Animal Rescue Workers - All Heart

Yesterday I interviewed an amimal rescue worker for an article I'm writing for a Purina publication. This woman and her husband have basically turned their home into a shelter, rehabbing and finding homes for over 2000 (think about that) dogs and cats so far. I asked how she got started in animal rescue and this is her reply:

"My husband and I were driving down a a road and we saw some kids throwing firecrackers at a dog. We chased them away and saw the dog was a shepard - bloody feet, 45 lbs, and completely hairless except for a narrow stretch down his back. We loaded him in the car and drove home."

She went on to describe how--not knowing what to do--she called a number of animal shelters and the humane society but "No one would even donate a bag of food to help us." Given the dog's far gone medical condition and needs, she was told it was probably best to put the dog down.

And here's my favorite line of the interview: "I thought that was ridiculous advice. You wouldn't put a bald man down, so why would you give up on this dog?"

Wouldn't put a bald man down. That needs to be a bumper sticker.

Anyway, she cooked and cared for the dog, he did a complete turnaround, and she found him a home with a couple who owns a Miata and a sailboat, giving the dog a true rags to riches story.

I'm always so humbled when I interview people like this. Would I put a bloody, diseased-looking dog in my car? Probably not. But this couple did and then went on to take in every hard luck stray they ran across. They don't get paid for this. They do it because, as this woman said of another abused animal she rescued, "There was no way I was going to let this dog die without having him experience a happy life."

Humbled, humbled, humbled before them.

When Stupid Goes Too Far: A Ban on Glade Air Freshener Products

I am calling for a nationwide, nay, GLOBAL ban on the purchase of any Glade Air Freshener product. The reason for the ban is the unbelievably lame commercials parading across my TV. I hope the actress paid to play the "typical" housewife who makes it her life's mission to hide from friends and family that she USES Glade products enjoys the run because honey, your chances for future employment are not good.

I want to know what level of moron sat around a boardroom and decided that a woman inviting her friends over to do yoga, lying about where the fresh scent in her house comes from, and then experiencing extreme embarrassement when her giggling horde of fellow morons expose her secret decided this was a marketing campaign worth pursuing. I mean... really? That's the best you can do?

Okay... I ran 17 miles this morning and I'm sore and tired which might account for my grumpiness on this matter but still... The commercials are an insult to the intelligence of women. Both to how we're portrayed in the commerical and the expectation that such a high level of stupid will make us want to buy the product.

Sheesh.

More Kitties Who Need Adopting

Uh-oh, I sense a trend. I got an e-mail from someone who said she heard I might post pics of kitties that need adopting on my blog. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a whiskered face. And you never know what person will read at the right time and give a great home to a little cat. So here's a new batch of little furry ones that need a home filled with love:

"Some one dropped off a female torti in our cul-de-sac about a month ago.  Of course she was pregnant and now we have 3 kittens also.  We have 1 outdoor neutered cat that we put food out for and have an igloo for him in bad weather.  The female is not feral but we can't afford any more pets.  The kittens appear to be about 2-3 weeks old.  2 of them have eyes that are not opening fully and need medical attention also that I can't afford  There are 2 orange tabbies and 1 torti that looks like the mom.  The mother took over the igloo about a week ago bringing the kittens we believe up from the woods.  I have called several places and no one seems to be able to help.  I hate to take them to the shelter as I am getting attached to them of course. and I believe they would make someone a great pet.  I don't know what to do and this has made me very emotional.  I have Multiple Sclerosis and am having a hard time knowing what to do??  Can you help?  Call Michelle at 336-841-0040 (High Point, NC)."

Recipe Organizer

I need help. Our recipe folders are gasping for an organizational system and I can't find one that works.

Here's the deal. Right now, we have two folders. The green folder is filled with "Recipes we'd like to try but haven't made yet." The red folder is filled with the "We've made them and like them" keepers. We also have a recipe book but I'm not a fan. Most of the recipes we pull are from magazines and there are so many ingredients and instructions that to transcribe the recipe would take forever. I also like keeping the picutre of the dish with the recipe (it helps me at the end to compare my creation with the photo to see if I've even come close.)

One problem is our recipes are all different shapes and sizes. Some we'll cut off boxes or let's say the cous-cous will have a recipe tucked into the bottom of it. Others are 8.5 x 11 pages ripped from magazines.

All I've come up with for organization is buying a three ring binder and plastic protective covers and sticking the keepers in there. 

Ideas?