For Whom the Bells Toll?

With all the turmoils of this days world.. I was rudely interrupted by.. ……
you guessed it..

Instead of greeting the unwanted visitor with my usual inflammatory diatribe ( meant to chase this man away.) ..
 I had written in my personal book of ‘ Food for thought’…

I acknowledged his presence with a cheerful “Hello!’ and today was HIS lesson ..
(and quoted from Hemingway’s thought provoking work… )

I asked …For Whom the Bells Toll?

…

I had a couple favorite hats… they’re called cowboy hats. …but I can only find one these days.
 I need to go shopping!

Like most things cowboy.. Cowboy hats are hard working.
 
Still laughing?
Why is that ??

I would not expect a person to wear a hat inside… no need for the protection there, under a roof shelter.
I’d much rather wear a hat outside ..they’re much lighter and protect us from  the damaging UV rays that cause skin cancers  
 
I spend a lot of time in the sun.. and the higher altitudes expose me even more to damaging UV rays than living in the lowlands. .
Sporting a cowboy hat protects my head… keep the glaring sun out of my eyes, rain and dirt from going down the inside of one’s slicker or shirt…
keeping the cold rains from reducing my body core temperatures. 

(Yes, True, they do not wash dishes or vacuum floors, but I have things to do those chores and they are much too heavy to wear every day.)

Doesn’t everybody know we should protect the eyes from the sun’s UV rays to prevent early cataracts…
We now have, and should be wearing sun glasses.
Even so, that nasty UV can find it’s way into the eyes where the sunglasses do not meet the face as a pair of goggles would.
… and the answer to that little problem is.. ( wait for it….) the Cowboy hat.

Glasses, hats and goggles.. all help keep debris from lodging in our eyes. Debris and dry eyes cause our eyes to scar (carotitis)…
Goggles are best for riding motorcycles

I’d be quick to admit the only thing I ride herd on is a pair of clippers and a trowel..but I’m looking good in my Cowboy Hat and Sun Glasses.

Sorry, no pix.. Thank you again Xanga!!!

Daisy is not yet three years of age. My little best friend has been limping intermittently. I scrutinized every movement, trying to figure out where and what the problem was.
She was not in pain, but I decided not to prolong the issue
and take her to the Vet for proper medicating before it became chronic or healed improperly.

We took X-Rays and confirmed there was some tissue damage and decided on a round of meds and returned in two weeks.
No changes.. so we did another round of X-Rays and sent them off to a radiologist in Ohio. ( we have no dog radiologist on Island).
His report saw there was major problem.. that she had suffered severe trauma to her right elbow.

Neither Steve nor I have seen said trauma.. but there it is.

Can it be that her crawling under the couch has a part in this.. She does this when the temperatures get in the 80′s.

She started to crawl up under there when she was smaller She still does.. and has been swimming/digging her way in and out using her elbows now that she is a much bigger dog. 7 pounds vs the 3/4 pounds the breeder …..
While we had been discouraging that..
She still did so we have physically blocked the under couch hide-away.

Still, this is a very active young dog, easily jumps up on furniture as she pleases. We are actively trying to out guess her and pick her up and down.

Our bed is high so we got her a fabric covered hassock.
The Vet’s order no jumping is a serious issue.
Immediately we looked for steps.. while some were almost tall enough, she’d still have to bring pressure on her joints.. for the last jump, and steps were too narrow to get up or down for a smaller dog.

We quickly realized that steps were out.

We decided on a ramp and built that. It is 6 foot long and carpeted.

She would still rather jump, but.. has used it on her own and easily walk goes up and down.
The ramp lays flat under the bed.
Daisy luvs ‘her bed’ for naps or to just get away ….always at night.

Dr Aaron is keeping a good eye on her.. will see her and check her kidney function every three months.. just to make sure…
She will be using Cosequin DS to help rebuild her bone and an anti-inflammitory called Metacam

We are holding our breath and keeping our fingers that this will work. It will not be an overnight fix, but a lengthy one The alternative is not good!

Me: WOW! Another fine mess!

Deborah: That’s how you know its really getting cleaned!

