The Halston Report

This is Halston's boo boo. She was a little slow to get up and down the first day she was home. But she still smiled at us like we were the bestest people on earth and she was just happy to be with us. (And extremely happy she was not at the vet's anymore)
Then we had to keep a T-shirt on her so she wouldn't injure her stitches. That was an old shirt from the Exchange Student program I used to work for and since it was Halloween we told everyone she was an Exchange student. People who saw her had lots of fun guessing which country she was from. The most popular vote was Pluto.
Now she seems like her old self. Happy and with lots of energy.
Next Friday she goes back to the vet to have the stitches removed. She usually goes beserko when we enter the vet's office. I think I might have a real tug of war on my hands this time.
:)
Giving her lots of hugs and cuddles now.

Halston

Just called the vet. Halston is doing good and we can pick her up at 6:30
Yay! Thanks so much for your prayers and postive energy.
:)

Halston needs prayers...

This is Halston. She was born at the Seeing Eye up in Morristown, NJ. That's a place that raises guide dogs for the blind. Halston was given to our family to raise for 18 months. And we did. We took her to Guide Dog Puppy Club every month. As a group we took the dogs on trains, planes, into stores and libraries and even some school functions. It was a great time and the kids loved it.
Then one day a van from the Seeing Eye pulled up in our driveway to take Halston back. Our job was done. We had to give her back so she could be trained to lead blind people around. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. We walked Halston out and they put her in a crate in the van. As the crate door closed and she realized we weren't going with her she went crazy. Barking and clawing at the crate door as they closed her in. The kids burst into tears and ran back into the house. I tried to tell myself we were doing a good thing for the blind person who would some day have a great dog like Halston to guide them, but it was so hard.
About a week later the phone rings and my youngest daughter answers it. It's a lady from the Seeing Eye. As I take the phone both kids are bouncing up and down in front of me with hands clasped, praying to get her back.
See, if the dog fails guide dog school for any reason the puppy raisers are offered the dog back.
The lady on the phone says Halston failed, do we want her?
:)
Of course we do!
They fixed her first and then four weeks later we headed up to Morristown to pick her up. We were guided into a room and told to wait. Then the door opened and there was our Halston. Thinner but definitely the same happy dog we gave up. She ran into my arms and sent me sprawling backward as she attacked with wet licky kisses. It was wonderful and Halston has been lighting up our lives ever since. 13 YEARS!
Last week I found a lump on her chest. Wednesday they aspirated the site and it came back as mast cell cancer. Sunday (yes, my wonderful vet is open on Sundays) we did xrays and blood work. Both came back clear. A good thing! Now she is scheduled for surgery on Friday to remove the lump.
Please pray that everything goes good and she comes out of this happy and healthy. Halston needs some prayers.

Confrontations are a bitch...

What's for dinner deer?

Dear little Blog...

I'm sorry I've been neglecting you. Work gets busy and by the time I get home my eyes are bleary from staring at the computer for so long. I work in the election biz so we're gearing up to make sure November 3rd is all by the book. There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes when you walk into the polling place. The election officials have been working for months to make sure everything will run smooth and by the time you place your vote their brains are fried. And it ain't over when the returns come in. There is still more to do. Clean up work. Then it starts all over. There are lots of little elections going on around the country in little towns that you may never hear of. Special school elections, fire elections, municipal elections...
So, if I haven't been here a lot it's because my brain cells are fried. My writing is taking a back seat and I feel like it's eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep, work...
Hopefully, I'll be back before November...but it not...happy writing!

Judge not lest I can judge you too!

Let's talk about critique groups. I've been to the bad and I've been to the good. The worst was the one where the two most vocal guys in the group would harp on one or two words in the chapter. Especially words of the four letter kind. Like real life people never uttered such a word. ~~~Okay, avoid that kind of group. Sadly, one or two wackos can truly ruin a group.
A good group gives you positive feedback even while they tell you where your problems are. They watch for punctuation, story flow, head hopping and grammar. And they deliver the critique in a positive and encouraging manner. These groups are out there but usually it takes some time and patience to find.
The important thing is you don't stop looking. If one critique group doesn't fit, keep looking. Or even develop one on your own.
Critique groups are like shoes. Try them on, walk around a bit and if they pinch a nerve put them back on the shelf. Sooner or later you'll find the support and insight you seek.
But if you don't keep looking, you'll never know what's out there just waiting to ignite your passions.