Very Busy

It’s Sunday night already?  Geeze, where did the weekend go??

 

• Hubby had a bowling tournament.  I did the supportive wife thing and sat at the bowling alley on Saturday afternoon and 9 a.m. (gasp) Sunday morning. There ought to be a law against having to bowl in a tournament at 9 a.m.  Thankfully the tournament was here in Smalltown. 
• Laundry, cooking, trip to Wal*Mart.  My regular Domestic Goddess duties.
• Helped Hubby with his new job . . . delivering newspapers here in Smalltown. 
• Wanted to bake a cake, but not bad enough to go buy the eggs I forgot at the grocery on Thursday.
• Fighting the urge to become addicted to Facebook.
• Trying to keep Rocky clean.  He has puppy class on Tuesday night and his white areas aren’t so white.  We’ll be making a trip to the doggie bath place tomorrow night. 
• Sleeping a couple of hours here and a couple of hours there to accomodate the strange work hours for delivering papers.
• Watched "Rudy" for the 100th time . . . I can’t explain why I love that movie.

And now it’s time to start all over again . . .

Getting To Know You

Rocky is adapting well to life us.  We’re adapting well to life with Rocky.  Sure, it’s only been three years since we last had a puppy, but you’d be surprised at what you forget about raising a puppy in three short years.

Like how much they eat.  Luci’s a little on the chubby side so I’ve been cutting back portions and cutting back on snacks.  Not easy to do when Rocky is a bottomless pit and eats EVERYTHING.  To make matters worse, Luci wants to eat puppy chow and Rocky wants to eat the adult dog food.  This is pretty ironic because when Luci was a puppy, she didn’t want anything to do with puppy chow and would only eat Blacky’s adult food.  Yes, I’m feeding Rocky the exact same brand of puppy chow that I fed Luci.

Potty training is so much easier when you have an older dog.  Rocky and Luci are inseparable and he follows her everywhere.  If Luci goes potty, then Rocky goes potty.  The greatest thing about them being inseparable is how fast Rocky learned to sleep through the night.  He’s a little more than 4 months old and he’s not getting me up at all in the middle of the night.  I think Luci was closer to a year old before she did that.

Lastly, we’re learning all about Rocky’s personality.  He’s definately not a morning dog.  Luci is up and wagging her tail ready to play the minute she hears the alarm.  It takes Rocky a good 10 or 15 minutes before he’s up and moving in the morning.  I’ve never had a dog that wasn’t bouncing off the walls the first thing in the morning.  The first week or so, I was convinced that there was something wrong with the little guy.

The big test though is puppy school.  We started obedience training last week.  So far, so good.  But he’s only learned “sit” and ”stay” commands.  He’s doing well with those, but then Luci did well with them too . . . .

A Cop When You Need One

Have you ever been driving down the road, minding your own business, when you see a driver ahead of you do something stupid or illegal and wish that there was a cop around to see the illegal/stupid driver and give them a ticket?  (Yes, I know that it’s mean to wish for such a thing.)  Tonight was one of those nights . . .

 

I was on my way to the grocery and had to stop for a red light in front of the local hospital.  The light had turned red to stop cross traffic so the nurses could cross the street to get to work before the start of their shift.  There were a few nurses waiting to cross the street when a rather large car zipped through the red light.  No sooner did I have the thought "too bad there isn’t a cop here to see this" when a county deputy sheriff did a u-turn and follow the car that zipped through the light.  By the time I got to the next intersection, the deputy had pulled up behind the red light runner and had his pretty overhead lights on.  I sat at the light singing "Somebody’s gonna get a ticket.  Somebody’s gonna get a ticket."

 

Yes, I know.  I’m going straight to you-know-where.    

Little Bit of Everything

It’s late.  I’m tired.  Please bear with me. . .

 

Rocky’s fine.  The post surgery restrictions have been lifted.  He’s able to romp and rassle with Luci again.  They need baths . . . again!

 

Rocky barked for the first time yesterday.  Oh. My. Goodness.  It was quite an impressive bark.  Made me jump out of my skin.  I think Luci taught him her big badass bark.  Who would have thought a lab and a boxer/st. bernard mix would be good watchdogs?!

 

Work is a constant amazement for me.  The things the patients do and say . . . just completely amazing.  I must find a way to write about this stuff because it’s stuff that makes me go WTF? on a daily basis.

 

MIL is fine.  We’re waiting for an appointment with the cardiologist at the end of the month.  I know this is going to be a very interesting meeting.

 

Hubby and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in a little more than two weeks.  Twenty five years of marriage.  That thought alone in enough to make a person tired . . .

 

 

Impossible

Rocky came through his neuter surgery just fine.  You wouldn’t believe the advances they’ve made in doggie surgery since Blacky had his neuter surgery 9 years ago.  Heck, I can’t believe the advances they’ve made since Luci had her spay surgery three years ago.  Rocky had laser surgery, which is supposed to be better in a whole bunch of ways.  I’m convinced.  The incision is tiny and there are no external stitches.  I think they might have used that special surgical super glue stuff.  The internal stitches will disolve and he doesn’t have to go back for a check up.  Other than being a little sleepy after the surgery, there weren’t any side effects.  He didn’t get sick to his stomach.  He doesn’t seem to be in any  pain. 

