Eons: wendylou01's profile

wendylou01

Eons member since: Nov 23, 2007
Age, Gender: 52, Female
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Hometown: good question!
Places I've been: My dad was in college and we moved around a bit while I was growing up. Champaign-Urbana, IL, State College, PA and Frostburg, MD account for my most "formative" years. I went to school at Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, WV for a couple years and lived in Baltimore for a year before moving to Blacksburg the year I turned 20. Blacksburg has been home to me now for longer than I lived in all the other places combined. My brother reintroduced me to the beach after I'd been away for 30 years and my brothers and I and their families gathered at Sunset Beach, NC for several years in a row returning to the same rental house. Unfortunately, it got too expensive and we did not go this year. I hope the family that got "our weeks" is enjoying the place as much as we did.
More about me: Well, being as my profile has been viewed 22 times and I know there is nothing here to view, I've decided I should at least ~start~ to build something to be seen. But what to say? ...
I've lived in this mountain range for most of my life and when I've been away from it and return I feel an immense gratitude to be living in these rolling green hills. Don't get me wrong, I love traveling to other places (especially those with water, like the ocean, the Carribean islands, lakes, rivers and streams) but there is something here that speaks "comming home" to me and I find myself relaxing when I didn't even know I was ~not~ relaxed.
I live in my townhouse with my two australian shepherds and a perpetual parade of foster dogs. Some are just here for the night as they are in transit to a rescue group or foster home of their own. Others stay with me anywhere from two weeks to 'as long as they need to'. I assess personality, behavior and energy levels. I get them vetted, neutered and recuperated from the surgery. I reshaped unacceptable behaviors. And then the group I foster for and I match the dogs energy levels and personality to those of folks who have applied to adopt. I say goodbye to each of them knowing that I am probably not the best permanent home for them and that if they did not go to their new home, there would not be room at my house for the next soul that needed the space.
There are two special children in my life. Not my own, but my neighbors. Their parents are spanish speaking and do not drive. The kids miss out on so much because the family cannot get them to activities and often does not know the activities exist since the information is printed in english. Yes, you can argue that they are living in the US and should be using english, but my concern is for the kids, they are growing up here and will be part of the generation that supports us in our old age. So I've become a homework coach and a soccer mom as well as supporting a young man who is well on his way to a black belt in martial arts. It's pretty awesome watching children grow into young adults. [OK ... they are not there yet ... a few more teen years to get through ... but they are on their way]
Now I'll tackle the activities and questions of the day one at a time so if you haven't seen an answer you're interested in yet, just keep checking back.
Activities: needlework, cross-stich, crochet, quilting, textile history, feedsacks, floursacks, hammered dulcimer, guitar, dogs, canine performance sports, animal welfare