memorial day weekend.

i'm only off work one weekend a month. this month it just so happens i was off memorial day weekend! (i am currently at work right now since actual memorial day is one of my mandatory holidays to work this year.) on saturday we lazed around and got absolutely nothing accomplished except for making breakfast and lunch, napping and going to a party that evening. it was a pretty good time. we had woodchuck summer cider for the first time and found that it goes down quickly. the food was delicious, especially the ribs.

sunday we went to SOWEBO arts festival. JT and i really wanted to take corbin but he has skin issues which then cause him days of limping/pain so he had to sit this one out. we went with our friends kasey and kurt. it is only a block from our office so parking is always convenient. we wandered around and it was HOT outside. we visited my friend's booth and i checked on my set of prints i've wanted for over a year. they're still there. (yes, i know about the concept of RE-printing haha) we broke all the rules and brought coolers and beer. i wandered around with my plastic cup full of boh without any issues. i wouldn't be forced into breaking the law if they'd just serve natty boh there. this is baltimore, after all. there was so much delicious food but it was almost too hot outside to partake in anything. almost.

fried oreos. my 2nd time, JT's first.

while walking around in the ridiculous heat, JT suggested we go swimming. it was entirely too hot to hang out there all day like i'd originally hoped so and kasey and kurt bailed a bit early which i totally understand, so we headed over to my parents for a last minute cookout. we went swimming in the bay for the first time this year. we had two chesapeake bay retrievers join us, too. i also had my first snowball of the year. then i made the mistake of laying out in the sun for a wee bit too long and my legs are sunburned for the first time in years. i drank some more beer and we had burgers and hot dogs. 

our view for the better part of the day.

ignorance.

i went to BARCS this morning to give the shelter dogs baths before their photo shoot with the orioles at camden yards this afternoon. we bathed them on the back side of the shelter, in the garage on the "animal control" side of things. i witnessed an animal control officer bring a dog in and i had a flashback to a moment from several years ago.

i am a full-time death investigator in baltimore city. i'm approaching my 5-year anniversary here at the medical examiner's office. baltimore city is a tough place full of ignorant people that simply don't know any better. i responded to a house call for a gentleman that had obviously been deceased for several days, if not a week. as soon as i walked in the door i am greeted by a pathetic looking white pit bull in a crate. i asked if anyone has taken him out, given him food or water. immediately the police say "i ain't messin' with that thing, that's a PIT BULL!!" i grab a leash and find a bowl to give him some water. his legs are so weak and cramped from being in that crate for close to a week his legs gave out as soon as i opened the door. he thirstily drank the water and i took him outside for his first bathroom break in days. this poor pooch was obviously house-trained because the crate was spotless inside. i walked him around the block and tried to comfort him until animal control arrived to pick him up. EMS, police, neighbors and family had been inside that residence for 2 hours before i arrived. i don't understand how people could look at this poor animal suffering and refuse to do anything for it just because it is a pibble. absolutely disgusting. i think that is the moment when it really hit me that these dogs, innocent dogs, need my help the most.

and whenever i get sad or hear about a dog i know from the shelter that didn't make it out, i think about the ONE dog i was able to save and that there is one less pit bull that was a victim in all of this. and that is this guy right here. mister corbin dallas.

pibble parade + ottobar.

thankfully i woke up feeling much better yesterday. i'd been fighting a cold or who-knows-what for several days but felt SO much better. good thing, because we had a lot planned yesterday. we attended our first ever pit bull parade organized by b-more dog. i also became a paying member yesterday! we started off the parade at rash field and walked through the entire inner habor. one of my favorite stops was the water fountain. definitely have made a mental note to go back another day to enjoy the fountain and the rita's right next door.

about 60 pit bulls and their families showed up. several media agencies were there and we were on WBAL11 and WJZ13. several articles have also been written showing pit bulls in a positive light. there were no incidents yesterday between these dogs (because they are no different -and better- than a lot of other dogs) and everyone (mostly) was very excited to us out there. one of the highlights was a family with small children aching to pet corbin and he of course obliged, gently nosing the kids ages 2-8. 

after the parade we headed to the hard yacht cafe for some beer and noms. corbin went with us and laid under our table. after consuming delicious crab dip and shrimp stuffed egg rolls and a few bohs it was time to head home for a nap. 

we then went to the ottobar to see stillborn, world inferno friendship society and the adicts. stillborn were great, as always. i had never seen world inferno but a previous description of "circus punk" was accurate and i cannot wait to see and hear more of them. the adicts....well, were disappointing to say the least. yes, i heard my three favorite songs, danced and sang along but was seriously disgusted by the encouraged display of underage girls making out on stage. i will not be going to see them again. i don't think the last 10 years have been good to them. dirty old pervs. 

stillborn - ottobar, baltimore.

happy hour.

last night i volunteered at 'tipsy tails happy hour' for BARCS. it was at miguel's cantina in silo point, near locust point. they featured an all-you-can-eat mexican buffet and JT loves mexican food so i immediately thought to bring him. the event was outdoors on this really cool covered patio with outdoor furniture and the weather was perfect. the cantina is a big supporter of BARCS and pets in general so dogs were invited to attend as well. JT and corbin showed up after having been at the canton dog park. JT threw down a good amount of delicious food (the goat was phenomenal) and i had two lemonade drink specials. corbin was on his best behavior, as always and made some new friends. he is a true ambassador to the "pit bull" breed and a fantastic example of a BARCS alumni. i think he changed a few people's opinions and opened up some minds for sure. as JT was leaving, some woman at the wine bar next door to the cantina were making over corbin and asked if my husband was "afraid" to own a pit bull. JT replied "why would i be? he's just a dog." i just so happen to think he is more than "just a dog" but you get the idea.

my two handsome men making friends with a puggle.