Not a holiday themed blog.

I hate holidays. Seriously, all the drama, preparation, clean up, dress-up, etc. is more than I personally care to deal with. Cooking a turkey or a ham is a colossal pain in the ass. I mean, if it was just the cooking it would be cake, but there are bones, carcasses and grease to clean up. I'm not a neat freak by any stretch, so I prefer to not make much of a mess in the first place.

However, I'd be a colossal asshole if I didn't recognize that some of the meaning and sentiment behind the holidays were worthy of note. Yesterday, I cleaned out the last super sized vari-kennel and wire crate of Foley's and took them over to Barb Worrell's place, who is the main bullmastiff rescue person in the Pacific Northwest. She got two boys in over the weekend, one was emaciated and full of yeast and bacterial infections; he'd spent most of the last 6 months kenneled outside after his family lost their house and moved to an apartment that didn't allow dogs. I got to meet him when I brought the crates and cratepads over to her place. The next boy that came in was abandoned at an animal shelter in Spokane, no note, no nothing, we think he's about 8 or 9 years old. Can you imagine? Taking care of another being for that long and then dumping them, without a note or even a name tag?

So I'm thankful this weekend. Thankful that I was able to give some things to help make those boy's lives easier. Thankful that none of my dogs will ever have to be "unwanted" again. The tree are chewing bones; Bailee in the computer room with Aaron and Diesel and Phoebe in the living room with me. I need to get showered and to the grocery store...but it's sorta hard to get motivated while everyone else is being lazy and enjoying the day. Somehow, I will persevere, the dogs are nearly out of cookies and there appears to be only one more bone in the freezer!

"on Demand"

I was walking Diesel and Phoebe the other day and got to thinking about how totally imperfectly they walk on a leash...zig zagging, darting off headlong into a hedge, or in Diesel's case, sometimes trying to lunge at the occasional oncoming vehicle (ugh). It occured to me, that my dogs aren't necessarily "well-behaved" and then it occurred to me, that I really didn't care too much that they weren't. This got me to thinking about things that I wanted to behave perfectly, or function "on demand". I want my car to start when I turn the key, my lights and heat to turn on when I flip the switch, my internet needs to connect and my television needs to turn on ('d love it if there was actually programming to watch, but I don't expect that...).

My dogs? I suppose my expectations for them are lower...I expect them to go outside to potty (sometimes Bailee, takes exception to this and I did catch Diesel lifting his leg in the house once too). I expect them to get along with each other and not fight (again, Bailee is under close supervision and I find myself watching ear set....A LOT). I have different expectations for each of them, especially the bulldogs, who were and are just a little bit broken from mishandling.

I am simply amazed at Diesel's progress, when we first adopted him, he couldn't sit still for 2 minutes without trying to grab your hand or foot and mouth them...he had a lot of time outs and it took a lot of reiki and patience to help him learn to settle himself. He still has some issues when meeting people or seeing other dogs, or if, suppose Aaron is eating something and sitting on the couch. Now I can get his attention, have him leave Aaron alone, sit and do a down; he does get a cookie, but the fact that he CAN be called away from food right in front of him is HUGE. When I watch tv, or read a book, Diesel sits either right beside me, or on the ottoman, so he can rest his head on my ankles and doesn't make an attempt to chew...he will sometimes make some weird gutteral noises, to inform me that he would like to be petted, but otherwise, he is the perfect cuddle-bug. He even snuggles up with Aaron on the couch and is a perfect love. He's so sweet and loving, I can't imagine how anyone would have kept him in an outdoor pen, alone for so many years. Sure, he has his non-perfect issues, but the stuff that matters...well that's pretty much "on demand".

Bulldogs is nice

This morning, I woke up around quarter to 4, to find out that the power had gone out. 'Tis the season for windstorms and the like...maybe this will be the one I finally get a generator. I got up, grabbed our cell phones (to set for backup alarms, in case the power stayed out) and snuggled back into bed, where the bulldogs had not moved an inch. As I got myself situated, both the little snots snuggled closer and I realized that when they're sleeping and snuggling, Bai and Deese are pretty much the best dogs ever. Though, there's really not that much more room in the bed, from when it was three bullmastiffs....interesting.

We're pretty much out of our everlovin' minds...

...but Aaron said the other day that he wanted another Bullmastiff puppy. So the search begins, it's a lot different from when we were looking for Foley ten years ago. The technology and communication is so much faster, plus we "know" more people in the breed these days...we're also a wee bit wiser about some of "drama" surrounding various dogs and people. In some ways that makes it all just a bit harder to sort through.

It's funny how priorities have shifted a bit as well. I was really excited and into showing Foley when we got him; puppy uglies and all. He was entered the day after he turned six months and resembled some sort of biafra hound with a gigantic skull and stilts for legs. But of course, to my novice eyes he was perfect and his breeder encouraged my delusions as she was "building points" for other dogs she was affiliated with. Anyway, live and learn. Now my biggest concern is finding a pup that is healthy, allergy and skin problem FREE and somewhat resembles one of my favorite breeds. If the pup turns out, I'll show him. If not, it surely isn't the end of the world...not even close.

I know there are honest breeders out there, with healthy dogs and I've started talking to a few of them. We're in no hurry, I believe we'll find the right dog at the right time....

So let's see...120+42+55=217 + 20 to 130, in the first year....that's a lotta dog!

Everythings fine, everythings great...

I've just been busier than a one legged man in a kicking contest and haven't had time to post anything to the blog. Combine the demanding job, some volunteer time for Cascade Bulldog Rescue/Rehome and the COLD FROM HELL (no, i just WISH it had been swine related) and Diesel's blog is suffering for some content.

Don't worry, we're happy and in the end, isn't that really what matters?