Mischief Monday - The Cold Continues

Dear pals,

We have had another week of extreme cold. It was so cold every morning, we didn't get a proper walk. We limped to get the mail a few times. A few days at lunch it was warm enough to be outside for like 15 minutes before our paws froze.

We have begun to get restless and are driving Lady a little crazy.

We should have started this early because this got us some puzzle time!

                                                      

The real mischief is the treats Lady put in the purple puzzle were too big to get out! 

After a good try, Lady took the treats out and let me have them! 

FFF Nature Friday - Too Cold!

 Thanks to Rosy for hosting the Nature hop and thanks to Aunty-Yam for hosting Final Fiction Friday (FF)

As we have mentioned, it has been too cold here. Lady documented the end of the cold snap last week. Saturday morning.

These screen shots of the weather (first in C, second in F) were taken about 30 minutes after we had been out for about 3 minutes).

Maybe if I rub my face my feet won't feel so bad!

Sunrise

Lady loves these trees

Morning moon

Going quick as it is cold!

No matter how cold, he always rubs his ears, face and makes snow angels!

Now to our FFF portion:

It's too cold for me.

I prefer being snug and warm.

Wake me in the spring. 

Thankful Thursday - The Internet - by Lee

 Dear Pals,

I am thankful for the internet today. I am always thankful for it because it has allowed me to get to know all of you. I am extra thankful because it allows me to join in games night with the peeps friends.

Apparently, I wasn't very helpful in the trivia part, but I maintain I was helpful and the cutest team member. 

Wordless Wednesday - Not Always Elegant

 

Trouble on a Tuesday - Getting Old

This week, in an attempt to get on our bed in the dark, Hailey, aged 12,  missed and fell and hurt her back. She didn't reach the bed because her night vision is not what it is (she is losing sight) and her bounce isn't what it was. In the fall, she hurt her back.

Hailey has 'tweaked' her back a few times in the past year and a half. We treat her with some pain pills and rest. With the extreme cold, rest was much easier this week. It still seems a little sensitive and every few days since, she has moved in a way that makes her 'meep' (her little sound when she is in pain). Other than this, she seems fine. We will monitor her. Previous flare ups have taken a few weeks to settle.

We are trying to teach her to use a ramp to the bed, but she is terrified of it. The Man has been putting her on the bed, if she comes in when the room is dark. We will continue to try the ramp and are wondering if she would like stairs to the bed. If anyone has experience with helping dogs who are slowing down, I would love it.

Mischief Monday Results in Snuggles

 Dear pals,

We split last week's mischief prize into 2 things, both that required snuggles.

The first part, was Lady's dose 3 of her Covid vaccine. Lady has gotten different sick with all 3 doses (she has had all Moderna). This time, while her arm hurt the least and she didn't get the terrible rash, she had a major headache and fatigue that hung around for the full 7 days. The worst days for her were Saturday (the peeps got jabbed Friday night) and Tuesday. Saturday she felt so gross, she literally laid on the couch and watched tv for like 12 hours. Lady never does this. She rarely watches TV without the Man. She continued to feel gross all week. She basically did the bare minimum to survive lol (yes she did work all day, every day except Tuesday). Man had a little headache, sore arm and some sore lymph nods (he is an Astra Zeneca, Moderna, Moderna guy!)

Lady, are you ever getting off the couch?

The second part, is the weather. It has been extremely cold again. We will share more of that on Friday. It is has been close to -40 (which is the same in C and F!). We have not be walking. We have been barely going outside. Lady said lack of fresh air has not helped her feel better.

Anyway, last week was not the best week, but we got to spend a lot of time snuggling, so it wasn't the worse! This week should be a bit warmer, so at least we will get outside more! 

Nature Friday - Let It Snow

 Thanks to Rosy for hosting Nature Friday.

As we mentioned Monday, we had a bit of a blizzard. The city of Ottawa, our closest major city reported almost 50 cm/20 inches in one day. All the things were closed including Lady's work. Our our way, in the hills, we got at least 35 cm/14 inches. Lady measured it with the tape measure. And by the time you read this we may have gotten another 10-15 cm/4-6 inches. Lady says wake her in April!

