Giving Thanks

Dear Everett,
I have much to be thankful for, today. I am so lucky to have Ansel, still talking to me daily, after 11 yrs together. This is from our early morning outing--we are on our way to Nina's for a while--more photos of the kids and more items of which we are all thankful.

'Twas the day before Thanksgiving

Dear Everett,
This is the first big holiday without you. I am so, so grateful that you are in a good place, no longer dealing with cancer. I am thankful too, of the time I had with you. You are such a good dog. You were such a good friend.

I tried capturing the dogs in the beautiful sunrise light this morning. I believe I still have plenty of room for improvement.

The puppies were less than impatient with me today. Here they are on squirrel patrol:
Marshal seems to be laughing at Paisle, for something:
What, did I distract you?
Big Boy's lovey face:
This is only one of a few photos of M with the kong--Paisle wrestles it from him all the time now.
M in the process of losing the kong...again:
The Little Bean:Maybe they really DO share, and it just SEEMS like Beanie always has the toy of the second:

Now Momma has the kong:Playtime is over--time for a nap. Big Boy showing off his "I am really a Mastiff" face:And in a few minutes, the kids are down for the count. I am so lucky to have them. And on a final note here for the day--Big Boy weighed in this afternoon at 79.6lbs. If any of tomorrow's feast falls his direction (doubtful, since he'll be spending most of it in his crate) he will probably tip the scale at 80lbs before the week is over (I wonder if his snoring will get worse...).

Anthropomorphic Puppy Love

Dear Everett,

Long ago in 1994 when we brought you home, you maybe slept with Kechel once or twice. I have photos of one time you slept NEAR him, but not close enough to share body heat. I do remember how you fit between his front and back legs when he stretched out, in your starved bony frame, but do not have the photos to show the close proximity.

When you were still young, and Ansel came to us as a baby, you two never slept together. Never. When Paisle came to us, after you'd crossed the rainbow bridge, she tried and tried to cuddle with Ansel, who (after various forms of complaint) would either get up and leave, or force Paisle to move.

Well now here we are, present day, and Beanie and her boyfriend Marshal huddle almost daily. If Beanie did not sleep in the coveted location (my bed), they would probably squish onto the same doggie bed all night.

Here they are, after a morning of exploring the back yard:

Is it yet more anthropomorphism, if I say the cold weather is having more of an effect on Marshal, than on Ansel? Last night I had to pick up Big Boy, to bring him to bed. Sure, I could have left him on the doggy bed where he was, but I at least wanted the opportunity to cover him with a wool blanket in the BR doggy bed, to ward off the inevitable chill in the night. Big Boy still struggles to rise after exercise, and in the morning when we first venture forward. I think he is close to 80lbs now--your size, Eve--but I wonder if his growth (and weight gain) are having adverse impact on his strained hind quarters.

What is wrong with him? If only we knew. Like Ora, disk dog champion and fellow pit bull who's been devastated by an abscess near her spine. Ora went from leaping after flying orbs of plastic, to not having control of her hind quarters in one week. She is still incapacitated, almost three weeks later, with various cocktails of pain killers, antibiotics, and now steroids. What happened? What caused her sudden, and completely out of character, decline? Why is Marshal so uncomfortable? I would never equate Ora's pain to M's, as she is several years his senior, and without firm medical diagnosis. Yet neither of these beloved family members are capable of telling us what hurts. Does Marshal have hip displaysia? Is his stiffness just part of the recovery process, from his broken femur? Why is such a young, and growing puppy taking so long to heal?

I wish you could tell me, Eve. So funny, to know they are essentially the same frame, though Beanie is so petite compared to her boyfriend, Big Boy:

I hope Big Boy is 100% soon.

His girlfriend is waiting for him.

Smiling!

Hi Everett!

Alright, this photo is blurry (what else is new), but I think this is the first time I've caught on camera one of Marshal's little smiles:

So maybe I am taking artistic license, in what I call a smile. The rough and tumble is next, but this is very close to what he looks like when he smiles.
Even though it has been well below freezing (that is another fresh snow fall under the pup's feet), here is one of my snapdragons, still blooming:
No wonder these are one of my favorite flowers. What a survivor.

