Uncontrolled Dogs – A Tragedy Waiting To Happen
This morning as I sat at my desk searching for a blog topic, I learned of a terrible tragedy that broke my heart and angered me beyond belief. After I calmed down, I decided the best thing I could do was bring awareness to this situation.
The heartbreaking tragedy was posted to my Facebook page by a good friend and dog breeder. A puppy
he’d placed with a loving family several years ago was viciously attacked by two other dogs and died. I deliberately didn’t mention the perpetrators breed, as there are good and bad in ALL breeds. However, this family is devastated and grieving due to the loss of their beloved Chow caused by a tragedy that could have been prevented by responsible dog ownership and training.
In my humble opinion, these situations happen because people fail to keep their dogs on a leash or fail to maintain their fence so their dog escapes on a regular basis. Or people allow the escape of their canine out the front door. Now I realize accidents happen. But knowing where your dog is when you open the door. Training your dog to stay away from the door when it’s open. Or simply holding onto your dog when the door is open goes a long way to stop escape.
A couple of months ago, I faced a similar but much less devastating situation. Out for an early morning walk, a neighbor’s dog (he’d escaped confinement) charged at my dog and I, growling, barking, with hackles raised. (It was a breed that you don’t associate with attacks, so I was caught by surprise.) Adrenaline pumping enabled me to sling my 45-50 pound Chow up on my shoulder and kick at the advancing dog, connecting several times until the dog retreated. That was the first and last time I’ve left my house without an air horn, pepper spray and collapsible metal baton.
It is a sad state of affairs when you have to pack protective gear before venturing out with your dog in your own neighborhood. Yet, I meet several people daily that carry a large walking stick, among other things, for protection of themselves and their dog(s). Some go as far as to carry a concealed weapon. A recipe for disaster. But, an air horn can be a great deterrent, hopefully allowing escape without harm to anyone.
In memory of this wonderful family companion, please keep your dog under control and on a leash while going for a walk, make sure your fence is escape proof, and your dog is contained before opening the outside door. Also check your dog’s collars and leashes for wear and replace the items when necessary! Taking these simple steps may help prevent this tragedy from happening to you and your dog.
One last request, please pick up after your dog, illness and disease can be spread through feces. Not to mention the irritation and aroma a person experiences when stepping in a pile. Yuck! That way everyone can enjoy our parks, trails and neighborhoods.
Thank you!
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Posted in Food for Thought, My Say What Blog by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS – Taking a Gun Class
It all started one morning as I innocently read the daily newspaper. Heinous acts of violence and mayhem filled the front page and subsequent ones. Was this a good way to start my day? Probably not.
I flipped through all the sections of the newspaper and an ad near the bottom of a page caught my attention. Women’s gun class specially priced at a local gun club. My family has always owned weapons. While a teenager, shooting my grandfather’s 410 shotgun left a huge shoulder bruise and knocked me on my butt, hard. As a young woman, an automatic pistol took a chunk out of my hand, between the thumb and index finger, because I was holding it wrong. So needless to say, my relationship with guns is a love hate situation.
I believe strongly in the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, the right of the people to keep and bear arms. As a paralegal for close to 20 years, I saw what damage a gun, usually stolen, can do in the hands of the criminal element. But on the flip side, strict gun control makes it harder for the responsible, god fearing adults to obtain a gun legally. And has no effect on the criminal, who can get a gun of any type off the street in a matter of minutes, with the intent to do egregious harm. But I digress, stepping down off my soap box and putting it away, for now.
As a co-owner of a couple of guns, I decided that learning how to handle and shoot a weapon correctly was the responsible thing to do. So… I signed up for the class.
Work in Progress!
I spent Tuesday night at the gun club learning the in’s and out’s of responsible gun ownership, from an NRA certified instructor. By the end of the evening, most of my shots were center mass on the target, once I quit mashing the trigger and used a little finesse. My husband enjoys the sport of shooting guns, I on the other hand consider them for self-defense. After successfully completing the class, I feel confident handling and shooting a weapon, which is a good thing for me and a bad thing for the criminals. Subsequent adventures on the shooting range may be in my future.
And just remember gun control is very important, you should always use two hands!