 

The best part . . . no e-collar or lamp shade as Hubby and I call it.  We told Luci for a while now that paybacks were going to be something awful because Rocky was going to have a lampshade after his surgery and it was going to be paybacks for the way she crashed into everyone and everything after her spay surgery.  Heck, she even split the lampshade in half after a few days.  I have no idea how we managed to keep that thing on her for two weeks.  Needless to say, I was not excited about the prospect of keeping on on Rocky for two weeks.  He’s not bothering the incision at all (Amazing!)!  Even more amazing is that Luci’s not fussing over the incision.  She’s such a little mommy when it comes to Rocky and I thought for sure she’d be all over him.  She just gave him a good sniffing when he came home from the vet’s office and she sniffs him once or twice a day to make sure nothing’s changed, but overall she’s leaving him alone.

 

Except when she’s trying to fight him off.  We’re supposed to keep him quiet for a few days and limit his activity to make sure everything heals nicely.  Have you ever tried to keep a 3-1/2 month old puppy quiet?  Yea, right.  Easier said than done.  Yesterday was easy because of the anesthetic but today he’s back to his regular bouncy self and there’s no stopping this puppy.  Luci seems to understand that he needs to be quiet, but Rocky is picking on her.  Snipping at her legs and tugging on her ears to get her to play with him.  Sometimes the temptation is too much and off they go . . . . 

 

And since he’s not wearing himself out playing with Luci, he’s finding other ways to get himself into trouble.  Like chewing up the new book I borrowed from my sister.  And the new heating pad I bought for Hubby.  Once again, I’m amazed at the amount of energy in a 35 pound puppy. . . .

 

What A Way To Spend A Wednesday

MIL was scheduled to have a heart procedure done today.  Nothing life-threatening but serious enough to make me and Hubby nervous.  Since Hubby has the cold from hell and MIL has lung issues on top of heart issues, we decided it was best for him to stay home and I would do the waiting room thing by myself. 

 

She had to be at the hospital at 8:45 a.m. and the procedure was scheduled for 10 a.m.  We got to the hospital on time, they did the paperwork and started the pre testing blood work.  It took a while to get the blood work back and the procedue didn’t start until 10:45.  Everything was over and I was talking to the doctor by 11:15 a.m.  The nurse gave me an estimated departure time of noon, but that depended on how MIL responded to the meds they gave her prior to the test.  Considering what we went through last week, we were expecting her to have an overnight stay for observation.  Luckily, that didn’t happen.  More proof that if we prepare for an overnight stay, she has no complications and she goes home that night.  So far that theory has always been proven to be true.  

 

The noon departure time didn’t quite come true, though.  She had a little trouble recovering from the meds and they kept her until 1:30 p.m.  Got her home, got her settled, got home by 3 p.m.  I offered to stay a while longer, but she didn’t want me to.  Her wonderful neighbors are checking up on her and I’ll check on her a little later tonight.  Her little dog was thrilled that we came back home.  MIL has a rat terrier that is very protective and very anxious whenever MIL is gone for long periods of time.  

 

So I spent the day sitting in the waiting room of the hospital, watching TV, reading a book, and napping.  Not really a bad way to spend the day. 

Completely Random

 

It’s late.  I’m tired.  I can think out a whole blog entry . . .

 

It was 76 degrees here today.  Beautiful sunshine.  Cranked the radio and rolled down the windows on the way home.  Walked the dogs and watched Rocky’s ears flap in the wind.  It’s supposed to rain tonight and then the high will be 46 degrees tomorrow.  Welcome to Spring Time In Ohio.

 

Hubby has the horrible cold I had a couple of weeks ago.  I’m loading him up on all the stuff that I know he should be taking but all he wants is the cough drops and the cough syrup.  He’s going to mess around and get very sick and then I’ll get the stinking germs back again.  Again . . . welcome to Spring Time in Ohio. 

 

Of course, his cold is way worse than mine was . . . 

 

MIL is scheduled to have a heart procedure done tomorrow morning.  Another day in a hospital waiting room.  It’s supposed to be an outpatient procedure, but that never quite works out that way for us.  It’s going to be a very long day.  

 

As soon as that medical drama is over, Rocky goes in for his neuter surgery on Thursday.  Hubby has the honors of doing the drop off/pick up this time.  That means Rocky will not like him for a few days . . . does that make me a mean person? 

 

Time for bed . . . have to make sure the windows are shut . . .

 

 

 

Weekend Update

A relatively uneventful weekend here at the Big Dog House. 

 

Luci had a vet appointment to get a booster shot on Saturday morning.  She’s a little overweight and she needs to go on a diet.  We are going to work on portion control and exercise and hopefully that will get some of the weight off her.  We have some reachable goals and I’m going to use Rocky to help her get the weight off.  I’m figuring that she’s going to get a lot of exercise running and playing with him.  I’ve been trying for quite some time to get Hubby to understand that Luci will eat whatever we put in front of her – it’s a common Lab trait – so free feeding isn’t a good thing for her.  I think that this time he finally understands. Now she’ll get two meals a day and she will still be able to have a few treats during the day.  Luci’s diet will be a good thing for me, too.  The more exercise she gets, the more exercise I’ll get.  

