tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post8889754146037717543..comments2024-03-27T12:58:00.592-07:00Comments on Snowbrush: News and views, as it wereSnowbrushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-25540219190842949432011-12-04T11:03:00.118-08:002011-12-04T11:03:00.118-08:00Natalie, I just went to visit your blog, but you d...Natalie, I just went to visit your blog, but you don't have one. How sad.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-44167107085493102262011-12-04T11:01:10.936-08:002011-12-04T11:01:10.936-08:00"I hope you'd find another Baxter in your..."I hope you'd find another Baxter in your life."<br /><br />Thank you, Natalie. We still have our blind blue heeler who is now 14 and going deaf, and we got a cat after Baxter died. We named him Brewsky, and he gives us a great deal of pleasure, but he's not substitute for a schnauzer. Baxter will have been dead one year on December 10.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-4429861651612543492011-12-04T09:40:20.364-08:002011-12-04T09:40:20.364-08:00My Giant Schnauzer's name is Baxter too! I fe...My <a href="http://www.trainpetdog.com/Giant-Schnauzer/about-giant-schnauzer.html" rel="nofollow">Giant Schnauzer</a>'s name is Baxter too! I felt sad while reading your post. I hope you'd find another Baxter in your life.natalieanddogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17323830424652820730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-54325112232585582532010-11-10T18:51:14.336-08:002010-11-10T18:51:14.336-08:00Snow, your comments on Baxter make me sad. I alway...Snow, your comments on Baxter make me sad. I always have lofty ideas for what I will do with myself when I find myself without a pup. It's always "several years."<br /><br />I typically make it six weeks!CreekHiker / HollysFollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14987597104795294851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-17587196626286658912010-11-10T02:46:56.489-08:002010-11-10T02:46:56.489-08:00Popping in to say hi to you. Sorry to hear about p...Popping in to say hi to you. Sorry to hear about poor Baxter.<br />On looking about me, the world hasn't changed much down here, nor has it changed too much up there. Sending healing to Doggies and shoulders.♥♥Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12919764140075852854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-25166057558500247652010-11-08T19:30:40.305-08:002010-11-08T19:30:40.305-08:00Dana, I went ahead and posted it since you didn...Dana, I went ahead and posted it since you didn't tell me not to, and since it didn't contain anything of a personal nature. Actually, someone else sent me this link--Rhymes, maybe--but i never got around to looking at it. Thanks much. I really enjoy Steve Martin.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-61893843636264373752010-11-08T14:42:14.136-08:002010-11-08T14:42:14.136-08:00Honey, you don't have to put this in your comm...Honey, you don't have to put this in your comment section, but I was sent the following url concerning the fact that Athiests have no hymnal with Steve Martin.<br /><br />It's good singing anyway you look at it.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFWA1A9XFi8&feature=player_embeddedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-91780428847283578502010-11-07T18:14:12.313-08:002010-11-07T18:14:12.313-08:00I didn't know I was so far behind. I've be...I didn't know I was so far behind. I've been busy with the CFI stuff (last night's meeting was a success) that I wrote about, and my blog--and everyone else's blog--has taken a back seat for now. <br /><br />Dana, why not Google service dog requirements or ask your doctor if he or she knows anything? I know that some people just buy a vest and take their dog into stores and so forth, but you couldn't get on an airplane that way. No, Baxter isn't ready for death. We started him on steroids last week, and the change was incredible for about three days, and then his cough came back. He can still enjoy much in life though--including playing with his toys and taking long walks--so it would be a disservice to him to think about having him put to sleep. Whether that time will come next week or next year, I have no idea. Maybe he will even die in his sleep. Yes, it is the "worst thing" having to choose for them when they will die, and I let my last dog live far too long, so I'm resolved to avoid that with Baxter. I'm just really having a hard time right now.<br /><br />Vagabonde said: " I read an article saying that many preachers don’t believe what they preach but they do it anyway because it’s the only thing they learned and they need a paycheck."<br /><br />I too have read this. Seminary robs some of them of their faith, and I suppose being witness to so much undeserved heartache in their ministries also takes a toll. I would have thought that liberals were the ones most likely to fall away, but that's not necessarily true because they are also, oftentimes, the ones who expect the least to begin with.<br /><br />Lydia said: "We were thinking "male" because Woofles was male..."<br /><br />I read on the schnauzer site that it's males that are the hardest to place. I know that Peggy never wanted a male dog until I talked her into Baxter, and now that he's more bonded to her than to me, she has changed her mind. As for myself, I don't care about gender. Although I suspect it's often true that dogs bond the stronger with the opposite gender human, it's really okay with me to have a dog that is more attached to Peggy just so long as he doesn't ignore me altogether--that would be hard.<br /><br />Julie said: "you would be a fascinating person to sit down and share a beverage with."