Marrieds choosing not to have kids

[Liisa]

Madd, I feel for you about the property taxes. Mine are outrageous (Connecticut is expensive!)

I just wanted to jump in and announce our (soon-to-be) new arrival. We agreed this weekend to adopt a 6 year old rescue Tibetan Mastiff. That will make our third (and final) Tibetan and our second rescue. We are excited. She's gorgeous. If you want to see her, she is posted on the rescue website... go to tibetanmastiff.org, follow through to rescues and she is "Kayla". We do have a big house (just over 3,000 sq ft on 5 acres)... but we need it with these dogs!!!! I can't wait until she comes home!

We also happen to drive a big SUV... for the dogs. We laugh at ourselves when we go SUV shopping, we always climb in the back to see if the dogs will have enough room. My parents think we are crazy, but we just love them!

Liisa

 

[aclov]

Madd, I feel for you about the property taxes. Mine are outrageous (Connecticut is expensive!)

I just wanted to jump in and announce our (soon-to-be) new arrival. We agreed this weekend to adopt a 6 year old rescue Tibetan Mastiff. That will make our third (and final) Tibetan and our second rescue. We are excited. She's gorgeous. If you want to see her, she is posted on the rescue website... go to tibetanmastiff.org, follow through to rescues and she is "Kayla". We do have a big house (just over 3,000 sq ft on 5 acres)... but we need it with these dogs!!!! I can't wait until she comes home!

We also happen to drive a big SUV... for the dogs. We laugh at ourselves when we go SUV shopping, we always climb in the back to see if the dogs will have enough room. My parents think we are crazy, but we just love them!

Liisa

What a beautiful dog! Good for you for rescuing and congrats! It sounds like she ended up at the right place with lots of love.

 

[Liisa]

Thank you! I feel like such a proud "mom". I figure it is only a matter of time before I get really crazy and start carrying around pictures of the three of them (heck, I'd even include pictures of my Yeti who passed on). Can you see it... Hi, I'm Liisa, want to see my dogs?!!

 

[aclov]

Thank you! I feel like such a proud "mom". I figure it is only a matter of time before I get really crazy and start carrying around pictures of the three of them (heck, I'd even include pictures of my Yeti who passed on). Can you see it... Hi, I'm Liisa, want to see my dogs?!!

Actually it's not crazy at all and I am sooo HAPPY to find that more people are carrying their pets pictures with them or on their camera phone. I was at a company dinner and we started talking about dogs and before you knew it people started passing around pictures and their phones of their pets! I felt like such a bad mom because I didn't have any And than all the stories started - it was nice to hear.

 

[JCandKT]

Hey all! I've been kind of scarce around the boards as of late...but here I am!
DH and I have become "parents" to an adorable miniature schnauzer named Dexter - he's about 8 months old and brings a lot of joy to our lives.

Wanted to get in on this discussion about living beyond means...

For so long, I've thought that to truly have "made it" I had to live in a huge house, drive a new car, have 2.2 kids, wear the lastest fashions... but man, I realize that happiness is not defined by that stuff (as my sister has found out...she lives in a huge house, 3 boys, nice cars, and she's miserable). She's up to her ears in debt. We can honestly say that the only thing we owe is our mortgage as far as debt goes...and that's a great feeling!

What JC and I have is modest but it's us. And we get to go on vacation to DW whenever we can!

We're looking at going in September... maybe splitting between PO/Riverside and Beach Club. As much as I'd love to do BC the whole time, it's a chuck o' change.

But I want to hit that Jellyrolls!

See ya!

 

[maddhatir]

For so long, I've thought that to truly have "made it" I had to live in a huge house, drive a new car, have 2.2 kids, wear the lastest fashions...

I am looking forward to checking out our local Goodwill store soon for some clothes- I LOVE the look- I call myself- Hobo-chic- SO LOOK OUT!

I bought this awesome blue fuzzy coat at a second-hand shop in New Hope PA and can I TELL you how many compliments I get on it!?- I have to brag to everyone that comments- "yeah- 2nd hand store- 30 bucks!- I know you are jealous cuz you will never find another like it!"