Cozy Coats, by Climutt

Dear Everett,

Finally, here are the photos of the Crew, in all their coats, outside, and at the same time.

Alright, Eve, I do have my favorites. I am partial to Marshal's, probably because he wears his the most (often all day in the house, to make sure he stays warm on his healed leg), and I really like the horse blanket style. I am partial to Paisle's, because it is so cute on her, girly without being sappy. And I am partial to Ansel's, because it's ice blue border shifts with him, and of all the dogs I really think he will benefit the most from wearing it in the coming months. I love how Sydney Holcomb, the artist of the company, Climutt, made the coats in matching material, while still expressing each dog's individual style. Or maybe I am just projecting their style, onto each coat? And I know I've already said this once, but Marshal (on the right above) and Paisle (in the middle), had almost identical measurements. Granted their coats are two different styles, but the little runt, Beannie, is definitely not drowning in hers, yet she's noticeably smaller than Big Boy! Isn't she cute in this solo photo!And here she is, squished between her boys:
Ansel really shows his age induced barrel, here:
I do not mean any disloyalty, Eve! Ansel is aging, and aging well. As evidenced in yesterday's photos, he at least holds his own when the pups get going (well perhaps even that is not completely fair, because M is forced to quit early, by yours truly). He looks well, and plays well, and sleeps well, for being 11 yrs. old. I heard on MPR, when their semi-annual vet visit happened on the Midday show, that pit bulls life expectancy is 9.5 yrs. At the time, Ansel was just 10.5, and has now tipped his hat at 11, and look at him!

This is a chase scene from today, though it really does look very similar to yesterday's play. Ansel, who has been active in his entire 11 years with me, still rollerblades with me whenever given the chance. It is Ansel, not the puppies, who demands to go for a walk every day. Ansel is the one who decides we've slept enough, and must get out of bed, no matter what time we actually got INTO bed. And Ansel is the one who reliably goes into his crate, depending on what set of shoes I don (work shoes are heels, work from home shoes are slippers, weekend shoes could be boots or sneakers, but BEWARE bringing out the sneakers because they ALWAYS mean a walk!). Maybe, Everett, if we should write our memoirs many years from now, we'll realize that having a fenced in yard was the worst thing that happened to us as a family, because it allowed me to become lazy. It is no longer a requirement to get the dogs out for a walk to take care of business, as well as work off some energy--I can just let them out in the yard. So...the pups do not have the ingrained schedule that Ansel does, born from years of routine.

I feel a new year's resolution coming, which does not have to be based on the calendar year. After all, Ansel DID just have a birthday, and that's a new year, right?

United in Play

Dear Everett,
It was a beautiful day, today. Actual temp reached 37, but it was much warmer out of the wind, and in the sun. The Crew took full advantage of the nice weather!

Ansel might be the oldest, but he has as much heart, perhaps more, than the young pups. They played for a long time!

Please excuse the blurry photos. There is so much spirit in them I wanted to post, even though I cringe at the lack of clarity....

The boys on their own, while Beannie investigates the fence behind me.
I am not really sure why this photo is so oversized. I'm experimenting with different photo storing packages, and this one does not seem to store photos all the same size.

The Week (10 days) in Review

Dear Everett,
Great big push to the finish line at work is almost done! Thankfully! So, yet again, I have been neglecting putting up posts and pics of the Crew and how they are doing.

Overall, they are doing very well. We've had two snowfalls in the past week, plus rain and general unpleasant weather. But! We need the moisture--I just wish Beannie was not so determined to dig up the back yard by her fence-running with the neighbor's Doberman. And M, the fiend, has gone back to digging to China--a favorite passtime before the forced rest began.

Nov 6 - two days after the election, and already Paisle is done with the news. She just wants to go to sleep--can we shut out the lights finally, and close our eyes? Nov. 7 - The very next morning, our first snow!!

