Blog Archives
Dogs and the theory of levitation
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Gavin and Patty will always try to mooch food. DH was munching some cinnamon toast this morning and both dogs stood in front of him. All the while he ate they never took their eyes off him. Their concentration was so intense I swear they were trying to levitate the toast from the plate to their mouths.
“Abracadabra!” Said Gavin. “To me, to me, come to me.”
“No, no! Alakazam, it’s mine.” Patty moved in tighter.
Each time DH lifted his toast to take a bite both tails would wag, more drool would drip, and four dark eyes never wavered. If from my desk I called their names, I received no response. The toast, oh, the marvelous toast, all slathered in butter and covered in cinnamon sugar drew their attention to the exclusion of all else.
DH saved them each a small piece and they gulped them down with joy. Let’s not tell them that they don’t know the theory of levitation.
Posted in Dog related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Hooked on DIY Network
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Now that my TV gets it, I’ve become hooked on the DIY network. It’s my late night background noise while I write. Although at times, it does drag me away from the computer because it catches my interest.
DH and I had many plans of what we wanted to do with this house. Only one ever came to fruition and that was the pond. Maybe if we’d known sooner that his MS was going to kick his ass we would’ve jumped on those projects.
Now, instead I drool over ideas and projects I see on the show. A deck or patio? Oh, yes that would be nice. To see the kitchen and front bedroom stripped of wood paneling and neatly wall boarded and freshly painted? A pipe dream.
If any of those hosts want to come in here and do the work (free of charge) I’d let them. Tap, tap, tap…is thing on? Can you hear me out there?
Posted in Favorite TV shows
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, DIY, Do it yourself, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Home and Garden, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Television, Writer, Writing
Nursing homes plunder and pillage and the Government lets them
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The nursing home wants DH to sign his mother’s assets over to them today even though her insurance hasn’t run out yet. Yes, now they’ll be able to loot her checking and savings accounts with impunity. Once they’ve cleaned out every dime, they’ll appropriate the house. Meanwhile, we still have to pay her bills.
The Government doesn’t give a damn. The fleecing of the elderly and their families happens daily. Senators and congressional representatives have their own insurance and they don’t pay into Medicare. When it comes to medical or nursing home care, their families have no worries. The Government pays for it.
Unfortunately, we baby boomers are aging and most of our parents are either dead or elderly. Short of hitting the lottery, I see no help for any of us who are in the middle class. We will have nothing to pass on. We will lose our homes, savings, and worst of all we’ll lose our dignity.
Our Government is telling us to spend, spend, and spend some more to stimulate the economy. Well, they certainly do spend and the problem is what they spend it on isn’t it? Please take care of things at home and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
The Marie Antoinette ‘let them eat cake’ attitude is alive and well down there in DC. How many of them have to worry about the cost of necessary medications and then walk out of the pharmacy without them so they have enough money for food?
They should walk in our shoes for a while and then let’s see how many tell us to go spend money that we don’t have.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Home, Life, Love, Medicare, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Nursing home, Old age, Writer, Writing
I wonder, do Koi get the sniffles?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It seems that pond heaters, when used hard in very cold weather, have a two-year lifespan. I have to replace ours this winter. It isn’t heating well. Without a heater in the pond, our lovely Koi won’t last through the winter. I was glad to find them on Amazon and ordered two so I had a spare just in case.
So far, we’ve been lucky with the old heater managing to limp along. The pond hasn’t frozen over completely yet. Sunday we’re supposed to have a day in the fifties with rain. However, the temperatures will take another dive after that. I hope the old heater survives until the new ones arrive.
I also hope the Koi stay healthy in the meantime.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardens, Home, Home and Garden, Koi, Koi pond, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Water garden, Writer, Writing
We don’t live in a fantasy world
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Have you ever seen some small thing that you coveted? I did last night. The local meteorologist had a jacket on that I immediately fell in love with. As my five regular readers know, I am not a fashionista, but this jacket really caught my eye. It’s perfect for dressy and casual wear. I was ready to kill to know where she got it. Yes, I wanted the jacket that bad.
Then, as I searched the web for one like it, I began to rationalize. With my luck, the jacket would look like crap on me and I’d have to return it. Therefore, I say that it’s better to dream than to have reality slap you in the face over something so trivial.
Is it no wonder that fantasy games are so popular? They suspend reality and that’s something we all need occasionally.
Yes, I said occasionally. If you spend more than an hour or two a day playing games, you need a dose of reality. You do have to put those things down, suck it up, and step out into the real world more often.
Did I ever find the jacket? Nope, but that’s okay I really don’t need it.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
A quick recovery
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Gavin is feeling terrific today. He’s been driving Patty and us crazy. He’s even begged for and eaten cookies all day. I think we can stop his pain pills now.
Last night he was back to his old self, screaming for his dinner. He was HUNGRY! His remaining teeth are nice and clean and he’s even been chewing on his favorite Nylabone. Dogs are lucky in this way.
Last time I had a tooth pulled I didn’t bounce back fast. I sipped liquids for over two weeks and pain pills were my best friends.
Did I chew on anything harder than bread for at least two weeks? No way in hell.
Posted in Dog related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Almost toothless Chicken Dog
Posted by doggonedmysteries
No, I’m kidding. Although Gavin did have three teeth removed, he is far from toothless. Our vet was surprised since he only expected to remove one. He removed the one we knew was bad and another next to it. Then while he was cleaning the rest, he discovered a bad cavity on the other side and removed that tooth too.
First thing Patty wanted to do was jump all over him. It’s a good thing he was in his crate before we let her see he was home. She drove him crazy for a while bowing and barking at him through the crate door. However, he soon began to snore content to be home and in his own little den.
