THE DONKEY!!!!

Well, it looks like I got the donkey I always wanted.

THIS IS THE DONKEY!!!!

And yes, I had to yell that and make it as big as possible, just to get the point across as to just how massive this girl already is.

Seriously.

She's only 4 months old.

I didn't realize Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest dogs on the planet.  I suppose I was confusing them with another dog.

I actually thought Papi was wrong.  Even though I saw him googling the shit out of our new Fuzzy Family member.

I guess reality is, I didn't want to really believe it, because I just wanted a rottweiler.

I don't see the rottweiler in her, except for her eyes and forehead.

But, here we have the tallest dog on the planet.

Imagine being a puppy with no training, and already being able to just grab things from the counter?!?!?!

I wanted a goats.  I heard they were a lot of trouble and non-stop destroying things.

I have the feeling I got my goat, donkey and guard dog all mixed in one.

Old Ghost Face likes her, which is great.  It's bringing her out of her shell.  She walks up and bumps noses with her tail straight in the air!

She runs from me, as she sees me as the human who cleans her wound, and that's not a good dynamic.  I'm sure that will change once I stop.

I could go on about how The Donkey is crying non-stop, because she doesn't realize this is home, but I feel the need to talk about how worried I am about those waves out there.

Our quote for the rocks was really high of course, being from the Housemaid, she probably tacked on a little for herself, which is why it was so expensive.

We're going to price compare for a few days and see what we come up with.

Regardless, no matter what we pay and who we get them from, we need them, or our property will be washed away.

I feel like something is going on out there.  They've been INSANE for the last week!!  A little scary.

I can see one day here or there where they're aggressive, but damn, they're seriously right up to our property and pounding our sandbags.

The wave angels are playing with our stress levels, that's for sure.

Irony would be building our safety wall, and having it smashed down by waves within a month.

That would be Murphy's Law to the extreme, however, it's not actually too far off.  It could happen.

Anyway, now I have to go stop the puppies from scaring The Donkey.

She's terrified of the smallest one, the Jake-A-Like.  Who wouldn't be afraid of a Dominican Chihuahua?

If I'm really lucky, today I will have the energy AND the time to exercise.

At least I'm getting my cardio chasing after puppies.

And now, The Donkey just peed on the balcony.

Jeeeeeezus.

Looks like we have a new pool.

everything works out for the higher good

dog mania

I need a vacation from my baby sister's vacation.

We're quite busy.

Not to mention, I'm eating the worst foods.  All my allergy foods, and now I'm kinda in addiction mode.  No problem.  Veggie day today.  All day.  Only veggies.  That will take care of that!

So, it wasn't a surprise to me when I found there was a bit of a Hurricane Andréa sighting in the house this morning.

It didn't help that I had the Housemaid come trying to get more money out of us this morning.

We had made the mistake of feeling sorry for her, and decided we would use her to get the rocks we so desperately need for our front area to protect us from those waves.

Those waves are CRAZY today!  Our yard will be washed away if we don't get a barrier.

But again yesterday, she tried to tell us we need to pay off the authorities in order to do it.

I just looked at her and said, "Fine.  No more money.  No more Marina.  No rocks."

I find it 'interesting' that she returned this morning, saying there was no need for Mr. Extortion now.

Somehow, she got 'permission', which was explained to me while I was trying to do my morning routine today.

I think I need a sign on all the doors.

"Do not disturb the gringo while she's eating breakfast.  There will be swift consequences.  It is her blog time."

So, I'm doing my blog after the fact, but, like I said, makes for a bitchy, Pissy Face.

Anyway, I'm also a little tired from trying to keep up with my baby sister and family.

Today, they're on an excursion, so we're going to pick up another dog.

I mean, what else should we be doing other than picking up another dog?

She's only 4 months and should prove to be a GIANT hound.

She's an Irish wolfhound crossed with a rottweiler, so, imagine a really tall, bearded rottweiler.

