sorry we are closed

man I am telling you..sometimes it is really hard not to get frustrated.

I have a 2 hour window on the weekends between 1-3 where it is supposed to be quiet, the dogs get to rest, I get piddle around doing whatever it is that I want or need. from 9 am until 1 or so, the place is teeming with volunteers, tour folks, potential adopters, d9onations being brought in, sometimes animals being dropped off. from 3 pm until 9 pm..it is bedtime, feeding, medications, finishing up from the day.

there are huge signs in the driveway..outlining hours of operation, contact links on the web for donations, for adoptions, for volunteering, for surrenders, for tour times.

and still between 1-3pm...every 15 or 20 or 30 minutes, the dogs erupt into barking frenzies as they spy the next new person peering over the gate. looking for someone to help them with whatever.
these last folks were here looking for small breed puppies...they were on our website and saw a pic of some dog laying on the couch and thought they would just stop in and see who we have for adoption. you would think if you are actually looking for a dog and are already on the website, you might read the bits about how to adopt a dog and none of it says to come on over anytime and drop in.

I sometimes think if I just stood in the driveway every weekend and waited for each peace disturber to arrive and then shoved a pencil in my eye while pointing to the appropriate sign..maybe then they would read them.

it sucks...I end up heading out to the barn in a bad mood, the dogs have been wound up over and over since 9 am and now will not fully settle until I am finished around 6 pm and back in the house again. it is draining on us all.

you know I get it...people are nice, people are good and people are kind....but honestly, people are kind of stupid too because ARGHHH every freaking weekend new folks drop by and think those big signs in our driveway were written for someone else and they walk right past them to wind up the dogs and wait for me to come out to politely tell them sorry we are closed. they always act surprized and ask if they can come in anyway.

drives me right around the bend but I hide it as I say no, sorry, we are closed, again.

I know they don't get it, I know they think coming here unannounced and outside of operating hours is not a great big deal...but when all I can have is 2 hours of relative peace in a very long day..it is a big deal to me so sorry...we are closed. and another rest period is ruined....maybe I can try for some peace tomorrow?
highly unlikely I bet.

oh shit, I shouldn't have written this, now I am late for barn bedtime.