FFF Nature Friday - How Does Your Garden Grow - by Phod

 Hi pals, 

I am starting this post with the most important, me! 

Here is my FFF portion of this post:

There once was a handsome boy

who had a ball as his favourite toy.

in the grass he would roll,

this silly gentle soul

and when the camera came out, he was coy.

Lady says I should also share some nature for Nature Friday, so here are some of the flowers I sniff and maybe pee on in the yard. 

Look who stopped by for dinner the other day!

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny  and Aunty-Yam for hosting these events.

Your pal, Handsome Phod

Phod Update

Last week the vet called to let us know that Phod was fortunate enough to not have just one but two bacteria infections and the only treatment is very expensive antibiotics. So we started him on these last week. We had been following the directions and giving it without food, but this made him sick (nothing like watching your dog puke up $29 worth of medication). After talking to the vet, we now give after he eats and this seems to be going better. 

Lady dragged me out of the closet to get a picture. I just got back from the vet, I want to sleep! 

He had a follow up appointment on Tuesday. The good news is his ear infection is cleared up. The not so good news is his skin  isn't cleared up. This means we get to continue with not only the medications but with the foam. 

In other good news is, he seems much more comfortable right now and is not nearly as itchy. Not that we see him much, as he spends 90% of his day sleeping in the closet.

It is hard to be an old Phod!

Thanks for all the POTP for him. 

Wordless Wednesday - Awkward Way To Sit

 

Trouble on A Tuesday - Things That Need to Go In The Night

It isn't every night, but a few nights a week, Miss Hailey Bug continues to need to go out in the night. There isn't a clear pattern, although not pooping after dinner seems to be more related to the need for a night trip. Somewhere between 2-4 am, Miss Bug wakes up and starts to pace around the bedroom and won't settle until we go out. 

If the Man takes her out, they stay in the yard, but if I take her out, we go for a walk to Callie's driveway and back. The reason we go this far is because Hailey likes to poop on Callie's yard, so I am hopeful that if we walk that way, she will go.  Very, very rarely, Phod wakes up and joins us on this night time adventure. 

Tired the day after a 3:30 am walk

I do what I can to try not to wake up too much. I don't turn lights on. I don't put my glasses on. I throw a jacket and shoes, clip on the leash and we go, pjs and all.  I appreciate both the time with my girl and parts of the night I don't usually see. We have heard the owl and the whip-poor-will, seen the stars and watched  beautiful firefly shows. The other night, while out with Man, Lee got to bark at the raccoon that was yelling at her. 

This is the current chapter of our lives. It is difficult and an honour and a privilege to share the golden years with Lee. I hope someday I look back at this fondly.

A tired and grateful Lady

Mischief Monday - Heat Wave

Dear pals,

Last week was super, super hot. On Wednesday (Lady's birthday and she thanks you all for the good wishes she had an perfect day) was the hottest. It was 33C/92F and with the humidex 41C/105F. As you may recall, we don't have a/c, except in our bedroom. Inside our house got to 27C/81F.

If you don't know what the humidex is, becauase it is a Canadian thing, it is a special index that figures out how hot it feels based on the temperature and the humidity. 

Resting on Lady's office floor to stay cool

We did what we could to stay cool. We limited our time outside. Mid-day, we all took to the shade of our maple in the front yard. There was plenty of cold water in our dishes. Mostly we just hung around in front of the fans and tried not to move.

Thursday night, the heat broke. By opening the windows in our house we dropped the temperature to 20C/68F overnight. It has been reasonably cool (and we have had a lot of rain) since them.

We hope we don't get too many really hot days this summer. It is hard on us old dogs.

Your staying cool pals, Hailey and Zaphod

Nature Friday - Snap!

 A few kilometres from our house, near the highway is a bit of a swampy area before the swamp joins the lake. Recently, a female snapping turtle was seen on the shoulder making holes for her eggs. She dug and buried eggs in at least 5 places.

Man saw them doing some road grading after. We wish the baby turtles all the best. In 60-90 days we will be on the look out for babies.

A lot happens on the side of the road out here. The wild roses are coming into bloom too. 

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny for hosting this event so we can share our nature with you. 

Throw Back Thursday - Remembering Adventure

Our pals, who could make it, have been sharing pictures of that time we rented an RV and went to Indiana to meet. That was some adventure!

How lucky were we to have it. 

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Birthday Dear Lady

 

Tongue Out Tuesday

 

Mischief Monday - This and That - by Lee

 Dear pals,

It was a less eventful week here last week. Less mischief to be had.  Here are some of the things that have happened.

