Missyisms

Frustration

Frustration is the only word I can politely use to describe Friday. The morning went well, but right as I was heading out the door to take my car to the shop and then have a birthday lunch with my parents I got a phone call about an emergency. It took hours to resolve this...all to good, so no damage other than time lost and the panic it involved.

Once the emergency was cleared away I set off to take my car to the shop to have the oil leak and the malfunctioning fan fixed. They had told me to bring it in any time. Any time. To me, if I may be so bold, any time means...well, any time. How else should I have interpreted any time? Only when I got there, admittedly a few hours later than I'd planned, they said it was too late. How does any time turn into too late? They didn't say any time up until xyz time. They said any time. In the mean time my father got lost trying to meet me at the shop so he could drive me to their house. He'd walked out of their house without his cell phone, so we didn't know where he was. Since he couldn't find the shop, he eventually gave up and returned home. Since they couldn't take my car, thanks to their mysterious definition of "any time," I also drove to my parent's home.

By now it was 3:00 in the afternoon and we all decided it was too late to go out for lunch for Dad's birthday. We took care of several other odds and ends, then called it a day. They went out today, but I didn't join them as I didn't want to drive there yesterday, today, again Monday and yet again Wednesday to take them to the airport. We'll have a birthday dinner another day.

So now I have to take my car back to the shop Monday morning. They said they'll try to get it finished in one day, so I'll probably camp out with my laptop and cellphone nearby the shop.

In the meantime, the signature strip on the back of my father's credit card has worn off. He called over a week ago to get a replacement card, but it hasn't shown up. The credit card company decided to cancel his current card and number and express a new card with a different number. So, right before the trip, my father has no credit card and we'll have to switch all automatically charged items to the new card once it shows up this upcoming Tuesday (if, unlike the first one, it shows up on time). Oh and YAY! All travel arrangements were booked on Dad's now canceled card!

Frustration, frustration, frustration.

Topping it off Reggie was very sick this morning. We spent the day napping and being lazy and he does seem to feel better now. Tomorrow I have lots of to-do tasks to get through, so hopefully that will go better. I'm ready to vacation on another planet. Who do I call?

This and That

A little of this, a little of that.

• Reggie is improving, but is still on antibiotics and the occasional pain pill. We still don't really know what caused his ailments.
• I didn't get my car in last week and by the time I called this week, the earliest they could get me in is tomorrow morning. In addition to the fan only working on the high settings, I've also discovered my car has an oil leak. Both of these issues have the potential to be cheap, but also have the equal opportunity to be expensive. No need to tell you which I'm hoping for! I really don't want to get a new car, I like my car, but it seems to be spending a lot of time in the shop lately, so it might be time to start looking at a new one. Sigh.
• My father's birthday is Saturday, so I might go out to lunch with my parents tomorrow to celebrate. It depends on the timing with the car and how my father is feeling. It should be fun.
• My aunt's funeral services were postponed twice so her granddaughter could get leave from the Air Force to attend. So my parents are flying to Texas next Wednesday and then driving into eastern New Mexico. I'll probably take them to the airport Wednesday morning, but I'm not able to go on the trip. I'm nervous about my parents doing this, but my mother insists on going, which I understand, but I know my cousin would understand if they didn't go.
• And I know you've been dying to know how my grass seed is doing. It's growing. Well in some places, not so well in other places. The tarps are still out, but I'll probably pull them up in a week or so. Then I'll put down fertilizer and weed killer. Ah, the joys of having a lawn. ;-)

I'm sure this has been absolutely thrilling to read! But a year from now it will be a nice little reminder for me.

As I type, the June bugs are doing their nightly dance of smashing into the screens. The constant thunk sound is a bit annoying, but at least it doesn't happen all year round!

Poor Reggie

Reggie had a good eleventh birthday, but got sick later in the week. He seemed fine, even when he woke me up about 3:15 A.M. Thursday morning. He seemed normal most of the day, but he wasn't eating very much and was sleeping a lot. However, Thursday evening he couldn't jump into the car and the rest of the evening he had his tail tucked and couldn't seem to completely straighten his back legs. I couldn't tell if he was in pain or if he was having another GI issue.

Friday morning he was still having problems, so I took him to the vets. We were there a while and they poked and prodded Reggie and took x-rays. His urine and stool samples showed signs of an infection, but they couldn't figure out why he was in pain. They x-rayed his spine, but it looked pretty good...especially for an 11-year old dog. His liver looked a little enlarged, but he hasn't been throwing up to indicate a problem there. The doctor gave us antibiotics and a combined pain killer/anti-inflammatory.

Reggie's been on the meds for 2.5 days now and seems a little better, but still isn't eating much and is pretty mopey. This morning I had to force the antibiotic down his throat, but after that he took his other meds. He usually bounces back more quickly when it's just a GI infection, so I hope he'll snap out of this soon. We've both been really tired since he woke me up that night and then we were up late the next night, so lots of naps this weekend. I hope he feels better soon.

