Dog-visits!

So, bec76 and lunatickle's friend L got to chatting about dogs at the reception last week, and we're now planning on petsitting for L's dog Sugar from Thursday through Sunday this week. Lunatickle and L came by last night with her so we could all see how the dogs did together. Despite a few humpfests, everyone passed the tests, and she seems to do well with our three. It was fun to see Lunatickle and L both, and I really like Sugar; she's a shepherd-mix, a bit smaller than Jax, with a beautiful red and black coat. Very sweet and mellow. I'm looking forward to having her here for a few days. I also got a chance to show Lunatickle the photos I took at the ceremony -- I just have to remember to email them to her when I get home today, now that my hotmail account's behaving again.

I had counseling last night for the first time in a month or so (due to scheduling conflicts), and that was a good thing. And I'm really very pleased with my living situation right now -- now that it's summer we're all spending more time outside, and it's a very friendly atmosphere, with Ryan and Grafton usually out on their porch up front, and the five of us in our two apartments in back. We also got a new neighbor this weekend; I'm blanking on his name, but he's moving into the studio above us. Seems like a decent guy -- works a lot, rarely home, seems pretty laid back. Doesn't come with a dog, unfortunately, but I think he'll be a good fit nonetheless.

I didn't sleep all that well last night -- this waking up at 4:30am is killing me to adjust to again. Ah well. More frustratingly, I'm 20 pages from the end of my 600 page book, and now it has to wait 'til break or lunch. Argh!

If it comes back to the states, this is the kind of psychosis we're in for in Ohio...

Obviously this, like SD's ban, only goes into effect if Roe v. Wade falls -- both are intended largely as challenges to it. This has been brewing for quite a while here; I know I've ranted about it before. But it's getting close now, and I don't trust this state to vote it down.

You thought SD's was bad? You ain't seen nothin' yet...

(from the saveroe blog at www.saveroe.com)
This week, filed under the heading, what the *)#&@?, comes news that in
the increasingly popular state of Ohio, state legislators are preparing
for a public hearing on a bill to completely ban abortion, for any
reason. Ohio, not to be confused with its liberal neighbor to the
north, South Dakota, is about to consider HB 228.
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=126_HB_228 If it is
passed, not only would every woman in Ohio be denied the right to
abortion, access to abortion would also be prohibited.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060602/REPOSITORY/606020340
Anyone taking a woman across state lines for the purpose of getting an
abortion would be committing a felony.

How wrong is this? Oh, let me count the ways. Forget the whole notion
of bodily integrity, autonomy, and responsibility -- the right to
safe, legal abortion care would be gone.
• No exception to preserve a woman's health.
• No exception to save a woman's life.
• Not if she's a rape or incest survivor.
• No, Virginia, there is no exception for anything. AND if you cross
state lines to access safe, legal care, the good folks in law
enforcement will get you for that, too.

Compassion runneth over.

Beyond your disbelief or outrage, are you more than a little curious
about how the whole "transporting women across state lines" thing
is going to work? How do they intend to enforce THAT? Gynecological
border patrol?

The hearing is a week from tomorrow -- and for those of you living in
Ohio, or thinking about driving someone out of Ohio, or considering
going into obstetrics in Ohio, you may want to find yourself a seat in
the hearing room.
http://www.ppaction.org/ppoh/events/hb228hearing/details.tcl