The Ups and Downs of Life

TinaCupid pull back your bow ...

There's been a lot of uncertainty for me the past couple of weeks, but this past Saturday I had to celebrate a little.    Suzie and Tina are officially members of the Seitz family!   After their paperwork was completed, we headed over to Lucky Dog in Webster Groves to get the girls "pawdicures."    Orange was chosen for Tina and Suzie got pink.   And since it was a valentine's day weekend, we had them dressed up in matching Cupid hoodies.   I swear, these two dogs fulfill a part of me that always wanted a little girl to dress up.    And the best part?   They LOVE it.    My other dogs think I'm torturing them when I get near them with a tshirt or sweater.   Not Suzie and Tina, they basically celebrate by having a runway fashion show after I dress them up. 



Suzie tolerating her pawdicure ...
but only because a man is cradling her

 Things have been a bit of a roller coaster the past couple of weeks.    My job, and quite a few others at my office have been in jeopardy due to a lull in the mortgage industry.   (AGAIN)  Then, we find out that Wells Fargo gave 200+ people in St. Louis 60 days notice last Friday.   Wells Fargo is actually the job I really wanted - the commute would have been a breeze and not even 5 minutes from Joey's school.    But ... I didn't even make it past the telephone interview.    Life is so insane - someone at the company I work with left after 10 years of being there about a month after I started.   Guess where they went?  Yep!  Wells Fargo.  Isn't life weird?

Today, two people were laid off and we'd known it was coming since January 31st.    We all thought it would be yesterday because it was pay day, but it didn't come.   I can't tell you the stress everyone has been under, but I have to give our group a lot of props.   We kept working and doing our best - it would have been really easy to just throw in the towel and get mad at the world.    When all of this started happening, I asked all my friends and family to send positive thoughts my way and say prays for us.  I really believe it helped me out.      What was great, the company called a staff meeting this afternoon to reassure everyone that was left.   I thought that was really cool of them because they knew we'd been so worried.    Crisis averted ... today anyway.   Who knows what tomorrow will bring?  :)

Leon ... what a handsome young man

Last Friday I picked up a new foster.   He's a gem - he's about 1 year old and he's a black/white (parti colored) cocker spaniel.   He needs a serious grooming and he needs to learn some manners, but he's overall a great dog and will make an amazing addition to a family ready for love and fun.    He's affectionate, he's playful AND he's housebroken.   An email went out last Thursday with a long list of dogs that only had until Monday to make it out of the shelter alive.    He happened to be at the north county shelter which is usually the shelter they don't make it out of at all.    I don't know why, but the "adoptable" dogs are sent to the Ladue shelter for St. Louis County and the ones without a chance stay in north county.    This email listed this beautiful GIRL as Justine ... ha .... after a couple of emails they told me they realized that Justine was a Justin.   That cracks me up - I mean, a neutered boy might be easy to mistake for a girl.   But a young HEALTHY male (if you get my drift) ... how could they miss those???   Anyway, Leon, as JTK has named him is probably going to be adopted very quickly.    No way would JTK allow a dog named Justin in our house, remember he is not a true "Belieber" in fact is very against the Biebs.

I have to admit, I told the head of our group I wanted a dog that would be adopted pretty quickly.   With my work drama, I really needed a new foster to perk up my sprits but because of my work drama, I wasn't up for a dog that I'm going to completely fall in love with, have for quite a while, and then cry my eyes out when saying goodbye. 

Cool Paws!!!

Leon is a cool, cool, cool dog - he couldn't be happier when he has a ball in his mouth.   He just LOVES playing and he LOVES JTK - he follows him everywhere.   I hope he finds a home with a kid in the family to play and run around with him.       It was a rocky couple of days at the beginning - I mean, I have a houseful of smaller, older dogs and nothing pisses them off like a dog twice their size with the attitude and outlook on life of a puppy.  :)    Even Natsumi hates him ... what a snobby group of dogs I have her.   I'm sure it didn't help that he was thrilled with all the females in the house - even if they're way past being interested in any hanky panky.   I got the spray bottle out, though, and things have really settled down.    Tonight Leon and Hopper were actually playing!! It was "dominance play" but it was hilarious and those two almost had their tongues falling out of their mouth because of how intense they were playing.   JTK and I watched them about 20 minutes and just laughed like crazy.   I haven't seen Hopper play with a dog besides Cooper, in .... well ever I think!

Leon won't be available for adoption until next weekend.   He's scheduled for a much needed grooming on Monday and his neuter on Tuesday.  I did give him a bath and clip some of his mats out, but he really needs some professional attention.   Further proof this guy is fantastic?   He was the best dog I've ever given a bath to - just perfect.