The Big 1-1

Reginald "Reggie" MacGuffin is 11 years old today! Happy Birthday to him, happy birthday to him!

Nobody expected Reggie to make it this far...not with liver shunts and bladder stone problems...but he did!

I should have taken a picture of him today, but didn't because he's in need of a haircut and looks rather sloppy.

On a side bar, I turned 42 and 1/2 today. Not as exciting by any means.

Reggie MudBucket

In today's thrilling and exciting news…surely worthy of Twitter, if I Twittered…the snow has turned to rain and thunder storms. The backyard is a mosh pit, and Reggie seems drawn to it like a rubber duck. Fun times for moi. In other words, Reggie went out this morning and got dirtier than I think he’s been in years and years. That’s saying something; something sad.

Reg didn’t stay out long his first venture out this morning, so when he asked to go out again and it wasn’t raining hard, I decided it was probably a good thing. (That use of Martha Stewart's favorite phrase should warn you of impending doom.) About two minutes after letting Reg out, the rain started to pour and I could hear thunder in the distance. I tried to get him to come in, but no, he was running around the yard chasing two squirrels from tree to tree. He’d duck under the awning for a shivering reprieve, but as soon as the squirrels would move, Reggie would charge back out through the puddles and muddy, thin, brown grass splattering water like an elephant on display. I guess he wanted to dye his fur, because he went from slate/white/black to mud. Not a good color choice in my opinion.

I tried to get him to come in, but he refused...barely sparing me a condescending glance from his stalk-the-trespassing-squirrels quest. So I left him a bit. Finally, afraid his muddy, drenched, shivering, almost-11-year-old body was going to have a heart attack, I put on a nylon jacket, a hat and gloves! and captured him. I think he was so shocked to see me trying to grab him with leather-work-gloved hands, that he was momentarily stunned, giving me the upper hand...upper gloved hand. I carried him, as anyone would carry a dirty, filthy dog...away from the body...up to his stasis chamber, the bathtub. I should have taken a picture, but I was more worried about cleaning and warming him. He was worried the squirrels were getting away.

He didn’t just get his feet rinsed or his feet washed with soap…he got a full body shampoo care of Boutique Missyisms and Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. Like most dogs, Reggie hates baths and I usually leave anything more than a spot cleaning to the groomers, but he was too muddy to let lose even in an enemy’s home. I used a watering can to help pore water all over his back and tummy to get all the soap off...dog's have sensitive skin and soap too often, too much or left on too long is a no-no. So I washed and rinsed and, rinsed again. I now know why people have children in their youths, this leaning over the tub is back pain-inducing! (Of course there are other reasons, but this was the most pertinent today.) Then, for the first time ever, I used a hair dryer on Reggie. He didn’t like the sound, but I think he enjoyed getting warm and dry quickly. He didn't enjoy any of this...nor did I...but, being a good boy, he didn't pout and was bouncing around within minutes of the hideous ordeal.

He spent about fifteen minute preening himself and prancing around till he was completely dried and comfortable. A quick five-minute nap and he was right as rain and ready to go out again. He stood at the back door, tail wagging and smiling at me. I just cackled like the evil thing that I am! He has not been back out since. Instead, he's been downstairs snoozing like a nice clean, sweet little dog. He smells nice too. That won't last long...sigh. Why won't the snow and rain leave us alone!?!?!

P.S. Lest you are wondering, the bathtub got a post-Reggie bath of its own!

Familiarity, Not Always a Good Thing

Have you ever gone to a restaurant so often that they not only know your name, they know your standard order. The server approaches your table with your regular beverage already prepared to quench your thirst and says, "Your usual, Missy?"

I have to admit, that hasn't happened to me in years. Not since I last worked at an office and started working at home. So the only time I hear that question is when I'm talking to myself.

But this morning, when I took Reggie to the vet for his bladder stone surgery, the girl working the front desk gave me the usual paper work to sign and then said, "You know the routine, right? Call after 1:00 for an update or we'll call you if we have a question." Not only does everyone there know Reggie and me by name, they believe I've been there often enough that I know their surgical routines. Sadly, I do.

Reggie's procedure went very well. They got the stone out on the second attempt to flush it out, so he was under only a little bit of time. They also did some teeth cleaning. He's been very quiet tonight, but has held down the water, food, anti-biotic, and pain pill with no problem. (He received them in that order over an extended period of time since coming home from the vets.) He's already sleeping now and is going to be very annoyed that I want to watch the rest of a TV show in the room he's sleeping in. I need to decide whether to wake him to go out one more time or hope he sleeps through the night. I suppose if he wakes me it might be a good thing, I could give him another pain pill.

Overall, everything went swimmingly for Reg!

