FREE AT LAST

For over two years, Bubbles has slept in a 'cage' at night.  It's like a deluxe penthouse suite with water, food, a luxurious bed, and four or five of her favorite 'friends.'  She has done well with that arrangement.  Once in a while, she would oppose it, but mostly - that was her nighttime safe space.  

I thought about trying bedtime out of the cage, but GP assured me it was not a good idea, and I had my reservations as well, so I left things as they were. 

But one night, a couple days after Christmas, she cried when I put her into bed.  I got her out, consoled her, and returned her to her cage.  She cried again.  After a few repeats of her disagreement about the sleeping arrangements, I went above GP's head and made a bed outside her cage in our room.  

I worried that she would jump onto our bed since she is very much allowed to do that every day.  Neither of us wants her sleeping in our bed.  She has a pee problem, and she leaks if she gets excited or anxious.  It's not her fault.  

This girl.  This perfect little angel that was sent by God, and probably Gracie, too, slept in Bubble's bed.  When we said "no" about getting onto the bed, she understood and obeyed.  "You sleep in Bubble's bed," I said.  And so she did.  

She is such a doll.

Not going back...

Bubbles 

Bubbles Pees on The Vet's Floor, and the Table, and in the Vet's Hand.

"Today we will go to the vet.  We're going in the car.  Not the groomer, but the vet."

Bubbles looks at me, understands a couple of the words I just spoke, and her legs begin to shake.  There is no comforting her now.  Even with my arms around her, she resists my efforts to calm her.  She is an anxiety-ridden mess of a cockapoo.  

Bubbles is now 20 pounds, has a lump on her face, and tarter build-up on her teeth.  A surgery will follow in a couple of months to remove the lump and brush her teefers.  My puppy is an adult dog now with adult issues.  But one thing has stayed.  Through the puppy years and into the adult years:  ANXIETY and FEAR.  

Finally, home.

Peaceful. 

Bubbles and Blood

 When Bubbles first came to live with us I couldn't get over her perfectness.  After all, I had been through with Gracie growing old and developing so many health issues, I wanted to hold on to this beautifully healthy puppy for as long as possible.  So you can imagine how my heart must have dropped the day I discovered a tick embedded near her ear. 

I guess I freaked a little out.  Well, actually, a lot.  A vet visit was in order, and she was cleared to wear a flea and tick collar at that time.  I'll be honest; I hated to start the cycle of pesticides and any drugs whatsoever on my virgin pup.  But, if I learned one thing from my life with Gracie, it was that fleas could be plucked off - sure - but once a tick told hold of your pup, there was a possibility of lymes disease (which Gracie did get, by the way).  

Bubbles is 2 1/2 now.  Wow!  It seems like she just got here!  As a young adult, Bubbles is experiencing some of the everyday struggles most dogs encounter at one time or another.  

Scratch*Scratch* itchy itchy *Scratch*Scratch.  Allergies or boredom?  Not sure.

She was groomed last week and came home looking beautiful, as always.  But I think the close shave on her face and snout has caused some itching, and so I woke up to a bloody baby a couple mornings ago.  She got okay as the day went forward.  But then yesterday she had it bleeding again.

Tomorrow will be a yearly vet visit and I will have it checked out along with a lump that has shown up on the side of her face by her eye.  I pray it's nothing.  

She's a sweet girl who will not let me out of her sight.  Now that she has been with us for over 2 years, I cannot imagine my life without her.

~ TikTok Made Me Do It ~

 Why have we been absent from Blogger?  Well, we can blame TikTok for that! 

It all started out a few years ago when I downloaded the TikTok app just to see what it was all about.  Before you know it, I was posting videos of my old girl, Gracie.  One morning I woke to find that one of her videos went viral. Well, what more did I need?  TikTok loved Gracie, and I loved sharing her.  So, I shared her life and then, sadly, her death.

I made a lot of friends there.  Many were going through the same - losing a beloved pet and trying to cope.

I thought for sure I would be happy to have my freedom back.  After almost eighteen years of commitment to a dog who had become the center of my life in a way, I was free.  But I was sad.  

Enter Bubbles.  

TikTok still loves Gracie.  But now they love Bubbles too.  And I confess - there are perks.  Lots of them.  Companies are sending me items of interest (dog stuff) for free and all I have to do is share a video of my dog and their merchandise.  That's pretty cool.

