This habit that some jerks have of killing large, exotic creatures just for sport, pisses me off. What a waste. What an incredible disrespect for life.
Back in the days when idiots shot buffalo from the windows of trains, I’m sure the animals seemed infinite. Wrong. Nothing is limitless except God, and everything is here for a reason.
Why is it that some people can’t appreciate anything without destroying it?
Category Archives: stories
Happy to be Home
Happy’s very glad to have her Mama and Dad back from their trip, and she’s Happy to be home with them. She’s working on getting used to her new heart meds now. They take a toll on her mood, but she’s a trooper. And she’s breathing well, which is the main thing.
Thanks for all your supportive comments and e-mails. And don’t forget to visit Happy’s personal blog — Happy’s Trials — in the column on the right.
a writer’s time
The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.-Samuel Johnson
whew. really.
I brought Happy home last night. She was exhausted and had diarrhea, poor baby, but otherwise OK. She’s breathing comfortably, resting here beside the desk. We both got a good night’s sleep, which I really needed because I was fairly stressed, and Happy ate her breakfast. Good girl. We have an appointment with her regular vet in half an hour.
three and a half hours
until I get to bring Happy home.
I just talked to the vet. Happy’s doing “really well.” Her heart size is better. (I didn’t know that could/would happen, but I guess a stressed and swollen muscle gets better with treatment.) They’re slowly weaning her off oxygen, and I can get her at 7pm.
I’m a little nervous about it. What if something happens while I’m asleep? (Maybe I shouldn’t do that.) I told the vet I miss Happy and she wants to come home, but we don’t want to rush this, if it’s best that Happy stay for observation. The vet said no, it’ll be fine.
You know, taking care of someone small and helpless, especially one who can’t tell you where it hurts, it’s an enormous responsibility. I’ve done it before — with Tasha for 14 years — but it still takes great focus and determined love. It’s still not easy. So those of you who are good parents — of children or pets — have my unmitigated respect.
not a happy day
My little friend Happy is in the hospital. Here are some details, culled from e-mails to friends.
——————————————-
Sun, May 21, 2006 at 2:12 AM
I had to rush Happy to the ER tonight. She’s in heart failure.
When time came for bed, 11:45, 5/20/05, she was lying by the TV, as normal. She was alert, watching me, but didn’t want to get up. I picked her up. She yelled loudly, arched her back like she was having a cramp or something. I set her in a chair, petted her, she wouldn’t get up. I set her on the floor, she just stood there.
I called my folks, my Mom, at my brother’s in northern cal. We agreed I should take Happy in. She seemed better on the ride up, stood in the seat, eager to get out when we arrived. But when I went through the door, they said her color was bad, like not enough oxygen. They started using words I don’t care for, such as “Stat.”
She has fluid on her lungs. She’s in an oxygen cage. I got to reach in a pet her, and she wanted so much to get out. She’s on Lasix, I think enalapril, they might do nitroglycerin. The vet said she’s doing better – breathing better – and he was “pleased that she’s responding.” She’ll be in the hospital at least until tomorrow night, probably Monday morning, then go to her regular vet.
I’ll go and visit her in the morning, and afternoon…
Please pray!
——————————————-
When time came for bed, 11:45, 5/20/05, she was lying by the TV, as normal. She was alert, watching me, but didn’t want to get up. I picked her up. She yelled loudly, arched her back like she was having a cramp or something. I set her in a chair, petted her, she wouldn’t get up. I set her on the floor, she just stood there.
I called my folks, my Mom, at my brother’s in northern cal. We agreed I should take Happy in. She seemed better on the ride up, stood in the seat, eager to get out when we arrived. But when I went through the door, they said her color was bad, like not enough oxygen. They started using words I don’t care for, such as “Stat.”
She has fluid on her lungs. She’s in an oxygen cage. I got to reach in a pet her, and she wanted so much to get out. She’s on Lasix, I think enalapril, they might do nitroglycerin. The vet said she’s doing better – breathing better – and he was “pleased that she’s responding.” She’ll be in the hospital at least until tomorrow night, probably Monday morning, then go to her regular vet.
I’ll go and visit her in the morning, and afternoon…
Please pray!
——————————————-
Sun, May 21, 2006 at 8:58 AM
I talked to a vet tech about an hour ago, who said that Happy is doing better – breathing better. She ate some breakfast. They’re going to do another xray in a few hours, and maybe start weaning her off oxygen. I’m going up in an hour, as soon as the vets’ rounds are over, to see her.
I’m still at my parents’ house. (I’ve been Happysitting here since Wednesday.) It’s very lonely here!
———————————————-
I talked to a vet tech about an hour ago, who said that Happy is doing better – breathing better. She ate some breakfast. They’re going to do another xray in a few hours, and maybe start weaning her off oxygen. I’m going up in an hour, as soon as the vets’ rounds are over, to see her.
I’m still at my parents’ house. (I’ve been Happysitting here since Wednesday.) It’s very lonely here!
