Responsible Pet Owner, yea right.

Since its my blog and I can say whatever I want, I'm going to rant a bit about what I wish I could say at work, but since I value my paycheck and stupid people can't be changed, I zip it.

Don't you dare look at me and say you are a responsible pet owner as you are holding your intact female, bulging with puppies waiting to add to the already overpopulation of pets in this world!  I don't care that you insist your pups will find homes, that's not my point.  If those families really want a dog for the right reasons, they can go to the nearest shelter and adopt one that is already out there needing their love and attention.  Don't make more when there are so many dear ones waiting.

Responsible pet owner = someone who spays/neuters their pet.  Someone who keeps said pet up to date every year with the correct vaccinations.  Someone who feeds Fido a healthy, well balanced diet and very little people food (and expensive doesn't always mean quality).  Someone who gives their dog a monthly heartworm preventative and applies a dose of Frontline (not the cheap look alikes in Walmart that don't work) every month to ward off fleas and ticks. Someone who lets Fido exercise and spend quality time with you.  (meaning not in a kennel 23 hrs a day or on a chain in the back yard ignored all day).

Can't afford it?  THEN DON'T HAVE A PET!!!  Don't have time to spend with your pet, playing, walking, hanging out?  THEN DON'T HAVE A PET!!!

"But I deserve it, even if I don't have any money to pay for the proper care of Fido." NO YOU DON'T!!  HAVING A PET IS AN HONOR NOT A RIGHT.  You can't afford to feed a better food than Old Roy, then don't get a pet.  You can pass on those cigarettes or that extra bag of chips if you really want to do right by your dog.  You can't afford to spay her?  Then save up until you can.  Don't get a dog until you have it saved up.  You can put aside even a little every month and save up if you really want to do right by your dog.  Either do it correctly or don't be a pet owner.  If you truly can barely feed and clothe yourself, then this is not the right time to even think about getting or having a dog.  DUH.

I don't care if you have 8-10 dogs, if they are cared for correctly.  If they are all neutered, vaccinated, eating a quality diet, loved and in a good home, go for it.  I'm not saying you shouldn't have more than one, but however many you have you better care for as a responsible pet owner or don't have any.

When you come in and tell me you paid $1000 for your "purebred" Labradoodle....I want to shout at you "What a moron - you paid $1000 for a MUTT!!!  You could go to your nearest shelter and adopt a mutt for $100 and not contribute to the market for designer mutts." Obviously, if there weren't a plethora of idiots out there to buy these overpriced mutts, there wouldn't be a supply of them.  I firmly believe in supply and demand, therefore, if there wasn't a demand, nobody would supply them.  This was a very brilliant use of marketing, when someone accidentally let an unplanned mating occur and wanted to get rid of it for a lot of money even though it was a mix. Ignorant idiots are a dime a dozen out there.

Not an idiot? Then don't pay exorbitant fees for a mix, a mutt, NOT a breed.  Go to the shelter and adopt one that needs you and don't give money to these morons.  Responsible breeders are not morons, but I don't encourage giving them money either.  Please adopt from a shelter and help those animals who need a home and have been waiting so long for your love.  Purebred doen't mean better by any means.  Many of them are overbred and have lots of problems already. 

AND if you don't want to do anything about a problem, then DON'T come in and ask me about it.  Don't ask me what do to when you aren't going to fix it anyway.  Don't waste my time or get my dander up when I see you decide to just let Fido suffer because you don't want to pay for something to fix his problem. 

Ok, I feel a bit better - now I can go another day without blowing my stack at some idiot who thinks she's a responsible pet owner when she clearly is not - I've said my peace cause I know I'lll never change her, she's an idiot.  I can just smile and move on....maybe.

I can't stand it

So...I love to read...I love to get lost in the drama of a book that sucks you in and curls around your heart...nestles in there and you get to fall in love with it...

I can drown myself and reality in a whole different world and forget about my "normal" routine, my stacks of dirty underwear, my uncooked supper, and my dusty knick knacks...

One of the most wonderful, irreplaceable feelings in the world is to love a book, a story, a group of characters so much that I hate to see more of the pages piling up in my left hand than are awaiting me in my right hand...I'm almost sad anticipating the END, because then I must stop and I can't continue my addiction to this one...also....if its really good, I can't bear to put it down and go to sleep, eat, or you know do basic grooming.

If I'm nose deep in a great novel, the hands on the clock spin without my knowledge and then if I do come up for air, I say to myself "self, just one more chapter, you need to sleep."

