to get her hips excised which we did at six and nine months of age (thanks, Val).

We tend to live in nice places where I walk the dog several times a day. This morning we met a papillon/chihuahua. Mine is an Aussie mix. I’m seeing mixes in the nice areas of town, which means we’re adopting from shelters. Yea!

I’m glad that 20 years of volunteering, spaying and neutering over 2,000 cats has finally hit and our work is not done but is still in progress.

Soon we’ll make a guessing game of what breed(s) we have! Mine herds me everywhere as I’m the “food wench” and my husband is the “fun guy.” We know she’s a herder but haven’t spent the $60 to test her genes. After ten years, who cares. We know her, I know her from tip to tail. It doesn’t matter what breeds she represents. Please adopt from your local shelter. Dee

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Dogs and Groceries

Posted on June 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

I wrote this before, but WP didn’t save or print it. Apparently a $13 bill had to be paid and we paid $50 elsewhere for this account’s domain name so I messed up.

That’s what blogging is all about, correct? A niche blog with 10K readers per year and no monetizing is an anomaly? Well, your comments are always welcome here and I haven’t made a nickel (haven’t tried) for six years now. This blog is a way to introduce you to my life, cookbooks and pantry and write.

That said, I left my dear 9 1/2 year old dog at the grocery store the other day. I never take her to the store because I’m worried someone will take her. She’s so sweet that if a kid reached into her bowl and took some of her food she’d just stare at me, those sweet brown eyes saying “Mommy, she just took my dinner!”

It took me two minutes to get home, a minute to dump the groceries on the kitchen counter and run back to get her. I was gone about four minutes. After running, as soon as I saw her I composed myself and walked slowly towards her. She had been sitting, looking for me. As soon as she saw me, she started sniffing around and perhaps eating some grass.

She’s been paying me back all week. She has no hips and cannot get onto our bed so she jumps down and lies underneath it, under my side, then wakes up an hour or two later and sits by my side of the bed and whines, once.

The mother in me answers, and gets out of bed and lifts her back up. My husband has actually slept through a Category 5 hurricane, with Zoe the dog, while I stayed up all night.

If it’s 1:00 I may get back to sleep. Three o’clock and I need to get up. That’s my punishment for leaving her, first and only time in nearly ten years, for four minutes. They had to grind meat for me and I picked up a few other things.

For now, I’ll stick to the car. She has an  orthopedic bed back there and other accoutrements and loves being on the road. Water, snacks, food, all veterinarian-approved. Plus I can open the windows and give her fresh air, without her being leashed to a bicycle stand. Sorry, Zoe! Love, your real mother, the one who researched taking out your hips and who has fed and walked you 10 years.

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Posted in Editorial, Pet

Bad Dog!

Posted on April 25, 2013 | 1 comment

Our Zoe is nine years old now. As a pup she had severe hip dysplasia and we had to have her hips amputated at six and nine months of age. After aquatic therapy (my husband sneaked her into the community pool every evening) and much walking she got better. She’s small so they don’t design titanium hips for dogs under 50 lbs. and she had to grow her own.

A couple of years later I took a serious steak and marinated it overnight. We ate half of it, at 1.5 lbs. Later I thanked my husband for putting the rest in the frig (he’s not allowed in my kitchen save getting ice, water or Dr. Pepper.

We both looked at dear Zoe, with a smile on her face and licking her paws as she had just eaten 3/4 lbs. of prime steak.

Now, we think it’s cute that she takes Jim’s towel when he’s done eating breakfast at the “bar.” This morning she placed her paws up on his chair and started licking eggs over medium off his plate. She was not in my good graces for a long while this morning.

I ran into a woman with a gorgeous dog yesterday and she was so afraid he would jump on me if I even looked at him. My dog was not there at the time. I said that while our dog is nine, we never had to train her not to jump up on people because her hips were so bad.

Live and learn! I think I need higher counter tops! Cheers, Dee

ps Feels like Spring! Finally.

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Instruments

Posted on April 9, 2013 | 1 comment

I had a revelation today. As the lightning, thunder, wind, rain, snow and sleet came down around me I realize I have a voice.

When I was young, it was channeled into violin, piano and ballet. Then my parents got me a cheap guitar and I started up a mainly tone-deaf band at age 12.

I gave it all up. Singing a solo and being second then first chair violin was stressful. I was very shy and one parent told me I could do anything or be anything, and the other said I was worthless. That guitar was stolen.

A few years ago after I filed our taxes (which I’ve yet to do this year) I went in and bought a starter guitar and signed up for lessons. I took private lessons from  a gospel singer, then a drummer. I bought a fancy guitar and the only thing I do for it now is keep it hydrated.

I wondered why I couldn’t keep up the music, then just figured it out in this storm. I’ve found a voice. Some folks around me don’t like it, but for the past 15 years I have a voice. I called both my US Senators today. My voice and my pen (keyboard now) are my instruments for now.

Yes, every once in a while I lay back, close my eyes, tune my guitar and play Bye Bye Miss American Pie, or Teach Your Children, or even 500 Miles. Perhaps I’ll do that now.