 

[ChisJo]

So, I had the priveledge of seeing a mystery dinner show at Sleuths and it was FANTASTIC! If you've never been, I highly recommend it for you next trip out. THe service was great and the show was absolutely HILARIOUS. So much interaction between the audience and the actors. You get to know the people at your table (we had a GREAT bunch of people at ours). Food was average, nothing to brag home about, but overall, SO happy we went and we would go again in a heartbeat!

 

[maddhatir]

I just wanted to jump in and announce our (soon-to-be) new arrival. We agreed this weekend to adopt a 6 year old rescue Tibetan Mastiff. That will make our third (and final) Tibetan and our second rescue. We are excited. She's gorgeous. If you want to see her, she is posted on the rescue website... go to tibetanmastiff.org, follow through to rescues and she is "Kayla". We do have a big house (just over 3,000 sq ft on 5 acres)... but we need it with these dogs!!!! I can't wait until she comes home!

We also happen to drive a big SUV... for the dogs. We laugh at ourselves when we go SUV shopping, we always climb in the back to see if the dogs will have enough room. My parents think we are crazy, but we just love them!

Liisa

So when is the big day!!!???-

I want to see pics!!!!

ETA- I love how they describe her....."not for the faint of heart" Do they let you know her past?? I am curious to know what her story is!

She is beautiful!

 

[Liisa]

Hi Madd,

Looks like the big day is Feb 15th. She's flying from LA to New York on the 14th, spending and overnight in New York and then they'll drive her out to me on the 15th. Poor thing on a plane.... But it will be worth it to get her to a permanent home.

My Yeti (my avatar) was also "not for the faint of heart"... so that didn't scare us away at all! Heck, we figured Yeti was good training for this. According to my conversations about her, she is stubborn and will growl if you force her to do something she doesn't want to do. You've got to coax her into things. Convince her it's her idea.

Apparently, Miss Kayla has been in rescue 3 times in her 6 short years of life. The first time was when she was 2 (my guess is that people didn't realize who BIG she was going to get). Then she got rehomed up to Canada to live with a merchant marine and his wife. The merchant marine came home one day and found wifey in bed with someone else. The got a divorce and Kayla was the casualty. Then she got rehomed with another couple and she growled at them. They freaked out and gave her up. Not for nothing, my parents have a lab who has growled. It really isn't that big a deal as long as you know why they are growling and how to manage it - and the dog isn't progressing to the next step. She's been in rescue for several months now, splitting her time between doggie daycare and a vet's office. It will take us some time to win her over, but we are ready for it. I can't wait to meet her. And of course I'll post pictures!!!

 

[Liisa]

ChisJo,

Did you finally get that sword you keep eyeing?

Liisa

 

[maddhatir]

Hi Madd,

Looks like the big day is Feb 15th. She's flying from LA to New York on the 14th, spending and overnight in New York and then they'll drive her out to me on the 15th. Poor thing on a plane.... But it will be worth it to get her to a permanent home.

My Yeti (my avatar) was also "not for the faint of heart"... so that didn't scare us away at all! Heck, we figured Yeti was good training for this. According to my conversations about her, she is stubborn and will growl if you force her to do something she doesn't want to do. You've got to coax her into things. Convince her it's her idea.

Apparently, Miss Kayla has been in rescue 3 times in her 6 short years of life. The first time was when she was 2 (my guess is that people didn't realize who BIG she was going to get). Then she got rehomed up to Canada to live with a merchant marine and his wife. The merchant marine came home one day and found wifey in bed with someone else. The got a divorce and Kayla was the casualty. Then she got rehomed with another couple and she growled at them. They freaked out and gave her up. Not for nothing, my parents have a lab who has growled. It really isn't that big a deal as long as you know why they are growling and how to manage it - and the dog isn't progressing to the next step. She's been in rescue for several months now, splitting her time between doggie daycare and a vet's office. It will take us some time to win her over, but we are ready for it. I can't wait to meet her. And of course I'll post pictures!!!

OMG Lis- she is SO lucky she will be living with you all! She might scare the bejeezus out of Yeti at first! Yeti will be looking at you like, what are you doing to me mom?!