But that's not all.

I have become a part of a Creator program where Creators are rewarded an income for their post views.  I am matching my social security with the extra money I am making by simply putting up videos of my dog on TikTok.

With the possibility shortly that there may be an end to TikTok in our USA, I have embraced that fact and well - here I am back on blogger.  I will never be compensated in monetary ways or gifts from dog companies.  But sharing here is something I have always enjoyed and I have missed.  Keep hobbies and keep busy, a voice whispers in my ear.  Maybe it's Gracie.   Love life and make the best of all things.  

Oh, and here is a picture of Bubbles showing off her deluxe bed that was sent to her from Funny Fuzzy.  Isn't she precious?

  

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY

 Last week, we celebrated two years with Bubbles.  Her Gotcha Day was September 19, 2022.  I can't believe she has been with us for that long.  Yet, somehow, it seems she has been here for longer.  Ahhh... time!  It steals our days and it fast forwards our days as well.  

Summer came and went in the blink of an eye, and here we are, looking at shorter days again.  Trust me when I tell you - the older you get, the faster time flies.  

Next year I will turn seventy.  That's hard to even say...  Husband is seventy now.  As life winds down, I can only reflect on how good God has been despite who I am.  I feel sadness, especially in the world today, for those who do not know God.  The real God.  Our Creator, God.  The One of the Bible.  The One who can send angels to escort us from this world into heaven, a new earth, and eternity.  With so much going on in the world, it troubles me that many refuse to know God.

And speaking of God, He gives good gifts.  I'm a little late, but Happy Gotcha Day, little Bubbles.  We love you lots.

~~ TWO ~~

Gracie was an only child.  That is probably why it was so hard.  After almost 18 years of loving and caring for a dog, having her absent from your life makes for an emptiness and sadness that can only be expressed through many tears.

Every day I cried.  I had no purpose.  I lost my identity as a DOG MOM.

I believe - Bubbles was sent to help heal.  We celebrated her second birthday on July 22, which was Monday.  She has stolen my heart. 

ANNIVERSARY

 On this day thirteen years ago I opened my own business.  I was blogging then - a lot.  Now that I am retired, I barely have time to do anything - yet alone be faithful in blogging every day.  There is so much!  I miss blogging though.  Many of my friends both human and furry have passed on - and that is sad.  I come back here thinking I will make it priority to put a post on each day but then I fail to do so.  

*sigh*

Anyway.  In honor of ALL ABOUT HEARING opening thirteen years ago I share some pictures of opening day:

4TH OF JULY

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

SO SWEET ARE DAYS GONE BY

Four O'clock Angel

So far, spring and summer have been busy.  Grandkids, dogs, writing, oh the list goes on and on. How in the world did I manage life before retirement? 

Hey, I published a new book this week. So that was fun.  

 

                                                     Check out my newest memoir here

Trust God

 

Time

 Retirement is exhausting!  Ok.  It's my fault I am so busy, but still.  Today and tomorrow are planned yard sales.  Morning #1 is finished, now there is tomorrow.  I only do yard sales for three hours in the morning.  It's all I can handle.  Ugh.

First, though, we took Bubbles to an early morning exercise at the tennis courts.  EIGHT O'CLOCK IS TOO EARLY FOR SUCH NONSENSE!  And can you believe, there were actual people playing tennis on one of the courts?  Seriously?  

We went to the top court and Bubbles got her exercise before the rains came.  When the rain started - we were out of there.  Besides, I had to get home before nine since my yard sale was scheduled to start at nine.  The rain stopped shortly after we got home.  I managed to jump in the shower, throw on some makeup, and dry and style my hair before opening the garage door and pulling out all my stuff for the yard sale.  What a busy morning!  Oh, and did I mention Bubbles got sick and threw up 2X so I had to clean that up.  Too much excitement too early in the morning?  Possibly.  She's been resting since I closed up shop at noon.

*sigh*

It's hot. Husband almost has the pool opened. The water temps will not be comfortable for a week or so yet though.

Monday is Memorial Day.  Already though?  Boy, time flies.  I better get to the cemetery and put new flowers on Mom and Dad's graves.

Mom, Dad, and me.  Memorial Day 2023