Here we go....again.

Maybe I wasn't meant to run, I'm thinking that is the case. I don't posses the will-power to stay on any kind of training program for any length of time. I also don't believe in running without doing whatever race you are running the proper justice it deserves.

I've had a variety of heath problems that are weighting very heavily on my mind, thus interrupting my marathon training for the Marine Corps. Marathon this year. Yeah, I could have gone anyway and ran it in 6 or more hours just to say I ran it. Ummmm, no that's not likely to happen!

I know that the shear act of running helps with stress so I SHOULD be running, however when you're battling our own "demons" you don't really feel like running. It's a catch 22 to say the least.

Today, maybe out of guilt because I wasn't freezing my ass off in DC at the starting line, I ran. Well, kinda...

When I got Naiah I wanted to run with her. She has the perfect "runners body", sleek and thin. When I got her she was too thin with no muscle tone so I had to wait a while before I could run with her. Today was that day, we started the C25K program together.


Today was the day I remembered how much fun it was to run! I haven't had "fun" running for a while, which was another reason I was disenchanted with running as of late.

So, maybe I've got new lease on my running life. I mean I'd do anything for my dogs and I wouldn't want to disappoint Naiah by not taking her out to run! :-)

Do I Go Home Today?

Do I Go Home Today?

My family brought me home cradled in their arms.
They cuddled me and smiled at me and said I was full of charm.
They played with me and laughed with me and showered me with toys.
I sure do love my family, especially the girls and boys.
The children loved to feed me, they gave me special treats.
They even let me sleep with them - all snuggled in the sheets.
I used to go for walks, often several times a day.
They even fought to hold the leash, I'm very proud to say.
These are the things I'll not forget - a cherished memory.
I now live in the shelter-without my family.
They used to laugh and praise me when I played with that old shoe.
But I didn't know the difference between the old ones and the new.
The kids and I would grab a rag, for hours we would tug.
So I thought I did the right thing when I chew the bedroom rug.
They said that I was out of control, and would have to live outside.
This I did not understand, although I tried and tried.
The walks stopped, one by one; they said they hadn't time.
I wish that I could change things, I wish I knew my crime.
My life became so lonely, in the backyard, on a chain.
I barked and barked all day long to keep from going insane.
So they brought me to the shelter but were embarassed to say why,
They said I caused an allergy, and then they each kissed me goodbye.
If I'd only had some classes, as a little pup.
I wouldn't have been so hard to handle when I was all grown up.
"You only have one day left." I heard the worker say.
Does that mean I have a second chance?
Do I go Home today?

By Sandi Thompson

The Ten Commandments (pet version)

1. My life is likely to last ten to fifteen years.
Any separation from you will he painful for me.
Remember that before you buy me.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me-it's crucial to my well-being.

4. Don't be angry at me for long and don't lock me up
as punishment. You have your work, your entertainment
and your friends. I have only you.

5. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don't understand your
words, I understand your voice when its speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I'll never forget it.

7. Remember before you hit me that I have teeth that
could easily crush the bones of your hand but that I
choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate
or lazy, ask your self if something might be bothering me.
Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, or I've been out in
the sun too long, or my heart is getting old and weak.

9. Take care of me when I get old; you, too, will grow old.

10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say, "I can't
bear to watch it, or, "Let it happen in my absence."
Everything is easier for me if you are there.
Remember, I love you.

OMFG!!!

So the inevitable happened today. I received my bib number for the Marine Corps. Marathon!! I don't think I've stopped losing my mind since receiving the e-mail.

Last year I was suppose to run this and my training didn't really go as planned due to a job change. Ummm, I don't have that excuse this year but my training is still sucking, but what matters is I AM training! (Maybe I'm not meant to be fast)!

But, this year I'm determined to finish, even it's it on a gurney. I have a bunch of people that have supported me in this Marathon this year and I don't intend to let them down!

This is all I have to do, huh??? Lol...let the games begin!



There's no place like home

I really needed a vacation, even if it was a mini one!

