Cancer Support Group

PetSpa

I have a feeling I am going to be writing a LOT about these guys.  I heard from a groomer friend that he just went to work for them and the words he used were, "humane" and "professional".  Hmmmm....  So far, so good.  Thank God, I don't have to drive 45 minutes down to the other place if I can find a place closer to home for grooming (and since it is in Shaab - with plenty of decent restaurants around so I don't end up waiting at the Seashells resort).  Bada bing.  I've also heard that the obedience trainer that PetSpa has is from South Africa and has beaucoup de certifications and is gentle with dogs.  Mikey needs to go to school.

I still have been too damn lazy to call Doggy Day Care people.  Mike also needs to have his vaccinations completed before I do.

So much to do around a little farm....

Looking for a Forever Home for my Pet Goat, Paco

There are still 2 more months of camping season (until April 1). I'm looking for a home for Paco with other Czech goats after the season.  Maybe he can start a family.  

Paco is an intact, 5-year old, bi-color (1/2 white, ½ brown) male with a friendly, happy temperament.  He's good with other animals.  He probably wouldn't be good in an apartment (although he's quiet).  He likes room to run and kick his heels up (literally). Czec goats like to climb things.  Paco likes to eat raisins.    He smiles when he's happy (as above) and makes noise when he's upset.  If he likes you, he'll quietly follow you around.  He's such a great goat.

Does anyone know anyone with Czech goats in Kuwait?  I would love for him to be with other goats and remember his goat life. Right now, he thinks he's human.  

SIDEBAR:  Czech goats are not good for eating.  Their meat is very tough. They don’t taste good.  Everyone in Kuwait knows this.  Don’t even think about it.

When bells go off

My mother always told me to listen to my intuition; something that I have learned was very good advice.  If something doesn't feel right or seem right, don't do it.  If it seems dramatic or not, I usually follow my instinct.  If I like someone; I like them.  If I don't like someone; I don't.  There isn't usually a whole lot of gray area.  If someone comes across as sincere and kind, I'll know it.  If shady, secretive or sneaky, I can usually detect that (unless, as many cases have proven - and you can read about it on the blog - people are just too guarded and disguised to be able to tell).  I'm not always right, but I try to go by instinct.

One of the first weekends that we had our camp put up in November, a guy came to visit who I had seen before, but never had the warm-and-fuzzies for.  He was one of those people who just rubbed me the wrong way.  I quickly found out why; he was a creep.  My friends tell me that I'm too quick to judge sometimes.  But hey, I do.

Creeper dude had been sent to help me earlier in the night to go and pick up one of our friends from the main road.  It was after the big rains and we needed a 4 wheel drive to get in and out of the area.  So, we went in Creep's car.  The minute we got away from the camp, he had his hand on my leg, telling me how attractive I am, and why don't I have a boyfriend, etc.  I totally brushed him off.  We went back to the camp and everything was ok.  Our friends stayed for a few hours and left.

I'm the only single girl in our camp.  My tent is the one (that shouldn't be, but is) on the outskirts of the camp, closest to the parking opening.  My tent should really be inside somewhere, nestled between the guys' tents, so it would be more secure.  But it isn't.  It has only bothered me on this one occasion; and that was one night when I went to sleep before everyone else and they moved on into the big tent (where the music was so loud that you couldn't hear a thing outside).

Creeper dude must have seen me go to my tent.  Everybody knows that I sleep earlier than everyone.  Now, in Arab culture, when you approach someone'st tent, you approach from the front and announce yourself. Most of my camp buddies cough or clear their throats (or shout rude names for sport).  I was alone in my tent, changing my clothes when I heard someone call my name from the side of the tent.  I didn't know that the tent's side door wasn't tied down.  Half Creep's body was inside my tent and he was watching me undress!  I had a fit.  I called my friend, MO (basically the Ring Master for our entire little circus) who immediately came over and reassured me that they had kicked Creep out of the camp and he would never be returning. (MO's girlfriend later told me that Creep had walked into her/MO's tent unannounced earlier the same night when she was half-dressed as well!)  MO said he and our guy friends would "have words" with Creep (I've seen their "words" before - up to hospitalization.)  They offered to switch my tent with one of the other guys.  They tied down and locked all the openings on my tent.  It was all good.

I've known MO for 10 years.  He's like a brother to me.  I adore him.  I've never had a fight with him about anything. Not small.  Not large.  He is someone who automatically understands my moods and my concerns, and acts on them without being asked.  When I travel, he hands me money (not that I need it or I want to accept it, but because it makes him feel better).  When I'm sick, he brings me, or orders me food or sends friends to check on me.  He takes me to the doctor.  He checks on me if he hasn't heard from me.  He gets my car fixed.  His family is my family.  His girlfriend is a dear friend.   He has a huge (and I do mean huge) circle of friends who have become my friends and invited me to their homes and into their families.  There is love and mutual admiration.

Back to my story....

So now, almost 3 months later, I went to the camp as usual.  All the friends were happy and chatting.  I went to my tent for something and one of the guys called and said that Creep was on his way over to the camp!!! They said they missed him and wanted to talk to him.  I had a FIT.  I don't like the caller anyways, so I hung up on him.

I went to the big tent to find MO,  who got angry at ME.  He thought I was overreacting and that I should talk to him later about it.

 I now listen to alarms in my head.  Respect is a big deal to me ("overreacting" or not).  Surprisingly (to even me), it took me less than 15 minutes to load all my stuff (sans furniture, of course) and dog and dog-belongings into my car and leave.   I don't take personal safety for granted (and you can refer to "Not Without My Camaro" for a case study).  If there was to be a creep in the camp and no one was going to be there for me, I was out of there.  No one tried to stop me.  No one came to help me.  The metaphor of "quietly packing up the tent and moving under darkness of night" applied to me.

I'm trying to gauge my own reaction:  was it OTT-me being dramatic, or a 4-department alarm?  I question everything and in "girl style," analyze the crap out of a situation until it almost makes no more sense to me.  I do take my safety very seriously.  I think if we, as women, let something go once, a creep will take it as an indication that he can advance.

What I never expected was that the situation with Creep would affect my friendship with MO.  Never in a million years.  This is a guy who has had my back for the past 10 years.  It went without question that he would think of me first.   I value our friendship very much, so I think it was worthy to talk it out.  I called him immediately the next day to talk.  I send SMSs to tell him that I love him and maybe it was just a snap decision and there was something I was missing or didn't understand.  (Take the higher road and just do it.)

