“Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry.”
It was a put a mirror under her nose to see if she is breathing sort of morning. I woke up at 8 and decided I didn’t want to get up so I went right back to bed. Around 10:30 I finally got up, had time for one cup of coffee and one newspaper then got dressed as Gracie had her senior dog check-up at noon. She loves going to the vets. She is so active the vet said without the gray around her muzzle she would have guessed Gracie was far younger than eight. Because Gracie gets a little excited, they take her out back for her shots, blood drawing and nail cutting. Strangely enough, she is quiet while everything is being done to her. She weighs exactly the same as she did 6 months ago during her last senior dog physical. The vet said she seems great. Right now she is sleeping on the couch and resting from her ordeal.
When I was a kid, we had a boxer named Duke. He never had yearly check-ups. I think he only got rabies shots, but I can’t attest to that as I don’t remember. I’m just assuming. After Old Yeller I think all the dogs got rabies shots. Duke was a fighter. During one fight, a massive dog tore Duke around the neck. My dad said time would heal it. My mother sneaked Duke to the vets where he got shots and the wound taken care of. In those days my dad was away all week as he had been transferred, and we were waiting for school to end before we moved. He was home only on weekends. When he saw Duke and how well the wound was healing, he made mention of I told you so to anyone who would listen. We had been sworn to secrecy so we just nodded and let him think he had been right.
We lived by the motto that what my father didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. My mother was usually a co-conspirator. We could tell her anything, and she’d pick and choose what to tell my father. It made life so much easier. We also learned how to look repentant when he yelled. Most times we were just blocking him out and nodding our heads as he yelled at us for whatever, but we always looked sorry and a bit sheepish. The four of us perfected that look. He never figured it out.
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March 3, 2014 at 1:51 pm
I was unusually alert this morning, I guess being at home not being able to do much does that to us 🙂 I can feel already now that I won’t be like that tomorrow morning 🙂
None of my dogs like going to the vet but they face the horror with great courage 🙂 We never have those seniors dog check-ups. They just go thrtough them when we’re there for the shots. Perhaps we should have young dog check-ups instead because Nova have problems with her ears and Sune tends to gain weight all the time 🙂 Rabies is no problem here thankfully.
Warm and pleasant here again but nights might be cold from now on. I could feel it now when I opened the door for Sune. Not nice but I’ll keep the fire burning in the stove.
Have a great day!
Christer.
March 3, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Hi Christer,
I’m due to go out for breakfast tomorrow instead of today so I’ll need to be alert too.
Gracie needs minds going. She licks the vet and is quite easy to give shots to or take blood from. Once in a while a rabid skunk will appear. They put anti-rabies pellets in the woods, and that seems t prevent it from happening. All dogs regardless are required to have rabies shots. I never had them for my other dogs so they must be new. In the next one they just really check her vitals, no shots.
We got about an inch or an inch and a half of snow, and it is really cold!
Have a great evening!
March 3, 2014 at 2:49 pm
Hi Kat,
My dad had a dog named Duke when I was kid. I doubt he went to the vet or that he had rabies shots but, like you, I wouldn’t know or remember. He didn’t have a collar so no tags.
Later on my dad got a pekinese named LeRoy. He was large for a peke. More like terrier sized. He was stroppy as small dogs can be and would wade into a fight with other dogs regardless of size.
He went to the vet on a regular basis and was terrified every single time. He once tried to jump out the exam room window. It was 6 feet off the floor and he was severely wounded from a dog fight and couldn’t jump anything. It was funny sad because he put on his happy face and wagged his tail as if to say “I’m fine. Really. Let’s go home”. Sorry buddy, you have to stay for a few days.
The two dogs I have owned have been very good at the vet. Tegan didn’t like it but would allow all procedures to be done with no protest. Rocky loves being in the vet’s office smelling all the things and meeting all the people and dogs. When the exam room door closes, he gets shaky but he behaves well. He runs for the waiting room as quickly as he can when they let him off the table.
My brothers and I never told our parents anything. If we told our father, he would bellow like an angry bull. If we told our mother, she would tell our father and he would bellow like an angry bull. We would wait to see if they found out on their own because it didn’t really matter.
Hope you didn’t get too much snow. I got none and I’m happy. It’s cold. The sun is trying to come out from behind the cloud deck but it’s not doing too well.
Enjoy the evening.
March 3, 2014 at 5:31 pm
Hi Caryn,
Duke wore a collar, but I don’t remember if he had a license though I think he did. Small dogs do have a complex so I understand the peke and fighting.
None of my dogs have ever hated the vets, but my mother had one which did. I used to go up and take the dog to the vets for her. She was heavy, and I remember once having to lift her to the table. Gracie doesn’t like other dogs, but she too loves the smells at the vets. It takes forever to get her inside the building as she has to stop to smell everywhere.
My father was the angry bull in our family, but once he bellowed, he was okay. He just needed to vent.
We got an inch to an inch and a half. I threw anti-ice on the front steps but didn’t bother with anything else. The walk is covered in snow, and I don’t care. I stopped caring a long time ago!
March 3, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Zooming out of New Jersey after a 2 1/2 year break comes Real Estate and their new album Atlas – it is released tomorrow. Over at NPR you can stream the whole thing played live by the band, and iTunes is streaming the album.
But here is the fab Talking Backwards with a rather nice video. I think that it is KTCC worthy but am willing to be corrected
March 3, 2014 at 5:38 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I agree with you. I like it and probably will post it. I also like the video. How did you happen on this group?
March 3, 2014 at 6:50 pm
Kat,I was surfing music to look forward to in March and there was the new album. The reviews are a bit mixed but I liked the open and almost retro sound.
March 3, 2014 at 7:04 pm
MDH,
I always wondered how you happened upon these artists which I hadn’t ever heard of before your introductions.
March 3, 2014 at 7:36 pm
Kat, I really like Bastille’s Bad Blood and especially Pompeii but Mrs MDH told me it has been on hits radio for months and I missed it. Guess I just wander down narrow alleyways looking for new adventures
March 3, 2014 at 9:05 pm
Hedley, try another narrow alleyway. Have you listened to Mike Watt and his various bands? Great energetic and passionate music. You may not like it. Kat, definitely not KTCC suitable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5n1jhus7NA
March 3, 2014 at 9:21 pm
Birgit,
It is a bit beyond me. You are right!!
March 4, 2014 at 8:50 am
Birgit, Not really me but I did watch and listen. Right now I am on the countdown to the new Damon Albarn, the Eels, Real Estate and Brian Eno. Next concerts are Arcade Fire (next week), Emmylou (of course) and The Eels.
Musical adventures are always fun, you never know what comes next.
March 4, 2014 at 9:24 am
Hedley,
Mike Watt came into my mind, when I listened to Real Estate and thought they need more energy. I often listen to his music on train rides.
Your concert list looks great. Have fun!
March 3, 2014 at 7:40 pm
MDH,
I haven’t heard of this group or its music. Perhaps Mrs. MDH needs to send us periodic updates!
March 4, 2014 at 8:57 am
Kat, here are the kids from London doing Pompeii on SNL. Mrs MDH insists I am months behind
March 4, 2014 at 11:25 am
MDH,
Please tell Mrs. MDH that I too am way behind the times. I do like this song very much. Who else is Mrs. MDH hiding from us?