After dropping my hellions off at the kennel on Friday we headed up to Hershey, Pa. Yes they are hellions, at least one of them and I will let you guess which one!

We got to PA. Friday evening and our room at the Holiday Inn wasn't ready so we went to Hershey's Chocolate World. I wanted to take the tour and whatnot (it was free). I know why it was free, you got in these carts and rode through a fake factory with singing cows....yay for me! I did get a sample (3) small pieces of Hershey's chocolate on the way out. The way out dumped us into the gift shop which sold lots and lots of chocolate!

After we took the tour, the boys wanted to go to some skate park they looked up on the Internet. A few miles away and there we where......LAME skate park! But we left them there and went back to the hotel to check in. Before we even go back there, Michael called to be picked up! They got the inside scoop on the town of Hershey while they were there which was very enlightening for all of us.

Went on to the hotel (he can wait) and checked in to our room, which reeked of smoke (it was a non-smoking hotel) back to the desk to get another room. Back to town to get the boys. Back to the Hotel to unload our stuff and eat dinner, but not before seeing full nudity at 6:30 pm from some Jersey Trash at a car lot. She was smashed and had to pee....really bad apparently because she was staggering around with her shorts pulled down.

Our room had a balcony overlooking the indoor pool, you can probably guess how this went!

Dinner was ok at best, but the beer was cold and I was happy to be spending time with my wonderful husband, who was eating crab legs like a boss! Friday night was not bad in the hotel, it was quiet and the beds were comfy, so that was a plus.

Up the next AM, they had given us a free breakfast buffet voucher for our troubles with the room the day before. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it and yep it was the same restaurant as the night before. Off to Hershey Park....in the rain.

It rained on and off all day and I'm pretty sure I was on the verge of Hypothermia waiting in line for the coasters, which I road alone because Michael and James were off doing their own thing.

The highlight of my day was seeing a turtle 3 way in the reptile house at the zoo, actually it was watching the parents trying to convince their 4-6 year olds that it wasn't unusual to see turtles "helping" each other.

After fighting the rain for 8 hours or so, I was done at the last downpour. All of us were soaked to the bone and I was freezing! Terry bought be a sweatshirt to keep me warm and I was looking forward to a hot bath!

Now it's Saturday night, in Pa. in a hotel that's loaded from people from Jersey and New York and a bar. Or should I say, loaded people from NJ and NY??? I don't watch Jersey Shore but I don't think I need to after this weekend!!!

So all night, it was drunks and screaming people running up and down the hall! I was glad the night was over and I could head back home. But not before forgetting my blanket and pillow at the hotel. They are going to mail it back to me, yay!!

All and all I wouldn't go back to Hershey. The people at the park weren't friendly at all, and the people visiting were about the same. The only nice people where the folks at the hotel, so nope I don't think I will be going there again anytime soon!

I'm glad to be home (with a new pillow) and the dogs are zonked out on the floor and although I loved spending time with Terry I'm glad to be home with him too!

What a day off

It's been slammed a the kennel the past couple of weekends. This Sunday was my normal day off, but I had to work. It's cool though, because I had today off and I have Friday-Sunday of next weekend off and boy do I need it!

We didn't get to go on vacation to Florida this year which sucks. I haven't had a break since last year so we are taking some kids to Hershey Park this weekend. Michael and I love to ride coasters, but Terry doesn't so Michael is bringing a friend and Terry and I are going to spend some much needed time with each other. I'm looking forward to the break, I'm not looking forward to boarding my furry hellions for the weekend!

Today was my day off and I spent it cleaning fish tanks and transporting.......DOGS! lol....I volunteered to do a leg of transport for VGSR from Harrisonburg to Winchester. Rico was in a shelter in Roanoke and another volunteer brought him up to Harrisonburg. He was a good boy and enjoyed the AC in my truck until his new foster picked him up. He's almost 5 and looks more like a Husky than a Shepherd but they all need homes! I'm hoping he finds a home soon!