So why hasn't he returned any of my calls?  Why didn't he come after me that night? Why didn't he send me messages in the morning?  Why didn't he understand my concern?  Why would he have ever considered inviting the guy back again?  I don't get it.  Creep didn't just do it to me, he did it to MO's girlfriend also.  He's a peeping Tom and who-knows-what-else.

I hate that I'm not going to go back to the camp again. It was my happy place.  What about my baby, Paco? What is going to happen to him?  What about my extended group of friends?  Will I not be included in the group anymore?  Sadness.

But ....  everything in life is a blessing from God.  You might not always know why.  Maybe something bad would have happened on the road on a weekend-to-come.  Maybe I am meant to be at another place and meet other people or do other things.  Maybe I shouldn't depend so heavily on people.  Maybe there is another lesson to be had.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens with MO.  I read his tarot the night before this all happened and it said that he is having petty arguments with many of his friends and family now and it is a situation that will continue until he can take a step away from it and re-evaluate things (like to travel and get a different perspective).  I could see by his facial expressions that I was correct.  He sent me an SMS this week saying that he was very tired and moody and that he would be in touch with me soon to talk.  I do value him; he is important to me.  I just wonder if waiting to talk is a good idea for me.  Once hurt, I tend to retreat and it is not a good thing for long-lasting friendships/relationships.  Once broken, the plate is hard to glue back together.  I'm usually on to something new.

I think I'll go visit my old old old old friends this weekend.  Recharge.

DG's Thoughts on Kuwait's Archaic Tenancy Law

Ok, now let me discuss my thoughts on Kuwait's archaic tenancy law:  It sucks.

There is rampant discrimination (because landlords CAN because there are NO LAWS AGAINST IT).

• Single woman (of any nationality/race)?  You're a prostitute.  Forget about the apartment, whore! 
• Single man (of any nationality/race)? You party all night and bring in prostitutes (who don't have their own apartments because no one will rent to them). You will also make it a "den of vice" bringing in gambling and alcoholism and possibly even drugs.  The landlord's daughters are not safe.  You are The Devil.
• Kuwaiti single man or woman:  Forget it.  You're just shit out of luck.  Why don't you live with your family?  Something is wrong with you!  Why doesn't your father want you at home?  What did you do? 
• Kuwaiti families?  No way.  You will trash the apartment and make noise all night, and your kids will run around screaming and marking up all the walls,  and your entire family will leave all your shoes in the hallway (ok, that last part is true, regardless.  I'm still going around hunting for pairs of size 9 Jimmy Choos, but all I'm finding are crappy slippers).  

So, what do you see in ALL the ads?  "Westerners only".  And even if you see "Foreigners Only" it still means "Westerners" because if you are from many other countries of the world (and there are a few more), they'll just turn up their nose at you like you're going to be consistently late on your rent or divide their property into many little cells (with corrugated steel walls) so that you can sublet to your hundred friends and all of y'alls will cook fish 24/7 (I like fish, by the way.)

"There goes the neighborhood..."

Housing discrimination.  In the US it is a crime.  It should be a crime here.

There should be a proper tenancy law to protect both the landlord and the renters PROPERLY.  There should be rent caps and anti-discrimination clauses.  (I've been looking for the Kuwait Tenancy Law online and I haven't been able to find one.  I've got a book called "Everything You Need to Know About Kuwaiti Laws" which contains the law.  I got it at Muthanna Book Store ages ago.)

Anyhooser, people are starting to talk about update of the Kuwait Tenancy Law since rents are skyrocketing (also known as GREED) and everybody here is suffering; even the greedy who have lots of empty apartments (known as the "cut off your nose to spite your face" method of property ownership.  They would rather have it empty for a year and half than to come down off that magical number - like 900kd for a 2 bedroom "ultra deluxe" (by whose standard???) apartment.

So what do you do?  Set up a tent?  No, because the frickin Municipality has some kind of mental telepathy and can tell when anyone is even close to passing wind on or around government land.  It is called, "encroaching".  They have bulldozers (brought in by quiet and stealth black helicopters when no one ever sees/hears them); they appear from nowhere with one extremely mean guy in a distasha who barks non-sensical things and waves papers frantically;  Scares the shit out of you.  It is meant to daze and confuse.  So just forget the tent idea.  It isn't going to work.  Oh, all this paragraph also pertains to planting seedlings and/or flowers or foliage.  Just pop in a petunia anywhere and see what I mean;  black helicopters and bulldozers, my friends.  Yup.  You heard it from me.

Oh no he di' in't!

I get a text message this morning from a casual friend saying that he can't sign on an apartment that he wants because he's Kuwaiti and they only rent to foreigners; and will I sign his lease.

[Ok, I will get into my thoughts on Kuwait's blatantly racist (often against their own people)  housing practices in a moment, but let me start on the topic first of ....]

Oh My God, he did not just send me that on an SMS, did he?  You couldn't just drop by and ask me in person?  But a text message after I haven't seen you in what... weeks?  Please!  Oh yeah, and ya KNEW I was sick and there were no offers of chicken soup or helping ME in any way/shape/form.

First of all, we are casual friends.  Really casual.  We share a singular interest and that's it.  We're not involved in a romantic relationship.  We're not in love.  We don't date.  He doesn't know my friends and I don't know his friends.  I thought, at first, that perhaps we could have all that, but I realized early on after he stated that he is a "single guy and doesn't want to be tied down."  Hey - who's tying you down.  Fly and be free, little butterfly...  I do like him and he likes me and we talk once in a while.

But.... I don't know him well.  I know him CASUALLY.  I don't know his family.  I don't know (fer sure) what he does on the weekends.  I don't know who his friends are or who he might be bringing to my (if I should sign a lease) apartment.  It's not going to happen.

You know, "taking advantage" or "masla7a" (Kuwaiti word for the same) is a strong term and I hate to use it with people I like, but it is exactly that.

People take advantage.  Push to see how far you can get.  Get one over.  It always surprises me when someone actually has the balls to ask for things (whether I know in advance that they are outrageous requests - or whether I later discover are outrageous requests).

I'm a giving person.  It is in my personality and perhaps that is a downfall, but I find satisfaction/gratification to helping others (to a phucking EXTENT).  Don't push me, mofo.

In Apartment Dude's case, I could have shot him down or said mean things (or even signed the lease and then sold all of his stuff and moved), but I handled it very diplomatically and said that perhaps if we were ever in a serious relationship in the future when I had met his family and friends, gone out to meals with him in public, felt comfortable and trusted him, and would actually get to someday SEE the apartment I was signing on, then I would reconsider.

