Tag: dogs

Thanks, Cuz…

Thanks to Cousin Ron for prompting me to provide links to help Katrina’s other displaced:

Humane Society

SPCA

In Defense of Animals

Best Friends of Animals Society

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Bit of trivia: Ron, who lives in OK, and I met online in 1997 in the same chatroom where I first met my writing partners. We talked for years before we figured out that we are distant cousins via our Alabama family. Which inevitably leads people to make that Southern-bashin’ observation that if I weren’t married and Ron weren’t gay, we’d have to breed.

And I let them go thirsty…

Yesterday, our friend Lindsey called Tim to let us know that her father was collecting clothes to take to the Astrodome for the people being relocated here from New Orleans. She and Rhonda knew that we were feeling helpless and asked if we wanted to donate. OF COURSE! And I called my mother, who went through her clothes, too.

As soon as Lindsey and Rhonda found out we had some boxes for them, they jumped in the not-so-trusty truck and drove over to pick them up, even though they’d just gotten home from the gym. And could we just give them the clothes?

No, we had to abuse them. First, River took a flying leap of joy from the front porch to do a body block on Rhonda, who doesn’t weigh much more than River. Clearly, he thought she needed some love. Fortunately, Lindsey had managed to evade his exuberant welcome, but then she made the mistake of stepping inside, where she was greeted by the “We never get any attention, please touch us NOW” reactions of Margot and Guinness, who basically treated her body like a ladder that needed immediate climbing.

Further, just to show that no good deed goes unpunished, even though I KNEW they’d just left the gym, it never occurred to me to offer them a beverage.

Rhonda and Lindsey, tell me what to stock in my refrigerator. I keep water, sugar-free lemonade, Coke C2, and Diet Coke. But I’ll put whatever you like to drink in there and WILL NEVER SO SHAMEFULLY NEGLECT YOU AGAIN.

Meanwhile, kudos to you two and to Lindsey’s father for making it possible for us to help in some way.

P.S. Most of those clothes came from Tom. Who knew my husband had been such a clothes hoarder all these years?