We had a terrible storm on Thursday and some dog may have had the poop scared out of her twice. 

Man and Lady have taken to going on long walks without us. Something about exercise and us not being able to walk as far, which although may be true is still rude. 

Phod has been responding well to his meds and isn't nearly as itchy.  He doesn't like all the medication and treatment and tries to run away.  So it is a procedure and sometimes I am a little jealous of all the attention. 

Lady was out all day Saturday and come home smelling like cat. 

The people have decided they love sitting on the back deck now, and we don't love it, even when they try and make it comfortable for us.

As you can see, just sort of a normal level of mischief right now. Hope all is well with you.

Your pal, Hailey Bug

Nature Friday - Friends and Flowers - by Lee

 Dear pals,

I know Lady has been complaining that old me barks at everything. Well the other day, I was barking and barking and barking and Lady finally came to check it out.

It was a deer friend. She just stood there and then slowly walked away. 

Lady said I should show you her alliums. They are looking very pretty. These are set it and forget it flowers (she planted the bulbs 2 or 3 years ago), so totally in her scope. One evening Lady saw 3 types of bees enjoying them and this made her happy. 

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny for hosting this event. 

your pal, Hailey Bug

The Itch Update - By Phod

 Dear pals, 

I had the most terrible appointment at the V-E-T.

I am not impressed

First, I had to go in the Man's scary car. I have never been in it before. The seats aren't as wide and I didn't like it. Then the vet poked all my itchy spots and even worse made my lay on my back so she could inspect my undercarriage.

What she determined is that I have a bacteria infection. She very insultingly said it is because I am old and can't shake properly after a swim and I lay down a lot. Even worse she said no lake unless I have a bath after and am completely dried (like blowdried, dried). 

While we await the culture results, I am taking an antibiotic twice a day (it is actually not too terrible tasting and Lee seems jealous I am getting it) and I need to have my itchy spots treated with foam. It is rather personal where some of the infection is and I am not sure Lady should be poking around there. We have found a way to do this standing up, which I like a little better. 

Also, my floppy ear is infected. So both ears need a cleaning every other day and the infected one needs meds in it. 

At any rate, this is not the best days of my life. I go for a follow up in about 2 weeks. 

If you have some POTP for a quick recovery, your old pal could use it.

Your itch pal, Zaphod

Wordless Wednesday - Sun Dog

 

Oblivious

We weren't very good listeners on Friday and may have wandered next door without permission and when no one was outside. When Lady caught us, and put us on leash on the neighbour's deck, she laughed and laughed and laughed. We don't know why. She told us we were oblivious and then took us home.

Can you see what we missed?

Milo is on the chair

 

Mischief Monday - The Itch - By Phod

 Dear pals,

On Friday I had to go to the V-E-T for my mostly librela. It is still helping, just not for a full month. Anyway, Lady asked the nice tech to look at this little bald spot on my side. The tech said it looked like an infection and I have to go back to the vet this week for a full exam.

If you could send some POTP my way. I will report back later this week on what is up.

An itchy but sad cause he may not be able to go into the lake Phod

Nature Friday - Lady is so Proud

Dear pals,

Lady has decided to take on the spot around the well as her 3rd garden. Her dream is to dig this up and make it an official garden, but she is realistic with her time, energy and her elbow (she is recovering from very bad tennis elbow) that this is not getting done this year. So she came up with a pretty solution. She is very proud of this.

Hailey refused to pose closer - isn't it pretty?

And in other exciting news, Lady's sunflowers are sprouting.

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny for hosting Nature Friday.

The Two Different Reactions

Last weekend, after doing a lot of yard work, I decided to lay down in the grass. This is how each of the dogs reacted to this.

First up - Phod

What are you doing Lady?

This is scary

Why are you being weird?

I am going to stay over here

And with the complete opposite reaction, Miss Bug

Now that I licked up your nose, I am going to stand over you and you can pet my belly

How do you think your dog would react if you did this?

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Girl

 

Travel Tuesday - Niagara - The Flowers

 For my last post on my trip to Niagara, I will let the beautiful spring blooms do the talking.

Mischief Monday - What Do You Mean You Don't Want Wet Dogs On The Furniture

 

Dear pals,

It is really, really funny to jump up on the furniture, which you may never do anymore because you are old, when you are really wet from swimming in the take.

It is especially funny to go to Lady's preferred seat.

you pal, the very funny Phod