And now, let's get to those people who want me to carry back heavy shit on the plane.  When I ask, "Would you like anything from the States?" it usually to be polite (like asking "How are you?" You really don't want a real answer, it is more of a courtesy question)  - or - if I can get something that is small and you can't find in Kuwait.  I'm not talking about carrying back car parts, computers, commercial items in volume for your business (when you can find it down the street in KUWAIT for slightly more money).  Sometimes I don't even offer and I get the questions.  No, I can't bring back a frickin transmission for your 19-some-shit Chevy shitbox.  No, I don't want to bring back 300 bottles of Essie nail polish (that was a cheap move by the way) when it is at Jashamal for a little more and you know it (I do now!).  No, I'm not going to carry back a laptop, or a 4lb bottle of car spray-wax or 20 books.  Uh NO - I'm not going to front you $1500 for the UGLIEST Burberry bag I've ever seen in my life and then bring it back for you.

Here goes, freeloaders:  ARAMEX SHOP and SHIP.  SULTAN CENTER "JUST ASK" SERVICE.  What is your problem?

Do people even get the airline's baggage policies and how much they charge.  I bring back 2 suitcases of MY STUFF every time I travel.  I fly United:  First bag is free, second bag is $100. I weigh (with a baggage scale) 50lbs each (23kilos) of MY STUFF.  Now, if you're springs for your Cadillac - which will actually fit into a suitcase - weigh an additional 50 kilos, the third bag costs $200 (around 57dinars).  Or, for all those "small items" combined, it would still run me an additional $200 that I end up paying.

No more Ms. Nice Girl.  I'm out.

Busted Again.... and Again

It should come as no shock to me now that people have figured out my true identity.  I've been doing this for so long and there are so many "clues" throughout the posts that it is pretty obvious, but still, ok.... it is still surprising to me when people walk up and say, "Are you Desert Girl?" and strike up a nice (always nice!) conversation.

Last week, I was getting Peealot his vaccinations and a lovely woman and her husband walked up and asked.  See, this is why I blog.  I love the compliments and people who take the time to thank me for little things.  Gratitude is a powerful thing, I always say, and it works both ways.  A few words mean so much and it made my day/week.  Love it!  Thank you, A!  You are too sweet and I hope that you and your family are enjoying your adventure here.

I also went to see The Messila Gang (Desert Guy's cousins/friends) this weekend and my friend, Posh (that's your new name, girl) and her man (I'm just going to go ahead and do something silly and call him "Becks" as his name begins with a B and that's who Posh is with, right?), Becks, were giving me funny looks.  Now, I'm no stranger to funny looks by any means.  I get them all the time.  But these two looked downright mischievious.  Tee hee.  Posh is a reader.  Who knew?   She's not just pretty and elegant, but girlfriend is intelligent enough to have some of my characters figured out (like Puppy Dude).  We had a lot of laughs that night.    (Not too much chance - for many reasons -  that Puppy Dude will read blogs.  Whew!)

Peealot is sick at the moment.  He eats everything/anything without even chewing; just gulps and it's gone.  IVH's x-ray machine was on the fritz this weekend, so we couldn't see 'zactly what is down in there, but I'm guessing it is either coinage or some form of plastic.  Either way, he's sick and it is like having a sick child.  I hate it.  Desert Dawg continues to be a sincere biotch to him.  At first, I thought that Mikey was being too rough with her (she's so much smaller and frailer than he is), but then after talking to my sister who went though a similar situation with her old bitch and young puppy; that perhaps it wasn't the rough boy's fault.  I paid more attention and sure enough, that little bitch, DD, is snapping at him even if he's across the room and looks at her!  WTF.  She's just downright ornery.  She bites him and growls and barks at him.  Eventually (so says my sister) she will get used to it, but for now, she's just being evil.  I'm trying to give them both equal attention.

I had a forced-quiet weekend.  Not that I wanted it that way.  With 3 days off, I thought I could finally get down to the camp and spend some time with "nature" (that's what I call Jose Cuervo combined with my friends).  I've been so sick since I got back her on the 2nd that I just couldn't do it.  Forget about spending the night in the tent; no way.  And what's with this weather???  I haven't seen so much rain in the winter in like... ever.  Every weekend, my tent smells like cat pee from the damp.  It's just nas-teh.   Anyhooo, not that I would spend the night (or even a lot of time in the cold) because I've had bronchitis.  I get tired doing even mundane tasks (like mopping up puppy pee - more on that in a moment).  I finally gave in and went back to my doctor (for the 3rd time in as many weeks) and got a shot in the ass (literally) of B12 so I would have more energy.  Then, I ate all the vitamins in my medicine cabinet.  I actually feel a LOT better this morning.

Puppy pee (because I know you've been waiting for this, right?):  So, while at IVH, I asked their trainer about the persistent pee problem (PPP or P3 to be accurate).  P3 is like this:  Dude makes a little puddle and then, like he can't turn off the faucet, walks around creating a lovely stream of pee drops throughout my house and in the yard.  NO!  He hasn't figured out the Art of Housetraining yet.  So, I asked the trainer.  He said that it is normal (I thought it was a boy-thing that I didn't know about and apparently it is), and that at age  6 to 8 months, he'll stop.  WHAT????!  6 to 8 months???  We'll all drown!  it will be like going down on the Titanic.  THAT MUCH pee!  As it is, I follow him around with a mop and a bucket.  I buy more lavendar-scented cleaner than the stores here can stock (but it smells sooooo pretty and not at all like pee...).  How am I going to endure this for 3 to 5 more months?  I'll surely perish!  Yikes.  The dogs I've had have always learned in under a month.  This guy just does whatever the F he feels like.  I'm like, "MIKEEEEEY!!! You're not finished!  Complete the pee!"  Why the trail?  RRRR. 

So this weekend, I went to Banta where they sell washable, inexpensive carpets. I can throw the entire thing in my washing machine whenever I want.  The carpet cleaners I've found here are expensive (20kd per carpet - even the small ones - eeek). I'm lovin' Banta.  Ikea used to have cotton carpets, but it seems that they don't make them anymore.

(Why do people read my mundane ranting?  I don't get it.  Are you still with me?  Really?)