———————————————-
Sun, May 21, 2006 at 1:13 PM
I went up to visit Happy a little less than 3 hours ago, and took her coon — a little softie toy that looks like a raccoon. I knelt on the floor next to her cage for a while, and petted her through a hole. She wanted out pretty bad, and kept putting her head out through the hole, putting her paw on my hand whining. “Kyo get me outta here!” (She calls me Kyo – all dogs do.)
I went up to visit Happy a little less than 3 hours ago, and took her coon — a little softie toy that looks like a raccoon. I knelt on the floor next to her cage for a while, and petted her through a hole. She wanted out pretty bad, and kept putting her head out through the hole, putting her paw on my hand whining. “Kyo get me outta here!” (She calls me Kyo – all dogs do.)
The O2 cage is Plexiglas, with a porthole in the front which can be opened for visits, and a pee pad under her. I would go crazy in a box like that in about a minute. I have to close my eyes for a CT scan, or I get claustrophobic. But I just gently pushed her back inside. It’s strange, the things we do for love.
The vet came over soon and said that she’d just come on shift, but the other vet had reported Happy doing “much better.” The plan was to wean her off O2 gradually today, and possibly send her home tonight. It depends on how she does as the O2 is decreased to normal. Otherwise, tomorrow. I hope she’s doing well enough to come home tonight. But the vet lowered the O2 while I was there, and said Happy showed a little labor in breathing.
She looked pretty good to me, except for being upset at being jailed. So it’s wait and see this afternoon. I’ll be calling for an update in a little while, maybe going for another visit (it’s only 10 miles.) And hopefully, I’ll bring her home to sleep in her own bed.
Thanks for your prayers, everybody!
The vet came over soon and said that she’d just come on shift, but the other vet had reported Happy doing “much better.” The plan was to wean her off O2 gradually today, and possibly send her home tonight. It depends on how she does as the O2 is decreased to normal. Otherwise, tomorrow. I hope she’s doing well enough to come home tonight. But the vet lowered the O2 while I was there, and said Happy showed a little labor in breathing.
She looked pretty good to me, except for being upset at being jailed. So it’s wait and see this afternoon. I’ll be calling for an update in a little while, maybe going for another visit (it’s only 10 miles.) And hopefully, I’ll bring her home to sleep in her own bed.
Thanks for your prayers, everybody!
the sun!
after weeks of clouds and drizzle
has finally
thank God
appeared
that is all
"one are borders"
Hey, I figured it out. There’s no need to impeach George Bush. His inauguration was invalid, and not just because of the nefarious miscreations of the State of Florida, the Supreme Court and Diebold. One cannot serve as president unless he is a citizen. By his own definition, the man does not qualify.
“What the president has said all along is that he wants to make sure that people who become American citizens have a command of the English language,” Snow said. “It’s as simple as that.”
Oh, I know, he’s not becoming a citizen, he is one and we’re stuck with him. But I’m making a point of dubious value here. And since you’re reading my blog you’ve got time on your hands, so stick with me.
The man has no more than fundamental facility with his mother tongue. Command? No. It’s embarrassing. It’s hard to believe the man went to college, and purportedly graduated, in the United States.
Snow? His command is probably greater, but let’s see if we can help him polish it up:
The president has always said that he wants new American citizens to have a command of English. (“The English language” is redundant.)
I’m no genius, and I miss the days when the President of the United States could stand at a podium and remind me of the fact.
Within this Cabinet department, we’re going to have four basic functions. One are borders.
— President Bush, Kansas City, Missouri, Jun. 11, 2002
fire & ice
I think it’s important that this be documented, and disseminated via the Internet, because it’s the kind of thing that history desperately tries to forget. But back in late winter of 2003, I predicted this would happen; that American troops, being only human, would lose their perspective amidst the horror of war; that hell, the father and sponsor of all war, would have its day.
WASHINGTON (CNN) — A decorated Marine colonel turned anti-war congressman said Wednesday that Marines killed at least 30 innocent Iraqi civilians “in cold blood” in Haditha in November, suggesting the attack is twice as bad as originally reported.
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pennsylvania, told reporters Wednesday that he got his information from U.S. commanders, who said the investigation will show that the Marines deliberately killed the civilians.
…
Murtha, who was decorated for his service in Vietnam, said the death toll may be more than twice as high as originally reported.
“They actually went into the houses and killed women and children,” the congressman said.
[via allthatarises]
I think I found the problem
with the Bush administration. Somewhere along the way, W came across this quotation of Winston Churchill. And took it, not as an affirmation but as literal advice.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
ticker shock
What in the wide world of sports happened to the pharkin market today? Dow’s down 214 points!? Nasdaq down over 33. I think they should ban caffeine on Wall Street until at least a year into the next Democratic administration. People are more nervous than hookers in church.
fighting words
Andrew Sullivan makes a good point about free speech. If bigots don’t have it, no one does. True enough, but I seem to remember learning about an exception to free speech protections, for an expression which is inherently likely to provoke a violent response. I’m just playing devil’s advocate; I happen to agree with Sullivan. What do you think?
Metaphor 