The Old Folks Home

[Stumpy]

I was remarking to my husband this morning that today was much like "the" 9/11; cool, dry and clear. I was pulling in to work that morning and heard the announcement on the radio. I stepped inside the office, turned on the television, and witnessed the other crash.

 

[Cynthia12]

I remember getting a phone call from my daughter asking me if I knew what was going on. She said to turn on the t.v. When I saw that, I ran upstairs to my husband and started saying, "Tell me they can't call you back to duty..tell me they can't call you back to duty, tell me they can't. He had barely retired. He was still in bed because he worked swing and usually slept until 9, 9:30. We have a t.v. in the room..and he is asking, what are you asking? Then we watched.

God Bless America. It still amazes me how many lives were lost that day. And bless those that are still missing their loved ones and friends. Count your blessings. We are still blessed to live in these United States. Pray for the men and women that are out there fighting today because of all of that aspired that day. I have a nephew out there fighting, and I mean fighting. A Marine. Has had a couple of close calls. Has lost friends. My husband was not called back to duty. Thank Heavens.

 

[ducklucky]

Of course we all thought the first hit was a horrible accident, but that was short. My son was working way up in N.Jersey, just a few miles out of NYC, and he wanted to come home way down to the southern tip of NJ. Told him absolutely not (altho in my heart I wanted nothing more) stay off the roads and let these people do their jobs. He was terrified for quite some time altho the company he worked for helped out a lot with medical supplies. He said he'll never forget the smell of it...

 

[superchemicalgirl]

What I find strange living up here is that September 11th has a completely different meaning, in part I think because New England was so far removed from it.

I grew up in Maryland, and was living 4 miles outside DC when the Pentagon was hit. We'd have to drive past it on the beltway. Everyone knew someone that was directly affected by the attacks. University of Maryland College Park (where I was going at the time) shut down around 2 PM. And the world had changed significantly in those few short hours. And we knew it.

Everyone was terrified (the point of a terror attack, I know) in that area that the attacks would continue that day. Those of us that could leave, left. The traffic was horrendous. There were military personnel with machine guns standing in the streets, in the bus stations, train stations, etc. All the traffic signs above the beltway were displaying the number to call homeland security for suspicious activity (and did for months afterwards). My parents begged me to come home. But I stayed in my apartment and was glued to the TV (something completely unique for me) for about 3 days. I napped on the couch and was mesmerized by the TV coverage.

I returned home last year, flew on 9/11 and was in BWI on the exact 10 year anniversary. I was going through TSA. They shut down all the machines and had a minute of silence for the moment the first plane hit the tower. You could hear your heartbeat.

The news was non-stop coverage down there.

Up here yesterday, we had a small "flag raising" ceremony at the local high school that was a private affair. The front page of the paper had an article on the attacks, but also featured things like hospice care for prisoners and various criminal activities.

It's just different. Not better, not worse. Still somber, still important, still life altering. But just totally different.

 

[Wisher1000]

My DS#3 is 11 and has been lobbying hard for a puppy for the last year. I have been considering it and have told him so. His birthday is the 27th of this month, so last weekend I sat him down for a discussion. I asked him basic questions on what he wanted and why. He said he wanted a small, inside, short haired, female, puppy (not a grown dog) but that the breed was not important. He suggested we go the the shelter and let him pick one out. I said no to that because I was afraid that he would fall for and select an unacceptable dog (one that didn't fit the criteria above.) On Monday, I went to the shelter to just see if there was anything there that could be considered. I walked the aisles looking at the prospects and had just about given up. On the last aisle, nearly to the end, there was a Jack Russell momma dog and her four pups. The tag on the door said "terrier/dachund." Three of the pups looked like hounds and though obviously young, were bigger than the mother. One puppy, however, was more like a JR and smaller than the mom. She walked to the door and looked at me, wagging her little tail.

We have a new puppy! It's been a long time since I have had a puppy, for the last 15 years, all our dogs have been rescues that were grown when they came to us. I'm a bit rusty on house breaking and any and all suggestions will be helpful and appreciated. We are using a crate, which she will pee and poop in contrary to what "they" say. She seems to think that she is supposed to go in the house and will hold it while outside so that she can do so when she is inside. Now, if she can slip off and do it somewhere else inside, she prefers that to her bed, but not outside! She even whines and runs to the door to get in while on potty breaks outside if she has to go badly! I am patient, and think that she will get it eventually but I wish she'd hurry!

 

[Bunnylady]

It's been a long time on house breaking for me, too (though DH and I have had quite a few dogs, most of them were "outside" dogs - his choice. More experience with inside cats, not all of whom "got" housebreaking, either!). Can you take some of her inside "accidents" and put them in the place outside where you want her to go? And clean up the site of the accident really, really well, so there isn't any scent left for her to return to? That way, the place where you want her to go has her scent on it, and the places where you don't want her to go won't draw her back. (I know, easier said than done!)

 

[dsqard]

Wisher, being at the shelter may have "taught" her that going inside is the correct thing to do. Bunnylady's suggestion is a very good one. By getting the scent outside, she may start associating outside with potty place. Another suggestion for her is to stay outside until she does her business. If you wait long enough, she will have to go. I don't know what your schedule is like but I have heard that this is the only way to get them to associate potty with outside if they really think inside is the right place. Lots of rewards (petting, treats, etc) for going outside once she does it. Congrats on the new puppy! Good for you for finding one at the shelter too!

 

[Arielle]

If she is a jack russell then she is a small dog-- perhaps the crate is too big to invoke the "home/den" feeling that generally pusades a dog to not use it's crate for potty. Can you make the crate smaller? I put in plywood dividers for my puppies and removed it as they grew; it became their crate as 80# adults.

Also I would plan ahead on meals, eat/drink and out for potty. And create a routine she can count on and you can keep.

My "puppies" are 11 now.

Several years ago, I found a jack russell trotting along the side of our road after dropping my kids off at school It was winter and bitterly cold at 10 degrees . With very few houses around and none in sight I picked her up and put up signs. Many calls from people looking for their lost dog. No match found. THe months went on. . . . .SHe was getting bigger!!! Puppies!! I found a good home for her 3-4 days before delivering 4 puppies!! Which the new owners sold at $400 EACH.

 

[Stumpy]

Wisher, that's exciting about the puppy. I have this advice: Buy some Nature's Miracle. Pet Supplies Plus should have it. Use it in the house every time she has an accident to neutralize the odor which tells her "this is a good place to go again." You probably already know that she needs to go out quite often as this age.

 

[Arielle]

Do we get any pictures of the new member of your family?