Ok, so while I was at the camp this weekend (while the weather was sunny and dry for like 2.5 nanoseconds), I taped Paco (my goat) and Mikey playing.  They have a bromance.  They're in puppy/goat love.   Paco sees Mikey from a distance and runs right over to him and starts his dance.  I love it.  They're so cute.  (Now THIS here is entertainment, y'alls.)  I would keep Paco in my house if I could get away with it.  He's dog-sized anyways and pees very neatly.  Baaaaaaaaa

(It's not poor sound quality you're hearing - it is our bigass generator in the background and of course the lovely prayer call that reminds us all to pray at the crack of dawn (when we're going to sleep); courtesy of the very considerate neighbors in the camp across the road.  Thank you so much.)

People who talk about their kids all the time nauseate me

(Faked puking noises)

Ok so I get it. I really do.  Your child if fascinating and you want to share your experiences(especially with friends).  But... THEY DON'T GIVE A CRAP.  They don't.  I'll give it a limit of maybe 5 stories (or stories shared over several visits/lunches/dinners intended to be catching up sessions with your friends.)  That's it.  After that, eyes glaze over and you can't get a glass of wine in this country so there is NO ESCAPE.  (I'm ranting, right?)

But this is MY blog and you can stop reading.  You don't have to listen to me go on and you're not paying for my lunch, so shut up.

Let's talk about my baby, Mike Peealot!

So, last night was the first time he had experienced (lots of) grass (like the kind that you find in gardens and golf courses).  I love re-visiting the same old common things that we take for granted every day through the eyes of either a newcomer or a first-time experience of another (in this case) creature.  He ran a straight line with his head down and his mouth open as if he was scooping up water.  I think he was taking in all the new smells and feel of the cold grass.  He stopped every once in a while to roll around in it and was thoroughly happy.  I'm trying to train him (OMG he is STRONG at 3 months!) so I am trying to take him out when there are only a few people around so he won't be distracted  (also so he doesn't knock down any little old ladies with his sheer force). So far, he is extremely focused (which is great since he is still so young) and doesn't care about kids, other animals (even including cats). I think perhaps socializing him with Desert Dawg has helped in that regard.  She is not only semi-human, but also catlike and a little old lady.

I took him home from the park (yes, we have those in Kuwait) and thought (mistakenly) that he would be tired.  Ha!  He slept for a while and I woke at 1:00 am to the sounds of what I thought were distant gunshots.  Pop!  Pop!  Pop pop!  I went out (had to put on my flip-flops first to avoid puppy pee puddles) in the living room (armed with my AK - ha ha, just kidding - or not.  Don't come to my house late a night without calling first.) and discovered that Mikey had taken a sheet of large bubble wrap out of the trash.  WHO can resist bubble wrap??  I axe ya.  He had the sheet between his humungous front paws and was popping the bubbles one at a time like a little kid.

I love this little guy.  He's pure joy and thinks the world is his toy.

Speaking of toys - I got him the COOLEST dog toy EVER (at BBB).  It is called, "The Doggy Bag."  It is harder than Hell to get batteries into, but once you're in, it will keep your dog busy for hours.  I had to take it away from MP because he was barking so loud at it. It is a ball in a burlap bag that it motion-activated. It bounces, barks, makes panting noises.  Hilarious.  I couldn't install the batteries, so I took it to our Director of IT (why bother a tech when you can irritate a Director?) and asked him to do it for me ('You have all the right tools.' yes, he does.)  He asked me what it was.   I told him. 'Can you help me fix my ball?'  He said it added a new definition of "scared the crap out of me." He didn't think that he had installed the batteries right because it wasn't doing anything and then all of a sudden it stared shaking around and barking at him (in his office!)  ha.  I love that.  If I knew it would get that reaction, I swear I would have done it to him intentionally just for giggles.


Hey, don't judge me!
Keep your inner child alive!

Another cool thing I found in the States was a LED-lit dog leash (at a whopping cost of $5).  They are coming up with some COOL items.  I just grabbed one (I should have bought a bunch) because it is PINK.  Yes, Mike does look kind of weird walking around with a hot pink leash - not very masculine - but I don't care.  It's AWWWWESOME.

They never had these things when I was a kid. Well, even when Desert Dawg was a puppy.  I'm having so much fun with this.

Rough Re-Entry

I had a great time in the States.  Everything was perfect; the family, the weather, the Christmas decorations... the total package.  I caught up with some old friends and had a lot of giggles. I spent a lot of time with my mommy.   I finally opened the bottle of champagne that my dad gave me on my 18th birthday.  I had been saving it for a time in my life when I was really happy.  Mashallah, I am happy.  Although champagne THAT old (no, I'm not giving my age away) tastes like pee (just guessing).  It was not a good taste.  Props to my dad, however. Thank you, Daddy.

(I didn't drink tequila until I got back to Kuwait, by the way.  I know - totally unusual, but I was into Irish Coffees and French Martinis.  What can I say?  I'm international.)

So on the horrendously overbooked United Airlines flight on the return to Kuwait (packin' 'em in 4 times a week rather than on a previously-daily schedule), I sat next to Hack-and-Spew Man.  He hurled up loogies at an alarming rate, constantly, for the 12.5 hour flight;  Making MY re-entry into Kuwait not a pleasant one. H&S Man infuckted me.  I'm a lady, however, and never hock loogies.  It's rude and not done in polite society, n'est pas?  I got away with a very bad 3-day-long headache, fever,  runny nose (red and cracking from tissue abuse), and then, stomach problems.  Oh joy.

I was okay for about 5 hours when I arrived to Kuwait; including the ride home with a gorgeous man sent by my friend who had an emergency and couldn't pick me up.  (Send MORE!)  I admit, I was miffed when I heard he wasn't coming.  I had thought that for once, I would be greeted by a group of my friends and that one of them might even have a flower. That is my dream; on this side or in the States.  Just one flower or a balloon when I get there.  Why not?  But alas, tall gorgeous CID man driving a Merc G series (black, bien sur) had to do. Too bad he's married.  Dayum.

Let me back up a little:  I could have started getting sick the day I received an SMS from a friend announcing the reduced speed limits in Kuwait.  Twas the night after Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was spared as I shouted, "WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUCK!"  (My mother thought someone had died.)  Yes, they have reversed the decision now (thank you!), but not before I had a mild cardiac arrest and started looking at 10 year old Lancers for sale.  Why should I drive a Camaro if I can only go 100kph on the highway?  That's like a rural road in the US - NOT why I came to Kuwait.  Yeah yeah, it would save lives, blah blah blah... but many States in the US are even raising the speed limits (again, in rural areas).  At Kuwait gas prices, let dem horsies RUN!