Then when I end that chapter I say to myself "self, you can't stop at this place, you have to find out just how this part goes or you will never get to sleep anyway because you can't stop thinking about it and whether Johnny dies or not! I might as well save myself more sleeplessness by just getting by this milestone so I can sleep."

So...after we find out Johnny is deader than a doornail, I have to know who did it....sigh...tangled web...

I have to force myself to put the book down, shut off my brain (that part is pretty easy since the spark plugs can only fuel so much) and go to sleep.  Stay away from the book, do NOT turn that page!!!

So, when I find a particularly riveting book, this is both a blessing and a terrible thing...my addition to it can be self-destructive and I lack sleep and sometimes forget to - oh well put on deodorant or brush my teeth or zip my pants cause I'm trying to read some more while getting ready in the morning or stick in a few extra paragraphs while trying to stay alive...with  mundane things such as eating and bathing, breathing...

So, as I am quite tired these last few mornings, I am indeed knee deep in a tale that has sucked me in.  I haven't had one of these in a while so I am trying to pace myself as I don't want it to end...but yet I just have to find out if she gets away from the "bad guy".  So, I gotta cut this short, as my book is burning a hole in my nightstand begging me to pick it up and continue my journey into their lives....these people who aren't real and have no bearing on me whatsoever, except that I have come to care for them. 

I hope Jill didn't kill Johnny cause its SOOO obvious and then I will be MAD cause I totally solved it...sigh...

Do you have an alibi?

My thoughtful husband is probably regretting his generous birthday gift he gave me this year. Of course, he's probably regretting quite a few decisions he's made regarding me...but anyway...

So, I'm really into mysteries - books, movies, games...nobody would ever play Clue with me growing up because I was a little bit anal about it...kinda - well, maybe obsessive about details and of course I ALWAYS win...and usually lose a few friends along the way...my parents took my board away and looked into 12 step programs for me, but that didn't work out.

I usually delve into my mystery books with quite a bit of relish.  Ok, so doesn't everyone yell out loud to the characters at least sometimes???  I KNOW they can't really hear me (neither can the people on TV, but that doesn't stop me) but I just can't help talking back to them. 

"Are you really that stupid that you would believe Niles was visiting his Aunt on the night in question when he isn't even nice to the dog? Any idiot could tell he was lying and he has a lover, can't you smell her perfume on him???"

"Like he really got that lipstick on his sleeve from brushing up against a fellow passenger on the morning commute?"

"Oh, yea there just HAPPENS to be a secret staircase leading from your room to the conservatory where the murder occurred....how convenient..."

My husband has been known to run into the room cause I'm screaming at people in my book and it takes him a few minutes to process that I'm just bat crazy talking to imaginary people in my mind.  Often an eye roll and more than a few shakes of the head accompany this realization....hmmm...

So, maybe....perhaps....maybe I kinda get into my stories....a little.

Therefore, when I was discussing murder mystery dinner theaters with our friends a while back and how much fun that sounded like it could be, my dear sweet hubby took note.  For my birthday in February (I turned 25 again) he presented me with some research he had done on some "mystery dinner" games and B & B's that would host a game and then you get a cool room and make it a weekend.  Wow.  I was very impressed!!

So, I plunged into research about what I could find also on the inet.  After much contemplation, I settled on one located in Belluvue Iowa.  Its in a mansion and all the rooms are beautifully decked out (most Victorian style, which I LOVE) and beautiful views of the river.  So, I signed us up for this weekend!! 

When you get there, they give you a character to play, complete with costume (!!) and background on your circumstances and such going into the dinner.  Then you enjoy a 5 or 6 course meal while being able to converse with the other players, gathering evidence and such to solve the murder!!!  I'm so excited I could almost pee my pants....

I have polished up my magnifying glass as well as my monocle (just wouldn't be a proper investigative experience without one) and tried on my trench coat for size.  I got myself a fresh new spiral notepad to fit in my breast pocket, sharpened a pencil and am ready to whip it out and flip it open as I suspiciously eye each new suspect.  I can hastily jot down my observations and circle my "gut" feelings....always go with your gut...

I packed my "DNA for Dummy's" books, my fingerprint analysis kit, and my box of little plastic baggies.  I ordered some truth serum over the inet and I hope it gets here overnight express.  I have a cigar to chew on if I need it to help me think through the possible scenarios as I mull over the evidence and suspect list....Lots of coffee and donuts should be supplied I would hope.

I want to take my stun gun after I get it charged up and of course my handcuffs in case I need to subdue a violent suspect. I won't let any perp get away from me just because I wasn't strong enough to hold him down! James drew the line at getting a gun.  Bummer.

