Some HUMAN shit in my yard.

I really wish I was kidding. But I'm not.

I came home today to my house smelling like a sewer. Two of my dogs had found said shit and got themselves covered in it. I had to bathe one and partially shave the other. Not really how I'd planned to spend my early afternoon home from work. I would have rather been admiring my almost-finished new roof. But no - I was dealing with shit. LITERAL SHIT.

I have a pretty strong idea of who it was - one of the young fellas working on my roof. I called the supervisor and asked if he thought it was possible one of his crew members shit in my yard and he said that he wouldn't put it past one of them. He said that one had needed to stop and use the bathroom before arriving at my house. That also happened to be the same guy who stopped about a half-hour into his work for a water break (I was still home when that happened). Diarrhea dehydrates you. Since it wasn't solid turds clinging to my dogs fur that was just another clue.

When we found the shit it was between my garage and little storage building. There was a place where there was less dust on my garage - as if someone had popped a squat. Underneath my storage building were two white shoe covers with some poop on them (whoever used them did a crappy job of wiping their ass, btw). They were bright white so I knew they hadn't been there long (aside from the fact that I clean my yard regularly of dog shit, sticks, and litter). I knew that they were recent. All signs pointed to someone shitting in my yard today. I'm not really happy about that.

Look - I understand that emergencies happen. But goddamn clean up after yourself! I have a child and dogs who go out in that yard. What the fuck, man?

I've sent word to this guy that I think he did that and that I'm not happy about it. I don't know what I expect to happen. But I do know that if I felt like returning the favor I'm cleaning up shit after 6 dogs almost every day. I'd be happy to return his shit to him - plus some interest. I really think I need someone to give me a few good reasons not to. SEVERIOUSLY.

Life as of late... (Part 2)

I've got 4 extra animals in the house right now. I'm not complaining... I'm doing a favor for a friend with an urgent family situation - just pet-sitting for an extended undetermined amount of time. So far the animals are ok, but I've had to do some re-arranging to get everyone settled in. It's been a job, but I think I've got it all worked out now.

There are two small dogs - Bo and CD. They are both old and grumpy, but that's ok. They're getting along with my dogs which was my main concern. Since they're used to a much different situation I'm trying my best to accommodate them by letting them sleep in the living room in their own beds. For their own safety, though, and because I want them to know my dogs they are spending the days while I'm at work in with my pack. It's working out.

I'm not the biggest cat-person on the planet, but I've got the cat, too. He's a big pretty Maine Coon named Mr. Kitty - though I can't help but call him "Fat Cat" when I look at him. Or "Old Greg," because he has a man-gina. His owner said that he had to have his penis removed and the opening butterflied open so that he could pee properly. Anyway, he and Midna are finally warming up to each other. I'm glad because I'd much rather see them play than hiss and be mean.

Also, I have their parrot named Dillon. I like birds, but I've never had anything so large; just a couple of parakeets and cockatiels. He's funny - when you walk by his cage he's all, "Whatcha doin'?" and sometimes he busts out with some "Peekaboo!" or "Ok" and then he laughs. He even calls Bo. He will also make faces with you like sticking out his tongue and blinking and turning his head sideways. He's a clown which is just fun. I haven't tried to touch him since his owner left him here... I'm just not sure how to read him. I was warned that if he pushed me away with his beak to listen to that and leave him alone. But I don't know how to tell if he likes me or not. He will talk to me and take treats from me with no problem, but I haven't worked up the balls to try to hold him yet.

Other than that in animal news I took my dogs to the vet for their yearly exams and shots. I finally had them heartworm tested and they all came up negative - THANK GOODNESS. I've known for quite some time that I should have had them all on preventative, but back when I got Scooter I'd never had a dog that stayed inside and that I was solely responsible for. I remember the vet mentioning heartworm prevention to me, but after talking to some people it didn't seem like a big deal since he was indoors most of the time.

Later on I got Emma, and then Scruffy, and then Natasha, and still people were telling me that since they stayed indoors it wasn't a big deal. Up until I had my first foster dog, Bug, I'd honestly never encountered a dog with heartworms so I didn't really think it was that common. And then it just hit home - that shit happens and it's scary. I got worried since some of my dogs had come from precarious or neglectful situations and I decided that it was time to have them all tested. I needed to know. It was keeping me up at night. Anyway, I'm glad that they all tested negative. Now we have prescriptions for preventative medicine and I feel much more at ease.