Holiday Prep and Surgery Prep

Reggie and I spent much of the day getting ready for Thanksgiving...and it isn't even at my house this year! We had to go to a few different stores to get the stuff needed for my part of the dinner. Too much driving, too many crowds, too much bad traffic, too much time out of the house on a rainy day...I'm ready for a nap! Oh wait, forget the nap it's time to go to bed.

To top off the long day, we went to the vets to follow up on the stone that was in Reggie's bladder back in September. Back in September, the vet thought the stone was small enough for Reggie to pass. I had a feeling Reggie wouldn't pass the stone and sure enough, it was there today in the new x-ray. So Reggie is going to have another minor surgery next Monday. The vets are going to try and flush/force the stone out. As icky as this sounds, it is better than having  full-blown surgery where they cut him open to remove the stone. Poor Reggie...he's already had this done a few times. Hopefully it will be successful. And won't it be nice if this was the last stone he ever gets!

Walking on Egg Shells

Reggie got into the garbage tonight and ate some egg shells. Why? I just have to ask WHY? He was so pleased with himself. He stood there smiling at me and wagging his tail as if he'd found the cure for the common cold. I snatched the garbage away and looked in to see how much egg shell he'd eaten...about one whole shell as best I could tell.

He never gets in the garbage, but recently has gone after egg shells. But it's so rare for him to do this, that I forget and don't get rid of the shells before he attacks the garbage. This is the first time, I think, that he's gotten to them. I searched the Internet and some sites said it's fine, but a few say egg shells are dangerous for dogs. I think the biggest concern is that the shells can scratch his intestines. I gave him other food, which I'm hoping will make his system clear out faster and provide a buffer around the egg shells.

He's been sleeping most of the evening...I hope that doesn't mean the shells are making him sick. He spent the afternoon at the groomers and is often tired after that.

Well, another day with Reggie, another day walking on egg shells. I suspect we'll be getting up in the middle of the night, which is ok if it helps him.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from Reggie and me!

No! Even though he's looking (as shown in the picture) Reggie didn't get any candy! (Boy does he need a haircut!)

Escaping Dogs

Reggie escaped again tonight. Yes, again. He dug a hole under the gate and took off. I realized it was too quiet in the backyard and went out to investigate. He was no where to be seen or heard. I hopped in the car and eventually found him. I love Reggie, but one of these times the dumb fewl is going to get hit by a car and really make me cry!

My mother reminded me that the dog we had when I was growing up, a Beagle named Dixie, also got away several times. This is true, but there were differences:

• Dixie loved to run. Reggie loves to escapes.
• Dixie would run and run and run...sometimes getting a mile or two from home. Reggie visits neighborhood dogs and interesting things to smell. He's never gone further than a couple of blocks (which is still filled with moving cars! dumb fewl.)
• Dixie was bigger and had less of a chance of being hit. Reggie is smaller and darker in color...better odds of getting splashed.
• Dixie stopped doing this after a few years and eventually could be left un-tethered in the yard if somebody else was outside also. Reggie is almost 10 and a half and there's no way I'd leave him unhooked or not fenced in; clearly even this is insufficient.
• Dixie usually got away by pulling out of her collar. Reggie's never lost his collar. Since Dixie was on the run without a collar, we always had to call the police to tell them what happened so she wouldn't be impounded. I've never had to call the police about Reggie, but almost did tonight because it was so dark and I couldn't hear him anywhere.
• Dixie returned with a McDonald's bag one time. Reggie's never returned with a gift offering of any type. (My mother threw away the McDonald's bag without looking in it to see what it contained, so I don't know if Dixie preferred Big Macs or Quarter Pounders.)

There is one similarity between the two: if not caught and brought home, each eventually returned home.

One time Dixie got away, but only got a short distance from our home. I could hear her barking, but couldn't find her. I went home and my brother went back to check. He returned with the same report...he could hear Dixie barking, but the barking stopped once he got close. We decided it wasn't Dixie and continued searching. We called the police and reported her lost without her collar. Dixie was loved by all our neighbors and soon half the neighborhood was searching the subdivision. Many people reported hearing her bark, but not being able to find her. A few hours later the police called to say a family had called to report they'd captured a Beagle and had locked it in their garage while they were out for the evening! So, all this time Dixie had been locked in a stranger's dark garage while the people were out at a movie and dinner! Hello? I can tell you that these people were not popular on our block...not that it mattered, they never came over. I don't know why Dixie stopped barking every time we got close to her, maybe she thought we were there and she was rescued and didn't need to keep barking. Some of the kids thought the people lied about not being home. Who knows. We got her back and that was the main thing. Dixie was so pretty, I need to find a way to scan a picture to post of her.

As for Reggie, I've temporarily blocked the gate, but I'm going to have to come up with a better solution. One that will keep Reggie in, but also let the lawn people come and go without a blocked gate. Sigh.