Guinness

So, today my sister and her family went to a BBQ. At the BBQ was a new litter of puppies.. Akeda Shepherds...

Guess what they brought home.... GUINNESS!!!

Bailey

My sister and her family live in the same housing complex as I do. She's had several different units as her family continued to grow and more room was needed. Sometime in summer 1999, between her second and third daughters, she found a dog wandering alone in our complex. The dog just basically walked up and down the hill in front of her house.

As our family is very fond of animals, she took the dog in and cared for her while trying to find the owner. It was still a young dog, maybe a couple of years old. A nice black and white border collie who nicely matched my young (at the time) cat whom we cared for from birth, since we found him abandoned behind a dumpster.

Anyways, she had learned that the SPCA had contacted the "owners" to let them know we found their dog, to which they said they didn't want her back. A@z%w$&#. Of course, my sister had decided to take her in and add her to our family. They named her Bailey.

Why Bailey? Well, they had a running theme at the time of naming their pets after alcohol: a cat named Whisky, another cat named Gin, etc.

So, for the past 11 years Bailey has been the protector of the babies and animals. It was just her nature. More kids, more animals - just more things for Bailey to keep rounded up and in order. She did her job so well.

Over the past few years, she has had many health issues: skin, kidney, weight. But it was all manageable until the past few months. Bladder control, kidney stones and just plain old age was getting to her.

For a while she couldn't even get herself upstairs to hang out with the family when they slept - until Monday night.

She mustered up the strength to drag herself up to my sister's room, climb up the bed and cuddle with them while they slept. She hadn't done that for years. When she was still able to get upstairs, she slept in the hall, protecting the rooms.

My sister saw this as a sign that it was finally time to let her go.

Finally last night she took her to the vet to see what they could do. Maybe it wasn't that bad.

They brought her to the vet at 4:00pm, June 29, 2010.

The doctor said what we all already knew. Any treatment would be suffering for poor, loyal, faithful Bailey.

My sister and her husband took her in the room. Their daughters, who knew Bailey all their lives, followed them in. They stayed and said their goodbyes, cuddled and shared their love for the last time.

Bailey shivered and was anxious, but controlled as she has always been. Obedient and the one in control at the same time.

The doctor gave her a sedative to relax her and she calmed down.

They placed her on the table.

A few more moments, a few more hugs, a few more tears, then one last injection.

Bailey drifted to sleep at 6:30pm, June 29, 2010.

Today I found my sister in her yard cleaning up Bailey's mess as she always did for her birthday, July 1st. One final gift for her companion.

We'll miss you and love you forever, you good old girl.

Gross Encounters...

So, in the past two weeks, I've come across a couple gross-ish things on my way home from work.

Last week, a nice calm morning, having a nice relaxing walk home after the graveyard shift, I noticed a gutted rat in the middle of the sidewalk. And because I enjoy stories with pictures, I decided to take a picture to share. (see pic 1)

Now this morning, after another graveyard shift, I was walking to the Skytrain with a coworker. It was a nice, clear, bright morning.

Off in the distance, I notice a guy behind a light post pulling his pants on. I think, at first, he was just getting out of his car and was putting his jacket or gear on (I work downtown with a lot of construction projects in the area.)

But as I get closer, and the guy coming towards us, I notice he was a street person. Or, at the very least, someone who was not employed. Anyways I come to realize I may have witnessed something gross.

I say to my friend "Did that guy just take a shit?"

She says, "Ewww, I hope not. You wanna go look?"

I said, "Yeah! It's just a little bit out of our way."

So, getting closer to the light post, I can see something dark a few inches from the post, on the sidewalk. From a far distance, it could have been anything - a leaf, a rock, some trash, anything. Closer and closer, the details get clearer - brown, lumpy, mushy looking pile... of poop.

As I said earlier about stories with pictures... see pic 2.

RIP Guru

One of the best and most creative MC's ever!!! Loungin' in heaven... RIP

I knew I loved Sesame Street for a reason...