She's another rescue.  Well, here in the Dominican Republic, almost all the dogs are rescues.  Not too many people buy their dogs from breeders.

Except Mr. Richy Rich next door.  He OBVIOUSLY got his 3 rottweilers from a breeder.

Fine dogs those ones.  They walk like a school of fish.  Their rottweiler asses switch back and forth, in an equal, graceful gait, with every gargantuan step they take.  Mouths open in a half smile, heads turning in tandem from any noise that might be grabbing their attention.

Gorgeous!!!

Anyway, we're good with mutts and Dominican dogs.

So, while my sister is out giving candy and school supplies to the Haitian village kids, we'll be bringing home another dog.

The people at AAAS were grateful that we tried out Mr. Majestic.  Now they have excellent information about him, so that they could market him for the right family.

It made me feel so much better.  It felt like we weren't just dropping off a dog because we gave up.  We were giving some family the proper information so that he could be placed in a home where he gets the right attention, and perhaps doesn't have to feel like he's failing all the time.

How horrible it must be to always be told you're doing the wrong things?!?!

He'll go to a family where he'll be the greatest guard dog, be told he's wonderful and live happily ever after.

Old Ghost Face is doing so much better now!  She's come up for cuddles, and even came into the house for 10 minutes.

Well, not really on her own.

Papi sorta 'lovingly' dragged her in to let her know she's allowed.

The visit didn't last too long.  I don't think she's ever been in a house.

But here we are.

Dog mania.

Dogs.

Nothing but dogs.

I'm in heaven.

healthy foods taste better

cujo must go.

Here's your Sunday YouTube Show.

I'm quite sad today.

We have to bring Mr. Majestic back to the AAAS.

He attacked old Ghost Face.

Even when she retreated, he went for her again.

I was quite grateful we have a wall to make our space private, as I stripped my shirt off to cover his face and get him off the old girl.

She was doing so well.

She had finally come to greet us when we returned back to the house.

She gave a little jump of joy that we were home.

Then Cujo went and attacked her, and it was quite scary.

All the animals have been lunged at now.

Nobody is exempt.

The poor critter just needs a home where there's no kids or animals.

He's the GREATEST guard dog ever!!!

He's just not a family dog that we can trust with the rest of our Fuzzy Family.

I am feeling like I failed a little bit.

I am so sad that we have to bring him back.

I'm feeling like I'm going to cry.

I'm going to have to talk to my angels and ask them to find a great home for this guy.

I fell in love with him a little bit.

OK.

Not a little bit.

A lot.

Anyway, I have some distraction from the sadness, because we're having fun with my baby sister and the crew.

Today, we're taking them to the Monkey Jungle!

Monkeys will jump all over you when it's feeding time, and all the proceeds go to helping the Haitian immigrants. 

The Haitians don't really have much support here.

They're kinda stuffed in villages, not much different than the way our ancestors treated the First Nations in Canada.

This project puts the proceeds towards giving Haitians medical attention when they need it.

Otherwise, they would go without, because the Dominicans don't want to help their neighbours.

Please decrepit old car.

Get us up the hill to the monkeys!!!!

We can always coast back down.

my family is a gift

friendship. a few forms.

The Housemaid came by.

The gate was open because we're still getting so much work done on the house to make it liveable.

Sheepish, terrified of Mr. Majestic, she called me over without taking one more step, because she didn't want to lose her life to the massive brute who was at the end of his tether, warning her not to come any closer.

But she had a real need.

Something that a friend could help her with.

In battling languages, I figured out what her urgency was.

She was being stalked and harassed by a creep on Facebook.

She didn't know how to get rid of him.

She hasn't delved into the settings, privacy and deleting of people.

I found him, deleted and blocked him, then told her, "He will never see you here again."

I can't promise her about real life, though.

She was grateful.

It was a friendship moment when she hugged me in thankfulness, adding that her husband, The Dominican Daddy, was really angry about this guy.

I had another friendship moment this morning.

