Though the current project started as a series of posts charting my grief journey after the death of my mother, I am no longer actively grieving. Now, the blog charts a conversation in living, mainly whatever I want it to be. This is an activity that goes well with the theme of this blog (updated 2018). The Sense of Doubt blog is dedicated to my motto: EMBRACE UNCERTAINTY. I promote questioning everything because just when I think I know something is concrete, I find out that it’s not.
Hey, Mom! The Explanation.
Here's the permanent dedicated link to my first Hey, Mom! post and the explanation of the feature it contains.
- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1912.25 - 10:10
- Days ago = 1634 days ago
- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
A Sense of Doubt blog post #1339 - Ellory Queen turns TWO and is kicked out of Paradise
Funny: I had a typo when I first wrote the title and it read "licked out of Paradise," which is also accurate.
My sweet baby puppy, who will always be my baby puppy, turns two years old today on the birthday we picked for her because she was a rescue, and we guessed.
She had a pork skin stick and some new toys for gifts. I owe Satchel because I didn't make this much fuss when Satchel turned six (though I did when she turned five).
Though I posted this next bit a day later, here's what Ellory has to say about her special day.
ELLORY IS KICKED OUT OF PARADISE
Paradise is in the name of the daycare. It's an awesome place. I do not mean to be too disparaging, so I am not naming the actual name or linking or anything.
So last week Wednesday, I received this text from the owner and head dog wrangler:
Hi. So I don't think Ellery can come back to the ranch anymore. Today he grabbed a puggle by the neck/back and was ragdolling her. By the time I got to them and he let go she had a puncture on her back the size of a dime. Im going to the woodland vet in a bit to get it fixed up. I do ask that you cover the vet costs via our contract. I will pay for it and send you a invoice and you can pay me. Im sorry about this but he's just a bit to unpredictable for the ranch.
I was rather shocked. Ellory is VERY sweet and gentle. In playing here at home with Noodle, she is patient, kind, and loving, though occasionally she sets boundaries with growling.
Now, granted, there are times when on walks that Ellory has growled emphatically at other dogs. There was a scuffle in which she, supposedly, bit another dog in the face (I was later told), but I attribute the former to some leash aggression, as Ellory wants to meet the other dog and play, dogs who do not seem "right" and so Ellory is being territorial, and with the "bite" that dog was mean.
We did see Ellory really be territorial last year when Rocko lived with us for a short time, and we just let him in the house without taking time to properly introduce him and Ellory. To mark her territory and protect her pack, Ellory was ready to fight this intruder dog. But once we ushered them both outside and had them meet on a walk and sniff each other, then Ellory was fine. She and Rocko were best friends and played all the time until he, Rocko, moved out.
Ellory will be aggressive to protect others, protect her home and family, and protect herself, but she rarely initiates the aggression, and often, ultimately, will be submissive to other dogs and show them her belly.
She has socialized with other dogs since she was little at both day care and the dog park. There have never been any incidents other than just a little rough play, which is normal, especially for lab mixes.
So, I asked the owner if Ellory had to be "kicked out"? Was this a pattern of behavior? Have ther been other incidents? Or is this an isolated case?
And this was the reply:
Yeah she's had little aggressive tendencies here and there, usually when she's hyped up playing or chasing the ball. Unfortunately this time she had grabbed Libby by her back and wouldn't let go, there's about a dime size puncture and Courtney will be taking to vet. Ill let you know the outcome later today. I know she loves to come but I just can't risk dogs getting injured, I'm sorry.
Of course, I am going to side with my dog and defend her with my life.
I just wish she could explain with words.
I am certain that the other dog, a PUGGLE, was mean, smelled wrong, or Ellory was defending herself or another dog.
Luckily, we did not owe for a vet bill. Here's the wound with four staples.
So, no more day care for Ellory there, which is a shame as she loved it, came home exhausted, and every Wednesday they picked her up and brought her home. Ellory would go bonkers, making it difficult for me to open the door, and she was so excited to go that she would run into the shuttle bus without any help and jump in the driver's seat!
We're all sad about this, the owners of the day care, too, as you can read in the texts.
Just one note about Ellory. I think she's a true Empath. She seems to sense emotions and internalizes them. Of course, she prefers happy emotions. Since we moved, I cannot even swear under my breath if Ellory is within earshot as she will go upstairs and hide. Sometimes, she hides sensing my mood without me vocalizing anything. Yesterday, I spilled Ellory's dog food all over the kitchen floor. If I wasn't taking CBD, this might cause me to swear angrily. But I didn't make a sound. Ellory still left the room, worried that I might get angry. I didn't even feel angry.
Ellory may hide when I tell the other dogs "no."
Ellory is happiest playing, on a walk, or snuggling with her pack in bed all night and in the morning. She goes right back to bed after breakfast for more snuggle time.
She's a lover and a sweetheart.
I adore her, and so does everyone in her family and everyone who meets her.
Happy Birthday Ellory. We all love you.
Here's how wonderful Ellory is in pictures.
Ellory Queen - adopted December 23, 2016 at nine weeks of age
ELLORY has been called a "Daddy's Girl" on more than one occasion.
I wouldn't trade her for anything.
Here's what she looks like (photo directly below) after being chastised for being naughty (escaping under the fence in the back yard).
Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #537 - New family member: Ellory Queen Tower
Hi Mom, So this happened.
Liesel got a puppy for Christmas.
I wish you here to meet and cuddle with the puppy, Mom. Though you were a cat person most of your life, you appreciated cute. And Ellory is totally cute!
