I'm so glad this had a happy ending

I heard about this story from Patrick, and it first made me absolutely furious, then afterward really glad that I live in a world where there are good people, too.

Everyone working together

Basically the story is that this guy and a friend of his went hiking on some mountains and brought his dog Missy along with them. Dogs have no business on this hike. It's called the Sawtooth for a reason. The poor dog was struggling and eventually the weather turned bad so they just left her there. After a day, they figured she was dead and didn't bother trying to get more help. Some other hikers stumbled across her after a few more days, huddled in some rocks and bleeding, so they tried to patch her up as best they could, fed her and left her with some water, but couldn't get her out as she weighed too much. They went back down and started a Facebook page, along with posting on a hikers' forum about the dog's predicament. People were enraged about the situation, and a search and rescue party of 8 was formed to go get Missy. The rescue group managed to find her and got her out, having to hike through a full-blown snowstorm to do it. Now the creep who left her up there wants her back, but he's being prosecuted for animal cruelty and the rescuers want to adopt her.

Missy being carried out

I hope he goes to jail and the rescuers get to adopt Missy. I further hope that her former owner is blacklisted by all animal adoption places from ever having another pet. I don't know how anyone could bring a dog on a hike like that in the first place, let alone leave her up there to die. Thank god there are still some real men and women on this earth to make up for the miserable failures.

Missy and her heroes

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Melancholia in the sunshine (fixed by Gaga)

I'm feeling pretty down and tired today. I'm sad about old things, from years ago. And it's irritatingly bright outside. This is the month and a half or so out of the year that we have blazing sunshine inflicted on us. It usually has the opposite effect on me as with most people. I always feel exposed and vaguely frightened with that cloudless blue up above, and the sun glaring down. No clouds to protect us or cover up the vast expanse of sky. It's better at night, when you see all the stars in the sky and the sun isn't hurting your eyes any longer.

I think after work I'll open up the house to get some air and then go hide in my darkened bedroom again like I did last night. Much more comforting than being out under the pounding sun. It's supposed to get up into the 80s this weekend here, and while that isn't very hot for those of you poor souls living in places with temperatures like 114F, it is very hot for us here. People here start dying when we get into the 90s. The vast majority of us don't have air conditioning and aren't acclimated to heat, so old people and babies succumb when it gets too hot. Much like Europe, if I remember correctly.

I can't wait for fall.

Update: Gaga made me feel better. It's hard to feel down when you have this to laugh at:

Gaga: The Anti-Depression Med

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