funny names for dogs

I have to laugh sometimes when people come into the kennel to leave their dogs for a few hours so they can go hiking or on some tour.

Yesterday a couple came in with 2 little dogs named "Brown Sugar & Soda Pop". Seems they used to have a dog named Cinnamon and figured that the name Brown Sugar just went with it.
But I guess the day they got Soda Pop, the wife had opened up a soda and the puppy got all excited when it fizzed up and started licking up the fizz, so they just decided to call the dog soda pop to remember that moment.

Last week, we had a golden lab (I think) come in with the name "Tater Tot". Seems that the wife thought taters were the perfect food and their dog was the perfect pet.

We have 15 stray dogs at the moment. (Brandy in the picture with the last blog found a new home on Sunday). Sometimes if People abandon the dogs with us, we will change the dogs name.
1 high school kid left his dog at the kennel when he moved to Phoenix..he called the dog "Segi" and we are now calling her "Sasha".

Sharing a day with the dogs

Here's 2 of the strays at the kennel "Brandy" is 1 of our newest strays. "Penny" is the black puppy that came with her brothers.

Today started off super busy, with a F&S person admitting dogs in before I even got to work and I had 5 dogs check in during the first hour.

Done with the cafeteria

Today was my last day working at Yavapai..and boy I couldn't wait for 2pm so I could clock out. A couple people wanted me to stay late and a few more told me to make sure to come back.
When Patty put the new schedule up yesterday and my name wasn't on it...it did seem slightly weird but soooo good to know that I would definitely be starting the new job. I think it finally hit some people that I was really leaving when they saw my name left off the schedule. Patty surprised me the other day by giving me a free meal card, as a way to say thank-you for all the work I did.

Dogs & cats must be easier to feed then people!! Co-workers won't be annoying either...at least not after the 2-week training period, cuz usually there is only 1 person working at a time...sometimes 2 people work together and there's only 3 people in this whole park working at the kennel. I told "Grandpa Al" that I would name a stray cat or big dog after him, just so I would have someone to whine to or yell at.

Well I have the next 2 days off and an old co-worker from Maswik agreed to take me to Flagstaff tomorrow after he gets off work. I still need to get rain boots for working at the kennel, and maybe a second hiking pole for my hike to Indian Gardens on the 12th.
Brian also got a new job recently...he is now the resident procter at Victor Hall.

Winnie is back

I had a roomie for a few weeks last year named Winnie from Taiwan. Well she came back to the canyon today. I knew she was coming back because she wrote to me on facebook and told me. So I was waiting for her outside of HR when she came in (with camera of course)...boy was she surprised!!!

Now in the last 2 years, I have seen a bunch of kids come & go and I wish a few more of my favorites would come back, so I was thrilled when Winnie told me she would be here again. I don't spend lots of time outside of work with the exchange students that work here, but even still...its nice to bump into them around the park either on the shuttlebus or in e-cafe or at the rec center. I guess seeing as my own kids are not here I sorta substitute them with the foreign kids that are here.

Winnie's 2 schoolmates that came with her last year will not be here this year. So she was nervous about traveling back by herself. I helped her get settled into her room at Colter Hall (I've been here over 2 yrs and today was the first time I ever walked around in Colter) and then we went to see her roomie who works as a cashier in Maswik. Winnie was surprised that some of the co-workers she worked with last year remembered her. Last yr she was a line server at Maswik, this yr she will be a hostess.

*~ and speaking of new jobs, I finally got told yesterday that I got the job at the kennel~*

my day at the kennel

Well yesterday, I finally had my trial run for working at the kennel. Clocked in @ 7:20am and clocked out @ 5:50pm....long day. Karen stayed even longer.

There are 13 stray dogs & 22 stray cats at the moment. Few people came in and left their dogs for a few hours...but came and picked them up at the end of the day. 1 mother cat to watch out for is named Priscilla (who is also called Ms Nasty) cuz she don't like NOBODY! But 1 black cat is an attention hog & lovable everytime I went into the cat room.

The lead, Karen, asked when I had another day off work from Yavapai so I could work at kennel again. Well my next days off will be in Flag taking care of dental stuff, so she will have to wait.
But I must say, even with the long hours at the kennel...its a piece of cake!! Kennel attendents work 3 1/2 days a week and still end up with overtime cuz they stay to do paperwork or extra cleaning at the end of the day.
Hell it don't even seem like work...I sure won't worry about saying good-bye to yavapai.

abscess teeth

Well yesterday, I went to the clinic because my face was swelled up and teeth were throbbing. I got antibiotics and tylenol w/ codeine. The new doctor actually paid for the meds himself cuz I didn't have enough $$. The clinic here even called the clinic in Flagstaff to find out the hours for me to go in for emergency care. I'd have to be there at 7:45am to walk in for emergency care...which means I would have to be in Flagstaff the night before in order to do that.

I already paid for the rec center trip on the 26th, so I guess I'll just get a 1-way ride with them and stay down in Flagstaff at the hostel. Will also try to get on ACCCHS while I'm down there too. ACCCHS doesn't usually pay for adult teeth unless its an emergency and seeing as 1/2 my face is swelled up this might count as an emergency. Guess its about time to have all my top teeth pulled as none of them are any good.

I went into work this morning and Michael sent me home..saying "I looked to terrible to be at work today". This morning I was waiting for the shuttle to get to work and was trying to explain to some hikers about the Kiabab Express bus and 1 guy had me repeat stuff 5 or 6 times cuz he had a hard time understanding me as I was having a hard time talking.

My week

Today's interview for the kennel attendant job is now done. Now I wait for the other 6 people to have their interviews. Then probably next week the 2nd interviews & training day starts. Training day will be spent helping the lead person with the animals, learning her procedure of doing things, and will let her know how well you relate to animals.
So I will still be keeping my fingers crossed to get called back for that. The kennels are open from 7:30am-5pm and then whoever is working that day has to stay to clean up once its closed and usually only 1 or rarely 2 people work there at a time...because kennel attendants work long hours, they only work 3 1/2 days a week.

Hey the stray dog, that we found outside of Maswik Cafeteria a few months ago is still at the kennel...and they even kept the name I had given her. "Rosie" LOL~my manager must of told them that was her name when she was brought down there.

Hey if the kennel job don't work out...then maybe I'll go try for the switchboard operator job (if its still open by then)

In the meantime I will be busy making jewelry & crotcheting. Seems there is a "Spring Bazaar" coming up on May 9th, so Brenda and I are setting up a table together at the rec center for that. While my hands are busy with jewelry and yarn, I won't be picking up junk-food....course I won't be hiking or taking many pictures much either until this bazaar is done.
Well I have tomorrow off also, so I better get home and finish up the jewelry I started last night and then figure out what to do with all the beads I got today.
And it's been windy & chilly for the last couple days too...maybe my sunburn will be totally gone before it gets to hot again.

REMINDER: BUY SUNSCREEN!