Happy 4th of July!

Snow, Snow, Snow

I'm sitting here in my office next to my window, watching more snow fall.

We've had record-breaking snow accumulation here in southwestern Idaho this year ... the most in 30 years. I love snow. I love watching big giant flakes float through the air. I love watching my dogs play in the backyard, making snow angels. I even enjoy shoveling snow to clear the walkways and driveway (but truth be told, my husband does most of the shoveling).

HOWEVER, after weeks and weeks of snow and more snow ... and the constant preventive maintenance to protect our home from ice dams, snow weight, and flooding ... I'm getting tired. I don't want to dry off the dogs every time they come inside from making snow angels outside. I don't want to only wear my ugly shoes that have the best traction on ice.

In the high mountain desert of Idaho, I'm thankful for the moisture. We need it.

But now ... I'd like to pull out of my driveway without worrying I'll slide into the neighbor's car parked on his side of the street; I'd like to wear my cute Dansko shoes. I'd like to be able to go out and repair the fence to my garden area so my dogs will stop pooping in there.

Until then, I'll use Google to dream of new Dansko shoes like these:

Camping in Idaho

One of my favorite things is camping. My husband and I have certain spots that are our favorites, but this time, we decided to explore a bit. We had a wonderful time. Here are a few pictures (okay, a LOT of pictures) from our trip:

Book Review: POUND FOR POUND by Shannon Kopp

A terrific read for anyone who has ever struggled with food addiction and anyone who has ever loved a dog! Scroll down for my full review at the bottom of this post.

Pound for Pound
A Story of One Woman's Recovery and the Shelter Dogs Who Loved Her Back to Life
By Shannon Kopp
Published by William Morrow
Hardcover: 288 pages
October 6, 2015; 9780062370228

Description
"The dogs don't judge me or give me a motivational speech. They don't rush me to heal or grow. They sit in my lap and lick my face and make me feel chosen. And sometimes, it hits me hard that I'm doing the exact thing I say I cannot do. Changing."

Pound for Pound is the inspirational tale of one woman's journey back from the brink of self-destruction, and a heartfelt homage to the four-legged heroes who unexpectedly saved her life.

For eight years, Shannon Kopp battled the silent, horrific, and all-too-common disease of bulimia. Stuck in an endless cycle of bingeing and purging, Shannon was overwhelmed by broken promises: to herself, to her family, to her future. Finally, at twenty-four, she got a job working at the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, where in caring for shelter dogs, she found the inspiration to heal and the courage to forgive herself. With the help of some extraordinary homeless animals -- dogs like Sweet Pea, Big Girl, Abby, Stewie, and countless others -- Shannon realized from her suffering, something beautiful had been born. Compassion.

Shannon's poignant memoir is a story of hope, resilience, and the spiritual healing animals bring to our lives. Pound for Pound vividly reminds us that animals are more than just friends and companions -- they can teach us how to savor the present moment and reclaim our joy. Rich with emotion and inspiration, Pound for Pound is essential reading for animal lovers and everyone who has struggled to change.

Author Bio
Shannon Kopp, author of Pound for Pound, is a writer, eating disorder survivor, and animal welfare advocate. She has worked and volunteered at various animal shelters throughout San Diego and Los Angeles, where shelter dogs helped her to discover a healthier, more joyful way of living. Her mission is to help every shelter dog find a loving home, and to raise awareness about eating disorders and animal welfare issues.

For more information visit her website: www.shannonkopp.com

My Review:

This is the type of book that book clubs should read. After finishing it, I’m left with the strong desire to discuss it with other people!

The writing: Overall, it was excellent. I was engaged and curious to find out what would happen next. Toward the end, the writing became a bit disjointed. I found myself needing to exert effort to follow the narrative. Up until that point, it was an easy read.

The language: If you have an aversion to the F-word, consider yourself warned. It’s used in the writing, but not to an extent that made me put the book down or lower the rating because of it. (BTW: seven times on page 227)

The sexual scenes: There are multiple scenes, which made me cringe a bit, not because it was sex, but because it was a girl yearning to be loved and accepted. It broke my heart that she felt sexual acts were the way to find that love and acceptance.

