Unconditional Love in a Fur Coat

Thank you to those of you who took the time to enlighten me on your photo storage methods.  I've decided to store my photos for blogging on the computer.  I'll just have to play around with the editing as it is different than what I did in Picassa.  Sounds like a good project for the new year. 

Anyhow, in revisiting many of my old blog photos, it has occurred to me that a blog is many things.

A place to share with others, a way to appreciate the small things in life, a place to record events in your daily life and perhaps, most important of all, a place to share what's on your mind or in your heart.  On that note, a bit from the heart tonight. . .

This photo from the archives took me right back to this post.

Usually a good sport about her occasional blog features, there were limits :).

She much preferred keeping an eye on my blogging antics from her perch on the top of the chair.

In truth, she was usually happiest cuddled up in snooze mode.

When not snoozing, she was always up for a boat ride.

Walks were always welcomed, no matter what the season.

Swimming... not so much.

Tried it once and couldn't get out of that lake fast enough.

One can learn a lot from their doggy.
Peanut has taught me a few things about being a loyal companion and faithful friend.
I have come to think of her as being unconditional love in a fur coat.  

And, if you are ready to take a break to read a few chapters or catch a few zzzz's, she's your go to gal.  

Christmas has always been her favorite holiday.
It didn't take long for her to catch on to pulling the tissue paper out of the gift bag to reveal her Christmas treat.
A little custom that was soon to be woven into the family traditions.

As much as we had hoped for one more year of that tradition, it wasn't to be.
Peanut's health took a sudden turn.
It didn't take long for us to see that her time had come.
Yesterday, we put on our brave faces and took one last photo by the Christmas tree.

And one last photo at the vet's office.
One last teary hug for our dear pup.

Peanut lived a long and happy life.

Just before her 15th birthday she was diagnosed with kidney failure.  We were lucky and blessed to have had her for another 9 months after that.  The vet was quite surprised that she did that well.

She will be greatly missed around here, but there is comfort in knowing that she is now at peace.

On My Mind This Morning

I, unintentionally, drifted away from the blog world for awhile. 

Some of that time was spent glued to the television watching the coverage of Hurricane Harvey.  It was so heartbreaking to see the devastation and hear the personal stories.  I can't even imagine what it must be like for all of the people dealing with the aftermath.  My heart goes out to them.

Now, it hardly seems possible that we are once again watching coverage of another hurricane roaring towards southern Florida.

With family members living there, this one has me more glued to the tv than ever.  My son and his family live in the Orlando area.

He was scheduled to fly home on Sunday for work.

Yesterday it was decided that the safer option would be to get in the car and drive.  He packed the car, loaded the dog and our little grandson and headed north.  Mommy works in a hospital and will be staying there for the duration.

During one of our somewhat stressful phone updates yesterday, I looked down to see a very elderly little dog paw firmly planted on my leg. With my tendency to be a worrier, it was a small comfort at that moment.   It reminded me of something I saw over and over during the Hurricane Harvey coverage.  Human beings facing horrible circumstances, yet helping one another in every way that they could.  Suddenly it no longer mattered the skin color, age or political persuasion.  

Last night as darkness began to descend, it was clear that our family members wouldn't make it home.  Brett sprang into action calling around for a hotel that might have vacancy and accept pets.

After several tries he was able to score the last room in a pet friendly place.

This morning my son reports that the nervous dog kept him awake most of the night.  Soon they will all load up and continue on their journey.  Brett has been busy as a bee and more talkative than ever.  My way is to keep busy in a quieter, more reflective way.

Ha!  I guess we all have our ways of dealing with things.

The first order of business for me this morning is cookie baking.

Once my grandson arrives safe and sound there will be cookies and milk for all.

As I continue to watch the updates on tv, I only wish it were as easy as providing cookies for all.  It is a bit of a helpless feeling to watch our fellow Americans suffering this way and not being able to do much to help.  Having said that I do believe in our own way we can each do something to help.

Along with cookie baking, I'll be praying for those in the path of Hurricane Irma.  Always a good place to start in my opinion.

The Things We Do For Love

Had someone ever told me I would be administering I.V. fluids to a dog, I'd have had to laugh.  Not me, I don't think so.

Yet, first thing Saturday morning Brett & I were at the vet's office ready and willing to be taught how to do this.

We learned from the vet that an every other day dose of fluids given at home could be helpful in keeping Peanut... well, Peanut.

