Monday, August 29, 2011

Boo Boo

Jake and Gracie at play in the backyard
Dogs are our companions. They greet us when we've been away, follow us around the home, and lower our blood pressure when we, the two legged ones, are allowed to stroke their fur. So when one gets hurt, it is traumatic not only for the dog, but the owner.

I was at the dog park last night with my two, and there were several people and dogs there that we know. One was Dega, a Wheaton Terrier, who is one of Gracie's boyfriends. My beautiful Aussie has many. She is known as the Park Slut. But that is another story.... The dogs had all been chasing a beagle, having fun, running around in the beautiful late day sun, when Dega returned to his mom. Melissa looked down and there was blood all over his front leg. I happened to be holding a squirt bottle filled with water, which is used to remind Jake who is the pack leader (me, in case you were wondering). Melissa asked for it to wash off his paw. At first we couldn't see anything, and the poor baby kept curling his paw under his body. Being a good mom, Melissa didn't like the looks of that bleeding paw, and took him immediately to the Airport Emergency Vet.

This facility is run by vets from all over the Indianapolis area, and is only open when regular veterinary clinics aren't. It's expensive to walk in the door, as you are paying for the convenience, but let me say, I've used them on a Sunday night, and these people are wonderful. Compassionate to a fault, caring, and very good veterinarians. We like them a lot.

Turns out Dega had to be sedated just for the paw to be examined. Somehow, he had bent the middle nail back and it was caught in his fur. The nail was loose, and had to be removed. I can't even imagine how much pain that poor baby was in, but he is now all better. The leg is wrapped in gauze, and he has antibiotics and pain meds. Melissa called me on her way home. I had sent her a text wanting to know what was going on. She borrowed one of my cones (the CONE of SHAME, if you've ever seen the movie, UP), so Dega won't chew off the gauze.

I have met so many people through my dogs. We are here for each other, we socialize outside of the dog park, and reach out to one another in times of need. It is a very good feeling.
Linda

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Dang!

I tried repeatedly to sign in to blogger yesterday, but it just wasn't having me. Don't know what the problem was, but it appears we are back. I'm sorry for the missing posts, but we have been in a whirlwind of activity. Cathy has set the date to reopen Allyscraps for September 13th, and we have been out and about on a mission.

This time around, the store will carry scrapbooking and card making supplies, as well as home decor and gifts. It won't take us but a few days to get all of the paper products out on display. The problem is with gathering enough products for the home decor and gift section in time. We've also been making items to display and sell. I did a page with an early photograph of Bella, my great-granddaughter last night. I'll try to get a decent photo to post tomorrow.

With the cooler weather (Thank You very much!!), I am trying to paint the trim on my house, and replace screens on several windows. Dogs. Nails. Need I say more?

Is it me, or has this year just flown by? Or is this an aspect of growing old? Hard to believe it is almost September 1st. Where did the summer go, besides being indoors due to that intense heat? I also spend hours watering. There has been some rain, the best rainfall one day last week, but it is still so dry. With lots of tender, loving watering, my hibiscus are blooming again. Love it.

Have a wonderful day.
Linda

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

So much to do....

Miss Bella sucking down her bottle

I feel so bad for my granddaughter. She is exhausted, Jeremy is exhausted. Two kids under the age of one. Yes, it was their choice, yes it was their decision, but sleep is a commodity in very short supply in that house, at this moment.

So great-grandma is considering bringing Bella down here for a week. Just so they can catch up a bit. I don't know if they would go for this idea, or how well Bella would cope away from mom, dad, and her new sister. If this didn't work, I could always take her back home. What's a 3 hour drive?

On the other hand, Bella would have to live with my two crazy dogs. That is a consideration. We just went through the typical morning barking session, and at times this can make me jump. You know how that goes: a bunny/school bus/child/other dog was seen half a mile away out of the living room window, and they go wild for 60 seconds.

