Sunday, February 27, 2011

Saving Planet Earth


Trying to save the earth is difficult to accomplish at times. I know this for a fact! I try to do my part and be resourceful, dependable and try to treat the earth as if we will live on her soil forever. Hopefully we will.

I have several rescue turtles to go along with my rescue dogs. I have two Florida box turtles. Recently they have come out of hibernation (cold Florida winters) and are searching for their favorite foods. They haven't had worms in months.

So off I go to the bait store to purchase their yummy breakfast buffet. The worms come in Styrofoam containers and usually I save the containers and return them to the bait shop. It's been a long winter and my Styrofoam container is apparently history - headed for some landfill to spend eternity. I promise to do better.

I purchase the lovely wigglers - the clerk is always polite and asks me what type of worms I would like. Every time I tell her it doesn't matter they are just turtle food and worms is worms. But she always asks and I always say, "It doesn't matter."

I opt out for the brown paper bag no need to add more trash to our sweet Mother Earth. I place the Styrofoam container on the seat of the car the seat covers were washed by me last week so they are nice and fresh and beigey white. I took the corner a little too sharp but what the hey. I needed paper plates from the dollar store and only thought about turning at the very last minute.

I wander inside the store for what seemed like a short period of time but then when I shop time does slip by - somehow. I leave the store twenty bucks lighter than when I entered. OMG!!! I think out loud as I open the door. There on the passenger seat with my freshly laundered seat cushion is a black blob of wiggling mess. The worms have escaped in the car and are trying to reach freedom. Do they know their destiny? And the dark black dirt that is there home is all over my car seat.

I see them on the floor and crawling around in the cup holder. OMG!!!! This is disgusting. Why didn't I let the clerk place my worm purchase in that little brown bag? I could have recycled the bag.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

A spinning top

Sometimes life is like one of those bank canisters at the bank drive-thu. It rolls beneath a customers car and is flattened as if it were a pancake. Bam. Badly damaged or completely demolished is out of our control.

Trying to figure out to turn left, merge right or get off the highway across the wide open fields of living. Which direction? Which exit?

If only I could take your hand and direct you to the right path with the rose colored future. I cannot. And it burns like an out of control wildfire ripping across the forest - toppling trees and crumbling habitats.

If only I could direct you to where flowers bloom, the sun shines and a cool breeze blows across the horizon. I cannot. I sit here helplessly as my worries for you grow taller than skyscrapers on the edge of a fault line ready to tumble.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

To Kill a Mockingbird

Nicholas Lemmon Lindsey a 16 year old juvenile from St. Petersburg, Florida was arrested for the murder of police officer David Crawford.
My thoughts:
What is a 16 year old doing wandering the streets late at night on a school night? Where were his parents? Was he out of control? Did the parents seek help or were they overwhelmed?

Is this student just one of the many that fall through the cracks into the great dark abyss? We say we put children first - but do we really? Do we help and guide these lost souls or toss them to the trash? Whose responsibility is it to raise children?

I could be judgemental and make all sorts of remarks ----- like where was the supervision ------ by viewing the video I presume he's just another thug or wanna be thug. He was dressed in the black hoodie (in Florida) the pants were hanging down to his ankles with the all too frequently seen boxers taking center stage. Flip flops and white socks. He would never make the cover to GQ. But he has made the cover of the St. Petersburg Times as a murderer. He is 16. He killed a cop but presumed innocent till proven guilty - although he did confess.

Where have we gone so terribly wrong? We seem to be a broken community in need of a complete overhaul. Our budget is in tatters - so where do we go from here?

Monday, February 21, 2011

Speedy Gonzalas


I've heard the saying that 'some one was dealt a bad hand.' Well, I have been dealt a bad left foot. First the sole problem that has been nagging at me for months is finally healing and now another new curse on the top of my foot. When will the madness end?

Today was a day off but seemed more like 'speed dating'. Not that I have ever done 'speed dating' but others have told me about the drama. So today my day off kinda sorta became speed doctoring day. Four doctors in 8 hours - that must be a record. I wonder if the Guinness Book of Records has that category?

Snipped and scraped at the first doctor, blasted in the mouth by the dentist, poked and prodded by my primary care doctor and more cutting at the podiatrist. Woe is me. And a few bucks shorted - actually a whole lotta bucks shorter.

Tomorrow will be a better day no more speed doctoring and paying out the big bucks. I can't the well is done gone dry. Time for a fantabulous moon dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNsmF9JTpuI

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Hay-Hey


Oh my glorious backyard - the one that I could not live without. Well, be careful for what you wish for!!!! I've heard that many a time before.

In between the patches of those deadly sand spurs are patches of sand. Not the pretty beach sand one sees on the advertisements. It's that ugly grey sand with no personality at all. The dogs and the cat and the people track inside the house that ugly grey sand and it creeps and seeps into all cracks and crevices.

If I had a maid there would be no worries but - no maid and lotsa worry. We decided to be proactive and attack the sand problem with enthusiasm. Our solution was to buy Coastal Hay at $8.00 a pop from the tractor supply place. So we diligently spread the Coastal Hay over the backyard. Dropping mounds on the ugly grey sand and all those nasty-nasty sand spurs. Almost immediately the sand spurs scared away the hay. But the Coastal Hay still lay on top of the ugly grey sand.

