All About Lucy and Vi

The rain poured down day after day.  (Thanks a lot Patti.  https://thenewsixty.blogspot.com/)  Last night we had severe thunderstorms.  Our community has a building code that makes no sense that I can determine.  It requires one room on each floor to have a "sensitive" electrical breaker that will trip if there is lightning nearby.  The master bedroom must be one of those rooms.  So during the storm I awakened in total darkness.  No light from the clock/radio, no light from the answering system, no light from the nightlight.  I had no idea what time it might be.  So I put on my slippers and went out to the garage to reset the tripped breaker.  I was too sleepy to look up the time in another room and reset the clock/radio or phones, so I got back in bed.  [Note to self:  Put battery in the clock.]  What an inconvenience.  What did that truly accomplish?  Did they not think I knew that lightning followed by thunder after the count of "one boy scout, two boy scouts" meant it was nearby?  And what was I expected to do with the knowledge?  Be sure not to run outside in the dead of night during a thunderstorm?

There are lots of jokes about the rain and flooding. What else can you do?  This was one of my favorites:

Amidst the rains, we did indeed have a few hours of sunshine every now and then and Lucy took advantage of them.  We are leaving her boots off a bit more since she has a very small irritated spot on her injured leg.  We think it's likely due to the fact that her boots get wet every time she goes out so we have to change them more often that we would like.  We have found a very nice dry shampoo for dogs that has a slight blood orange scent.  Using that makes her coat look and smell much better.

Lucy on a rare bit of sunshine.

Like all toddlers, our Violet continues to grow and learn.  Her father takes her all over the city to the library and the many museums there.  Her favorite by far is the marvelous Children's Museum.  So full of age-appropriate places and things to do.  Certain areas are cordoned off for crawling babies, some for toddlers and much of the museum is for anyone.  One of Violet's favorite places (besides the water pool, of course) has light switches that illuminate different objects on a large board.  Perfect for a little one who loves the mechanics of things.  Another great benefit of the museum is that she interacts with other children there.  Especially important for a child who does not attend day care.

I know I'm a bit biased.  But isn't that a lovely, sweet smile?
And it's not even for the camera.  It's for another child.

Today's quotes are about happiness.  In the stress of life we all too often let it slip away from us.

The first is from Omar Khayyam:

"Be happy for this moment.
This moment is your life."

The second is from the Buddha:

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle,
And the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared."

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK, EVERYONE

BE HAPPY

IT MAKES LIFE SO MUCH EASIER

We Love Lucy

Life here on the mountain continues to go well.  I still awaken each morning so thankful that I'm still feeling good.  I lie in bed quite a while after I wake up, just thinking about how lucky I am.  Not even the rain (which started again this morning) can make me sad.

Our Lucy continues about the same.  She is getting one little irritated spot from the seam on her boot, so we are putting protecting padding on that.  She's eating well and manages to get around without help, albeit slowly.  She is not having any pain and we are very pleased about that.  She still loves her pillows and she still curls up into a tight ball sometimes.  Her hair is getting longer since we no longer take her for grooming, but we keep the tangles out and use a deodorizing dry shampoo so she doesn't look too bad.

Lucy in a tight little ball

Our Violet continues to grow and learn.  She is totally absorbed in figuring out how everything works and will manipulate a child-proof item for quite a while.  She loves shape-sorting puzzles and climbing.

It's already hard to imagine how small she was when she was born.  In fact, had she weighed even a few ounces less, our son and d-i-l would have had to purchase and install a new car seat before they could leave the hospital with her.  She has caught up and past most milestones and is in the 97th percentile for height with very long legs.  She has developed the "terrible twos" independent attitude.  It seems quite cute to her grandparents.  Not so cute for her parents.

Here is tiny Violet on her way home from the hospital
My son said he has never been so scared as when they closed the car door,
knowing those people trusted him and his wife to care for this little baby.

Here she is in a photography shoot.  (My son photographed the photographer)

The little blanket was my son's "lovey" for a few years

One of today's quote comes from the Buddha:

"Three things cannot be hidden:
The sun, the moon, and the truth."