The bulimia: Now, understand, I’ve struggled with weight and healthy eating my entire life. I’ve often thought over the years (and I know this is unhealthy thinking – so don’t lecture me!) that bulimics had the best of both worlds. They could eat whatever they wanted and in any quantity they wanted and then throw it up and still have the size body they wanted. Then society would praise them for how terrific they looked. Meanwhile a compulsive eater, eats, gains weight, and is then ridiculed by society for being fat. It’s completely screwed up. I never became a bulimic because I was afraid it might cause death or serious physical harm. (Yes, I was too scared to give bulimia a try.) Kopp’s story never really makes the reality of bulimia look as bad as I always thought it was. Her story almost made it seem appealing. Kopp merely skimmed over the surface of the emotions attached to the disease and at one point even seemed flippant about the physical consequences. I worry that a teenager reading this book might see bulimia as attractive. Something you can do for a while and then find something more interesting to move on to later. Kopp writes, “I was a good bulimic but not great.” (page 93) ---> This is one of the reasons this book would make an excellent book club choice. This is a great topic for discussion!

The dogs: If you’ve ever experienced the love of a dog, you know the joy, comfort, and devotion they offer. “While we might have outlived her, Sugar had outloved us all.” (page 104) The stories of the shelter dogs and how the process of Kopp loving them and serving them SAVED her … moved me greatly. More than once I found my heart in my throat as the stories of the dogs unfolded.

The addictions in general: Kopp explores a lot of important truths in this book. As a food addict, myself, I often ask myself, “Why did I do that? I know better!” But as Kopp eloquently put it, “Addictive craving bypasses all knowledge of past experience and consequences. It puts you in a truth blackout, and your wisdom and sanity disappear.” (pages 124-125) “Bingeing was the opposite of prettiness and perfection. It was rude, gluttonous, sinful—a giant middle finger to the strict, calorie-conscious rules I abided by during the day.” (page 227)

The images of women: Girls are raised from a very young age to know that the way they look influences the people around them. Why? Why is this done to girls? I find it so frustrating! Kopp writes, “I wish I could tell her to find stable ground, to stay away from anything that told her the size of her body mattered … I wish I could tell her to stay close to the things she loved. Find joy.” (page 5) “I had to write about where obsession lived. Where rituals were born. Where a girl believed that sucking in her stomach made her more beautiful, more vital, more seen in the world. I had to write about where she got those beliefs.” (page 225)

The recovery: One of the most moving pages was when Kopp reacted to a doctor who told her “Fat is not a feeling.” (page 26) Anyone who has ever actually felt fat … knows that it is in fact a feeling. And then later Kopp acknowledges, “The world is not what made me so sick and miserable—it was my way of seeing myself in the world.” (page 148)

Not all memoirs are created equal. This one was very moving and enjoyable. I highly recommend it to everyone (but warn you ahead of time about the F-word and multiple sexual scenes). 

Kopp gave a lot of herself in the writing of this book. I hope it helps others find a joyful passion in their lives that enables them to overcome their addictions and love themselves fully.

Kopp said it perfectly at the end, “If I know anything at all, it’s that giving saves lives. Especially the giver’s.” (page 264)

[I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review of the book.]

Book Review: PUKKA'S PROMISE

Are you a cultural conformist? A few days ago, I would have answered, NO! But after reading this book, I realized, I have succumbed to the cultural demands and mantras regarding dogs.

 

Our two-year-old Beagle-Maltese starting marking his territory, inside the house, and we figured time to get him “fixed.” Before we made the appointment, the thought occurred to me, I should check this book sitting in my to-be-read pile and see what it has to say about neutering dogs.

 

Yup, there’s a chapter on that, and so I skipped right to it and imagine my surprise when I read that while spaying and neutering dogs does save millions of unwanted animals from dying unnecessarily in shelters, altering your dog and denying him of essential sex hormones could end his life prematurely. But what about marking and humping, you know, those “undesirable” traits that we’ve been taught as a culture can easily be resolved by castrating your dog? I felt like an idiot when I read (what I really already knew down in my core) that a dog can be trained to behave appropriately. If a dog is exhibiting undesirable behaviors, look to his person in charge.

 

Now, don’t get me wrong, Kerasote does an excellent job of presenting both sides of the issue. There are benefits to spaying and neutering, but these are NOT the only options if your reason for altering your dog is merely birth control. There are other procedures that can accomplish this – tubal ligation and vasectomy just to name two.

 

The essential sex hormones can help protect your dog from cancers and orthopedic injuries. “In North America, hemangiosarcoma is the leading cause of death for Golden Retrievers, a good reason to think carefully before spaying or neutering a dog from this breed” (page 340).

 

There’s also a chapter on immunizations. Yes, your dogs need to be immunized, but do they need all of those shots every single year? Studies are finding that many of the immunizations actually last much longer than originally thought, and giving your dog unnecessary immunizations can eventually comprise his health. And if you never board your dog in a facility with a large number of dogs and never take your dog to dog shows, why are you having him receive bordetella and coronavirus shots which prevent kennel cough?

