Rats, Deathstars, and general flakiness.

One thing that I hate.... I mean really hate....is showing up to class to find it that it has been canceled. Really, is it THAT HARD to send out an email to your class letting them know that you wont be in? It's a technology class....so my teacher should be all over things like mass mailing lists, right? Instead I drive all the way in to see that class will be canceled, and I suddenly have three hours to spare. See, all of my free time should be spent attempting to finish the rediculous amounts of homework that I need to get done before the end of the semester. I can't even work on homework because, you know, I didn't bring anything that I needed with me because I SHOULD HAVE HAD CLASS.

Bastards.

So now I'm sitting on campus, enjoying the gorgeous weather, and people watching. I think that people watching is great fun, especially considering the eclectic cross section of people that end up at STLCC. Occasionally, instead of just being voyeuristic, I actually hear some pretty useful little factoids.

For instance, I now know that the little blonde sitting next to me is back together with her boyfriend even though he slept with her sister. Her friend is telling her this is an awful idea, but she says it will be okay. It's love afterall, and nothing is better than love. *sigh* I also have learned from the group of meat heads gathered in front of me that snorting Valium while drinking vodka will put you in the hospital. That is where the one with bad acne was, and why he doesn't have any of his homework completed. Also, I know that the lady directly across from me has just grounded her child for hitting her brother with a whiffleballbat....which is just plain awesome.

See what I mean? Where would I be without this information?

In all seriousness though, I haven't updated in awhile and I have so many awesome stories to share. Perfect example, the manchild and I installed our own garden and he won us this nifty little composter at work that looks like a death star. It's rad. I have pictures, but they're at home and I'm not*. Neville decided to try his hand at muskrat racing and failed, beautifully, when he fell off the dock and into the pool on accident. Though I can't begin to tell you how hilarious this was, it was still unfortunate that this was his first experience with water.... and not a good one at all. I was assaulted by a rat at earthdog, this left me bleeding and with wounded pride to go along with it. With the amount of blood that I shed, it's a miracle that I didn't pass out. I give kudo's to The Kate's amazing bandaging skills.... and I'm pregnant.

No, not really. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Well, I have nothing else for now. I'll post more pictures later....pinky swear!

**The reason I'm not at home being productive is because my teacher canceled class....in case you missed that memo. Not that I'm bitter or anything, I mean, psh, I wouldn't expect the teacher to send out an email or give us a phone call, no....no I wouldn't. That would be outrageous.

Back in the day....

That's right. I'm getting to that age when I look at pictures of me and think, whoa, was I really EVER that young? Yes, it turns out that I was, and someone caught it on film.

This was me with my Grandfather, whom I still adore to this day. I never knew this picture existed and he emailed it to me tonight. It's a really adorable picture, I love the way he's looking at me. I probably had just said something bratty right before turning to smile at the camera.

Ahh, memories.

Brit? Like....Brittany?

Besides Dachshunds and my husband....I'm totally in love with Bret from Flight of the Conchords. He's the skinny guy on the right. Because, of course, I love Flight of the Conchords oh so much I have this strange obsession with making everyone else on the planet love Flight of the Conchords right along with me. Since most of my friends have already watched FotC (and subsequently will be seeing them live at the Fox April 29th OMG) I have very few opportunities to....spread the love. Cue my father-in-laws birthday.

Now I love my father-in-law, honest to god I do, but he can be a tad set in his ways. He wanted car things for his birthday, and I told him that was lame. One, buying someone something that they want means you put little effort into the gift, and two....well okay lets just cut the shit, I'll take any excuse to shove FotC down someones throat. We went out to dinner, and I gave him the first season. While his other two sons dorkily went to a slot car...thing...we went home and watched the first episode, Sally. and. laughed. I was a little aprehensive that he was going to hate it, but guys, he got it! He thought it was funny! I did good!

Now I have an excuse to watch the whole season again because, you know, he might need help interpreting some things. If you haven't watched FotC yet, stop reading this blog. Now. I refuse to have anything more to do with you till you watch the first season. If you have watched the first season...well...this will make a lot more sense to you. Who's the Boom King? (aka my theme song) Bret actually says my name in this song. *swoon*

Donate 4 Dachshunds

I read this over at another dachshund blog I love to read, Who's Your Dachshund. This is a really great cause so I had to share!

THE IDEA...

