Been a long time, glad to see your face....

I have been MIA in the blogging world. It's been a pretty complicated couple of months as a dogmother. It sounds weird, but that's what I am.

In my last post, we were hoping that Art didn't have to have surgery. That was not the case unfortunately. We had gone to 3 different vet offices for 4 visits total by the time it was diagnosed properly. The last vet visit was HORRIBLE. Art was not on any pain meds, and the vet pulled his neck up to strain it to the point that my doggie yelped and yelped and yelped and started shaking. It was awful. Finally Cooper said, "Can you give him a shot of something for pain? He is not on anything right now." It was NOT going to be the doctor for us after that, that's for sure. Through a recommendation, we went to really amazing doctor (who we all loved, Art included). There was even a big painting of a boxer in the waiting room which I took as a great sign. :) They sent us to another office to get an MRI done of the neck. Poor loopy Art was so funny. We were in the recovery room with him as he came to and he would randomly lift his head with his tongue completely out and look around with this super confused face. It was adorable and kind of heart-wrenching at the same time.

After the good doc looked at the MRI it was clear to all of us that Art needed surgery. He had a ruptured disc in his spine. I was worried but also relieved. It was so frustrating to not know what was wrong and to know that he was in intense pain that caused him to yelp randomly. Below is the MRI---the spinal cord was being pushed on with all that excess material from the rupture disc.

We scheduled the surgery for the next day. He had to stay over night (sadness..didn't know that until I dropped him off). The next day was my first day at a new nanny job so I couldn't even go to pick up the doggie. When C went to get him, they told him that they wanted to keep an eye on him longer. Cue me being stressed. Turns out that when he was coming out of the anesthesia, his heart started racing to the point of almost stopping. The doctor told me "he tried to die." Scary. :( Thankfully they got him back and calmed down. Cooper had the nurse take his iphone to the back and snap a picture of Art so I could at least see that he was ok. 10 boyfriend points for that.

He came home and within a couple of days was back to normal....so amazing how animals do that. He did however (because my dog can't do anything about his poor tongue length) have chapped tongue. Haha. I think it had been sticking out for 48 hours and it was all dry. We used a syringe to try to get some moisture on it. Hilarious.

He makes every day happy for me, and that is the reason I did not care that this was an expensive surgery with expensive tests. I love him. He is worth every penny...even the ones I spent this week on his dental surgery. Sigh. Art, you are a lucky pup! This is us on Thanksgiving morning. I was feeling very thankful to have my buddy home and healthy!

A little down time

It seems like life has been go, go, go ever since moving. The summer was spent moving in and getting acclimated and kicking my booty into better shape. Then came Oregon, then Washington, then girls' weekend in Minnesota.

I just got back Sunday night after a hellish return flight (the short story= delayed flight by an hour, then a "weight critical" aircraft which caused 4 people to get kicked off the plane, 30 min longer delay, middle seat that didn't recline because the button was broken, then a missed exit on the way home...home at 2:20 am which was 4:20 am minnesota time). But the weekend was wonderful. Seeing my college girls always leaves me feeling refreshed and loved. I am blessed.

And the next trip I have isn't until mid-December when I will be in Devon's wedding in NC.

So for now I am at home dealing with my doggie. Down time. And time being down. :( Art had been acting funny back at the end of September. Took him to the vet and he had a terrible ear infection and a gum issue. By the end of that same week he was SOOOOO much worse and exhibiting very non-Arthur behavior--hanging his head down low, barely walking around, yelping. It was pretty sad to see especially when I had no idea what was wrong. Second vet visit pinpointed the pain to his neck. Steroid shot, loads of pills...he was doing better.

This week he was back to feeling poorly. Went to a specialist today and we are kind of in a holding pattern until we can get him a CT scan, but he yelped loudly in the office as she messed with his neck. Poor guy. It breaks my heart every time I hear that noise. He is such an amazing creature and has shown me so much unconditional love in the 6 years he has been my buddy. I like my dog more than I like most people. He is always there with a wagging tail and a toy in his mouth. He tries to sit on my lap when I'm on the floor (even though he weighs 71 lbs.) and loves to cuddle. I love coming home to his wrinkly face.

So I'm hoping the docs can help him not be in pain. For now, he's back to being on lots of drugs. He got a methadone shot today--hardcore stuff for my baby. :( I just want him to be comfortable and healed.

My coffee cup from Caribou said "be the person your dog thinks you are." I think that's a pretty good goal. Arthur loves me no matter what--and I feel the same, buddy!

Apples to oranges: the mental fight against comparison

I was sitting by the pool at the gym a few weeks ago with my boyfriend and randomly asked him, "do you compare yourself to other guys very often?". He thought about it, and said "no, not really". I have often wondered about this and if it really is a female phenomenon. I know that personally I compare myself to those around me all the time even though I know I shouldn't. It just happens. Especially at the gym I look around and think, "ugh, her legs are soooo skinny!" and torment myself with unhealthy comparisons.

