The Good and the Stupid

This week New York became the 6th state along with the District of Columbia to allow gay marriage. Maryland didn't pass it because of the hateful, d#^$&% (specific churches) church lobby.    When I used to go to church it was about "love everyone and treat everyone as equals" - now it's "Hate people who aren't like us." What happened to Christianity? IT'S VERY SAD.

  Regardless, there are Good things and Stupid things that happened as a result of passing Marriage Equality (and it IS Equal). People who try to use their Bible to legislate marriage are WRONG.  It's a civil right and doesn't need to be a religious thing. Period. It's about a Legal contract. When are these "religious" hatemongers going to understand that?

 - I believe in God, and I'm not against religion, unless it tries to deny people of equal rights. There are a LOT of religions in this country, and many non-religious people who should also not be forced to live under the Bible. 

  - The GOOD NEWS - Gay weddings are expected to generate HUGE dollars for the economy, in addition to giving gay couples the security and legal rights they should have.  The STUPID news is that idiots who are trying to legislate from their Bibles are trying to Oust the senators that voted in favor of equal rights. How damned hateful is that? 

- If there's anyone to hate, it's the stupid people that try to deny others rights using their Bible. Period. 

   Finally -   We have now been happily and legally married for 2 years. That's a year longer than 35% of straight couples on average. So what is the problem? We're an example for straight couples.

• Weddings set to inject $400 million into New York economy: A report issued last month by New York's Senate Independent Democratic Conference estimated that the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples would create more than $400 million in revenue for the state, over the next three years. The report predicted that more than 66,000 same-sex couples would get married in the state during that time. USA TODAY (6/28)   
•   Anti-gay group targets N.Y. senators who voted for marriage bill: The National Organization for Marriage is promising to spend $2 million to oust seven New York state senators who supported the marriage equality bill. According to the NOM, the senators "betrayed marriage." GoodAsYou.org

Dolly Parton Embraces a Better Day

Dolly Parton will always be my (Rob) favorite singer and entertainer.
- She just released a new CD, which I'm anxious to get. You can see more about it here:
Dolly Parton Embraces a Better Day

In a recent interview, this question and answer really hit me as one of the reasons I have such respect for Dolly. She really taught me how to look at life. She reveals how she sees life in this answer:
Having listened to your music since I was a little girl, I've always admired your positivity. How do you remain so optimistic?

Parton: I was born with a happy heart, and I try to keep a good attitude. It's not true that I'm happy all the time because nobody is, and we all go through our things. As I often say, I'm a songwriter, so I have to live with my feelings on my sleeve and leave my heart soft enough to be able to feel enough stuff to write songs about. I just try to look for the good in things. When I wake up, I expect things to be good. If they're not, then I try to set about trying to make them as good as I can 'cause I know I'm gonna have to live that day anyway. So why not try to make the most of it if you can? Somedays, they pan out a little better than others, but you still gotta always just try.

NASA PLANS AIR POLLUTION FLIGHTS OVER MARYLAND ON JUNE 30

If you see planes around the Baltimore/DC area today here's why:
NASA PLANS AIR POLLUTION FLIGHTS OVER MARYLAND ON JUNE 30
WASHINGTON -- NASA's DISCOVER-AQ air quality field campaign is scheduled to take to the skies over the Baltimore-Washington traffic corridor on Thursday, June 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT as part of a mission to enhance the capability of satellites to measure ground-level air quality from space.
DETAILED FLIGHT MAP: Of the P-3B's low-altitude flight path is available at: http://go.usa.gov/ZiP
For more information about the DISCOVER-AQ mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/discover-aq

4 Minute Video on Coffee! (Rob's fav topic)

Here's a really creative, fun, informative video about Coffee! - including history, physical and mental effects, where it's grown, how it's made and how it affected History! I'm headed to Dunkin' Donuts right now for an extra-large black coffee. :)


More information at: http://blog.cgpgrey.com/coffee-greatest-addiction-ever/

Will the Pilot

Our friend Will is a talented guy, and one of the things that he does is fly planes. That's something I would never be able to do because I'm afraid of heights (Rob). Tom is not afraid of heights. - Will has been flying planes for a couple of years, and even worked in the MidWest doing crop dusting. - This weekend he joined us at a cookout that some friends invited us to, and Will flew into the local small airport from north of Baltimore. It was cool to watch him fly in, and after the cookout he took about 1 hour to prep his plane so we heard him fly over our house!

