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

Humility

I have been especially intrigued for the past several years by the changes in all things.  Truly, there is something mysterious happening.  It began in the year 2020, and most will agree that is when the bottom fell out of the comfortable life we once lived.  As a prelude to that year, I had a dream that I later looked back on (yes, I keep a dream journal), and concluded that God was certainly giving me a sneak peek into future events.  

So here we are in 2024 and I'll be honest - I see the world as a messed-up place.  I won't make this political.  There are too many disrespectful fanatics quick to either judge others or post their opinions and thoughts despite who it may hurt.  I'm seeing it all around me.  Families that split up and never speak to one another again because of their desire to be 'right' or 'heard' or 'seen'...  God help us.  

There's little humility.  Almost zero tolerance if one believes differently than another.  It's a sad world we live in.  I think you know what I'm talking about.

With the above being said, I can report that speaking for myself, I am in a good place.  Of course, there's a lot I would change if I could.  About people, places, and things.  But so much is out of my control. It's not good to attempt to hijack a situation and force that situation to be your will.  God's will prevails in the end, and God's will is in our best interest.  

So, stay humble. Replace self-satisfaction with the satisfaction of being able to help another.  And if you fail at life - regroup - and this time do it right.  

God's way is always in our best interest.  

I'm sad for the ugliness of the world.  But, I am grateful for a God who has not given up on us.    

OLD ~ RETIRED ~ AND BUSY

 It has been a while.  Well, life has been busy.  I used to hear two sides to the story of retirement.  One was boredom.  The other was being so much busier than before retirement.  I will stand on the latter.  

There are kids and grandkids, all who have grown into extracurricular activities and so on...  so, yeah.  There's that.

Also, I've become a digital creator on TikTok which, surprisingly has grown into an extra income for me.  Being retired and with a fixed income - it's welcoming to see supplemental dollars being added to my bank account for doing something I love to do (creating videos). I honestly had no clue you could earn money from posting online.  My topic is, you guessed it, my dogs.  

Old age has set in and at 69, if I wake in the morning without something hurting - then for a moment I may think - am I dead?  Ha!

I need to get back into blogging, because oh, how I miss this.  Connecting with my blogger friends and seeing what you all have been up to.  I'm hoping life slows soon, and I can come here more frequently.  Because I love blogging.

Now I need to go check in on some of you to see what you've been up to.  God bless, and I hope your doing well.

MISS BUBBLES