I haven't said much about my life in a bit...

I haven't said much about my life in a bit... for the most part because it's been uneventful (which is a nice change of pace).  I'm calm and relaxed on a deep level which is something I haven't experienced in at least 10+ years.  Me and Shaun are fortunate to be able to do life at our own pace for now; some days we get a whole lot done, some days we rest, some days we play and enjoy each others company.  I have to admit that I'm really enjoying it.  After 5 years of school and me putting everyone and everything 2nd it's been really wonderful to reconnect with him as a couple.  I feel like I love him more every day and I don't even know how that's possible.

We're almost done with things around the house in Talladega; we're about to turn our focus to the house in Anniston so we can get it on the market.  It really doesn't need much work so hopefully we can get it listed by March.  The kids are doing a great job with keeping it tidy and safe.  We will turn in the keys to their apartment tomorrow so that will be a thing that's officially done.  I'm grateful for every bit we check off of our to-do list.

Speaking of things to do - I'm about to start studying for my CSA.  It's something that I've been putting off for while... well - due to school and then due to house stuff, but my deadline will be here soon so it's time to get on that.  My brain has had a nice break so I can definitely handle it.  After that I suppose I'll update my resume one last time and then put it out there into the world and start looking for a job.  I have a good idea of what I want to do so hopefully that will work out.  If not, I'm sure I'll be good for something after all of this schooling.  😂😂😂

Anyway, we never heard anything on Rose.  I honestly think someone scooped her up and is HOPEFULLY taking great care of her.  Cubba now has a doggie door to the sun room and only leaves the yard for play dates; he still climbs the fence to get out but now that he has a couch to come home to he's also started climbing back in.  I knew he could do it.  😂😂😂  He's getting pretty spoiled and likes to go in the car with us anywhere he can.  He's a good boy, though.  Always has been.  He was easy to house train and still remembers his sit / shake / down from before my mental health got bad.  He hasn't had any accidents indoors but has chewed a few of my things (thankfully nothing harmful or major), so that is going ok.  I haven't really let myself be close to another dog since I lost Booka, but maybe it's time.  Seems like we both have a void to fill.

Well, that's all I've got for now.  I hope you all are doing well.  I am and I'm cherishing every minute of it.  ❤

Shaun and I were out and about today...

Shaun and I were out and about today then decided to have an impromptu car date. We curbside picked up some tasty food and ate it parked here with this view of the sunset. Then my car stopped working and the kids had to rescue us. It was cold while waiting for them, but still it was a good day and we are lucky that Shadow and Kira are so awesome. ❤️

Funny side note:  My car has been scheduled for maintenance tomorrow since last week. I cleaned it out this morning in preparation for that - including the jumper cables that would have saved the kids a trip. 😂😂😂 I guess that's just how it goes sometimes. 🙃

Today was really good and I am happier than I've ever been.

Today was really good and I am happier than I've ever been.

Yeah. 🙂 I spent all day with Shaun. That's not unusual since I finished school, but I feel closer to him than ever. We're just next-level right now. I don't know. But it's great.

Are... Are these succulents growing in my yard?!

Are... Are these succulents growing in my yard?!

Y'all, these animals are doing the most right now.

Y'all, these animals are doing the most right now.

We still haven't found Rose and at this point I have to assume that she's been taken or killed because we've found no sign of her. She's very pretty and I'm choosing to hope for the best which is that someone picked her up and is taking good care of her. If she turns back up I will be happy, but we searched for 3 days on foot and by car, put flyers in all of the mailboxes in the area, and I posted her online and contacted the shelters, all to no avail. There has been no trace of her since 10 am on the morning she vanished. If she was still around I think we'd have heard something by now.

Cubba has seemed lonely but is doing ok. Since he gets out of the fence he's made friends with the neighborhood dogs so there's that. One of the neighbors I contacted while searching for Rose said that Cubba comes into his house and eats his dog food. 😂😂😂 Thankfully he wasn't mad, but I swear we feed him. Anyway, Cubba did push past Shaun into the house the other day so we decided that since I'd trained him before that we'll give him access to the sun room, at least. We ordered a doggie door for him. It arrived today with a funny story so here you go:

Shaun gets notifications on his phone when the security cameras detect movement. I heard him absolutely cracking up and asked him what was going on. He showed me video from our camera of our mail lady delivering Cubba's doggie door. Cubba walked up to her, tail wagging, but she didn't see him until she turned around. I guess he startled her because she used the doggie door as a shield and then hopped in the back of our truck. Cubba barked (I assume she startled him back) and then went to investigate her car. She got down and finished the delivery. While she was busy Cubba got in her car and took her pizza that I assume she'd brought for lunch.

