For the love of dogs

This is Pepper. She is not ours unfortunately.

I mind dogs in my home, though I haven’t for a while since moving. I’ve been doing this for over 7 years, not being able in the past years to have another fur baby since we had to put our last girl to sleep at the age of 17.

I LOVE DOGS, for all the reasons everyone else does, their unconditional love and companionship.

She arrived yesterday afternoon, her owners off on a 10 day holiday. They bring the food, toys, bed and bowls. My job to give them all the cuddles their family would give them, feed and walk them.

Pepper is quite timid and a bit skittish. She was from a puppy factory. Heartless prisons that breed dogs over and over, that are kept in cages, given no human interaction, no daylight, or grass to run on for their entire life. They live in their own feceas and bred till their uterus literally falls out. Puppies that are born in these prisons are then sold mainly to Pet Shops, taken from their mums after a week or two, with the mums left to breed more until they die. Here in Australia their is an organisation called Oscars Law that fight very strongly to close these factories down and to stop the selling of puppies in Pet Shops.

They are succeeding!

I took Miss Peps for a walk this morning, every bus, truck, motor bike that passed by, she ran to the other side of me. Down for cuddles and reassurance.

This afternoon she came for a drive with me, whilst I dropped off K to her dads for the night. Stupidly I gave her a piece of steak (leftovers) not long before we left. Almost an hour there, then an hour back, she sat in the passenger front seat, quite content until….. Yes all over the seat. As I drove I grabbed the towel I had on the back seat, mopping, covering as best as I could, till we got home.

She’s such a sweety, I just patted her till she lay down waiting till we arrived back home.

and the clock strikes – Prose on day to day

morning filters through dancing curtains
eye lids flutter open, squinting at the sun
a new day, another has begun
rituals performed subconsciously
early morning till darkness falls
grabbing minutes from the clock
tasks needing to perform

traffic lights, idling engine
tapping fingers on the wheel
music keeping calm through
weaving cars and rage
brains not engaged
momentary blankness
remembering last; the locking of the door
seat belt click, now destination reached
dreamtime; with no eyes closed

from (a) to (b) no second thoughts
chores, steps of every day
mundane for the most part
like watching grass grow
(im)personal
we may question as we do
is this what life is all about
a vacuum something surely missed

so from time to time
when given the chance
catch sunshine in your hands
watch eagles soar
listen to the ocean
stand in rain
remember where you are
this life but once
not a dress rehearsal
embrace your moments
like I know you can

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am not gloomy or down in the dumps when writing this – I thought I would add this note as I don’t want my readers thinking otherwise 🙂

Making a phone call is not as easy as one would think.

Today I spent another day over with Pop and Mum.
Yesterday I spent almost 7 hours, mowing, weeding their garden and attending to Pop when he needed to get out of the chair. Today I was over there at 9am, sleep is not coming to me and I worry about how mum is coping trying to help him. A neighbour visited who normally mows their lawns (something I have told them that I shall do from now on) yes they protest, they would rather pay someone to do it. They try to pay me, I don’t accept their money, though mum has on more than one occasion slipped $50 into my handbag without me knowing, until I get home. I also broke down into tears telling them I need them to seriously think about going into Care, or buying another smaller place in a Residential facility that has 24/7 help. Pop’s reply we don’t want to buy something else and spend your inheritance…

I also tried to organise a NEPT (Non Emergency Patient Transport) pick up for Pop who has an appointment in the morning to be assessed for a Physio class once a week not far from home. His neighbour has kindly offered to take him, but I suggested that he needed perhaps medical personnel to be on hand in case he fell. Neighbour agreed.

One would think it an easy thing to do, ring the phone number (from the Net) that stated you must have a doctors referral to book…..
Phone call 7.50am to doctors surgery – “Can I get Dr blah blah to phone me back I need a referral please for my father for transport”.
“I shall pass the message on”.
Almost 3 hours later no phone call.
I phone again “I left a message this morning..no one has called me back..I need to get this organised soon if possible”.
“Can you hold”
“Yes”.
Neighbour, mum and dad all looking on at me strumming my fingers on the kitchen table.
Receptionist comes back on the line.
“Sorry we don’t know about the patient transport, we have taxi vouchers”.
Me… “So do my parents, but my father requires medical supervision as he is having trouble walking”.
“Hold”.
I wait.
“No sorry we cannot help, we don’t know about this transport service”.
Me… polite but angry frustration – you ARE a doctors surgery aren’t you?

