Well, it’s really hello Cayey, but what's the difference of a few miles when we're talking about Puerto Rico!
Follow me across the jump...or across the Atlantic to the Caribbean... bein’ as things are how they are...
This is for you my sweet Abagail...you'll always be in our hearts
I guess at about 2500 ft. above sea level I can’t really say I’m moving to the beach...but only a 40 minute drive and I could be rollin' in the sand under the palm trees!
Ok...so it’s not all vacation - actually it's no vacation at all - there’s work to be done...and plenty of it.
I also must say that the rest of the family back in Tennessee is taking this new adventure like the true troopers that they are...to them my eternal appreciation.
Thanks Lula
Thanks Tess
Gracias Papi
And my deepest gratitude and love to Juan, Keiko, Trish, Andy, Hillary, George, Jon and Aunt Jeanne - your selfless dedication to the welfare of these rescued lives will always be an inspiration...
So, where am I...oh yeah, Puerto Rico. Quite a difference from bein’ beat in the face with the big shiny buckle of the bible belt in Tennessee,
wouldn't ya say?
Was I fed up with the whole hillbilly redneck good ole’ boy god and republican party shoot first eat later call me Harold please sweet jesus tell me we didn't just send Bull Conner...err...Bob Corker to the senate?...well yeah - that's sorta in the no shit category. Being seen as anything other than an abomination by the fundie majority of Tennesseans anytime soon?...not likely. Feeling sorry for myself...hell NO! It’s time to keep fighting!
Besides, it’s too late for tears or doubts! As dear Brother Boy would say, "Well, I did it...I walked right down that hall without my hair on...I feel naked, but I did it..."
And now the last of my pre-ramblings...because the Woodlands Animals, featured throughout this diary, are part of a 501(c)3, as am I as the director, I must volunteer that I'm absolutely non-partisan and have no political agenda whatsoever...and just because I'd give my own left nutmeg to see our 120 lb. baby Tigger...
good puppy
with his cute little chompers locked on Georgina Lieberman's hairless sac in no way signifies anti-republican sentiment. Actually Georgina has voted consistently in support of animal welfare issues...but he's still a lying, backstabbing scumbag. I'm anti-scumbag. And that...is that - the end.
and I'm very proud to introduce you to Tigger's 105 lb. little brother, BamBam...I think he definitely has a few choice words for the Prick of Pennsylvania Avenue and his unholy cabal...again, nothing even remotely anti-republican or political - please refer to anti-scumbag comment above...
You see, Tigger and BamBam, together with their brother Jasper and sister Sara were sent to us from Meridian, MS nearly 2 years ago...only 4 of the thousands of animals, together with the unbearable number of United States citizens that remain displaced, completely betrayed by this administration after Katrina...
I'm waitin' fer ya Georgie...
a happy Miss Sara
Besides...I'm quite sure that our little 7 lb. Sweetpea is more than up to the task of dealing with the lot of cowardly turncoat fascist criminal chickenhawks currently in power...
even though I'm equally sure that just one bite would taste more like the 'other white meat' than chicken...which is just as well since all our babies seem to fancy the taste of nice, crispy Hastert...err...hog jowl anyways...
ain't he a little Sweetpea?
Will me and little Sweetpea, along with his other 39 brothers and sisters, miss the greatest activist driven course change of a nation in the history of humankind? Absolutely NOT! Because of resources like Dailykos, there is no excuse in the world for any "connected" citizen - in any part of the world - not to be informed, up-to-date and truly inspired to positive, value-creating action. Now, don't get me wrong...trying to sort through the flame wars, enough pie to last all of us a lifetime, IP diaries and the inevitable horrid torrent of sickeningly unenlightened hateful hurtful comments, Clinton Edwards Obama mania - please Gore, please - kos-worship, kos-bashing, and generally good decent outspoken people losing their frikkin' minds...well, it's certainly no bed of roses here - and sweet leapin' jeezus I'm so thankful for that! It's the diversity, the differences in opinions, the wealth of knowledge, the passion, the righteous anger - keep it comin' OPOL - that makes this community what it is...
