THANKS TO EVERYONE

Today is the day before thanksgiving in the USA, and though other countries often have thanksgiving on other dates, we all understand the concept of having a special day to be thankful.

So besides being thankful to God for all lifes blessings, I want to say thanks to all of you for being so friendly and helpful throughout the last year since I started my blog.  I've learned from each of you, been sad when you lost a loved one, laughed my head off at some of the antics of our dogs, and in general had my life enhanced by all of you.

I especially want everyone to know how much I appreciate the advice from everyone who commented on Power's night craziness!  I used all the advice, and things are much better.  I've been leaving a night light on, and taking him outside on a leash at bedtime.  I've been trying to make sure he is really tired at bedtime.

Evening exercise

For the last week I was in transit between Bluewater Lake state Park, and my winter camping in Arizona.

I travelled south along the Rio Grande river, stopping at Elephant 'Butte Lake state Park for a couple of days.  My purpose there was to purchase an Apple Ipad Mini from my friend Andy.  He was getting a new one and was selling the older one.  Andy spent a couple hours teaching me how to use it, and he's a good teacher.

Then I traveled on furthur south and westward over to Deming, where I had doctor's appointments.  After a couple days there, I was ready to travel on into Arizona.  I stopped in Yuma for a few days, to visit friends, and during that time it rained on and on, and on.  But I did get to see my friends, except for one couple who I missed due to rain.  

Mountain behind our campsite.

One night at bedtime, Power got away from me when I was taking the hounds out for a potty stop.  He ( being a genuine greyhound) was happy to play " you can't catch me", and took off down the RV park roads!  I knew that I couldn't catch him on foot, so got the car, and drove around in the rv park till I saw him.  He looked like he was lost.  When He saw us he came running and he was unharmed, thank GOD!  He was full of energy and mischief probably due to being cooped up during the heavy rains.  So I was glad to try to wear him out before we went back into the motorhome.

So, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Night craziness

Power giving me " the look" when he yips to get me out of bed

Night before last, we went to bed at the usual time with the usual routine.  I read for a while then turned out my light.  Just as I was drifting off to sleep, I heard a "yip" and Power was making his request known.  This has lately become a habit for this boy. He's perfectly happy when I am in the same room or even if my bedroom reading light is on.  But when the light is turned off, he seems to think that he needs to wake me, and he will continue to do it every two hours at the bare minimum.  I have tried to make him settle without a trip outdoors, but it doesn't work. I've tried taking the water bowl up at 8 pm--it did no good, so I took it up at 7 pm--that didn't work either, so now I'm taking it up at 6 pm.  I will report on the results as I know them.  

Twice, I was so desperate, that I went to the living room and slept on the Laz-e-boy recliner.  Power was very content with that!  Fleur has never had a problem with my being in the bedroom, thank God!

When I capitulate and let him outside, he goes through a routine of 1: a long slow pee  2:sniffing around the yard.  3: standing in the pool, and drinking if there's any water in it. 4: wanting inside. 5: standing in the doorway for a long, long time and letting heat out, cold in, rain in, flies in, etc.  6: when I go out to urge him inside, he does a whirling dervish dance and smiles so very big, more dervish dancing, and faking entering the doorway. 7: If I reach for his collar to help him come inside, he plays "keep away". 8: I try bribing him with a treat, but he's too smart for that!  He's having fun, and he's got my attention, which seems to be what he wants.

This  is a daytime picture of the same happy craziness Power does at night!

If any of you have suggestions, please share them!

Fleur's feet

Thursday, we stopped at the vet on our way to Camping world.  Fleur got her stitches out of both feet!  She didn't even try to bite anyone(due to nerves)!  We tried doing it on the floor, but the spaces in between her toes were so narrow and dark, that we finally got her up on an exam table and I steadied her while the vet tech removed her stitches.  She said the right front foot looks dry and healed but the right rear foot is still moist and slightly open, and needs some time to heal.  But all is well considering.

I really expected her to bite or poop or something!  But she was perfect. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if she had smiled and held each foot up (like someone getting a manicure).  

It's a relief that she's normal again.

I just thought I was ready...

I noted that a new follower has been added to my list, jmh522000 http://clearskiesafterthestorm.blogspot.com/and I want to welcome you.  I hope that you enjoy the blog. I looked at her blog, and I must comment on her fur baby, Bailey, who has the most luscious fur!  I think that fur brushed from Bailey's coat would make exquisite yarn!