I went around to the back of the house where Old Ghost Face hides in terror of her new surroundings and humans that she doesn't think she can trust.

I've been bringing her cheese.

She likes cheese.

Yesterday, she actually took it from my hand.

Today though?!?!?

She stood up and I couldn't believe it, there was the slightest little tail movement of happiness.

Really slight, but there.

Just a once back and forth, but a wag none-the-less.

She took the cheese again and I dragged away Mr. Majestic who seems like he's still a bit too in her face.

Not to mention the Pathetic Puppy.

She's too young yet to know that when those teeth are showing, it means buzz off.

But the big news is, she wagged!

We may be earning her trust now.

I actually thought it would take a lot longer, being that she's so damaged.

But it has begun.

Poor old thing.

Anyway, it's been a great 24 hours for friends.

Including the friends we bought our 2nd gun from.

The first one was just too big for me.

I now have a pretty li'l 9mm.

I shot it off last night, and I'm pretty sure the neighbours who are a vacationing family from somewhere in America were wondering what was up with the gringo loco next door.  And possibly wondering if they were safe.

Trust me.  I know that feeling.

We got friends.

Good, bad and stinky.

Oh, Mr. Majestic, where did you come up with such a smell?

Being tied to my waist non-stop, it wafts along with me.

Or wait.

Is it because I've just been too busy dealing with 5 dogs to get in the shower?!?!

Could it be me?!?!?!

Nope.

That's definitely dog.

My stink is a little more offensive.

i now make friends easily

the circus is in town

NOW we are in for some work.

If we thought that dealing with repairs nonstop and thieving maids was work, we were sorely mistaken.

We went to pick up the mama from AAAS, but when we arrived, the Canine Quarterback told us that she had many emails of discussion about our rat bastard chihuahua, Sir Bark-A-Lot, and how he may be lunch for the girl.

This is because he's an asshole, and she may not be able to deal with him.

So, we were told about a rottweiler who needs rescuing and the Canine Quarterback made a phone call to go see if we could visit her and say hi.  AKA, bring her home.

While we were waiting for her to make that call, we walked around and looked at more dogs.

We found a big boy barker and he struck us as a fantastic guard dog.

And cute too!

We kinda fell in love.

The call was made, we were hailed to the front of the property, we waded through gads of needy dogs, then off we went to see the rottie stray.

She is in really bad shape.  Obviously abused, definitely used for breeding and a hole in her back from where worms had eaten in.  Not to mention, her Ghost Face tells us she's about 100 years old.

Of course we were taking her home!  The guy who found her was keeping her in a tiny utility room and feeding her Alpo and some kibble that looked like Fruit Loops.

She needs us.

We packed her into our Dominican SUV, then headed back to drop off the Canine Quarterback.  Yet, someway, somehow en route, we both just blurted out that we wanted the other one too.

Now the other one.  Here's where it really gets interesting.

When we brought him home, we found out that he has a really high prey drive, and the prey was our cats and Sir Bark-A-Lot.

Basically, anything that ran.  And his objective is to MAKE them run.  He was pretty scary how he lunged at the cats.

He is really good with the puppies, but only because they know he's trouble and have instantly bottomed to him the moment he came in.

Belly up, head down.

I've spoken to someone regarding help I need for the dog to train him, and I'm just waiting for her infinite wisdom to be returned to me.

I've read enough internet pages to get me started.

Oddly enough, the least amount of information I got was from Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer.  All his clips for training were really for the basics, but I emailed him anyway.

I've learned many things that tell me we are in for some work.  Some non-stop, 24-7 work.

The old rottie cross is still hiding in the corner of the property and won't even eat in front of us.  She's so scared.  I've never been in the presence of a dog so terrified.

Psycho Kitty is looking rough again and the puppies have their noses out of joint, because the focus isn't on them.

The chihuahua has met his alpha match.  I've actually never seen him run and squeal like a piglet before.

Too bad we're too busy to film.  THIS is when we need a film crew following us.

And today, we have the contract and buy out ready for the Housemaid.

