Wordless Wednesday - Leaving Peemail on a Canada Post Box

Phod at the Vet

A few weeks ago I mentioned that Phod was being picky with his food and at times appeared to have stomach cramps. There have been some other symptoms I have not discussed here but discussed with our vet Woody. They include: His gunky ears; being far more tired after the same amount/less exercise, even when it isn’t really hot; excessive panting; seeming more sore/stiff some days. Woody also noted he has put on weight. He is up 5 lbs from last year and is as active and not eating any more.

After a physical exam, other than maybe a little extra weight, Phod seems very healthy. His joints were fine, his coat was fine, the gunk in his ears wasn’t an infection, his heart and lungs sounded perfect. There was nothing physical to indicate a problem.

There are two things that may each explain some of his symptoms.

1.  He has some food allergies/sensitives. We are transitioning him to a whitefish diet to see if this helps. Woody said it could take 8 weeks for us to really see a difference.
2.  While he thinks it is a long shot, he asked that we test his thyroid. Phod was taken to the back room to have blood work done.

I feel a bit like a worry wart being a bit stressed about my boy's health, l but after our angel Loki and all his crazy health problems, I have learned to trust my intuition. Something is just a little off with my boy.  Food sensitive and thyroid are things I know I can handle, we got through immune mediated hepatitis that caused cirrhosis of the liver after all. To read more about that journey click HERE.

Paws crossed that we find a simple solution to help my boy be more himself.

Mischief Monday - A Horrible, Terrible Day by Zaphod

Dear friends,

You all know I am one of the best dogs ever and have ruined the Lady for other dogs because I am so good. However, my wonderfulness did not allow me to escape a horrible, terrible day, all constructed by her.

It started Thursday morning. After a nice walk, I wasn’t given breakfast. Lady went about her morning routine and didn’t feed us. I was suspicious. Then when it was time for her to leave, she told me I had to come with her too. Hailey and Emma got to stay behind. I was extra suspicious as she coaxed me into the car. I really didn’t want to get in, but I wanted to make my Lady happy so I slowly got in. I showed her and threw up in her car.

Finally, 87 million years later, we arrived at our destination. I was very excited to get out of the car and smell a new place. I was excited to go into the building and then I realized where I was. I was spending the day at camp.

While the people at camp were nice, I spent the whole day staring out the window waiting for my Lady to come back. I didn’t play. The people gave me lots of pets. I was polite with the other dogs, I sniffed some butts and everything but mainly I just stared out the window. Finally another 87 million hours later, Lady came back. She saw me through the window. I was so excited. When they called my name, I raced to the door to see her.

When I finally was reunited with my Lady I was as excited as I ever am. I jumped up, wrapped my paws around her and gave her a big hug. She laughed.  Then we went back in the car.

After a short drive we ended up at a place I kind of recognized. Lady didn’t take me into a building, we went for a walk. This was the best part of the day. Lady realized I had never been on a walk with her in the city before. I didn’t know there could be soooooo many cars. I didn’t know there could be so little green. It was very interesting and I enjoyed sniffing away.

We got back to the car and went into the building. I realized where I was. I was at the V-E-T. Everyone in the waiting room loved me, and gave me love. They all said what a nice dog I was. A dog snapped at me when I said hi and his people were mortified and I was confused. I was a good boy and sat on the scale. I got a drink of water cause I was very hot from our walk (it was in the 90s) and finally I went into an exam room with the Lady.

The vet, Woody (who Lady has known for almost 24 years) came in. While I didn’t like everything he did (why did he need to shove things up my bum?) he gave me some pets and food. I was starving. I actually went over to where the jar of treats were and sniffed the air and begged for more. Woody was nice and gave me more. 

Lady and Woody talked and I could tell some of it was serious. Then Woody took my leash and started leading me through the back door. I didn’t want to go. I turned and gave the saddest eyes I could to my Lady (editor's note - Lady's heart cracked in that moment) and she pretended she was coming with me so I would go.

After another 87 million years I got to leave the back with a bandage on my paw and go back to my Lady. We had to wait in this horrible place for ‘a bill’ and then we went home. I was so excited to be in the car I didn't throw up. When we got home

 I was so, so tired. After a nice dinner I just slept.

That was my horrible, terrible day.

Tomorrow, Lady will take the blog back and talk about what she and Woody plotted.

your pal, Phod

Flower Friday - Phod In The City

Phod will share his adventures of his big day in the city, but as we were strolling down the street (first time I have ever walked Phod in the city) we saw this and knew is was perfect for Angel Dory's flower Friday.

PS. Thanks for all your advice on how to get pictures on the new computer. The new piece should arrive next week!

PANIC!