And assorted other posts.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Here's some of the other names we considered for Ellory:
Pahoehoe (name of a type of lava in Hawaii)
Inky
Eclipse (Clipsey)
Poe
Ayla Ranzz
Black Phyllis
Astrid
Waffle
Zevon
Mushaboom
Xanadu
- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1810.21 - 10:10
- Days ago = 1205 days ago
- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #1114 - Throwback Thursday 1809.13 - Me and the Earth 1968
Hi Mom,
I have relaxed my rules and given myself permission to post HEY MOM posts on days other than Thursday and Sunday. In fact, I am allowing myself to do whatever I need to do to make all of this work best.
Isn't that a great picture up top?
I think I still have the globe.
Bad news, I have some kind of bug, maybe a cold, maybe a touch of the flu. All I know is that I am exhausted, achy, snuffly, and have a drippy nose.
I am not finishing this one today (Friday), but I am going to endeavor to finish it tomorrow morning.
The Cubs game is on right now. I watched the Tigers beat the Indians early, and now the Cubs are very close to beating the Reds. This is a drubbing of Ohio teams, which I like.
I really should be in bed because I feel crappy. But it's the top of the ninth and two outs, but now two men on and the Cubs clinging to a 3-2 lead at home, so the Reds are down to their last out.
Sigh. If the Cubs can't close this game out in this at bat, I am going to bed.
1-1 on the batter.
2-2. Piper just sent me this picture:
I am thirsty.
Flyout. Cubs win!! Going to bed.
Okay, next day.
I am not sure I ever shared the following. Me as Funko Pop.
It's been quite a week. This was my first week of teaching at Concordia MWF and Thursday was my last day to be home without having to leave to teach a class. I know, I know, lots of you leave the house to work every day or four days a week, but that's your work. I have to go teach these classes and get other work done, too, for online classes. It's difficult to transition from work to leaving the teaching out of the house and back home to work more. I need at least one day a week that is completely free and clear, which means classes may get cancelled once in a while to give me a free day.
Also, I was behind on grading because of comic con. Yes, I worked at comic con, but was I was productive as I would have been had I not been at comic con? Of course not.
Car repair. Bike repair. Those things are happening.
Lions on Monday Night Football get thumped.
Cubs are clinging to a slim lead in the NL Central.
Not enough time for things, like programming or even writing fiction, which has been burbling in my imagination since I was inspired by Comic Con and by reading Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects.
I am still struggling through Harkaway's Gnomon, which good, very good even, but long and slow. Started The Girl in the Spider's Web, which is a continuation of the Lisbeth Salander series started by Stieg Larssen, and it's pretty good. Same narrator as the recent Anne Rice novels, which reminds me that her next -- Blood Communion -- is out next month, so I pre-ordered. I will have to review the last two to prep. Scalzi's next volume, Consuming Fire, is out next month, too, so I will have to re-read the first volume to prep.
I wish I had more original content in words, Mom. But I have caught cold or flu bug, and my energy is low. But as has been my wont lately, here's some social media stuff -- partly that thing that has been elected President's most recent horrid behavior -- and photos, many from last weekend's comic con.
Now trump is claiming the death toll in Puerto Rico is fake news. That deaths are not real. Republicans-stay under your rocks and watch your party be dismantled because of your silence. Cages for babies, and deaths for people of color. This is your president. What a horrible man.
By dismissing the conclusions of well-conducted research on the death toll in Puerto Rico, the president isn't only insulting the memories of the dead—he's putting politics over people's lives https://t.co/CCa3p75Vu1
"How can this be coming from the President of the United States?" CNN political commentator Ana Navarro reacts to President Trump's tweet that falsely claimed that 3,000 Americans did not die in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico https://t.co/I61b3cU2R3pic.twitter.com/nQyNSYIuDG
I may buy the book above, and also, I was impressed with this author.
Sang Kromah
Sang Kromah's young adult novel, Djinn, is available now!
...for Sang, fulfillment is achieved when the playing field is leveled by providing opportunities for growth for the underdogs or those who are, often times, forgotten. She works as a communications specialist and Executive Director of Resources and Outreach of Liberia (ROL), a registered US-based nonprofit organization that bridges the gap between Liberia's under-resourced education and health sectors by creating sustainable opportunities. For the last four years, she’s divided her time between New York, Baltimore, and Monrovia, Liberia, spearheading projects like Project READ (Restoration Education And Development), an initiative with a goal of creating safe places in Liberia for girls. These will be places that employ girls with growth and leadership opportunities. Project READ’s first project is to open a girls' drop-in center and a public library.
Project READ has acquired well over 40,000 books for their library so far, was featured inThe Huffington Post, their progress was featured on Baltimore's ABC2 News in December 2015, is a recent grantee of a seed grant from The Pollination Project, and a recent grantee of 4imprint’s Onebyone Products Grant. Project READ is fighting to end the epidemic of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against girls in Liberia by turning victims into survivors and implementing programs that will help prevent the victimization of at-risk girls. Through a full library of books, one on one counseling, arts programs, weekly group discussions and activities, daily tutoring, career training, community outreach projects, and a place to stay during times of emergencies, Project READ will give girls wings to soar. Last year, Kromah also launched a global social change initiative, Project GirlSpire, with a mission of passing on empowerment from girl to girl, nation to nation. Project GirlSpire is putting together an anthology of short stories written by women and girls to inspire girls globally.
This photo does not do all the lights of this guy's cart justice!
I met writer Jeff Parker. We had a great chat! Love the Hanna Barbera stuff. We bonded over Jonny Quest love.
- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1809.14 - 10:10
NEW (written 1708.27) NOTE on time: I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of your death, Mom, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of your death, Mom. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom.
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