Her failing kidneys can not be restored, but her quality of life can be pretty good if treated this way.

After an emotional discussion with the vet last week, I came home and laid out the options with Brett.

It took me a bit by surprise when Brett (a man who has been known to pass out while giving blood) said he thought he could be the one to administer the shot. 

So, I was the assistant as he capably performed this task in the vet's office.

We came home and took pleasure in watching her have one of the best days she has had in weeks.

Something else I never imagined myself doing is cooking special meals for a dog.

Apparently that saying about never say never is true.

Peanut lost interest in her dog food months ago.

She is, however, enjoying baked chicken and porcupine meatballs.

We know that her time with us is limited.

She went from just a dog to a family member many years ago.

As such, we plan to care for her as we would any other family member.

We're not kidding ourselves into believing that she will be miraculously healed.

As the vet said, she will let us know when it is time.

So we will follow her lead and, in the meantime, love her and enjoy our time with her.

On a happier note:

My presence was requested on FaceTime yesterday.

An excited little face said "Hey Grandma, what are you doing today?" 

Followed by "Can I talk to Peanut now."

😄

I was able to gain his interest again after asking him what snacks he wanted me to have on hand for his upcoming visit.

Scooby Do Snacks

Strawberries

Scooby Do Snacks

Ummmm...

Scooby Do Snacks.

Ha!

Good thing I looked twice after tossing the fruit snacks in the cart.

Sponge Bob would have been a tad disappointing to his high hopes for Scooby Do.

I can see that I'm seriously out of practice on the pint-sized snack front.

Shall We Saunter Around the Springtime Garden?

Could I interest you in a little time in the garden today?

There's a light breeze on this mild spring day.

The air is fresh (except for that darn pollen) and the birds are singing their springtime serenades.

While most of the daffodils have already come and gone, I was happy to see the late bloomers just starting to pop out in the back corner of the garden.

Let's go back and take a closer look, shall we?

I may need to clip a few to bring inside before the entire daffodil season is over until next year. 

The garden bench in this corner comes in handy for gazing up into the flowering cherry tree.  Currently in it's glory, it won't be long until it too will be gone for another year.

Not far from the cherry tree, the dogwoods are just getting started.

Closer to the ground the colors are coming out in shades of blue...

Pink and...

lavender.

I got to know them all a bit better while pulling weeds and collecting winter debris that had collected around them.

I think it's good to get down at their level once in a while to appreciate their beauty up closer.

While down there, I also noticed the state of my hydrangeas.

With all of our mild days this winter, they had started leafing out early.  Our late, short-lived snowfall has caused much damage to the tender new shoots.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will be able to re-bound from this shock to their system.

A peek into the nesting boxes shows that housekeeping has been set up in the form of a well-constructed mossy nest.

Soon a new family of baby birds will be welcomed into our world.

The circle of life.

Our weekend is destined to be a quiet and, somewhat, reflective one.

Peanut has little interest in the things that once brought her so much joy.  It's been particularly hard to see her losing interest in eating.

However, she still enjoys the warmth of the sun on her back and the scents that fill the outdoor air.

She has been content out here with her best buddy in the chair next to her.

They are convalescing together.

Brett no longer has his gall bladder.

As often happens with a medical emergency, we have learned an awful lot in a short time.

In his case there was no prior indication of a problem until

the tummy ache after dinner quickly escalated to a 10 on the pain scale.

A few days and several tests later it was determined that it needed to come out like NOW.

The surgeon was kind enough to share a picture (complete with gangrenous areas) with me post surgery:/.

Amazing and a bit disturbing that all that could be going on inside one's body with not much notice.

Yikes!

He is now home and resting and feeling better each day.

We wish to thank you for your kind words and prayers on his and Peanut's behalf.  It means so much to us.

Peanut will re-visit the vet on Monday.

We are coming to terms with her condition... but still... it's hard.

I know the pet lovers among us understand that.

For now, we take each moment as it comes.  Thankful for them all.

Best Buddies

Spring has sprung with the most beautiful weather here in NC.

I had hoped to be outside snapping springy pictures for the blog, but life had different plans.

A sick doggy was diagnosed with kidney failure along with several other problems.

I now understand the saying about dogs being like one of the children.

Four days in the emergency pet hospital with high hopes of improving those numbers enough to keep her well enough.

The numbers didn't change, yet the vet felt she could come home and be monitored until she tells us she is ready.