**Check back next week, when I’ll be blogging about my private tour of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), also known as Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station.
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Posted in My Say What Blog, Uncategorized by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Holidays Are Over, Let The Adventures Begin!
Our holidays were exceptional. Lots of friends, family and fun. How about yours? As usual, I ate too much and now have to pay homage to that exercise monster, in other words hit the gym hard and long. But that’s ok, I’ve a couple of new books to read, a mystery and a romance while I pedal away, along with a new audio book to listen to while lifting those weights, so I’m set!
Today or really last night Mother Nature made a mockery of the weather forecasters, again, who were calling for less than 1-3 inches of snow. She dumped a whopping six plus inches of heavy, wet, white stuff. Ok it wasn’t whopping, but admit it, it sounded
good. Our chow was ecstatic. Snow is her favorite thing! The parrot, not so much and the turtle simply hid under her blankie and slept next to her heater. Awww the life of companion animals.
New Years Resolutions: For me resolutions are few and far between.
I cleaned up my office and vowed to keep it organized . Its where the magic and inspiration happens for my novels. Ok, that’s not exactly true. Really inspiration usually strikes at the most inopportune times. Which is why I always have paper, pen and ipad with me at all times. Yes, I even take them to bed with me. Well, at least I have paper and pen on my nightstand.- I filed all the 2014 paperwork away and started new file folders for 2015. Good for me. Got that done about three weeks ahead of time!
- Write everyday.
- Finish editing the next two completed novels in my paranormal romance series so they are ready for submission by the time the first book, A Demons Witch, is released this year. Watch for the release date.
- The two cozy mysteries are three-quarters of the way done. Gotta get those finished. Then… start on the fourth book in my paranormal romance series.
- Write 4,000 words per week.
- Get as much camping in as possible this year.
- Enjoy life! Remember my motto: “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, WOW what a ride!”
As you can see my resolutions are few but lofty and attainable. Don’t you agree?
The best news of all is that this season’s camping adventures will be here in the blink of an eye. Remember I said last year when we had winterized the trailer that Christmas would be here before you knew it. Voila, it happened!
- On our agenda this year is as always Rocky Mountain National Park.
- Then Five Branches Campground on Lake Vallecito near Durango, Colorado.
- A week in Monterey Bay, California with our friends. Love all the sea life there.
- Twin Lakes near Leadville, Colorado is a must this year. Great Kayaking!
If you have any suggestions for camping areas, please for heaven sakes tell me. I still have a few camping slots to fill, not to mention settings for my upcoming novels.
That’s it for today, please check back next week for a totally outrageous topic. “til then stay warm, drive careful and have a good time!
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Posted in My Say What Blog, Uncategorized by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Camping is Over the Holidays Are Here – No Place to Hide
Camping season is over, the fifth wheel is all sung in its storage space under it’s cover until next summer. Well, really early spring, I hope, weather permitting.
The holidays are careening towards us, with Thanksgiving just passed with Christmas on its bumper only a few weeks away. I did survive Gray Thursday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but barely. Yes, my Christmas shopping is all done, no thanks to the aforementioned shopping days. 
Rather than brave the crowds, I hid in my house under mounds of Christmas decorations, deciding which ones went up first, the outside or the inside. And did all the lights still work? I stood knee deep in strands of lights and threw up my hands. Decided the weather was much too nice, grabbed my husband, dog and parrot and went for a glorious walk. To my chagrin, the elves didn’t put up the decorations, so we did it ourselves.
With the decorating chore behind us, we can concentrate on enjoying the holidays with friends and family, then try to relax. Okay, only kidding about the relaxing. Still Christmas light looking and cooking to do, a group Christmas letter to write to be included in Christmas Cards that will delight.
To everyone who read my blog this year, Thank You! I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a very prosperous New Year! Join me next year for more camping adventures and a new experience as I scamper through the path of traditional publishing. My first book, a paranormal romance, is due out in 2015. I will keep you apprised of my progress and a more definite release date. BE SAFE AND ENJOY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON! I look forward to hearing from you next year!
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Posted in My Say What Blog, Uncategorized, What If... and tagged Adventures, Book, camping, Holidays, Paranormal, Publishing, Romance by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