I had some other issues to deal with in my own dogs today. Naiah, being a shepherd, decided that she would get diarrhea yesterday and was up every couple of hours last night to go out. I have no idea what caused this, but I have to get it calmed down before Friday or I can't board her. Shepherds have "glass stomachs" and get soft stool at the drop of a hat. But she's never been this bad so it's chicken and rice for her for a couple of days and I pray I get some sleep tonight!!

Yay Dogs!!!!

Naiah's 1st Home Visit

Today was a big day for Naiah, there were a lot of firsts today!

My old co-worker and still current friend (and Michael's coolest faux-aunt) Jessie came over to meet me for lunch. No one has been in my house since I've adopted Naiah, I figure that's one way to keep people away! Anyway Jessie came inside today and Naiah did great, so just to push the issue when we got back from lunch not only did Jessie come in, but her niece did as well! And nobody got their face bit off! Yay, Naiah!!!!

Just to continue to push the issue, Michael asked if one of his friends could stay the night (something else we haven't done since April). After her doing so well with Jessie and her Niece, why not? She did bark at Michael's friend at first (she has man issues) but calmed down and was giving kisses in no time!

I had already planned to take her to a home visit for Virginia German Shepherd Rescue today because the lady I was going with did have a dog that was good with cats, and Naiah is. It's the other things I was worried about her getting along with! These people had 2 other dogs and 5 cats, why 5 cats??? Really? Who the hell would want that many cats to clean up after? Anyway, we get there and they came out to meet us. She was a little growly with the man (again, man issues) but warmed up pretty quickly.

 They had an old Rotti mix and a young pitt mix. Naiah liked the rotti mix and they did the obligatory sniffing thing and that was all. The younger dog was a bit much for Naiah, he was hyper and wanted to jump all over her which she took offence to and wasn't hesitant to show him.

After they put the younger dog outside so we could talk, she settled down pretty quickly and did well with the cats and people.

I was very pleasantly surprised with her again today. This dog never ceases to amaze me considering where she came from! We will be doing more home visits, I'm sure. I'm thankful for Naiah and I'm sure she's thankful for me!

Someone please shoot me!

Sometimes I just want to lock myself in a padded room with no noise and just sit. I don't have a padded room, and no one will send me to one, so I'm stuck.

I work with kids all day. Now, I know many people are thinking "but I thought you worked in a kennel". I do, but I also work with teenagers. One of these teenagers is my son, nothing bad about that he works very hard, but I never get any quiet. It's bla, bla, bla all day long! I'm pretty sure that after today my ears are bleeding! I just need quiet.....non thinking, non responsibility, non talking, non noisy quiet!

Does this sound selfish? Probably, but I don't care.

On another note, Naiah and I have to do our 1st home visit on Sunday. I hope she can do it, I hope I can!

It's a dogs life

Well, maybe it's my life!

Today (as with most Sundays) was my day off. I choose to spend my day off with, of all things, dogs. One would think that I'd be tired of handling dogs and would love to have a break from it, yeah I'm stupid!

Since I adopted Naiah, I've been volunteering with Virginia German Shepherd Rescue at their adoption events. I love going to these events and talking to the other volunteers it's actually kinda fun and gives me actual adults to talk to, which doesn't happen very often. (except with hubby)! I usually find myself handling the same female GSD, which is fine because I like her and shes a good dog.

Shatzi...she's a good girl!

I sometimes hope that when her foster gets to these events, that she's not with him, not because I dislike her but because he's found her a home. Nothing against Shatzi, but I want all these dogs to find a home like I gave Naiah.

The other thing that strikes me at these events is how stupid people really are about dogs, not just shepherds. People will let their dogs, more often than not on a flexi-leash, just come right up to these dogs that they don't even know. I deal with this at the kennel all the time when people just let their dogs run into the office, off leash,  not knowing if there's another dog in there! Of course, they do it with kids too, so why not dogs. This is another good reason that the fosters have the final say in who gets their dogs. I personally stalked Naiah and her foster for a month! Thank god her foster decided I wasn't a crazy person (or maybe she did) and let me have her!
I wonder if Naiah remembers her life before being at our house, and is she glad to be here? I also tell Zoe that she has never known what it's like to have a life like Naiah has had as she has always been with us and has never wanted for anything (in my mind anyway).