“Thank you, I shall try and find out more”.
Look up website again and retrieve number of Ambulance Victoria.
“What do I need to book transport, thought it was simply a doctors referral – but his doctor won’t talk to me (not going in to pay him money that is) and isn’t aware of the procedure”.
“You need to get the facility where he has the appointment to book it”.
“Thank you I shall call you back if needed”.
Phoned the ‘facility”.
“No we don’t do that, never heard of it before, can give you a volunteer patient transport number, but they aren’t medically qualified so they will probably say no”.
Can you see my anger by now?
“I’ll get back to you”.
Phoned Ambulance service again, a different person answered.
“Sorry for the run around, but you do need to get your doctor or registered Nurse to make the booking”
Pulling my nails across their kitchen table.
Phoned Doctors surgery again.
“I believe a doctor has to authorise, can I please speak to Dr. Blah Blah”.
“Hang on I’ll see if he is free”.
“Hello Jenny it’s Dr. Blah Blah how can I help?
“I need you to phone Ambulance Victoria to advise that dad needs a patient transport pick up in the morning, he needs to be there by 9.15am”.
“Ok I shall do that for you”.
Gee thanks.
Me “Can you phone me back to confirm that the booking is made please?”
“Yes I shall phone you back”.
30 minutes pass.
Phone call.
“I have organised the pick up, but please for your peace of mind ring and confirm the booking (as I may not have done my job correctly)”.
Yes I haven’t anything else I had to do today.
I phone.
“I believe Dr Blah Blah has authorised the pick up of my father by the NEPT for tomorrow morning and wish to confirm?”
“Yes he has, we are picking him up at 9.15am”
“No his appointment is AT 9.15”.
“Oh…let me check..hmm the doctor didn’t say that, ok tell him to be ready from 8.15 onwards, if we have an ambulance with wheelchair access we will send that, if not it will be a stretcher, so can you tell him not to be alarmed?”
“Thank you”. (I think)
“What will the cost be?”
“I have to put you through to Head Office for that”
Head office…”No I shall put you through to accounts department”.
I am surprised I have any finger nails left.
“Accounts Dept, no if he shows his Pensioner card, it won’t cost him anything”.
Finally some relief.
Then a phone call to the facility.
“I have arranged for dad’s transportation for the morning appointment, you need to call them though when he is ready to be picked up please”.
“Oh ok…we do that? Yes alright that shouldn’t be a problem”.
Not unless you want an 86 year old sitting in your reception for an entire day..not a problem at all.
Hang up.
I phone back the Ambulance Service.
“Will we have to do this each time he requires transport”?
“Yes afraid so, or the facility can phone us to say he is requiring and we will book in”.
Phone the facility back.
“Sorry but for the future with the Physio appointments, you will need to book the transport each time”.
“Oh…ok guess we can do that”.

Can you imagine the elderly trying to organise this mess? Why in this country are things made so difficult, to have the run around and countless phone calls … they have paid their taxes…they should be entitled to a decent system or perhaps even a system that medical personnel know exists. I can only hope they turn up in the morning!

Just driving my car

I was out driving this afternoon, not just randomly driving,  there was a purpose to it and as I drove I passed the street where Mr. S use to live – I smiled.

I saw an elderly lolly-pop man laughing and chatting to the school kids that he helped cross the road in safety – I smiled.

I watched people leaving the shopping centres laden with bags of goodies and stopped so that they could cross the street in front of my car – I smiled.

I let a person in the right hand lane come over into the left hand lane in front of me and he held his hand up to gesture thank you – I smiled.

I sat at the traffic lights waiting for them to turn green, watching 3 young mums holding their babies which all looked about the same age – I smiled.

I saw an elderly man driving his battery operated scooter, Australian flag at the back blowing in the wind, his crutches firmly secured – I smiled.

I looked at a woman walking down the street, trying to manage her 3 dogs on leashes – I smiled.

I borrowed Mr. S’s GPS for the trip as I wasn’t sure how to get there and I argued most of the time with the lady who gave me directions – I smiled.

I listened to the radio and heard that a man had lost his life in a car accident near to where I was driving – I didn’t smile,  but thought sadly that is life and the loss of one in the space of an hour.

