Mom's Barking Eases

Mom went to the Doc and got medicines and now her bark, which was always worse than her bite, is weakening. We all slept in this morning a bit and Mom and I had a nice discussion about the current political climate, the economy, and whether or not Buddy has a genetic neuromalformation that causes his idiosyncrasies. Then I got a nice belly rub and that fantastic sort of scratching in and around the ears that so turns me into mush . . . ahhhh.

At that point Mom starting singing "Do You Love Me?" from Fiddler on the Roof. That's when I put my paw on her face and we got up for breakfast.

Mom Still Barking . . .

Mom's barking got bad enough that she went off to a doctor this morning. Good girl! The doc said there was some congestion in her lungs - or at least one of them - so he gave her stuff to take to clear it all up.

Treats all around!

Well, that was worth a try. Nurse Pennie suggested some Schnauzer Compression Therapy (SCT) so the BudNut and I applied it - stat! She had a good SCT session and fell asleep, which is good. When she woke up, she said her eyelids were sweating. I think this is just a harmless side effect from the SCT and nothing to worry about. I told her to have some hot tea and to rest some more while I go on the puter.

Success.

Snow

The weatherman said 5-7 inches would be coming. Then he changed his mind and said only 1-2. Then we got about 4. Go figure.

I made sure Second Child shoveled the back patio and path for me. Mom tried to get him to continue and do the front sidewalk, but he doesn't listen to her like he listens to me. Mom barks at him, but somehow it doesn't get through. She's pretty loud, so I'm not sure what the problem is.

So our nice grass is gone again and I was just getting used to the idea of no snow until next winter. It's harder to find all those good smells that were there just yesterday. Hopefully it will all melt again soon and we can get on with Spring and then messy cookouts in the yard where the humans drop good stuff.

Mom's friend from Way Back crossed the bridge yesterday

Here is the story, as Mom told it to me.

When she was a puppy, about 10 years old, she started at a brand new school. Mom had never even gotten on a school bus before and she was really scared that first day, waiting by the curb for the big orange bus to pull up.

The doors opened and she climbed up those tall steps and turned to take her first look down the aisle, terrified that all the seats would be full already. They were.

A second later a friendly voice called out, "Hey, you look new - Come sit with us!"

The girl's name was Kim and it turned out she was just Mom's age and would be in Mom's classes for the next eight years, and off into the same college following that. Mom tells me that what Kim did on that bus changed the entire experience of her first day in a new and scary place.

According to Mom, something called Middle School can be a terrifying experience in the best situations, but to be new, awkward and painfully shy made it that much worse. That simple act of reaching out to the "new kid" made the transition to middle school, this brand new middle school, so much easier. Mom was introduced around and shown the ropes and, most importantly, Mom gained an awesome friend in Kim.

After college, they both got married and Kim moved across the country. Years later they reconnected on Facebook and renewed their friendship over the miles.

Then Kim got cancer. She did what the doctors prescribed and fought for a couple years, but eventually, just last weekend, she was sent home for hospice care. Last night she crossed the bridge. Mom got the phone call and I was there for her, soaking up her tears with my fur.

It was also Mom's birthday yesterday, which some might say is an awful day to lose a friend, but Mom considers it a blessing because she will always be reminded of her friend Kim every year on her special day, in a good way, surely with waning sadness and increasing joy as time goes on.

Hug your people today, and your furs, and tell them you love them.

♥ Lexie

Ribs

Mom had something called Ribs tonight. The kids are all off other places, so Mom said she was going to treat herself to her very own special dinner.

I love special dinner!

She just brought home some cooked ribs, and boy did they smell good. I stared at where I figured her face was for a long time, really hard.

It did no good. NO ribs for me. Not even a lick!

Phooey.

Our Pal Griffin Crossed the Bridge Today

Our pal Griffin crossed the Bridge today. We are all so sad to not have him around down here with us anymore. Please stop by and send condolences and remember his Mom, because she is really sad to lose such a special boy.

Goodbye, sweet Griff. We'll see you at the Bridge someday again.

Lexie, Buddy, Mom

Ah, January in the Upper Midwest!

Mother Nature must be a bit mixed up. It's not even the halfway point of winter and it got up to 60 degrees today. All the snow is melting like mad, leaving puddles and mud everywhere. Mom said it was too nice a day not to have a walk. I wholeheartedly agreed.

So we got the leashes out and took off around the block. We sniffed everything and then marked almost everything. It was fabulous.

Funny, though, when we got home and back in our fenced yard, mom didn't take our leashes off. I got a sinking feeling when she kept us on the leads all the way up to the bathroom. Sneaky!

I'm almost dry now, but I love the dryer. Buddy is still damp... Behind the ears and everywhere. - BOL! But that was not a nice trick to play on us, even if I have been overdue for a bath for a long time. Phooey.

I am not a baby Wookie!

Mom said I sounded like a small Wookie when I was making my bed last night. What's up with that? I have to talk to myself when I make my bed. It is an important part of the process of bed-making. After all, the bed is one of the most important places in the world, am I not right?

I googled "Wookie" and heard about someone named Chewbacca. He does sort of sound like a really sad giant schnauzer, or maybe a mountain goat. Not sure. Certainly not the kind of happy things I say to myself and my bed when I'm making it. Chewbacca sounds more like I would if Mom forgot to feed me or something. The humans are still not very good at interpreting our speech.

Today it is supposed to be 50 degrees outside. All the snow is melting fast. Time for mud and great smells, though it still is January in Wisconsin. Strange days. I better go make my bed.

I had intended to write more often in 2012 . . .

Oh, well. Guess I don't have much back-up for that plan. I can't seem to get near the puter these days, what with Mom working from home and then gone teaching and what not. Oh, well. It's Sunday night and she's too pooped to work any longer today so it's MY TURN!

Yesterday Mom asked Second Child to remove all the yucky old carpeting from the upstairs hallway. He dragged a big hunk of the stuff out to the garbage and then bagged up stinky chunks of crumbling carpet pad. I wasn't sure what was going on exactly. Mom kept shooing me out of the way and telling me to go downstairs. If Mom is upstairs, I am upstairs. Duh.

Later I came back upstairs to see what all the fuss was about. There hasn't been carpeting on the stairs themselves for over a year now, but that top step usually has the old carpeting. I wasn't ready for that naked wood floor on top and I tried to go up one more step at the top because I didn't feel carpet under my paws! Mom just laughed at me. "Thought you missed the top step, huh?"

I am used to it already, but I didn't think I had hit the stop step yet because there was no carpeting. I'm too lazy for math. I just wait for the feel of that top step. Guess I'll have to start counting. Phooey. I should get a biscuit each time I climb the stairs for such hard work! BOL!

I Vow to Stay By Your Side

I have always stressed the importance of going wherever Mom goes. I think she is finally sensing my devotion because she came home yesterday with a shoulder bag that is meant for a small pup like me. It has a little mesh window in the side and a space for my head to stick out. It also has a clip that attached to my collar. I suppose this is so I won't jump out of the bag at the sight, sense or smell of something good.

At first I wasn't sure what was going on when Mom shoved me into the bag, but now I know it means I am going to be able to go wherever Mom goes . . . to the bank, to the grocery store, to the library, to the movies . . . splendid!

Best part, Buddy doesn't fit into it. Ha!

Let the travels begin!