Happy Birthday Cody!

He was just a starving youngling, when we first saw him.  He had gone from doggy hell, to a kill shelter, where they knew he was part Ridgeback, and called TIRR.  That was our third day in Texas...  TIRR brought him to us the next weekend, after feeding him 6-8 cups a day.  He was still nearly skin and bone, but no longer at risk of death.  He has been here ever since.

That was nearly twelve years ago, and his papers from the vet listed a birthday of 02/28/03.  So today, we celebrate Cody's twelfth year, a good and long life, for a big dog.  This will be his last birthday, we know , as his tumors are too large.  But he is not in any great pain, as best I can tell, and for what pains he will acknowledge, I have pills.  He has been seizure free since he got on phenobarbital last year, which has been a blessing.

Today he gets his more of his special home made peanutbutter dog treats.  He will get a milkbone or two (or more if my youngest Monkey has any say!).  And he is as comfortable as I can make him.  It's not a bad life for an old dog.  

Happy Birthday my sweet Cody!

The return of Random 5 Friday! 02/27/15

Yay!  My friend at A Rural Journal, has restarted her blog, and fired up the Random 5 Friday meme!  I always loved that one, so here are my random 5 for this week.

1.  I want my 70*F and sunny days back!  I am yet again, facing a forecast of snow and ice, and cold.  It's not that usual in DFW to have this sort of weather,but at least it is some form of precipitation, so maybe the area lakes will benefit.

2.  I always knew that countries rose and fell throughout history, but I never really thought it would happen here, now, in my lifetime.

3.  I've really been enjoying the weightlifting I have been doing this winter.  I am seeing some positive body changes, and I really like seeing my lift numbers going up.  I will never lift really heavy like the guys can, but I do pretty well so far, for an over-50 woman!

4.  We have been selling off some accumulated 'stuff' via ebay.  Hopefully this will help pay for the major fence repairs we will be doing this spring once it warms up.  I think we are all tired of ducking under the mule tape that is holding up the north side fence run.

5.  Somebody is always following me around, especially if I wander into the kitchen.  He thinks it is always Time To Feed The Dog!

It's THAT time, Mom!

My boys

Cody on the left, Indy on the right.

The Monster Under the Bed!

It has been a busy but pleasant Sunday morning thus far, despite an impending ice storm.  I was up a bit later than usual, having slept well, but not so late as to be unable to get the pork shoulder onto the smoker for some pulled pork for dinner, and to make some French Onion soup from Mom's tried and true recipe.

Whilst I was cleaning up from all this, and tending the smoker, I was unable to hear the sounds of distress in the house.  Eventually, my half-deaf DH heard the noise and responded to find a monster under our son's bed!

First, what greeted him as he got to Monkey2's room was this:  A room that appeared to have been "dumped"!  Had there been a struggle?  Where was Monkey2?

Then there was muffled noise, and much thumping!  It came from the area of the Captain's bed.  DH began to lift the mattress and flat board.  There was movement!  A monster!  Quick, somebody get the shotgun!

 Wait, is that a monster, or is it a Monkey?  I see a hand...and a familiar looking watch.

DH lifted the board that supports the mattress, and covers the Captain's bed storage area.  What emerged, was a somewhat monstrous, somewhat embarrassed, Monkey2.

I have no idea what he was doing under there, or how long he was stuck!  What with all the junk he has stuffed under there to hide it, perhaps he was searching for my missing spoons?

Somehow, I doubt it!

Saturday, before the coming ice storm

In the dead of winter, this always blooms.

Folks I wanted to share the word that a book by a friend of mine is available free on Kindle for the next day or two.

The Book of Barkley, life and love thru the eyes of a Labrador retriever.

The Book of Barkley
You can either click the link above, or click on the pic on my sidebar.

It is currently#5 in sales on Amazon, and I would like to see it make #1 if possible. Since it is free right now I am hoping you all will help me out. Send copies to your friends too--it costs you nothing, but it would mean a lot to my friend.  Btw, all her profits from the book really do go to help various animal rescue organizations.

Thanks
Vic

Sunday Expedition

After waking to yet more trouble with our new, expensive, dishwasher, today did not look like it was going to be a pleasant day.  Add to it, an unpleasant weather forecast of a possible ice storm, and a host of area burglaries, most after dark when folks are home.  Not good.  Not fun.

