This is your cat on drugs…

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . March 1, 2010 . 5:23PM

Our cat, Francis, is nuts. She acts like a dog by following Leon around where ever he might go. When she’s mad she will pummel the garage door and yell what sounds like “Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeon! Leeeeeeeeeeeeeon!” She will also rub on your like you have scent of kitteh all over your body. She’s a little freaky. I’m thinking she might need whatever this cat is having to chill.

Hat tip to icanhascheezburger.com!

ASPCA: I need your help

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . November 1, 2009 . 8:50PM

I rarely ask for things on here (though if you are on twitter, I ask for presents all the darn time). Last night, in the middle of hormonal mood swings, wailing, gnashing of teeth, throwing things, hugging people, eating chocolate and watching late night television, I saw an ASPCA commercial. If you’ve not seen one, don’t.

Really, don’t.

I got emotional and upset and hugged my dogs even closer. The truth of the matter is that animals get the short end of the stick quite often. I have three of the most amazing creatures I have ever met and one smart aleck cat who hates me. Animals are important to me and always have been. If you’ve been reading, you saw what happened when I got attached to the chickens. This has been true for every animal I’ve ever had. Except for Francis. Anyway, I know that there are important diseases and people give money to charity all the time. They don’t want to be harassed into parting with their money for something like animal care and prevention of animal cruelty. I can’t explain to you why this is more important than health care or scientific research, except to say that when I’m sad or hurt, my animals help me more than any human I’ve ever met. They soothe me like nothing else. They understand, listen and hug in a way that I need without judgment. Sometimes, the things that seem unimportant in life are the things that get you through when you need it the most.

With that in mind, I’d like to organize a small donation in the amount of $250 for the ASPCA. This is on my heart and if you can give even $1 per person, I’d make this in no time. If you can give more, you help for those that can’t right now. I’m not giving up until I meet my goal, so the sooner I meet it, the less you have to hear about it. Also, if you have an animal that is important to you, I’d like to hear about him or her.

EDIT: I called the ASPCA, as donations were not showing on the widget, and apparently donations do not show up for TEN days. If you email me the amount donated, I will keep a running tally without divulging your name on the post. Sorry about that.

Running tally: $30

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . October 27, 2009 . 12:33PM

Anyone that knows me well knows that I adore elephants. They are among the most sensitive, sweet and creative creatures there are. They are also the most empathetic. If you haven’t read the book When Elephants Weep, I highly recommend it. Elephants travel in herds and, when a member of the herd passes, it’s traumatic for them. Years later, if they pass a spot where a former member of the herd has passed, the elephants will circle the area and weep for the lost herd member.

I love them.

What to do if there is a bear in your yard

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . July 8, 2009 . 8:47AM

Sorry about the copious amount of you tube videos this week. I started a new school schedule and it’s overwhelming me. I’ll get on routine soon. Until then, you’ll have to put up with hysterical videos like this one. Watch carefully and stick with it all the way through. You’ll be glad you did.

My horse died for no reason: Childhood trauma

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . July 7, 2009 . 3:04PM

Yesterday, I mentioned that I had a horse and that the scent of horses could take me back to my childhood. I grew up on a farm with my grandparents and it goes without saying that I was my grandpa’s girl. I had a menagerie of pets on the farm: dogs, cats, chickens, you name it, I had it.

Like many little girls, I’d wanted a pony. Let me rephrase that: I longed for a pony like a heroin addict longs for a fix. If I didn’t have that pony, everyone was going to hear about it.

I named her Bambi, after the Disney movie that came out around the same time. We’ve clarified, repeatedly, in this blog that I’m not a creative person. Sorry to validate that it went all the way back to childhood. Bambi was an awesome pony. Caramel colored with a buttery mane, she was everything I wanted and more, but I was scared to death of her.

My family tells stories of a time that she knocked me off and my grandfather made her sorry. I don’t remember it at all. What I do remember is that Bambi didn’t live long. She was out to pasture one day and then suddenly, she was gone. I didn’t have her long enough to learn how to ride her properly. I never found out exactly what happened. I believe there was a problem with the grass she’d eaten. Either too much grass or something on the grass, etc., but the thing about it is that adults don’t tell children why pets die, just that they do.

At the time, my mother was dating a rather insensitive person who thought it would be funny to joke about the death of my pony while telling me about it. There are parts of me that would still like to whomp him in the face for that.

My time with my pony was short, but the scent of horses takes me back. For a small amount of time, I lived every 6 year old’s dream. I had a pony and a large pasture to ride her in.

It doesn’t get better than that.