Last thing, I guess. I showed my crazy today when I was out with Shaun, Jeni, and Ben. We were at a place with water and ducks and were actually on our way out when we witnessed some kids (had to be at least Shadow's age - 10) hitting some ducks with some rocks. I'm not usually confrontational, but I just started heading towards them. I had no plan. I heard Shaun come up behind me and I thought he was going to try to stop me so I started running. I got close to the kids and just yelled at the top of my lungs "Stop throwing rocks at the ducks you fucking assholes!" I guess I could have left off that last bit, but I was livid.

Their mom (who was not paying a bit of attention to them) yelled at me that I needed to watch my mouth. And so I yelled at her that she needed to watch her damn kids. She proceeded to tell me that they didn't hit any ducks which was complete BS. We were watching and she was not. To my delight and surprise everyone was backing me on the fact that they did hit some ducks and told her so. She said that I had a nasty mouth and I was like "Yeah, but I got your fucking attention. You need to teach your kids to respect life" or some shit. She then flipped me off. I just laughed (and returned it x2). I guess that was all she had.

Anyway, I do realize that I could have been nicer about it, but I've found that when I'm nice I'm a pushover. She wouldn't have listened to me if I had been nice, nor would her brats. The way I ran and yelled they stopped dead in their tracks and went towards their mom, I made a scene, and everyone knew that she wasn't watching her kids yet was going to lie for them. Even though we were on our way out they disappeared before we even made it back to the car.

And yeah, yeah, I'm sure I'm going to get some comments along the lines of "What if someone did that to Shadow?" and all that crap. First of all, fuck censorship. You cannot protect them their whole lives from words. Those words exist and they will hear them. Besides, words only have the power over you that you give them. By making them "bad" or "taboo" you are giving them power. Second, if my child is doing something that offensive and I'm not stopping him it's up to society to let him know. Some things are just unacceptable and should not be ignored. Don't forget: it takes a village, yo.

Life as of late... (Part 1)

My Dad is in jail for selling 0.06 ounces of pot to a bitch wearing a wire and camera who was trying to get her own sentence reduced. It didn't work and I am glad. But now my dad is in for 4 years. I honestly don't know if this is something that my dad has done regularly or not. He's a very private person who would never hurt anyone. He keeps a lot to himself - even with his own family and friends. I mean - I didn't even know that he was in jail until I went to visit him and he wasn't home. There is just a lot about him that I think we all will never know.

I've been visiting him on Wednesdays for 30 minutes per visit between the hours of 8:30 and 10:30 on a phone through some glass. I really thought that shit was only in the movies. Boy, what a rude awakening. He's in jail out in Talladega - which is quite a drive for me (especially during the week.)  It means I have to work late that day to make up my hours - if not adjust my schedule for the whole week to be sure I get my time in.

He will be transferred to Kilby in Montgomery sometime soon. I hear they have better visiting hours and that he might even be able to leave sometimes. It's a rehab type place, I think. That will be even more of a stretch to drive, but maybe if the visiting hours are more flexible I could see him on the weekend. I would like that better.

Dilemma :[

I'm stressed the fuck out right now over Shadow's father.

If you know me then you know the story. Statutory rape, he left before the kid was born, came back for the birth, and was gone to Florida two weeks later. No child support, no letters, and only a phone call once a year on his birthday. Shadow met him when he was 3 - which was 7 years ago. Last year, Pooh had his mother mail some clothes to Shadow. That's it. That's the extent of their relationship.

Lately, Pooh has been posting on his myspace that he's in Georgia and sometimes Alabama. He has been spotted in my old hometown so I believe this. He never contacts us though he told a friend of the family that he was in town to help us.

I honestly would prefer that this man just step out of our lives. He strings Shadow along with his, "I'm coming to visit, I miss you, I love you" shit when they do talk. Shadow is curious about him and really wants to see him. I've never stopped a visit from happening. I've never had the opportunity to.

Despite the fact that I would like for him to go away I don't know that it would be in my best interest to put an end to the little contact that they do have. I don't want to be the bad guy who "kept them apart." Even though it's hard I'd like for Shadow to see things as they are.

Anyway, Pooh sent Shadow a message on myspace the day after his birthday. I let Shadow write him back because he wanted to. I guess I'm just a little freaked because he has now initiated contact without going through me. I was dumb enough not to log in first to see if anyone had written him. I don't know what to do. But now Shadow is always anxious to check his myspace and bummed when he doesn't have a message. Same old shit, new medium, I guess. Blegh. 😟

Not a great week for anyone, it seems.

