Two can be as bad as one

I want to get two or three ferrets so bad, it's ridiculous.  For whatever reason, every few years I get it in my head that I want a certain animal and then the feeling doesn't go away till I get it.  The only time I've regretted the animal was with this last senegal parrot I had.  She screamed all day no matter what we tried.  I was still said when she died suddenly but I know I should've waited before I got her in the first place.  I won't be getting any ferrets any time soon.  We have other things to worry about.  While their upkeep is generally cheap, their vet bills are not.  And if you get the flu, guess who also can catch it?  I love my rats but they're not really playful.  They like to play on their own but not with us.  They LOVE to be petted and go to sleep in your lap and that's what's great about them but I want to be able to put them on their backs and shake them around like you can a ferret.  (not a violent shake.. just playing) I check petfinder.com almost every day (I've always done it) and I look at all the ferrets on the classified pages.  I think that's what we'll end up doing because you usually get the cage with them and it's less hassle than going through a rescue.  All the ones you can buy from breeders are ridiculous in price (over $300 typically) and the ones from pet stores usually come from Marshall Farms (a company that I vehemently to do NOT support).  While most ferrets you find for adoption are probably from the same company, I would not be supporting that company, only providing a homeless animal with a home.  In case you're wondering, Marshall Farms is a large company that mass breeds dogs and ferrets for sale in pet stores and labs.  Their practices have been questioned many times by animal support groups and I will NOT support anyone who sells to labs.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  I will also not buy any product that is produced from Marshall Farms.  They make just about everything for ferrets, particularly popular food for them.  Which, by the way, is not the best food you can buy for a ferret and can actually cause problems with cancer and liver enzymes as they age.  Now, even though we aren't buying any at the moment, that doesn't stop me from playing with them in the pet stores.  We found one at Petco that was all alone and looked immensely bored.  She was white with a grey mask and definitely no longer a kit.  She was very playful and kept jumping at my finger.  (their cages are completely enclosed in plexy glass... not a good thing either... lack of air circulation and even a de-scented ferret still makes quite a musky smell)

Cash, the doberman, had to go back to the vet this morning and get staples put in his incision from his neuter.  Rocky may have to have the same thing done.  I was a bit upset that no one even talked to my husband, they just took Cash in the back, numbed him and stapled him.  Although I'm sure it was more of a job than they were expecting, Cash gets very excitable around new people and one of the games we play with him is grabbing his nub (his tail was docked as a puppy) and he spins in circles to avoid us.  I'm sure it made for a comical scene as the techs tried to staple his testicles back together.  *grin* They also put him in an elizabethan collar.  I cannot say enough how much I hate those things.  He looks miserable.  My husband had to go out and buy a massive crate because his fat head wouldn't fit comfortably in his other one with the collar on.  I was shocked by the size of it when I walked into the back room.  It's 48 inches tall!  When we got home tonight from shopping, Rocky had blood in his crate.  We're not sure if it was from the incision or his gums as he had been trying to chew the collar off for some time.  Cash will have to return to have his staples out but as long as Rocky heals well, he will not have to return to the vet for hopefully another year.  (wait no, he has to go in for xrays on his shoulder, he limps) All I can think is there is no way I can go through this with my other two boys when their appointment comes up.  Cash and Rocky are so swollen and bruised.  My two aussies are so fragile and emotional that they'll act even more depressed than these two have.  Now boys and girls, this is why you should have your dogs neutered as soon as your vet allows.  Their testicles were fully matured so there was a lot more bruising and swelling to the area.  A younger dog would've had smaller testicles and far less pain.  I just want to make sure our female (born August 30) gets spayed before she goes into heat.  I don't need to worry more about her surgery than I'm already going to.  (female dogs spay surgery IS major surgery, even though it's done frequently and is what's best for a non breeding dog... a dog who goes into heat, even once, has a higher risk for complications from the surgery than one who hasn't... a dog who has had a litter of puppies has an even greater chance)

Kiss the little Green men

So, who wants to give me $1500 to go see a Bears/Packers game?  It's over $500 per seat but it's 7 rows up.  Do you have any idea how close that is?  I could smell Brett's sweat from there.  And it would make my hubby happy to see his stupid Bears play (and hopefully LOSE).  It's $80 bucks just to park.  JUST TO PARK.  I was like holy shit, we're going to have to save every penny we have just to be able to go NEXT year.  I decided tonight though that if Brett stays on at least one more year, I'm going to a game AT lambeau field.  I'm going to kiss the walls before I walk inside.  And I'm going to cry like a little girl.  ;)

I bleed green and gold

Who would've thought that the other man in my life would be 38 and a virtual shoe in for the pro-bowl?  Last year on the discovery channel Brett Farve was named 89th most influential person in America our of 100.  There is so much that can be said about him and I could not be happier to support a team that has such a wonderful quarterback inside and out.  All I can hope for is that he plays just one more year so I have another chance to see him in person.  I honestly think I would cry throughout most of the game.  I know to a lot of people, football is just a stupid game but I love it.  I love my team and I love the game.  I love watching a tight Sunday game, my heart pounding, nerves on end, hoping for a win.  The rest of our regular season games will be played at noon.  Shitty for me as that is quite early for me to get up but you better bet your ass that these final games I will be in my pj's every Sunday watching my team continue on to the playoffs.  We only need one more win to cinch the division.  Who would've thought?  These past few years all you ever hear about is "Is Brett Farve too old to play?" "Will Farve retire this year?" etc., etc.  I've known all along that he's not too old and this year he's proving it.  I'm so sick of hearing sportscasters talk about how they knew Brett still had it in him, when last year they were the same ones saying it was time to hang it up.  Last year was a rough year for us, I'll admit that but it wasn't all Brett's fault.  We had a lot of new starters last year and it takes a while for a team to get it together.  If we were to get to the super bowl this year, win or lose, I would be in a puddle of tears.  I am always so happy to see Brett do well.  It's really something to see a 38 year old man act like he's back in high school playing for the state championship.  I will be a packers fan till the day I die, no doubt about it.

