Happy Halloween

The day of a lot of parties. We have plenty to attend, me and my little ladybug, mia coccinella, min nyckelpiga.

I guess the end of the day I will have to "scrape" her down from the roof, from all the candy she's been eating.

Memories from Bosnia

When you socialize with death every day, you get used to its presence. Before long, you stop fearing death.

It is painful to witness an animal’s death struggle in front of your eyes. The only thing you can do is cry; cry over your own helplessness. It is cramping, with it’s eyes starring into your own eyes asking for mercy.
I feel doomed over not having the tools of either rescuing or killing the animal. My hands are just empty. I do not have the equipment for anything, not even a jeep were I can quickly transport the suffering animal to shorten its struggle.
Certainly no taxi will allow me to take the animal with me. The peoples’ religion says that if you bring an animal inside, no angels will ever come in.
The only power I have is to pray and walk away from the animal. Praying for a fast death for him. Praying for his soul. Praying that the madness will stop. The feelings of hopelessness and helplessness are killing me slowly and the more I get closer to God, the heavier the burden seems to rest on my shoulders.

To see a dead animal is not a comfortable sight but not as scary as to see the death solidifying its grasp on an animal’s still warm body. The anguish as its soul struggles to leave the carcass that moments before was its vessel. In my stomach I could feel the animal’s angst, worries, fears and horror. It is a terrifying picture I will carry with me for a long time.
I can even still smell the cloaked atmosphere of terror caused by the people’s cruelty. The sense of guilt is knocking on my shoulder.

We are all guilty if we turn away from anything breathing.

A Shelter in Sweden

When I visited the shelter for homeless dogs I was forced to acknowledge one of the humankind’s darker sides. There are people who hate animals and don’t see them as living creatures.
Inside the shelter I saw a mixed dog that they had found in the woods tied to a tree. For how long, no one knows, but he was just skin and bones and very frightened. When rescued, given a bath and food he started to vomit, and up came a piece from a tube and small leaves and sticks.

Dogs with a tough up-bringing can many times be kind of wild. And, as un-patient that we humans can be, we want fast results, even in behavior changes that are deep rooted. We should try to understand that it takes time to build a new trust in an animal that has been abused and we must have insight and the understanding that animals do have memories and feelings.
Animals can show misbelieve through “eating” up the home, or if they are in pain they can growl and bite. But four out of five dogs that bite can be saved, and ultimately be at home in a loving environment. It demands time, of course, knowledge and – love. One love that will be returned a thousand times over.
At the same time we must realize another important factor: Dogs and others are pack animals by nature, and need structure and leadership.
A wise leadership… friendly but firm.

From my first book, Listen when the Animals Talk.

Our Angels Sick and Helpless

When children and animals become sick, you feel so helpless, and upset, and scared.
When adults are starting to feel ill; (most of the time) they get slowly sick and maybe most important, they can communicate. Yesterday Olivia started to look "not feeling" so well. I felt her forehead and it was "ok" then one hour later...boom...high fever, and she looked so helpless.

You become scared, you know the decision is in your hands and time is ticking--will you make the right decision with what kind of help to give her? You call the advice nurse, you take notes of when you gave her Tylenol and checked her temperature--that didn't go down even a couple of hours later--

For the first time we had to take her to the ER to get help, the fever didn't go down, and the zombie look on Olivia was heartbreaking. We got great help and fast, and could return home after one hour.
Our little girl is sleeping with a more peaceful face now, and my heart have stopped feeling helpless. I am so thankful.

Amazing with children and animals. When they get the right treatment they heal so quickly, thank God.

A lot of thoughts went out last night when I was laying awake watching Olivia sleeping and breathing. Parents that are watching over their children that are so sick, and no one knows the outcome, and these little "soldiers" are so brave and are the ones comforting their parents.

Amore!

Runny Nose to Runny Butt

For the first time in her 2 year-old life, Olivia is now going halftime to an International daycare, with main language in Italian. She loves it after getting use to the new people and little friends. But my gosh, where does all these "bugs" come from? She is constantly having something with her back home...fever and from runny nose to runny butt....and those germs are also "in love" with me. Holly Cow, I have never ever had so many infections, and poor Max ( in my belly) is having a hard time sleeping with all my coughing. Most of all, I feel so bad for Olivia, and many times helpless.

But in another way I am very happy and lucky that I have been able to stay home with Olivia-- these 2 years--. Sometimes I think of these mothers and fathers who cannot stay home with their child(ren) for different reasons. In Sweden we are very lucky that the mother can stay home 1 1/2 year with a good paycheck, and I think the father can stay home 4 months with a good paycheck. In US a lot of mothers can just stay home 6 weeks!!!

I talked to a day-caretaker in North Carolina who reported she had to make the phone calls to children’s parent(s) to come and pick up their sick child. The next day the child was back, still sick. Some parent didn’t answer their cell phone the whole day. They told they had been in meetings, or the connection was really bad in the office. [Her request for a work number was met with evasion, no number]. It is a rule in all these centers that sick children should not be brought in until well. Shouldn’t be a rule, but common sense!

A professor at the Karolinska Hospital in Sweden stated that children under two-years old shouldn’t go to day-care centers at all. Only when they reach the age three and four that they are more resistant to infections that run rampant in day-care centers.
In fact, research indicates that for those toddlers under one year of age who regularly attend a day care center, they face a 69 percent higher risk of being hospitalized, compared to children that are kept at home. Between 1 and 2 years old, 47 percent higher risk, 2-3 years old: 41 percent higher risk. And over 3 years old, 8 percent higher risk.

To be sure, children will (and should) get infections as they grow. The Professor said that 6 infections a year/per child is “normal”. But being at a day-care center gave the young toddlers double amount of infections.

It is a hard balance.

