A Place To Fit In

Our wonderful neighborhood donated about 200 pounds of dogfood or so, several dozen rolls of paper towels, blankets, a dog bed, and lots of laundry detergent to wash the necessities of caring for a houseful of rescue dogs and creatures at Hollow Creek Farm. I got to take a rare trip out to the Farm to drop off all the goodies. It is an hour away, so I don't go often, but every time I do, my heart is lifted.

It was a little touch and go, however, before I headed off on the long country road. I was vacuuming the house, in anticipation of beloved Matthias and Karissa coming home. For the second time in my life, I gave myself a concussion vacuuming. I think I need to give this contact sport up. Housework is far too dangerous. I was vacuuming under the swing-out swivel large screen TV...and forgot it was swung out. I stood up, and bashed my cranium. I have quite a sore spot on my skull, and a headache. I lashed a headband around my head and put icepacks in it...then finished vacuuming. Life is never dull around here...but often painful.

But back to Hollow Creek Farm. I used to work with a wild mustang there, Sadie, until my tendonitis became chronic and I could no longer do the chores we used to do at the farm. However, I always loved Sadie. After I unloaded the dogfood and supplies, the HCF owner asked if I would like to give Sadie a goodie. She brought out frosted wheat cereal. When I raised an eyebrow at this 'horse treat', she said,"It's wheat...Horses eat wheat."
So I fed Sadie the frosted wheat, and felt very happy, even with my headache.

I also got to meet the subject of my next children's book- Toby, the wobbly dog. Toby has a cerebellar disorder and walks like a drunken sailor- a drunken sailor with 4 legs. He is a bundle of puppy joy, but uncoordinated puppy joy. I know it is not polite to laugh at disability, but one cannot watch Toby and suppress a tiny bit of mirth. Hollow Creek Farm found him on a road, unable to walk, abandoned and left to fend for himself in his helplessness.

So, my head hurts, but my heart is smiling. And I feel like saluting my neighbors for the kindness they showered on a rescue farm overflowing with misfits that finally found a place where they fit.

Genesis 19:19-20 (NIV)
Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. [20] Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it---it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.”


-save a dog- hollowcreekfarm.org