And yet...

Due to some out of the box thinking from DH, we were able to save the day, and fix the dishwasher!   Yay!   (The air gap had become blocked with debris, preventing the machine from draining.)

This allowed us time in the afternoon to make an expedition to a most wonderful store, Elliott's Hardware, in Plano.  This is not your big box store, Elliott's is an old family owned store, with employees who actually know how to find what little unobtanium widget you need.

We went in search of a product called the Door Stopper, recommended by some local police departments as a good way to help secure a door.  Though it seems the area police may have caught the evening burglar this week, as a general observation, the criminals are becoming bolder.  Additional security is NOT a bad thing!

After finding the kits, we had to peruse the other stuff in Elliot's.  There's a huge section of grilling implements, both Weber and Green Eggs,  plumbing fixtures, nuts, bolts and fasteners, and there's even a huge selection of old fashioned sodas, some I have not seen for sale since I was a kid.

Cheerwine and Ginger Beer

And then there was this...

 I'm not quite sure what to say about Leninade...Join the Party?

I think I'll pass!

Clean bill of health

I'm a good dog, Mom!  Treat please!

Indy had to go the vet today.  For the last month or so, he has had a small lump/lesion at the outside corner of his eye.  Looked for all the world like a teenager with an acne blemish (but one that never headed up with pus.)  When we were out at TIRR rescue this last Sunday,  Roy the rescue founder, looked at it and suggested it might be a wee problem, and we should get it looked at.  I was able to get an appointment for early this morning.

Indy and I headed over there around 8:30 this morning.  The office was not crowded, but Indy was a little nervous and whiny.  After getting weighed in (84# thank you very much!) we saw the vet.  He did an impression smear of the lesion, where they press a glass slide onto the surface to pick up cells for microscopic exam.

We waited for the doc to come back, which Indy liked, since by then I had found the treat jar in the exam room!  Hungry dog is easily distracted....  And when the doc came back, he gave us a smile, and told me it was a Cutaneous Histiocytoma, totally benign, and should resolve itself (go away) in another 2 months without treatment.  YAY!  No surgery, no big vet bill, and no Cone of Shame!  I dread ever having to place Indy in the Cone of Shame...Cody was bad enough, knocking everything possible over by bulling past it.  I can only imagine the utter destruction Indy would wreak if forced to wear the Cone of Shame in my home.

Just say NO to the Cone of Shame, Mom!

So we just have to watch it, and it should go away by late spring.  I don't forsee any need to have it removed, which could be done if if it became a problem. 

And in other good news, Roy was able to find us a good match for after Cody has crossed the Bridge.  His name is Ranger, and he is a young handsome boy!  More on Ranger in future posts.

A dog's life

Our youngest came to me in tears today, saying it was "that day" for her dog Cody.  Amidst hugs, I told her just to spend time with him outside, and to watch to see if he could still offload a landmine.  I also had to explain that what she thought was a skin failure, was not...which is good, because if that happens, it will be "that day".

She sat on the shelter roof, and I tried to coax Cody up beside her. He couldn't make it up the hill until the neighbor's dog began barking.  That got Cody up hill in a hurry, where he defended the yard with some barking of his own.  

I went back inside, but soon our youngest daughter came in, smiling, and she ran up to me, crying "he did it! " (doggie landmine).  

Today is a good day after all.  It is NOT "that day."

Young.

Prime.

Middle age.

A senior.

Word of the day

Grumble...

I find myself sitting in the waiting area off the MRI place this morning, happily full of coffee, cookies and peanut butter crackers.  DH is getting a scan of his wrist as the doc now suspects a fractured scaphoid.  So why am I grumbling?

Because yesterday, as I was happily looking through Half Price Books, my phone rang.  It was my bank, informing me my bank card had been hacked (again! ).  Crap.  I hate this.  This time it was fraudulent charges to some website in Italy, to the tune of over $400.  Fortunately, the bank denied the charge, but now I am stuck carrying cash or writing checks. 

I try hard to be careful in using my card in public or online.  I use Paypal when I am able, as it adds another layer of security.   But you cannot use Paypal everywhere.

It is so annoying.  I am not liable for the fraudulent charges, merely inconvenienced.  But I am still pissed. 

So if you hear me grumble at you, now you know why, and that it really isn't you I am grumbling about.