Here are some pictures from Monday and Tuesday:

Throwback Thursday - A Very Young Phod

 He has just gotten more handsome in his old age! I believe this was one of his profile pictures. 

Wordless Wednesday - Phody Dancer

 

Tasty Tuesday - Birthday Treats - by Lee (and Phod)

Dear pals,

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. It was a pretty good one. I wasn't required to don the birthday hat, however, Lady sang at me every moment she could. I will forgive her because she made me peanut butter treats in the bake-a-bone.

I didn't even have to get up and do tricks for the first one! 

It was still a little warm

It was very tasty

Phod: Why are you offering me poison? (not this is how he reacts to all new treats)

P: I don't know, it could be non-food like that marshmallow you offered me 7 years ago.

P: Ok, it smells acceptable, I will try it!

 We have now eaten the whole batch and hope that Lady makes some more soon!

Mischief Monday - It Was Even Too Cold For The Electricity - by Phod

 Dear pals,

It has been very, very cold here. It has been between like -25 and -40C (for our American friends that is -13 to -40 F). Our time outside has been limited. We will not walk Lady when it is below -20C/-4F. It just isn't safe for her.

One day last week, on a day Lady was working at home, it was so cold the power must have been shivering. In a 30 minute period, it went out and came back on 87 million times. Lady is saying it was like 4, but I don't think she can really count.

I am a very brave boy, but I do not like when the power goes out. I don't like the silence and I don't like all the beeps when it comes back on. Hailey also doesn't like the power being out. 

This is what happened in Lady's office during this time:

Lee, who needs to destroy when she is scared, found a plastic bag in Lady's office garbage and destroyed it. 

Am I going to be in trouble or what?

Lady just lets her destroy things like this and has been known to bait the garbage because she says it is much better than doing things like going through the wall.

I really focused on making sure Lady was safe. 

She says it looks like I was hiding under the desk. I think it was just the best angle to monitor her.

Lady said we were being ridiculous and very distracting while she tried to work. She also says that once the power was back and stayed on, I did not need to pace and pant and carrying on for more than an hour.  I think she is under appreciating my concern for our well being. 

If you are reading this on Monday, it is going to be warm (-6C/21F) but we are suppose to be getting a lot of snow (25-35 cm or 9-14 inches). We will report on this on Friday!

A sort of brave Phod

Nature Friday - Warm Enough To Walk

 Thanks to Rosy for organizing this event.

Last Sunday, we had a break in the extreme cold and went for a nice walk around our private road. 

There is always so much to smell on winter walks and tracks to follow.

This is the apple tree at the end of our driveway the deer love

This is our road looking toward the lake

Here is a deer run through the bush. Those are fun to follow because they lead to piles of deer poop.

Here is Hailey tracking novel people on the lake!

We figured it was safe to walk on the lake if people could snowmobile on it!

We didn't go to far as the lake scares the Lady. You can see our dock on shore.

Lee loved this walk.

Proof Lady was brave and went on the lake

We hope you enjoyed another stroll through the winter with us! 

Happy 12th Birthday Hailey!

Today our girl turns 12!!!!!!!

I was going through the archives looking for pictures of her to post and came across a few gems, which made me feel very sentimental. 

These were from her foster parents, when she was very young and still in the U.S.

Her love of food captures when she was so young!

She still had 'baby fat'

This is her profile picture from the rescue in Canada.

She looks so innocent. It is no wonder I fell in love with her

Here is one of the first pictures we took of her. She was 8 months old when she came into our lives.

In hindsight, we were completely unprepared for this whirlwind of a gal. She was probably more dog than we could handle.  It think this picture, taken in 2012, captures her spirit. She is trying to catch a squirrel.

There have been many challenges and heartbreaks over the past 11 plus years in which Hailey was the centre or star. In spite of it all, I realize looking back, Hailey is the dog we needed. She has brought more joy than heartbreak. She has helped me learn patience and understand anxiety. She has made me laugh until it hurts. She has taught me so much and I am a much better dog owner because of her.

Happy Birthday - to my very special, one of a kind girl.

May all your dreams come true (except maybe the one about killing the cat). 

How she was curled up as I wrote this post