Heck- Kayla sounds like she has MY personality! WE DON'T BITE! Just give us our way and everything will be COOL!

People make me so mad when they get a pet and do not think it all the way through! Yes- you need to take into consideration- your pet MAY get large- that is why you RESEARCH! I think in situations like that- they should leave the pet in the nice, cozy, warm house and -rehome- the dopes who got the pet- rehome them to a cold shelter to see what it is like!

Oh no- she has to fly?- are they going to put her in cargo!? I would buy her a seat and make her wear a seatbelt, give her a nice pillow to rest her head on! How cool would that be, walking up to your seat and there is this massive pup in the seat next to you. if she does not like the person who is sitting next to her, she can just growl!

Let me ask everyone- I know Hixski probably saw it b/c I posted it elsewhere- but has anyone here seen that commercial for the ASPCA with Sarah McLachlan?

Warning- it WILL make you cry! I was bawling like a baby when I saw it! I had to turn the volume down on the TV- if I ever hear this song anywhere else- I will loose it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EYocy_DN60

 

[Liisa]

Such a sad, sad video. I hope it helps to get support for these poor animals.

Yes, Kayla has to go in cargo. Can you imagine walking onto a plane and seeing a huge 100 pound furry black dog sitting in a seat? Eek! Of course, if there is a screaming child kicking the seat behind you, a growling dog may be useful (just kidding - I am not condoning dogs to bite children - just in case someone takes me seriously and I start getting flamed. We should do little legal disclaimers at the bottom of our posts! ) I do like the fact that these guys look big and intimidating. That way when DH is working late, I feel safe at home. Of course, my 1 and a half year old male rescue - Khabo - would probably run and hide behind me. But Pari (my 5 yr old girl) and Kayla would be tough. Leave it to the girls to be the dependable ones.

Yeti would have taken someone's head off, but he is the one I lost last January to aspirated pneumonia. Turns out, it is taking two rescue dogs to take his place. He was quite a presence!

 

[Hixski]

I can't watch any of those ASPCA commercials. I watch those Animal Precinct shows on Animal Planet and feel so bad for all those abused and neglected pets. They ALWAYS show one of those commercials and it just makes me sad and angry at the same time. There has to be a special place in HE double hockey sticks for people that abuse a defenseless animal.

Liisa: Can't wait to see pictures of Kayla when you get her.

 

[PoohNTuck]

I just wanted to update everyone. We went to one doctor this month about getting a VAS. He's been doing them 30 years and has a clinic in our hometown. We expected to be grilled about our choices. We expected to defend our position. We expected to show off our knowledge on the topic. He approved us that day with very little interrogation. We have the appt set 3 weeks later in the a.m. on a day that worked for us. I am 28, DH is 21 and we have no children.

The doctor said that in this day and age, if youre confident in your decision to make an appt and come in to find out about it, it's our decision to make. We live in the Northeast. I don't know if Geography has anything to do with it.

Now I just hope insurance covers it... I'll let everyone know how the recovery goes!

PoohnTuck

 

[Shyvioletisme]

that's wonderful. I'm glad you were able to find a doctor who was secure in ya'lls decision. Because it really is your decision...not a doctor's!!! Good luck to your DH on the surgery...and good luck with insurance covering it!!

I just wanted to update everyone. We went to one doctor this month about getting a VAS. He's been doing them 30 years and has a clinic in our hometown. We expected to be grilled about our choices. We expected to defend our position. We expected to show off our knowledge on the topic. He approved us that day with very little interrogation. We have the appt set 3 weeks later in the a.m. on a day that worked for us. I am 28, DH is 21 and we have no children.

The doctor said that in this day and age, if youre confident in your decision to make an appt and come in to find out about it, it's our decision to make. We live in the Northeast. I don't know if Geography has anything to do with it.

Now I just hope insurance covers it... I'll let everyone know how the recovery goes!

PoohnTuck

 

[TKDisneylover]

Hi Madd,

Looks like the big day is Feb 15th. She's flying from LA to New York on the 14th, spending and overnight in New York and then they'll drive her out to me on the 15th. Poor thing on a plane.... But it will be worth it to get her to a permanent home.