Tom posed in the plane

Nice pic of Will the pilot!

Will standing at his plane

Far shot of the plane

Today is our 2nd Wedding Anniversary!

Two years ago today, on June 26, 2009 we took our legal marriage vows in Bridgeport, Connecticut! 

Tom & Rob, Wedding Cake House, Maine

We drove up with our friend and best man, Jeff. We were joined by our friends Mike and Amy, who just married this past December. Mike married us. Rob's brothers came, and sister-in-law Dawn, and our friends Jacquie, Kerrie and son Brady, Colleen, Gail.

  It's amazing to think of how long ago that was and how much has happened. 

FAMILY: We've fostered several dogs for the Dachshund rescue and took a special one in.(more later), Tom changed employers, Rob now managing breaking news, hurricanes and wildfires and more at work. Dolly and Franklin still feisty as ever at 6 and 7. 

AT HOME: Since then, we've done a lot of work on the house, having an upstairs dormer built, putting windows on the Sunporch we built (with our friend Jack's help), laying a tile floor, getting the garage made into a room (still in progress), getting plantation shutters for the living room, having the house electrical redone, enhancing the house's cooling system with a thermostat controlled duct system (so the upstairs is cool!). We've been to Puerto Rico this year, and a Caribbean cruise and NC/TN last year. We've been to many dog related fundraising events, several ghost hunts with professional ghost hunters, and Rob published his first book.

WEDDING DAY IN CT: Back:Rob, Tom, Mike, Steve, Doug, Jeff  Front:Colleen, Jacquie, Amy, Dawn, Gail

 

Franklin and Dolly

Sprite Joins the Family

FRIENDS:  Several changed jobs, several have moved to different states (incl. Gail who was at the wedding-moved from MA to VT), our dear friend Sarah who made gourmet cupcakes for our wedding reception (in Sept. following) passed away, a couple who were together 10 years split, another who have been dating 7 years are taking the plunge and another couple celebrated 50 years together! Of course some friends have drifted, while other new friends entered our lives. A number of friends have lost their parents recently, Chris in Orlando lost his mom, Maureen in Mass. lost her dad. Colleen & Todd Heather & Jeremy & Suzanne and Kevin welcomed new babies, and some friends adopted new dogs to their families. These are the events that make life an adventure and we're glad to be able share in all of them (happy and sad) with each of you. Thanks for being part of our lives!

Backyard flowers - even in drought!

Despite the drought we're having here in the Mid-Atlantic, some plants are more resilient than others. Here's a pic of some beautiful flowers from one of the tougher flowering shrubs that we have. No, I don't remember the name of the plant... although I know Tom would! 

Garage Project Update

We're half way through with getting all of the electrical outlets and hookups done (thanks to an electrician), and most of the drywall is now up in the garage. We can't wait for the electrical to be done, so the drywall can be coated... which is the next step.  (Yeah, it looks messy and it's driving us crazy!)

Great Green Lantern Movie!

Sunday afternoon we finally got a chance to go to the movies and saw "Green Lantern" -one of my favorite superheroes finally on the big screen. Ryan Reynolds was the PERFECT Hal Jordan/Green Lantern. He perfectly pegged Hal's personality from the comics.

See the trailer here: http://youtu.be/oazFv302DIM
  Tom thought it was a little slow in spots, but the origin stories always tend to have explanations. The only part I thought was a little slow was when Hal visited his brother's house for his nephew's birthday party - but that lasted about 4 minutes.
  The cosmic Green Lantern Corps members were awesome, and so were the Guardians of the Universe. Interesting twist what they did with Parallax (the villain) and the earth villain, Hector Hammond. I really enjoyed it and would see it again and again. Of course, I would just watch Ryan Reynolds in a silent film. :)

Garage Progress and Outside Completion!

