March 04, 2015

Bambi

We had some weird weather yesterday! It snowed over the weekend, and then yesterday, it was hailing all day (or maybe freezing rain... I'm not sure of the difference). There were teeny tiny little balls of ice falling all day, which formed a layer of ice over the snow.

The temp was right around 30 degrees, so instead of the snow freezing solid, there was a layer of ice and then a layer of very soft snow. I'd never seen anything like it! I wish I'd taken pictures, because it's very hard to describe. The kids and I walked to the corner store last night (bringing Joey along) and we were all completely weirded out by the ice/snow.

Joey loved it, and I could tell he was a little freaked out by it, too. When he first started walking on it, he was watching his feet like he was in awe, and maybe a little confused. Then once he got over the initial weirdness, he started leaping around, crashing through the layer of ice and sinking up to his ribs in the soft snow, having a good old time.

Unfortunately, the roads were terrible yesterday, so I couldn't drive anywhere. The kids didn't have school, due to a teacher in-service day, but I'm sure it would have been canceled regardless. It was really important that I go to the animal control shelter to take care of some paperwork, though. When we adopted Joey, we signed a contract saying that we'd have him neutered within 30 days. We did get him neutered a few weeks ago, but I still had to turn in the paper that was signed by the vet. The shelter is pretty far from our house, and we have no reason to go in that direction, so I was putting off turning it in.

On Monday, I finally made the drive out there... only to find out they were closed on Mondays! Yesterday, the roads were too bad to drive, so that left me with today. Today was the last day to turn in the paper. It was a rest day for me, so after I got the kids off to school and ate breakfast, I headed out to the animal shelter. I turned in the paper, and got Joey licensed while I was there (also required within 30 days). The woman asked how Joey was doing, and I told her that he's fantastic! I never expected to enjoy having a dog as much as I do Joey.

He thinks he's the size of a cat
There was a dog that had just been dropped off there, and he was wandering around behind the counter with the animal control officers. He was a cute dog (a boxer), but what really stood out to me was that the officers all really seemed to like him (as opposed to just tolerate him). I guess I always thought they just thought of animals as part of their job, and didn't really interact much with them emotionally, but that wasn't the case at all. They were giving him toys, and playing with him. That would be a hard job, I think--to see all those animals get dropped off, and then wait for homes. There's a bulletin board on the wall that shows a picture of the "longest resident"--the dog that has been there the longest. How sad! I could hear all the dogs barking in the back, and it made me feel bad.

Anyway, I was so glad to have that stuff taken care of. Now everything with Joey is done--all the paperwork, all the vaccines, flea and heart worm prevention, his neuter surgery, microchip, and license. I never really realized just how much there is to do when adopting a dog!

When I got home, we went on a walk--a pretty slow one, because the ice was REALLY slippery. Remember that scene in Bambi, when Bambi walks out on the ice, and all of his legs spread out as he slides down onto his belly? Yeah, that was Joey today ;)


Tomorrow is the first day of my circuit training class! I'm a little nervous, but mostly I'm excited. I haven't done any cross training since I started running again over a week ago, even though I swore I would; so I think signing up for the class is perfect, because it will force me to cross train. I'm happy that I chose the circuit training class, because it's cardio and strength training.

Strength training is another thing I know I should be doing, but I just don't make the effort. So I'll be cross training and strength training at least once a week for the next eight weeks--that's a start! ;) I'm going to try to get in a deep water run each weekend, too. The kids will hold me accountable to that, because they love going to the rec to swim!

6 comments:

  1. I think it is less complicated to give birth to a child than to adopt a pet now. My guess is they have had some bad experiences and now have to make sure the animal was placed in a good home.
    My mother now has a house dog instead of the watch dogs we had growing up. It is such a different animal when they are part of the family. Her cat still doesn't tolerate him and it's been about 3 years.
    Good luck with the class.
    Pat

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    1. That's funny! I just had a child and I think I would agree with you.

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  2. Joey is such a cutie pie! How's he getting along with the cats. Just be careful letting him jump through the ice and soft snow like that -- it's a recipe for a blown out knee (according to my vet.)

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  3. I worked at an animal shelter for a few months. It was the most rewarding and yet the hardest job I ever had. I went home EVERY day I worked crying. It takes a very special person to do it and I am not that person.

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  4. Our dogs went missing once so I went to all the shelters and the pound looking for them. I cried all day because I wanted to bring them all home with me.

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  5. My daughter and I volunteer at the local Humane Society and have for a number of years. Once we developed the mind set of "we are here to love on them for this moment in time" it gets easier. All of the staff and volunteers love on those animals as if they are their own. However, it's just for that moment in time....until their forever home is found. Some stay longer than others, but they all eventually find a home. I've even run into a few of them at the dog park over the years and that is just amazing. It's very rewarding but also tough sometimes.

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