Being the owners of smaller canine companions – physically at least – we know first-hand how something so small can have such a big impact on our lives. I’m not even going to bother asking if you could imagine a life without your pups. For that reason, it’s only natural that we as animal lovers come together to accomplish something BIG to change the lives of vulnerable animals around the world.Over the past month, the ten contributors of WYD have connected with nearby animal shelters from Nova Scotia to South Africa; each one filled with incredible people giving abandoned animals the love and attention they deserve. So we figured, why not give each of these shelters a little love and attention of their own?

THE CHALLENGE......

collect as many donations as we possibly can by the end of April to split between these phenomenal shelters. You can donate securely using our ChipIn widget below. We will be over the moon with even the smallest contributions :)If you aren't able to contribute financially, there are plenty of other ways you can help spread the word that will be just as appreciated! You can even click 'Copy' on the donation widget to get the HTML code that you can use to include the widget in your own blog posts

THE DIFFERENCE...
Here are the organizations that we'll be working with over the next month. We'll give you updates and insights into the world of animal rescue and the massive benefit that they have on the lives of millions of animals worldwide. Look forward to video diaries, messages from volunteers, amazing adoption stories and lots of prizes!

Bide Awhile

Tiny Paws Dog Rescue

Midwest Dachshund Rescue

All American Dachshund Rescue

Dachshund Rescue of North America - Maryland Chapter

Dachshund Rescue NW

Central Texas Dachshund Rescue

Second Chance Animal Refuge Society

Kitty and Puppy Haven

FACE Low-cost Spay/Neuter Clinic

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's....

Neville!

Yes, it's Neville! Racing at the Hermann Wurstest. The Lo-Downs braved the forcasted bad weather and headed out to Hermann. They had talented wieners and wieners dressed up in costumes.

Then they had the races.

Neville took first place in the cocktail wiener division. Afterwards, we went to the winery and had hot crusty bread, wine, and great company with friends and dogs. The weather ended up turning out to be sunny, and I have the sunburn to prove it.

It was a great day.

Attention Dachshund Owners

Every now and again I have something of actual value to say. This is one of those rare occasions. This information is UBER important if you're an owner of a dachshund. This was put out by my Dachshund Club, the Gateway Lo-Downs. I hope it comes in handy if you ever have to deal with a back issue with your bean.

Back problems, most commonly Canine Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), are pervasive in Dachshunds, occuring in approximately 1 in 4 Dachshunds worldwide. Dodger's List is an invaluable resource for Dachshund owners whose dogs are experiencing disc problems, from mild/moderate bulging and discomfort to total paralysis.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW IF YOUR DACHSHUND SUSTAINS A BACK INJURY

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. The difference between full recovery and no recovery in many acute back injuries is often the window of time in which the injury has been treated. If your dog has lost bladder or bowel control and/or is dragging his or her hind legs, it is crucial that your dog be seen by an orthopedic specialist as soon as possible, but the sooner the better. Within 12 hours, Deep Pain Sensation (DPS) can begin to diminish - once it is gone, it cannot be recovered.

Surgery is not the only option, although it is often the most effective way to prevent recurring problems. There is a wide array of conservative traditional and complementary holistic treatments that can assist in the healing of mild to moderate IVDD symptoms.

Dogs that are fully paralyzed can still live happy, fulfilling lives. If your dog has sustained a back injury and will not make a full recovery, euthanasia is not the only option. Most importantly, don't blame yourself! Sometimes, even with the most high-tech treatment, dogs do not recover full function of their legs, bowel or bladder. Many companies make carts to help paralyzed dogs achieve mobility, and it's not difficult to learn how to express a dog's bladder or bowels.

If you can't live with a paralyzed dog, consider turning the dog over to a rescue group before considering euthanasia. There are many families who are equipped to care for a special needs Dachshund and would be thrilled to welcome even a paralyzed dog into their homes. Dachshund Rescue of North America is just one of many Dachshund rescue groups that takes paralyzed Dachshunds.

Dodger's List has created a short and informative slideshow for the owners of dogs suffering from IVDD. Please take a moment to go through it even if you have not had any problems with your Dachshund's back - it could mean the difference between mobility and paralysis if your dog experiences an injury! Follow this link to view the slideshow (NOTE: You must click "Next" at the bottom of the screen to view the next slide in the series).

Procreation

This almost makes me want to procreate. Almost.

Wiener Dog Mary Janes

Wiener Dog Onesie

Then I remember the vomiting, and the crying, and the random snot...and I take some more birth control.