Long story short- commenter Laura W.’s friend runs an animal rescue, and if her dog wins this competition, she will get a lot of money to help animals.
So go do something painless, and register to vote for Little Bitsy here. You can vote every day.
by John Cole| 91 Comments
This post is in: Dog Blogging
Long story short- commenter Laura W.’s friend runs an animal rescue, and if her dog wins this competition, she will get a lot of money to help animals.
So go do something painless, and register to vote for Little Bitsy here. You can vote every day.
This post is in: Dog Blogging, Open Threads
Our new foster papillon “Gloria” got turfed from her last home because she made the dog-logical mistake of attacking their tiny, elderly Queen Bee girl dog. In the three-days-and-counting she’s been here with us, Gloria has given our elderly, imperious (and much larger, tho still smaller than Gloria) Princess Buta-Hime-Sama a very wide berth, even while scrumming cautiously with our two boy dogs. This is good news for readers of the Media Village Courtiers, because it proves that a born lapdog can learn from its mistakes, given sufficient impetus.
On the other hand, Gloria doesn’t drink out of the toilet bowl, even though she’s physically capable of doing so (and let me state for the record that when I fell in love with papillons, I never expected to meet one tall enough to achieve this). So it’s possible that she’s just got more naturally discerning tastes than Dean Broder, Dick Cohen, or David Brooks…
This post is in: Cat Blogging, Cooking, Dog Blogging, Open Threads
First, some pet pics:
I swear that last dog is a photo shop job. Check out the pink nose and the almost human eyes.
Also this week, back by popular request, BHF has your weekend menu:
1. Grilled Salmon w/Orange Glaze
2. Tomato & Bell Pepper Soup
3. Hearty Bread
4. Raspberries & Blackberries w/whipping cream
Click the link for the full menu.
Also, below the fold, Redkitten has the play-by-play for her latest experience giving birth.
Aug 12
8:30am: Wake up, and prepare for the 15-minute ordeal that is called “rolling over”. Give up and decide to read for a bit.
9:00am: Roll over, and underwear promptly becomes soaked. That ain’t pee, kids. Sit there blinking stupidly for about 10 minutes before calling hospital.
9:50am: Call husband and tell him to get his baby-making ass home.
11:15: Arrive at hospital, where they say that they’re not detecting amniotic fluid, and that they think I just peed myself. WTF? They decide to keep me for a few hours anyway, just in case.
12pm – 4pm: Walk. A lot. Walk some more. Look at each other. Read. Walk. If they tell me to go home after this, I will have to choke someone.
4pm: Dr C. examines me and says that yes, membranes are ruptured. Resist urge to say “I fucking well TOLD you this, didn’t I?” Am told that inducement will take place tomorrow morning if no progress on labour. Call parents. Spend rest of day and night waiting for contractions that don’t come.
Aug 13
8:45: Brought into birthing room and shot full of pitocin.
9am – 6pm: Minor contractions every few minutes, but nothing to write home about. Alternate between bed, birthing ball and walking, depending on how long it takes ass to go completely numb. Hear about girl who came in and had her baby an hour after she arrived, and curse that bitch.
6pm: Dr. C. comes in and informs us that dilation is only 2cm. Shit. Says that if no progress by 8:45pm, will do c-section. My mother is freaking out. I couldn’t care less — as long as baby is healthy, who cares if s/he comes out my woo-hoo, my belly, or my left nostril?
7:30pm: Update Facebook status on husband’s cell phone, saying that I’m having a c-section. Hit “update”, and water immediately breaks.
7:32: Whoa. These contractions are a lot stronger.
7:35: A LOT stronger.
7:36: Holy fuck.
7:38: Kill. Me. Now. Please.
7:40 – 9:15: Experience sheer hell. No break at all between contractions, and they are STRONG. Try to control breathing, but it feels oddly good to just scream incoherently into pillow. Am examined again, and find out that I’m STILL only at 2cm. Cry hysterically. Dr. C. says that if no progress by midnight, I’ll have c-section anyway.
9:16: Decide that drug-free births are for the birds and beg for an epidural. Am incoherent with pain by this point, but message gets through.
9:30: Anesthesiologist arrives with sound of angels singing. Cannot even speak, as am so delirious with pain. Receive epidural.
9:35: There is a special place in heaven reserved for anesthesiologists. Srsly.
9:45 – 11:30: Recover and actually nap for a bit.
11:35: Am examined yet again, and find out that during nap, I went from 2cm to 9cm. w00t!
11:45pm – 12am: Feeling a LOT of pressure. Want to push.
Aug 14
12am: Nurse examines me and says I’m at 10cm. It’s go time!
12:01 – 1:00: Perform remarkable impersonation of someone trying to poop out a coconut. Am told that I’m really efficient at pushing, and am glad that something is finally going well. Nurse says she can see head. Dr. C comes back in. Everything’s going awesome.
1:01: Everything is not awesome. Fetal heart rate dropping, and fast.
1:05: Dr. looks serious and says “We have to get this baby out now.” Episiotomy time. Am given local anaesthetic, although I don’t care what they do to me at this point. I just want my baby.
1:10: Episiotomy performed. Husband sees entire thing taking place. I may bear the physical scar, but I think he’ll be having nightmares for the rest of his life.
1:14: After getting head out, discover that umbilical cord is wrapped around baby’s neck. Push out shoulders, and doctor gets cord unwrapped, suctions baby, and delivery is complete.
1:15am: It’s a boy! Hearing him crying is a huge relief.
1:17 – 3am: Complete blur. Get stitched up. Keith takes baby to see grandparents, who are complete emotional wrecks by this point. Baby is weighed (7lbs 11 oz.) Try nursing, and little Samuel latches on quite nicely, staring at me the entire time. I’m completely delirious with fatigue as we all get wheeled back to my room, but all I know is this:
I’m completely, utterly, and hopelessly in love. And I feel like I’ve been run over by a large truck.
This post is in: Dog Blogging, Open Threads
Sorry, got caught up in the news and I forgot that it is after 8 pm and there have been no pet pics:
Lily, just a few minutes ago.
*** Update ***
Just found this on Redkitten’s (aka Krista) facebook:
Only 18 hours old and already famous!
by John Cole| 95 Comments
This post is in: Cat Blogging, Dog Blogging, Open Threads
Because I am too lazy to blog, just finished my book, turned around to head to bed, and look what I found:
I give it another two months before they spoon.
This post is in: Dog Blogging, Open Threads
Someone loves the rails to trails:
If you are interested, tonight’s Fresh Air is featuring a story about Puppies Behind Bars. I figure the reason there is no Kitties Behind Bars is because the cats would teach them how to escape.
*** Update ***
Also, via Redkitten/Krista’s Facebook page from an hour ago:
“Is at hospital. water broken. induction tommorow if nothing tonight.”
by John Cole| 25 Comments
This post is in: Dog Blogging, Excellent Links
Via Jim Henley, who has an adorable new pup, this TED presentation with Ian Dunbar is well worth your time:
Good stuff.