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10 November 2003
I had planned to journal each weekend of festival…but if you've ever participated in something of that magnitude you'll know why that idea is nothing short of laughable. I barely had time to breathe, even on the weekend that I didn't go because Scott was in California (AGAIN). I've decided to add some pictures here and let the hounds take turns recounting CRF 2003...but first, an update on the Zoo.
On September 10th, shortly after I posted the last entry, CGC's President decided she no longer wanted to be President. There was a flurry of phone calls among board members followed by worry and contingency planning. Finally, around four hours after she made that decision she changed her mind. That moment when I received the email stating that we shouldn't "count us out yet" when it came to her and her husband's involvement in CGC was the moment I realized that I had to start taking care of myself and my sanity or I was going to be no good to anyone, human or canine. That was the moment I made the statement (while talking to another board member on the phone), "If they stay, I go."
I stuck to my guns. The first thing I did was resign as secretary, deciding that I could stay on as a board member until Ty got adopted. I was not about to hand over the responsibility for his adoption to others. Ty was adopted by a WONDERFUL family on September 20th, and shortly after that I left the board. Now there's talk of dissolving CGC...honestly I don't care. I have put that behind me as a chapter in my life where I helped some dogs make it to their homes, and that's enough for me. I did try to make an effort to have some contact with my old friends in Greyhound Crossroads.
Make no mistake, I did NOT want to volunteer for that group again (or ANY group, for that matter!). I did NOT want to be friends again with anyone that has hurt me in the past two years. That was not my intention. I merely wanted to get back in touch with some folks that I'd lost contact with and perhaps have the opportunity to do some fun greyhound stuff. Well, I really should have known better. Really. Sometimes my hindsight is 20/20 and sometimes it disappears all together. I got it into my head that because I had been able to work congenially with GC folks during the hunt for Dixie that I'd be able to just slide back in under the radar. I thought I could get to know better the folks that I'd met at play-dates and just go to a few fun events...maybe even help Lisa out with her solo M&Gs from time to time in Greenwood.
I could not have been more wrong if I'd tried. First of all, when I was re-admitted to the GC list, I was moderated. I was MODERATED on a general chat list. I had been asked not to post, and had agreed until Liz's books arrived. I didn't think a short blurb for my books would cause any harm. Well...it didn't because it never hit the list. After that, Kim sent me an "I'm Very Disappointed In You" email and that was the end. I am an adult, and a darned nice one at that. I've even been accused of being a doormat because I'm just do darned polite and NICE. Now I'm being told to watch what I say and do, and that I've hurt so many people in GC that the mere adding me back to the mailing list caused Kim grief and heartache. WHAT? Suddenly all of the hurt of realizing in what kind of people I had placed my trust returned and I wanted to bang my head on my desk for being so stupid. The membership of GC had not complained about me being back, June probably did. The membership of GC didn't hate me, but I’m pretty sure June does. I'm also pretty sure that I don't care WHAT June thinks of me, but I digress...
And the best part is that I'm fine with it! Absolutely fine. Right now, all of my greyhound adoption efforts are concentrated into the Hounds of East Fairhaven, and I'm happy as a clam. I did manage to send Kim an email in response to the above mentioned message, and basically told her that I was done. I am done stepping on eggshells. I am done being overly concerned with what people think, especially those that are more or less unimportant to me. I am done calling my dogs anything but my dogs...if she wanted to keep tabs on them throughout their lives she would have made more of an effort to make things right with me, or at least to check in from time to time to see if they were even still alive. I was being dealt a penance to serve, for doing nothing more that what was right for me at the time. I had to watch out for everyone else's feelings, my own be damned. As my friend Charles would say, "NEGATIVE."
Well, now that all that's out...here are the Rennie Hounds to tell you about Festival. -Nan
Yo. Profile here. Hunk's letting me type because...well, because I got to the keyboard first. Renn Fest is not a complete nightmare, but let me tell you it is WORK. Mommy gets us up in the middle of the night, expects us to eat breakfast like it's a normal day, then shoves us in the car for about two months. When the car finally stops, we're at this big dusty place and she won't let us sniff or mark anything!
We have this tent that we live in while we're there, which is better than last time because it doesn't leak and it's big. Also, Miss Joanne The Treat Lady made us some HUGE dog beds which aren't stinky like last year's were. I get to lie on them any time I want which is way cool.
There have also been some new folks that have come and some new hounds...specifically this hot little number called Callay. That chick has got some attitude! She is just a hottie...but I think she's got a thing for JD. Fine. Waste your time with that show off. Your loss, sister.
Hunk wants me to point out that you get lots of treats at Festival, like beef jerky, turkey legs, bread that tastes like soup, and other stuff. Very yummy. I also get almonds but Hunk doesn't like those. He's too fickle. We get lots of attention... sometimes too much attention from the little humans but Mommy is always there to shoo them away. I haven't had to even growl at one yet. I don't understand why Mommy keeps calling me the child-biter either...something to do with something that happened a long long time ago, before I was adopted by Mommy and Scott I suppose. Dunno about that one, all I do know is I've been tempted to bite a few of those kids and some of the adults too, but haven't yet!
Jeany mentioned that she HATES festival. She thinks that it's loud and awful and cold. Well, last weekend it was cold, that's true, but the awful part was that Mommy put FAERY WINGS on me and Jeany. I mean, Jeany I could understand but HELLO!?! On me? Whatever. At least that Faery woman didn't give the wings to Mommy for good. A dog's got to have his dignity, after all.
One more weekend left, and then we can return to sleeping late on Saturdays and Sundays...at least until April, Mommy says.
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