I thought about packing my wigs and my mustaches, but everyone will already not know me, so I don't really have to disguise myself for sly undercover operations.  That just leaves more room for my complete set of Nancy Drew books so I can catch up on my technique in any down time.  Brush up on any pointers she can give me.  Oooh...maybe a few tapes of my Murder, She Wrote shows too....Jessica is my idol, you know.

Maybe I'll be sooo impressive and sooo fast at solving this case that the local police will hear about it and beg me to join their team!  I can see it now, rookie Riehle with a shiny new detective badge, chasing down murderers and throwing the book at them. (I wouldn't really throw a book, that's just disrespectful to a book). I would throw a shoe or something at them....a heel, so it might nick them in the temple or something...but I digress.  First I have to focus on the case set before me on Saturday, and nail that perp!!  I will take him DOWN! (with my stun gun).

Ohhhh another episode of Forensic Files is on, I have to bone up on my research...gonna go....

Respectfully submitted,
Inspector K. A. Riehle

I'm a visual person

I'm a very visual person.  I have to see it in my mind to fully comprehend something.  An idea, directions, whatever.  This is probably why I hate books on tape, I don't want to be read to, I need to hold the book and see the words myself.  I also fare much better trying to find someplace with a map than oral directions. But I digress.

I was thinking in my very visual way about difficulties and trials we have to wade through sometimes. About how some strong and beautiful women in my life who have had to endure and struggle through so many things, whereas I have been spared any catastrophic losses.  Why is this?

I hate the saying "God doesn't GIVE us more than we can handle."  Bull.  Look at all the broken people in the world.  Look at those who have been beaten down and never come back.  Plus, God doesn't GIVE us any of that pain and heartache.  He isn't up there going "ok, well, she can lose her son, her husband, her twin brother, and oh yea, I can crush her leg and make her fight her way back from the edge of death while I'm at it.  But she can handle it."  Misery and pain aren't FROM God, they are from evil, not love.

He doesn't then look down at me and say "we can't let her lose anyone because she is too weak and she can't handle it."  So I wonder why the sweetest, kindest woman I have been honored to know in my life was stricken with so many losses and tragedies while I have been spared most of life's harshest pitfalls thus far.

Then my visual part of my brain started seeing pain and struggle as a raging river we have to wade through.  We are on this side of the water, dry and standing safely on the shore.  Everything is good. Then suddenly we are shoved into the roiling, angry morass of waves and a violent current pulling at our every limb - whether it be a loss of someone we love, or maybe a terrible illness.  Whatever our struggle, we are dumped into it unawares and just trying to get our head above water to breathe at first.

The shock of the cold water, the power of the violent waves, the chaos of being shoved off the safe shore into this unknown environment fraught with unseen terrors.  Its all we can do just to survive at first.  Struggling against the waves and the water, sometimes flailing all alone feeling like you aren't going to make it. 

Then, there are others in the water with you, holding you up, helping you stay afloat.  Perhaps taking over for a wee bit so you can rest your cramping muscles.  Maybe you even hit an island where you can rest, recoup, and dry off for a few moments, fortifying yourself for the rest of your journey.  You might encounter a few floating logs you can cling to as well, until you are sucked back into the frothy waves, and fighting to get across this huge dark expanse of water....or pain. So when we see others flailing in the water, that's when  God can use us to wade in and hold her up for a bit, give her a towel, hold her head above the waves so she can catch her breath.

I hope I can be that person...perhaps I have been so abundantly blessed and spared such huge losses of my own so I may be an island for those in the water.  Perhaps I do make a better log in the water for others than being the one in the water.  Perhaps I need to work harder at making my log big enough for someone to hold onto, my island dry enough and well stocked enough to help her to fortify herself for the rest of the journey....since I have been so incredibly blessed with my beloved family in tact, my beautiful friends and my strong and dear husband.  I am called to use my blessings for those who need a dry place to rest.

Perhaps when she finally reaches the other side of her pain, the other bank of the river, I can be there to help her step onto dry land.  I can wrap her in a towel and help her find some new, dry clothes.  She is the same women who was shoved into the river on the other side, yet she is different, she has been changed during her journey.  I remember who she was from the other side and I can help her remember that person as well as discover and redress the new lady that has emerged on the other side. 

As I think of the dear lady who has struggled through that river so many times, I can hold her hand as we continue to walk down the road...away from that river.  We shall encounter more rivers in our journey, but I pray that we can help each other to reach the other side.  I think some of our biggest blessings God bestows upon us are those that hold our hand during the walk down the road of life, and jump into that river with us during the struggles across the river.  I have been so incredibly blessed with hands to hold...and I hold on tight.  For them I am so thankful this year and every year.

