This is Calvin, my newest pyr boy.

ADOPTED 08/25/11 - This is Calvin, my newest pyr boy.  He's young and playful.  Totally sweet.  Smaller than the other pyr's I've fostered, but there's nothing wrong with that - he's just taking after his foster mom. 😉

It was good to see Mary Beth and Gust today!

It was good to see Mary Beth and Gust today!  I think my neck got a little too much sun (now I'll be a literal redneck!  😂), but it was nice to chill out and just relax by the pool with some friends.  ❤

I think the dogs are taking the fireworks in the neighborhood ok, but...

I think the dogs are taking the fireworks in the neighborhood ok, but I would feel better if they just weren't happening. I don't trust idiots to not do something stupid too close to my house and my fur-kids. 🙁

I did not accomplish all of the things I wanted to today.

I did not accomplish all of the things I wanted to today.  A much-needed nap happened, the g-pigs have a nice clean home, and I tidied the house, but the yard did not get done.  Hopefully, I can finish all that up tomorrow and spend the rest of the week vacationing!

I am having too much fun on here...

I am having too much fun on here looking at OLD photos.  😃  I'm side-tracked from my chores, but this has really made my night.  ❤  Thank you, Aunt Ernestine.

I did Lowrider's nails last night...

I did Lowrider's nails last night for her trip to PetSmart. 🙂 Faith's goofy head jumped the gate and through the car window so she rode with us to drop her off - but she ended up staying. She is hanging with Lowrider today - Lowrider seems more happy and relaxed with a familiar face around.

About Me 2011

Well, I'm just a little southern white-trash, trailer-park girl. I grew up in the woods in a small town in Alabama. Most of my friends were animals. My mother was paranoid and thought that my friends' fathers would all rape me so I led a pretty over-protected childhood. Things went a little weird when my parents divorced - I was 14. My mother converted from Christian to Wiccan and started dating a non-white man (who I later tried to kill). Both the religion and race thing were unacceptable here in the Bible Belt of the dirty south. I think this complete disregard to the "rules" during my upbringing all happened at a very impressionable age. I think it opened my mind.

At that point I decided that I was Wiccan, too. I went through most of high school this way. Later, I would decide that religion didn't matter and that I would just be a good person. That is still where I stand. No, I don't believe in any god, though I do believe that anything is possible. Please don't try to change me (and I'll do you the same favor); otherwise I might have to muster up the balls to tell you to leave me alone.

At 16 years old I became pregnant with my black and white son. His father left the state as soon as he found out. I didn't like kids, my family was disappointed, and I was scared out of my mind. Pregnancy turned out to be interesting and fun and we survived. I graduated high school (with honors, even!) I worked a dead-end job until I was laid off and at that point I thought it would be a good idea to go to college. So I did. I was on welfare and food stamps at that time as well as working (cleaning houses) for cash on the side. I had to make ends meet somehow. It was tough, but I managed. I graduated from a business college with a 4.0 GPA and an Accounting Specialist diploma. It almost feels wrong to even capitalize that.

Regardless, the education landed me better jobs. That was great. I am now (and have been for quite a few years) a productive, tax-paying, self-supporting member of society. I eventually moved out of government-funded apartments into a house of my own. I had good credit so I could buy one. That was pretty exciting. I'll be paying for it for about 25 more years - not so exciting. But I'm still happy that I did it. Me and Shadow have a place called home.

I'd missed having animals since I hadn't had the means to care for one in a while. I bought a couple of small creatures at first and then I took in a dog. That somehow turned into 5. I briefly worked at a PetSmart where it didn't take long for everyone to realize what a sucker I was and before I knew it, there were 48 animals of various species in my house - most of who were rescues and poor souls that had been dumped. That was crazy. I only re-homed a few; I ended up caring for most of them myself, right up until the end. Most of them have died from old age now, though I still have two guinea pigs that are hanging in there and two recent-addition parakeets (thankyouverymuch, PetSmart). Also, I foster dogs. Apparently, lots of them.

During the majority of this time I had one long romantic relationship. It failed - I chock it mainly up to huge incompatibility issues. I am with Shaun now, who I am convinced is the love of my life and who I hope to have around for many, many years. EVERYTHING about my life has changed for the better since he's been in it. It feels so right and I've never been happier. ❤

My kid has turned out pretty good so far. He was born in 2000 so that's easy math. He's a sweet, kind-hearted, smart child. He reads a lot, likes to dance, and also plays video games. He makes good grades, cleans his room, and helps with the laundry. I provide him what he needs, but not all of what he wants; it's just not possible and that is ok with me. Due to that he is not spoiled (I can't tolerate a spoiled brat). I'm proud of him and I hope I don't screw him up during his teenage years. I have to admit I'm a little scared about what's coming. But, I think we will be ok.

For the most part I am happy with my life. I guess that not everyone can say that. There are a few kinks left for me to work out, but I will do it all in due time and I will try to learn from the mistakes that I will inevitably make. I will continue to try new things, think outside the box, march to the beat of myself (because I am my own drummer), and grow as a person. I will always ask "Why?" and push the boundaries that society lives by. Due to that I will continue to be free in ways that most people won't know. I can't think of a better life than that.