When I got home from the Lugnuts game on Saturday night, I took Kika and Gregory House outside for a potty break. Out of the night air, a quickly approaching figure was running toward us. I immediately picked up Kika and House, waiting for what was apparently a dog to descend on us. Before I knew it, a golden beauty of a dog was sniffing me, Kiks and House and begging for love. House started spitting piss and vinegar, and scratched me up in the process of getting away. I took both him and Kiks inside, then returned to the front sidewalk where this stray dog had remained, waiting for me to come back.
After determining she was friendly and that she had no collar or tags on her, I got out Shabbi's old collar and leash and took this mystery dog for a walk around the neighborhood. I figured someone, despite the late hour, might be out looking for their lost dog, and I might be able to find them. After 45 minutes of walking, however, I had no luck and we returned to the house. Since I had no history on the dog, I didn't dare bring her inside that first night; instead, I put some blankets, water and food into the garage and played NPR to calm her down. There were still neighborhood assholes exploding their fireworks, which made mystery dog, in addition to Kika and House, quite frantic. Once she settled down, I left her in the garage and went to bed. I was quite overwhelmed, especially by the fact that I seem to find stray animals whenever Adam is away. It never fails that they come to me when they know I'm alone and have no help in taking care of them
The next day, Sunday, Emily came over and helped me give mystery dog (also known as "Little No Name") a bath. Then we took her for a 2-hour long walk around the outskirts of the neighborhood, hoping we'd find someone who'd recognize her, or at least "Lost Dog" fliers hung up. Nothing. But she did really well on the leash. At least once that day I told her that I wouldn't let just any dog use Shabbi-girl's collar. I think my Shabbi is panting with happiness somewhere, though, knowing that her mum is continuing to give love to doggies.
Sunday night I decided Little No Name should come inside because the garage is getting hotter as the days go on. I set her up in the basement, where she cried and whimpered for a few minutes before settling down. She is so GOOD. She sits, lies down, stays, and shakes on command. She won't disobey you and she hardly ever barks. The only thing she doesn't do is tell me her name. Little No Name is cute for now, but it would be nice to be able to call her by a proper name.
Today was the test. Emily and I called all of the shelters and humane societies in town but they were closed yesterday and today, meaning that Little No Name would have to be left in the house all day long while I was at work. I didn't want to keep her holed up in the basement where she couldn't really move around, so I decided to give her the run of the house. But that meant that Kika had to be put away (Kiks has been snipping at her so I didn't want them together without supervision) and House ended up in the basement since his litter box is down there. I didn't want him hissing or clawing at Little No Name. Gotta keep 'em separated, ya know.
Got home today after a long, hard, wet (got torrentially rained on) day at work, and was in no mood for trouble. Luckily, there was none. Little No Name had not moved a hair in the house, had not destroyed anything or had any accidents. She was just very very excited to see me, which was sweet. This evening was the official introduction of the three kids to each other. It was stressful at first, but now, several hours later, they are in a respectfully distant peacefulness from each other and I'm happy about that. Tomorrow I'll put out some more notices (newspaper, shelters) to try to find her owner. She looks at every single person she passes on our walks, so I know that she is keeping a watchful eye out for her human family and I really really want to find them for her. I'm sure they are devastated to have lost such a wonderful girl and I hope to bring them a little joy very soon.
Adam claims I'm becoming the crazy animal lady and that I'd better not save any more strays. I say that if the animals are choosing me, then I must have something to offer them. And if they happen to stick around for awhile, then there's plenty of love to go around.
Woof, meow, bark, g'night
Monday, July 7, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Anal Retentive
Woooooooooo, what a week! Last Wednesday Lansing got hit with a series of violent storms that left us with tons of rain (and flooding in some areas) and wind damage. No tornadoes came from these storms, but they were strong nonetheless.
Wednesday was also the day of my phone interview for the Oregon job. After weeks of studying up on the OR Dept of Fish and Wildlife's wildlife issues and policies, I felt there wasn't much more I could do to prepare. My coworker held a 1 1/2 hour mock interview to help me prepare for any questions that the interview panel might ask, and I rounded off the last few hours before the interview by boning up on the priority invasive species in Oregon.
