These days with Mom!

1/30/10 For about a week now, especially since the sun has been shining more, Mom and I have done really well. Recently, however, Mom hit a rocky patch since just the other day she got to scrub my little area of the kitchen three times. Seems that pushed her almost to tears. During this week, Mom has seemed so busy I've not asked her to help me with the blog, but now I need to get her to do so mostly in order to remind her once again how much I appreciate all that she does for me. At night I'm having some troubles finding that perfect position for sound sleeping. This keeps Mom awake way more than is humanly healthy. So she's trying different things to see what can help me sleep better, thus making for a healthier life for herself. Since it seems almost like I'm getting my days and nights mixed up, I'm finding myself being gently awakened now earlier than usual and spending more time outside during the days. We haven't taken a walk for a while since the last few didn't seem very much fun for me. Carla mentioned when I last was groomed that a bit of an aspirin before bedtime might help my aches and pains so I could be more comfortable. And the last two nights it really seems to have helped.
As usual I'm so happy, so enjoying the beautiful purple, blue, green with a bit or orange/rose and silver of the confident self when Mom is experiencing 'now' as I do and learning to love herself as much as she loves me.

Weathering the storm with Mom!

1/20/10 Guess what! The rain let up just in time right after lights out for me to go outside to pee. Then in the wee hours of the morning I didn't have to get wet either. Mom was ready, though, she found jackets with hoods for both of us--boy did we both look ridiculous. But we wouldn't have gotten wet, nor will we when the bigger storm comes later this week. We both took the window of sunshine opportunity today to get our walks. And at bedtime there was no rain yet, so good day all around.
1/21/10 I sure didn't care for the cold, white wet stuff I had to wade through to pee this morning. In fact I made a U-turn immediately and Mom brought me back in until later. On these dark days I feel more like sleeping than even eating. Mom had to go through some serious stress, concern, worry over the predictions of wind and flooding from the snow melting in the high country. It didn't take her too long to calm down though, after she remembered Who is really in charge. She may be okay to go on without me soon after all. As her 'reward' the winds seemed to let up around midnight.
1/22/10 This night I simply could not find a comfortable position. I must have tossed and turned for hours. Mom was patient but I know it takes a toll on her 'good' sleep.
1/23/10 The days sure do whiz by quickly--in spite of the fact that they sometimes feel like they're 'dragging'! Looks like the storms might be over and I'm really happy about that, but it seems lots colder today.

These days with Mom!

Black Jack: Really hard to do my business in the pouring rain!
1/17/10 I may need to begin blogging more often, as Mom wasn't too happy about another floor scrubbing even though the area is smaller. I think when urine goes under the woodwork is when she really loses it. At bedtime Mom knew I hadn't relieved myself for a very long time, but I just didn't feel like going at bedtime. Therefore, Mom felt she had to listen for me to have to go out in the night. I think in the wee hours when I finally did, she got some real sleep.
1/18/10 Today was a dreary, drizzly day and all I felt like doing was sleeping--not eating or certainly going outside to potty. The rain was, like one of Mom's Facebook friends said a 'grandmother' rain (gentle and nurturing) rather than the forceful 'grandfather' rains that Arizona so often gets but I still don't like getting wet. As my care becomes more demanding, Mom adapts as usual--I only hope she can quit feeling badly that other household chores take a back seat to my care. Now she has found a larger crate in which she fed me tonight since she had taken me outside a dozen times or more with no success. This worked well, but I DID have to go--maybe a self-fulfilling prophecy for Mom... At least this helps her not scrub the floor, but sure makes a mess of ME unless she catches it quickly. And as for my bedtime vitamin, teeth cleaning cookie, Mom has saved all the crumbs and gives me a handful hoping I can get one piece to chew. The cookie situation defies description really.
1/19/10 The sun tried to come out today, so Mom took her walk--and then I got mine too. However would someone tell me how I'm supposed to enjoy going out at night to 'do my business' when it's pouring down rain? Just don't seem to be able to find the good in that...

This Week with Mom!