Life is never easy. We just have to learn to cope with each day as it comes. Make this a good one.
Linda

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Sigh

This is my problem child. This is the spoiled rotten Diva Princess of Avon. Gracie used to sleep on my bed. Since Jake has come to live with us, she chooses to sleep in "her" bedroom, the spare room with a queen size bed. I think it's the bed that does it - "Queen" being the operative word here.

She has stopped, for the most part, waking me in the middle of the night to go out. However. And here is the rub, she jumps up on my bed and wakes me every morning, between 5am and 5:30am. Every, single day. The days are starting to get shorter, so it is still dark at this time. Miss Diva doesn't seem to care. She wants mom up. She wants her breakfast. She is spoiled.

Yeah, I know. It's my fault. When I am teaching the 8am class, I am up at this time. But I am no longer getting ready for work at 5:30, and would like to sleep in until at least 6a.m. The Diva just doesn't understand that.

Look at the look she is giving me in this photo. "WHAT do you want from me, lady?" Gracie is a brat, but I love her with all my heart.

Have a great day.
Linda

Monday, August 22, 2011

The Back Yard Revisited



These were taken about a week ago, before Jake had his facial hair gently trimmed. We had a playdate with Dega, one of the dog park pals, last Monday evening. Melissa, Dega's mom, trims Dega at home so she offered to trim Jake a bit more than I already had. I'm glad she did. He can see, and I can see his eyes. I must take some new pics.

Went kind of crazy today, and bought a tree to be planted in the backyard. I am sick of not having shade and waiting for what I have planted to grow. Our growth rate for plants this summer is zero, due to lack of rain. Watering, which I do, just doesn't cut it like a good torrential downpour. Anyway, back to the tree. I purchased a sugar maple that is between 10 and 12 feet tall, with a 3 inch diameter trunk. AND I am paying them to deliver and plant this bad boy. My babies need shade. It's an investment. I am nuts. Pick any one of those statements, or all of them. They are all true.

I best not catch a dog chewing on this expensive addition to their playground. Hear me now, Gracie and Jake. You have Nyla bones, and pull toys, and balls. Play with your toys.

Right.
Linda

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Drinking a bottle

Bella
In order to drink ones' bottle properly, one must use either a foot, or both feet. This method helps in keeping the bottle steady. Or, you could just play with your toes. This also allows you to totally ignore your great-grandmother, who is sitting on the living room couch with this big, honking camera pointed in your general direction.

Grandmas....what is a baby to do?
Linda

Friday, August 19, 2011

A Great Grandma Again!

Bella at 11 months

Gianna, 2 days old

I first got a text message, then a phone call on Tuesday night. Terra, my granddaughter, was in labor. We had had a plan of action in place for weeks. It always helps to be prepared. There were enough family members to babysit Bella, who will be one on September 2nd, until I got there.

This was an interesting, exhausting, entertaining and very pleasurable experience. Me and Bella, alone, for two whole days. During the afternoon of the first day, her mom requested I bring her up to the hospital to meet her sister. Okay. No problem. Except no one had mentioned that they had switched hospitals. Grandma Linda carted Bella and an enormous diaper bag, without a stroller, through a parking garage, down corridors to find out we were at the wrong hospital. Well, crap.

Reverse, and do it again to return to the car, strap in the child, and away we go. Second, correct hospital, and the parking is closer. This is a good thing. Except the actual hospital is larger, and no one explained about the wings. Grandma is barely holding onto this child who now weighs more with each step, when a very kind nurse took pity on me, and offered to carry Bella while she showed me the correct location. God bless that nurse. My left arm was ready to fall off.

Bella ignored the baby. No matter what mom or dad said, or did, Bella could not be bothered with that noisy little thing in daddy's arms. No. She wanted to play in this new environment, full of all kinds of trouble. The next encounter between sisters was this morning. And that ugly green demon was rearing it's head: jealousy.

I think, I hope, it will all work out. I'm confident it will. Terra and Jeremy are wonderful parents, who totally understand that all children need boundaries, schedules, and rules. Bella is loved, hugged, smooched, and corrected.