Today will be a day to write home about.

Not to mention, I had to put a sweater on!  OH!  The horrors!

i succeed with ease

i see dead people

I wasn't going to write about this, because I was afraid of people labeling me as nuts, but then I realized, people already do.

So, fuck it.  I'm writing about it.

I get visits from my deceased Fuzzy Family.

Every time I've lost a Fuzzy Family member, they come back to tell me they're ok.  It's been happening since I was young.

I have to be honest, I've also had visits from a few people that I've felt a connection to, family or not.

I see dead people, and dead animals.  Sometimes, I even get visits from other people's dead animals.  But that's another story.

Anyway, I have been waiting for The Golden to come, and was fearing the worst; that I'd lost my deceased visitation rights.

Not true.

I talked about it a bit yesterday, but I didn't go into details, and didn't think I would, until I saw Madonna Badger on Piers Morgan last night.

This poor woman lost all her kids in an Xmas fire last year, but she feels her grief is more at peace, because her children come to her in dreams.  She thought she was nuts until she read a book by Eben Alexander called Proof of Heaven.

As much as I don't really believe in heaven or hell, I do believe in an afterlife.  Some cosmic plain that we go to.

Our energy can't just end when we die.  Our spirit must live on.

Well, every animal and human I've felt connection with will visit me as I sleep.

It's not just a dream, and if you've felt this, you'll know what I'm saying.  There's more to it than just fantasy.

When The Golden visited me 2 nights ago, it was really his spirit.  It wasn't just the wanting to see him again and the grief.

He came bounding through the door, knocking me over to the ground with all the love and misbehaving he had when he was here.  He was youthful and energetic again, and his Ghost Face was returned to a rich golden blonde.  He was happy.  He was so full of love and the feelings of love I had to give him, were returned.

I could feel and smell his breath on my face.  I could feel every lashing of that tongue, every wash of wet nose and every tickle of whisker.  I could smell his scent and as I looked into his eyes (yes, he had both of them) I knew he was here.

He was here.

He came back to me to show me that I can stop grieving.  That he'll never leave me.  His spirit has now forged with mine, and he will never leave my heart, nor my soul.

He has a place right there with My Dearly Departed Gypsy.

When Gypsy came to me, it was so quickly after her death, that I couldn't believe it was a visit.  I said to the woman in the visit (whom I didn't recognize until later), "But she shouldn't be here!  She should still be in the hospital!"

This woman calmly told me, "Just enjoy your time with her right now.  This is your opportunity to be with her.  Just be with her."  I did so, sitting with this woman for a very brief moment, until Gypsy partook in her favourite pastime, ripping up the flower beds of the nearest garden.

I recently found the picture of my Great Grandmother, and immediately recognized her as the woman was from the visit.

Not dream, visit.

What I really feel from The Golden returning, is a piece of my heart has been healed.  I am almost in tears from the joy of feeling that he came to me.

It means I am forgiven, or rather that I can forgive myself.

It means I am loved, and I am able to know he's aware of how much I love him as well.

It means I am still allowing these spirits to come back to heal my heart, and I trust I will be able to do so for my next loss.

Thank you so much for coming back old man.

I'm sure you know how much you've healed me.

i recognize and honour my talents, abilities and skills

the omen.

It's part of life.

It's something we all have to face with our loved ones, may they be our Fuzzy Family, our chosen family, or our blood relatives we're close to.

Everyone has an expiry date.

But somehow, it's just a little more painful when it's our Fuzzy Family.

We can't tell them, "It's going to be ok now."

The old, one-eyed Golden is really starting to go downhill.

We had to bring him in for pain meds, because his front joint has possibly become arthritic.

Poor Papi had to carry him out to the grass so he could tinkle.

Of course, when you bring them in to the vet, they act like they're fine.

Yet still, there was no denying that he was having a hard time limping about the office.

There's also no denying that his Ghost Face is becoming a little more prominent.

There were tears from Papi and G'ma today before the vet visit.

