"Mom, I need help." Bigger Girl was calling me, and as a mom, whenever the phone rings and it's one of the kids, and said kid is out in his/her own vehicle, i'm already nervous enough. Those words make me more nervous.
What's up? i asked, hoping it wasn't too bad.
"Well, I came over here to return two of the textbooks I rented that I don't need any more, and the place is closed, but while I was here these two dogs came up to me. They are pit bulls, and very friendly, and skinny and look abused. One has had its ear chewed, so I know it's been used to train fighting dogs, and one looks like she just dried up from nursing pups. They have collars on that are so tight they are in pain. What do I do? I can't just leave them, they are hungry."
No, that's not too bad, i thought. Stay there, and keep them there, i told her, and i will make a couple of phone calls.
So i did. A quick call to a companion animal outreach that works with the local animal control office got results. They asked for Bigger Girl's phone number, called and got her location, and sent someone out.
Meanwhile, she had found a couple of MRE's in her car (she believes in being prepared for anything), and fed them to the dogs. Another young lady who had pulled into the parking lot, who also didn't know the rental place was closed, had a Swiss Army type implement in her car, and they used the pliers to get the very tight collars off the dogs' necks.
When she got home, she was beaming.
"The guy who picked them up was wonderful!" she gushed. "He saw how sweet and friendly these two were, and he was as mad as we were about their condition. He's going to get them in the program that rehabs them and gets them good homes!"
She can't turn her back on a suffering animal. Some things you are glad your kids inherit.
Today is:
Ashura -- Islam (begins at sunset)
Belsnickel Craft Show -- Boyertown, PA, US (through tomorrow)
Black Friday or Buy Nothing Day -- i will observe the latter
Can You Find Your Old Rubik's Cube and Still Work It Day -- internet generated, and why would you bother?
Christmas Candlelight Tour -- My Old Kentucky Home State Park, Bardstown, KY, US (Christmas as it was in the 1800s; Fridays and Saturdays the first three weekends after Thanksgiving)
Christmas Traditions Celebration -- St. Charles, MO, US (the fun includes authentically costumed Santas from around the world; through Christmas Eve)
Color Photos Day -- anniversary of the Kodak introduction of modern color film in 1935
Dr. Who Day -- the show premiered today in 1963
Eat A Cranberry Day -- just to see why you add sugar, i guess
Family Day -- Nevada, US
Feast of Qawl(Speech) -- Baha'i
Fibonacci Day -- celebrating the mathematical Fibonacci Series, which begins as 1,1,2,3
Gettysburg Holiday Festival -- Gettysburg, PA, US (fun holiday events weekends through the New Year's Eve Bash)
Hadakambo Festival -- Hofu, Japan (men dressed only in loincloths brave the cold carrying floats to the shrine)
Jukebox Day -- many days compete for this title, but the first known nickel-in-the-slot record machine went into service on this day in 1889 in San Francisco, CA, US
Jule Fest -- Elk Horn, IA, US (a true Danish Christmas festival; through Sunday)
Kinro Kansha no Hi -- Japan (Labour Day Thanksgiving, when people express gratitude to each other for their work through the year)
National Cashew Day -- some sites list it on the 22nd, i'm celebrating both as i love cashews
National Day of Listening -- sponsored by StoryCorps, encouraging sharing family stories during the holidays
National Espresso Day
National Family Caregivers' Day -- US
National Flossing Day -- help spread peace of mouth! www.flossing.org
Native American Heritage Day -- US; related observance
Maize Day -- US; celebrating the First Nations of the Americas and the role maize/corn played in their cultures
Plan Your Dagwood Sandwich Day -- admit you've always wanted to, so build one with your Thanksgiving leftovers!