By the time the interview came around, I was more concerned with the storm than the questions themselves. I was afraid the wind damage might disconnect the call. Luckily, everything went well. They e-mailed me 6 questions 10 minutes before the interview started and I was able to take some quick notes on how I'd answer them. The panel consisted of 3 people, 2 of whom work for the agency, and one of whom works for a nearby university but would work closely with me if I were to get the position. The only thing that jarred me was when Adam's cell phone rang in the middle of my interview. It was sitting right in front of me, and since I had the interview panel on speaker phone, they heard it too. I was trying to turn his cell phone off in the midst of answering my question, but ended up becoming so distracted that I just chucked his cell phone into the next room. Otherwise, though, I think the interview went well, although you never can tell when you can't see their faces. I should know whether I got the job in the next week or so.
Yesterday was a nice day. We've finally finished work on our office (new floors put in and we painted the walls) so we were able to move the furniture back in. Adam did a bangup job of cleaning things up so I have a workable space (and living area) while he's out of town. I'm hoping to get some more painting done while he's gone, but we'll see how productive I feel during these increasingly hot summer days we've been getting.
We spent the 4th working on the house and then visiting with some friends at a bbq. All was normal until the end of the party, when one of the party guests mentioned his dog had been scooting around the house on her butt. I asked if she'd ever had her anal glands expressed and he looked at me like I was crazy. I used to be a dog groomer so I'm pretty familiar with the procedure. I explained the method of relieving the dog of excess anal fluid (which is often why their butts itch to the point that they drag them on the floor) and I offered to do it for the guy's dog. He couldn't believe that I'd do it (in my white dress no less) but I've done it a million times so it was no big deal to me. He went to get his dog and I instructed him (in the yard, away from the guests) how to squeeze the glands along either side of the anus. He was fascinated, and the dog only winced a little (most dogs do if they've never had a person pinching their butthole before). What I failed to realize was that many of the other party guests were disgusted, despite the fact that I did it far from the picnic table, out of view, and I washed my hands thoroughly after handling the dog's anus. When the guy (and a couple other people) continued to ask me questions about what I'd done and I answered them, one of the guests (who'd I only met that day) came up and told me to "drop the topic". It didn't help that people kept asking me questions about it, but of course I was the one branded as "anus girl" in everyone's minds. When I asked Adam on the ride home if relieving the dog's anal glands at a bbq had been inappropriate, he looked thoughtfully out the window, and said, "You're just a different type of girl, Lauren." Damn right I am.
Now I'm off to go to a minor league baseball game with some friends. It feels like Sunday today since I had yesterday off, too, but I am SO glad work doesn't start back up tomorrow. I'll have to bike to work the next two weeks while Adam is away, so I will be in major buff shape when he gets back. He'll have to take me to the beach because I'll probably feel secure enough to get into a bikini again...
Happy 4th of July everyone!
Wednesday was also the day of my phone interview for the Oregon job. After weeks of studying up on the OR Dept of Fish and Wildlife's wildlife issues and policies, I felt there wasn't much more I could do to prepare. My coworker held a 1 1/2 hour mock interview to help me prepare for any questions that the interview panel might ask, and I rounded off the last few hours before the interview by boning up on the priority invasive species in Oregon.
By the time the interview came around, I was more concerned with the storm than the questions themselves. I was afraid the wind damage might disconnect the call. Luckily, everything went well. They e-mailed me 6 questions 10 minutes before the interview started and I was able to take some quick notes on how I'd answer them. The panel consisted of 3 people, 2 of whom work for the agency, and one of whom works for a nearby university but would work closely with me if I were to get the position. The only thing that jarred me was when Adam's cell phone rang in the middle of my interview. It was sitting right in front of me, and since I had the interview panel on speaker phone, they heard it too. I was trying to turn his cell phone off in the midst of answering my question, but ended up becoming so distracted that I just chucked his cell phone into the next room. Otherwise, though, I think the interview went well, although you never can tell when you can't see their faces. I should know whether I got the job in the next week or so.
Yesterday was a nice day. We've finally finished work on our office (new floors put in and we painted the walls) so we were able to move the furniture back in. Adam did a bangup job of cleaning things up so I have a workable space (and living area) while he's out of town. I'm hoping to get some more painting done while he's gone, but we'll see how productive I feel during these increasingly hot summer days we've been getting.