 

I took Luci to the vet appointment by herself.  I thought about taking Rocky with us so Hubby could sleep in, but he said that he’d be fine getting up a little early so I wouldn’t have to take them both by myself.  (Hubby has a second shift job and sleeps from 5 a.m. when he gets home until 11 a.m.)  I think it might have been easier on both of us if we had just taken the two of them to the vet.  OMG, I’ve never seen two dogs so attached to each other.  Luci whined and whimpered the entire time we were gone.  Something she never does.  Hubby told me that Rocky went racing through the house looking for Luci, would sit at the stop of the stairs and howl like he was lost in the woods, then check the entire house for her and howl some more.  Luci and I were gone for about an hour.  It was a very nerve wracking hour.  I can’t imagine what we’re going to have to deal with when Rocky goes for his neuter surgery on Thursday.  I feel sorry for poor Hubby being home alone with Luci all day.  

 

Hubby’s new job is delivering the local newspaper. Believe it or not, the pay is pretty good and the hours aren’t all that bad.  If you can adjust to working from 1:30 until 5:00 a.m. every day.  That’s why Hubby is usually asleep from 5 a.m. until about 11 a.m.  Then he’s up for the day and sleeps from 8 p.m. until about 12:30 a.m.  So far he’s enjoying it – even when the weather isn’t all that great. 

 

After the last few hectic weekends, this was a blessed change of pace. 

Three Hour Tour

Since MIL was put on oxygen last fall, I’ve been taking her to the grocery once a week.  It’s easier for her if there’s someone there to help her.  I can load the heavy things into the cart.  I do the driving because she gets a little tired at the end of the trip.  I also unload the groceries out of the car and take them into the house for her.  Yes, I’m a wonderful daughter-in-law, but it’s not a selfless sacrifice on my part.  I do my weekly shopping while we’re there, so I’m killing two birds with one stone. 

 

One thing I’ve learned while doing the weekly grocery shopping thing is that running to the grocery store now requires a lot of logistical planning.  Do we have enough oxygen?  Do we need to take a spare tank?  Will I be able to find a handicap parking space?  (Yes, we have a handicap parking permit for the Dog Mobile – but I only use it when I’m driving MIL somewhere.)  Will there be one of those scooter things available for her to use?  How long before MIL’s energy runs out?  I never had any little kids of my own, so I imagine that getting MIL ready to go is somewhat similar to getting ready to go out somewhere with a baby.  I also have to allow enough time for MIL to move through the store at her own pace and not feel rushed to get her shopping done on a set timeline.  Most of the time, the trip to the grocery is her big adventure of the week.  Even though she’s able to drive herself places, she’s more comfortable having someone with her when she makes the big trips out and about.  "Just in case" she says . . . but she’s never said exactly what "just in case" she’s anticipating. 

 

Even though I’ve been doing this for about 5 months now, I’m still amazed on a weekly basis how it can take three hours to make a simple trip to the grocery store.  Yes, that’s right.  I said three hours.  From the time I leave my house until the time I get back, three hours have passed.  I live 10 minutes from MIL’s house (20 mins. round trip).  It takes us about a half hour to get out of the house once I get there.  Even though she knows I’m coming, it still takes some time to get the portable oxygen tank ready, find the reusable shopping bags, let her little dog out to go potty.  Inevitably we forget something and have to go back to get it.  Tonight I forgot the spare oxygen tank.  The grocery store is about 5 minutes from MIL’s house.  Once the shopping is done and we’re back home, it takes about another 10 minutes to unload the car and get her groceries in the house.  That leaves a little less than 2 hours for the actual shopping.  Two hours in a grocery store.  I don’t want to hover over her, so she goes her way and I go mine and I check up on her every few minutes.  There have been times when I’ve gotten my shopping all done, paid for, and loaded into the car before she’s even half way done.  

 

I’ve thought about ways to streamline things so that it takes a little less time to get it done, but since MIL looks forward to the shopping trip, I don’t have the heart to say anything to her.  Someday the things that annoy me now will be very special memories . . . .

 

I’ll just have to remember that next Thursday when I’ve circled the store for the zillionth time while she zips along in her scooter . . .

 

 

Goofy Little Dog

It’s 10:30 p.m. here in Smalltown.

Hubby is upstairs asleep. 

Luci is outside on the deck . . . I think she’s hiding from Rocky.

Rocky just came in from romping through the back yard.

He’s doing laps around the coffee table, up the stairs through the den and back down stairs, back through the living room, through the dining room and around the dining room table. 

Stopping only long enough to sniff at the cat on the couch in the living room.

After three trips through the house, he stops and lays on the doggie bed next to the computer, and instantly falls asleep. 

Round two of Doggie NASCAR usually starts about 1 a.m. 

This is a relatively new development . . . and I hope he outgrows it quickly.