The Big Boy is loving the fresh white dusting (chasing P of course, who is out of the pic): So here, full attention, from Marshal and a real idea of the light snow dust: And just 24 minutes later, significantly more snow on the ground! Back inside, the pups share the safety (from what??) of his crate, aka the Condo. Both are chewing beef bones, but the toys are hard to see:And time yet again, for another snooze. This is Paisle in the pink chair...I am constantly amazed at how many different ways her cuteness comes through:Not to be outdone by Paisle, here is M inside the same blanket (11 hrs later), but on one of the doggy beds on the floor:Nov. 8 - This morning I brought Ansel with me on early am errands, but I dressed him in his coat, in case the car became chilly:

Back home, Beannie is on the move again:

Even though our small amount of snow is gone, here is Marshal, so happy to have some freedom, and movement!

Then the second snow came along, and Paisle looks possessed: All good fun in the tiny bit of snow.

Nov. 9 - I am off to the farm! I love going to the farm.

The only bad part about going (besides the long drive) is that I cannot bring the dogs. There are just too many things to chase:

And some of those things have horns! This is Petunia, in with the lambs (that's Nina filling the water bucket). Petunia is having a really tough time with one of her feet, but her horns are as dangerous to a young puppy as always. The rest of the herd is out in the pasture behind this cow shed.

There are also many things, without horns:

Front and center here is an Araucana, producer of blue eggs, Guinea hen on the Araucana's right, two turkeys behind it, and one Dominique in the very back. All the chickens are named Henrietta. The turkey eggs are my personal favorite, because they are reliably larger than chicken eggs, but the turkeys have stopped laying for the winter. Bummer.

This is Lazarus, shot from inside the chicken coop. Born to a first-time mother struggling with maternal instincts, the newborn stopped breathing. Luckily Nina had a cat-wise friend visiting from the east coast, who saved both kittens and mama kitty. Thus Lazarus is the kitten (now full grown)who came back from the dead:

Visiting the farm is never complete without admiration for the multitudes of produce:

These pale pumpkins have really wonderful meat for pies. Nina kindly gave me a few to take home, as well as more squash, jam, leftovers from a lamb dinner, and of course, eggs.

Nov. 11 - Harmony in the household:

I tried and tried, Everett, to take a photo showing all three toys the Crew are chewing, but to no avail. Ansel has a beef bone. Paisle has the Galileo. And Marshal, Big Boy who didn't fit on the bed, has a rope. It feels so good to see them all together! There is still ocassional discord--Ansel has to let both pups know to recognize his maturity, and M defers to A every time there is a need. Paisle, spoiled as she is, has never challenged Ansel. She does, however, push his limits with her routine desire to sleep on him in his basket, or share his dog bed, eat his meal, and be a general pain in his rear. I've not witnessed any dominance attempts, and hopefully none are in the future.

Nov. 11 - evening and more snow. Marshal & Paisle are harder to see here, in the dark.

Not sure how I did this, but that mist is not exhaled. The temp was just 32--rain turning to snow, with mist heavy in the air. I like the Transylvania feel.Nov. 12 - More of the same. Work had me up at ridiculous hours; thankfully I have pups to entertain me at 3:11 am. Notice how much more snow is on the ground. This photo is only 5 hours later and the Transylvania feel continues:
Add another 4 hours, some daylight, and you see more snow! Marshal trying to entice Paisle to play:

A break in the action, to eat some snow. Beannie is ever watchful, for her Doberman friend to appear behind the fence:

Another pause in the action, but this pause gives us a better view of how much snow is on the ground. By looking at the Bean's feet on the lounge chair, I'm guessing this frosting is about an inch of the heavy wet stuff. It melted before the day was over.

Nov. 14 - I love this photo. The snow is gone, the ground is wet, and though Paisle is but a blur, Marshal is in sharp relief (okay, relatively sharp):

Yet again, blurry, but still fun (perhaps you can tell I've made progress with raking?):That pale spot in M's mouth is a very large nylabone.

As in the past, after resting inside for a bit, M showed signs of stiffness. So I put his coat on him, and the pups slept soundly while I finished the business day:

All that's missing, from this tale of snow, play, sleep, rain, play, sleep, is the hot chocolate with whipped cream and a crackling fire. Too bad for these kids, chocolate can be dangerous for dogs. I guess I'll have to drink it all myself--or maybe some wine instead.

Missing you daily, Everett!