This is a Chat / not on line chat.. yesterday

Debi and I have been on a purge binge for ???? a year? I don’t know who started it. Probably her, since she is the ultimate cheer leader for us.

With a cheer leader of this sophistication , everybody gets involved and nothing is sacred.
She really swung into high gear when Todd got a promotion but had to relocate to another state and McMansion is going bare bones.
McMansion has been the family home home and favorite spa/vacation spot for the entire family and friends about 12 years.
It is a huge space and she got it friendly and elegant.. That is why I have always called it Mc Mansion..

Zane, her youngest and my youngest Grand is heading for his first year at Boulder. Getting him ready is a project.. and very involved.. so she spread everything bit of clothing he has out to see what is what.. and made another shopping list for hat was needed. Zane’s furniture is already organized and ready to go!
  
Aaron drove the ‘Treasure Truck’ ( A loaded U-Haul) up to DeeDee’s early this week.
Everybody gets involved.

“It’s like Christmas!” DeeDee wrote! 

My daughters and I are known for the huge messes any deep cleaning brings.
Yesterday, I teased Debi  about another fine mess..

I WAS working on a nice ‘dry’ project. Small impacted area…can walk straight through my house without leaping over a pile.

As fate would have it:

At 2:23 a.m. This morning I was awakened by the sounds of a sick dog.
On my quilt.. Cleaned that up, spot washed and pre-wash sprayed and was back in bed.. Until.. 5:30 is ( no coffee yet) more sick dog sounds
  

I got the washer rolling…, dishing up dog and kitty breakfasts and was distracted by a bug in my sink.
It was a juvenile, but a BUG of some dread.

I surrounded it with a solid torrent of Raid.
I keep spraying as long as it moves.

Clean up was … ungh!  It went into the disposal. I flooded with Hot water and then, my pot of hot coffee. ( Yes, I do go beserk at bugs)
Then the disposal cleaning tablet.. and then, the coupe de gras,  fill the disposal with Ice and turn it on again.
I want no trace ( in my mind) that it ever dared come into my home!  

My Hawaiian Mission statement is to kill every cock roach, kill every centipede, kill every black bumble bee. 
   
So, you think this was the end of my own mess?
Not on your spray can..

I felt water on my feet. opps! I quickly got the message when I noted a stream flowing from the bottom cabinet door to the floor.

It was the flood of bacterial ra  

The Disposal had spewed its contents evenly across EVERYTHING under the sink.

I have been cleaning and dip disinfecting for an hour. .
  
It will be hours before it is totally dry,  then it gets another layer of disinfect.
 
This has to be THE mess from H____!

               Now what?!?!
  
   I’m afraid to ask~

Today was a special day…

I got to try out my new skillet … made in Denmark… called a Scan Pan sold ‘locally’ by Amazon..
My friend Aria who lives in New Zealand, is a healthy cooking Diva had sent one to her dad..

( Can rightfully claim this an International event?)
 Aria called, gave me the link and I ordered.
 In record time it arrived at my door.

This is the morning I decided to try those instant Golden Grill Russet Hashbrowns from CostCo.
Just add water, drain if necessary ( it was not) and GO!… in my new skillet.

I have been moving back toward living healthy  Actually I have been watching my diet and everything else.
Not only am I looking at my foods but also my cookware.
A family friend, Dick told me his skillet had a Titanium and ceramic coating. That got my interest..

Healthy cooking does not mean I have to stay in the kitchen all day. Just not going to happen!  
Good foods, and easy cooking.
My most treasured cook books are from Connie Buher and Aria Seidl….

I added some cut green onions and frozen Bell pepper strips, heated my Morning Star Patties, an egg and OJ and

 The Scan Pan skillet cooks even and stayed hot enough to quickly cook the eggs after the potatoes were plated. 
… and without adding more oil.
I’m not sure what that last two comments have to do with anything , except I am always happy to use only one pan use less oil and be quick about it~

Note to self:  add that to my own cook book of family recipes.

Today was a special day…

I got to try out my new skillet … made in Denmark… called a Scan Pan sold ‘locally’ by Amazon..
My friend Aria who lives in New Zealand, is a healthy cooking Diva had sent one to her dad..