Sounds I’ve heard this afternoon

sklath
sklath
raincoat sound
under arms

click
click
keyboard sound
hit the letters

bang
bang
basketball sound
hit garage door

vroom
vroom
engine sound
noisy on road

perweet
perweet
bird sound
outside my window

tip tap
tip tap
dog paw sound
across the vinyl floor

knock
knock
hammer sound
hits on wood

screech
screech
cockies sound
flying overhead

sigh
sigh
Mumsy sound
bored beyond belief

ouch
ouch
kid sound
next door brothers domestic

Trifecta Week Sixty-Seven – Madeline

Trifecta Challenge  Week 67 – The word is JUGGLE  Using the 3rd definition in 33 to 333 words – 3: to handle or deal with usually several things (as obligations) at one time so as to satisfy often competing requirements <juggle the responsibilities of family life and full-time job — Jane S. Gould>

She drapes herself in Gucci, Armani, Versace. 24 carat gold jewellery adorns her fingers, wrists and throat. Her watch, a Cartier Santos 100 diamond 18 carat is exquisite, a birthday present from him. The price tag a mere $39,000.00. Jimmy Choo is all she wears on her pedicured feet, her nails, french manicured. Her hair cut elegantly short, black, slick, shiny.

She lives amongst the haute monde, her house palatial, decorated with Italian furnishings, an ambience of pure glamour. The stately garden, which surrounds her castle, is full of elms and magnificent perfumed rose trees. Koi of red and white, swim elegantly under lilies at the base of the waterfall in her fish pond, whilst black swans paddle gently back and forth. Every morning she swims 20 laps in her pool to maintain her tightly toned body. Her husband appreciates her anatomy, she is twenty-five years younger.

She is the hostess of all hostesses, though she never lifts a finger in the preparation of holding a garden party or a sit down dinner for thirty of their closest friends. She has servants who are paid to attend to the cooking and cleaning. Madeline does not need to get her fingers dirty.

She is in the book club, the bridge club, the tennis club and like clockwork every Wednesday evening she jumps into her Bugatti Veyron kisses her husband David on the cheek to join her girlfriends to play bridge or sometimes even poker.

Wednesday, a warm summers evening, when she drove to the club.
Where she was greeted with warm smiles and kisses on the cheek.

Walking up the staircase, she entered the room.

Madeline let her Armani dress slip to the floor.
Laid on the bed and welcomed her first client.
They took her, paid her, walked away.

She was not born with a silver spoon.

Madeline had knocked on heavens door, when she married David, but now this was life she chose to juggle….

the life she wants against the life she has.

 

 

For Trifecta  332 words

Planes to take you away

The Picture which has also vanished was of an Airplane – My apologies for this continually happening.

Challenge from Write a one hundred word story that has a beginning, middle and end. (No one will be ostracized for going over or under the word count.)
THE KEY:
Make every word count. A Challenge from rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com

Passports in hand
Excitement abounds
to chill and enjoy
far away lands

Drive to the Airport
park in long term
gather dust till
our return

Sit in our seats
order a drink
smile at each other
relax do not think

Our itinerary planned
we have dreamed of this
day engines start up
we’re on our way

Ears pop chew a mint
watch clouds down below
watch a movie simply
go with the flow

Hours it takes sleep
we’ve had none
the holiday we’ve longed for
has just begun

Land in a country
that we’ve never seen
experiences and memories
this is what is our dream

Car Saga continues

Apologies, yours truly is in a little bit of a writing frenzy it seems (once again). So sorry for so many Posts and filling up your In-Box! Delete if you don’t wish to hear about my daughters Car Saga.

 

 

Just an update on Daughter # 2’s car.

Still impounded, Mr. S phoned and spoke to the ‘gentlemen’ today, we are lodging a formal complaint with Consumer Affairs now. We are told legally the 2 contracts (the hire car agreement and her car being fixed) are 2 separate issues and she is entitled to have her car back.

Then we are seeking legal advice from a solicitor. He (the not so very nice Manager) sent us the quote for the 5 minute repair (according to the other Panel Beaters she saw) and it amounts to $2,600.00. This company are scammers which is unfortunate for they are a family business that has been established well over 40 years.  Now we wait for the paper-work to be filled in, for even though he accepts a payment plan, he will NOT release the car till that is paid in full ($1,500). Very handy to have a Panel company who also runs their own Insurance company isn’t it……

Meanwhile yes good old Mum will be driving her into work before I head onto mine..ah the joys! 🙂

 

 

 

I am livid!