Pencil Sharpener Day -- John Love of Massachusetts patented the first one this day in 1897
Rally of the Tall Pines -- Bancroft, ON, Canada (an event on the Canadian Rally Car Race Circuit; through the tomorrow)
Repudiation Day -- Maryland, US (anniversary of the Franklin County Court refusal to cooperate with Britain's Stamp Tax Act)
Rudolf Maister Day -- Slovenia
Sinkie Day -- sponsored by SINKIE, The International Association Of People Who Dine Over The Kitchen Sink, which urges you to combine your Christmas shopping with enjoying a quick meal of Thanksgiving leftovers and become a SINKIE convert!
St. Clement's Day (Patron of boatmen/mariners/sailors/watermen, marble workers/stonecutters, sick children; Dundee, Scotland; Velletri, Italy)
St. Columbanus's Day (Patron of motorcyclists; Bobbio, Italy; against floods)
St. Felicity's Day (Patron of martyrs, widows; against the death of children, sterility)
Tree Lighting at Anchorage -- Anchorage, AK, US (Santa and 9 real reindeer help celebrate the annual lighting of the holiday tree, with free cocoa and cookies for all)
World Famous Fish House Parade -- Aitkin, MN, US (sounds better than shopping to me!)
World's Champion Duck-Calling Contest -- Stuttgart, AR, US (also sounds better than shopping; through tomorrow)
You're Welcomegiving Day -- US, the day after Thanksgiving, started by Richard Ankli to give everyone a reason for a 4-day weekend
Birthdays Today:
Miley Cyrus, 1992
Salli Richardson, 1967
Bruce Hornsby, 1954
Johnny Mandel, 1925
Harpo Marx, 1888
Boris Karloff, 1887
Billy the Kidd (William H. Bonney), 1859
Franklin Pierce, 1804
Today in History:
Thespis of Icaria becomes the first actor to portray a character onstage, BC534
Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Pope Leo III, 800
Conquest of Seville by the Christian troops under King Ferdinand III of Castile. 1248
Areopagitica, a pamphlet decrying censorship, and written by John Milton is published, 1644
People of Frederick County Md refuse to pay England's Stamp tax, 1765
Henry Burden patents Horseshoe manufacturing machine, 1835
Patent granted for a process of making color photographs, 1863
The first jukebox goes into operation at the Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco, 1889
King William III of the Netherlands dies without a male heir and a special law is passed to allow his daughter Princess Wilhelmina to become his heir, 1890
Andrew J Beard invents "jerry coupler," to connect railroad cars, 1897
Pencil sharpener patented by J L Love, 1897
Enrico Caruso makes his US debut at the Metropolitan Opera House, NY in "Rigoletto", 1903
Wright Brothers forms million dollar corporation to manufacture airplanes, 1909
Life Magazine publishes its first issue, 1936
The Cocos Islands are transferred from the control of the United Kingdom to Australia, 1955
The BBC broadcasts the first ever episode of Doctor Who (starring William Hartnell) which is the world's longest running science fiction drama, 1963
Representatives of the People's Republic of China attend the United Nations, including the United Nations Security Council, for the first time, 1971
A series of earthquakes in southern Italy kills approximately 4,800 people, 1980
The first all woman expedition to the south pole (3 Americans, 1 Japanese and 12 Russians), sets off from Antarctica on the 1st leg of a 70 day, 1287 kilometre ski trek, 1990
Convention on Cybercrime is signed in Budapest, Hungary, 2001
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is elected president of Liberia and becomes the first woman to lead an African country, 2005
Friendly Fill-Ins Week 443
15 hours ago
Wow, I had no idea. The day seemed so innocent ... it's amazing to see it has so much importance.
ReplyDeleteawwww! What an awesome and lovely story. You know warm & fuzzy stuff like this can be turned into a Hallmark movie. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteWow, like mom, like daughter. SO GLAD to see your compassion towards animals has inspired her to be so generous and do so much good already!
ReplyDeleteAngelika, some days have big surprises waiting, don't they?
ReplyDeleteJosie, if i knew how to write a screenplay...
Thank you, Crabby.