Yesterday was the Lady's work at home day. She was happily sitting at her computer chatting with a colleague in Georgetown, Grand Cayman (Lady consults there) when her computer shut itself off. Lady knew the battery was getting low but apparently hadn't plugged it in properly so it died. She messaged her colleague on her phone and waited a few minutes. The computer would not restart. Lady knew in her heart, her faithful old Mac that had a lot of issues (like keys that didn't work and applications that hardly opened) was on its last legs but she kept hoping it had more life in it.

After calling support and not getting help, Lady panicked (yep she nearly lost her mind but then pulled herself together) packed up and drove the 45 minutes to the Apple Store. Without a computer she couldn't work. However, she was very thankful she had just updated her computer on Sunday so if all else failed she would only lose 2 and a bit days of work.

The new baby

When she got to the store she was told there was a 2 hour wait. While she was chatting with the guy who works there named Ben, he said given how old her computer was there wouldn't be much they could do. Because it was vintage (aka 2011) they no longer have the parts to fix it. Lady got Ben to show her the comparable new ones. She went and talked to the Man and they decided that it was time to just replace the old computer. The old computer keeps having issues and again, without a computer Lady can't do her whole job. So Lady went back and talked to Ben and bought herself a new Mac Book Pro.

While she was doing this, the Genius , Matt, came to look at the old computer. He took it to the back and the 10 minutes he said he needed were really like 30. He was able to do something to get it going (something about resetting it and removing the battery). He told Lady she should never turn it off again until she was sure she had everything off of it.

A much poorer Lady drove home with a lovely new computer and a computer that she could get all her files off of.

Instead of getting any of the work she wanted to get done, she spent the rest of the day setting up her new computer. She got her 13 000 work files transferred to it. She hasn't taken on the pictures yet and realized after her purchase she doesn't know how to get pictures off her camera onto the new computer because there is no slot for the card. She hopes she can find the USB cord for it. (Her camera is from like 2007 so before they were Internet connected).

We think this horrible computer issue has made all of our behaviours look good! Lady will fill you in on what we have been up to shortly!

Lady is now behind on work and traveling for it so if we aren't around much the next week or so, you know why. We will try to visit a little (now we have a good computer it may be easier!)

Wordless Wednesday - Enjoying the Sun

Wildlife Encounters - Thank Goodness I Am Stronger - By the Lady

As some of you know, I just completed 80 sessions over about 10.5 with a personal trainer to make me stronger and to teach me how to work out at home. It has been a reluctant journey for me, but one I was eternally grateful for on Thursday.

Lee and Phod sniffing in our yard

It was 5 am, and the sun wasn't full up and the sky was as hazy as my brain (I have been up for about 10 minutes). We were walking down our private road, heading out for our morning walk.

I spotted (and so do Lee and Phod) 2 baby groundhogs in the grass about 30 feet ahead.

Lee went crazy, barking, screaming, jumping around. Phod was just intent and focused in his quiet way.

The groundhogs didn't move, they kept eating.

Slowly, with control, we move forward, hoping to scare them into hiding.

Lee became more agitated and loud but I was strong  enough to keep control.

Finally, when we were like 8-10 feet away, one of the little ones turned and scampers toward a tree. It started to climb. It fell and started to climb again. The other also scampered towards the tree and climbed it. 

When the climbing started I realized we weren't dealing with groundhogs. Groundhogs don't climb trees. What we were dealing with was 2 baby porcupines. We never say the mom.

I truly believe if I hadn't been as strong as I am now, the ending to this story would be at least one dead baby porcupine and at least 1 injured dog. Being strong saved a life!

For those who aren't familiar with these animals, I have attached pictures I found on the internet. You can see how in longish grass in dawn light from afar you could mistake the two. 

A baby groundhog

A baby porcupine 

Mischief Monday - She's Back Again

Uncle Chris has been sent to Alberta to do some surveying so cousin Emma is back for about a month.

She brought her own food so we shouldn't have eating issues.

She did pee and poop on the floor once so far (Lady and Man can't figure out when it happened except when they were sleeping).

But overall, things are good and walking the 3 of us isn't too crazy for Lady.

Now if we could only get Lady to dust off the real camera and get some pictures of us!

See Beautiful Friday - Summer Days

Our front yard

It has been a record setting wet summer. We tied the record of having 18 consecutive days of rain. The dull days really help you see the beauty in blue in the sky.

Thankful Thursday - Our Beach

We are thankful for the little private beach down our road we have access to. In less than 5 minutes we can be here:

Our little beach

Our lake

More lake

Hailey is not a swimmer but she will wade in and she loves to eat the waves.

Phod on the other hand, loves, loves, loves swimming. He is our dock dog!

We are thankful to be able to spend parts of our summer in our own mini-beach paradise.