<br /><br />Julie, thank you so very much for saying that.<br /><br />Marion, thank you for the cyberhug. As for getting a dog too soon, someone else said the same thing. I haven't had the opportunity to get a new dog right away--as an adult anyway--so I wouldn't know how it would work for me, although it makes sense that it might be a mistake.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-88538138488261895592010-11-07T17:00:35.791-08:002010-11-07T17:00:35.791-08:00After our 17 year old Bichon died, Joe and I retur...After our 17 year old Bichon died, Joe and I returned home...to an abysmal existence. Just gathering the toys, and occasionally finding a piece of a treat under the sofa was enough to keep me depressed and push me farther down. <br /><br />Joe wanted to use the "freedom" to travel. We went one place,spent the night, and returned home. Wheeeee. Still depressed.<br /><br />I accidentally found my dog/child when a puppy mill got shut down. I was Beau's last chance and we both knew it. <br /><br />Although I thought I'd want a schnauzer (I had them in my youth) I got the one that NEEDED me the most.<br /><br />He's a 4 year old pup. The vet says that going for 3 years without ANY playful stimulation on affection, he's just as much a PUP as a 4 month old, eating up all the love and asking for more. Watching us as we move through the house with him at our heels.<br /><br />AND, when my blood sugar dips too low, too fast, he has a tendency to start chewing on my arms as if he's picking fleas! A dead giveaway that I'm getting ready to start shaking and my heart going out of wack.<br /><br />He could be a service dog, but I don't know how to get him "legalized". But just today he brought me out of a six hour "nap" that I had fallen deeply into because of falling blood sugar.<br /><br />Don't hobble yourself by breed: TAKE THE ONE THAT NEEDS YOU THE MOST.<br /><br />p.s. Is it "time" for Baxter? It's THE worst thing on earth...choosing for them...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-75574292203808379662010-11-06T20:49:41.408-07:002010-11-06T20:49:41.408-07:00You know what – you are a sincere fellow. I read ...You know what – you are a sincere fellow. I read an article saying that many preachers don’t believe what they preach but they do it anyway because it’s the only thing they learned and they need a paycheck, so they pretend. I guess they learned a lot about religion since it is their business and the more they learned the more they started to not believe in what they were preaching. It makes sense.Vagabondehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10774109692564954568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-64610790032692621512010-11-06T01:04:56.365-07:002010-11-06T01:04:56.365-07:00Hi Snowbrush,
So many thoughts after reading your ...Hi Snowbrush,<br />So many thoughts after reading your post...<br />I absolutely know what you are going through when you say you don't want to be without another Schnauzer. When we lost our Old English Sheepdog, Woofles, four years ago we felt like we couldn't live without another OES in the house. And we did what you are doing now...checked OES Rescue sites and were in contact with several representatives by email and phone until a man at Texas OES Rescue presented us with the idea of adopting Abby. We were thinking "male" because Woofles was male so the idea seemed foreign but as he began telling us more and more about Abby and sending us photos and lobbying on her behalf...well three years ago magic happened when she arrived by van here in Silverton. She and I are so close. She is now ten and becoming quite arthritic, and we will do just about anything to ensure she has more good years with us. I can't imagine never having lived with Abby.<br />I think you should try to bring your wife over to your side. She is probably expressing her own mourning in a different way than you. Sometimes the thought of more hurt down the line is something you want to protect against. But if you and she would have one-half the luck and grace in finding a needy Schnauzer to rescue as we have with Abby, well life is too short (and in your case, too painful) to not have the love and healing of the right animal around.<br /><br />Interesting about the Center for Inquiry. Good for you for working to promote the group. I hope it flourishes in baby steps even. I think you would be interested in getting to know one of my closest blogging friends, Deena Stryker. Her blog is <a href="http://otherjones.com/" rel="nofollow">OtherJones</a> and there you should check out her bio and her book. I am reading her book now; it is deep. She is an atheist with a brain and heart unlike any person I've known. She is highly political but not in a sense that I think would turn you off. See what you think....<br /><br />Don't feel pressured ever to visit my blog. Take care of yourself and other blogging friends. :)Lydiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11135393270656573516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-91457451908255803142010-11-04T15:55:06.239-07:002010-11-04T15:55:06.239-07:00Hi Snowbrush, First let me say thanks for visiting...Hi Snowbrush, First let me say thanks for visiting me and sorry it has taken me so long to return the favor. Second, I am so sorry you are struggling with losing your dog to cancer. I have lost two to cancer in the past and know how heart wrenching it is. Third, I can honestly say you would be a fascinating person to sit down and share a beverage with. Thanks for sharing your life with us.<br /><br />Kind Regards,<br />Julie<br /><a href="http://juliemagerssoulen.