No more sand in my house. Victory - well, not exactly. Now the floors in the house are covered with $8.00 a pop Coastal Hay. I think the hay is ,more worser than the ugly grey sand. Dang. Life is not easy.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

One more moon dance




AAHHH - it's Saturday and a long (3 day ) weekend - away from school. It's nice to chill. Even thought he kiddies are just sooo wunerfullll.



The weather today is awesome - sat outside with the morning coffee staring at the moon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNsmF9JTpuI
Van Morrison - you ROCK.....

Company is coming so cleaning the house and buying a new guest bed is on the agenda. Hope the dogs behave. Hubby is painting the living room - and a great job he is doing.

Nettie is settling in to the new routine and has discovered the cat runs when she is chased. She is doing awesome on her leash with Russ as her mentor. Russ on the other hand is a little miffed at the new family member. 'And I'm trying to please to the calling'.

Adopt a rescue dog!!!!!!!!!! We miss you Ron.

Monday, February 14, 2011

And then there were Two


Is there such a thing as a dog with a NEAT FREAK personality? Anything is possible. Right? Absolutely. Well, I believe I am the proud owner of a neat freak dog. Wouldn't that look great on a bumper sticker. I'm the proud parent of a neat freak dog.

We introduced a new member to our pack this weekend. Her name is Nettie after the wonderful Netti-Pot. If you have sinus problems try a Netti-Pot and life will become breathable. So Netti is a 5 month old puppy who is giving Russ a run for the money or should I say food.

Nettie is a mix of pug and shih-tzu. We refer to her as a pugshit. She is a energetic bundle of puppiness. Add her rough and tumbleness to Russ's sedate and velcroness makes the mix a mash.

Russ who has been a wee bit spoiled has taken this new intrusion like she is just a nuisance. He has been very aloof about the entire upheaval. Russ has toys - toys that he has never played with - but kept tucked away in one of his four dog beds. They sit there quite nicely. He also has a slew of rawhide bones which he never chews and they are also tucked away next to the toys in one of his dog beds.

Nettie likes toys and snatched one of Russ's and he became concerned. So I trotted to the store and bought Nettie her own toys so she would leave Russ's toys neatly in the dog bed. Nettie is on another page in the book.

Nettie runs to the dog bed and removes a rawhide chew climbs on the couch and starts to chew. Better the bone than my new slippers that she has taken a liking to. When she tires of the fun she runs off and along comes Russ. He gently picks up the rawhide or the toy and runs back to his bed and places it back in the proper place. This scenario goes on all day long. He likes his toys all lined up in a neat row in his doggie bed. It's going to be an interesting journey with these two different critters.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Alfred Hitchcock


Apparently no one informed me about the Cardinal Rally in my yard. One lost soul some how flew inside my screened in lanai. She was in a total panic trying to get back out and her 100 other friends were flying on the outside with chirps of encouragement. Some were bold and flew right at the screen. I presume they were trying to show her the way out.

What is it lately with screens and critters. Saturday night the dog and today cardinals. And if you flew inside the enclosure why can't you find your way back out? I guess you don't have a built in Garmin.

So there are about a hundred or more cardinals flying around my yard and hanging out in the trees. What's up? A remake of the birds. They seem quite happy - chirping away and the rain has stopped so what do they want? More rain? Is it never enough for birds.

It's a little on the creepy side walking outside with all those birds up in the trees and flying over head. The spider looks like a lovely meal. I wonder if he jumped in the pool to get away from the birds but met a different fate? Let's see - eaten alive by birds or drowning in a pool? Choose one.

Must be spring is in the air and that could only mean spring break is just around the corner. Hooooooraaaayyyy. I need the break.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Synapse


Sometimes my neurons seem to misfire or miss firing all together. Recently I have been noticing coffee drips all over the kitchen floor. Dang, I really dislike cleaning that mess up. I suspected it was hubby as he is mister messy. Anyways he should be blamed for all messes in the house.

We purchased one of those one cup coffee makers and I love-it-love-it. No more wasted coffee but we have coffee splotches all over the tile floor. Just when I think I'm going face to face with hubby and point the finger at him - My neurons start synapsing. Hello - earth to me!!!!!!!!

The coffee maker punches a tiny little hole in the top of the coffee container and low and behold it punches a whole right through the bottom. Hello earth to me again. how does the coffee get out of the container to my cup? I never thought about that.

After my coffee was brewed (fresh) I took out the coffee container and walked over to the trash all the way through the kitchen and dropped it in the trash. All the while the remainder of coffee dripped on the floor. And 'I' was ready to blame it on hubby. My bad.

Couple this with me running into the sliding glass doors and the screens and we have neuron dysfunction. Well my poor little baby (the dog) apparently is having some synapses relapses also. He ran right into the sliding glass door screen. Oh what a nasty site. He cried just like a baby due to the fact that he forgot he really is a dog. Blood all over the place and me in panic mode. After dropping alot of green stuff at the Vet's the little guy is back home recuperating.

Me and him will stay away from that evil screen door and I will no longer slop coffee all over the kitchen floor and think about blaming some one else.