21 May, 2014

Mocha, Mocha, Mocha...everyone loves Mocha


This little beauty is Mocha. She's an 18 lb. female Cocker Spaniel. She's been fostering with us for the last three weeks.

When she came in, her hair was a fright! Apparently the people who had her before used to leave her outside all the time and her fur was sunbleached. She looked like she'd had a bad bleach job...so tacky.

Especially for a girl that is this pretty! But looks aren't everything. In fact they aren't all that important if you are a horrible dog...which this sweet thing isn't. She's so nice...very cuddly and sweet. I am sort of in love with her and will be bereft when she is adopted. But I keep reminding myself that when you foster, you save TWO dogs: the dog you foster, and the dog that gets the space you free up in the kennel!

Now that I have gotten my dear Thomas to agree to foster again, I can't really ruin it by asking to keep this little doll. It will mean we can't foster (three is our absolute limit) and that he will neverEVERever agree to foster again, knowing that I am likely to say, "I MUST keep this dog."

We have been doing a lot of yard work the past couple of weeks. Have planted a plethora of perennials, both sun lovers and shady garden additions. Our backyard is shaping up. Right now we have a large (!) pile of mulch on the driveway which must be moved one wheelbarrow at a time and deposited in all the beds. We have our work cut out for us these next couple of weeks, we have a deadline. Party at our house on the 31st, so the house and garden will be all purty by then. Having a party is one of the surefire ways I know to make sure we actually do the things we talk about doing without doing. If you know what I mean, and I think you do.

14 May, 2014

I don't want to let go or say goodbye

I have a friend who has lived with breast cancer for the last seven years. She got it, got treatment, and several years later it metastasized and has spread into lungs, brain, and other places.

She has been on hospice for a while now. The last two times I have seen her I've been so aware that the spring of life within her, the thing that keeps us ticking over, is slowing winding down.

I have no words. I am filled with anger, frustration, sadness, hatred of this stupid, shitty disease, outrage that this beautiful, funny, smart person will go so much too soon.