My voice needs to be my voice and words until they are no longer needed, then I can play another instrument. I am a multi-tasker but with everything else… Think about it, Dee

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Posted in Editorial, Education, Music, Pet, Recipe Ideas, The Ranch, Travel

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Blackbird, Bye Bye

Posted on March 18, 2013 | 4 comments

Pack up all your cares and woes,

Here I go, singing low, bye bye blackbird

…… blackbird, bye bye.

Last post, they’re selling my posts. I never wanted or got a nickel from them, I will be removing them from WordPress.

I don’t know how to do this as I’m a writer and not a techie, that’s probably why they allow people to steal my words and sell them.

To my readers, I salute you and will be back on other than WordPress. Thank you for being with me and inspiring me these few years. The grandmother who died before I was a year old sang that song to me, to get me to go to sleep. It’s that time. Dee

 

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Posted in Cook Books, Cooking Utensils, Editorial, Education, Friend Alert, Greece, haiku, Home Improvement, Italy, Music, Pet, Recipe Ideas, Recipes, Recommended Pantry Contents, Scotland, The Ranch, Travel, Uncategorized, Utah

World Spay and Neuter Day

Posted on February 24, 2013 | Leave a comment

I wish I could be on the front lines for this because it is so important to all of us. Now, I’m writing about it. I worked as a volunteer for six years in probably the best outdoor volunteer clinic, where I did unofficial duty as volunteer administrator, duty to transport ansaethetized cats, monitor volunteers and train them, monitor breathing and allow them to go back to their colonies at the end of the day. I worked “Recovery.”

Sadly, as I moved to the Rockies and midwest, I find that neighbors feel that shotguns are the only solution to feral cats. Even in dairy lands while they drank a bit of spilled milk they also killed mice.

I have one dog, used to have a dog (spayed) two cats, both neutered. My dog was spayed at five weeks of age, early even by my standards as I’d prefer eight weeks. But we’ve had her for nine years, had to take out her hips as a pup, and she’s a gem.

All were from shelters. I know my dog shouldn’t breed so am thankful that this hipless wonderdog trait is not going to have pups. As Coach Parseghian said in the movie “Rudy,” I paraphrase by saying that I wish the heart of my dog would go into others with better hips.

Unless you are actively involved in showing and breeding dogs, please have your pet spayed or neutered. It is essential to their lives and ours as well.

If we had a home in the country, I’m sure every stray cat would be outside and I’d get a couple of Tomahawk traps that are not lethal at all, some stinky fish and get them spayed or neutered before I fed them. This is a mission that I can only now do now by word. Please help. Dee

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Posted in Editorial, Pet

Zoe’s Secretary?

Posted on February 11, 2013 | 2 comments

Yes, may I put on Sir Nigel for a quick follow-up question?

Of course, sir.

Zoe, this is Sir Nigel. I must have your opinion. The Pope has just resigned and asked me whether he should get a dog or a cat in his retirement. Of course I’m partial to cats, but thought your opinion might be useful.

Well, Sir Nigel, I certainly cannot see Cardinal Ratzinger out hunting or driving cattle so those breed groups are out. Cat, definitely, certainly one of the strays from around a local church would love to be neutered and have free food and kind attention.

Thank you, Zoe, brilliant!

Thank you for calling. Be in touch. See you next time I’m across the pond. Cheers, Z

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Napping Dog Press II

Posted on February 11, 2013 | Leave a comment

Hello there, this is Felix Cattus III reporting for Sir Nigel Davenport, who is quite tired after a romp with Zoe and a bit much catnip.

FELIX: I’m interested in your relationships with cats. Sir Nigel was not attacked and has no wounds, and thanks you repeatedly for saving him from that pesky mockingbird.

ZOE: It’s nothing. If a cat doesn’t run from me, we’re the best of friends, as you can see from yesterday’s interview with Sir Nigel. We would have had a brandy and cigar but he was keen on the catnip.

FELIX: Do you get along well with humans? Big ones and tiny ones?

ZOE: They’re so easy to manipulate, especially the big ones. The little ones are still true to themselves in every way and I respect them for that quality. I do like them, especially Food Wench and Fun Guy every day, and love going to grandma’s and great-grandma’s houses to be petted and eat stuff that falls off the kitchen counters. They even say I cut down on the vacuuming, whatever that means, it may be that loud machine I hate.

FELIX: Speaking of things you dislike about living in a human environment, what else is irksome to you?

ZOE: Balloons. Fun Guy asked Food Wench to help buy candy to keep in his office desk and she said “No, you have to do something more interesting.” So he took up twisting balloons and ordering them from Sweden, practicing at home, and doing company parties.

I hate the squeaks of the balloons as he twists them into Wile E Coyote or Elmo. I especially hate the sounds when one pops. Now I go under Food Wench’s side of the bed anytime I even see a balloon, so Fun Guy goes to the child’s family who wants the balloon.

FELIX: To end this interview, what do you like about your life?