My friend, E, kept my baby while I was out of town (the car).  I was a little concerned about it until I got back to discover how much work he had done on it (maintenance stuff and a little damage from a ding I got on Bidaa Roundabout).  So nice.  I've been helping him with a little banking issue in the States that I finally managed to get finalized.  I don't know if we're even, but I got him his $20K so perhaps.  That should cover it, right?

I saw the Kuwaiti family when I returned, but I was so sick that most of it was a blur.  They know I love fish and made it special for me, but when your stomach is doing flip-flops, fish is the last thing you want to see.  It was great regardless.  I love that family so much.

Clean/Dirty was there.  Something is happening with him.  I knew he would eventually feel guilty and like everything you do, it comes back around. His 2 brothers didn't give him "permission" to talk to me; they still sit on both sides of me and are still very protective (which I find cute and ironic at the same time).   He wanted me to take his car (mine's a manual gear) because I didn't feel good and he thought it would be easier for me to drive.  I don't know what that was all about, but he insisted on it.  I insisted on driving my car.  What does he want?  Pshhhh (she said with a head-toss to the side).

My friend, CG, stayed with my dogs while I was gone.  That woman is a saint.  Desert Dawg is no problem, but the new one is Hell on paws.  He's like a teen-aged boy.  He's pushing 3 months old now (his 2nd ear just went up) and everything is a toy; including water dishes which he likes to slap his paw in and eventually knock over.  His Indian name is Pee-a-lot.  I swear, if I turn around for 2 seconds, there is a new puddle.  (Thank you SO much, CG!!!)   He knows he's being naughty; he gets the guilty look.  He is fine in the desert when he's away from DD (really obedient and submissive), so I think it might be a jealousy thing.  We are going through the transition phase in our little family; everybody is getting to know each other.  DD isn't enjoying it; although when she's not getting negative attention from Sir Pee-a-Lot, she'll run over to him until he bops her again with his gigantic paw; like a club.  He's almost got a complete understanding of "speak" and "don't speak" on command.  He's really a smart guy, Mashallah.  He's from very good stock.  His parents are valued at around 6,000KD a piece (champion line).  I got lucky with the little shyt (Mashallah).

DD is pushing her 17th year now.  I had planned to get a GS after she went.   As my friend, Hmood said, "Maybe he came to you as a blessing the way he did."  He just kind of fell into my care when I didn't expect it.  My sister has told me something similar before; to prepare myself and that it might be better to get a puppy before it happens.  Personally, after 17 years with any living creature, I don't think there is any way to prepare.  It is going to be awful.  I'm getting more emotional now that I'm almost in my 30's (ha ha, good one, DG!).

Anyways, dog-story-short, I've got a cranky bitch and a puppy that pees constantly (and not in a neat little puddle, but more of a puddle and stream-trail) and dealing with all that crap (and I mean that quite literally) just is no good when you have the flu and are tired and jet-laggy-assed and you have a headache and no one is calling you to bring you frickin soup (yeah, I remember, girl - thanks for the memories) or sending PINK FRICKIN ROSES, damn it. OOOOOOOH SAAAAA, Desert Disaster.  It otay.

It is 2014 and you are blessed.  You is smart.  You is kind.  You is important. (You guys too!)

2013 in Review

2013 has been an interesting year for me.  I don't know what it was about this year, but I lost a lot of friends.  I also gained new ones and re-discovered a few old ones.

I lost several friends to illness; like my dear friend, Jaime, who passed away of liver problems.  She went to the US with her family from Vietnam in 1975 as a baby.  She was one of my crazy friends; most of her friends were Vietnamese gangsters and that made for some "interesting" situations.  I felt (feel) guilty because I didn't call her and hadn't seen her in many years.

Other friends, like The Romanian, I lost to "friendship complications" (and I'll leave it at that).  She was a long-term BFF  of 16 years, so it was very traumatic for me.

Then, there was the love loss of Mr. Clean/Dirty.  I had a really hard time recovering from him and I've had to stop waiting for the apology that will never come.  (He's told his family how bad he feels, but he's never said it to me directly.)

Business was a mixed batch this year too.  Although we won a little business, we lost a lot.  I felt a lot of responsibility towards quite a few of our employees on a contract we had held for many years. I obsessed over minute details of the re-bid proposal, which we were destined to lose to a cheaper bidder.  When we did and people lost their jobs, it hit me hard and I don't think I realized how much stress I'd been under until I got here to the States and took several steps back.  People have been gracious and kind about it even through their hardships, "Don't worry.  Everything is in God's hands..."  I tried my best, honestly.

On the positive side, I have learned who true friends are who were in the background for years and I never worked on being closer with.  Now that I have, I regret not knowing sooner how fiercely loyal they are and how they were there all the time for me.  All I had to do was to reach out - and there they were.

I've gained a family this year.  While things didn't work out with Clean, I gained his family.  I'm considered one of them and his dad has taken me under his wing.  He is my surrogate dad and I'm so happy about it that it is difficult to describe in words.  They've become a support system that I didn't know how badly I was missing.

I've also gained a new family member, Mike.  Mike is a German Shepard puppy that one of my friends bought to breed.  Dude was keeping 1-month-old Mike in a cage, outside, with no blanket or warmth when I volunteered to take him home and train him.  That was over a month ago.  Mikey has settled in permanent now.  Desert Dawg isn't too happy with him, but it might do her good to have a little competition in the house as she has been getting cranky and mean lately.  Several of my friends have remarked that Mike may have come along at the right time since DD is now pushing her 17th year and may not have longer to go.  I don't want to think about that.  I've always wanted a German Shepard and I was planning to get one when the time was right.  This little guy just kind of fell into my lap.  He's smart and he'll make a great companion in my old age.

I would like to say thank you to all you readers (there are like 2 now!) who have taken the time to write nice things to me this past year.  Little kindnesses go a long way and you may not know the value of a few small words, but they have meant a tremendous amount to me.  I do not take the kindness of strangers lightly; you never know when God is sending you angels - which is exactly how I feel about all of you.  Kind words are invaluable and there is real power in gratitude, so thank you all so much for your continued virtual friendships; sometimes throughout the years.

And on that note:  If there is anything I can do to help you (or information I can provide that might help you here on the blog) for 2014, please let me know.  I will do my best to try to assist.

May you all have a happy, healthy, prosperous, and love-filled 2014.  God bless you all and keep you safe.