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Julie Magers Soulen Photography</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11773042400899326514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-68406477203602278922010-11-04T14:55:12.635-07:002010-11-04T14:55:12.635-07:00Ah,Snow, I'm so sorry about Baxter. When pets ...Ah,Snow, I'm so sorry about Baxter. When pets die, it can take awhile to love another dog for himself, rather than the comparisons which would undoubtedly arise with a quick replacement. I once had to recognize what I was doing to a new puppy who came quickly on the heels of my old dog's death. Even when he was the same breed, he was far different from my dog who had died. He deserved to be loved for himself...and I found it difficult to do so, so soon after my other dog's death. I learned not to try and replace until I had mourned properly.<br /><br />Whatever you decide, here's a soft cyberhug or two sent your way...xoxoMarionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00607220451457829777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-85723159617274948862010-11-03T13:48:58.645-07:002010-11-03T13:48:58.645-07:00Skepticat, whether one identifies god as synonymou...Skepticat, whether one identifies god as synonymous with nature depends, of course, upon how god is defined. Since nature is amoral and non-sentient, it's a stretch for me. I will often be in the woods marveling at the beauty around me, and find it tempting to think that that beauty loves me. Yet, I know that this impression is only possible because I have a full stomach and a warm bed--things that were wrested from nature rather than lovingly given by nature. A woman died of exposure in one of my favorite parts of the woods last week when she got lost picking mushrooms. As I see it, there is nothing out there that cares the least about us or even knows that we exist. Those who worship nature worship it for their love of it rather than its love of them, and I suppose this is a higher form of worship than what most religions offer because their gods are invariably a mixture of threats and promises.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-28805590026010906022010-11-03T12:56:01.220-07:002010-11-03T12:56:01.220-07:00I'm so sorry for what you're experiencing....I'm so sorry for what you're experiencing. Nothing is more frustrating than wanting to make something better when you can't. Do you accept comfort in the form of cyberhugs?<br /><br />I'm equally disgusted with politics but I could not bring myself to vote. I'll probably blog on that today or tomorrow.<br /><br />Likewise, I share your frustration about atheism. Sometimes I wonder if pantheism is a better term for me too because, when I look at nature, I get those same euphoric feelings and that sense of connectedness that others claim to get from theism. I tend to use the term "atheist" to describe myself but I don't know that the label is entirely accurate.Skepticathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15052063346449616220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-17086929782804414122010-11-03T10:38:38.657-07:002010-11-03T10:38:38.657-07:00Christy said: ""I refuse to discuss reli...Christy said: ""I refuse to discuss religion with anyone anymore..."<br /><br />I just realized that my response to this sentence was based upon me misreading it. I thought you said "you" rather than "anyone." It was a case of seeing what I expected to see simply because others have either said as much or have withdrawn.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-1641174944371475842010-11-03T10:05:40.733-07:002010-11-03T10:05:40.733-07:00Rhymes said: "don't you think applying th...Rhymes said: "don't you think applying the term god-fearing to atheists is the teensiest bit contradictory?"<br /><br />My humor didn't work, eh? For my entire life, I have heard atheists referred to as "godless atheists," (as if to distinguish them from the godly variety), so my intention was to make fun of the term. I also meant "Republican atheist" to be humorous since I've never known an atheist who wanted anything to have anything to do with the religion promoting Republican Party. Of course, the fact that atheists kick dogs and beat their spouses is too well known to be worthy of mention. I've also known some few who kicked cats, but cats are unforgiving beasts, which makes it hard to kick the same cat twice. It is for this reason that atheists are invariably dog people. <br /><br />Ah, Rhymes, my friend, my life is certainly richer for having you in it even if I make you pull your hair out with my silliness. It's a hard thing to say that I love someone whom I've never met in person, but if anyone falls under that category, it's you.<br /><br />I had to look up havanese since I didn't even know if the critter was a dog or a cat. Your last pet's death was nightmarish. I've heard that rabbits scream like that, although I've never had the bad fortune to hear one do so.<br /><br />Rhymes said: "You have to do what you and Peggy together think best, but don't push her to compromise too soon."<br /><br />I probably would push her harder than I did last time when we went from '93 to '97 without a dog. I can see going without for one year, but three years is a bit much. However, Peggy has one strong objection on her side that I too feel, and it is that a dog ties you down if you have no one who would welcome keeping it during your absence, and you are unwilling to put it in a kennel--and I can't imagine putting my dog in a kennel. She and I also agree that we will never again have two dogs.<br /><br />Well, I'm only up because of the damn pain, and the Percocet is making me loopy, so I hope I've made sense as opposed to confusing you even more.