Monday, January 3, 2011

Good morning

I don' know what to title this post because it is about dog poop. I was awoken around 2 AM by the smell of poop. Our old dog had diarrhea inside the boat, pretty much covering one of the rugs.

Since then I have listened to C. curse about the "accident", about everything smelling like crap, and about the dinghy being filled with it because she threw the poop filled rug in the dinghy.

It is right comedic how these things can wreak havoc with her serenity. I chose to keep quiet, get the dog and dinghy to shore and rinse off the interior of the dinghy. Nobody died and the boat now smells like French vanilla room spray.

I see how little things can set each of us off, if we let them. I didn't buy into her tirade, choosing to keep my mouth shut and go about getting through a crappy situation. I could see how senseless it would be for both us to start yelling about a pile of poop.

I have learned that little is accomplished through anger, panic, or whining. It has been a crappy start to the day, but after a couple more hours of sleep, hopefully things will be better. At least, I will be able to better see the brown stains.


28 comments:

  1. Oh Syd, I'm sorry your wife reacted like that. We have three old dogs who wee, sometimes poop and quite often are sick on the carpets but, until now, they've been clean in the house all their lives. I know it can get a bit annoying when cleaning stains for the umpteenth time, but I accept this as part of their old age.

    I wish I could give some wise advice on anger, etc., but I'm more concerned about your poor dog. I hope the diarrhoea settles down soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm fighting the temptation to make a snide comment. I can resist just about everything, except temptation.


    Don't let this shit stain your day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Syd,

    I loved this post, dog poop and the word "crappy' all in one entry. Poor dog!

    I've had my cat present and past, destroy rugs, beds, couches, etc by their missing the litter box, or with their claws. It upsets my parents, but I just take it in stride, I love my animals, and yes, I just clean it up, or throw a blanket over the destroyed furniture so no one can see the shredding.

    There are so many things in life to get us upset. A pet destroying something isn't one of them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ah bless. yes poop dilemmas :)
    well done syd for handling it in such an impersonal and objective way. :) Poor C. I hope she can put the dog poop behind her and get on with the rest of the vanilla scented sailing experience...

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'd rather wake to the stains of dog shit than blood, which is what will be frozen on the grass down the street, Tell C there is worse things than being on a boat that only smells like shit.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My cat chooses to puke in major traffic areas in the middle of the night. I've ruined more than one pair of slippers in the mornings when I'm stumbling about. It used to drive me nuts, now I'm just grateful she doesn't do it on the furniture. Poop is organic. That oxy cleaning stuff should take the stain out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. There is humor amidst the insanity. Ummmm French Vanilla and dog poop combo -- could be a new fragrance. I loved DAAve's comment.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yup, I've had these days. Happily living with someone who is also participating generally does sort of even the keel out even when I don't have the power or strength to meet calamity with serenity.

    I'm certainly not perfect, but I do know that I have the chance to meet each situation with as much serenity as is available IF I realize that all things are just natural progressions, just pieces of the life puzzle. Dog's spreading garbage around a kitchen when I was first becoming aware of how deadly the dis-ease of alcoholism was became a true spiritual experience as I prayed for God to help me that day.

    ReplyDelete
  9. btw a new london blog lady u might like.. :)

    http://serenityeast.blogspot.com/2011/01/endless-possibilities.html

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is actually nice to read posts about real life incidents, giving us something to work through in our own minds without judging anyone for their own reaction. We don't know what will tip us over or when, we only try to use the tools we learn in recovery to behave appropriately. It sounds like you did a great job with that.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ha.I love this and you.
    I get it .. I have heard
    that anger from a few voices
    in our household about our
    animals making a mess.I can
    get the upset to a point but
    then the rest,I just let them
    keep it..xo

    ReplyDelete
  12. little can be accomplished through anger..how true is that...

    ReplyDelete
  13. EEEEEEEUUUUUUUWWWWWW! Poor pooch! I hope she'll be okay - - - this problem usually indicates another internal problem. Rugs can be replaced,and your french vanilla air freshener seems to be adequate.

    Good luck with all the day-to-day problems! (As I laugh uproariously!!!)

    Hugs and Happy New Year!
    Anonymous #1

    ReplyDelete
  14. It is sad when our babies get older. Havey throws up a lot after eating too fast.that is no fun to clean up as well,but I can'ty bring myself to put hin down yet. if he get worse well that we(Celestine and I)will vist that option especially if he start losing weight.Harvey is 18 and will be 19 real soon.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Poor old doggie. I don't get upset by dog accidents, because they are just that - a well-trained dog is upset by messing in the house, and I don't like to add to their distress. But my ex would have had the same response as your wife - rage.
    My old dog couldn't hold it one day when we were both out, and was so upset when he began to yell, it brought tears to my eyes. I sat down on the floor, pulled her into my lap and hugged and kissed her. She was a lovely old dear, and I still miss her.

    ReplyDelete
  16. When my old cat was still around and towards the last six months, I would wake up to poop and come home from work to poop on my bed. It was so hard to deal with. I am glad you coped with it okay. I don't know that I could have been so patient and you didn't let it wreck your day. Good for you :)
    ~Sarah~

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy New Year, dear Syd. You were wise to keep your mouth shut. I have a touchy temperment, and my ex-husband had the same fiery temperment and things just escalated. It was not a good situation.

    Love you!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Where does one learn to use such restraint? Thanks for your post as I now know it is possible to keep my mouth shut.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Syd- I'm going to have to slightly disagree with you on this one. Sometimes, serenity is impossible and waking up to dog diarrhea may be one of those times.
    Plus, speaking as a woman who recently went berserk, I can truly say that every now and then, the woman must be the dark thunderstorm that rattles the skies and clears the air to make way for peacefulness and new awareness of tranquility's blessings.
    At least that is my story, as I said on my blog, and I am sticking to it!

    ReplyDelete
  20. It is hard when days start out with something involving poop. Even harder when someone freaks out about it. I'm glad you were able to keep your cool.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I hate my rage. I am getting better with the animals, though. I find that I usually go berserk at specific times - hormonal, stress, headaches - or all three.

    The French Vanilla would have given me a migraine and I would have been fuming.

    Some days are better than others and I just clean it up and don't give them any eye contact so as not to upset them any more than they are.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Well personally and in all honesty....I can totally relate to C. Shit happens, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. :o)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I would probably call this post "Poop Happens", but what you decided on was appropriate also. I can visualize you rowing away in the crappy dinghy with C spraying feverishly with vanilla room freshener. I laughed out loud. (I'm sure I'm laughing with you, right?)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh a yes dog diarhea and a small space
    Glad the program gives us tools to deal with all kinds of situations

    ReplyDelete
  25. Each of us has buttons pushed by minor irritations. C reacted to dog poop, you might have reacted badly to a slight from someone in Al-Anon. Sometimes it isn't alcoholism or controlling pathologies, that is just human nature.

    I hope the dog is feeling better.

    ReplyDelete
  26. now this i'm desperate to learn... to not buy into another's tirade... good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  27. With a dog 18 years old this is a daily occurance in my life. Some days I curse and others it doesn't phase me.

    ReplyDelete

Let me know what you think. I like reading what you have to say.