Congrats on the addition of your new family member! I think it is so awesome that you are taking in a pet someone else did not want. Our Veda was passed around to 2 different families before we got her. We think that one of the families must have frightened her with fireworks because she is deathly afraid of them. She shakes and tries to find the most center of the house when she hears them. We live near a Golf Club House & a High School that occassionally set them off for different occasions. Good luck with her transition into your home.

Warning- it WILL make you cry! I was bawling like a baby when I saw it! I had to turn the volume down on the TV- if I ever hear this song anywhere else- I will loose it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EYocy_DN60

Okay, so you gave me warnings and I should have listened but I thought I could handle this. Apparently I'm not recovered from puting down our cat Samantha (bone tumor) because I got very emotional and thought of her immediately when I saw all those kitties in that commercial! Just smack me now!

 

[maddhatir]

Yeti would have taken someone's head off, but he is the one I lost last January to aspirated pneumonia. Turns out, it is taking two rescue dogs to take his place. He was quite a presence!

I am sorry- I said Yeti! My big mistake

 

[maddhatir]

Well CF peoples I am leaving 3:15am Sat morning for my vacation to Mexico! Just in case I can't pop in tomorrow......adios amigos!

I just checked the weather for Playa del Carmen and all week it syas it will be in the 80's and sunshine- however, they also give you the "reel-feel" temos and they go anywhere from 90 to 100!!!

DH is sick as a dog right now with a 102 fever! He went to the docs yesterday and is on an antibiotic, decongestant and cough medicine. He is all bundled up in his fleece blankeys downstairs on the couch sleeping. I am crossing my fingers he feels at least 50% better by Sat morning just so he can at least get to the airport, get the luggage checked in and settled in on the plane etc- once we get there he can relax in the room or on the beach- and he should be all better by mid-week *hopefully*

 

[TKDisneylover]

Well CF peoples I am leaving 3:15am Sat morning for my vacation to Mexico! Just in case I can't pop in tomorrow......adios amigos!

I just checked the weather for Playa del Carmen and all week it syas it will be in the 80's and sunshine- however, they also give you the "reel-feel" temos and they go anywhere from 90 to 100!!!

DH is sick as a dog right now with a 102 fever! He went to the docs yesterday and is on an antibiotic, decongestant and cough medicine. He is all bundled up in his fleece blankeys downstairs on the couch sleeping. I am crossing my fingers he feels at least 50% better by Sat morning just so he can at least get to the airport, get the luggage checked in and settled in on the plane etc- once we get there he can relax in the room or on the beach- and he should be all better by mid-week *hopefully*

Have a great trip!! I bet your DH will be feeling better after a couple days on anti-b's, and that warm Mexico sunshine will make him feel better too! Enjoy!

PS: Did you hear that Johnny's filming part of his new movie in WI? They will be filming in a town about 45 minutes from our city. It's a small hole in the wall tourist town that has maintained it's old town buildings, I guess that's why they are filming it there. I heard on the news the other day that they are looking for people with old cars (30's/40's) that are in decent condition for filming. Still debating whether to head up there in March when filming supposedly begins to get a glimpse of Mr. Depp.

 

[Hixski]

Well CF peoples I am leaving 3:15am Sat morning for my vacation to Mexico! Just in case I can't pop in tomorrow......adios amigos!

I just checked the weather for Playa del Carmen and all week it syas it will be in the 80's and sunshine- however, they also give you the "reel-feel" temos and they go anywhere from 90 to 100!!!

DH is sick as a dog right now with a 102 fever! He went to the docs yesterday and is on an antibiotic, decongestant and cough medicine. He is all bundled up in his fleece blankeys downstairs on the couch sleeping. I am crossing my fingers he feels at least 50% better by Sat morning just so he can at least get to the airport, get the luggage checked in and settled in on the plane etc- once we get there he can relax in the room or on the beach- and he should be all better by mid-week *hopefully*

Have fun Madd!!! Hope DH is better soon. He should be good enough in a couple days to at least get on the plane. Give him a couple margaritas when he gets there, he will feel better. Tequila will kill anything.