Almost Cwimmas

I'm in Virginia with the fam.  There is still snow on the ground from last week, but today they said it will get up to 60 degrees, so that will all go.  It is so nice to be here, but of course I miss all my peeps in Kuwait.  Everything is all Christmassy and pretty here.  Mashallah, I'm happy.

I'll write more later when I'm not cutting into my shopping time.

Happy Birthday, Reyadh-O

I would like to say a special  happy birthday to my friend, Reyadh, at Al Boom Dive Center.

I've known Reyadh since I was 18 years old when he was just starting his career as a diver.  That was a while ago... (I am not going to date either one of us by revealing HOW long ago, but it has been a  little while).

We've been through a lot of ups and downs and we are still life-long friends.  He taught me much of what I know about Kuwait through kindness and generosity; as did his family.  I sincerely regret never having had the opportunity to meet his mother in person (God rest her soul), but she is someone who has made an impact on my life and I think of her whenever I drive by Daiya.  She was a kind woman who welcomed me into their family.

I am still friends with some of Reyadh and my mutual friends.  I still see them as young 20-somethings as students; hanging out in clubs, driving cool cars, being cool in general.  I was one of the gang.  I cooked for them, helped them with stupid things like problems with neighbors or bank accounts, and invited them to meet my family (hopefully extending a little American hospitality).

I was driving down the Gulf Road, many years later, when a ranking officer in a fire truck leaned out the window and say, "(Desert Girl)!  Is that YOU?"  I see him in the newspapers sometimes these days.  The hair is a little different, but they are just older cool guys now.

Reyadh was dear to my family.   They all expected him to be part of us forever, but we took different paths in life.  I am thankful that he is so happy and he has so many wonderful blessings in his life (hey - including a friend like ME!)  He has (Mashallah) 7 children and a job that he loves working on the sea.  He's extremely popular in diving circles and (again Mashallah) has many friends throughout the world now.

So to you, Schmed:  I will always remember you as that cool 24-year old guy with the sports car and the awesome group of friends.  The apartment in Rockville and Saleh's house guest who broke the toilet trying to squat on it Arabic-style.  Traveling to see Sami and Talal in LA.  Taking the boat to that little island in Hawaii.  Bob's Big Boy.   Daytona beach.  Hanging with my dad in Baltimore.  Fetah's major crush on my sister.   My mom's fierce loyalty to you.  Defending you when your downstairs neighbor said, "You Arabs are cooking in your living room."  You defending me from the Monster.  Salah cooking mowish and Shannon hating it. ... and many more years of endearing memories that I owe to you.

Happy birthday, dear friend. I hope to be wishing you the same well into our '90's!

I WANT IT!

Is it in Kuwait?  Is it?  Is it?

Animal Care: WATER!!!

So this weekend, I was at my camp.  We have a friend who just added a tent (our camp has now become an expansive "compound" with more friends adding more tents all over the place.  More on that later).  Anyhoo, new dude brought 2 dogs with him:  His prized English bulldog and a French bulldog (I could tell causa their accents and one wore a beret).  The English bulldog got to sleep in his tent. I don't know why he didn't let the French bulldog sleep inside too (maybe because he was trying to hump the little guy all night, doggy style; come to think of it, also known as "French-style" so either way, it makes sense.).  Anyways, Dewy (French dog), was tied outside to one of the tent stakes.  Well, it gets hot in the morning and Dewy was out there with his little pug face in a hot pant with NO WATER.

Ok people, but to me (and I'm sure others) -- this is just animal abuse.  You do not leave an animal (ANY animal) in your care without water.  You wouldn't do it to your kids (well shet - maybe a lot of people over here might...).  Anyways, Dewy was so hot that he was trying to dig up the tent stake so he could set himself free.  I got him some water and moved him into the shade.  [I also replaced the chain/wire that was around his neck with a proper collar and leash (I keep them in my car just in case I have to rescue some critter.)]

Then, prized English bulldog came out when the owner woke up. Dude tied him up and again - NO WATER.  WTF. Pugs and bulldogs are NOT good breeds for Kuwait anyways:  It is too hot here and they have breathing problems to begin with because of their short snouts. (United Airlines even refuses to fly them during hotter seasons of the year because of the risk.)  Without water, they can die very quickly.

One time, I was at the Friday Market (I believe it was around 1998 - the last time, I vowed, ever to go there again).  There were a bunch of dogs in small cages, panting heavily and looking near-death.  I asked seller dudes where the water was.  They pointed to empty plastic water bottles littering the ground.  Uh... noooo.... unacceptable.  I went and bought a plastic container, filled it with water, and brought it over to the dogs.  Phucking ridiculous.

When I was 10, my evil step-father came to pull me out of school because I had forgotten to give my dog water that morning.  He totally humiliated me in front of the whole class.  I never did it again.  Maybe what these people need is a good, healthy dose of humiliation.

Always, always, always have fresh water available for your pets and livestock.  It is just common sense.  How would you feel?

Kuwait bride jumps from moving car after divorce threat

Seriously, is the dog worth it???

 (No insult intended towards dogs.)

Divorce rates in Kuwait have reached alarming levels

Gulf News

By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief

Published: 13:04 November 27, 2013

Manama: The spectre of divorce has led a two-week bride in Kuwait to throw herself out of a moving car. The newlyweds were out on a drive alongside the esplanade in the capital Kuwait City when they had an argument.

When the husband threatened to divorce his wife, she opened the door of the moving car and threw herself out, local daily Al Rai reported on Wednesday. Fortunately, she was not hurt and was able to run away from the vehicle, leaving the husband perplexed. Unable to follow her, he headed to the police station in the posh area of Salmiya (Really??  Has the author ever been to Salmiya??) and informed the officers about the incident.

Contacted by the police, the wife said that she could not control herself when he raised the possibility of divorce and that she threw herself out of the car as she panicked.

She added that she deeply loved him and that she could not bear the thought of being without him. Comments on the daily’s site expressed mainly dismay over the events.

 “Today’s young people have become totally irresponsible,” a user writing under the moniker “Patriot” posted. “In the past, couples spent up to 30 years together without either spouse uttering the divorce word. Now, two weeks into their marriage, the man mentions divorce and the woman throws herself out of a moving car.”

Another user said that “marriage is not a game to be taken lightly” and “people should truly appreciate its significance.”

Divorce figures in Kuwait have reached alarming levels despite state efforts to curb the phenomenon by promoting awareness campaigns and introducing pre-wedding counselling sessions to guide and advise future couples.