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday was my birthday. Already.... cough, cough..... years-old, time goes quickly when you are having fun.

I was touched by so many friends remembering my birthday and thtat they took the time to wish me a Happy Birthday--through cards, phone calls, text messages, e mails--.

From Sweden, Bosnia, Italy, Bahrain, and USA.

My husband had made a great surprise and invited friends to our favorite restaurant. My friend who owns Ribot restaurant had made a wonderful table and the birthday cake was awesome. Big and pink and one candle (thank you)!

I don't want to bragg that my presents were awesome (but they were), I guess I do something right!

Olivia was with us the whole evening until 23:00 and did it with such a greatness, we were so proud over her, our angel.

Posting a picture of our house, our casa.

Thank you all, I love you.

Amore

Our House

How can so many things in a house go against you?
Before moving over we had our eyes on another house but my husband thought that probably that house were to old and would have to old pipes and plumbings. Risky.
So we moved into this new three floor house with five bathrooms and six bedrooms and two living rooms.
That we couldn't get Internet in 2 1/2 month we couldn't blame the house, more the system, and us being "to nice" on the phone to the company. When we showed them our back bone they came and installed Internet the day after.
The cold weather came "over night' and our heat system is just working on first and second floor. Of course, my office with Internet is on the third floor were all the penguins are now having a blast in the cold rooms. Sorry for short e mails!
Our security gate out from here doesn't work so you have to hand push them to get out with your Suburban or Truck. being pregnant it isn't that easy to push, well not yet anyway.
Well we have had everything going in this house from constantly electricity shut down to lightning hitting our house but I have to say we have an awesome landlord who really is trying his best. And he was awesome not to yell at me when I backed into the wall with my Suburban and left a big hole. Ops, blond, pregnant and Swede--lovely combination!

The dogs are digging holes in to the lawn so we have planted bushes to cover up what our miss behaved dogs are/have been doing.

So, old house or new house, doesn't matter when the Mercer family moves in with four dogs a blond wife, well it is not any boring moments here.

PS The snow on top of the Mountains-- that we can see from our windows-- are covered with snow, belissimo.

Already a Groupie

Yesterday evening we went to the NATO Allied Spouses Club hosted International Bazaar, tasting their International Food Court. --Sweden was not hosting anything, well actually I didn't see any Scandinavian country, even if I know they exist here--

It was really fun tasting wine and food..I chose French Crepes with Nutella. Todd of course enjoyed both Hungarian Gulash and later some German Bratwurst. Olivia liked the Bratwurst, too, just not the mustard.

Went around looking at different kind of exhibits and booths, a lot of good wine came home with us. Stocking up 'till Max is born so I can enjoy my collection in celebration!

An amateur "rockband" played classic rock and Olivia enjoyed it so much. She danced and she even went and invited a man (oboy) up to rock and roll with her. Later she wanted to climb up on the stage!

We already got a little rocker!

Amore.

Empty Heart--Huge Heart

After watching the cruel video clip that the organization PETA had made, I totally lost my inspiration to write. Suddenly, nothing else seemed "right" my happiness, other cruelties etc etc. I didn't know what to write about.

That is the danger, to get drowned in to the negative state of mind and forget to start doing something and acknowledge those who does something positive. It is a difficult balance.

I want to thank you all who watched the video clip from the date 16th and forwarded it to friends. Also for you who put it up on your own blog. We cannot forget and we will keep on talking and educating us. We have to talk about things that are uncomfortable and scary. Teach our future, the children, they don't do what, we tell them, they do what we are doing, what they see.

I got an e mail from an American friend that really touched my heart.

I watched the video you attached and it is just sickening.
I've seen one like this back home and the images haunt me still. I tried to click on the link I NEED YOU, however it says the page can not be displayed. Let me know what I need to do in order to help.

There is a small pack of dogs who live on my street. They come and visit us every day. They would make for some nice black and white photos.Skippy, the first dog we took in when we arrived (Italy) appears to have been their "pack leader", so when the pack dogs arrive Skippy goes crazy until we let him out to play or they move on.

Remember the Corgi I told you we took in? Well we
found her a home of her own! She moved in with them on Thursday. Our Italian vet gave her a clean bill of health and her new family picked her up the same day. A husband, wife, an 8 year old girl and 2 year old boy. They fell in love with her and they are doing wonderfully. Yay.

Around the same time I found a puppy laying in the middle of the street, barely able to walk. She's a fox hound mix and about 5 weeks old. I brought her to the vet and she tested positive for Parvo- however she has made an astounding recovery. I'll tell you, she doesn't even look like the same dog anymore. I have her quarantined in one of the bedrooms. She is a little
piglet! She eats a can of puppy food a day. I am watering her through a syringe as she has some trouble lapping up too much air when she drinks from a bowl. In two weeks we return to the vet for new blood tests, and hopefully her first set of vaccines. After which time, I can introduce her to Pepe and Skippy. They sit outside her door and whine, i think because they know she isn't healthy. They are anxiously awaiting meeting her! I'm calling her Polly for now. Once I nurse her back to health I will begin to look for a family for her. (that is of course, if I can bare giving her away...) Kathy.

Cruelty there is no Excuse for this.

I am angry, tired and ......... It is time to stop hiding behind "oh it is to awful I can not watch"
Well I don't want to watch, but if I don't watch and sign on the petition, and get educated, then I am as bad as these men on the video. I have invisible blood on my hands.

You, who wear fur, this could be one of the animals suffering because of you. You can change.

God didn't create us livings to do this or be hiding scared of giving them--the animals-- your voice.

Please, help them by clicking here I NEED YOU

www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp?video=fur_farm&Player=wm&speed=_medS http://www.petatv. com/tvpopup/ video.asp? video=fur_ farm&Player= wm&speed= _med