 

I was highly impressed with the content of this book, but I was also very impressed with Kerasote’s ability to weave technical and medical information into the writing without boring me out of my mind. Kerasote doesn’t just tell us what experts he interviewed and the information gleaned from them, but he also describes what that expert looked like, what he or she wore, and where they sat during the interview. Kerasote takes us on the journey with him.

 

This is the first book by Ted Kerasote I’ve read. I highly recommend it, and I am looking forward to reading his other books as well.

 

If you love dogs at all, even an ounce, this is a must read book.

 

 

What are you reading?

No Barking!

In 2011, we added a sweet little puppy (named Rascal) to our family. He's the little white dog next to the giant black dog (named Sabbath):

 

Now, almost two years later, he's not as "white" as he once was, but he's a cute little stinker. He's half Beagle, and he puts that nose to the ground whether it's covered in snow or not!

 

 

Our big giant black dog has been very patient. Rascal is the true definition of an "ankle biter." He's is constantly grabbing at Sabbath to get him to play and chase him.

 

And Sabbath does love to give chase. In the picture below, he's launching off his hind legs to run along the fence. He loves barking at the neighbor's dogs (don't worry, we're friendly with them, and have a mutual agreement about barking and when it's acceptable!). If you look closely, Rascal is a little white blur near Sabbath's tail. He always wants to play. And watching these two chase each other around the backyard is quite entertaining.

 

Do you have dogs? Do you wish your neighbors' dogs would stop barking?

 

 

Dogs & Reading

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read."

Groucho Marx

Work? What work?

How am I supposed to get any work done with this going on ...

We decided on the name Rascal for the little puppy.

Rascal looking for milk. Uh, Sabbath is a male. No milk!

Rascal pulling a big wad of Sabbath's hair. Sabbath has been so patient with this little Rascal!

Rascal cuddling up for a nap.

Work? What work.

I have a puppy distracting me.



VOTE for your favorite NAME!

So ... we got a new puppy last night!

He's REALLY little!

Especially if you compare him to our giant dog (part Newfoundland, part Golden Retriever) named Black Sabbath (the animal shelter named him, fyi).

Sabbath's head is way bigger than the little puppy's entire body!

So, we're having trouble agreeing on a name for the new puppy (part Maltese and part Beagle).  We'd like the name to be the opposite of big black Sabbath.  We Googled the "opposite" and one of the answers was Bon Jovi. Ha. Ha. Ha. Now, I'm a fan of Bon Jovi, but that was funny. But along those terms, if you're looking at it in a music sort of way, wouldn't Rascal Flatts be the opposite? We could call the puppy Rascal. Right? Well, wrong, because we don't all agree on the name.

Help us out and vote for your favorite name for the puppy:

1. Little Foot

2. Milky Way

3. Rascal

4. Runt

5. ... your suggestion? ...

And, this little puppy is not even afraid of Sabbath. This morning, he chewed on Sabbath's paw. Sabbath just stared at him, and then nudged him with his nose.

Vote, please.

I've not read a Koontz book in awhile, and since I know he's a dog lover (has he written a book that didn't have a dog in it?), I figured I should read a good-scary-dog-loving-book by Koontz. I have plenty to choose from, because several years ago my husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I said, "As many Koontz books as you can afford." I gave him a list of the ones I'd already read and sent him on his way. I think he and the kids gave me about 15 paperback books that year for Christmas. Nice.

He asked me the other day if I'd read them all yet (I am an avid reader, but I read a lot of different authors now, not just Koontz!). I told him I still had a few to go but that I wanted to stretch them out so I'd always have a Koontz on hand to read! ...Did I mention the kids usually get me the newest Koontz releases for birthdays and Christmas gifts still? So, I actually have a nice stash of them on hand... haha!

So, anyhow, I looked through my unread Koontz books and selected FALSE MEMORY. Now, if you've read it - don't give anything away - because I'm only on page 192. But it is AWESOME! I keep re-reading passages thinking, HOW does he do this? His metaphors blow my mind. I wish I would've marked one page so I could quote the line here, but it said something like: no one could turn more heads unless they were a coven of chiropractors. HAHA.

Here's the page I did mark to share with you:

"Dogs possessed so many admirable qualities, in fact, that Dusty sometimes wondered if God had created this world expressly for them above all other creatures. Human beings might have been put here as an afterthought, to ensure that dogs would have companions to prepare their meals, to groom them, to tell them they were cute, and to rub their bellies" (page 174).

