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Sanity Rally 2010: Coffee Party Adventures

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Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

A new vent

I just feel the need to vent, record that which peeves me. After a few years of silence I have no place to put my vents which peeve me in this life.

TO RUN FREE...SPAY/NEUTER ?

Morning dog walks can reveal much about the community in which you live...more about the people who live near you. Unfortunately; the fall season explodes with off-leash dogs and the reason has eluded me. I seldom converse with such lawless dog owners and yet, their reasoning intrigued me. This morning I walked, for a very brief time, with a school teacher while her small poodle ran helter skelter about the baseball field. She initiated the conversation...we just had Lovey spayed (not the dog's real name).
I responded, unrestrained, "And you are letting her off-leash?". She turned and looked directly into my eyes and said "Well! nothing can happen to her now!". I was speechless...I recovered quickly and mentioned that: I will only neuter my Beagles if it will prevent a health issue. My dogs are never! off-leash while out-of-doors in inappropriate areas, i.e. those areas without safety fencing, and when the Dog Park opens...no female dogs in heat are allowed therefore; I need not subject my Beagles to the anesthesia also; that is no justification for not supervising a dog‘s behavior. The teacher was visibly set-a-back, stomped her foot and marched off, never once did she observe where her was or what her dog was doing.
If this (Nothing can happen now!) is the mind-set of dog owners who have, live with, care for, feed, water, groom, walk and make regular visits the vet with altered canines; I would like to remind them that: off-leash urban and suburban dogs are hurt and killed, lost, annoy other people and make their way into areas where they are not safe.
This caviler and thoughtless attitude enlist others to care for the dog's well-being and harbors resentment in those who have other things to do. We, humans are the supervisors and protectors of the varieties of animals who cannot master a comparable self-sustaining lifestyle that we enjoy on this planet. I have news...altering the reproductive functions of an animal does not relieve anyone from responsible human behavior. In a civilized society, humans respect the rights of their neighbors and the law. Leash your dog...it is one thing to have a big or, small friendly dog run up to you and jump, if he is on leash, it is considered a mishap because the owner is tethered and can pull the dog off. An un-leashed dog running towards you is a fearful situation and there is no guarantee that a voice command will be given much-less acknowledged. The defensiveness of some dog owners who are shouting from a distance as their canine runs full gallop toward you: "He/She is just being friendly." I have observed that these folk are quite offended if you do not agree with them.
I love dogs, but...when you walk your canine companions remember...a dog requires a leash as a car requires a driver. Voice commands are no assurance to the stranger on the street. Please save your dog and a possible law-suite leash your altered dog. The importance of being a good neighbor/citizen includes controlling your canine which will assure the perception of safety far more than I'm sorry or, just a beautiful smile.

Just a few Canine Park friends

.....Josh & Jordy's Park friend...Lost
Leonberger:
We lost Odin in May of 2005 to cancer. He was only 3 +1/2 years old. Odin, a Leonberger, was loved by all canine and human. We still miss you Odin. C.O.O.L. AREAS will request that our new dog park be named "Friends of Odin".

THE-COOKIE-LADY!

February Eighteenth Two Thousand Three

Josh, Jordy and I are out for our morning walk. The snow, which had begun to fall the day before, had continued throughout the night to deliver an amazing 27+ inches total. We stopped to talk with a neighbor who was walking her dog.
Despite the temperature and the quiet grandeur in the purity of the massive snow cover, we paused for light conversation with no particular focus. My attention was drawn away from her eyes and I found myself in the process of one great inhale. There, above us swooping, curving, souring, low just below the treetops a magnificent grey hawk. Higher, and off in the distance, over the high-rise apartment building and in between the trees, was yet another hawk. She and I were in awe of this sight, not just the singularity of the moment accented by presence of the hawks, but the sterility of the moment. To consider that here we are, standing in the center of a main street, in the core of the Boston Metro area, and we were blessed with the sights of this early morning winter’s day and the exquisite gift of the presence of the hawks, this entire encounter alters the contemporary and feeds the concept of a wilderness lost.
That was a truly spiritual moment.

Homeless Poets' Cafe

House by the Side of the Road

Samual Walter Foss
public domain 1899



THERE are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the place of their self-content;
There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths
Where highways never ran-
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by-
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner's seat
Nor hurl the cynic's ban-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I see from my house by the side of the road
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife,
But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,
Both parts of an infinite plan-
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead,
And mountains of wearisome height;
That the road passes on through the long afternoon
And stretches away to the night.
And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice
And weep with the strangers that moan,
Nor live in my house by the side of the road
Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish - so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

SERIOUS BUT NOT DESPERATE

Caprured from my first blog entry

Saturday, February 01, 2003:

Don't you just love technology?

While I was editing out my physical stuff, I came across a bundle of un-used vintage post cards circa 1930's. I rarely throw anything away, yet I never seem to have anything of interest to anyone other than myself. I found stamps from Bermuda (Miss Bermuda 1980) things like that. These re-discoveries sat me down to ponder the good, the constructive, and the many re-surfacing in-sights that one reviews as they drift beyond their 50th year. Hmm; just what do you do with all of the trivia, wives tales, superstitions, fears, Oh; and in addition, those wonderful words of wisdom thoughtfully provided by grandparents and good friends. Then I remembered that I had found BLOGGER and just filed it in my favorites not being able, at the time, to think that I had anything to say, until I recalled that, I converse with myself frequently, a responsive conversation is not mandatory. Then while on-line one rainy morning I thought that I should edit my FAVORITES list...I re-discovered Blogger and here I am just blabbing on Blogger...feel free to blabber back! JOHNICE // 9:11 AM blogger.com