I say we neuter him right now... Give him the bob barker treatment

First of all, I'm one of the biggest Angelina Jolie supporters out there but for christ sake will somebody please feed her?  I mean come on, it's getting a bit ridiculous.  She can't weigh more than 120 and that's being generous.  And Ange, starving kids in Africa want to see you wear colors.  The world is sad enough, you don't need to wear black all the time, you're not Johnny Cash.  She's wasting away and Brad needs to do something before she ends up in the hospital.

Yes, I'm in a pissy mood today.  There are days when I'm just sick of being me, sick of my life.  Other days I'm like oh this is wonderful but not today.  I'm sick of being the one to make all the decisions and taking care of every single teeny tiny little detail.  And would it kill my husband to throw his shit away?  My dogs came home from the vet today (Cash and Rocky, doberman and pit bull) from getting neutered.  Rocky has to be on antibiotics for two weeks because overnight (so they say) he was messing with his incision and irritated it.  Cash has to go back tomorrow because some how he managed to rip open one of his testicles.  Of course, waking up my husband in the middle of the night because god knows what is dripping from my dog was not a good idea.  Apparently when shit happens at night, I should just deal with it on my own until it's morning and more convient.  There is no way he could've done this on his own, he's in a small crate so that he can't get to his incision site.  But we all know they will blame it on him or us and it won't be their fault.  We went through this a few years ago with one of my mom's females dogs.  To refresh, on a Saturday she came in from going potty and her intestines were hanging out of her incision.  No, I'm not kidding.  She was fine after an expensive trip to the ER but her regular vet said she caused the tear.  (I will swear to my dying day that the dog never touched her stitches and it was entirely the vet's fault) I'm sure after tomorrow Cash will also be on a round of antibiotics and probably get an elizabethin collar just like Rocky has.  I hate those things.  We have to walk both of them on a short leash so they can go potty and Rocky keeps cutting up the backs of my legs with that damn thing.  And for any men reading this, no I'm not pmsing so don't blame my bad mood on that.  Besides, I hate that and have schooled my brother in the reasons to NEVER say that to a woman when she's bitching you out. 

We're a couple of misfits

I'm very happy to say that my daughter enjoys watching Rudolph the Red nosed reindeer.  This is a movie that I've watched every year around Christmas time.  Now I have it on dvd and can watch it all year long if I want.  Too bad hollywood can't seem to see that it doesn't take bells and whistles to make a blockbuster.  And who doesn't love Burl Ives voice? 

I'm already sick of winter and it's only the first week of December.  I hate walking out to the cats through ice and snow.  Hell, I hate walking to the car in ice and snow.  Some days, it can be in the 20's and I will walk out to the cat house in shorts and be fine, other days it's in the 40's and I'm freezing.  I just prefer to be warm and comfortable at all times.  I love Florida.  It's always warm and the storms roll in fast and with a furry.  I will never live there because my family is here but I hope to be able to visit quite a few more times.  I love the smell of the ocean.  I feel lucky to live so close to Lake Michigan.  If I try really hard, I can pretend it's the ocean.  They call it the sunset coast for obvious reasons.  The best way to end a long summer day is to sit on the end of the pier and watch the sun go down. 

Indigo

A very dear J-land friend of mine just lost the only mother she's ever known.  My heart is breaking for her.  I know she would appreciate your thoughts and a word or two.  http://journals.aol.com/rdautumnsage/ravens-lament/  She is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met and all I can hope for is that she and Doc find healing in one another and the rest of his family. 

The usual suspects

I HATE antibiotics combined with being female.  We have a sheet of ice on the roads right now so I can't even get to walmart without the risk of death.  Some days it just sucks being a girl.

Got the cats their heat lamp today.  The light is 500 watts so you'd think it would put out a lot of heat?  Not really.  I guess that's good and reduces the risk of fire but it's cold out.  It's about two feet above one of the straw bales and the bale doesn't even feel a little warm.  I'm not sure if the cats have figured it out or not.  At least the water heater is still working.  It's quite a few years old so I wasn't sure if it would still work but the water is luke warm.  Of course that means it will evaporate at the speed of light but at least it won't be frozen.  Looks like Jake may end up being a permanent indoor resident.  I'm not completely pleased about that.  He whines frequently and is irritable with the other cats.  He decides to pee on clothes or any other cloth material that may touch the floor.  It's why he ended up in the cat house in the first place.  Shawn took him back to the vet today though and she's not happy with what she sees.  I was pissed too because I followed her instructions to the letter and thought it looked really good to the naked eye.  Apparently, the outer layer of the ulcer is developing some scar tissue that may not (probably not) go away.  Without drops daily, this would be very painful and he could still end up needing surgery at a later date and time.  If the scar tissue doesn't start to get better, he will need to be indoors permanently as his eye needs to be carefully looked at daily to prevent any problems.  And if the scar tissue stays, it increases his risk of getting repeated ulcers in the same spot over his lifetime.  If I was rich and they told me that he would always get more of those awful things, I would tell them to take the eye.  Upon first hearing that, you may think I'm awful but this is a really painful thing to have happen to him over and over again.  I am actually looking out for his welfare, not worrying about taking care of him medically.  My husband has been calling him the jake-inator (terminator) because his eye has a constant red ring around it.  My infection is very slowly getting better.  I had to drain it the other night, very gross.  It still hurts a little but it could have been a whole lot worse if I hadn't went to the doctor when I did.  Cat bites and human bites are nothing to play with.