We spent the 4th working on the house and then visiting with some friends at a bbq. All was normal until the end of the party, when one of the party guests mentioned his dog had been scooting around the house on her butt. I asked if she'd ever had her anal glands expressed and he looked at me like I was crazy. I used to be a dog groomer so I'm pretty familiar with the procedure. I explained the method of relieving the dog of excess anal fluid (which is often why their butts itch to the point that they drag them on the floor) and I offered to do it for the guy's dog. He couldn't believe that I'd do it (in my white dress no less) but I've done it a million times so it was no big deal to me. He went to get his dog and I instructed him (in the yard, away from the guests) how to squeeze the glands along either side of the anus. He was fascinated, and the dog only winced a little (most dogs do if they've never had a person pinching their butthole before). What I failed to realize was that many of the other party guests were disgusted, despite the fact that I did it far from the picnic table, out of view, and I washed my hands thoroughly after handling the dog's anus. When the guy (and a couple other people) continued to ask me questions about what I'd done and I answered them, one of the guests (who'd I only met that day) came up and told me to "drop the topic". It didn't help that people kept asking me questions about it, but of course I was the one branded as "anus girl" in everyone's minds. When I asked Adam on the ride home if relieving the dog's anal glands at a bbq had been inappropriate, he looked thoughtfully out the window, and said, "You're just a different type of girl, Lauren." Damn right I am.
Now I'm off to go to a minor league baseball game with some friends. It feels like Sunday today since I had yesterday off, too, but I am SO glad work doesn't start back up tomorrow. I'll have to bike to work the next two weeks while Adam is away, so I will be in major buff shape when he gets back. He'll have to take me to the beach because I'll probably feel secure enough to get into a bikini again...
Happy 4th of July everyone!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Cramming
One week left til the interview for the Oregon job. I am spending my evenings cramming my head full of information--some that I already know, some that I am just learning. It's exciting to be exposed to all of this knowledge, and even more exciting to imagine living and working in Oregon one day soon. However, I am desperately trying to keep my expectations in check and not get my hopes up. Right now I only have an interview, and while I'm doing everything I can to wow them, I also know that it's quite possible that they already have a candidate in mind, and just posted the job because legally they have to. So, excitement levels are up, but expectations are low. I'll just try to have fun with it and do the best I can.
In the meantime, we are painting our entire house. We finished the bathroom and are now moving on to the office. We chose some nice colors (actually I tried to stay relatively mum while Adam chose colors that ultimately, I would've picked anyway), and we are planning to paint our bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen. Yes, we are ambitious. Yes, we are already tired and unmotivated. But we shall complete the project!!!
Kika and House are doing well, living in relatively respectful cohabitation. Kika keeps her distance and House does too, until that is, he decides she's too interesting to stay away from. Then we hear Kika's yelp which means she has snapped at him, and he shrinks back in discouragement. While still kinda annoying, House has definitely staved off from his trash can attacks, jaunts on the kitchen counters and attempts to run out of the house. While he still does all of these things, I'd say he does them 20% less now than a few weeks ago. It's the small things that can make the difference.
In the meantime, we are painting our entire house. We finished the bathroom and are now moving on to the office. We chose some nice colors (actually I tried to stay relatively mum while Adam chose colors that ultimately, I would've picked anyway), and we are planning to paint our bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen. Yes, we are ambitious. Yes, we are already tired and unmotivated. But we shall complete the project!!!
Kika and House are doing well, living in relatively respectful cohabitation. Kika keeps her distance and House does too, until that is, he decides she's too interesting to stay away from. Then we hear Kika's yelp which means she has snapped at him, and he shrinks back in discouragement. While still kinda annoying, House has definitely staved off from his trash can attacks, jaunts on the kitchen counters and attempts to run out of the house. While he still does all of these things, I'd say he does them 20% less now than a few weeks ago. It's the small things that can make the difference.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Do You Like Ze 'Do?
Ads and I went with George and Em to our friends Jim and Cecilia's wedding last night. I decided to go ahead and chop off my hair (finally) for the occasion. Here it is.
Ads and I moments before the big event
The happy newlyweds!
Had to get one good shot of my hair before the dancin' fool inside me made it go flat!
Adam taking Em for a dip
George and the military brass gettin' down to YMCA
One last pic before we turned into pumpkins
Ads and I moments before the big event
The happy newlyweds!
Had to get one good shot of my hair before the dancin' fool inside me made it go flat!
Adam taking Em for a dip
George and the military brass gettin' down to YMCA
One last pic before we turned into pumpkins
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Sleep, Eat, Work, Interview, Sleep, Eat, Work
So the past two weeks have been kicking me in the butt in the good ole fashioned way. Lots and lots of laborious work, but I'm not complaining. It's nice to be out in the field in this beautiful weather, meeting with sweet, down-to-earth landowners and hanging out with my wonderful coworkers. But I definitely come home exhausted everyday after 8-9 hours of driving all over the state and trudging through tallgrass prairies. It's no joke.