Thursday I drove to Albuquerque NM to the Camping World, and spent the night in their parking lot.  It was a very pleasant evening, only slightly cold.

This morning I got ready to leave and the battery was not good enough to start the engine.  I tried using the house batteries to supplement the engine battery but also no go.  So I ended up sitting in the waiting room of the Camping World all day while they put me in their line of people who needed service.  The dogs were with me and they behaved really well, and we got to meet many other people and their dogs.  By the time I was ready to leave, the weather had turned rainy, and it was getting dark, so I decided to stay in the parking lot again.  I considered going to an RV park, but didn't want to get out in the rain to pay and then to plug in the electric cord.  So, I'm happily in the parking lot again.  The only thing I wish is that I didn't have to go out in the rain to walk the dogs!  Do you think they could hold it till morning?

Getting ready to travel again!

Today I was readying the motorhome for travel.  I raised and lowered the levelers, closed and opened the slideouts, cleaned the windshield, folded the hand rail, turned the switch for the steps, put away the water hose, the sewer hose, started picking up the dogs fencing, and the yard chairs.  I had a box of photos from my Dad's Marine days in the 1930's and had been sorting them and scanning them, so today I had to store them in a container that would preserve them safely.  In between these things, I was vacuuming, sorting mail, and going online to pay two bills. 

By late afternoon the dogs were fed up!  So I took them out for exercise and also stopped at the dumpster with trash.  The air is so cold on my hand (the one holding the leash), I'm going to have to locate my gloves!

Motorhome with slide in out position

Yard rugs, chairs, and fence.

Fleur says that it's all very tiring, and she needs a nap!

Today we accomplished a lot, and am glad that it's too late to do any more today!

Tomorrow I will pull out and drive to Albuquerque NM so that I can visit Camping World (they sell rv stuff) and camp in their parking lot overnight.

It feels good to be on the move again.

Power has been nervous about all the changes, and cannot decide if he should whine about his anxiety or lie down and sleep till it's over!

Organizing

Today I used part of my work hours (between phone calls), to organize the supplies I'd used in my crafts all summer.

Sewing organizer


I had purchased this 4 tray organizer after seeing something similar owned by Andy Baird, who was camping at the park.

Sewing organizer (4 boxes)


Each box has dividers and can be configured as needed

Cardboard spools for embroidery floss


I had purchased an assortment of embroidery floss to use, and started putting the floss onto these spools.

Embroidery threads and tools

Beading supplies organizer

Briefcase to hold my beading organizer

The briefcase was found next to a dumpster at Quartzsite last winter, and has been so useful for beading supplies. The beading organizer was a gift from Joyce who is the Mom of a greyhound called Idee.  Thanks again Joyce!

Rolling caddy for sewing machine

This caddy for my sewing machine was purchased in Walmart, and I am so thankful to have it.  The handle pulls up and the caddy rolls along behind me, thus making the load feel lighter!


Now that everything is organized and ready to take to the motorhome, I just have to decide where it will be stored in the motorhome!  I have lots of stuff that hardly gets used, so I just have to decide.

Pageviews and Followers

I realize that pageviews are not really important, but as a new blogger, they are exciting to me! I was excited to see that 21400 has come and gone.  Thanks everyone!

I love reading others' blogs, and today I noticed another new follower, and the little symbol says that this follower is Yes I know my dogs look funny   http://www.yesiknowmydogslookfunny.com/ 

I've been enjoying her blog for a good while now, and  it's nice to know that we'll keep up with each other. 

I want to say that I am celebrating the fact that blogging is a good way to "meet" other greyhound lovers, and greyhounds, and also bloggers' cats and other breed of dogs.  I didn't realize before blogging that I could make friends from a distance and enjoy them so much.


Thanks everyone for your blogs, comments, and for sharing your lives.

Retirees and non retirees all

I saw an add on TV the other day, about getting money for shopping.  I decided to look it up on the internet, and decided to sign up for this program:

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=3r%2BRtolXr%2FHIZny1dRZWQw%3D%3D


This interested me as a greyhound mom, a cat mom, an RVer, and a retiree. 
1: I have found that since I move around at regular intervals, that I do a fair amount of online shopping.
2: I have 2 greyhounds, and seem to feel that greyhound specific collars, coats, etc are more to my liking than generic stuff listed as large dog coats and collars.
3: I live in an RV and supplies for RV's can be a specialty item, and therefore are mail ordered.
4:I am retired, and as with all retirees, I find that my retirement income is only adequate if one doesn't have too much unexpected expenses.
5:Unexpected expenses are to be expected!

