Black & White Sunday: A little intense...

WW 65 - A game of 'fetch' with Daddy

Do you want to play a game?

Are you ready?

I'm ready!

Throw the ball!  Throw the ball! Come on, come on, throw the balllllllll!!

And we're off!

Wait, whoops?  Where did it go?

Too fast for the ball...

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Jan and Leslie's Abbreviated Vacation

I mentioned previously that Jan and I hadn't been on a 'real' vacation in 7 years. That is true. We have, however, snuck away for a few 3-day weekends on occassion and were scheduled to do just that shortly after putting Bella on the new meds prescribed by Dr. Dodman.

The plan was to drop Bella off with my mom on Friday morning and pick her up again Monday.

My mom and I look very, very, VERY much alike. I'm not sure if this is the reason my mom is the only person besides me and Jan who can reliably pet Bella or not but it doesn't seem an unreasonable assumption. Bella has stayed with Mom before and everything went swimmingly. It never occured to me Bella wouldn't view this visit as her own little vacation stay at "Club Nana's".

But when Bella's not feeling good, it seems she really just wants her mom and dad.

During the first week we had Bella on the new medications, she had ups and downs in her demeanor and appetite. She'd have a good day where she seemed very much like herself but it would be followed by 2 days of begging her to eat her food.

But she seemed fine to me when I brought her down to my mom's - she even wailed in excitement when we pulled in the drive knowing Nana's always means a good time for Bella.

Then something strange happened when I left her in the house for a few minutes to get her stuff out of the car. She started to whine. And pace. And when I came back in, Bella acted like she thought I was never. coming. back. Portents of things to come?

Indeed.

I finally got Bella settled in with mom and Jan and I headed off on our mini vacation.

We spent Friday and most of Saturday in ignorant bliss. We got in too late Friday night and left too early Saturday to call Mom to see how they were making out. But I had left my cell phone # with her and knew if she ran into any trouble, she would call us.

Except I didn't count on the fact that we were up in Sticksville, Vermont and my phone wasn't getting a reliable signal. We had no way of knowing Mom had been trying to reach me since early Saturday morning. Uh oh.

Saturday night I made the phone call and found a frantic mother on the other end of the line. Bella wouldn't eat. She wouldn't settle down. She was whimpering some, pacing a lot. She would sit for a minute and then be up pacing again.

And since she wouldn't eat, Mom couldn't get her to take her medicine. She even tried to entice Bella by putting the meds in a little milk and corn flakes. (Because, you know, what dog doesn't love milk and corn flakes, right? Huh? Yeah, no idea where she came up with that one.)

Mom had tried every trick she could think of plus some I had given her. Nothing. This dog was just not going to take her medicine. Until I asked Mom to put the phone near Bella's ear.

I kid you not, the second this dog heard my voice over the phone, she laid down. Mom offered her the milk and corn flakes again and Bella began sipping it. Mission accomplished.

Until Sunday.

We got another call from Mom on Sunday morning and decided we would pick Bella up Sunday night instead of Monday if only to give my poor dear mother a break.

Bella was overjoyed to see us but on the ride home, even though she was with us now, she just would not settle down. We use a barrier in the car to keep her in the back seat but she kept trying to get up front with us, pacing and whining over the separation. Jan finally got in the back seat with her and held her for the rest of the ride home.

Oh little dog, what have we done?

To be continued....

Black & White Sunday: "Bella, look."

Good girl.

Thankful Thursday - Awards catch-up #1

Wow, I just realized I really owe Katherine from Life with Arie a sincere apology.

She gave us the "One Lovely Blog" award way back in April (during her crazy and successful Blog the Alphabet Challenge) and I never even said thank you here on the blog. (In my pathetic attempt at a defense, I did, at least, remember to thank her on her blog.)

So, thank you, Katherine, you honor us with your recognition.

This one's been around awhile so you all probably already know the rules (and probably already have the award) but here they are again anyway:

1. Link back to the one who gave you this award. - Check.
2. Pass the award on to 15 other lovely bloggers. - 15? Yikes!
3. Follow the person who sent it to you. - Got it covered - We love Life with Arie!

Now, I'm going to break the rules about the blogs I'm forwarding this on to. See, part of why it's taken me so long to get this written is that I can't manage the 15 blogs.

It's not that I don't think there are 15 blogs out there worth nominating as there surely are. It's more that 15 feels a bit like a laundry list to me rather than a thoughtful and considered approach to blogs I really want to give recognition to at this time.

Add to that my own rule of trying to give awards only to blogs I haven't recognized before and maybe you can understand why I'm changing the rules this time.

So I'm only passing this award on to 5 other blogs. To those being nominated, I leave it to you as to whether or not you follow the rules as stated or make up your own.

24 Paws of Love - 2 packs, 6 dogs, 24 paws, endless possibilities. I love that the hu-folks at 24 Paws have never rushed, nor ever given up, on their dogs even when times get a little tough. We fully appreciate what it takes to do that.

My Life in Blog Years - Formerly Dog Blogging with Luna, My Life in Blog Years details the adventures of Golden Retriever, Luna and Dachshund, Penny. Beautiful dogs, gorgeous photos, reviews and giveaways, and hand-made jewelry, too.

Heart Like a Dog - Heart Like a Dog is Jodi Stone's recently redesigned and re-imagined blog. It chronicles her life with her two dogs: the well-adjusted, calm, sweet Sampson and his crazy, opposite, whirlwind of a step-sister, Delilah. There's a lot we can relate to here.

Just Toby - Another blog that's undergone a transformation, Just Toby used to be Donna and the Dogs until Donna sort of stopped writing it and Toby, the yellow Lab stepped in to save the day (or blog, as it were.) Toby has a smashing sense of humor and shares his view of the world from his hu-folk ("The Ones Called...") and his siblings Leah and Meadow to evil trees and animals in need. With a fearful sister in the pack, there's lots for us to learn from him.

Mayzie's Dog Blog - Mayzie is a beautiful brindle girl rescued and now living the good life with her people and her "brudder Ranger". Oh, and the kittehs, there are kittehs, too. Bella wants to know how Mayzie gets along so well with everybody. Maybe it's her sense of humor.

Thanks again, Katherine, for the award. We're sorry it took us so long to tell you how much it meant to us.