Valentine ramblings

I signed on today with no real thought as to what I would write, just that I wanted to write something. Before I clicked the "new post" button, I noticed this will supposedly be my 300th post. I feel like I should make it a special one, then, with some sort of well-prepared, engaging prose. But there are several things working against me, and I feel certain I will dissolve into rambling shortly.

First, my pupils have totally taken over my irises. It's like someone injected black ink into my eyeballs, making them look like cartoon versions of the real thing, all black and white, no spotted brown-green to be seen. I look high. I'm not, I'm just dialated. I had my yearly eye exam this morning.

It's a good thing it's only a yearly exam. $680. I'm trying to imagine all the fun things I could do with $680 but it just makes me sick to my stomach. This does cover the exam, a year's worth of contacts, and a new pair of glasses (I haven't gotten new frames in three years). But when the nurse looked up at me over her rimless specs and exhaled the total at me, in a low whistle, I could no longer tell if it was the lack of being able to see clearly or the number that made me feel like vomiting and passing out all at once. I dumbly handed her my debit card. I was already playing out the phone call to my husband to explain why I spent that huge amount, but I couldn't come up with a good explanation even for myself, other than needing to see. Is needing to see worth $700? I suppose so.

Of course we can cover it, as long as no one spends any other money today or tomorrow until our paychecks are in. But I should have given her my credit card, just in case. I don't like having under $200 in the account, which is where we currently stand. It makes me nervous.

We have no Valentine's plans, thank goodness. We had brunch together yesterday instead, and when we left the bakery/cafe, they had a plate of freshly made red velvet cupcakes for sale, and we took 2 for after dinner tonight. It's a normal day other than the cupcakes (and the $700 bomb)-- work, gym, cook dinner, tv, and sleep. In the middle of all that, of course, is taking care of our puppies.

My parents lost their black lab a couple months ago. I suppose she was "mine" too. We got her as a puppy when I was 13. She was 15 this year, and her arthritis and old heart finally caught up to her. What a sweetheart, totally irreplaceable, my old Sammy girl. They still have two-- Beau, the clueless and laughable chocolate lab/great dane mix, about 8 years old, and Daisy, the lover and protector, a 2-year-old bassett hound mix. When I was a kid, we had Maxie, the first canine love of my life, a gray miniature schanuzer. She was super scary smart, loyal, and a big lap baby. She passed right before I left for college. My parents have always wanted another schnauzer but for a long time resisted because Maxie was such a one-of-a-kind dog. They are now thinking they may want to give it a go, but they're going to adopt from the shelter, which means it may be a mix, and they want to get an older dog, at least a full year.

When my husband comments on our dog's behavior (when they are bad, they are "my" dogs, not his), I can point to my parents to see where my affinity for having a houseful of furry creatures was born. They are such a comfort and bring so much joy. I am a huge proponent of adoption over buying pets, though. Unless you're showing, breeding (and they do that just fine on their own, not sure why they need our help), or maybe have a severe allergy, there is absolutely no reason to go after a "pure-bred" dog. In fact, mixes tend to have fewer health problems as a general rule. Maxie, a pure-bred, had some kind of weird itchy skin condition all her life, started having seizures at middle age, and went blind before she passed, all known issues with miniature schnauzers. Bub, on the other hand, my little terrier terror, had a luxating patella (his kneecap shifted) at age 7, but it was quickly fixed, and now he's fine. He's almost 9. Beau, other than eating strange things and making himself sick, which is attributable only to his lack of common sense and not breeding as there are many dumb pure-breds out there too, hasn't had any health problems. For a dog his size and his age, that's saying something.

The most important consideration for me, though, is the overpopulation of pets in our country. It depresses me to see the amount of animals that filter in and out of our local shelter every year-- people abandon their supposedly beloved pets every day. But they also never spay or neuter them, they jump fences and climb walls, and have millions of unneeded puppies and kittens every year, that the owners then just drop at the shelter, like a bag of unwanted old clothes. Add to that the cruel and idiotic puppy mill owners who breed, breed, breed the same female over and over again until the puppies hardly have a chance, born with weird defects and abnormalities. But they're sold to unsuspecting and equally idiotic buyers.

Bottom line-- if you want a pure-bred, for whatever reason, first try a rescue group. Every breed has them. Second, find a licensed breeder, check out their facilities, and even check their BBB rating. Do your due diligence. If you just want a dog that will love you and be your friend, go to the shelter, pick out a couple you like, ask lots of questions, play with them, take them for a walk, and take one home with you. They'll already be spayed or neutered and will probably be up to date on vaccinations too. You can't ask for much more than that.

This post turned into what I thought it would-- rambling. Please excuse typos, since I still can't see. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentine's day.