I hope that by talking about this in my blog, that some of the readers will check it out and will find it useful for them as well.

I wish some of you would tell be how you've coped with price increases, and also income in retirement .

On a bright cold morning!

Chica getting some body heat from Power!

Fleur looking angelic

Can you tell it's 19 degrees!

Update on Power and a new follower

I thought I'd better let you know how life is in "injured dog world".  Since going to the vet yesterday and melting down, Fleur has made a wonderful recovery.  Sh'e walking better, she is not going crazy over her sore  feet, and she's bossing Power around again, as is usual.  I'm trying to not let her do any harm to the sutures, and am still giving her her medication.  All in all, she's on the mend.


 As for Power, he's been a real gentleman, letting Fleur have the whole sofa, and not trying to ear her supper, or run into her in the yard.  I feel that he's being so good that he's likely to erupt with repressed mischief before long!

Power resting on dog beds instead of sofa

Snow on ground

We had a snowstorm a day after Fleur's injury, and Power acted like he was afraid of it.  The water in the pool was frozen, and Power couldn't figure out how to drink it!  The temperature never rose over 30 the entire day and was back down into the low 20's again that night.

I want to remark on a new follower, Dip Dip and the Bridge.  Firstly, welcome and thank you for joining us.  I had looked at their web site a few times and had seen comments they left on other blogs, so was quite pleased to see their names on the followers list.  People are all so interesting and have a lot to contribute.

Tripod wannabe?

Since Fleur has been limping along on her sore feet, I have noticed that she stands a bit like a Tripod.  Her right front foot is barely touching the ground, the right hind leg is held forward of normal, and both left legs are sprawled out to the side,  a bit more than normal.

Fleur was a nervous wreck at the vet, and the vet is a sweet, gentle fellow who was very good with her.  She didn't care about that.  She just wanted out of there!

Power was just the opposite:  He said "can you please give me a biscuit?  I can show you where they are!  They're right here, on the counter next to that nice lady!   Mom!  Here are the biscuits!"

The vet said that Fleur's injuries were too moist and that because of that moistness, that I should not keep any dressings on the feet, but leave them open to the air, but keep them clean and when she goes outside she must have a plastic bag over each injured foot.  All of this is very logical, and not very easy to accomplish!  But we will manage it somehow!

Blurry photo of rt hind foot part of injury

When we got out to the car, Fleur got in the back seat and went to work licking and chewing, and about went crazy for a while.  She was just so very high strung about it!  I went directly to a store and bought 6 pairs of cotton socks to use as breathable covers for the nighttime and any other times when she is not able to leave the feet alone to heal.  I was really worried that we wouldn't make it home without the injuries being reopened.

So, now we are home, and this is how they are doing:

Exhaustion rules

No one will play with me!

So, All is well!

Update on Fleur

Fleur is having some trouble walking, since 2 feet are sore and bandaged.  She doesn't want to put any weight on the right front leg, but is doing better on the right rear leg.  She has asked me to carry her once or twice, and has requested a bit of help in exiting the motorhome and car.  Certainly no exercise has been on her agenda. 

The queen is resting

The vet said that the dressings need to be changed every couple of days, so today will be my first try in getting the dressings changed.

I was looking on the website that Dr Suzanne Stack has written medical articles about greyhounds. http://www.greythealth.com/ In the article about injuries, she says that when feet are bandaged, that there should be cotton between the toes and also in the void between the pads on the underside of the foot.  She says that without taking this precaution, the foot will be infected when the bandage comes off.  So today when I take the dressing off, I'm hoping to find cotton between the toes and between the pads on the underside of the foot.  I also hope that otherwise the incisions will look clean and healing.

I plan to have all kinds of cleaner solutions and bandage materials ready when I remove the stitches, so perhaps I won't end up with the feet unbandaged, and no way to wrap them again.  She most likely won't be very cooperative.

More later!

Pearl wants you to know...

Mom won't let me sit behind the steering wheel!

My Mom is so unfair!  She says I can ride in the car, but I can't drive.  What's wrong with her?!  Greyhounds are so very smart.  I have watched her drive.  If she can do it, then I can do it.