Life has definitely been “interesting” this past week.
Kilo has fleas and we’ve been washing each and every piece of cloth in sight. Each and every load Pike has to ask me, “Mom, wouldn’t it be easier to just buy a NEW washer?” and I tell him that as long as this one washes it is useful and we’ll just keep babying it along until it dies. It needs to be babied through each rinse cycle and each spin cycle. Kind of a PITA but the plants are loving the water.
It seems like I add 3 more items for each I cross items off my ToDo list. So I just gave up on it for a while and am ignoring it. Seems to work so much better that way.
A few days ago I noticed that Kilo (the puppy) was scratching himself more than usual. I had just changed his food (to a “better” one) and have been immersing myself in what food is best and all the crap put into dog food and what he needs and how to make it and raw vs cooked and then we found fleas on him. Ack! So, I’ve been washing everything not nailed down trying to avoid an infestation. But since our washer needs to be babied through each rinse and spin cycle, this makes for an “interesting” load of work. And makes Mt. Laundry even more monsterous. I think the Frontline is working because he either had a lot of black dirt (which we don’t have here) on him or he had a lot of dead fleas. But since he still had live, feasting ones, I got some flea soap and yesterday he got 2 fleabaths. I hope that between the flea baths and the cleaning we might avoid an infestation? Oh, I really hope so! I’ll take any pointers anyone wants to share there. His next application of Frontline isn’t due until the 26th or so of this month.
It was recently brought to my attention that a local family has been trying to convert Ellen to Christianity since December. Slowly working on her until they got her to lie and invent details for them. Needless to say I was pissed through and through. I am SO grateful to the family that alerted me and strangely, somewhat thankful to the fanatics. Because now my daughter has the perfect model of what an unsafe person does and has tools to deal with them. She knows that an adult coercing a child to their way of thinking is wrong IN ANY SITUATION and what to do if that should happen again. And that is a very important lesson to learn, and thankfully she was able to learn it without enduring physical abuse. They only mind-fucked her. Yeah, I’m still a little pissed off.
I’ve been consistently running 30 minutes a day without any calf pain problem and I really think I’ve licked that particular injury. Took quite a while as I injured myself the first week of January. So I’m really happy with that. Yesterday, after some 45 mintues of exercise, I made it home and headed out for a cool-down walk. One of my little neighbors saw me and exclaimed, “are you THAT tired just walking from your house???” Dayum, it is tough getting old. 
Jamie’s mom is still hanging in there. According to her doctors, she was supposed to die yesterday. So she’s behind schedule. Dayum, the pressure to perform never ends. We never imagined we’d be looking at over 2 weeks of hotel and restaurant bills but I suppose we’ll just keep sucking it up. We’re looking at having my folks come and babysit the kids here (actually it will be such a joy to see them that I’ve considered lying to get them to come down ) while I go up to Jamie. I’d rather wait for a funeral/life celebration instead of the staring-at-the-walls-waiting-for-death Groundhog Day that they are trapped in but we’ll just have to see what happens. I also need to get the flea situation under control, ensure Ellen is safe from the fanatics and help her find new friends before I go anywhere (IF I go anywhere). The daughters fo the fanatics are just her age and she has never had a friend her age since we started traveling.
From the bit you said, it does not sound like they are Christian. There are several religions that masquerade as “christian” but are not. If you are interested I would be happy to talk with you more about it (I have studied the religions). Christianity follows the 10 Commandments and would not tell your daughter to lie as that would break the 9th Commandment. They would never tell your daughter to break the 5th commandment which is dishonoring the parents. You have a right to be angry and worried! There are several cult religions that say they are christian and are NOT. Please feel free to write me back.
Paula
Fleas oh my. Makes me glad we do not have a dog yet.
The conversion thing would aggravate me too. We are Jewish and have not encountered this with kids yet but I am sure we will. You are right though that is a very good opportinity to teach your child so many lessons … good luck.
To the first commenter. “Christian” in Mexico usually refers to Born Again kinds of religions, not just Christianity versus Judaism, etc.. It’s a specific church here (I believe it’s the Church of God) and they can be aggressive in their recruiting.
Kathy, argh, I would be so seriously ticked about the family trying to influence Ellen, have you talked to them about it? It’s not fair to mess with a little girl’s mind! For the fleas, you can get flea powder in addition to the baths, it worked on the cats, they were infested when we first got them. Keep up the good work with running!