I miss them already, but had to return home to get my own babies from the pet sitter. Dog kisses and hugs are good, too.
Linda

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Vacation Album

Front cover




This is a new mini album for the highlights of your vacation. I had a lot of fun doing this. Kind of whimsical, a little different. Again, I'm aiming for gift giving with these smaller projects.

Hard to believe that it is mid August already, and the kids have returned to school. I need to get myself working every day so I have enough for the craft show in December.

Have a great day. Loving this weather. Loving not having the air conditioner running 24/7.
Linda

Monday, August 15, 2011

And the reason is?

Note Jake's paw around Gracie's neck
We have a new behavior that has evolved recently: Gracie likes to wash Jake's face. Just one side.

I don't know why this is happening. Gracie has always been a dog who likes to lick people and things. She licks, on occasion, the bed sheets. Then gets a little upset when her tongue sticks because it is too dry. Weird dog. Now, when they play as they are in this photo, she will start to wash his face. He allows this in varying degrees. Some days he just swats at her and walks away. Other days he just submits, with a strange look in his eyes.

Whatever. I've said it before and I'm saying it again: dogs are better than HBO.
Linda


Saturday, August 13, 2011

Sheep 10, Linda 1.5

Remember these guys? The Sheep? The ones who knocked me to the ground 9 times last fall? Yeah, happy memories.

I took the dogs to sheep herding today for the first time in 5 weeks. Between the heat wave and my work schedule, and a few other little commitments like the McCartney concert, we had been unable to go. This morning the temperature was 70 degrees, nice breeze, a perfect day to be at the farm.

Gracie and I have come a long way in the past year. Gracie knows what we expect, has stop avoiding the work (for the most part), and is settling into her little side job quite nicely. One problem: she still has a tendency to follow too closely behind the sheep. When this happens, they crowd me.

I was in the process of turning around to tell Gracie to "get out", a command that means slow down, dog, and don't follow too close, when a sheep stepped on my foot dislodging my shoe. My foot turned the wrong way, and down I went. Falling is no longer a big deal to me. I half expect it. Except I hadn't fallen to the ground in sheep herding since last year. It was a wake up call. I don't want to get hurt again. From that point, I was more on top of the situation, getting Gracie to do what she is suppose to do: walk slowly behind the herd, turn with us, blocking her when she tried to go around.

It was a good session. But it was also a reminder that dogs need to be continuously trained. Gracie has known and performed the "lie down" command for 8 months. Today, she did indeed go down, but would spring back up. No, that is not allowed. She is not to move until she has been released to do so. Back to basics. We will practice at home, and at the same time, train Jake to "lie down" with the hand signal and the verbal command.

A mother's work is never done. Enjoy the weekend. Hug someone. I plan on hugging my two furry companions.
Linda

Thursday, August 11, 2011

The Graduation

Jake, the proud graduate


I signed up for six weeks of puppy manners class with Jake. We are guessing at his age, but the vet feels that he will turn 2 around November of this year. So he is still a pup.

In the past 6 weeks, he learned to sit with a hand motion only, no words, lie down with a verbal command, and then by hand signal, wait at the door, wait for his food and not eat until released,  and to "leave it", whatever "it" may be. For our last class, they had set up an obstacle course. I had to walk Jake around the outside with a loose leash (we're working on that), enter one door and two gates, then do various actions around the course. My boy passed with only one problem: he would not enter an open ended barrel. I got down on my hands and knees trying to entice him through with a dog treat. He wasn't having any of it.

This class was good for both of us. I believe that my dog now trusts me, and that is the basis for any future training. He makes eye contact with me far more often than Gracie does. But then again, Gracie is a Diva, and I am merely part of the staff serving her......

Enjoy this incredible weather. THIS is what summer should be.
Linda

Saturday, August 6, 2011

When the grass was green...