Our vet is no nonsense.

"I don't know how long you will want to treat him for the pain.  That's up to you.  But he's old."

Yeah.

We know.

We won't be letting him suffer.

We will try to make him comfortable and it looks like I'll have to start using the towel method to help him up the stairs.

There is not a hope in hell that I can pick up the 80 pounder anymore!

20 lbs is my limit, and that's on a good day.

But when he's gotta get out to piddle, he's going to need my help.

This could be tricky.

The saddest part, is he doesn't get to go to work tonight.

He loves his job.

He takes care of the hearts that need love at the safe house mi esposo works at.

The Golden will walk them to their door when it's curfew.

Well, that may be because he gets cookies for doing so, but still, he loves those ladies and he loves his job.

He will nuzzle into them, spreading good cheer, and allowing them to forget about their fears/pain/trauma for at least a moment.

While I was recovering from the worst of my jaw surgery, he was the one who laid beside me, his head on my lap, his one, caring eye looking to me, as if to say, "I wish I could help."

It's part of life.

Preparing to say, "Good-bye," to our best buddies.

Yeah, I've done it a few times in my life, but that doesn't make it any easier.

I suppose that with the state The Golden is in right now, he won't be one of the critters to make it to the Dominican Republic with us.

This house has sadness.  There is a knowing of foreboding doom.

It's a right of passage; learning to let go and say farewell.

I still haven't let go of my Dearly Departed Gypsy.  I also still feel Mr. Moustache in the house.

They never leave us in spirit.

This is something I'm grateful for. 

Their love lingers.

Today's mantra, from My Gratitude Buddy:

i am hitching my wagon to a star

Warning: heart melting pics alert!

I'm such a fucking Negative Nelly!

See what I just did there?

I proved it in one sentence and at the same time, I insulted myself.

Nothing really new.

What is new is that I'm trying to silence the abusive voice that frequents my existence!

I was sparked with a rejuvenation of positive energy when I found the site, Positively Positive.

I've been keeping up with My Gratitude Buddy daily, but yesterday I had an idea to step things up a notch.

We're still continuing to share our gratitude list daily, and we're both starting to think more positively thanks to writing out the things we're grateful for.  However, we've decided to add in a daily mantra to focus on.

I chose today's mantra:

I'm stronger than I think.

I'll tag it at the end of my blob/blabs in case you want to join us.

I've been thinking negatively about Papi's health.  It's not going to help things if I continue reminding myself of worst case scenario.

So, for today, I'm stronger than I think.

Yesterday, not so much.

It was such a sad day for The Golden yesterday.

He had surgery to remove one helluva lump that sprouted an extra head.  It sorta looked like it was on a mission for world domination!

look at his war wound!!!!

He's getting pretty old, so of course, things are cropping up for the aged ol' One Eye.

Old man lumps, hips starting to go, less energy and the classic old dog ghost face.

He was so sick and depressed, that he didn't move from one spot.


So, I set him up with his favourite plush toy, Mr Bunny.

This is the teddy he brings out when company comes over.  When he brings you Mr. Bunny, you know he likes you.

Anyway, I set it up right by his head, and the poor ol' thing looked at it with disinterest.  Yet, within a few minutes, this is what I saw:

The old fart was cuddling his toy.

It made me so happy.

I had to get the world's sweetest close up:



Tell me your heart isn't melting!

He's feeling much better this morning.

I actually got a wag out of his tail.


There's nothing worse than a member of your Fuzzy Family feeling bad.

One thing I could live without are the fart bombs that he's overwhelming our air space with.

Good God it's rancid!

Someone bring over gas masks stat!

But at least he's feeling better, as am I, and so is Papi.

This pleases me.

I'm sure I'll have many pics of the Bucket Head effect.  But in the meantime, you can chuckle for 15 seconds of silliness with someone's Bucket Head on YouTube.

Uploaded by ciaraoh1 on Mar 24, 2008

i'm stronger than i think.