The people in Spain going crazy over saving the life of the ebola victim's dog last week confuse me. Leaving the whole ebola issue aside, if they put a fraction of that effort into protesting bullfighting, the running of the bulls and all the other Spanish animal torture festivals (which polls show most Spanish people actually disagree with), not to mention the barbaric treatmeant of their hunting dogs, they could probably stop all that shit. It just seems odd that so many people protested over this one dog (who was at least euthanised humanely), when countless numbers of them are tortured and abused to death at the end of Spain's hunting season every single year...to say nothing of treatment of bulls.

I met a new neighbor today while walking the dogs. She is my age, new to the area like me, loves dogs like I do, same number and age range of kids! Might be my first new -neighborhood friend!

velveeta shells with chopped hot dogs mixed in. yum.

OP about the electric fences. Took my dog out yesterday. I didn't see the neighbor's dog outside, so I decided to chance it and walk past. Everything was all good until the walk back. The owner left and the dog followed the car to the end of the driveway, saw us, and inched her way to the brim of the fence, barking the whole time. There is no way I was going to walk past and wonder if she'd charge again, so I waited. I called my fiancé and had him pick us up. If it were a small dog it wouldn't be an issue, I'd just pick it up if it charged. No, it's a huge German Shepard, paired with my 65lb Pit? No thanks. Shepards have a stronger bite pressure per square inch than my dogs, I'm not trying to test that out.

Electric fences are not a form of confinement. I wish my neighbor would understand that. And also, maybe let her dog in once in awhile. Who gets a dog and leaves them loose (with the electric fence, of course) 24/7? What's the point in having the dog? All she does is bark, run outside of the fence when I walk past with my dogs, and cause issues for the other neighbors. It's not like we live in a neighborhood where there's high crime, rodents, etc. No need for an outdoor dog. It is so hard to walk our dogs down the street and wonder if this dog is going to come running out at me again. But, you know, if there's a dog fight, it will be my fault because I have pit bulls. Ugh/sarcasm.

I work in a preschool classroom and everything is just starting to look like a phallic symbol to me... The little toy that you put rings on, toy phones, toy guitars, bunny ears, hot dogs for lunch.... Lord help me.

6 year niece had been over the last 2 nights visiting. It's been fun, but wow is she busy! She's very clumsy too! Knocked over our tea party cups 3 times, (we had milk in the tea cups), lifted a pillow above her head & knocked over some of the stuff on my mantel, then stepped in the dogs water bowl outside in the garage & got water all over the garage. She told dh, (her uncle) that I never get mad at her. So sweet. She's already making plans & wants to spend the whole weekend with me. Ugh. I don't want to be mean, but she's exhausting. I work all week & still have my 14 year old teen to tend too. How to I break it to her without making her feel bad? :(

I don't get why people love cats. I'm watching one for someone right now, and I just don't get the appeal. Yeah, they're pretty darn cute. But hairballs, the litter and the smell of it and getting it ALL over the place, just being annoying and needy (or some that just hide under the bed all the time). You all can have your cats, I'll stick with dogs!

We've been dealing with my mom and her so-called "cognitive functioning problems" for the past two years--ever since she got forced into retirement from her job. I honestly don't think she has any sort of cognitive functioning issues--I think she's really just very depressed and bored out of her mind. She was supposed to get a different job after leaving her first one (she's only in her mid-fifties) and she never did. She has nothing to do all day except clean her house and sit on the couch--she has no hobbies or interests except her dogs--and I think she just needs to get off her duff and get out and do more. I wish there was a tactful way to tell her this without her getting pissed off about it.

One of our dogs died last month. DH mentioned last night he wouldn't mind getting another so we can have two again. I told him no, we need to stay a one dog family. In my heart I really do want another, but one dog is SOOOOO much easier. We'll just foster instead.