I have anger tonight over an issue with my daughters car which was in a panel beaters being fixed and the hire car they gave her, the fact that the repairer is now holding her car to ‘ransom’ as she put a minuscule dint in the hire car. 😦 They are using bullying tactics and demand that the $1500.00 excess be paid prior to her being able to take her car back.

It’s involved and Mr. S tomorrow is seeking legal advise. I spoke to the gentleman arrogant pig at the Repair shop who could only offer “I know how you feel etc but that’s how it is”. No it isn’t sunshine and you haven’t heard the end of this. She (daughter) has said she can pay in instalments as she hasn’t got $1500.00 – they/he won’t accept that and won’t release her car till it is paid in full. The contract that she signed states nothing to this effect btw. I spoke to him…I am livid… this is my writing for tonight.

Cruelty or abuse
not in the form
of a strike by hand
Bullying and power
against the young who know
not how to defend

Advantage taken for greed
circumstance they care not
legality they uphold trying
to bluff the
submissive

Be prepared for my revenge
and what may follow for
you may say ‘you understand’
where I am coming from
but you do not know the extent
to which it shall be taken

Do not sleep well at night
for the dollars you hope to get
as word of mouth travels fast
and your ‘service’ is one that
that shan’t be let off lightly

she has her rights as you claim
to have, but compensation that you
seek will in the end not be your
reward it will be your undoing
you will lose out when
all is said is done
your bullying and stand over tactics
will be ignored

you don’t deserve any more
you are showing your greed
praying on those that that you think
have no voice

you are wrong…so very wrong

What we say to our partners…

Compliments, us women love them. I wonder if our men folk love them equally?

What does the lady in your life want to hear? I am trying to list ‘genuine’ compliments/words not the ‘I want to get you in the sack corn’. A light-hearted and serious look at things we sometimes say to one another.

Genuine from our men-folk

You look stunning.
Hairdresser did an amazing job hun.
How pretty are you looking right now.
I so wish you would believe me when I tell you that you have a great figure.
You are the greatest mum.
Being with you would have to be one of the smartest things I have done in my life.
That dinner/lunch/breakfast was amazing.
Woah, that dress is gorgeous on you.
I love you.

For the smarmy get in the sack type compliments/words…

I swear you want me make to want to put this TV control down.
I think you boobs are fantastic.
You sure I’m not living with a Victoria’s Secret Model?
Your ass is so hot I could melt butter on it.
You cook better than my mum.
You are my porn.

For the men genuine perhaps…

My god you scrub up well in that suit.
Ok you have lost weight where’s that stomach gone?
You are the greatest dad.
I couldn’t be happier than when I am with you.
Jeans, T – Shirt… oh my ..ok I think you may get lucky 😉
That hair style really suits you.
So glad I have a handy-man around the house.
Thank you for helping me out with the housework.
Thank you for cooking dinner.
I love you.

The smarmy version…

That orgasm made me scream in German – I don’t even know German!
Is there any jar/can you can’t open?
When you snore you remind me of the cutest, fluffiest Panda Bear.
I so don’t mind you not helping me with the housework sweety..relax watch the game.
You’ve done how many push-ups…it shows.
Don’t worry I’ll mow the lawn, play your X Box.
Honestly babe, the toilet seat can be left up, doesn’t worry me at all.
Johnny who?

I think both genders require and enjoy hearing ‘genuine’ compliments every now and then.

Mr. S and I both still compliment one another when we are all ‘dressed up’. We thank each other for helping one another. We say please and thank you and I love you. To often it’s the little words that have so much meaning, which sadly we simply can forget in our busy schedules. Taken for granted, which can sometimes lead to animosity,  a little kind word here and there can only but help to improve relationships. Agreed? What do you say?

There doesn’t have to be a ‘reason’, to show someone who you like/love. Simple things like taking pride in their appearance especially when you go out (ie doing your hair, having a shave – goes for both sexes) 😉 helping out with chores without having to be asked (both sexes).
We all have the need to feel special, to feel loved, to feel that we are worthy. We appreciate the little words that help us feel that way. There certainly doesn’t have to be a reason to say I love you.

I wrote a similar post some time back if you missed it, go take a peak 🙂
https://ramblingsfromamum.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/keeping-the-romance/ ‎