I Cleaned Up Your Mess (posted on Craigslist)

I saw this post on Craigslist and I wanted to post it here.  It is probably flagged by now, but here is the original post.

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You decided that you wanted to move to an apartment that didn’t allow pets (and by the way, landlords are forbidden to do this in Toronto). I don’t know what lured you. Maybe it was a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Maybe it was a great view. Maybe you liked the woodwork. At any rate, it was more important to you than she was. So you took her down to the shelter, still wearing her cute little pink leopard collar with a bow, and you cheerfully wrote on the card that she was very healthy for her age and friendly and just likes to sleep in the sun! I guess you knew her pretty well - you put her birthday down on the card, too, making me believe you’ve probably had her for her entire life.

Then you left, secure in your rationalization that somehow, in the midst of kitten season, your seventeen year old cat would find a home. The shelter took a picture of her scared face and big eyes and put it on the web.

For two weeks, I looked at that picture. I hoped someone else would see her fear and feel compelled to help her, but the public wasn’t seeing her. She was back in isolation, getting vitamin B shots and subcutaneous fluids. The tech wrote “depressed” on her card. I’m not surprised. I’d be depressed too if I went from “sleeping in the sun” to a metal cage with a thin layer of newspaper.

Finally today, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I felt too guilty thinking about her sitting in that cage at her age. So I went down and I got her, and now she’s curled up on a fleece baby blanket in a cat tree in my bathroom. When I go in there, she rubs her head on my hand.

Today, I cleaned up your mess. I felt worse for your cat than you did. And all over the city, other rescuers did the same. They rescued your abandoned cats and dogs and bunnies and exotics. And we all wondered the same thing as we did it: How could you create this situation? How is it that you feel no remorse? How is it that you were you able to walk away from an animal you shared your home with for a year, ten years, fifteen years, knowing that they might die because of your actions?

I’ll never meet you to ask you those questions. I just hope I meet the person who will be good enough to give your baby that sunny spot to sleep for the rest of her life (however long that is). She deserves it, and it’s a crying shame you didn’t have the decency to give it to her. This was originally posted in 2006. I am re-posting because the message hasn’t sunk in!

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I think it stands on its own, eh?

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Dog door arrived, fence project starts Monday.

The dog door was delivered a few minutes ago, and around noon I spoke with the fencers. They wanted to start Friday which would mean no fence over the weekend. They estimate 4-5 days; so I asked them to begin on Monday. Debating scheduling Elka for daycare every day next week....

Will let my neighbors know tomorrow probably. This gives me a bit of time as well as having a fence this weekend.

Left messages with a few handymen about getting the door installed. Then Chris can help me train Elka on it when he arrives. Will be awesome. Freedom, here I come! I mean, here Elka comes.... =)

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Quit my WoW guild.

So, I quit the guild that I was in with my druid. On several occasions (at least 2, I believe 3 or more) they have either not raided as scheduled, or f'd up the raid invites. This has serious consequences for me since I would pick up Elka 2 hours or so early from daycare; costing her play time and me actual money. Often times they'd start 1-2 hours late, and on at least one occasion ran a raid over an hour beyond the end time. Now, in Everquest and when I previously played WoW I was all sorts of patient for these types of shenanigans. However, now with a job I love and a puppy that demands my attention, as well as a house to take care of and other priorities - while I enjoy raiding, I absolutely must be in a guild that can keep to a schedule.

This guild wasn't it. It was a shame, because I was really beginning to enjoy raiding with them, both Kara and and Z'A, as well as 25 mans. I was pretty pissed off about it, then very depressed. But it's pretty clear that I did the right thing for my lifestyle.

I didn't hear from my fencing people today, but hopefully things will go ahead this week and be done pretty quickly. I'm super excited about having a strong, stable, private fence, and really, really, really excited about getting the dog door. Elka will love it, and it will make my life a lot easier with her. Between that, a secure fence, and neighbors I trust, we'll be pretty good to go.

The Total Recall class last night was a blast. I was really relieved that Elka wanted to be with me. When she was held back she strained to get to me, and when we played hide and go seek she was very eager to find me. There is a bond there. Sometimes I'm not so sure.

I did a lot of cleaning today; still more to do, but getting there. I re-arranged the rugs and moved the speakers back to hide the cords. More cleaning to do, but getting there. I'm not sure what to do about the main rug; the pretty one I got is nicer under the dining room table. I've ordered some Flor samples and may make an area rug out of those. Would be cheaper than a normal one and more original.

I really, really want to get a television for the bedroom, but meh, too much money. I want to schedule the siding and windows to be done in August/September as well and am running out of time to do that. Bleh!

So much to do, so much money to spend.

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My furry alarm clock…

Is failing to wake me up.

You see, she's gotten used to my routine, so rather than being persistent at 7am, she also goes back to sleep.

I dreamed of this for the weekends, but it really is bad on the weekdays. Off to a late start, I am!

On a really happy note, Pup-a-razzi has started a Total Recall class - 4 weeks of exercises to stimulate and strengthen recall. Elka does recall, but she does so rather slowly (at a slow walk, that is) and it's not 100% consistent. This is something that I'm super-paranoid about (thank you, Odin, but I do miss our chases around the neighborhood!) and so I was eagerly awaiting this class to begin. I signed up last night and will confirm today since I signed up at the last minute. If I can get her to have a nice, fast, eager, 100% recall - I'll consider myself blessed. She's a husky mix, what're the odds? heh.

I really like my iPhone with the apps now. Twinkle is goodness. Been enjoying SketchIt as well, and Nearby, and Where, and a few others. Oh, Voice Notes - my number one gripe is now fixed! Yay. And the remote application is awesome with outdoor speakers, zoning, and an Airport Express.

I really, really can't wait for Chris to visit.

The new fence goes in this week. And I ordered the Solo Pet Door, I can't wait for that! I also started a Monthly Budget planner to see where I need to spend money, and where I am actually spending money. This with ExpenseIt (I think that's the app I settled on) for the iPhone is a great way to track where I'm throwing out money (daily food, meh - bagels will be the end of me!).

I really wish Chris were here already though. Meh. Patient I am not.

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Happy! Chris visiting.

So, Chris is visiting from August 1st to August 10th. I'm incredibly, super-duper happy about this. I've even taken the week off; which will be my first-ever time off for me; I've taken many days for Smith, but never just for me (that I can think of, anyway). I really need this as it is bound to get busier over the Summer and some time off will get me ready for that.

But mostly I'm just super happy Chris is coming to visit. I've missed him a lot and it'll be great. I just wish it was for much longer.

Wonder how Elka will take the airport... and me hugging someone. Fun!

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