Jake, enjoying the yard

Gracie, showing her blond fur
I took these pictures on July 16th. We had already stopped mowing the grass because it was no longer growing. I haven't mowed since July 1st. But it was still green. And then the string of plus 90 degree days hit, and sucked the moisture right out of the ground. Once again, the lawns are brown and crunchy.

Today I looked everywhere for my sprinkler. It was just a cheap, plastic circle, but I liked it because it was easy to control where the water fell. Can't find it anywhere, so I stopped at Lowe's and bought a cheap, plastic sprinkler that oscillates. The Indianapolis area has a 50% chance of rain tonight. Uh huh. Last week it poured just north, and I do mean just, of the city. Not a drop on the west side. My thought is that because I spent money on a sprinkler, the skies will open up. Or, I could wash and wax the car. That always worked in the past.

I have one patch of green, growing grass by the water spigot in the backyard. The current hose leaks (is there no end?), and water shoots out for 3 feet from the house. It is the dogs' favorite spot to lay now, due to the grazing tendencies of both.

It takes so little to make them happy....
Linda

Friday, August 5, 2011

A New Card

I have been having a lot of fun lately, just playing around with scraps of paper. This is one of the latest. The envelope on the front is a seed packet made from kraft paper, then stamped. I also used these packets in the garden mini album I posted yesterday. So cute...

This weekend I will attend a first birthday party for Bella, my great-granddaughter. It's hard to believe she is almost one. The party is a few weeks early, due to the fact that her sister will be born within the next 2 weeks. Terra, my granddaughter, will have her hands full!

Enjoy your weekend.
Linda

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Garden Mini Album






TThis is a mini album I made recently as an experiment. I am pleased with the way it turned out. I wanted a very vintage type look, so I used a lot of Tim Holtz Distress ink around the edges of everything. My goal was to create something that could be purchased as a gift.

My friend, Judy, and I are doing a craft show in Plainfield, IN in December. I've been stockpiling cards and albums to sell at that event. But I am really excited about ALLYSCRAPS once again opening its doors. Cathy has signed a lease on another building, and the scrapbook store will be located in Plainfield, IN. on US 40. The target date is September 13th.

Thanks for stopping by.
Linda

Monday, August 1, 2011

I am a Dinosaur

In August, 1964 I was 16 years old, entering my Junior year in high school. Pat and I, along with dozens of other girls from our area, purchased tickets to see the Beatles in concert at the International Ampitheatre in Chicago. It no longer exists. Some of you may recognize it by it's common name of The Stockyards. Yeah, it was where they brought the cattle and pigs in for slaughter. The Beatles had several opening acts. They themselves were only on stage for about 30 minutes. It didn't matter. We were breathing the same air as our idols.

We also attended the 1965 Chicago concert at Comisky Park (the old park), and again at the Stockyards in 1966. When the Beatles released Sgt Pepper, we knew the touring days were gone. There was no way they could reproduce those sounds on stage. And then, it seemed in a blink, they are disbanded. No longer the Fab Four. They were now separate acts, all going their own way.

This group never lost their magic for me. The music, in my opinion, has held up over the past 48 years like no other. What our country was going through was tied into the music, and it all became something more than just listening to records.

Fast forward. Pat emailed me about 6 weeks ago, and said that Chicago was trying to get McCartney to book into Wrigley Field the end of July. To make a long story short, we got tickets at $165 each. I didn't care what it cost, I wanted to see this man perform one more time before I died. I had been a fan since the beginning, I was going out as a fan. Not that either one of us are kicking the bucket that I know of, but you get the point.

Last night was the concert. It was 98 degrees in Chicago, no lake breeze to speak of, but none of us cared. The evening was magical. It was something like 36,000 people sharing music that they knew in their souls, their hearts. We sang to every song. We yelled, we waved, we cheered, and we all left with a very large smile on our faces.

Cost of this weekend? $165 for the ticket, $60 for gas, $40 to park, and $80 for boarding the dogs. Seeing Paul McCartney, live, sweating with us, giving everything within him to entertain us? Priceless. Absolutely priceless.

Wish you all had been there.
Linda