Y'all, the video is hilarious but I'm not trying to embarrass this lady. If we somehow get in touch with her and she says it's ok to post I definitely will. We might need to send it in to AFV or something. I feel so bad but I laughed until my stomach hurt. I called the post office and got her name and they said she would be back tomorrow so we're going to leave her a card / note and some money because we at least owe her lunch. If anyone knows a woman named Phoenix who is a mail carrier in Talladega please have her get in touch with me because I am so sorry about all of this. If Shaun had seen the notification in time he would have gone out there and at least kept Cubba from stealing on her. I promise he is friendly and fed - he's just too smart for his own good!

The universe is kicking us when we're down.

The universe is kicking us when we're down. The pups new tags arrived today - the day after Rose went missing. I bought this style so it wouldn't be easy for them to snatch off while playing. I had tags like this for each member of my now-deceased pack and I loved them. These tags never came off or made any noise. They are etched deep and were still readable after years of wear and tear.

Me, Shaun, and Cubba just got in from distributing around 75 flyers into mailboxes (I don't even know if that's legal, but eh - I do crimes for animals. I need that on a shirt). While we were out we looked for her and called for her with no luck. I posted her to 2 lost pet websites before we left. I'm about to see if there are any shelters or rescues in the area that she may have been taken to. Aside from that I'm at a loss for what to do. 🙁

I know that I wasn't the best pet parent to her and that hurts. I was in survival mode with my mental health and school; honestly, no one has gotten the best from me in a couple of years and I hate that. But since I graduated and moved things have been a lot better. We brought the dogs here - into a yard with a lot more space. We bought them toys and treats and were spending time with them. We played with them and were socializing with Rose. She'd learned to fetch and seemed to like that a lot. When I CAN do better I do it. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that this timing STINKS. She went missing as things were improving and we were trying to form a closer relationship with her. I really hope our spazzy little Rose makes it home so we can continue working towards giving her the life all dogs deserve. 💔

It's been a bad day.

It's been a bad day.

I woke up around 8 this morning which was fine.  I stayed in bed reading for a while, then got up and hung out with Shaun on the couch.  I had my tea, we half-ass watched TV, and napped for a bit.  We got up around noon to get on with our day and found that Rose, our beige female dog with blue eyes, was not in the fence.  Then we discovered the gate open.  After looking at our security cameras the last time we know that she was home was at 9:42 this morning and we didn't find out she was missing until a few hours after that.

Cubba has been leaving the fence and we're not shocked that we've had trouble containing him - this isn't the first time.  However, he doesn't go far, comes when called, and doesn't seem to make himself a nuisance (I've let everyone nearby that I can get in touch with know to let me know if he's a bother).  Since we're not in the city anymore he has acres of land to sniff and while I'm not a fan of him roaming I have accepted that it's not something we can easily fight at the moment without tying him out and we don't want to do that.  We are pretty far away from the road and he gets along well from what we've seen with the neighboring dogs.  This is ok for him - at least temporarily.

Rose, on the other hand, has never left home before.  She's not well-socialized which I take responsibility for.  I got her as a puppy at a time that I knew I wouldn't be able to spend much time with her; as terrible as this sounds, she needed a home at the same time I needed a companion for Cubba (because I also wasn't able to spend time with him).  I'd tried several times to find him a new home or a rescue commitment before getting him a friend but was unsuccessful; rescues avoid bully-looking breeds and most people won't adopt black animals, (despite the fact that he was trained and frankly, pretty bomb-proof).  He's not the worst dog to be "stuck" with, but he's not the star of this story.  The point I was trying to make is that Rose was attached to Cubba at the hip.  She's been with him since she was 6 weeks old and he's the only dog she's ever known.  She wouldn't have willingly separated from him.

I also don't think it would be easy for anyone to have taken her.  As I said before we weren't able to spend much time with them during her formative years and she looks to Cubba for everything, including if it's ok to come to us.  She is skittish even with us.  I can't imagine that she'd let a stranger get their hands on her unless she followed Cubba somewhere and met a stranger he liked.  She is unusual-looking with her light coat and blue eyes.  She is thin and VERY athletic.  I could see someone thinking she was underfed (she wasn't - there is always food for them) or just thinking she was pretty and taking her.  Worse case (which I hope did not happen), is that she's younger and dumber than Cub and harassed someone's livestock and paid the ultimate price.

To make this a perfect shitstorm she wasn't wearing identification.  We just bought new collars for them (some with reflective streaks for added safety) and new tags with updated address info.  The collars are on; the tags should arrive this week.  Her old one was chewed off and since she never leaves we didn't bother putting it back on only to have to change it out.  So our Rosie Posie is out there somewhere with no one knowing where she belongs.  I have failed this dog in every way and I am upset at myself and worried about her.

I have posted her in my group, Happy Tails Lost & Found Pets of Calhoun County.  I have sent photos and messages to neighbors.  We spent hours walking and driving around looking for her.  I'm about to print some flyers for us to put in mailboxes and around the area in the morning.  I will find out if there is a shelter in Talladega because I honestly don't know.  She has blankets and Cubba outside so if she's near hopefully those smells will attract her.  I don't know what else to do.  But if you're in the Talladega area and inclined to help, please share the post found at this link:  [redacted].