I'm glad to help the fosters and dogs at these events and I wish there was more I could do. The fosters are amazing in that they can take all these dogs into their homes and still give them up, I couldn't do it! I guess we all have our niche, mine is just helping whomever needs it!

And last but not least, when I got home I got to shave Zoes butt......but that's another story! :)

Sometimes you shouldn't laugh at others misfourtune

In the evenings hubby, the boy and I play with the dogs outside. Hubby and I have a beer and we just chill after a long, hot day of work.

I use this opportunity to work on Naiah's training some. I've been letting her off leash sometimes, however in the evenings, when the small woodland creatures are afoot I have her drag a 20ft. line behind her. I do this because although I do trust her training and my ability, when she sees one of these said creatures all bets are off, so I must have some control (in addition to the electronics of course.

So tonight, she's dragging around this line and doing well with "lets go" (this means walk in the same direction as I am, not necessarily beside me), sit/stays etc. So I have my beer, and hubby as his and I put Naiah in a sit/stay where he is standing. I walk about 50 feet away from her to do a recall.

I say "Naiah come" and she takes off toward me......little did I know that the 20ft. line was wrapped around hubby's feet!

The next thing I know, his feet fly out from under him, his beer goes flying through the air end over end and down he goes! He pounded the cement walking stones right on his ribs, it looked much like slow motion!

Both dogs were trying to comfort him while he was down, none of which he wanted a part of. 

 I ran to his aid, except I was laughing so hard I was crying so I couldn't talk very well! I know what you're thinking, "what a bitch, I can't believe she is laughing while her husband is wreathing on the ground in pain". I can understand that opinion, and I wasn't laughing at HIM I was laughing at how funny the situation was. If it were me, I would laugh at myself, after I recovered of course!

Now, I'm thinking he's broken ribs and maybe other things cuz his legs went pretty high off the ground. He is so damn hardheaded he won't let me take him to the hospital (not to mention the fact that he's pissed that I'm laughing about it).

So due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, this has happened. Yes, he could have broken ribs, internal bleeding and possibly a punctured lung but he has to be hardheaded and stay home.

Part of the reason for me writing this is to share this once in a lifetime Jackass worthy moment with you, another reason is to have proof that I did in fact TRY to get him to seek medical care!

I will try to stop giggling now! (And I strained my calf muscle running to his aid! :-()

Save the Drama for your Mamma

Actually, don't even save them for your Mama because she probably doesn't want to hear it either.

DRAMA QUEEN

People (mostly girls - but boys play their part) who like to blow everything totally out of proportion because they either;

a) Want to seek attention
b) Have some emotional dysfunction and it's their duty to make life harder for everyone around them
c) Just simple can't get over it.

These people need to realise that nobody cares about their fucking episodes or what they have to say --- life is hard enough without all the added bullshit drama on top.

So all of us know one of these people, maybe two (if you're unlucky enough) why do these people insist on sharing all their drama on a social networking page? Yeah, you could block them but then you wouldn't get your daily or even hourly giggle at their expense.

Maybe they think you care about their snide remarks and life filled with drama, maybe you do, but really since they have nothing really interesting to say and everything they ever post is nonsense it just makes them look like a tool.

So I say, stop bringing the drama and maybe your life will be better and drama free!

What happened to Customer Service?

Maybe I just don't go to places that have impeccable customer service (it might be the town I live in).

My morning starts with coffee, well if you drink coffee you know that if you get a crappy cup of coffee it f's up your whole day! Even after I've told myself that I'm never going to my corner 7-11 again because they only ever have one person on the register and a line with 10 people in it. There are more employees there, however they are making pizza, stocking the soda cooler, you know shit that doesn't matter when you are in a hurry and trying to get your friggin coffee so you can go to work! But, I continue to go there because when I go through the McDonalds drive through for coffee they always fuck it up.

