Poke the Crazy People with a Stick

So today was an interesting day. We put the review model of the Ford Edge through it’s paces today.  We drove in rain, wind, highway’s and rocky mountain trails….all in one day.

I also realized that what I just ‘do’ is too much for some people and probably borderline crazy.

Like today.  We drove to Chilliwack with the dog so we could be a part of my nephew’s third birthday party.  I felt it was better to bring her as she is too young to be in a crate for anything over an hour.  However….it was raining.   It was raining a lot.  For me this meant getting the kids sorted at the party place with their dad and heading out into the rain with a freaking out dog.    This  then meant putting back a soaking wet and reluctant dog back into a small crate in the car and attending the bouncy castle birthday party.

And then going back out again to make sure she was okay.

My sister in law laughed at me.

And then……and then 🙂

We followed interesting directions to visit a woman who looks after and adopts out Desi Dogs.  Up am mountain, in the pouring rain, somewhere near Abbotsford.  It was quite the little drive.  When we arrived we watched this woman in the distance open up a gate and watch a pack of dogs bounding up to us.  For some this might be a tad nerve wracking.

As I stood there in the pouring rain, while we chatted with the woman about the dogs and their temperaments.   We were surrounded by happy excited dogs..including Lily who was THRILLED to play with new friends, I realized how much I have become a dog person.

I have totally come a dog person.  From a full  on cat person…I was totally comfortable surrounded by crazy dogs.  Not only was I comfortable, but I was comfortable with my family being surrounded by them too.

Desi Dogs are amazing by the way.  Also known as INdog or Pariah Dog, they are a ‘natural’ breed compared to a human selected bred dog.  They have been dated in origins back to 12,000 years.  They are of the same type of origins as the Australian Dingo.   Their ‘purity’ is under attack though by breeding with  stray western breeds.  It is amazing the difference between a ‘natural’ dog and say a cross bred dog.    They are a joy to behold.

I did not see today as a hassle.  I did not see worrying about Lily as a problem, it was just one more thing I had to think about.  She is family and it is therefore not a bother.

People judge us for being a bit over the top with pets – we currently have the lizard, 3 cats and Lily – on top of the three children.  People ask me how I manage that and all my projects.  Well, I just do.  It is my life.  It isn’t necessarily pretty, nor terribly clean, nor terribly organized.   But I kind of like it.

Sure I would love more space to breath in.  Sure some more money to support all these hangers on would be good.  That is why I work so hard at my SAHMedia projects and Crunchy Carpets.   But in the mean time, I am at peace with it all.

People do seem to think it is either pets or kids.   For a simpler life, either is good.  For a cheaper life, either is good.  But we love our pets and we love our kids growing up around pets.  Perhaps it stems from being an only child.  We had a cat, but life was  quiet for me as a child.  I suppose this chaos makes up for it.  I am never alone.  There is always a child, husband or pet who wants some one on one time with me.    I reckon I must have a strong need to be needed.

I think my family style does make it hard for people to pigeon hole me.  We are tough to market too when we have an almost ten year old boy at one end and an almost preschooler at the other end.  I don’t spend my days in preschooler groups.  I don’t ferry my kids to sports.   I find it hard to find families that we can hang with that pleases everyone.

They love to read, watch movies, play outside and hang together with friends to play video games.   Life is loud here.   It might not be ‘correct’ in some people’s books.  We eat the wrong foods and we let the kids watch the wrong TV.  But despite them making my hair gray, I think they they are all pretty swell.

*UPDATE* Laughing at myself as I went to bed without sharing what really finished the day for crazy.  Picture Tara standing naked in the Walnut Grove McDonald’s washroom change table as I wiped  the INSANE amount of poop that was covering her body with wet wipes.

She has a bit of a bug or something and it is causing hideous runny and sticky poops.  We had been a bit concerned for the day but being that she isn’t acting sick, we went for it.  She did one manageable poop at the party and was changed and I still can’t believe we didn’t SMELL her in the car.  I didn’t realize the scope of the horror till I realized her pants were covered in it.  Then, as she lay there, I could see it up on her coat and everywhere else.   Thank goodness I had pants in my purse…but her spare shirt was in the car.  Out she went to have her treats with the rest of the family sans shirt while I headed to search the car.   🙂