Goin' to the Dogs (Maggie)

Are you sick of animal posts yet? I think for those of us storybroads who have pets, they're such a huge part of our lives it seems natural to want to keep you all updated on theirs. So it's a doggy update, whether you like it or not. Besides, right now I'm a bit more happy with dogs than certain people, so that's where we'll go. To the dogs! Always go with the topic that makes you feel better!

Sally (Great Dane, Age 11) has been limping since it started to snow. I thought it was the cold on her paws, so I ordered her a set of doggy boots. (And made her a vet appt. too, but so far we're unsure of the problem.) And since I was getting her a set, I also ordered a set for Wrinkles (English Bulldog, Age 14). And since I was already on the website and the boots were red, I went ahead and ordered them a pair of red hooded sweatshirts too. And I told you all of that already last week. Well, this week, the goodies arrived, and I dutifully tried them on the dogs. Both of whom bit me for my efforts. Sally bit me twice! Once while I was putting on the booties, and once when I was trying to get the hoodie on. Frankly, I can't blame her. The hoodie, though sized "XXLG" was a bit too small, and she'll probably never wear it again. Thank goodness I took her picture. Here in the photo, Sally looks absolutely miserable, doesn't she? She seems to be saying, "If you show anyone this picture, lady, I'm going to show you what a REAL bite feels like!" I wish I could have videotaped her walking in the boots. She picks her feet up as high as she possibly can. Like she's trying out for the royal Lipizzaner troupe of dancing Stallions.


Wrinkles bit me while I was putting the booties on her feet, because any time I touch her feet she thinks she's about to get her nails trimmed, and goodness knows that in such a case, biting is not only favored, but required!

Neither of my dogs bit me very hard. A little pinch, no breaks to the skin, nothing like that. They do love me, after all. Deep down. Way deep down. =) When they snap like that, (and in only happens in the most extreme of circumstances, such as when I'm cutting their nails or forcing them to play dress up) it only hurts for a second, and then it's forgotten.

It's funny how different it is when people snap at you. Even if it's a perfect stranger, being rude in a mall, it bugs you for awhile after it happens. And when it's someone you care about deeply who seems to snap for no reason, saying something hurtful and cruel and cutting, it sticks with you for a long while. Be careful with each other out there, folks. Treat each other as if you care, because you do, right? And it's not like any strangers in the mall are waiting in ambush to hold you down and clip your toenails, after all. And it's certainly not like your loved ones are going to force you into red-hooded sweatshirts that fit too snugly, are they? So why bite them?

Last weekend, though, I had a stranger do a really nice thing for me. I was shopping in The Christmas Tree Shoppe, in Binghamton NY, and when I came out of the store, there was a note on my windshield. The note informed me that a car had scraped mine when pulling out, and then left the scene. The note writer had taken down the car's description, license plate number, and noted the time of the incident. She'd inspected the damage to my car, and described it so I could find it easily--a scrape along the driver's side of the bumper. She'd left her name and her phone number and promised to back me up with the police if I wanted to pursue this.

Naturally, being all into positive energy feeding more positive energy feeding more positive energy, I've decided to think about what a wonderful person this note-writer is, and how kind and caring, and how she was probably busy with her own holiday preparations, but took the time to write this lengthy note and put it on my car. I'd rather think about that, than the person who hit the car, did some damage, and skulked away too cowardly to own up. It was a kid, maybe, sure to be in trouble with his parents. Or someone without insurance or with insurance but who couldn't afford the inevitable rate increase, or someone with some other very very good reason to leave the scene. I can excuse that. I can ignore it and forget it. But I can't ignore the goodness of the woman who left me that note.

Now the damage to the car was minimal, and though I'm probably supposed to report it, it's no more than a bit of darker color scraped into a plastic bumper, and honestly, if the note hadn't been left, I probably never would have noticed the scrape at all. I'd rather let it go than take on all the hassle of reporting it, phone calls with the police, the insurance company, photos, repairs....honestly, it's an inconvenience when I have to go in for an oil change. This would just be unpleasant all around, and I'd much rather forget it and move on and not have all that hassle. Why put myself through so much unpleasantness for a scrape I can barely notice?

I do intend to call the note-writer, though, and thank her profusely for her kindness.

Enough pet posting. It's just started to snow here. We're supposed to get 6 to 10 inches today, then a brief break Friday and Saturday, followed by a whopper of a Nor'easter late Saturday night into Sunday. My favorite weatherguy, Chris Brandolino, (WSTM, Syracuse) is being a real tease about this one. He keeps saying it's too soon to predict the snowfall totals and we'll talk about that later. Even thought I KNOW he knows. I can tell by the slightly mischievous twinkle in his eye. (Meteorologists LOVE snowstorms, the bigger the better, and he's clearly excited about this one!) But I heard through the grapevine that we might be looking at two feet this weekend. And I'm kind of excited about it too.

Anyway, today it's 6 to 10, and it's just begun to fall. I'll report in!

I know I promised photos of the decorations on the house and of the Christmas tree. As for the house, well, okay, I had the lawn balloon of the dancing Santa and his rock band, up and running for a day or two, didn't get a picture yet, and then the wind picked up and now they're all laying lazily lopsided every which way again. Hardly photo worthy. But this is the way they're supposed to look. (Not my house). Other than those, I just have single candle bulbs in the windows, so to show up it'll have to be shot at night and I just haven't done it yet. Soon, I'll try! Maybe even today!

The tree is on delay. I could have it by now, if I wanted to go get it alone, but I'd rather have the fun of going on the tree-finding expedition with people I love. There will be laughing, teasing, funny tree-comparisons, the fun of being together, and an all around good time. And that means waiting a tiny bit longer, but it'll be so much fun it'll be way worth it!

This is one of the keys to life for me. When making choices, (as in both examples above, tree-finding, and the car-scraping) I try to always make the ones that are the most fun, or minimally, the choices that are the least UN-FUN. I try to do the things that are the most enjoyable, with the people who just make me feel great when I'm around them. It's a great way to live.

Enjoy your day and your ongoing holiday preparations!

Maggie