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-227156073188476142010-11-03T06:07:38.922-07:002010-11-03T06:07:38.922-07:00I just hate it about Buster's illness. After ...I just hate it about Buster's illness. After our 12-year-old male poodle P.J. had a stroke before our eyes, let out a blood-curdling scream that sounded like a child (it was the last sound he ever made), and died within an hour, Ellie and I were so traumatized we couldn't even think about getting another pet for four years, even though the house seemed abysmally empty. Finally, we got a white Havanese named Jethro who has become the love of our lives. But getting him sooner would have seemed like a betrayal of P.J. somehow.<br /><br />You have to do what you and Peggy together think best, but don't push her to compromise too soon.rhymeswithplaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10870439618129001633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-27668680106507003552010-11-03T06:02:37.284-07:002010-11-03T06:02:37.284-07:00For the record, I'm not planning to kill anybo...For the record, I'm not planning to kill anybody.rhymeswithplaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10870439618129001633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-45342672661357574682010-11-03T06:02:00.372-07:002010-11-03T06:02:00.372-07:00Snow, in your reply to Nitwit, don't you think...Snow, in your reply to Nitwit, don't you think applying the term god-fearing to atheists is the teensiest bit contradictory? Please define what you mean by god-fearing in this context (and not just a cop-out that you fear the people who believe in God)! If you mean that you fear that God exists, wouldn't that make you more of an agnostic? (Not that I think you mean that). Maybe you'll restate your "when in Rome" argument again, saying that you're just using the term so that other people will gather what you mean even though you don't believe the concept yourself. Isn't that somewhat duplicitous? To put it mildly, I'm now thoroughly confused.<br /><br />Or perhaps you're not the atheist you claim to be.rhymeswithplaguehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10870439618129001633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-63015517261401954652010-11-03T01:52:25.326-07:002010-11-03T01:52:25.326-07:00so sorry about baxter, snowso sorry about baxter, snowkyliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08964475783207438103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-74292509469582452562010-11-03T00:38:54.097-07:002010-11-03T00:38:54.097-07:00Nitwit said: "Love ya dude. Even if you are a...Nitwit said: "Love ya dude. Even if you are a Godless atheist...."<br /><br />Why ARE people always putting us atheists down by calling us ungodly?! I personally know a LOT of American atheists, at least, and most of them are decent, hardworking, god-fearing, patriotic, Republicans who seldom beat their wives, rarely kick their dogs, and are typically carried into one church or another within no more than a few days of the time that somebody gets fed up enough with their smart-mouth comments to finally kill them.<br /><br />Robert said: "Both are beholding to Big Business..."<br /><br />After the recent Supreme Court decision about lifting the limit on corporate political donations, only those who have sold out are likely to have any hope of winning. The local Congressional race here in Oregon was between a long-term Democrat incumbent and an unknown Republican. The latter must have surely outspent the former ten to one. In fact, he spent so much that that alone made me suspicious. Of course, I would have voted for the Democrat anyway, but the thought crossed my mind more than once that the Republican simply had to have some serious big money behind him.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-4483012547405129422010-11-02T20:06:40.123-07:002010-11-02T20:06:40.123-07:00Sorry to hear the sad news about your dog and you....Sorry to hear the sad news about your dog and you. Gentle hugs.<br /><br />Thanks for voting Democrat. I'm not too fond of any of 'em but the thought of the tea party in power makes me want to hurl.<br /><br />Love ya dude. Even if you are a Godless atheist......snerk.Crazed Nitwithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09433413927453925851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-630572051099080762010-11-02T20:05:03.022-07:002010-11-02T20:05:03.022-07:00I concur with your disgust in the political system...I concur with your disgust in the political system, but I did as you, voted Democratic down the line as more of a "lesser of the the two evils" response.<br /><br />Both are beholding to Big Business so really I think Ralph Nader was correct, even though there was no way for him to get elected.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23830899.post-79150171496144701202010-11-02T17:38:21.347-07:002010-11-02T17:38:21.347-07:00Christy said: "I refuse to discuss religion w...Christy said: "I refuse to discuss religion with anyone anymore. That has to do with family issues in that department."<br /><br />Christy, I should have addressed this in my last reply, but I didn't know how, so I let it pass. First, I want to thank you for letting me know. Second, I want to say that I hope I haven't offended you. I often challenge people who respond to my posts, and although I try to do so respectfully, some people no doubt think I'm simply being difficult. From my point of view, my challenges are somewhat due to my enjoyment of debate, but more importantly, they are based upon my belief that my thoughts and values are important enough to deserve a fair hearing, and in all honesty, people's responses often indicate that they didn't understand what it was that I was trying to communicate.Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.com