...... something! - 12/14/2001

I tried to think of a title, honestly I did, but I just can't come up with anything intelligent.... *sobbing laughter*

Oh indeed, we have weed for the first time in a few weeks and oooohhn (n?) boy is it hitting us.

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Nick! Is still with us *smiles* Thought we found an owner but the guy ended up being an idiot and wanted to give him back. Took him home (with this pretty little female Arctic wolf) and the first night left him unsupervised. Okay, what moron leaves an animal alone it's first night anywhere? (this moron) Much less in your house with breaky chewy personal object things? So Nick got a little chew happy and was brought back the next day. Idiot. So we've had him back since. Almost found another home for him with a place I used to work next door to (when I was a Vet Tech) it trains animals for movies and they've wanted a wolf...... but I was a little leery at the offchange he'd spend the night at the ranch instead of at home with a trainer and didn't want him out in a cold cage, even for a night.

Ended up a good thing, though, as C got one of her old jobs back, which puts her as graveyard supervisor at a hospital so nights will be a little lonely, but it's a job and, well *laughs* most of her family works at that hospital...... BUT..... it's in a town 2 hours from here, which sucks as a daily drive..... so it's logical to move closer, right? Moving to the town where it just so happens we can keep a large canid animal, that's right in the middle of C's work town, and where we are now, so we'd both have this fairly easy drive to work......

So, if all goes right, we'll be moving to a nice mountain town with a big yard for cheap rent. We will have this wonderful "shepard/malamute cross" companion. Hey, that's what my vet says he is and who am I to argue a learned physician?

Plus I may have a part time job opportunity at the training center because of the work I've done at the zoo.

And he's doing well, too. Now up to 70 pounds, picking up how to ask how to go outside, plays with the other dogs..... has even learned a few tricks like sit and kisses. He's strong enough to walk up and down the stairs by himself..... goes for a walk out in the hills everyday. He's a happy boy.

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Things have smoothed out with mom. Leaving on the good terms where we'll still get to come back for dinner every now and again instead of all out Armageddon. That talk did us good.

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Just got back from spending several days up at C's parent's place, decorating the tree for Christmas with close family and friends. Got my 14 year old niece drunk -

before you yell, there was a method to this madness. This is my friend J's (from like diary begining and saint patty's day quarters night J) kid, but a niece by love, and she and her sister came up with me and C while J was working and spent the night. Anyway, the brunette (another C, I won't confuse you) has started going to parties and hanging out with friends and smokin' pot and everything a freshman in high school naturally does; ditching classes and all. Luckily, she has enough brains to keep her grades up during this. I know she's a little young, but I'd rather have her telling us she's doing it, than us forbid it and her do it behind our backs, get in trouble, and we won't know. Yknow? Anyway, at these parties, people drink. I know they do, she knows they do, hell, even you know they do

dude, you're talking to the computer....

I know, I'm high, shut up. Anyway, she brags about how she can hold her liquor and how she drank this ludicrous amount and didn't get sick. This, of course, an amount I know would get -me- feeling a little shitty, and I can physically tolerate a lot more alcohol than a 14 year old half my weight. So I tell her to put her money where her mouth is, and we break out the Jim Beam. Family's decorating the tree, C's mom is failing the drunk tests left and right, dad's video taping it, everyone's having a good time, so the eggnog and brandy are freeflowing (except to lactose intolerant boy, here). Brunette's doing good until she starts saying "I'm just fine..... I feel great, I want another. This isn't vodka..... this is water!"

*smirk*

30 minutes later her mom (who like got there 5 whole minutes earlier) and I are cleaning her up out of her own puke and tossing her in the cold shower clothes and all.

This is when Mother-Weilding-Showerhead and Uncle-Turns-On-Cold-Water say:

"Hey, aren't you glad this happened around family and friends where you'd just be tossed into the shower and everybody laughs it off..... instead of at some party with little 14 year old boys that you've already told us you know what they're after?"

Seemed quite effective. Terrified the younger one of underaged drinking, too. Embarrassment was chosen a much better fate than thinking she was hot shit and getting hurt. The brunette sat down for a talk, understanding that we let her drink like a responsible adult like she would be let at a party with her friends. And she misjudged thinking it was safe and we'd stop her. Just like what could, on a random note, happen at a party if she was in the wrong conversation when the booze hit critical surrounded by just the wrong person. Not everyone at a party is going to walk your drunk ass out onto the deck in two inches of snow just so you can get some fresh air. Not to mention I was freezing my ass off.....

But treated her like an adult, and she learned it like an adult. She respected us a bit more for it, understanding that we were, in fact, treating her as an equal instead of patronizing her with a lecture she'll brush off.

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To be continued, it seems.....