Official statistics indicate that the highest divorce figures were among couples who held intermediate school certificates, followed by couples with high school diplomas.

Couples with university qualifications had the lowest rate of divorce in the country.

--- End ----

The Desert Girl School of Pre-Marriage Counseling

Rule #1:   Bitch please, put a lot of money in the termination of marriage clause.  Low mahar/high out-clause.  "Don't get mad, get everything."  Make sure you write enough in there, so you can take yourself to a nice spa somewhere - maybe even buy a home in a vacation spot.   Write in that if he wants to divorce you, you want jewelry and maybe a sports car (wouldn't THAT be a thang:  He wants to divorce you, but has to buy you a 5K rock and a hot car first!)  Write in all the things that make YOU happy, girlfriend!  Maybe a little some-in, some-in for your moms too.   Then, once you're married, if he ever says the D word -  remind him of this:  "Yala, divorce me and pay up or shut up!"

Throw yourself from a moving car?  Why????

Ethiopia bans housemaids from working in Kuwait: And more on Domestic Helpers in Kuwait

And another nation opts out....

Kuwait times, 26 November 2013

Ethiopia bans housemaids from working in Kuwait

KUWAIT: Ethiopian authorities have banned local domestic workers to travel to Kuwait for work until recruitment procedures as well as regulations that organize the work of recruitment offices and medical tests in Kuwait are reviewed, a local daily reported yesterday, quoting Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor insiders.

Speaking to Annahar on the condition of anonymity, the sources warned that the decision is likely going to increase fees for housemaid recruitment with the number of main markets becoming limited to the Philippines, India and Sri Lanka. Several attempts to contact the Ethiopian embassy to confirm or deny the report were unsuccessful. If true, Ethiopia would join Indonesia which banned domestic workers from traveling to Kuwait in 2009 as well as other southeast Asian countries including Vietnam.

The step would also increase fees that recruitment offices collect which currently ranges between KD 650 and KD 750 to hire a domestic worker from the Philippines, according to the sources. The sources also confirmed that local recruitment offices contacted the interior and social affairs ministries with demands to finalize requirements necessary for Kuwait to sign agreements of understanding with countries that export domestic helpers that protects the rights of both workers and employers.

- - - End - - -

That comes on the heels of stories like this....

Death upheld for Kuwaiti woman

Kuwait Times

KUWAIT: The supreme court upheld yesterday a death sentence against a woman for murdering her Filipina maid after torturing her, and confirmed a 10-year sentence on her disabled husband. The Kuwaiti woman was convicted of premeditated murder based on evidence that she had regularly tortured her maid before driving over her in a remote desert area.  The husband was handed the jail term for “assisting her”, according to a copy of the ruling. The couple were both sentenced to death by the lower court in February last year. Three months later, the appeals court upheld the death penalty against the woman but commuted the sentence against her husband to 10 years in jail.

According to the ruling, the woman beat her maid for several days until her health deteriorated. The couple then took the maid “unconscious” to a remote area in the desert where they threw her from the back seat of the car and then drove over her until she died. More than 100,000 Filipinos, many of them women working as maids, live in Kuwait, where some 600,000 domestic helpers, mostly Asians, are employed.

- - - End - - -

Times are a'changing.  Kuwait is finally getting serious about abuse/violence against domestic helpers (mostly because of international pressure from not only human rights organizations, but from the countries of origin of the helpers), but on the other hand, it is now more difficult to find full-time, live-in maids.   Pretty soon, there will be daycare centers and retirement homes in Kuwait because no one will be able to get a maid to look after the elderly and their kids; or it will just cost too much  (like in the US where you must pay an hourly minimum wage and provide benefits).  

I look at it from both sides:

Point of view of the employer:  My friends are decent and I know that when they tell me that their helpers are doing things like stealing or neglecting their children, I believe them.  They have paid a fee to a recruitment agency and they have to return the helper to an agency and request another helper who they've got to then train and build a relationship of trust with.  That's all very stressful.  When both the mom and dad work, they need someone to take care of the kids and run the house.  For many young Kuwaiti couples (and some that aren't so young), a maid/helper is really a necessity.  It isn't like there is affordable daycare here.  I ask my American friends with full-time, live-in maids and they tell me the same thing; it is difficult to find a good helper.

DG POV:  I know that I would have a really hard time inviting a stranger to live in my home and entrusting her with the care of my dog.  I can't imagine what it would be like entrusting your children to a stranger.  My part-time maid does weird things and I suspect she's trying to do some kind of magic (yeah, it happens).  She leaves long strands of her hair throughout my home (including in my personal items) and it not only grosses me out, but freaks me out at the same time.  A former maid who was working PT for both myself and one of my American friends stole around $10,000 worth of jewelry from me - and stole my friend's diamond engagement ring; then left the country.  She had worked for both of us for years.  If they ever implement employment regulations/pay like they have in the US, I wouldn't be able to afford a maid.  I LIKE that I can afford one here; even have a live-in maid if I chose to do that.

Point of view of the helper:  What if you're sent over here, you don't know the language, you don't know the people you are going to live with, and they all seem demanding and arrogant (and in extreme cases, abusive). You don't have any friends and if you do, you can't get out to see them.   The employer may or may not abide by the law, paying salary on time (or at all), and giving a day off for rest. What do you do?  Who do they call?  The "maid's rooms" in many of these homes is more like a cell.  Or they're asked to sleep somewhere like the living room and roll up their bedding in the morning.  Do that for a few years?  Not me.

I've been here for 17 years and the majority of my friends are Kuwaiti.  Of course, I consider my friends to be good people (if they aren't, I wouldn't stay friends with them).  I've only seen 1 case in all my time here when I went to a friend's home and saw that they were abusive to the maid.   It was 1997 or 1998 and I saw the eldest brother (around 45-50 years old) slap a maid.  He wasn't my friend; it was her family's home where we went for lunch.  It was shocking and I didn't go back. You can usually tell when a maid/helper is happy or not just by looking at them - even at the malls.

I HATE to see domestic helpers dressed in uniforms walking through a mall.  Their low-class employers must consider it chic to have them dressed up and paraded around in public.  I find it disgraceful.  I always want to run up and say, "Who the hell do you think you are?!"  These people are NOT of the upper classes. My friends who are from the Kuwaiti royal family or upper class wouldn't do something like that.  In fact, the people I know treat their employees like friends and the helpers have been with them for many years. My dear sheikha friend has a helper who raised her; and sheikha has no problem telling  you that she did.  She loves her and it is obvious; helper lady smiles and laughs from the heart and often (similar to other helpers I know working for other friends).

