June 16, 2004

• Before I forget again….

  I have been meaning to tell Sarah and spinksy and Marian and anyone
  else who’s interested that I’ve heard from our friend Seph in
  Iraq.  He has left a couple of comments here on my blog.  He
  said he hasn’t called because the phones are always in use there. 
  I can imagine… a few phones and a lot of soldiers lined up to use
  them.  Not conducive to the hours-long conversations we used to
  have.

  From his blogs and the comments, I think I get an idea what the black
  puppy and white kitten in my dream were symbolizing, but I still have
  no clue about the bees in his armpit.

  He had blogged a bit from Germany and now he’s back on Xanga again with a different name:  SefiraMoon.

  ---

  House-sitting and pet-sitting
  are common practices everywhere in our
  society, as work or vacations take people away from homes that for one
  reason or another they don’t want to leave unattended.  The reason
  is often an animal or animals that need care while the owner is
  away.  That’s how my family happened to get to be here on the
  power grid in this place that’s owned by these three cats.

  Here in Alaska, I see that practice more than I ever noticed it
  anywhere else.  Our climate is one reason for it.  Many
  people who spend summers here leave their homes and pets with sitters
  in the winter.  The sport of dog mushing is another thing that
  creates demand for house-sitters.  Only a very few top mushers earn a living by mushing.  They trade
  endorsements for funding from sponsors and they sell pups from their
  champion kennels, besides their prize money when they win races.

  Most mushers have jobs.  Many jobs up here are seasonal: 
  fishing, construction, tourism industry jobs, for example, are summer-only work.  That
  works out for mushers.  They race dogs in winter and earn the
  money for dog food and vet bills working through the summer.  It
  can work smoothly to everyone’s advantage when the musher finds a
  reliable sitter for the time he’s away.  It’s generally easy to
  find a house-sitting position in winter here, but not so easy in summer.

  When it goes wrong, it can go very wrong.

  Anchorage Daily News | Howling dogs lead to drug seizure

  MUSHER: Dog-sitter didn’t come through; investigating troopers find marijuana plants.

  The Associated Press

  (Published: June 15, 2004)

  SOLDOTNA — A musher feared missing after his 15 dogs were found hungry
  at his home in Funny River has been found, Alaska State Troopers said
  Monday.
  Longtime musher Sigmund Stormo was out at a remote job site, trooper
  Brad Nelson said.

  Apparently, “somebody dropped the ball on taking care of his dogs,”
  Nelson said.
  Late last month, neighbors called troopers because they could hear the
  dogs howling.
  “The neighbors stated they hadn’t seen the owner in several days, and
  they were worried about the dogs,” Nelson told the Peninsula Clarion in
  Kenai.

  Troopers said that when they arrived at the scene, they found evidence
  that suggested marijuana was being grown in the house. The information
  was turned over to the Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement.
  Last Wednesday, a search warrant was issued and troopers returned to
  the Stormo residence and seized 50 marijuana plants. They also fed the
  hungry dogs.

  On Friday, an Anchorage animal welfare group picked up the dogs, which
  were being fed, cleaned up and given medical treatment.
  Toni Diedrich, a spokeswoman for the Alaska Society for the Prevention
  of Cruelty to Animals, said it appeared the animals may have gone
  without food for as many as 10 days.

  Nelson said he had talked to Stormo’s employer, who was going to get
  him from the job site. The employer told Nelson that Stormo loved the
  dogs and someone was supposed to be taking care of them.
  The musher will be liable for the Alaska SPCA’s costs for caring for
  the animals, he said.
  Stormo also could face charges resulting from the marijuana plants
  found and possible animal cruelty charges, Nelson said.

  ---

  This is cool.  That’s my birthstone.

  
  You are most Like A Sapphire! Dark, mysterious – but unforgettable. You have a
  deep beauty. Delicate and shy, you try to stay away from
  the limelight but often your intelligence puts you in
  at the deep end. You’re like a Sapphire because your
  beauty is priceless.You’re intelligent, full of opinions, and not
  big-headed about it all.  Sometimes you need to put yourself out there, as
  you can be a bit shy.  Congratulations… You’re the mysterious gem
  everybody wants to have and learn more about.
  ?? Which Precious Gem Are You ??
  brought to you by Quizilla

  Well, that lays it on a bit thick, but not too far off.

  
  Morpheus
  ?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
  brought to you by Quizilla

  
  

  
  My life is rated NC-17.
  What is your life rated?

  • 12:02 pm
  • 3 Comments