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Finished with the arbor!

  This weekend, Tom continued working on the outside of the garage conversion by painting the shingles and starting to build an arbor for it. Now it matches the house!  Yes, we're in Home Depot and Lowes every weekend! - Rob cleaned the inside of the house, washed all three dogs, cleaned carpets, laundry, etc.

Tom painted and started building an arbor for it.

It was a very busy weekend.

New front side of the enclosed former garage is built!

door removed

Enclosing the garage in progress

VIDEO: 300 Dogs Rescued from NC Puppy Mill

 We love our dogs and can't stand hearing about people abuse their dogs. I gave a woman in a parking lot a severe talking to, when she left her dog in her car (it was 90F outside) and went into a store. On a related note, Puppy Mills MUST be CLOSED DOWN. Read this story from Associated Press, and watch the 2 minute video of the rescue. - Rob

This weekend, nearly 300 dogs and puppies were seized from Mason Creek Kennels in Hudson, North Carolina after an investigation found the dogs with serious health issues living in small stacked feces encrusted cages.

The dogs were taken to a temporary shelter on Friday, which was set up with financial help from PetSmart Charities and a grant from Maddie's Fund.  

 BELOW IS A VIDEO FROM THE NATIONAL HUMANE SOCIETY TAKEN DURING THE RESCUE. You need to watch this.

Rescuers reported that “some suffered from long-term neglect, including severe ear infections, uterine infections from being overbred, and nails grown into the pads of their feet,” according to the Associated Press.

Others were found with fur that was so badly matted it had torn their skin. Last week 37 of the dogs, mostly older females, were surrendered to animal control and were euthanized. 

Repeated complaints had been made about Mason Creek Kennels, whose owner William “Bill” Thomas Allen had been warned to make changes. 

"There are no laws on the books about puppy mills," Greg Greene, Caldwell County's animal control director told the Charlotte Observer. "We have to wait until they fit the criteria for neglect and cruelty."

They reportedly didn’t believe that seizing the dogs was legally justifiable until now, despite previous complaints from people who received sick puppies and an "F" grade from the Better Business Bureau. 

By selling directly to the public over the internet to whoever wants to hand over some cash, Allen made good use of a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act that requires commercial breeders to meet minimum standards of care. Only those who sell to pet stores and research institutions are licensed and inspected by the USDA. 

“Large-scale breeders in our state currently face no regulations or routine inspections. These lax laws have made North Carolina a safe-haven for inhumane puppy mills like this one,” said Kim Alboum, North Carolina state director for The Humane Society of the United States.

Charges are pending against Allen, who claims he hasn’t broken any laws and that his dogs were healthy. He had reportedly hired help because he is disabled and couldn't get to the area where the dogs were being kept. 

"That doesn't excuse them being in the shape they're in," said Greene.

The dogs will be going to the Virginia Beach SPCA, Humane Society of Charlotte, Wake County SPCA, Gilford County Animal Control, Saving Grace Rescue and the Carolina Animal Rescue and Adoption of Sanford where they will receive much needed veterinary care and get some love and be socialized in foster homes before they can be adopted.

Greene also stated that the public’s response and desire to help has been overwhelming, but there are already many animals just like these ones in shelters who need homes.

"We're asking that people remember those animals, too."

Happy Birthday to Rob's Mom

My (Rob's) wacky mom is celebrating her birthday today! 
We sent her some goodies in the mail (she's hundreds of miles away). She said that she didn't want us to visit right now, so she's celebrating with my brothers.
  Mom is a great cook, and always had something tasty for dinner since I was a kid. She's Italian, so she makes the best spaghetti sauce ever. I miss that, and mine doesn't come close. She used to sew and made some clothes for my brothers and me, and is very artistic. She painted Batman and Winnie the Pooh stuff for us when we were kids. She loves to garden, and still goes out (she's in her 80s) and trims shrubs and bushes, shovels snow, etc. She's fiesty. She loves walking and bowling and recently started playing cards with a social group - and that's a great thing!