Poppy

It occurred to me after posting about Luna that I never had an introduction of Poppy. Poppy came to Canada from Korea with my wife's return about a week after Toki arrived. With her getting back and the wedding plans and all, I never actually posted anything about Poppy. Sorry Poppy.
Poppy has had a pretty rough life so here's the story.

Poppy (back then known as Tweety) was found abandoned by the side of the road in Korea at 6 months. A volunteer with an animal rescue site there took her in and put her up on the site. She was adopted by a foreign English teacher who took care of her for the next 4 months but unfortunately was fired from her job and had to go back to the United States. Unable to afford to take Poppy with her, Poppy was again posted on the rescue site. Added to this, the owner had decided to keep Poppy inside for those 4 months because of her fear of strangers and noises. With little exposure to the world during her formative year, she was even more nervous of everything.

Poppy didn't get adopted before her owner had to leave, so she took Poppy to a local veterinarian and asked them to find her a home, telling the shelter that she had just found Poppy on the street. In Korea, by law animals must be held for only 10 days before being euthanized. The volunteers from the rescue site were able to find out where Poppy was located on the 10th day. So Poppy was placed in foster care but needed to find a new home because her foster family was also moving back to United States in a couple of months. That's where my wife stepped in.

She took her in and had her for about 3 months before they both came back to Canada. She was still a bit of a wreck when she got here, but she's really came a long way in that time. Starting from being so afraid of the outside that she would pee while being carried out of the apartment at night, she now absolutely loves going out for walks. She was initially very afraid everyone but within a few weeks she settled down with me and over the past few months she's opened up to our friends when they're over, excited to see them, friends, loving, and not hiding out of sight. She's such a sweet heart and loves nothing more than to sit on my, or my wife's, lap and be near us.

Introducing Luna

Here is the latest member of our family, Luna.

She was seized from a puppy mill in Drummondville, Quebec where she had a tough life and not much contact with people, but we picked her up from Toronto Animal Services and she's come a long way in only a week! She's really starting to warm to us, walks well, is getting house trained (though the cold winter weather doesn't help that), and is starting to play with Toki and Poppy, our other dogs. Plus, she's a cutie.

Adorable!

This is her first time watching TV, she was enthralled.

Sleeping with the pack.

Trying on her newly knitted sweater.

EDIT: Forgot to talk about names. We debated a long time over what to name her. Took us most for the week to decide. Contenders were: Kiwi, Roxy, Peanut, Chickpea, and others. We eventually decided on Luna because: 1) She's french. 2) Her slight off-white coat looks very moon-like. There you have it.

Overheard at McDonald's

While on the topic of McDonald's, I was there the other day and it was fairly clear most of the staff was new and under training. These were two of the conversations going on as I stood there (remember, this McDonald's is inside the subway station).

Woman: Where's the washroom?

Supervisor: Right in the room you got changed.

Woman: Shh. Ya right.

Supervisor: No it is, there's a stall in the room.

Woman: Oh my gosh, seriously? This place is so tiny.

Supervisor: Now, you have to start a new pot as soon as the old one gets down to here.

Man: Ok

Supervisor: The thing about this store is that it's all about the coffee. You run out of coffee, you die.

Man: Ok.

Supervisor: I mean literally die, because the store is so full of customers wanting coffee.

Ha! Literally die.

That is all.

McDonald's Cure

Let's talk McDonald's for a second. Specifically my secret hangover cure.

There's a twenty-four hour McDonald's in the subway station near my place. I don't go there too often, which is good because too much it quite obviously horrible for you, but I will say that it is the best and most convenient pre-emptive hangover cure. The junior chicken sandwich: Fairly small, Only $1.39 + tax, Available, And it prevents hangovers.

If I have one at the end of a party night, I never feel hungover the next day. Since the place is inside the station, it's super convenient, and beyond that, the sandwich is under $1.50, for anyone who blew all their cash for the night can probably still get one with bar change in their pocket.

Of course the best way to prevent a hangover is to not get trashed, but if you do, McDonald's. The other solution I like, which is fairly convenient downtown is the street-meat hotdog. But McDonald's is number one. I don't know, maybe it's the grease.

Groundhog Day 2010

Results:

Balzac Billy - Early Spring
General Beauregard Lee - Early Spring
Malverne Mel - 6 more weeks of winter
Punxsutawney Phil - 6 more weeks of winter
Sir Walter Wally - Early Spring
Staten Island Chuck - Early Spring
Wiarton Willie - 6 more weeks of winter

4 to 3 for early spring. I'd say so, considering that with the ridiculously warm weather in Toronto, I'm still not sure winter ever really started.

My posting of last years results.