I'm not sure we will ever be ready:(.

Brett has become especially close to Peanut.

They are best buddies.

So, when he went from perfectly healthy to sick as a ... dog in a matter of hours I couldn't help but wonder about the way things happen.

The sick doggy is home from the hospital.

Brett is in the hospital awaiting surgery tomorrow.

I am, once again, reminded of how quickly things can change.

Floor Care

She still brought her lunch in Rosemary's old school lunch box, a thermos of hot tea (which she said kept her warm in winter and cool in summer), and her own table-model radio, which she carried under her arm and plugged into the wall sockets of the different upstairs rooms as she went about her work.  Starting with the kitchen, she did the downstairs rooms in the morning.  She didn't like to be talked to when she was scrubbing the kitchen floor because she said being on her knees and the rhythm of the arm motions made it the ideal time for going over her life.

(excerpt from "Flora" by Gail Godwin)

That idea of going over my life while scrubbing the floors on my hands and knees seemed like such a good one after reading about the sensible way Mrs. Jones tackled the housework in the book Flora (by Gail Godwin).

With Brett out of town and a good steady rain tapping on the windows, the atmosphere seemed just right for tackling the job.

Nobody would be trying to talk to me and the floors were in need of a good scrub.

Ugh...
What was I thinking?
A bad lower back and many rooms with hardwood flooring are not a match made in heaven.
The pain crème was soon called into action.

 However, I persevered and was pleased with the results.
I wouldn't even want to admit how many hours it took to get the job done or how long it took to straighten up again after standing :/.
The thing I like about washing the floors on my hands and knees is that when I'm down there I can see all of the dust on the baseboards and the drips on the white kitchen cupboards.  I wash them too as I make my way through the rooms.   It's a great sense of accomplishment once the job is done.
With that being said, I think I have just retired from the job.

Mrs. Jones is a bigger woman than I.
Either that or she hasn't got back problems.

Not long after the great floor wash, my son came over with his new Roomba.  It was great entertainment to watch it move from room to room picking up the dust and dog hair as it went. 

Although the dog wasn't too sure about it.
I was especially pleased to hear it humming away under my bed as I laid there watching tv and relaxing.
Too bad I can't figure out a way to attach a mop to the thing.

~~~

If you have a good method for floor washing that doesn't require being on your hands and knees, would you care to share?

I was told to only use vinegar and water on the hardwoods.

In the past I've tried the following methods:

1)  I originally used a sponge mop like my mom always did.

But, it seemed like no matter how well I wrung out the sponge, there were water marks unless I followed along with a towel.

2)  I reluctantly joined the Swiffer Wet Jet craze.  I say reluctantly because I dislike all of the waste they create, not to mention the expense of keeping stocked up on pads and solutions.

3)  I most recently was going to try a steamer that my in-laws gave to us.  I really liked the idea that it had washable pads and required no chemicals.  When I plugged it in it was soon evident that it no longer created steam.  Seems it was one of those "as seen on tv" products that has since been recalled.

If you have any recommendations, my back and I will thank you.

~~~~

Fringe Benefits

 

Like most things in life, working from home has it's pros and cons.

From the home-based office it's easy to accompany Peanut on her potty breaks.  Just open the door and out we go.

The part that wasn't quite so easy today was coming back in to work once the break was over.  While Peanut was doing her thing, I was waltzing around the garden checking to see what was blooming.

The daffodils and hyacinths were one thing, but when I noticed a new camellia in bloom...

I just had to run in for a vase and the scissors. 

Good thing the boss was out of the office today ;-D.

 

Old Dogs ~ New Beds

 

 I'm so glad we made the decision to buy Peanut that new bed.

Sigh!!

 

February First

 

February blew in like a breath of fresh air.

The snow and ice of last week now a mere memory.

Around here it was a lunch on the patio type of day.

Not every year would this be possible.  However, with temperatures nearing the 70 degree mark, the patio seemed to be beckoning.

Even Peanut was happy to get outdoors and soak up the warm sunshine.  See her over there gazing into the pond?

 

I think she was checking on the goldfish.

We are all happy to see them once again. 

Last year we fought a battle with algae.  The pond was green and the goldfish were hard to see.  We're encouraged to now be able to see the bottom of the pond and the fishies too.

Fingers crossed!