Killing for Fun?

Let me start by saying, I don't believe that hunting is a sin.  I never said it is wrong per say to go out into the woods and kill something, bring it home and eat it.  God says in the Bible we may eat the animals for food. I eat meat, I love a good hamburger, chicken, and pepperoni.  I buy it at the store, but if I had to go out and hunt it down, I guarantee I'd never eat it again.

I don't understand how someone can go into the woods and kill something.  I can't imagine getting close enough to a beautiful deer, look into her big brown eyes, aim your gun at her and kill her.  Watch her fall, witness the life drain out of her, and high five your buddies about what a good job you did.  Repulsive.

Such amazing creatures as the majestic bear, elk or moose...I'd love to go find them in the woods, get close to them, but not to hurt them.  I would want to interact with them, talk to them, learn from them, help them, nurture them, shelter them, enjoy their beauty. 

When an animal dies, I believe it deserves respect and dignity.  So, if you must kill it and then eat it, so be it.  BUT to HANG HIS DEAD HEAD ON YOUR WALL????  Makes me want to vomit.  I think that buck deserves to go back to the earth as nature intended.  "Lets make him look just like he did when he was alive and even give it eyes to stare at us!"  What??

Some idiot once said, "well that's why we hang it up, so we can appreciate its beauty." Well, I think my Grandma is beautiful, but I'm not going to chop her head off when she dies and mount it over the fireplace!  I have PHOTOS of her on the wall.

Another idiot said, "we HAVE to hunt them, its natural selection." No, natural selection, survival of the fittest is driven by the idea of culling out the weak and the sick, not going after the biggest and the strongest.  When someone goes out hunting they chase the best ones, not the slowest and the smallest.  Try again moron.

The best, or worst one is, "Its a sport." Oh yea, how hard is it to win when you are the one with the gun and your prey has no idea of the game in the first place?  Don't sports have to have some kind of a challenge or some kind of actual skill for the player to master?  Oh gee, you can shoot your gun and kill an innocent and unsuspecting animal that never did anything to hurt you...wow you are quite the accomplished sportsman.  I don't care how much fancy and expensive equipment you think you need to buy and all the sitting in a tree waiting for them to walk by, it is NOT a sport.  It's an ambush, especially when they start at one end of the forest and 'flush' them all out the other end where some idiots with guns are waiting to shoot at whatever comes running out!!  When your opponent doesn't have a chance of winning, you aren't really playing fair now are you?

Well, if we don't thin out the population, then they will get sick and die off.  SO???  This is nature.  That is what is supposed to happen.  If you have a HUGE overpopulation of cats on the farm, what happens?  They get sick and they all die out.  Then new ones move in and start over.  That's what nature does, on her own and its natural.  Let it happen.

Again, I don't think its wrong, I just can't understand how someone can do it.  Do I think we should let all the cows go and not have farms?  No.  If done in a humane and properly respectful way, raising beef and swine, chickens and whatnot for eating is ok.  I could not be the one to slit their throats or cut them up, but if the butcher does it with respect and quickly, I don't think it is wrong.  If it were up to me alone to butcher, then I would never eat meat again, as I couldn't do it. 

If killing something is "fun" for you...well...I don't get it. 

Stronger in the Broken Places

Its late, I should be sleeping, but I keep thinking about what a delicate and beautiful thing a heart is.  So fragile, yet strong...when someone breaks it, or gauges out a big ragged piece of it, somehow it keeps on beating.  When a beloved friend or grandparent dies, a lover breaks their sacred vow, or a dear friend blindsides you with malice, we wonder why we ever let ourselves love them so much.

You take such a risk when you let someone inside your heart.  You are exposing parts of yourself that are precious and delicate.  Its a wonder we ever do it again once someone scars it badly.

That fresh wound, that raw and bleeding place, it hurts.  Whether blindsided by a shocking disappointment, or crushed by a devastating loss, it cuts through that soft and sensitive tissue, leaving a slash, or a hole awash with blood...at first it is dripping with sorrow and pain, with tears.  It's all you can think about and must be dealt with immediately.  Everyone hugs you, helping you to put slight pressure on your wound, as pressure helps staunch the flow....a fragile scab eventually seals in your tears.  The tissue slowly starts to knit together, ever so slowly and softly, healing with time and with care.  You treat it tenderly and gently, but it might get bumped with a memory or a smell...it might even break open a few times, awash with fresh blood...only to have to knit together again...