Tonight I’ve been alternating between cuddling a still whiny dog (the sissy), taking him out, and putting him in his crate to continue to sleep off the anesthesia. .
Since I rarely go to bed before four in the morning, I stayed up to take him over at eight. We made it in the door and easily weighed him. Then the tech came out with the hospital lead to take him to the back. I offered to do it but she said she could handle it and I could leave. I know my Chicken Dog, so I chuckled as I walked outside. I didn’t leave instead I stood where he couldn’t see me and peered in the window.
A couple of minutes passed and I didn’t see the tech hauling him across the slippery floor. Next thing I know another tech came to the door and asked me to come back in. There was Chicken Dog Gavin backed under a chair and not coming out, no sirree not him, not for anyone. He’d managed to back under the entire row of chairs like a rocket in reverse. The techs were giggling about that.
As soon as my hand touched the lead, he obediently followed to the back room and the waiting cage. I had him in the cage and locked down in mere seconds. Oh, yeah that one is a Momma’s boy for sure.
Posted in Dog related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Windy and cold
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It’s been the most blustery year we’ve ever had here. We had wind all summer and now more wind to drop the already cold temperatures into the cellar, so to speak. Baby, it’s cold outside is no joke around here.
Gavin and Patty are choosing to stay inside until they absolutely MUST go out. No, I’m not complaining one bit about that. I prefer staying warm. The Jacket I bought a few weeks ago has helped a lot I didn’t realize how much cold my old jacket let through.
We’ve not had any real snow other than the one storm we had come through several weeks ago. That snow was gone by evening. We have had light snow showers that don’t seem to make it to the ground. I’m good with that.
With wind chills in the low twenties, I’m cooking more stick to the ribs type meals too. This makes DH very happy.
Cold weather to me means soup weather. I am the soup lover in the house but he’s beginning to enjoy them more as long as they’re home made. He actually asked when I was going to make my scallop bisque again.
Posted in Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Wind chill, Writer, Writing
No, I’m not a holly jolly person
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I haven’t been reading lately. I have three books sitting here with bookmarks in them at various stages. There’s another stack sitting on an end table waiting too. You would think with the cold weather settling in that I could find some time to curl up in my comfy chair and read.
However, this is not the case. The same goes for the writing, it’s not moving forward as fast as I’d like it to. Nope, it’s stalled. The mind boggles or rather, is boggled, bogged down, over worked, over stressed, and over tired.
I’ve tried all my usual jump-start techniques to no avail. My muse needs her ass kicked or something.
Then again, it could be the holidays. They always fill me with a Bah Humbug attitude. They have for many years. This is NOT my favorite time of the year. No sirree, when you are feeling all holly jolly I’d rather ignore the whole month.
Posted in Holidays, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Tree rat invasion
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Squirrels are invading the yard and trying to take over the suet feeders. It’s driving the birds crazy especially the wrens that have only recently discovered them.
I was sitting at my desk today and heard the pair of wrens raising quite a ruckus outside so I went to the window to see why. Sitting on a branch above one of the feeders was a very fat squirrel. I grabbed my coat and went outside. The wrens continued to scold and gave me a chance to sneak up underneath him.
I hollered and clapped my hands. Have you ever seen a squirrel look as though he was having a heart attack? I swear he clutched his chest. He shot up the tree, dashed across a branch, leapt onto our roof, and disappeared. As I walked back into the house, I could hear the wrens and this time they sounded happy.
I spent the rest of the day checking on the feeders to keep the furry invaders away.
Posted in my garden
Tags: Author, birdfeeder, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Squirrel, Wren, Writer, Writing
Meanwhile, back at the vet’s office…
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Chicken Dog willingly hopped into the car to go for a ride. Getting him out when we got to the vet’s office was not as easy. I went in to tell them Gavin was there.
“We’re ready for him, come to the side door.”
I went back to the car to get him.
Paws braced against the crate bars and head down Gavin as good as said, “Nope, not gonna come out of the crate. I know where we are.”
“Come on let’s go.” A few tugs on the leash and he relented.
He had to stop and pee on a bush. As soon as his nose passed the doorway, he tried to back up. “Oh, no you don’t.” I kept him moving. Once we got into the exam room, he began to tremble and look for an exit.
I decided to make a dash for the car and get the back massager. Back in the exam room with Chicken Dog, I plugged the machine in and began to run it up and down his back. He didn’t melt as usually does but he did stop shaking.
Dr. O came in laughed and said, “I wondered what that noise was coming from this room.”
“Back massager. I was hoping to relax him enough for you to get a good look at his tooth. DH can’t run this on his own back without giving Gavin some time under it.”
I’m here to tell you that even though Gavin was not in melt mode, he did allow Dr. O to check his tooth and take a blood sample without a fuss. Tuesday it’s back to the vet’s office at eight in the morning for a tooth extraction and he’s having the rest cleaned.
Posted in Dog related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Recaps and updates
Posted by doggonedmysteries
DH’s mother isn’t doing well. Most days she doesn’t recognize him. The stress has caused some problems with his MS. The other day when he woke he had trouble getting out of bed and walking. The same thing happened today.
DH has new neurologist and she’s sending him to a rehab center for aqua-therapy. I think he might benefit greatly from it.
Since I’m writing this at two a.m. Gavin hasn’t been to the vet yet. He goes at three in the afternoon. I’ll probably post about his visit there tomorrow.
All that heavy rain and strong winds not only caused me problems with my server but our roof leak came back. It only leaks when it rains and the winds are over 25 mph. The wind hit gusts of over 45 mph. The leak was very small this time, thank goodness. Our roofer has tried to stop the leak for years. His offices are two doors down from us and since he did the main repair work years ago, he’s been trying to stop the leak free of charge for years.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, MS related, Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing



