DOOL Discussion Group

Topic: The location of my garden, since some people are so interested

My garden is located in front of the living room windows.  I keep the windows open in nice weather like we've been having lately. Sometimes after we've been bike riding, the kids are hot and sweaty and want to go inside my competely child-proofed, very safe house and watch Tv.  Cool with me, since I can work in my garden which is five feet away and I can see and hear them through the open window the entire time.

It's called living life. 

I like how people are so quick to criticize, but no one volunteers to do my housework for me or babysit my kids for free.

I am sorry about Steve.  That is so sad.

As for the other comment, you are a wonderful mother.  As you said, you are basically right there.  I am sure you can hear and see all.

{{HUGS}}

People are A$$E$. 

sometimes paul likes to go out on the deck and eat dinner and i let him.  he also likes to play with his play doh out on the patio table (tempered glass top - perfect for playdoh playing).  anyway, my deck is pretty high, but i trust paul.  i tell him EVERY TIME he goes out there - ''ok, what happens to you if you fall off the deck?'' his answer, every time:  ''I WILL DIE.''

of course, he'd have to climb up on the railing and if you know Mr. Chicken, that is not something he'd do.

Emmy, don't let the turkeys get you down.  You're "letting the terrorists win," so to speak.  : )

I've been meaning to e-mail you about Steve.  I read the story and just felt sick to my stomach.  I was too traumatized to respond, so I can only imagine how you and your whole family must be feeling.  TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF! 

Emmy first I want to say I am sooo sorry about poor Steve.  We have 5 pets, two are small animals...I can't imagine how upset i would be if that happened to Lulu or Nigel.  I do think you need to tell your neighbor about this.  On one hand, the dogs were in their own yard, and probably did what a lot dogs would do in this situation (my two dogs would lick and sniff the little animal to death, though.  They love rabbits and guniea pigs and play with ours all the time).  Still, what if a toddler got in their yard?  Who knows what they might do.

Second, I really think you should just ignore negative comments.  Don't reply, don't defend yourself, don't answer.  I swear it will stop if you take my advice.  After many, many years on this board, I can tell you the people who get the most flamming and heckling are the people who reply back.  The troublemakers are just going for a reaction, so don't give them one.

Replies: (list all replies)

My dog would attack the animal. I can tell by how he chases the birds in our yard. A rabbit was back there yesterday and if my dog had been out there I know he would have gone after it. It isn't because he's vicious, it's because he's a dog and that's what they do. A cat would do it, too. He would never attack a child. Having said that, if a child entered the neighbors yard and something bad DID happen, it would not be the dog or home-owners fault because they were where they were supposed to be and the uninvited child wasn't . I don't know if I'd tell the neighbor or not. I'm sure she would feel really bad about it but it wasn't her fault so I don't what it would accomplish to tell her. Tess

Tess, if you would have bothered to read the entire post, Emmy pointed out that the woman's daughter, who lives with her father, has ferrets. That is why she decided to tell her neighbor. Sounds like a pretty good reason to me! eom

Tess, I totally get what you are saying. If the dogs came into Emmy's yard and killed her pet, that would be a whole other story. I do agree the dogs did what most dogs would do. As a dog owner, though, I would want to know if my dog killed a smaller animal. I wouldn't feel responsible for it, though, if it happened in our own backyard. And I also agree that these dogs would not necesarrily attack a small child. But, again, I think since they showed agression toward the little animal, it is worth the owners knowing about...Mandy

I wouldn't necessarily come to the conclusion that because a dog kills prey, it is dangerous around small children. Our dogs are extremely gentle around children, but they each have several ''kills'' under their belt for ground hogs, chipmunks and birds............................................................Sparky

Well, former poster (how can you be former when you currently are posting? LOL)...my response was to the poster of this thread and what she said, not to the original topic by emmy and for that matter, not to you. I'm sorry if it bothers you that I don't bother to read every topic on the board and remember every detail. Tess

Tess, the reason I pointed out that Emmy had said the woman's daughter had ferrets was in response to you saying ''I'm sure she would feel really bad about it but it wasn't her fault so I don't what it would accomplish to tell her.'' I wanted you to know that Emmy explained why she decided to tell the neighbor. eom

---

Posted by: Sparky
Date posted: Fri Apr 25 10:28:14 2008
Message:

Oh no emmy. I think that the president of your cyber fan club would rather prefer that instead of monitoring your kids in your childproof house while you are just right outside, instead you should bring them outside with you.  Where your toddler or autistic children might wander away while you are pulling weeds so they might get hit by a car.  That is a much better solution.

Oh, and if you didn't tend to your garden, something that I am sure gives you some enjoyment, your neighborhood fan club would complain about how your garden is just a bunch of weeds.

You're fine.

---

Posted by: Tooncey
Date posted: Fri Apr 25 9:19:36 2008
Message:
Only each individual mom knows which situations/environments are suitable and safe for her own kids.  Its obvious you're not some neglectful mom in any way shape or form...pretty much every mom I know does the same thing.  I have been leaving the back door open (no windows close by) from the kitchen to outside so I can listen out for Jack playing (fenced in backyard) while I cook dinner.  Of course now that the AL state bird (mosquito) is out and about I won't be able to do that much longer, unless we install a screen door back there.

---

Posted by: ingyandbert
Date posted: Fri Apr 25 8:18:51 2008
Message:

No need to explain, Emmy.  Any reasonable person knows you are a great mom.

---

---