I honestly don't know why I do this so much. It is not a conscious thing. And I know it is not a good thing. What standard am I trying to live up to? Is it the Victoria's Secret model who barely has hip bones? Because if so, I am NEVER gonna get there. I looked in the mirror in the suite in English hall one day my sophomore year and realized I had hips. Ugh!! Why? Ha. But since then--no going back..I've got hips. Gotta live with it.

How good is good enough? Will I ever stop comparing myself if I am not consciously doing it to begin with? I'd like to try. In the last few months I have tried desperately to rid my life of negativity and to find the good in the situations around me. It is definitely not always easy. But I know these negative thoughts about myself and my body are not right.

So now I am standing up to make an effort to stop the thoughts before they are something I focus on. It is going to be hard. We are inundated with advertisements and models on magazine covers and celebrities claiming it is easy to lose baby weight (this is a bridge I have not crossed yet but I know it's not true unless you have full-time nannies and a personal trainer and a chef ;)).

I am who I am. I can tweak and adjust and maintain a healthy lifestyle. But I cannot buy a bone shaver and get rid of my hips even though I have day dreamed about it. So this is me. And I am going to try to look in the mirror with fresh eyes. Who is with me?

One with Napa...and nature

Napa is beautiful. You can't deny that. Sunday was a Black Chicken Society get-together at Biale. "What is the Black Chicken Society?" you might ask. Well, during prohibition people would call Biale and ask for eggs and (for example) 6 black chickens. It was code for their wine. :) I love that kind of history story. Interesting! So they call their wine club the Black Chicken Society and it makes me feel special to belong to it. Their porch is great for a day of wine tasting with friends. The scenery is spectacular. But Sunday was a special event. All the members were able to taste 10-12 different wines and have appetizers in the back warehouse area of the winery. There was even an accordion player. We took a lovely stroll through the vines and got some fun pictures.

God sure created some beauty in this world. Oregon and now Napa have really made me stop and admire creation. I think it's a wonderful reminder to soak it all up!

I am in love with someone else...

And her name is Oregon. States are female like countries are, right? ;)

I had the privilege of joining my baby on a roadtrip to Oregon to meet his family last week. I had never been further north than where I am sitting right now (northern California). As we drove I kept saying "this is the furthest north I've been....now THIS is the furthest." I'm sure that wasn't obnoxious at all.

We went Friday-Wednesday (8 hour drive with a stop on the way home to check out Crater Lake). It is just so amazingly beautiful in Oregon. I don't know how someone could not fall in love. Especially when you grow up in the flatlands of Indiana! :) Indiana is pretty---but this is different for sure. Arthur was a great sport and had a blast playing with his new girlfriend Bella (cousin's dog) and his new pal Buddy (parents' dog). He was exhausted and played musical chairs all over the furniture in the house (to my chagrin! naughty!). Seriously, every time we would go into the living room he would be on a different piece of furniture. Wonder what goes through his mind. Ha.

Got to meet mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, and cousin's wife! So here are pics. His family is great (I shouldn't be surprised...and I'm really not). It was wonderful to relax, hike, talk, eat. Pics are out of order but I don't feel like reorganizing. :)

A family hike around Todd Lake

The view of Mt. Bachelor from Todd Lake

A little sibling luv

The boys by Crater Lake on the drive home

Playing around at Ponderosa Pizza in La Pine, OR (where he grew up)

Grandma and Elicia at the dog park on Sunday afternoon...adorable

Art, Buddy and Bella resting at the dog park

Todd Lake--almost all the way back around

Tony and Becca at Todd Lake...awww

Wizard Island at Crater Lake...a dad close by kept telling his son that was where Harry Potter lived. It was slightly annoying. :)

Grandpa trying on the HD sunglasses :)

Buddy, Buddy, Buddy, Buddy!

A walk around Drake Park in Bend

Aunt Laurie and the momma by Todd Lake

Driving to Crater Lake...Art the great adventurer!

Rock climbing at the dog park

Tried to get Arthur to do this same pose...it didn't work ;)

Paparazzi shot the sis took by Todd Lake

My hair looks SO red in this pic! Haircut was brand new...thanks Elicia.

Family shot after hiking up Pilot Butte for sunset

A quick pose after girls' day with Elicia

Little Deschutes in La Pine

View from the restaurant on girls' day

Buddy kisses in the yard

Hanging out on the ski lift...such a view!

feet on the ski lift at Mt. Bachelor

Mt. Bachelor

We survived the ski lift...up and back! His aunt said she'd never taken it down the mountain--me being the non-skier I am said like a genius, "how did you get down?" the answer: SKI! :)

Art cuddling with Laurie--what a lap dog

Art on the bridge at Drake Park-- he was off leash quite a bit this trip and did great for a city dog.

Got this pic in a text from Elicia while we were out at dinner...it just said "busted!"

Note to parents:

I wrote this on Tuesday on my flight...just now getting a chance to post it.

The lost art of courtesy and manners--

When I was a child, I knew to act a certain way. My parents, more specifically my mother, ingrained in me a sense of what is acceptable behavior and what is the right way to treat those we encounter.