OK I'll do one of these. (Stolen from Burp after a short detour @ Angelmouse)

1. When showering, do you start the water and then get in or get in and start the water?
Water first. Let it heat up.

2. Do you read the labels on the shampoo bottle?
No.

3. Do you moan in the shower like the people on the herbal essence commercial?
No comment.

4. Have you ever brushed your teeth in the shower?
Yes.

5. How old do you look?
With hat: my age. Without hat: not my age.

6. What are your plans for the weekend?
Work Christmas Eve. Visit Family around town, most likely. Play DJ Hero a lot.

7. Have you ever ridden a mechanical bull?
No.

8. Do you ever intentionally vomit after eating?
No.

9. Has anyone ever called you a sx#^?
No

10. Do you have more enemies or more friends?
Fiends, I hope?

11. Have you ever sent an anonymous letter?
No

12. Can you fix your own car?
Does driving it to the mechanic count?

13. Do you like staying up late?
Yes.

14. Have you ever been in jail?
No.

15. Do you like the the smell of beer?
No.

16. Have you ever given to charity?
Yes.

17. Ever killed a snake?
No.

18. Do you ever get depressed?
Yes.

19. Do you live with your parents?
Yes.

20. What does the future hold for you.
Work Sun thru Thursday. That's for sure.

[ ]short,under 5'4" (5'1 3/4".... the 3/4" counts!!)
[ ] 5'4"-5'5"
[ ] 5'5"-5'6"
[ ] 5'6.5"– 5'7"
[x] 5'7"– 6'
[ ] tall, 6'1" and up

NATURALLY
[ ] blonde
[ ] redhead
[ ] brunette
[ ] dirty blonde
[ ] brownish ....but going grey
[ ] dark brown
[x] black
[ ] indian red/light brown
[ ] gray

[ ] blue-eyed
[x] brown-eyed
[ ] black-eyed
[ ] green-eyed
[ ] hazel-eyed
[ ] blue/gray-eyed
[ ] green/gray-eyed
[ ] brown/green-eyed


[ } Reading glasses
[x] glasses
[ ] contacts

[x] short hair
[ ] medium hair
[ ] long hair

Your favorite colours are?
[ ] red
[x] khaki
[ ] aqua
[ ] pink
[ ] hot pink
[x] yellow
[X] black
[ ] green
[ ] lime green
[x] blue
[ ] white
[x] silver
[ ] purple
[ ] brown
[ ] orange
[X] grey
[ ] fuschia
[ ] maroon
[ ] gold
[ ] teal (most favourite)
[ ] coral
[ ] clear
[ ] bronze
[ ] I don’t really care
[ ] rainbow


Your personality is
[ ] talkative
[x] shy-
[ ] timid-
[x] funny-
[x] serious-
[x] laid back-
[ ] hyper-
[x] sarcastic-
[ ] slow-
[ ] all of the above-


Music you like most
[ ] pop
[ ] country
[ ] christian
[x] orchestral/classical
[ ] techno
[x] oldies
[ ] opera
[x] 70's
[x] 80’s
[x] disco
[x] rap
[X] classic rock
[ ] punk
[ ] pop punk
[ ] metal
[x] hip-hop
[X] rock
[X] alt/indie rock
[ ] emo
[ ] foreign rock
[ ] skate
[X] lots of different stuff


The pets you have/ had?
[X] cat
[X] dog
[ ] lizard
[ ] rat
[ ] ferret
[ ] bunny
[X] fish
[ ] horse
[ ] bird
[ ] frog
[ ] hermit crab
[ ] turtle
[x] hamster
[ ] snake
[ ] gerbil
[ ] guinea pig
[ ] pig
[ ] goat
[ ] chinchilla
[ ] tarantula
[ ] geese
[ ] baby chicks
[ ] baby ducklings
[ ] none
[ ] hedgehog
[ ] snail
[ ] pirahna
[ ] sea gull
[ ] newt
[ ] pigeon
[ ] DONKEY!!
[x] other - where is adult chicken in this list?!

