Barkings From A Beagle

As of about 830 Thurs night, it had snowed 8.7 inches here in Dallas with more to come- and already breaking the record for area snowfall. Ever. It's just crazy! I know, I know, all you people up in New England with your like 8.7 feet of snowfall.... we've got nothing. BUT- this is Dallas. We're babies. And we never get snow and this is snowfall #5 since the beginning of December. It's.... weird. And no one around here knows how to handle it so yes, with our 8.7+ inches of snowfall, any of the DFW and surrounding schools are closed.

Toby, however, thinks this is hell on earth and because I am mean, I tried to get pics of him in it. He didn't want to totally cooperate but... he did give me on heck of a look in one of them. So for your viewing pleasure, here is Toby wading through a few inches of snow that basically cover half his legs....


Yes, this is the one where he looks like he just might hurt me tonight.... As far as glares go, this is one of the worst he's given me. Toby HATES getting his feet wet so as you can imagine, snow is horrible. Therefore, yes, he is indeed only standing on 2 paws, holding the others up to keep them dry. His life is hard. And yep, that's snow on his nose. He's so cute...

Okay, I will stop gushing over my dog and get on to this week's scheduled post of Barkings From A Beagle, where again he isn't actually posing with the book but I figure since I made him stand in the snow longer than needed to potty, he can take a break. Plus, he's snoring away curled up in his chair right now.


This week, Toby Barks: Read A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer.

Summary:

This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."

Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

My Thoughts:

This book was absolutely powerful. I read it in high school and it was my first real autobiographical account of child abuse. I didn't know what I was really getting into because despite the experiences I had had up to that point, and even the guy I knew who lived in the foster system, this was just something entirely different. I knew my friend's stories and what his mother had done but reading this book completely tore into me. The things Dave's mother attempts in this book is just... horrific. Set in a time where child abuse wasn't talked about, the very fact that the school finally did something was astounding. Reading this in the current times, it is hard to believe it had gone on for so long- but if you do read this, keep in mind the time period. And keep in mind this isn't fiction. Dave's mother really did these things to him- she really singled him out, locked him away in basements and starved him. I haven't read it since then but I might reread it- it's a very fast one but it will stick with you. To me, it doesn't matter how many fictional novels center around child abuse- there really is an honest difference between reality and fantasy.

Details:

Paperback, 195 pages

Health Communications, Incorporated
October 01, 1995

ISBN13: 9781558743663

ISBN: 1558743669

BINC: 1020455

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