How do you fuck up black coffee??? Somehow I feel I have to check my coffee to make sure before I pull away to make sure there's not cream and/or sugar in it. I guess they don't agree with me drinking black coffee. At least as I'm standing in line behind 9 other people at 7-11 I know for a fact that my coffee is black, and I can refill it while I'm waiting! ;-D

So that brings me to tonight's McDonalds debauchery. I wish sometimes that I was "undercover boss" or some shit. Hubby and I are going through the drive-thru because to be honest, we are both exhausted and it was hotter than Satan's taint today. Neither one of us wanted to deal with making dinner. Anyway, I place my order making sure I'm perfectly clear on what I want and that it's correct on the screen before I pull to the first window to pay. Pay, move to the next window....then.....

How the hell do these people expect you to carry 3 large teas and drive? I only have 2 cup holders, granted hubby was with me and he has 2 hands, but that's not the point. I shouldn't have to ask for a friggen cardboard tray, it's not metal or plastic or even carbon fiber, it's CARDBOARD! I shouldn't have to beg for it! So I pull up and the girl at the window starts to hand me the 1st tea, which is mine because it's unsweet (that's a whole other issue right there). I ask her for a tray, she retreats back into the window with my tea and then tries to hand it to me again explaining that she doesn't want me to get it mixed up with the others. (isn't this what the little dots are for on the lid?) I tell her that I think I can figure it out and please put it in the tray. So she slams the window back open and out comes my teas. Thank you very much. Hubby said she just didn't want to waddle her fat ass around the corner to get a tray (we are too much alike) ;)

I get home with my food (and teas) and one of the lids have all the dots pressed down, what would you think? WRONG!!! The fat, stupid, inbred, redneck bitch poked the dots on one of the sweet teas! I'm sure she did it on purpose which is fine, as long as it made her feel better about working at McDonalds! Next time I will bring my own tray!

Speak English Please....Happy 4th of July!

Why do the news crews always choose someone out of the crowd that hardly speaks English to interview? I don't mean that they aren't from this country, or they are of foreign decent....nope, they always pick some moron that sat on the dictionary when in school rather than opening it to actually learn to speak proper English!

Makes no sense to me really.....thank god they are in DC and not in my town, it doesn't take the news crews to make the locals around here look anymore inbred than they already are.

Speaking of inbred, let this be a warning to those idiots at the campground tonight....if you decide to let off fireworks until 1am, I will personally come down there and shove them straight up your ass! HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Go ahead and let your kid get bit!

People are retarded....

I took my German Shepherd to the campground last night for the fireworks. We go down every year with the fire department to sit at Ground Zero and watch and protect the drunks in their pimped out golf carts from imminent danger. Yay for us....

For those of you who don't know, I adopted Naiah from Virginia German Shepherd Rescue on my Birthday in April. So I've had her 2 months now. Three days after I brought her home, I brought her to my bosses at work to have her evaluated to see what they thought of her. They've been training dogs forever and they bred GSD so who better? Well, my wonderfully spooked out girl bit my boss.....not a good plan Naiah, thanks for flushing any hope of summer bonuses down the shitter!!

Anyhooo, for the first month I had her I had to keep her on a leash in the house because my husband and the boy couldn't come home without her getting aggressive....good planning on my part? ;-)
So, I've been training her the whole time I've had her and she's been doing great with strangers as long as I'm handling her.

So back to the campground: Naiah was doing a great job, in fact at one point she was lying on her side in the middle of 5 or 6 people and I looked down at her in amazement! This is the same dog that I never thought I'd be able to have in public! Cool....the only problem she has was with one drunk guy on a bike, he rolled up (kinda) and I looked down at my chilled out dog and she was staring a hole through this guy. He asked me "does you're dog bite" what I wanted to say was "no, but this isn't my dog" but I took one look at her and said yes! (he waited for that to sink in, and rolled his happy ass away).