( Can rightfully claim this an International event?)
 Aria called, gave me the link and I ordered.
 In record time it arrived at my door.

This is the morning I decided to try those instant Golden Grill Russet Hashbrowns from CostCo.
Just add water, drain if necessary ( it was not) and GO!… in my new skillet.

I have been moving back toward living healthy  Actually I have been watching my diet and everything else.
Not only am I looking at my foods but also my cookware.
A family friend, Dick told me his skillet had a Titanium and ceramic coating. That got my interest..

Healthy cooking does not mean I have to stay in the kitchen all day. Just not going to happen!  
Good foods, and easy cooking.
My most treasured cook books are from Connie Buher and Aria Seidl….

I added some cut green onions and frozen Bell pepper strips, heated my Morning Star Patties, an egg and OJ and

 The Scan Pan skillet cooks even and stayed hot enough to quickly cook the eggs after the potatoes were plated. 
… and without adding more oil.
I’m not sure what that last two comments have to do with anything , except I am always happy to use only one pan use less oil and be quick about it~

Note to self:  add that to my own cook book of family recipes.

  It’s good news..

The Vet said/wrote:
Daz-e’s right elbow is painful on exam., but she is putting decent weight on the leg.
On one X-Ray today, we do not see any fractures or other skeletal problems: This increases the likelihood that we are dealing with a soft tissue injury.

If she does not improve, gets worse or relapses, we may need to sedate her to take at least one additional view.
We may also have a Radiologist review the X-Rays.
 Here is the plan for now:

Strict rest until two weeks, No running, jumping or stairs.
1. Keep her on leash to prevent running.
2. Give Metacam ONCE NIGHTLY, starting tonight. Use a 1mL syringe to draw the dose out of the regular Metacam syringe : this is more accurate for dosing smaller dogs.
3. Recheck in two weeks.
Call earlier if vomiting, not eating or lameness worsens.

Dr Aaron also gave her something to slow her down twice a day.

Daz-E also has some inflammation in her left elbow. You could see it got her attention when he checked her there.
**************************************************************
On the way home, we decided that all this could be because she likes to crawl under the sofa… and under the chair in the bedroom ( Cooler?)
 It is very difficult for her to get in and out now that she is bigger.

She has to swim out using her elbows because it is tight. She actually has to ‘fish’ her way out and when she hears something it is dramatic activity.
 I will call the Vet tomorrow and tell him what we think.

I would never have guessed it before the X-rays.. My mind went pretty extreme worrying about her bones.
Anyway, Dr. Aaron said that right now is the time to deal with the inflammation rather than let it go and possibly become chronic.

So, that is all good news and now to find something to block her from trying to get under there until we can convince her not to do that

Today, I have an appointment for Daisy to see her Vet. ..an appointment I made late last week.

Two weeks before I left on vacation, she had a limp or a slight hitch.. I watched every move she made trying to figure out why and where,
There was nothing obvious and it went away the week before I left.

Lately she has been limping every once in a while. I think it has to do with her right front foot but my handling her does not cause her to notice or flinch
She runs and chases/plays the cats.. gets up and down off the couch and chairs without a problem
I have cut her front coat thinking she might be stepping on that, trimmed her nails..

 Arthritis? Too young.. We are still baffled.   

Her limp is real.
We really need to know what it is and get it fixed for her… what ever it is.
Daisy does not seem to have a care in the world, but the waiting and worry for her appointment has been nerve wracking  for us …to say the least.

So, we try to act normal. but the day has been gloomy.

Today, one of the places where I order my art supplies has sent a care package

 A tube of great paint, a #10 round brush I’d luv to try… and a $5:00 off coupon
 Not only is it a nice thing, but a pretty good distraction.
 
My friend Aria from New Zealand telephoned. They are coming this way in her winter period. 

DeeDee and I OOVOOed  (real time video) and caught up.
She showed me all the silk hydrangeas she has collected  for me so I can make a wreath like hers.
 
Hopefully our good luck continues with Daisy.