"Pinko Pig" ~ This was the endearing term my mom called me growing up. She said that I always had an unusual love for nature and the care of animals. While we were a nature conserving family (using reusable cloth napkins everyday), my mom felt like I had an over the top love for the environment. She might have gotten this idea when she caught me attempting to give cat food and a blanket to a dying squirrel in our back yard. Or maybe it was when I started collecting and keeping snails as a pet in my room, because I was disgusted by the fact that my parents would purposely step on them outside. What ever the reason, I was considered the Pinko Pig of the family.
Now I have two more reasons to be called a Pinko Pig; Duke and Daisy. After our first dog Lucy passed away so suddenly, Kevin and I knew that we wanted to get another dog. As we searched through the shelters, my "bleeding heart" started to show. Oh there were plenty of normal average loving dogs that would have been perfect in any home, but my heart always goes out to the odd ones. The pitt bulls that everyone thinks are vicious but really just misunderstood, the deaf dogs that people don't want to worry about training, and the brother and sisters that end up being separated because it's easier to adopt one dog not two.
Duke and Daisy, the two great pyranees mixes, looked like a bleeding heart case if I ever saw one. They had many strikes against them. A) They were a brother and sister that would likely be separated. B) They were so large and awkward. C) They would easily go through 20 lbs. a dog food a week if kept together ($$$). D) They were wild dogs, meaning they had no idea what a leash was or why a dog would chose to hang around a human (unless it was feeding it of course).
How could a labeled Pinko Pig turn down two dogs like that! So our peaceful little family of Mom and Dad and Cat got turned upside down with the new dogs. Some things have been great. They don't try to eat the cat, and the cat doesn't try to kill them. Some things have been sad. Our yard that was once magnificent now looks like people have been digging for treasure. All in all, our new larger family is very happy.
Now I think my pinko-ness is spreading to Kevin, because he is talking about finding another cat for Mae to be with! Ah, someone stop us! We just don't know when to stop, but maybe that's a good thing in the end. Wish us luck as our family continues to expand over the years. I hope to still have my sanity when I'm in my forties!
p.s. I soon found out after being labeled a pinko that it is actually a derogatory term for people who are communist sympathizers. Oh well... Not in my family!
