high five for the team!!!!

I wish I wasn't working today...I would like to be here because this is probably the day that gilbert will have his eye surgically removed. but what is interesting to me is....I don't actually need to be here.. lexie, erin and Dionne will very capably handle whatever needs to be done. they all work well together, they help each other out, they all will be here today for all of the right reasons..to look after all of the animals well. I think they will miss renee more than they will miss me (renee's job is to step in and help where ever she is needed depending on what is happening, she can work easily in every area here.)

anyway...it has taken many years to get to the point where I don't need to be riddled with worry or busting a gut trying to meet both the obligations of saints and my paid job on the very same day...I go to work and do what needs to be done, the saints staff comes here and takes care of everything here. it actually all just smoothly comes together..no hassles, no drama, no freaking out...how great is that?
pretty damn great!

it also helps that we have such great vets..i trust them enough not to try to second guess them and they trust us enough to follow thru with what they say.
you just absolutely cannot undervalue positive teamwork..it is teamwork that gives the very best to all of the animals here at the end of the day.

I asked our vet sue to give me any suggestions or concerns about how we are doing out here. with her coming out and actually seeing what is done....she could be the outside but knowledgable eyes to check in with that we are doing ok.
the first thing she said was..what you guys are doing is amazing and we are doing a really good job. and then she offered a couple of suggestions to help us keep on top of the needs of 120 senior and sick animals.
she suggested we post up on the boards a running list of the routine stuff that we can just easily see and then tick off...new animals in with vet checks booked within the first week, routine assessments for grooming, nails and ears, and yearly wellness vet check ups for the long termers who are doing ok and haven't been seen recently by the vets because they aren't currently sick.

good suggestions because up to this point, we have been reacting to their health problems not proactively seeking issues before they become something big. sue is willing to keep donating her time here to help us shift from disease focused health care to more wellness based heath care...and she is right, at this point in time, this is exactly the direction we could be now shifting to doing.

growth is not just outside in size and numbers..it has to also be internally. with my recent decision to slow down and let our numbers drop a bit..this is the perfect opportunity to fine tune the process of how we are going to provide the animals care to be of most benefit to them.

instead of reacting to meet their current needs we can move to planning how to meet their current and FUTURE needs..and we have the absolutely perfect staff and volunteer teams now to do that here.

shit..i better haul my ass into work..gotta go!!!!