Your confessions:
[ ] I’m afraid of silence
[ ] I am ticklish
[ ] I’m afraid of the dark
[ ] I’ve collected comic books… (um, why is this a confession??? Comics are cooooool!)
[ ] I open up to others TOO easily
[x] I read the newspaper
[X] I love Disney movies
[x] I am a sucker for gorgeous eyes
[x] I am a sucker for a gorgeous smile
[ ] I don’t kill bugs
[ ] I have “x”s in my screen name
[ ] I bake
[ ] I have worn pajamas to class
[ ] I love Martha Stewart
[ ] I am guilty of tYpInG lIkE tHiS
[x] I am self-conscious
[X] I love to laugh
[ ] I can’t swallow pills
[ ] I bite my nails
[X] I play computer games when I’m bored
[ ] I have gotten lost in the city
[ ] I have gone out in public in my pajamas
[ ] I have made out in an elevator
[ ] I have been skydiving
[ ] I have been bungee jumping
[X] I have bitten someone
[ ] I have egged or toilet-papered a house/car
[ ] I have smashed into a car
[ ] I have been fired
[ ] I have been skinny dipping
[ ] I do notes when im bored

Have you ever…
[X] seen a shooting star
[ ] joke proposed to anyone (while bowling!)
[x] eaten Sushi
[X] Had the chicken pox
[ ] broken bones
[x] been on a cruise ship
[x] driven over 400 miles in one day
[x] been on a plane by yourself
[X] had surgery
[ ] seen a movie more than 2 times in the theater in one day
[X] been on stage
[x] won any awards/trophies
[x] gotten a black eye
[x] memorized all the dialogs in a movie (not intentionally!)
[x] watched an entire baseball game

Do you like…
[x] old movies
[x] musicals
[x] blasting music in your car (if i had one)
[x] foreign foods
[ ] gameboy Pokemon
[X] Christmas time
[X] animals
[ ] coffee
[ ] tea
[x] summer
[X] winter
[ ] fall
[X] spring

Reason you’re doing this survey:
boredom.

Last thing you bought
Bread, pop, Church's fried chicken and coleslaw.

Are you happy with your life right now?:
I'm copacetic.

Do you own a...
[x] PS2?
[ ] XBOX?
[ ] Xbox 360?
[ ] PSP?
[ ] Gamecube?
[X] Digital Camera?
[x] Nintendo DS?
[ ] Nintendo 64?
[X] Wii?
[ ] Super Nintendo?
{ } PS3... you forgot this, so I'll add it. (LuckyMonkey)

Do you wear sun glasses?
Occasionally.

What should you be doing right now?
Making dinner, going to the bathroom. Not at the same time.

Last person you hugged?
My Mini Monkey.

Last person you kissed?
In what way?

Name one thing that you do everyday.
Pee.

How much cash do you have on you right now?
$225 CDN

What’s your favorite sports?
Hockey, baseball, volleyball, basketball, soccer (footy), football.. everything, really.

Is there something you really don't like? What?
Arrogance, cheapness, whiners, rudeness, snobs, bad drivers, criminals.. list goes on...

Are you happy with your friends on here?
For the most part.

Do you like chocolate milk?
Yes.

Is this survey getting annoying now?
Nope.

Are you glad it's over
Yes. Now I have to pee.

After 3 and a half days...

My new niece was finally born!!!

My sister went into labour early Monday morning, but for some reason, wasn't progressing steadily enough. And since there was no stress to the baby and my sister's initial desire to be all-natural, the doctor didn't find it necessary to induce.

So for 3 long painful days and several close calls, she endured contractions and cramps until she finally caved in to accepting an epidural to allow the birth to move forward.

Finally at around 10pm Thursday night, she popped out.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to see her yet because I had to work last night and couldn't call in sick due to me leaving work early already twice when I thought the baby was coming. ANd now, due to some small complications the baby is in nursery with restricted visits. Hopefully she won't be in there too long and can come home.

So now we wait and wait and wait some more... I have a feeling this baby is not going to be on time for anything.

FOUND!!!

My watch!!! woooooooohoooo.

Must see!!!!

This is just too good. Nothing like watching talented kids being truly into something.

ENJOY!!

Camel Up A Hill...

You mean these aren't the words?