Today I had to take Natasha to the vet. She vomited last night and didn't even bother to move out of it. I had to clean her up like a baby. Poor thing. She was being so lazy the last few days that I was getting pretty worried. I called the clinic and they asked me to bring her back. Since that was an hour away I told them that I'd prefer to take her to her regular vet if she needed to see someone and they said that she probably really did so I took her to our vet. He told me that she had a fever and when he touched her abdomen she screamed like she was being murdered. 😭 I wanted to die. He told me that he felt it was almost an emergency situation, and that something needed to be done TODAY. He said that since the clinic did the spay he thought it would be better for me to take her back there - not only because they had her chart and knew the details of the surgery, but also because they do free after-care and he thought that I'd have a pretty big bill by the time he was done with her. SO... off to Irondale we went.

When we got there they stuck a needle in her belly and tried to pull out some fluid, but there was none so that was a good sign. They squished around on her belly and I could tell that it hurt her, but she was good for it. Then they gave her an IV for 4 hours with some antibiotics in there. They sent her home with some pain meds and instructions to keep her quiet and still for 10 days. I called her vet and let him know and he said that if she doesn't make a quick turnaround to bring her back first thing. She's curled up asleep on the love seat now. So, that's been my day.

I talked to my bestie Janet and apparently a cat that she was fond of was killed by some dogs. I also talked to my good friend Jeni today and her boyfriend Ben was in the hospital earlier this week. Also, my buddy Jarsh called and said that his mom's mom is in the hospital and that they need a place to put 2 dogs, a cat, and a parrot. I'm willing to help with that any way that I can. But fuck, it seems to have a been a bad week for everyone. I'm hoping that the weekend ends up better. I'm ready for it.

❤

:(

I had my trees trimmed today; just the branches over my house. I did it because I thought it would be the smart thing to do because the limbs tend to fall off and break things and they're big enough to do actual damage.

But when I came home today - I was devastated. I haven't cried so hard in a long time. My trees look so sad. I really feel like I did the wrong thing. I regret it so hard. I have house insurance. I feel like I should have left them alone. I feel like I've harmed them and it hurts more than having to repair my house would. It's probably worthless anyway.

fuck.

The cat is pushing my buttons...

The cat is pushing my buttons and for once I think it's cute. 😊 She's playing with the buttons on the dehumidifier... they beep when she steps on them. I think she's figured out that it's her causing the noise, because she keeps doing it...

Speaking of my cat I've got a screen door up that has (so far) been effective at keeping her out of my kitchen. So we've MOSTLY been getting along. 😁 Yesterday she was not too happy with me. She was spayed. When we got home I couldn't touch her without her hissing and growling. If only she realized that I'd saved her from a lifetime of unsatisfied heat cycles, she'd thank me. Oh well. I guess she's mostly over it - she's in my lap now. 😌

Also, Natasha was spayed. I'm really relieved to have that done. Now it doesn't matter who tries to convince me to breed her, because it just won't happen. I'm guessing my parents will flip their shit when they find out, but oh well. I really don't appreciate that none of them respect the fact that I believe in a cause, and put time and energy into said cause, and that producing puppies would completely go against all of that. I guess some people would sell out for the money, but it's just not that important to me.

Anyway, so now all but one female in the house has a shaved belly - Emma - because she was spayed before I got her. We're a sad looking bunch over here. 😂

Yesterday while we were waiting for the girls to be fixed, we went to the zoo. I haven't been to the zoo since I was in kindergarten. So that was a ton of fun for me! 😁 I fed some flamingos and some lorikeets. I took so many pictures that my camera died. Shaun has fun pretty much no matter what and Shadow seemed to have a good day, too, despite the fact that he was stuck in the back seat for an hour each way with Natasha. I swear - until she laid down and went to sleep he was like, "Oh my god, Tasha. Get out of my face. Mom, she's breathing on me!" It was like I had two kids back there. 😂 Luckily, Tash is lazy and decided to take a nap about 15 minutes in. On the way back she was so drugged that it didn't matter. She was practically asleep walking to the car and didn't even have it in her to sit up and breath on him once she was in there. She did drool a bunch, though, but I was prepared - I brought a blanket. 😀

Well, it's late and I don't hear the washing machine so I'm going to dry my jackets and go to bed. Goodnight, myspace. See you later.