Finally I can sit at the computer for a while so will get this up to date. Mon following the last post I can't remember what we were doing. Think we were hanging around for a package that was coming in the mail. My dear friend Donna is our mail carrier and I am not sure how long she wants that crappy job but I so appreciate it.
Tues we went to the Heber Springs Humane Society. We had cleaned out and had some xtra things since we were down to one cat that we wanted to donate. While we were there I decided to see what kind of dogs they had. They had many pit crosses but some really really nice dogs. Makes you wonder why they end up in the shelter. Are people too lazy to try and train a dog that will end up being the best friend you ever had? Do people not realize that training a dog creates an incredible bond between you, more than you will have ever been able to have without it? Do they look at animals as dispensable? Rarely are dogs in shelters, or cats, because of a legit reason, such as death or etc? Usually its some dumb reason that could be worked out if they had asked for help and been willing to accept and learn, but that's the key, willing to accept . So anyhow, I shan't go on and on. It was funny they didn't have hardly any black dogs (like the whidbey island black dog society at our shelter). They did have a sign up that had 10 or 12 reasons for adopting a black cat. So I guess there is a (Arkansas black cat society) instead.
I spied one dog I would have loved, a Pyrenees/yellow lab crossed. Man if I had a stable place he would have gone home. But he was slated to be managed by a rescue that saves certain ones so they don't get put down. I also spotted a little mostly black dog who reminded me of one of Donna's wonderful dogs (mocha who looked like waldo) both wonderful dogs. She was not slated to be saved. I sent a picture to Donna who on the spot wanted to save her. The shelter has a wonderful thing, they let you sponsor a dog by paying the adoption fee and then it can't be put down but if someone wants to come in and adopt the dog and can't afford it (like elderly) they can get the dog with no cost. You can sponsor a specific dog, or put money in for someone and let them find themselves the dog. So on the spot we decided we had to at least do that.
We went home and tried to figure out how to do it. In the meantime, I could not imagine this shelter. A good shelter, relatively clean, run by caring individuals who are paid minimal wage doing the best they could and it was packed. NO VOLUNTEERS, just the occasional work release people or community service ordered people. I couldn't stand it and said I would come in every morning and work till we left and do what we could.
I went in on wed and Thurs. I worked my butt off. I cleaned cat cages, floors, dog kennels, the babies, I washed linens, I alerted them to a couple of animals to watch closely, I cleaned up, I organized stuff. If it was there to be done I did it. Made everyone else look like slackers I might add. I am a demon when I get going. Of course I was exhausted every nite and dying but damn it felt good to be doing something worthwhile.
In the meantime we formulated a plan. We would adopt the black dog. In fact, it was veterans month and Leroy could adopt for free. Then we would drive her to Dallas where Leroy could fly her to Seattle free (thanks to our darling son) where she could then be united with her forever home. Donna and Gherry Taylor. So off we went on Fri am.
Only glitch in the plan was that Thurs pm I got deathly ill. I was puking and diarrhea and fainty and painful like I haven't ever had in many years. I was so sick. I figured it was a 24 hr bug. Thank God we have the motor home as I could lie in bed for most of the trip to Dallas. It was a horrendous 24 hours, I don't even want to post the details. Well, 24 hrs baloney! It went into 48 and on. We got to Dallas Sat pm late. We found a place, expensive, but we just wanted to stop so I could recover. Leroy spent the rest of the time trying to care for me, get things in place so I could live here alone while he was gone. So he had me sick, our 3 dogs to deal with and cat and my demanding little birds and a new dog with no history that he had to get ready to ship. The place was just trashed cause we were just keeping heads above water. He finally got a flight out Mon pm. I thought I was feeling better but did have another siege after he left. Anyhow he and black dog with no real name left on Mon. They arrived in Seattle late Mon nite and not only were the Taylor's there but Jeff as well. She rode like a trooper and tho I am sure she still does not know what her forever home is like. I am sure things will settle down for her and she will settle in and be happy. She is a ladies dog so she has already it sounds, started bonding with Donna. She also got a name. Sophie. Perfect for her. She is sweet and lady like and gentle and has the sweetest gentlest eyes.
So that brings us to today. Leroy is unable to get a flight out home today but should return on Thurs. He, thank God, is being a sweetheart and taking a taxi home. We are camped about 15-20 min from the airport but the airport is a nightmare. We had a hell of a time to get him there and I got lost trying to get back. It is not well signed I think. We ended up going in circle after circle in that "I can't get there from here" mode.
I think I must have picked a parasite or something up at the shelter. I kept saying I had parvo but no one seemed to appreciate my sick sense of humor. I am afraid I may have gotten c-diff, but only will time tell if that's true. I have existed now for 24 hours with no terrible bouts and able to keep some mild things down, so hopefully I can get some hydration back. I lost 11 lbs in less than 4 days. Great diet.
Terrible thing is, I had made some delicious potato soup before I got sick I can't stand to look at and some wonderful easy microwave fudge which I couldn't even stand the smell of. Leroy made me use one of our popcorn bowls for an urp bucket so guess I won't be eating PC any time soon either. So it may have put me on the start of a wonderful diet.
For those of you who care, it seems that Iris very well may have inflamatory bowel syndrome but we have gotten things regulated with a high fiber no grain food (Blue) and a bid dose of Metamucil that she takes in canned food. It seems to be working and her appetite is good and she isn't shunning the plan yet. Usually things don't work for very long for her but right now she has been going strong for at least 2 weeks. Thank you Robin Kletke and the vet in Heber Springs for suggesting Metamucil. A great natural way to manage some awful symptoms and boy is she happier. I swear the whole thing gave her a few more gray hairs. She had a pretty sore butt for a while and now I sympathize with her so we commiserated about that.
The weather here in Texas is sunny but cool 40's and windy. I look like an Eskimo going out to potty the dogs. So they are getting minimal exercise and attention, tho we are hanging out together.
When Leroy gets back we will go from there about what to do next. We seem to live life from day to day, but guess we always did. Jobs just gave us structure we had no flexibility with. I think we are at heart, nomads or Gypsy's. We both come from the generation of hippy thinking and I think there is a lot of people out here like us, which we seem to meet daily. Maybe we aren't strange, its the rest of you.
Oh in the midst of this, Leroy lost his phone, scheduled to get a new one and then found his after they had taken care of getting him a new one. (Wouldn't you know). Mine still has some glitches in it that Leroy hasn't had any luck getting someone to fix. So hopefully he will be able to address that when he gets back again. So our abilities to communicate with the outside world have been a bit stifled.
That sums up our last week, and hopefully I will be back on line again for a while.
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