Nice.

Are you reading a great book right now? Are you on Goodreads.com? (My favorite book review site.) Friend me if you are, and if you aren't, there's a link on the side bar to visit Goodreads - - check it out.

Isn't Life Interesting?

Sometimes I wonder if writers find life more interesting than other people.

As a writer, I'm constantly wondering... like:
* where are those people flying to in the plane overhead, and are they looking out the window at me on the ground, or are they busy talking to the person next to them?
* if an earthquake (an-epic-movie-making-earthquake) happened in the middle of the day, where would my family meet up again? at home? at church? We'd all be coming from different directions; could we get back together?
* was it coincidence that my family decided spur of the moment to open all of our presents Christmas Eve instead of the traditional Christmas day; and then our Christmas day was consumed with the death of our awesome dog Pennie? Coincidence? Inspired?

I wonder.

Life is interesting.

Pennie the dog always told us when she and/or Sabbath (our other dog) needed to go outside. First, she'd sit and stare at me until I took notice and recognized her cue and let them out. If I was preoccupied and didn't notice her cue, she would moan at me until I did notice her. Sabbath never gave the cue. It was always Pennie.

All day, Tuesday, Sabbath came to me and sat directly in front of me. I asked him, "Outside?" and he jumped up and ran to the back door.  He'd never done that before. He has to now, because his best friend and care taker is gone.  He's also only peeing in one spot now. Before, he used to always wait for Pennie to pee, and then he would pee directly on top of her spot on the lawn.

Life is interesting.

My friend went to water aerobics Monday morning and from what I understand, her aorta separated from her heart. They were able to get her to the hospital and notify her family very quickly. Her family was able to gather and say good bye before she passed away.  I feel sad for her husband. They were best friends.

We've been letting Sabbath sleep with us since Pennie passed away, so he won't feel so lonely with out her. Or is it the other way around? So we won't feel so lonely with out her. We've slipped several times, forgetting that Pennie is gone, expecting her to come around the corner or put her head on our knee or come in from the backyard.

Life and death are both interesting, but I'd rather experience life.

Try back again tomorrow, and I will do my best to post a more cheerful commentary on the topic of writing.

In the meantime, do you think writers wonder more about the details of life than a typical person? Or do you think everyone considers the ins and outs of every possibility?

Pennie the Dog passed away on Christmas Day

As some of you may have noticed, the posts stopped this last week. Of course, I was busy with last minute Christmas preparations, kids getting out of school, and relatives coming to visit... but I was also very preoccupied with my dog's declining health.

Sadly, she passed away on Christmas Day.

Sigh.

What else can I say? It's been a heartbreaking day for our entire family.

WARNING: This post uses the word BARF several times. Read at your own risk.

The dogs love their new dog beds!

We bought new couches in October, and now the dogs never sleep in their old (but nice) doggie beds. 

 I thought I should post this picture today because I've been so worried about Pennie (the chocolate lab). We took her to the vet this afternoon (Thursday) because she hasn't eaten in about three days. We've tried everything to get her to eat... including giving her a peanut butter sandwich (which she did eat, but barfed it up later). And then, this morning, I woke up to a LAKE of barf all over the hard wood floor. It spread clear from the hallway, through the front room, and to the laundry room. Oh my.

I asked Pennie what was wrong (YES! Of course I talk to my dogs.) She hung her head and simply said she didn't feel good. I kept a close eye on her for a couple of hours, and she just became lethargic. EEK.

So, I called the vet and made an appointment.

The vet wanted to keep her and put her on IV antibiotics and run a bunch of blood tests. Well... you see... we love our dogs SO MUCH... They live in the house with us, sleep on our couches, barf on our floors... we love them. But it just so happens, our money tree is not in bloom... and the vet is expensive!

So, we went with option B: the vet said we could feed her chicken and rice, give her $40 worth of antibiotic pills, and control her water intake (only one cup at a time). He said if she doesn't improve in two days we have to bring her back for the IV and tests. We said okay and wrote him a check for $117.

Good News! Between the antibiotic and the chicken and rice (she loved it!) she is already feeling much better! She's up and about, wagging her tail, and fetching her KONG for us to play with her.

Phew. Granted, we're not out of the woods, yet; but I am so relieved to see the spark back in her eyes. She is the first dog to whom I've ever fully committed myself (my mom used to always give our pets away after a few months), and I can't imagine what it would be like to lose her. ACK. She's been a part of our family for almost six years now.