The other is from Sojourner Truth:

"Truth is powerful and it prevails."

So in these days of partial truths and lies, keep in mind that the truth itself cannot be hidden forever and will eventually prevail.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK, EVERYONE!

LOOK FOR THE TRUTH

Rainy Days with Lucy

Following an all too brief respite, the rains are pouring on us again.  We seem to be stuck in a "green space" on the weather maps, indicating widespread rain throughout the mountains.  More landslides have closed roads and isolated homes.  We shouldn't complain.  It's a minor convenience for  us but it does indeed make for lethargic days.

Lucy looks out at my husband hanging the bird feeders

Lucy continues to be the same and we are thankful she isn't getting more lame.  She sleeps a lot and is reluctant to go out in the rain.  (Aren't we all?)  We keep the house cool and enjoy a fire in the evenings.  Lucy takes up a position on or near the hearth and soaks up the warmth.

Warm pup by a warm fire

The scan results were even better than we had hoped for.  The new drug is definitely doing its job and we are delighted.  The chest scan showed "something" in the esophagus but the oncologist assures us that whatever it is, it is not related to either the ovarian cancer or to the chemotherapy.  He thinks it is an abnormality caused by my other GI problems and is an incidental finding.  I will see my GI doc for a scope just to take a "look-see."  So the news is good.  We are optimistic but with a healthy dose of realism.  Lady Cancer is an absolute bitch and does not follow any rules.  But we take what we can and thank goodness for it.  Thank you all for your positive thoughts.  I do appreciate it and please keep'em coming.  This ain't over yet.

Our Violet is growing and learning like all little ones do.  My son says the most common conversations in the house involve the word "no."  From Violet it is said once, meaning she is not going to cooperate with whatever has been "suggested."  From my son it is repeated "no, no, no," as in "you cannot do that," or "you cannot go there," or "don't mess with that."  She is very clever and knows how to operate almost all of the many "childproof" guards in place.  Fortunately, she doesn't have to physical strength to overcome most of them.  But she knows the proper sequence of events needed to work them.

She loves to color and prefers the small crayons to the larger ones meant for younger children.  She even has tub crayons to write on the bathroom tiles during her baths.  She does seem to understand that her other crayons are for paper only and not for writing on walls.

The little artist takes her work seriously.

Today's quote is from the late Maya Angelou:

"No matter what happens, or how bad things seem today,
Life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow."

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK, EVERYONE

IT'S MARCH

SPRING WILL SURELY COME

Lucy and Vi

The Noah-like rain has continued all week long.  One night we were awakened several times with loud thunder booming in the night.  Thunderstorms in February!  More roads are flooded, several landslides briefly closed others and all of us are sick and tired of hanging rain coats out to dry.  And wiping out the car seat because you sat down wearing a wet coat.

Lucy hates it even more than we do.  We had to buy more boots for her because they got soaked every time we took her outside.  We put paper towels inside and hang them on hooks to dry.  So far we haven't had to resort to a hair dryer.  We've washed a lot more dog towels that get wet and soiled when we dry off Lucy.  (Another great perk of a long marriage is that one accumulates a lot of towels no longer good enough for company but just fine for dogs.)

We've kept more lights on during the day to pretend it is lighter than it really is.  And we've treated ourselves with more "comfort" foods than usual. And we hope for the rain to stop.

We periodically take off Lucy's boots to give let her feet air out.

Our son had a birthday so Violet got up early that morning to make him a cake.  She took her job quite seriously.  She has a great little kitchen center,

She starts with the eggs of course

As you can see from the playroom floor, the poor child has so few toys.  Believe it or not, most are gifts and not purchased by her parents.

Next comes the cake mix.

Don't forget to put the mixing bowl back under the beaters, Violet

It won't be long before she is really stirring things and helping in the kitchen.  Her daddy is an excellent cook so I'm sure she will learn her way around the kitchen as soon as possible.  Meanwhile, a pretend birthday cake will do just fine.