This is insane. Is Ellen okay? You know I am a Christain, but I would never in a million years think of converting someone elses child behind their back. That is deceitful and IMHO a bit sinister….not to mention confusing for Ellen. (I am finally getting a chance to respond to this. When I read it the other day I was on my way OOT and chomping at the bit to respond)
You must go talk to them. It is just not right.
When my kids have others spend the night on Saturday evening, I always ask the parents permission for them to come to church with us.
Christianity, to me, is someone who believes in and practices the loving ways of Jesus. I am a firm believer of this saying “Preach the gospel at all times….use words when necessary”. In other words, live the word, don’t spew it. KWIM?
I am envious of your running….I have MRSA in my foot now and my heel is flippin’ rotting off, so no running for a bit for me. Blek.
Honey has fleas as well. Bill is outside spraying the yard as I type this. We tried everything prior to spraying, (because of the tree frogs and other creatures) and nothing worked. She was covered in them. I have an organic shampoo that I am using, and it works somwhat. The deer are pretty thick here, so I suspect that is where they are coming from.
Are they Gypsies? Beware!!!! Dont’s go and talk to them, stay far away and watch the kids!!!!
Re, fleas — our vet in Merida warned against bathing a dog with anti-flea shampoo IF you’re also using Frontline or similar products. I would think that the same goes for using flea powder. I haven’t “researched” this myself, but it might be worth being a bit cautious, particularly with a small-bodied pet.
without religion good poeple do good things and evil people do evil things, but with religion good people do evil things. all religions are evil, horrible cults. religion is poison.
jody, i think i love you. and kitty, arrrrggggghhhhhhh how frustrating. my puppy is staying overnight at the vet for having surgery today – she got “fixed” which was an interesting topic with seby & zane AND we miss her like MAD. how can these doggies get into our hearts soooo much??? i almost called to ask if we could come by and visit this evening. but i gave that idea up thinking it might be cruel to her to come say hello and then leave. miss you guys and can’t wait to see you all in April!!!!!!!!
I posted too – but the internet gremlins took it away !?!?! I said all kinds of really supportive and intelligent things and I can’t remember any of it. So just know that there is really positive feelings coming your way from me. Love, C – desperately hoping to see you in Apr.
Kitty,
If you go over to see those idiots take some burning white sage with you. Also spinkle cinnamon and sea salt around your palapa. Idiots like those people are psychic vampires (and I don’t mean they are psychic – they drain positive energy from people).
If you haven’t already done so, have a discussion of all religions with the kids. Without knowing what to expect from other people, they may get sucked into something that is not to their benefit. Letting them know what you believe in also may help them to know there are people who are good and believe different things and morality and goodness of spirit are not defined by any one religion.
I was thinking – maybe the kids could do a project asking people they (and you) know and respect about their beliefs.
About the flea stuff – mcm is right. Be careful with that stuff. Small animals like your puppy could have a bad neurological reaction to all of the chemicals. http://www.greenpaws.org/_docs/GP_ToxicFactSheet.pdf
Cedar, eucalyptus, and diatomaceous earth can help – http://www.richsoil.com/flea-control.jsp
Love,
Aunt Kathy
For flea relief go on line and find a doggie flea cookies recipe
that contains lots of garlic
I have tried this and it really seem to work !! The kids will love making the cookies and the dog will enjoy them and be flea free !! Good luck..
@Tess – I keep reading stuff about garlic and onion being toxic to Yorkies but Jonna and Mimi say it is ok so I’m still confused. So far, it is looking like the Frontline is working and maybe fleas and concrete and tile don’t go well together or something – I think we might have dodged the bullet on this one. We’ll see in a few weeks or months – they say it takes 4-6 months to get rid of fleas.
@Aunt Kathy – she has written a lovely note of apology and now I need to get my ass over and talk to her. We’ve been actually doing a World Religion study this year – right now we’re on Hinduism (we’ve done Islam, Egyptian Gods, Jainism, and a Z-one). We’ve got more DE sprinkled around here than I can believe but I’ll put some more down. I think Jamie is bringing some big guns with him but we can’t use that in the recamera (geckos) and we’ll keep Kilo out of the trailer if we use it there. So far, it is looking like we might have dodged the flea bullet.
@Chris – you need a dog.
@MCM – thanks so much. We had stopped the flea baths once I got online and figured out that any bath will work – even just salt water – the fleas seem to flee (hee hee) the water. So far it is looking like the Frontline is working well.
@Jody – you ALWAYS have my back, don’t you? Will you marry me?