G: We've
been enjoying the fabulous weather this last week, although John has
had to start taking anti allergy pills occasionally. Saturday we took
advantage of Izolda's celebration and ritual for Beltane by going up to
the campsite she rented at Little Bennet State Park. We took Katy and
it's a great campsite to bring your dog because it's at the end of a
long, winding, bumpy road with no other traffic. Katy had a blast
running around with Tevia and stealing his tennis ball from him. We've
gone to these events before but never camped. It was really nice. Soon
after we arrived Thom and Dorian lit the bonfire, and a little later we
danced the Maypole. I brought gifts for the May Queen and King, as
requested, who were chosen by marked cookies, and ended up being Petra
and Jim. Jim got a piece of pottery and Petra got a necklace I made.
Then John and I took a walk with Katy while the ritual was held (not
our cup of tea). All night there was lots of dancing and singing and
making up songs around the bonfire. It was a lot of fun.
Also in attendance were Rich, Melissa (and her and Jim's baby), Nell,
Amethyst, Cora, Winter, and Izolda's sister Emily - who drove 4 hours
from NY, and went back that night!
I had a regularly scheduled, twice yearly dentist appointment on
Tuesday and the dentist complimented me on my teeth. She always does. I
just brush twice a day, floss once, and eat healthfully.
We got Katy microchipped when we got her spayed, and I had been
resisting registering her since I got the packet about it when I picked
her up at the vet. The company whose chip they injected in her is
The New Home Again, and
they wanted me to send ten bucks to register her and another fifteen
bucks a year. I thought they told me at the vet that the yearly fee was
optional, but it didn't look that way from the form or their online
registration. So I called and they told me that the chip I got could
only be on this yearly fee registration. But there is a chip with a one
time fee. I didn't register and thought about getting her chipped again
with a one time fee brand. But I looked around on the web and found
AVID and gave them a call.
They let me register her chip number with them for a one time fee of
$18.50. Apparently with Home Again's yearly fee you get other features,
but they were ones I was not likely to use. The biggest benefit is
their proactive help in searching for your pet if they got lost - they
would contact all shelters and vet clinics within a 25 mile radius of
where you lose your pet to help find them. But if your pet winds up at
a shelter or vet they'd probably scan for the microchip anyway, so it
just didn't seem worth it. I think Home Again just wanted a way to get
more money out of customers. That yearly fee should be totally
optional. Well, it is, but they won't tell you that. You have to go
looking yourself.