1/8/10 Well, I spiced life up a bit, deciding I don't want to sleep in my warm cushy beds. Instead I've found a pillow on the kitchen floor. Mom put a long pillow in the corner behind it (sort of like a padded wall!) so this is my new 'haunt'. May go back to the beds though as the bare kitchen floor is a bit cold around my edges.
1/12/10 Hey, guys, haven't wanted to bore you with what on the surface looks like a very mundane existence--eating, pottying, sleeping, pottying, eating, you get the picture. However as we dogs do I find a certain good or joy in every moment that presents itself. And if my life has a gift to give, I believe that is a biggie.
1/14/10 On this day Mom noticed that my hair has thinned even more under the sweater she has me wearing ever single day. So she lovingly put lotion on me and removed the sweater for my skin to breathe for a while. It did feel good, not only the lotion but the loving strokes. And I also loved it when she held me for 2 hrs in her lap, all wrapped in a cozy blanket. How could anyone ask for better care?
1/17/10 Have you wondered where I've been? Well when all is smooth sailing there really isn't too much to write for you--don't want to be boring afterall. Lately however Mom & I have hit some rough patches. That's when I feel it's most important to blog, to remind Mom that no matter how difficult my care seems, she is awesome!

This Week with Mom!

1/3/10 Mom was a bit melancholy today. Seems it's not easy for our humans to watch us drift away in our golden years. Add to that the care and upkeep and maybe I can understand why it's not always to be totally celebratory. She did take her walk and do some computer work and after my making suggestive overtures, she got it that I wanted to get out in that warm, embracing sunshine, too. Although the walk was about 1/2 its usual length because I seem to disoriented and Mom can't quite tell how far I really do want to walk, that warmth even soothed me. I sure wish Mom would put her chair outside and spend more time outside like she used to.
1/7/10 There really hasn't been too much to report. My blogging, reminding Mom of my love and gratitude for her special care hasn't seemed quite as needed lately. Mom seems to be taking the task of my care in stride a bit better lately. This no doubt has something to do with my slowing down more and more. We have our good days and our not so good days, an accident here and there, a walk upon occasion, lots of great eats--or should I say drinks (like the yams Mom gave me today) and many, many hours of sleeping.
Of course we dogs pay no attention to time, but Mom sure seems to notice that each day is just sliding right into the next. I've made sure Mom will let you know when I decide it's time to go on to that even bigger buffet table and of course I'll keep reporting from time to time.

Beginning 2010 with Mom!

I'm sure glad we dogs don't really spend time dreaming of what once was...
1/1/10 This year's first walk was even better than the last of 2009! But I think Mom has finally gotten the idea that our walks should be shorter--she had to carry me a bit longer today. But my ole 'sniffer' was able to "read" some really hot news items for the first time in a while. Good stuff!
LOTS of sleepin' today and another good night.
1/2/10 Mom decided to treat herself to a movie--something she loves to do. This always means she has to be gone for about 4 hours. She made sure I'd done my business outside and was eating before she left. But the urge just hat again while she was gone. So she returned to me skating in the urine puddle in my confined area. She didn't make too much to-do about it and I got to spend some really quality time outside taking in the 'shirt sleeve' weather. Later she took her walk but guess she figured I'd had plenty of exercise 'skating' and enough sunshine and fresh air because I didn't get my walk. I think maybe she wasn't feeling quite up to taking me.
Had a night that would have best been left in 2009...

Year End with Mom!

"What dreams may come"--again...
12/31/09 What a great way to end yet another year...with Mom getting her brisk walk in the sunshine and my warmer walk later in the day. I know Mom takes me on my slow walks for me (especially since my confined area has shrunk), but I believe they are also for her--especially since I was restless, tossing in my crate virtually all night long last night. Mom let me just do it, but I know it keeps her awake. Today I began to balk during my walk, and so Mom carried me part of the way home...talk about communicating and a great partnership. Just as in any long term close relationship, Mom sees the kid I used to be when I do my version of running on my walks. After a refreshing nap, I enjoyed once more my blended food. Boy, oh boy, it would be great to CHEW again... s'pose that's what's waiting when I'm ready to go...?
Blew my perfect 'no pee' record of almost 10 days...not sure what happened, either, since Mom had me outside for a very long time. Guess the urge just came too late to go outside.
We ended the year with a near perfect sleep...