ZOE: I’ve met up with some really great humans who’ve raised me, others who pet me, dogs who play with me and I get to sleep at least 18 hours a day. That’s minimum. I don’t arise until I get my beauty sleep. I like baths because I love being clean but hate being brushed out a day later (Food Wench knows I won’t deal with a hair dryer so I air dry like Cuba Gooding Jr. in Jerry Maguire).

I’d also like to thank you cats for the interviews, sorry Sir Nigel is under the weather but thank you and my buddy Dashiell for keeping me on the kitty track. And thank my buds Axl, Roxy, Jake, Truman, Bella, Bandit and many others. One for my baby, and one more for the road. That’s Frank, baby. Also Tony Bennett and Henry Mancini, who Food Wench has met in a kitchen. Hey, we don’t mess around.

FELIX: Thank you, Zoe, from Napping Dog Press. Sir Nigel will return tomorrow and now it appears I will be chased from the set. I’ve a plan. This is Felix Cattus III. Good evening.

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The Napping Dog Press

Posted on February 11, 2013 | 1 comment

Yes, hello, and welcome to this week’s Napping Dog Press. I am Sir Nigel Davenport, Cat-caster at Large, roving the world to see how animals living indoors with humans are faring in our world today.

I am in a very cold city by a great lake today in the Colonies, sorry, chap, the United States with Zoe, a nine-year old Australian Shepherd mix.

NIGEL: So, Zoe, I came here to see how you are faring. I understand you just had a birthday. Nine years, I believe. How did life start for you?

ZOE: I barely remember Mama and who knows who Papa was, but I was brought to a city shelter at five weeks and they did surgery on me to keep me from having puppies.

NIGEL: Oh, my!

ZOE: Yes, but the day after I met my new humans and they have had me this entire time. They took my hips but everything is OK now.

NIGEL: They took your hips? My word, lass. You should have sued them then and there!

ZOE: No, I forgave them and even my surgeon Val the Vet because I’ve felt better ever since. A neighborhood stray cat helped me out, Meow Meow. We walked together at least five times a day. She came to call or just slept in front of my door.

NIGEL: That’s amazing, that you like cats. Do you eat people food?

ZOE: Not really. They tried to make me eat all kinds of exotic dry food tarted up by eggs, bologna or hot dogs but I put my paw down. Only frozen raw lamb or duck for me. Or beef or bison.

NIGEL: Really?

ZOE: Yes, the Food Wench buys it for me. She also takes me out. The Fun Guy plays with me and takes me out late at night for a last pee.

It’s a difficult life, though. I have to whine to be lifted back onto their bed after I jump down to drink water and look out the window. Like this morning at 4:30. They should just be waiting for my return and do their “Otis” duties.

NIGEL: Anything else you’d like to tell us?

ZOE: Well, they won’t let me get a squirrel. I bagged a couple of mice at the last place we lived but Fun Guy made me drop them before I could eat them and vomit on the bed.

Otherwise, don’t pack suitcases to go away for the weekend. Don’t pack boxes to go away for good. Moving is very stressful. I’d have to meet all new dogs, cats and squirrels and it’s a tedious chore.

NIGEL: Thanks,. Zoe, for your insights.

ZOE: Thank you, Nigel. Prepare to be chased by a dog. Ready? GO!!!

ZOE Aside: All in all, it’s good to be head of my human pack because I can keep everything under control, until Food Wench made me get shots a couple of weeks ago.

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Puppy Love

Posted on February 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

Yesterday morning I was out with our dog and let her play for a few moments with a larger male dog. Turns out the male is 11 years old.

Today we went out several times and our Zoe saw, in the midst of a snowstorm, kids way down a hill across a busy street, sledding down to a playing field. She went puppy nuts and ran around like a lunatic and ate fresh snow.

Zoe just turned nine. Add those up in “dog years” and she’s an old lady doing disco and karaoke while volunteering at the senior center!

Just seeing them get charged up by a couple inches of snow is inspiring. As for me, I have to check the weather to find out what hat and gloves to wear, double coat, Wellies or hiking boots. Feels like kindergarten, except then someone else dressed me. Now I have to worry about the floors as well as there’s so much salt.

Here no-one shovels. The streets are rarely plowed and forget ramps put in due to ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as those are all snowed in and now mushed in and there are a number of folks around here in wheelchairs who cannot get around. Also salt is what people use, rather than a shovel or snow blower, and the city/county are the last to come in to get their sidewalks and trails into reasonable condition. It usually takes a few days.

Seeing these old dogs play and enjoy the snow is a joyous occasion, like watching all the dogs in the pool with the pool furniture sunk in it before a major hurricane. Yes, been there, done that.

Streets and sidewalks should be the first priority of the city and county. I don’t see much effort in that regard. I awakened Sunday morning to hear a truck scraping dry pavement (ouch) but once we have snow, there’s nothing. Was someone just clocking overtime on Sunday and sleeping today?

It’s always good to see the kids sledding and the dogs playing. Cheers, Dee

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