Finding it nearly impossible to go back inside after lunch, I made my way around to the pansy pots.  It's still early for serious gardening, but a bit of grooming and deadheading seemed like a good job for today.  Soon we will start watering them with liquid fertilizer.  That coupled with the warming temperatures will have them blooming beautifully by the time March rolls around.

Book #3

 Once gardening season is in full swing, my reading time may suffer or it may just shift to garden related books.  For now I'm moving right along and tackling a few that have been on the "to be read" pile.  Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn was one of them.  One day I was at the thrift shop where they were having a fill a bag with books for $2 sale.  Believe it or not I was having trouble filling my bag.  The lady working in the book dept. that day was trying to help me get that bag filled.  She brought me this book saying it was by the author of Gone Girl.  We decided it was worth a try and tossed it in the bag.  It was a whodunit involving a seriously creepy family.  It was a book completely different from the last two I read.  It did, however, hold my attention and keep my fingers turning the pages to see how it would end.

Book #4

I'm sure by now many of you have read this one or seen the lecture online.  Don't know why it's taken me so long.  In this case, better late than never.  At a time when most of my books are read and then passed along, this one has earned a spot on my bookshelf to be read over and over.  Hopefully I can even share it with my sons who don't take after their parents when it comes to reading.  

The story behind Randy Pausch's last lecture and the lecture itself... beautiful, touching and so very inspiring.  To quote Randy, "we cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."

He sure did play his hand well.

On that note, I wish you all a Happy February. 

What a Difference a Day Makes

 It's only a matter of time until the trees will be completely bare.  All of that brilliant foliage giving way to the duller browns and grays that spell November to me.

All the more reason to enjoy every last drop of these pretty leaves while we're still able.  Therefore, after several days of rain and drear I woke up to this scene out my front window and hopped onto the porch in my pj's to capture the moment.  Just in case the sun decided to pull a disappearing act.

Thankfully that was not the case and we enjoyed a bright and beautiful fall day.

Walking into the kitchen I was nearly giddy to see the sun sparkling away on the hand soap.  I was reminded how true that saying about what a difference a day makes really is.

The previous day the dreariness and non-stop rain was taking a toll.

Normally the weather conditions don't affect my mood too much.  Not so on this particular day.  By the end of my work day I dragged myself to the couch to lie down and see if the weatherman was going to bring the sun back to us anytime soon.  The next thing I knew the news was ending and I'd missed the entire weather forecast.  Slept right through it.  As someone who is unable to nap during the day, I attributed it to the weather and proceeded to eat a bowl of cereal for dinner.  That was followed by letting Peanut out, washing up and getting ready for a super early bedtime with hopes of sunnier skies in the morning.

Amazing how much more energetic I felt in the morning just from seeing the sun shining through my window.

By 9:00 that morning I felt like I'd accomplished more than I had the entire previous day.  Thank goodness for that :D.  I'm not sure I could handle cereal for dinner two nights in a row.

Anyhow,  my little burst of energy included playing around with a few Thanksgiving decorations.  Since we won't be hosting the holiday I wasn't sure I would even bother with decorating.  By way of compromise it was decided that the Gurley candle contingent would join me in the kitchen.  Their old-fashioned qualities take me right back to the Thanksgivings of my childhood.  Good memories there surrounded by the love of family and the smells of turkey roasting in the oven.  Back then the decorating was a simple affair, but it usually seemed to include a Gurley candle or two.

I guess that's why I have such a fondness for these sweet little candles.

The ones above were included in a recent bag from the thrift shop.

They are quite a motley crew, aren't they?

I was excited to find him as I have been on the lookout for a taller pilgrim couple.  He's leaning a bit and didn't come with a mate.  Perhaps she left him because of his condition... whatever it might be.

The two tiny pilgrim ladies are in desperate need of a bath and one seems to be losing her eyesight eyes.I  did  try to clean her up a bit with no luck so I'm leaving her be.

They collectively remind me a bit of how much has changed since the days they first decorated our Thanksgiving gatherings.  We've all changed through the years.  That's just the way life goes, but while we're still here we will remember to enjoy one another and be thankful for being together to celebrate.  

 Now that the sun has been shining for two days straight, I was happy to be able to venture into the soggy garden to discover the camellias coming into bloom.  This particular blossom wowed me with it's beauty and prompted me to clip it for indoor enjoyment.  Just in case the rain re-appears anytime soon, I'll be ready.

 

And so will my little photo bomber.