This morning as I traveled, I was reminded that many parents are failing their children in this aspect. While on the Airtrain traveling to my terminal at SFO, a little boy rolled his suitcase right over my pinky toe. Youch! I am in flip-flops. Maybe he didn't notice, but his mom saw me wince and said nothing. Nothing to me and nothing to her son.

Our flight was delayed, and I had a rather pleasant conversation with a fellow traveler while we waited to begin boarding. She was around my age AND has a boxer. She also worked at Starbucks and went to a small liberal arts college. Ha. Small world.

As we lined up to board, Southwest style, another little boy walked past me to get to his dad. He bumped into my arm causing my purse to swing violently and then smack back into my side. No reaction whatsoever. Not from him. Not from his dad. It Is a sad reality, this sense of "I'm the only person who matters". It is a mentality that sadly seems to run deep.
The south to me will always be a place that handles manners well. Yes, being called "ma'am" in my teens seemed a bit premature, but at the same time, respecting other people in your world is nice to see.

Growing up, going out to eat was a rare treat. My grandparents would take us on Friday nights--not every week, but it was something we looked forward to a great deal. One Friday (I don't remember where we were) I had to go to the restroom mid-meal. I was old enough to go on my own, but small enough to fit under the table. As I walked
past my mother after ducking underneath the table, she pulled me to her and said "I don't want to see you ever do that again. You are out at a restaurant, and it is impolite to go under the table. Next time I want to see you say 'excuse me' to the person beside you. Understand?". I nodded. At the time, I remember thinking "what's the big deal?" but it still had a way of sinking in. I get it now. She was setting a precedent. Going under the table was not proper. I needed to know how to act when we were out around other people.

When my mom visited LA last Christmas, we went out to eat at a nice Mexican restaurant. It was my mom, my sister and myself. I sat on the bench seat that ran the length of the restaurant (essentially everyone on that wall was seated on the same bench). The table next to us was about 5-7 feet away. At that table sat a mom and dad and a little girl of about 4. Unfortunately for our dining experience, the parents wanted to be on a date. The little girl was ALL over the place the entire meal. She ran across the bench seat to our table at least 15 times yelling "hi," and then giggling. I love kids. I said hello the first two times--then it got irritating. This was not her fault. For one she obviously needed attention and wasn't getting it from her parents who were mesmerized and staring at each other like teenagers. Love is beautiful. Enjoy your date---just decide whether that means you should maybe leave your daughter at home with a babysitter! Secondly, she was obviously not taught how to behave at a restaurant. The little girl ran under
a large sculpture that was suspended from the ceiling nearly tipping 2 waiters on her way there and back.
Finally they were ready to go home. One problem--by this point, the little girl's shoe was missing. Guess where
her dad eventually found it? Oh ya, 6 feet away under our table where it must have fallen off during one of her
"hello" drive-bys.Saying "thank you" and "please" and "excuse me" should be taught as a way to respect those around you. I would say my generation isn't great at this. But I think the generations that have followed are even worse. We have to make it a priority to teach manners. How does this generation talk so much about being "disrespected" in the midst of being completely disrespectful in life?! It makes no sense.

People matter. Our actions have consequences. For this reason I have begun to yell at traffic differently. My go-to phrases are "hurry, darling" or "that was a poor choice". :). This is more for me than anyone else. No one can hear me from the safety of my own vehicle. But I feel more polite and less angry. It is the small things. Granted part of this might be that I have moved out of LA (traffic central) and to the bay.

So I guess my point is to start small with your kids. Explain that if we want to be treated a certain way, we have to treat others that way too. Do unto others as you would have done to you. Seems simple. Make it second nature to them. Lead by example. I have tried to do this with the little humans in my life up to this point (nanny jobs and babysitting). And when it is my own children I will up the ante.

I realize just how much responsibility this is for parents, but who else is going to instill this in your children? I don't think it is worth waiting until they go to school. Train up a child...right? Right!

The me me me mentality just has to go away. It is a terrible way to function. I have been trying to push myself to be less snarky and put myself in other people's shoes (especially when they are cute shoes)...

July---seriously, already?

I can't believe how fast this summer is FLYING. I guess that's what happens when you move and start a new chapter of life and people want to come visit you. :)

I'm loving the area. Loving our new bikes...and the chance to ride on all these trails up here. We joined a gym and that's been great. More about that later---

4th of July was fun up here. It was our 3rd 4th...you follow? :) But this was the first time we saw fireworks together strangely enough. We wandered all over the city (my pedometer was clocking 19,342 by the time we got back). And we lucked out and had an amazing view for the fireworks over the water in San Francisco. Not having to drive is really still wonderful to me--less gas, less time in the car period...less frustration. Less is more in this case! BART rules! ;)

Excited for the 4th...ready to head to the city!

First time at Gott's at the ferry building. Yum!

This pic is just something we stumbled upon in a park---a fun group (they sure looked fun anyway) were having races carrying people on their backs. This guy won. :) He was really booking it!

Taking a moment against a sculpture....

All in all, it was a lovely 4th of July. I'm always reminded of my Grandma Gerty on the 4th because that is the day she passed away. Love ya, Gerty! :)