Tonight Ads and I had strawberry ice cream for dinner. I was too tired to cook, in fact, too tired to really eat anything substantial. He had already eaten a little earlier so I dished up some ice cream for us to enjoy as we approach the longest day of sunlight for the year. I crashed on the couch to watch "The Office" while Adam applied to more jobs. Life is becoming rote.
One thing to mix things up a bit, though. I have a phone interview for a job out in Salem, Oregon. I had applied to this job (kinda sorta my dream job) a month or so ago, figuring I didn't have a chance, considering I've heard nothing from several jobs I'm overqualified for. Lo and behold, I got a letter stating I am qualified for the job; 30 minutes later I received a phone call from the agency asking to schedule a phone interview in a couple weeks. I am psyched. In addition, I got an e-mail from a Forest Service Ranger Station in Lytle Creek, California, asking if I was still interested in a wildlife biologist position there that I had applied to a few weeks ago. Things might be looking up on the job front.
However, for now, routine calls. Time for...oh yeah, sleep. Good night.
Tonight Ads and I had strawberry ice cream for dinner. I was too tired to cook, in fact, too tired to really eat anything substantial. He had already eaten a little earlier so I dished up some ice cream for us to enjoy as we approach the longest day of sunlight for the year. I crashed on the couch to watch "The Office" while Adam applied to more jobs. Life is becoming rote.
One thing to mix things up a bit, though. I have a phone interview for a job out in Salem, Oregon. I had applied to this job (kinda sorta my dream job) a month or so ago, figuring I didn't have a chance, considering I've heard nothing from several jobs I'm overqualified for. Lo and behold, I got a letter stating I am qualified for the job; 30 minutes later I received a phone call from the agency asking to schedule a phone interview in a couple weeks. I am psyched. In addition, I got an e-mail from a Forest Service Ranger Station in Lytle Creek, California, asking if I was still interested in a wildlife biologist position there that I had applied to a few weeks ago. Things might be looking up on the job front.
However, for now, routine calls. Time for...oh yeah, sleep. Good night.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Fourteen Years On
In 1994, I fell in love, with a song, an album, a band, a man. The song was called "Always", the album entitled "I say, I say, I say", the band Erasure, and the man...well, of course the mysterious, reclusive and damn-right sexy Vince Clarke.
Fourteen years on and goodness only knows how many albums later, I am still in love. I've met him a couple times over the years at concerts and signing events, and he was just as much the gentle, quiet mystery in person as he exudes in concert. Vince is married and a father now, and I'm happily with Adam, but you can never quite forget your first love. Even if you never knew him.
A toast to musical genius and my first love, Vince Clarke.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Butt-f*ck Kalamazoo
Years ago, a friend came out to Michigan to visit us, and passed by a sign for Kalamazoo St. He went crazy laughing, saying he couldn't believe that there really was a Kalamazoo. Adam and I couldn't figure out what the big deal was; our friend said, "you know, all the way to butt-f*ck Kalamazoo?". So, that's where I am now. Butt-f*ck Kalamazoo.
I'm staying at the Kellogg Biological Station this week to help an undergrad student with her research here. Yes, Kellogg like the cereal. Kalamazoo is near Battle Creek, Michigan, also known as Cereal City for all you non-Michiganders. You can actually smell the sugary goodness once you cross into the Battle Creek city limits. Anyhoo, the wealthy Kellogg family donated their historic summer home to Michigan State to serve as a biological research station. It's quite pretty out here. If I can get myself out of bed early enough I'll go birding in the early morning hours.
That's it for now. Gotta go back to watching "I Love the 80s", cause I still do.
I'm staying at the Kellogg Biological Station this week to help an undergrad student with her research here. Yes, Kellogg like the cereal. Kalamazoo is near Battle Creek, Michigan, also known as Cereal City for all you non-Michiganders. You can actually smell the sugary goodness once you cross into the Battle Creek city limits. Anyhoo, the wealthy Kellogg family donated their historic summer home to Michigan State to serve as a biological research station. It's quite pretty out here. If I can get myself out of bed early enough I'll go birding in the early morning hours.
That's it for now. Gotta go back to watching "I Love the 80s", cause I still do.
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