...at the same time, we simply cannot forget to focus with everything we have on what unites us - our decency, respect, love and compassion. From the deepest part of my heart,
please let's stop attacking one another over our differences - mankind's been doin' that same shit since the beginning of time.
Where's that fuckin' harp music comin' from...
And a word of caution before I continue...if any of you decide in a fit of altruistic insanity to "retire" early and try to save every stray animal in your neighborhood, town or city and pretend that the money it took a lifetime of incredibly hard work to save will last forever...I strongly, strongly advise against rushing into such a foolish misconception, no matter how personally fulfilling - I just can't seem to barter my personal fulfillment into keeping kibble in the bowls or food on the table......
But with happy smiles like these below, I'll keep on keepin' on till my last breath...and I'll keep fighting for the welfare and rights of all animals together with so many of you to the very best of my ability.
For you Marcus
for you Pumba
Gracias Mami!
y para tí también Chupa Cabra!
Supporting Animal Welfare...definitely a netroots issue!
Perhaps many of you (those reading who are not delusional trolls) are aware of the hard fought, dramatic election victories of 2006? I thought so. Curse to trolls - may Sweetpea piss in your kool-aid.
Are you also aware that these very same elections were also an enormous victory for our animals? No? Well, please check out Humane USA - there's a wealth of information and the 2006 Congressional Scorecard (109th Congress) is now available here.
The wonderfully humiliating defeats of Pombo and Burns this past November were especially sweet! Can I get a down home Tennessee "hell yeah" from the chorus? Everyone who loves animals should have such deep appreciation to all those who fought so hard to get Jerry McNerny and John Tester elected (among so many other great candidates) - congratulations!
I don't have any ponies...but here's an Elka for ya!
Thanks Elka!
and for you kitty lovers... Thanks Kitty Baby!
I just can't seem to get any of our cats to smile...perhaps it has something to do with Miss Coco...our resident kitty chaser!
We love you Coco!
Ok, ok...so what's all this talk about hello San Juan, you ask?
You see, my family's animal rescue efforts actually started about 10 years ago right here on the island. And somewhere near'bouts between November 7 and December 13, 2000, I lost my ever-lovin' mind. What one or two kossacks may not know is that here in PR I can vote in the primaries, BUT I CANNOT VOTE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION! Can any of you (outside of D.C.) even imagine what it was like for us to sit helplessly as king sick w. fuck came to power - knowing that even as American citizens we had no vote in the matter?
In May of 2001 I left the island that I love and headed stateside...and waited in Ft. Lauderdale until all of my animals (and my brother) had arrived safely. We have 1 sister who still lives in Carthage (hometown of Gore) near where we grew up...so it was off to the beautiful green fields and rolling hills of my home away from home - Middle Tennessee. Well, at least my vote would count, right? Well...maybe making the decision to move back to the reddest of red homophobic Wingnutilandia wasn't exactly the best place to "make my vote count"...but it was a great training ground for my life and a lesson I will never forget - and besides, it's better than Alabama! I sincerely believe that unless we face a great enemy, we'll never be able to truly grow as individuals...
...
another note to wingers...my sincere thanks for making me study, learn and even deepen my conviction. I can't think of a better way to spend my mid-life crisis years! Now, if ya'll would please stop sucking the colon-aid of your fox messiahs, then I'll be the first to embrace you back into the land of the living...with protection of course - I'm afraid that even a clorox douche wouldn't wash away the remnants of your unfortunate delusional adventure into world domination and devastation...
So, for the past few years, though my life was physically in TN, my heart and soul was always still in Puerto Rico. Can't explain it...it is what it is. And after the new aviation rules following 9/11 it became impossible for me to return to PR with my animals! Dammit Kos, where's my fuckin' bridge from Miami to San Juan?
You see, the animals could no longer be transported by air on their own - each animal had to be accompanied by a passenger on the flight?!? A resounding victory over all those terrorist dogs and cats! And who says the department of homeland urology doesn't care about airline cargo...