I had my scans but have not met with the oncologist for the results.  That will be on the day for the next chemotherapy treatment where I will either continue the present regimen or switch based on the scans.  The worst part of the scans involved NO CAFFEINE that morning, only water.  I can deal with fasting easily but no coffee?  It was almost 11:00 when the scans were finished so I drove immediately to a bagel shop near the hospital and grabbed a large coffee.  Oh my, it was good.  I also bought some New York style bagels to freeze.  Many people from here drive over regularly to buy those bagels.


Today's quote comes from my daughter's favorite Winnie-the-Pooh character, Eeyore:

"The nicest thing about the rain is that it stops.  Eventually."

An anonymous quote in keeping with my negative attitude about this excessive rain:

"Remember; not every rainy day holds within it the promise of any rainbow."

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK, EVERYONE

We Love Lucy

Sunshine!  We have had sunshine for three consecutive days now.  And I love it!  One of our camellias is bursting with buds and even has a blossom or two.  I'm sure the buds will get caught in another cold spell and turn brown and drop off.  Such is the price you pay for planting something at the very cusp of its planting zone.  But you do get the occasional reward of a fully blooming tree,  And the plant itself is lovely and I enjoy it.  We actually have three of them and they are among my favorite plants.

Our Lucy is about the same.  Certainly no worse and perhaps a bit better as she accommodates for the lame leg.  She moves slowly but does not appear to have any pain.  We bought more boots for her since we have had rain and we want them to completely dry out when they get wet .  She is much more comfortable with the boots on her hind legs since they give her a more sure footing.  They also protect the foot which she sometimes drags as she goes up the driveway.  It is a real plus that she seems to enjoy the boots and does not like for us to take them off to let her foot get some air.

She's looking a bit unkempt since we no longer take her for a bath and grooming.  Getting her into and out of the car and then having the bath seems like too much trauma for her.  So we groom her ourselves, trimming inside her ears and doing her foot/paw care.

My son sent me a photograph of one of his cats.  He and his wife picked her from the shelter when she was a tiny kitten.  She has a congenital neuro-muscular problem and was destined for euthanasia.  Of course that is the kitten they chose to be the companion to their other cat that wandered into their lives.  She is not  often seen when Violet is around.  But when Violet is safely in her crib the cat takes full advantage of one of the soft blankets I knitted.

Thankful that active little toddler is tucked away.

Today's quote comes from the famous Daniel Webster and could not be more appropriate:

"The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power."

The other quote comes from American journalist Garet Garrett.  I don't agree with all his opinions, but this one is spot-on.

"Loyalty of the law-making power to the executive power was one of the dangers the political fathers foretold."

[Personal note:)  YOU HEAR THAT MITCH MCCONNELL?

So ends another week.  I will be having PET (positron emission tomography) scans this weekend.  These sophisticated scans will reveal how effective the new chemotherapy has been on containing the remaining spots of cancer and to see if any new areas have popped up.  The scans will be extensive, from "skull to thighs."  We are cautiously optimistic since my cancer marker levels in the blood have not risen.  But after 30 weeks on the new treatment, we need to know exactly where we stand.  My oncologist will explain the options we have based on the result of the scans.  Keep your fingers crossed and petition the deity of your choosing, please.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK, EVERYONE

SPRING IS SURELY COMING

We Love Lucy

What a strange week this has been.  Spring one day and winter the next.  One day with dreary mist and fog and the next with bright, warm sunshine.

I do appreciate the sun and have a touch of seasonal affective disorder.  When we built out house, the first thing I wanted to know was the orientation.  Our main living areas face the east and southeast so we get the morning sunshine if there is any to be had.  The great room wall toward the deck is primarily windows and double doors.

Our Lucy is also fond of sunshine and seems even more so as she ages.  It must feel good on her old, arthritic bones.  (I know it does on mine.)  She seeks out areas of sun puddles when the sun is shining even in summer.  She loves to lie on the hot deck when it is warm.  She snoozes on her bed with one of her pillows as the sun shines upon her.  If the sun has moved by the time she awakens, she gets up and moves to find another sunny spot.