One of my friends brought his maid/nanny to the camp last weekend to watch his 3 young boys (it didn't do any good because they are little "skamps" and the oldest almost got his head cut off riding a bungee).  Anyhoo, she had on tight jeans and looked like she as his girlfriend not his nanny... until he asked her to go clean my tent (I had a little hissy fit because someone I didn't know went in there without asking).  One minute girlfriend is sitting around joking with us and the next she's sweeping dirt off my carpet.  She was happy and didn't mind at all.  I brought her a Pepsi.  She seemed to be a very happy domestic helper.

On the other hand, I have an acquaintance who posted a video of an Ethiopian domestic helper walking with a suitcase out of a neighborhood, crying, at 2 am.  He videotaped her as he asked her what had happened (she had been abused in a home that night and was leaving); and then, instead of helping her get to a police station or someone safe, he drove away!  I wouldn't leave an animal on the side of the road and he just drove away!

I can see how countries would ban their workers from going to a place where they had too many complaints.  The next step to that would be to create agreements with the government so that there are enforceable laws in place or measures so that their workers would be protected.  Yeah - kind of like the balls that the Philippines Embassy in Kuwait grew a while back.  Be nice, or we send our help elsewhere.

Butterfly is flying home for good

Many of my readers have gone to Butterfly/Libra for her amazing services including Xtreme Lashes, Hair, Make-up and lately for her outstanding photographic talent.

Well, she's moving along and out of Kuwait on December 12, so if you want to say goodbye, drop her a line before she departs. bflyonthewall@gmail.com.

I am going to miss you, girl.  You've been an dear friend and I will truly truly miss you.

More 2013 Kuwait Flood Photos

I went to my camp this weekend.  I wanted to witness the destruction, basically.  I took the photos below,  4 days after the storm on November 19th.  Likesay, our camp is fine (Mashallah - we were very very lucky)  but there is a lot of destruction all around.  Some of the people (who had just installed their camps only 2 weeks prior) dropped some serious dime on furnishings, electric/lighting, TVs, bathrooms, tents, etc. I really feel for them.  This is temporary living, but just like a flood anywhere, they've got to throw out most of the camp contents and/or try to air out the rest and salvage it.  I don't know if my tent carpets (which got wet from the rain) can be salvaged.  They smell like cat pee. Ew.  Anything that I had left on the floor of my tent was soggy, but no big deal.  It is weird because our camp is not on high ground.  Looking at it, you would think it would have been flooded.  Totally random.

As usual, the Kuwait "media" (if you can even call them that) didn't mention the full story.  My best buddy was IN it on Tuesday (after leaving our camp and trying to head home before it got really bad) and said that lightening was hitting the ground all around him; that he witnessed cars being washed away with occupants inside during flash floods; and last - that he saw a TORNADO funnel (which I have not heard mentioned anywhere - and which would explain a lot of the intermittent/random damage and extremely high winds.  He said that he tried to park his truck (an Avalanche) next to a concrete barrier because the winds were so high that the car was being moved.

I have asked people why the media doesn't report the full story.  The response has been, "They don't want people to worry and become stressed."  Whaaaaat?  Are there not adults in Kuwait?  "The truth?  You can't handle the truth."

There just isn't enough entertainment in Kuwait:  this weekend, there are ponds (not puddles) created by the flood and people took their kids there to picnic next to them!  Some idiots drove their cars through for fun to see if they could make it to the other side.  Ha ha - big fun; many didn't and got stuck in the middle.  That's gonna cost ya...

There is one flood lake that is being pumped on Fahaheel Expressway at Dubaiya.  There is a succession of water tankers sucking out flood water day and night.  And, this weekend, most of the street lamps were out all the way down 30 making it difficult to see if there was mud or debris on the road.  I heard that part of the road washed out further South also (I don't know if any of this has been repaired yet or not).

I loved this guy's camp (photo above).  I liked how he (I'm being sexist and assuming it's a "he") did the lighting and it was a landmark to get to our camp.  Unfortunately, the fence acted like a water barrier and at one point, it looked like a swimming pool. I guestimate there was about 4' (little over a meter, metric people) of water trapped inside.  You can see the water line on the tents in the background.

This (above) is actually the water covering the road that leads down to our camp.  I took the photo as we were driving through in a 4x4.

Storm Pics from 19 November 2013

I didn't take the ones below.  They're floating around the internet

If you don't like my dog, you can get the F out

There are 2 residents in my home:  my dog and I.  WE live there.  It is OUR home, not just mine.  For the past 16 years, people have come and gone from my life and there is one constant being:  Desert Dawg.  She  has been with me through sick and sin, good times and bad, happy and sad.  She really doesn't complain much (unless I try to wake her up in the morning or get in between her and her chicken).  She's always happy to see me.  She puts her head on my chest when I'm sick.  She gives me kisses when I cry.  I occasionally get a hug - but only on her terms.

So, it pisses me off when people come to OUR home and say, "Take 'that' outside.  I don't like it." Emm nooo,  you must have misunderstood the sign on the door that reads:  All guests must be approved by the dog.

I have literally thrown people out of my house for infractions - and I don't care.  I believe that if someone respects you and likes you, then they show caring for what you love.

One of my friends invited people to a party at my house one time.  My rules are simple:  Don't bother the dog, don't bother my neighbors, be polite.  Well, one of the girls that I didn't know didn't like my dog.  Desert Dawg rarely makes noise when she's in any kind of distress, but I heard her yelp.  I walked over and not-very-politely said, "Whoever hurt the dog should leave NOW."  5 minutes later, rude people left.

On the flip side, if my dog doesn't like someone, I don't either.  She's a great judge of character and intuitively knows if people are good or bad.  (And if she loves someone, that's it.  She remembers them and gets upset when they don't come to visit her.)

I had a visitor the other night.  First time in my home.  He sat down and told me to put the dog outside (as IF anyone should tell you to do anything in your own home).  Dawg looked at him strangely.   I made him so uncomfortable that he left a short while later.  I don't put up with any BS on this subject.  'There's the door, now get the F out.'

Now, I have had religious friends who don't want Desert Dawg to touch them and I completely understand that.  My dog even respects them.  All I have to do is give her the commands and she won't go near.  But, there is a polite way to say it and let's be real; if my dog is going to respect your wishes (seriously!) respect mine.  Kindness is different than rudeness.

There is no question.  Love me, love my dog.