Sadie’s Luxury Cruise
As an elderly lady, Sadie signed up for the all-expenses-paid luxury cruise lifestyle. She got to have the primo-fancy food (seriously - you could add breadcrumbs and serve it up as meatloaf), of course served in bed. Walks in the stroller, like her own princess-style carriage. Endless adoration. All of the cheese topping from Mom’s Panera danish.
As I knew it must, the time came for me to say goodbye. I spent the night snuggling with my little girl, trying to ease her suffering… but in the morning, I was certain of my decision. She had told me she was had had enough, and I needed to be brave enough to listen.
Good bye, my sweet girl. I adored you every single day. I love you more than I thought possible, and will continue to treasure your memory for as long as I live.
Breakfast in Bed (for 2)
Wall decal in the quiet room at the oncologist’s office.
She Is Gone
You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and lose your mind,
be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she'd want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
-- Author Unknown
Silent Protest
On glucosamine pills:
Maddox: “I reject the lump of disgust you’ve so rudely heaved into my bowl.”
Sadie: “Can I have hers?”
Bird Feeders
Miss Sadie, Protector of the Realm, Defender of the Bird Feeder, and Chaser of Squirrels
Pirate Sadie
Minus one eyeball. Plus lots of adorable character.
I noticed some redness in Sadie's eyes, which is typical of allergy season. I tried the typical tricks (eye rinse, Benadryl), but only one eye reduced in redness. With a closer look, I noticed a small discoloration to her iris. With one stop at our regular vet, and a second at the veterinary ophthalmologist, I learned that she had a tumor inside her eyeball.
The choice was simple: it's a quick surgery to remove her eyeball, which was likely to have contained the cancer (which biopsy revealed to be melanoma). My poor girl... although she doesn't seem to have noticed. Distortion of the lens meant that she was already blind in that eye, and its removal likely eased some discomfort. In hindsight, I recall her rubbing her eye with her paw, and being startled by my outstretched hand reaching to pet her... like she didn't see it coming.
Post-op, minus one tumor-filled eyeball. Her face is shaved, bruised, and swollen.
She seems to be getting around okay.
Sadie must be feeling better- she's bossy for treats again.
Too soon for the costume?
Sadie's Crown
Well, she's officially a princess now... crown and everything. Except this one goes on her tooth and not her head.
Well, she's officially a princess now... crown and everything. Except this one goes on her tooth and not her head.
Sadie's cracked tooth.
Dopey after surgery.
Maddox and I hung out at the Acton Arboretum while Sadie was in surgery.
Sadie and the Vacuum
Snow melt has revealed twigs that must be shredded all over the carpet. It's like Sadie knows I've just cleaned, and has no tolerance for it. The upper right fang-bearing pic shows the face she makes when she's rolling something around on her tongue.
Snow Gear
A new meaning of the phrase 'dog shelter'
Keep in mind that we'd only been outside in this 20-degree day for... I dunno... SIX MINUTES. I had shoveled paths around the yard, and apparently they all lead back inside. Where it's WARM.
I massage Musher's Secret into the pads of their feet to prevent cracking and dryness, salt injury, and wadding of snow in-between Sadie's toes.
I finally broke down and ordered Sadie a full-body waterproof shell to avoid the snowball-butt woes. For anyone who's interested, this is Hurtta's Slush Combat Suit, size 22".
Provincetown
Beach time with the fur babies
Whale watching at Race Point Beach, Provincetown
First Fourth
Celebrating with a bang.
When I moved to New Hampshire, I was aware of the legality of fireworks. I didn’t expect a spectacular show visible from my bedroom. I worried that Maddox would react with the typical panicked panting, drooling, and vomiting.
As it turns out, the pops and fizzles that occur most weekends throughout the summer months have prepared her for handling the Independence Day show. I was armed with calming pheromone sprays and her ThunderShirt, but all she really wanted was to hunker down and sleep in the dark quiet of my walk-in closet. She handled this Fourth with enough grace and calm that I felt comfortable leaving her side… Sadie and I sat out on the curb to watch. Maybe one of these years I’ll wander down to the lake for a front-row seat.
Dufresne's Christmas Tree
Maddox, Sadie, and Riggins with a decorated tree in the Dufresne Woods.
Beach, Pizza, and Daiquiris
We spent more time at the beach this afternoon. It has been so long since I had to worry about getting sunburned. Or wore anything without sleeves. Or thought it reasonable that wet fabric should become dry when hung outside. Now I'm sucking down a daiquiri at Gelsosomo's while I wait for my spinach stuffed pizza to bake.
Lake Michigan
We all went for a dip in the GREAT Lake Michigan this morning. It was cool and refreshing... we may have to go back in the heat of the afternoon, too.
Sadie fetching
Maddox makes sand angels
Good thing Mom packed the eye drops
Back to camp and eating doggie ice cream in the screen room
Day 3: MT Views
The narrow strip of Idaho was lovely, but short-lived. Here's a sign:
I almost missed the MT sign, but caught it through the blue band at the top of the windshield. Plus, you can see all the bugs. I'll have to work on my phone-camera-while-driving skills, but I make no promises. :)
Pretty
Decisions, decisions.
I thought driving away from the sunset would help me not squint. Until I got behind this guy. I think my retina is permanently scarred.
MMMMontana!
Prepare yourselves, ladies.
Co-pilot
I was treated to gorgeous sunset colors and an evening lightning show.
Day 2: Liberty Lake
I decided to make it a two-nighter in Liberty Lake, and got to play on the water with Wendy & her friends. This also means the Camping World shop can get my fridge working first thing Monday morning. Plus, I can use Wendy's wifi to VPN into work and finish my mid-year review (sorry Kreg!). I'll call procrastination an 'opportunity'. 😜
Lake Bagels
Girls play & swim on the inlet... the island is like our own private dog park, complete with a goose-poop buffet
La Buena Vida, indeed:
Diana, Jerry, Wendy, and Jenn:
Dog Wagon
Road-trip ready girls! Maddox has decided that the box behind us is scary, and insisted on sitting in the passenger seat for the first stretch. King County roads are pretty bumpy (sometimes on purpose, like over Snoqualmie Pass), and the trailer causes vibrations to feed right into the frame of my car. Once we got over the pass (at a painful 50 mph), it was smooth sailing.