Lucy seems to be sleeping more and is slower to get up and moving.  But the leg is the same and she does not appear to have any pain.  She is eating and drinking well and is able to walk reasonably well once she gets started.

I love the tiny spot of sunshine on her nose

Our granddaughter has been introduced to a new food.  She might live in the Midwest and she might have been born there, but she is a real daughter of the South.  She recently had first hushpuppy.  Quickly followed by her second, third, and fourth.  She crammed them in her mouth with gusto.  Fortunately, she loved the smoked turkey that followed so she gave up on the hushpuppies without much fuss.  But she clearly thought those hushpuppies were among the best things she had ever eaten and she has a broad taste in foods.

Proof that toddlers can focus.  Nothing comes between Violet and her hushpuppy.

I do hope you are having some sunshine (and perhaps hushpuppies) in your life.  Isn't it wonderful to notice the lengthening of the daylight hours?  And it will only get better from here.

Today's quote is from William Cullen Bryant:

"The February sunshine steeps your boughs and tints the buds
And swells the leaves within."

And a quote from Winston Churchill, simply because I like it:

"The most beautiful voice in the world is that of an educated Southern woman."

While I am certain our Violet will be educated, I doubt very seriously if she will have a southern accent.  Neither of her parents do.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK, EVERYONE

We Love Lucy

The news about Lucy is not good.  Not good at all.  At first we thought a strained muscle was the reason for her lameness.  But as the day progressed, it became apparent she also had foot drop in that leg.  My doctor husband checked and she had no reflexes in that leg but full range of motion did not elicit any pain or discomfort.  The veterinarian had told us previously that there was weakness in the muscles of her left eye, causing the eye to recede a bit.  She speculated it might be a brain tumor.  She did not feel (and we agreed) that we should put Lucy through the tests (especially since it would mean substantial travel), that would be needed to confirm the diagnosis.  Further, at her age she would not be a suitable candidate for brain surgery.  You can see from this photograph that the left eye looks smaller.  That is because the muscle that "pushes" the eye forward in the socket is weak.  Fortunately her vision seems fine.

So this new semi-paralysis of the right leg is likely the result of a spread of the tumor to the spinal cord.  There is really nothing reasonable that can be done except to make as many accommodations as we can to make life a little easier for her.  So we moved her food and water dishes upstairs to the laundry room and blocked the stairs down to the den so she will be living on one floor.  We have a lift support to use when she starts to have more difficulty getting up or walking outside.  We put boots on her rear feet.  The primary reason is to protect the dropped foot from scraping on the pavement when she goes outside.  Another big benefit is that it gives her better traction on the hardwood floor.  Finally, it does give some support to the foot and makes walking much easier for her.  In fact, when we take them off for periods to air out her feet and massage them, she clearly wants the boots back.  We do passive range of motion to the leg so it won't become stiff.  We have reduced her rations so she doesn't gain weight now that she is so much less active.  And we don't leave her alone since she clearly is anxious if no one is visible.

And so we are sad.  But we are also realistic.  We know that unfortunately loving a dog almost always means outliving that dog.  We have much for which to give thanks.  We are delighted that she is not in pain and she is adapting fairly well to the changed physiology.  We will do what we have done with other dogs.  We will love her and care for her and she will let us know when it is time to go to the Rainbow Bridge.  We have no timeline and she may remain stable for quite some time.  We certainly hope so.

Lucy seems to love the boots.

And speaking of boots...our little granddaughter loves them.  Not the toddler-sized ones but her mother's boots.  Many of them come up well above her knees when she tries them on.

Violet loves the boots, too.

Our son says this next photograph clearly indicates that they need to start looking for a pre-school for the gifted!

Don't worry, Violet.  I often want to hide my head too.

Today's quotes are for all who are caught up in the polar vortex:

"The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches."
e e cummings

"Cold!  If the thermometer had been an inch longer we'd have frozen to death."
Mark Twain

And isn't it a sad thing when elementary school children have to send drawings to educate the President of the United States on the relationship between global warming and the polar vortex?

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, EVERYONE

WARM-UP IS ON THE WAY!