As the wound begins to heal, the swelling goes down, the bruises fade...and the hurt isn't the focal point of your heart as much anymore.  The scar will remain, the hole might not fill in.  You kind of make a little box to keep your heart in for a while....you want to protect it from such pain in the future, you don't want to risk such a crushing, debilitating wound again!  You might even have to nail the box shut for a bit...self preservation and fear drive the nails in.

But as time goes on, as the scar makes that broken place stronger than it was before, hope and renewal will come along with a pliers and slowly take those nails out of your heart box....one by one, perhaps you might get scared and replace one or two in the process, but eventually the nails come out, and you get brave enough to lift that lid off the box.  Perhaps someone helps you to lift that lid off...You might leave some of the sides on the box, you aren't that brave anymore, it hurts too much.  BUT you let someone inside your heart again.  Perhaps they reach in and fill that hole, maybe that hole never gets filled.  Perhaps they decorate a new corner of your heart and make it shine and bounce and glow with happiness.  This bright love and shine of hope outshines the darker spots, it radiates more powerfully than the bleakness of the scar did.  Perhaps a new friendship, or a place for forgiveness.

The point is, we all get wrecked.  We all get slashed to pieces sometimes, but then we are stronger in the broken spots, it will heal as we let others shine their light in to overshadow that disappointment, that scar, that sorrow.  If you keep your heart in the box too long, it will shrivel up and no light gets in at all.  It's hard to believe in that light when your heart is crying fresh blood, your pain is so raw.

Its been 6 months since someone slashed a wretched crevice into my heart.  I was completely devestated by the blow, shocked by someone who I thought was a dear friend and then she revealed her true self and I am still trying to let that wound heal.  It bled for a long time...I think it might be scaring over now, and I'm hoping for a big strong spot to melt that hole back together.  I'm struggling to make the choice every day to forgive and let it go.  Learn from it but not let it scare me into not letting other dear ones inside my heart.  That is hard as I don't want to take my heart out of my box - I want it armored so I can't bleed, but yet I want that connection that only can come from an open heart from me to my dear sweet friends.  And there is no room in there for hate or resentment, so as I choose every day to forgive and let that scar become stronger, I try to fill up with the joy and love borne of true friends and genuine relationships built on trust and faith.

We cant all be roses

Our Ladies Ministries group at church recently were discussing renaming our "serving groups" to something more inviting, or something that sounds more like something fun.  I thought about it a bit and sent the following to the president of the group.  Everyone wants to read it I guess, so by popular demand, I thought I would just post it on my blog.

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I humbly submit for your perusal...consideration if I may. I recognize your authority in such matters but would like to propose an idea for your Majesty's approval...

I know you are busy, so in the interest of trying to help out, I was thinking about the dilemma you are facing with naming the 3 groups of "servers". Some people say I think too much, but then again I often hear that I should think more, usually before I speak, my bad. I don't really see how thinking too much should be a problem, as we are equipt with brains - they are muscles, and must be exercised to make them strong...but I digress...Anyway, I was thinking, ok so we have 3 groups.

We should call them "Stink weed" - I could be the mascot really, I have tons of natural ability in this area (if you get my drift, no pun intended).

The next one should be "Venus Fly Traps". See the reference with they eat, and we are serving food...get it...I think that is very essential for the literal picture there. Plus its fun to say.

The third one should be the "Onion smelling one" (sorry I don't recall the name). Also has to do with food, we do eat onions...

Then I propose (you can even sell this as your very own idea, I wont mind) that we have a 4th group. Call it the "Poison Ivy's". If you chronically don't show up, or give your leaders grief, you get demoted to being a Poison Ivy. Nobody wants to be poison ivy....give everyone a little bit of an incentive to show up and be good. (we could even make them wear a poison ivy button or something to cause shame and regret).

Then going with the whole flower idea, the "chair" sounds kinda dumb, so we should call her something else. I think she should be the Gardener. (I personally like the idea of the Fertilizer, but that might not go over so well, especially with the idea of food again). Plants need a gardener to flourish and grow strong and beauteous. Or even the Blossom - she would be the head of the plant....reminds me of a show in the 80's tho...of the girl named Blossom who was kinda weird and now she's gay...but I digress....

Then we can break down the group into seeds, roots, stems, petals, thorns, oops - whatever if we want like different job assignments like cleaners or setter uppers or servers or sit in the dark and be quiet (those would be the seeds). We could even have ppl who don't show up or who need some discipline be the dirt...lol.

It does take all kinds to make a beautiful garden. We can't all be roses...amen.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathryn Riehle