Please meet Osito (little bear)...better known at the Pentagon as the jack of clubs...
and the queen of hearts...the deadly Carmencita!
No way to get home? We'll just have to see about that! So began another new adventure 4 weeks ago when I arrived alone, back home in Puerto Rico to make the impossible possible...
Delta, US Air, United...none would even talk to me after I let them know what I was trying to accomplish - US Air won't even allow pets to fly! However, through a wonderful friend in animal rescue here in PR I was able to connect with American Airlines Cargo...and they have agreed to transport ALL our babies to Puerto Rico! Of course, there remains a pretty hefty fee when we're talking about 40 animals with a combined weight of 2,087 pounds, individual pet carriers, health certificates...but one huge obstacle was surmounted - they all can fly and we don't have to make 40 round trips!
ChiChi, Gregorio, Lolita, Celia, Marcus...you're comin' home babies!
Felicidades ChiChi Rodriguez!
you too, sweet Gregorio!
Felicidades Lolita!
You're comin' home Celia!
Te veo pronto Marcus!
A call to action for all animal lovers everywhere!
Yes, the victorious battles of the 2006 elections were awesome, but there's still so much work to be done. Stay informed, stay on top of all the important issue, and
please support any and all progressive, compassionate candidates in ousting entrenched incumbents that care neither for our lives, nor for the lives of our animals. Today, April 10, is ASPCA day and here's a great way how we can show our immediate support...wear orange - what a perfect fit for all kossacks!
The ASPCA is the oldest humane organization in the Western Hemisphere, and we’re more dedicated than ever to our work preventing animal cruelty and finding homes for millions of animals all across the country. But we couldn’t do it without the support of compassionate citizens like you—so please join us on April 10 (our birthday!) in celebration of ASPCA Day. Show your love of animals—and your support for the mission of the ASPCA—by dressing yourself, your pet (even your community!) in orange on April 10. (ASPCA Day)
If any of you are even considering a new pet as a family member, please,
please visit your local Humane Association, a
Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), or a private sanctuary like the
Woodlands Animals in your area. In the end, it's up to each and every one of us to make a difference in the lives of so many of our society's abandoned and neglected pets.
Every day in the United States thousands upon thousands of puppies and kittens are born because of the uncontrolled breeding of pets. Add to that number the offspring of stray and abandoned companion animals, and the total becomes even more staggering. Every year, between six and eight million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters; some three to four million of these animals are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them. The Humane Society
Please continue helping us in the animal rescue community to keep smiles like these comin'...
happy baby Gracie
Thank you beba!
Gracias Maddie!
Here's to you Pablito!
And to our newest rescued seniors...may the rest of your days be filled with all the love we have in our hearts...
Welcome home MooMoo!
Welcome home Jackson!
Welcome home Miss Daisy!
Welcome home Lucky! we'll have you guys smilin' in no time!
I'm so happy to be able to share a bit of my life, and especially proud to share these few pics of my treasured friends. Most animals in shelters aren't so lucky...there simply aren't enough forever homes. That's why it's so important that we, as a caring community, continue to support in any way possible the organizations and volunteers who sacrifice so much for the sake of so many animals. Please open your hearts, your wallets, and if possible your homes to a new forever friend, because together we really can keep the dream alive...
You can virtually sponsor a rescued life
here
You can support the Humane Society
here
You can support the ASPCA
here
You can support Humane USA
here
In Loving Memory...to our precious friends who've recently crossed the rainbow bridge, you'll forever be in our hearts...
We'll miss you Old Man River...
our sweet Rosa
we love you Chang!
beautiful dreams my princess Leia...
thank you for 12 years of love my sweet Holly...
And our circle of life continues...rescued from the streets in Cayey, PR last week...
baby Yiya! I wonder what she'll think of her siblings when they finally arrive???
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my diary, and please support the rescue and adoption of these precious lives in your local areas.
and a final message from all animals everywhere...
PLEASE BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!
"Nothing is more precious than peace. Nothing brings more happiness. Peace is the most basic starting point for the advancement of humankind." The New Human Revolution