Rough Night

Molly was up and down throughout the evening until 2am. You can see from her expression that she is uncomfortable but she wasn't due for more pain meds until this morning. She has a cough that sounds like it's originating from her chest so I'm heading off to have a quick shower and take her in to the vet's for a quick look-see. Want to ensure it is not due to aspiration during surgery. It happens on occasion but, if not tended, it can quickly develop into pneumonia.

Our Home, Our Castle...sorta

I can't begin to count the hours Bryan has put into sprucing up our house. From landscaping to deck building/painting and shed construction, he's been busy transforming a neglected plain dead-grass lot into a cozy bright and earthy outdoor room. Now, he's focusing on finishing the bsmnt. It has been a long haul as he has devoted many hours between work, family and other household tasks to obtaining the end goal: a classy, professional quality bsmnt. Here are just a few pics of the process and end results.

Bryan planted his favorite tree, Mountain Ash, at the front and my favorite, Schubert Choke Cherry, near the veranda. It should bloom like crazy in the spring and fill the yard with that beautiful scent. You can't see it very well in this picture, but he also planted all the flowering shrubs, roses, Russian sage (another favorite of mine) and deco grasses along the walk way.

Bryan preps the bsmnt for the ceiling texture dudes...

and then Bryan cleans up after them.

I will look for more pictures of the transformation our little home has experienced at the hand of my talented hubby! Thanks loads and bunches, hun!

Doggy Didgeridoo

Olivia enjoys a tasty tendon (that's what we call them and we are NOT discussing it any further!) She's tucked into the comforter, all compfy-cozy and gnawing away. It reminded me of the Australian instrument that omits a low haunting buzzy sound.

A Didgeridoo.

My Future Daughter-In-Law

What a little sweetie! She's about 3 yrs old at the time of this pic. Doesn't she look precious?

Sarah's impersonation of that stretch-your-neck tribe......

and the long-tilty-hat clan. She's a lunatic!

She's a perfect fit!

Molly's Big Day At The Vet's

Today, Molly is exactly 8 mos old and goes in for her spay surgery. To say I am worried is an understatement. I would not normally get to worked up over such a routine procedure but when you take into consideration that she is only 2lbs, worry ensues.

Bryan and I got up to say a prayer over her and I put her little sweater on - she was shivering. Likely due to the fact she hasn't eaten since last night so her sugar levels have probably dropped and, because of her slight weight, she does not have an easy time regulating her body temperature.

These precious little runts are quite a concern because of these types of issues but I will say, emphatically, she is worth the effort.

Here's the money shot! B4... (I'm too sore for the after pic to be taken - check in tomorrow.)

She Ate What?

Boy, oh, boy. I just cannot seem to win with these dogs! I know the holidays are always bad for pets getting into food they should not. Things get messy and people get careless what with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Here is the latest on my pack.... This is Sadie (William in the background).

This is what was left after she (and maybe, Olivia) jumped up onto the table and helped herself to what we know was at least 4 raspberry tarts and possibly 1 butter tart (with its crap load of sugary syrup!).

Amazingly, she (nor Olivia) got ill. Hmmmmm - cheeky little pups! I had my eye on that last butter tart! Other than spending the remainder of the evening waddling around uncomfortably, she appeared no worse for wear. Please, DO NOT FEED PASTRIES TO YOUR DOG ON PURPOSE just because Sadie did well this time round. I consider us incredibly fortunate. Baked goods are chuck full of fat and can send a dog into a nasty, and possibly fatal, case of pancreatitis. Not worth it! And very expensive to treat! PS: No, these were not left on the floor. I put them there to get the pic. No need to encourage her to misbehave. lol

Shame On Nobel Committee!

Irena Sendler
passed away in 2008 at the age of 98. During WWII, Irena was responsible for controlling tuberculosis in the ghetto of Warsaw and she used the freedom of her appointment to help the Jewish people imprisoned there. Irena worked secretly to smuggle infants and toddlers out of harms way. Using trash cans, toolboxes, burlap sacks and coffins to contain the children, she placed them, nonchalantly, into the back of her truck.

She trained her dog to bark hysterically when the Nazi soldiers questioned her upon departing the ghetto. The soldiers, of course, wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking muffled the children's fearful cries. Irena managed to smuggle to safety, 2500 children, placing them in convents, with sympathizers and in her own home.

Eventually, she was caught by the Gestapo and badly beaten and detained until she was able to bribe a guard. She remained in exhile until the end of the war. Prior to her capture, Irena developed a record of the children's names and family information. Placing them in a glass jar, she buried it under an apple tree in her back yard. After the war, she dug up the jar and worked tirelessly to locate surviving parents with the intention of seeing the families reunited. Sadly, most had been killed. Many of the orphans were placed with relatives while some lived in convents and adoptive families. Throughout the years, Irena was given many thanks from the children who had been saved due to her efforts. Ironically, in her last years spent living in a full care facility, Irena was cared for by a woman who Irena had saved from certain death when she was only 6 months old. She had been smuggled out of the ghetto in the bottom of a toolbox. Irena's dog, barking madly at her knee to distort the baby's cries. In 2008, Irena was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. Al Gore received the honor for his promotion of a slide show on global warming. No doubt, Irena is currently receiving a reward of much higher note than the Nobel Peace Prize. Many thanks, Irena, for your courage, bravery and heart.