Service

Months ago I came across a puppy cam that led me to - Warrior Canine Connection - an organization that pairs service dogs with combat veterans.

The dogs are trained from birth to two years old. They live with a volunteer foster family and are taught to help in more ways than I can count.

Check them out at their site and on Facebook.

I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.

- Doris Day

Siren's Big Adventure

The person took me to the terrible place this morning. She insists I'll feel better there but I don't remember that part. I remember the smells and the touching - oh!! too many humans - and they have sharp pointy things      that sting. Don't even try to tell me "only for a second". Do you know how long a second is?

Apparently the humans are getting complacent. Towels and extra hands indeed. Never assume you know a cat, we are ever changing entities of the highest possible will and intelligence.

The indignity of being dumped out of that ridiculous carrying device was the last straw. As Missy Silly Paw Prints Top moved to wrap me in a towel with a design matching her top I bolted. 

Let me tell ya. That first step is a big one.

I've never been free at the terrible place. It stinks. CSI should come in with a black light. I sensed the poor cats that had come before me and dogs!! oh the dog smell was more than anyone should have to bear. Silly humans think they're cleaning. I give them one moment with my nose. They'd never want to breathe again.

Once I adjusted to the smells I realized the humans were freaking out. This amused me. They were closing doors and moving chairs and best of all - they were asking me to come to them. Come to you? Are you freaking kidding me? 

My person was the calmest but she must stop apologizing for me. I'm in no way sorry.

I circled and leaped about. Hissing and growling at any attempt to catch me. I did my trick of making 4 legs seem to be 12. I did that Danger! Danger! thing with my tail. My teeth became huge and Edward Scissorhands had nothing on my claws. 

Dr. Dudley Do Right got down on the floor. Gotta admire his balls. Actually I was looking at them and my claws were itchin' for a little soft tissue.

He just sat there. A giant lump of furless human skin. They really are grotesque creatures. 

I took pity and stopped. The towel came down and my adventure was over.

Man it was fun while it lasted.

Say Hello To My Little Friend

When Pacino burst into the room brandishing his machine gun and shouting "Say hello to my little friend" I fell even more in love with him. That scene remains my fantasy of how to handle all the asshats and douches in my world.

On a far more peaceful level ...

This is my little friend Raoul. He walks up and down the driveway or back and forth along the curb stone whenever I bring out the trash or stumble over to get the mail. Everyone laughs and tells me it could not possibly be the same bird. No one believes but my granddaughter Hope. Hope believes me.

If I hurry into the side door Raoul will peek at me for a moment and then take off to join his family in the tree down the road.

The Help

My closets have needed to be cleaned out forever. Change of seasons is usually a perfect time but this year winter seems to want to hold on while spring is tentative and now summer just wants to blast on through.

Saturday it was raining and 40 degrees F
Tomorrow it's supposed to near 90

How does one dress?

Layers I suppose

I started closet cleaning this weekend.

Isadora helps. 

She gets very insulted if I move her so she is the perfect excuse to walk away and leave the closet for another day.

Barbara and Bowzer

By now I'm sure you've seen the video of ...

Barbara Garcia

Finding her best friend Bowzer alive and well in the debris of their home

CBS This Morning will be checking in with them tomorrow morning.

Check out this article on how you can help the animals of Moore, OK - Petside article

If you're attention deprived you can access the donation page for the OK Humane Society here - Donation Page

During Hurricane Sandy I had the cat carriers and food and meds all laid out just in case the evacuation zone extended to my home. The idea of struggling with all that during a storm was daunting so I really empathize with Barbara and all those who do their best to protect their loved furry ones.

Park Restoration

It isn't just the shore that suffered from Sandy and all the storms since Sandy. Many parks are just now in the process of recovering.

Holmdel Park in NJ is one example.

The most damaged areas are fenced off and declared 'restoration areas' - that's what the blue sign says. The other sign asks visitors not to feed the wildlife - everything they need is available for them and being fed human food upsets the organic cycle. 

 At the farm trucks and tractors are bringing in supplies to restore the pastures and re-build the barns and coops

I couldn't get closer to the farm due to all the work being done. All the animals were cared for during the storms by being moved to the stronger buildings or by being boarded at other farms. Someone told me that farm volunteers stayed with the animals throughout the storms.

A staggering number of trees have been lost

This loss makes me ever more adamant that property owners NOT be allowed to cut down trees without a permit from a conservation minded township committee. I can't begin to tell you how hated popular this makes me at town hall.

Sorry but I don't think a giant tree that has shaded us and cleaned our air for decades should be killed so that you can widen your driveway enabling your fat ass to walk even less.

Anyhoo - the "big hill" area is well on its way to being healthier.

Huge thanks to all those who volunteer their time and donate their money to help the small staff of park rangers and caretakers.

NATURE NOTES

Our World Tuesday

Comfort

I was watching CNN's coverage of the memorial service in Newtown, CT when a group of dogs arrived outside the high school.

They are from ...Lutheran Charities Comfort Dogs Program
Recently they have visited victims of Hurricane Sandy. They go wherever comfort is needed.

Later, dogs from Hudson Valley Golden Retriever Club also arrived.

The dogs will stay as long as needed; they will help ease the fears of returning to school and will distract people from the endless heartbreak of 26 funerals.

"Dogs are nonjudgmental. They are loving. They are accepting of anyone," Hetzner (head of the Lutheran Charities group) said. "It creates the atmosphere for people to share."