The blame game

The news is saturated with articles on a child killed by an alligator in Florida. Social media is calling for people to stop blaming the parents. I understand that and I know they've suffered an unbearable loss. I can't imagine their pain and I know it was a tragic accident. ACCIDENT. If you believe it was an accident (as I do), you can't blame Disney either. It's Florida. Home to millions of alligators, snakes, and mosquitoes. There's a risk of coming into contact with any of those things on a daily basis. I don't think warning signs would have stopped this from happening. If alligator warning signs were up, it could have been a python. I have been to Florida only a couple of times and have seen large snakes and alligators  on the side of the road. People find them in their houses, under cars, and in the most unusual places. They are everywhere.
My hope is that a lot of education comes out of this tragedy. Alligators feed at dusk. They are more active during the nesting periods of late May, June, and July. No pet or small child should be allowed near the waters edge-not a man made lake, canal, pond, creek, or standing mud puddle especially at dusk. It's against the law to feed alligators because they will approach other humans for food or as a food source.
If you're traveling, please look into the dangers of where you're going. Are there wild animals that you're not used to dealing with? What kind of poisonous insects and snakes are common in the area? What do you do and where do you go if bitten? What about weather? Do you have a safe place? A back up plan?
A little bit of education can go a long way.
And accidents happen.
Tragic accidents.
And when they do, no one is to blame.

TBT a memory

So I didn't get up early enough to find a picture for TBT so you're stuck rehashing a memory with me. Let me explain. There's a huge box in my office for people to drop off shoes for children starting school in the fall. They've requested certain sizes that must tie. Both girls and boys need size one so I didn't bother to write anything else down and went shopping. Do you think I could find two pairs of size ones? Noooo much less cute ones or cool ones which brought up that memory I mentioned.
All the way back to 1995, when Beth started first grade and Paul started kindergarten. My brother was concerned about their shoe situation. They had shoes, but he wanted to make sure that they had "cool" shoes and took them shopping. He did this for years. Never asking my permission or asking for anything in return.
So I'm going shopping for school shoes for kids that aren't mine and I'm blaming my brother.

The Journey

Today I start another journey. It's not one that I haven't done before, but this time it's a little different. I'm not alone, but there's a little bit of fear involved. I've decided to breed Dixie. Not as a professional, but as one of those back yard breeders. Before you give me any lectures, let me remind you that there are bad people in any profession-look at the police and the priesthood. To label us all in one category is wrong. I've done a lot of research and put a lot of thought in to this venture.
The "date" is set for tonight and I may still back out-if he's not as pictured, if he's too big, if he doesn't act like a gentleman, if he treats Dixie badly, if she gives me "the look", or if she whines-it's off. I've searched for the last six months and this is the only acceptable male I can find-and he comes with a lot of good recommendations, but if he can't treat Dixie properly it's off. Not joking. I love Dixie more than a lot of people love their kids (sorry it's true). My own daughters can rebuff me when I tell them what a thrill it is to be a mom, but Dixie gets to do it at least once. I will feel terrible if she doesn't have a good pregnancy or enjoy the pups, but she's an adventurer and loves life so I think she will be ok.
If not ice cream will make it better or some really good treats (sorry Dad no chips after pregnancy is confirmed). Dixie will be really glad that it gets her out of the tight dresses and onesie dog sleepers for a while.
I have an emergency vet and a back up. I have a breeding mentor. I know that dachshunds typically have between two and seven pups their first litter. I have seven really, really good people that want a puppy. I'm prepared if they back out.
If tonight's date goes as planned, the puppies will be born the first week of August.

Happy 26th Birthday Son

Pinterest explanation

I'm aware that a lot of my conversations start with the words "I saw this thing on Pinterest...." and I've tried to cut back but then I saw a quote (guess where I found it)
"I have no special talents. I am just passionately curious."-Albert Einstein.
I am curious. What happens if ...? Can I do that? How hard is that to do? Will that taste good? Is it true?

So that led me to my activities last week end, it started with some soap. I love goats milk soap and wondered just how hard it would be to make my own. I ordered a melt and pour and a mold. Then added lavender essential oil and purple coloring-and success. Lavender goats milk soap. I'm growing lavender for the first time ever and soon I'll make some more and add flowers to the soap.
 Then I read a recipe on making chocolate syrup like Hershey syrup-and I wondered if it was that good and was it as easy to make as the recipe claimed-and the answer to both was yes-it is good and easy (added bonus was no preservatives and I know exactly how old it is).
I've made fajitas lots of times, but the seasoning I use is from Pinterest with no added salt or preservatives (you should also know it's a lot cheaper than those little packets in the seasoning department).

Suckiest Anniversary #2

A year ago, my sister pinned May 7th as the suckiest Anniversary ever because it was the one year anniversary of our mom's death. It still sucks. Not having her around. Realizing it wasn't just a really bad dream. Yeah, that shit really happened. It's getting further and further away from the last time I got a card or phone call from her.
People say time will make it better-and maybe it did for them but it hasn't for me. I've just gotten better at handling the pain. You know what? That's ok. Missing someone,  tears-that's all a part of life. Kinda like pushing through Walmart with all the hundreds of Mother's Day cards shoved all in your face. Sooner or later you're going to see one so stupid or incredibly tacky it will make you smile. There's beauty in everything. Those ugly tears my sisters cry-they make me wince for their pain but it makes me feel a little less alone. In a way, I'm glad we cry-not all mothers were like ours. Giving birth, doesn't sign you up for a life time of loving, caring, and  sharing. It doesn't automatically mean that you'll make birthday cakes or spend countless hours trying to make someone else happy. I wonder if my siblings remember the joy of picking out their favorite kool aide to go with dinner. I haven't thought about grape kool aide in a long time.
I remember her telling me how to measure the sugar-later I'd measure sugar to put in jelly or jam.
Her voice comes back to me telling me to make sure to premeasure the sugar, to add it quickly to help the jelly set up. Add a teaspoon of butter to keep the foaming down. That first batch of jam without her was rough. A lot of firsts are. This year I made "Rose Petal Jelly"-something she and I never did, but I think she'd like it. It set up fine and it really does smell like roses.
Roses like the ones she used to baby. Like the ones that Beth carried.
Roses like the ones that the grand kids carried after her funeral.
Roses like the ones tattooed on her grand daughters.
Roses are so beautiful and fragrant, but they can cause a little pain kinda like a memory.

A hard part of love

If you are anywhere near my facebook page, my desk, or cell phone, you know I love our dogs. Their pictures are every where. They're surrounded by toys and treats. Oscar and Dixie have a wardrobe that some people would envy. I watch their weight, what goes into their mouths, their sleep habits and monitor their activities(they are not supposed to jump long distances or chase horses). My point is we really care about these dogs. Unfortunately, Dixie has started chasing trucks. Not cars but just trucks. Living where we do, there are a lot of trucks. Keeping her inside 24/7 isn't an option. I hate seeing dogs constantly chained. Every morning, she and Oscar go out with me to feed horses and chickens and gather eggs. I can't have her leashed and carry eggs. She loves being outside, and I love having her outside with me.
So a huge part of disciple is love.

So I'm researching training collars.

and I have to find one that will fit a dog that weighs less than eleven pounds.

It's not that I want to put a training collar on her, I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't.  The invisible fences aren't an option unless I can rent a backhoe to dig and the yard where's she's allowed to run is huge.
This is so much harder than spanking a bum.