This brings me to the point of this post, never thought I'd get there right? Why in gods name would anyone allow their child to approach a strange dog without asking if they can pet it? Why do people think that all dogs want to be petted by total strangers?

This is the breed standard for a German Shepherd: The characteristic expression of the German Shepherd Dog gives the impression of perpetual vigilance, fidelity, liveliness and watchfulness, alert to every sight and sound, with nothing escaping attention; fearless, but with decided suspiciousness of strangers - as opposed to the immediate friendliness of some breeds.

This means they are not Labs or Golden Retrievers people they are friggin German Shepherds, they don't want to be your friend LEAVE THEM ALONE!

That being said, there are some people who have trained thier children to ask before approching any dog, thank you parents for that (I trained my own children to do this) but they are still some idiots out there you can tell which ones because thier kids are missing fingers!

I got molested at GNC yesterday

I went into GNC early yesterday morning to get some Rescue Remedy for Zoe (my mini Aussie) among other things. I probably would have gotten more, however.....

I was practically raped by the woman in there! No shit, really...

The split second my foot was inside the door she was on me, like flys on shit (I should know as I work around shit all day) It is a very small store and I was the only one in there, so I was stuck. What I really wanted to do was look at stuff, but no....Ms. Up My Ass would leave me be about anything! Even after I told her I didn't need any help. She followed me all over the store talking up stuff that I had no interest in!

I went straight to the shelves and got what I needed, made one swoop around the protein powders (which I would have liked to peruse) and left. She tried pushing all kinds of shit on my while I was there as well!

I don't think I was in the store for more that 3 minutes because of this predator! (I honestly did feel like I was being molested, I was pretty bad!)

Now, I may be an opinionated bitch, but I'm not a rude bitch so I was trying to be nice when I really wanted to say, "could you please step the fuck off, I know what I came in here for, I know where it is and IF I do find that I need some help, you will be the 1st to know." But I didn't, I just got my shit and left.

The next time I go there, IF I go there, I will promptly turn around and leave if this Personal Space Invader is there! And I may even go there today to let someone else know of my shopping experience yesterday....so there!!!!

Just one more gray hair for me.....just one??

Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of teaching someone to drive has undoubtedly earned every single gray hair in their head!

My gray hairs started with my daughter, I think I can count on one hand the number of times I rode with my daughter. I paid the driving instructor a great deal of money to risk his life so I didn't have to risk mine!

Now, it's the boys turn....except I'm forced to let him drive my truck and take my own life in his hands. That being said, the mother in me wants to beat the living shit out of anyone who tailgates him! I can only imagine them saying "learn how to drive, will ya?" Well, he is damn it so get off his ass, he's going the speed limit!

I'm making a sign that says, "student driver, back the fuck off!" so people will know to steer clear of my boy!

So to anyone who is tailgating my son...you know what you can do and for those who have kids that haven't gotten this far yet, invest in hair coloring and Valium!

My 1st Blog

Ok, so I will undoubtedly offend someone reading my blog, as I usually do in my life on a daily basis. I'm not going to apologize because I'm really not sorry about anything I say and I don't get offended easily so if you have an opinion, please share it. Don't hold back that's what I expect from anyone who reads this.

That being said, I hope someone reads this and thinks to themselves "what a cool chick" because I honestly think I missed my calling as a shock jock on the radio! ;)

I am a runner, and currently training for the Marine Corps Marathon. This will be my 1st full, although I've completed many half marathons in the past.

I used to work for an oil company doing AR/AP for them, what a pain in the ass that was. I would lay awake at night wondering where I was going to get hundreds of thousands of dollars the next day to pay for fuel! When I didn't want to stop at the exit anymore on the way to work I decided I'd had enough. I went to work doing what I enjoy most, working with animals. I am a manager at a kennel and I also train dogs there. Sooooo WAY less money, but also way less stress! Money isn't everything, I've found that out over the years!

That's pretty much it, I've had my trials and tribulations over my 41 years and I have my own opinions on most of it! Just ask!

Thanks for visiting, and hope you come again!