Brigid's Arrival
Oh my lord, I nearly fainted when I saw her. No wonder my friend didn't want to tell me too many details. My second reaction was almost to name this poor pup Maris instead, after Niles Crane's wife. How she survived this long, I don't know. Pure skin and bones. And hysterical at the separation from her little brother.
It was already about 30 degrees when she arrived, and I had to lead her around the yard for a potty break after that long trip. Molly Maguire just loves her, fortunately. Not an ounce of jealousy. But Molly was so hyped up that she wouldn't come in the house. I started feeding Brigid a little bit of venison at a time - too much too soon and she'd get sickER. She obviously wanted more, but for the next few days she only gets a little at a time. Had to put half a baby aspirin in her food; my friend had already treated her for an ear infection.
When I tried to put Brigid down for a few minutes to rig up some warm costume for her, she literally screamed in terror. It took awhile because my nerves were shot too, but eventually I wrapped her in a hand towel and pinned it in place so we could get back outside to Molly for another potty walk - which Brigid already needed again. The rest of the evening until about half an hour ago was spent out in the yard for half an hour, then back in for another little bite of venison, etc.
Of course I had to try Brigid in the baby bed but she was so freaked out she went back to screaming again. Even when I put MM in there with her. Finally I gave both of them a sedative, Molly because she was too hyper to come in the house the first 2 times (I had to trick her the 3rd) and it's too cold even for her to be out there. She can't wear warm clothes because she rips them to shreds and rolls in the mud - so for her it's worse than useless.
Now at 9:20 things have finally quieted down. Believe me, I took a sedative too! We'll have one more outdoor walk at 10 and then that's it for them for the night until 6 a.m. I'll give MM about 1/2 of a tiny benadryl and Brigid just a speck, but I bet then they'll sleep through the night. Me? I'm going to take a whole benadryl all for myself. So we'll all make it through a very stressful time and come out in good enough shape.
I can't close w/o again expressing my horror at that poor Brigid, just starved. Turns out the people who had her only got her a month ago, but I have to wonder how they treated her. Some people really don't know what the hell they're doing - she was being kept in a cage with her brother. But get this - my friend told me they insist on having pictures and reports sent to them! From anyone else I wouldn't mind, but I have to wonder if these people weren't just as negligent as Brigid's first owners. I don't even trust myself to email them directly; I think I'll just ask my friend to send some pictures and forward my emails to HER. That way I won't risk getting nasty the way I feel like doing.
The picture I'll enjoy having friend forward will be in a few weeks when Brigid will hardly be recognizable, she'll be already starting to fill out. I honestly have to wonder if she'd have survived another day w/o proper care. Certainly she'd have starved to death in less than another week. So for awhile it will be best to have an intermediary!
Oh, now I'm really going to hate having to wake her up again at 10; but I'm already starting to calm down too. Writing to DUers helps. I'll keep you folks posted. This situation is straight out of a Charles Dickens novel. If I knew the people who let Brigid starve like this, they'd have to run awfully fast to get away from me.
During this brief quiet spell, I've managed to rig Brigid another much warmer outfit. Looks crappy but at least she won't freeze.
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And pics, even in her sad state I'm sure she has the eyes of an angel.
Sleep well, y'all.
Enjoy your new baby. I'm so happy she is going to you. THANK YOU for saving her! 
While I appreciate your compliments, I know I'm not doing anything you wouldn't do yourselves under similar circumstances and some of you could probably do more.
Pictures will have to wait at least awhile until my Friend returns from yet another trip out of town. She's the one with the camera. Mine gave up the electronic ghost awhile ago, and since my laptop's almost 7 years old, it may not have long to 'live' either. I can (because I must) do w/o pictures easier than I can go w/o internet access. Our local library has it, of course, but they don't allow most interactive sites unless governmental because they're so worried about hacking and malware. You also have to use your alloted hour all in one piece, which poses a problem for me since I tend to dabble in short spurts as my day allows.
Last but hardly least, in this small town the local library serves as a sort of casual town hall, and people think nothing of leaning over your shoulder to see what you're doing. I understand it's considered friendly interest in this flyspeck burg, but it makes me wanna go DI (drill instructor) on them. They'll comment freely too, as if we were all around their kitchen table. At times I've wondered if I didn't die and wake up in a bowling alley on championship night, the racket's that deafening. Had no choice when I first moved here and had to wait a week to get home internet installed. Before the week was up, it had begun to dawn on people that loud debates at my elbow were disconcerting, so they started to pipe down. But even so, the last time I logged onto the library computer, no less than 5 women tiptoed up and collected in a knot behind me, which turned out to bother me more than the usual tumult. So I stood up slowly, turned to face them, and with a too-polite smile and tone of voice asked if there was anything I could do for them.
It took several heartbeats for that to sink in, but when it did they all walked away a few feet and turned back to their own business - which happened to be discussing my bad manners at a volume that would carry to the moon. Now they won't speak to me at all anywhere, most give me the stinkeye in fact. Even at church. Culture clash for real. I'm normally a very friendly and outgoing person, but I don't offer all my business for public fodder everywhere I turn. Here online, we're inviting confidences and that's totally different.
Anyway, it amounts to my not having a camera at the moment and afraid to buy one until after I can replace the laptop. Sometimes it growls when I turn it on, and that can't be good. But the previous recipients of Brigid had the gall to make Friend promise to send pictures and I must report Brigid's progress to assure them she's got a good home. I'd cuss a little in Irish about that, considering the near-dead condition in which she arrived, except I'm scared someone might translate it for Skinner and then he'd rightfully be after MY skin! Molly Maguire and Brigid need momma too much for her to indulge herself that way, so she'll keep her mouth mostly shut.
We're having 2 snowstorms here back to back, and Brigid refuses indoor pottying, so out we still have to go every 2 hours except at night. The snow's so deep now that I started to shovel a path along the previously dog-approved potty trails so she can stand it. She goes out wrapped up so thoroughly that she hardly looks like a dog at all. And don't anyone worry - I tell her several times a day that she's a Democrat dog just like Molly, so she'll know which way to vote if we ever move to Chicago. Would you believe a lot of people here don't find that idea funny?
