Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 2:19PM Snow. Snow, snow, snow. Makes for a happy Stella.
Who doesn't need a little nap in the afternoon?
Walking on a windy day? Almost as good as laying in the snow!
Where are we going and are we there yet?
Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 2:07PM I thought last year would be Stella's last Christmas. Am I glad I was so totally wrong about that!
Although I try to limit the number of trips in the car to rides over to the Sydney's (Petite Paws) and to the beach, I couldn't NOT take her up to Tigard this year for Christmas. She wanted to go and that's about all there was to it.
And omigosh what a gem she was. Slept comfortably all the way up the freeway, did great all day long with the family and festivities, and snoozed all the way home that night.
I'm so glad she went along and so was the family. Even my brother-in-law made it a point to say he was glad she was there. Stella's lucky to have such a cool family.
And is there any hound more deserving of a crown on Christmas Day?
Nope!
Friday, October 5, 2012 at 12:19PM Where'd Summer go? $%^&%*! That's the question I keep asking about this beautiful, but all-too-soon Fall weather.
What took so long? That's the question Stella torments me with as she leaps off the porch for her morning walk.
The colder and crisper the weather, the better Stella likes it. Wind up her schnozz, hair blowing in the breeze, greeting kids on their way to school, examining every tree trunk, bush, and tufty clump of grass . . . .
This morning we were walking through the neighborhood and on one corner were four little girls waiting for the bus. Cute as could be. They took one look at Stella, Stella took one look at them and before I knew it, the girls asked if they could pet her and were trotting across the street to give her a bunch of big hugs.
We make our way up the street. Two more little girls were running our way heading to the bus pick-up corner. . . ."Hi Stella!" they both shouted as they gave her a quick stroke on their fly-by. Ah, what a great day.
We rounded the corner for home. Here comes a woman, a neighbor from somewhere in the nearby blocks, walking down the street. "Hi Stella!" she called as she came over for a pet and a proper hello.
Ah Stella. The Belle of the Neighborhood!
With a smile on her face, leaves in her beard, and a song in our combined hearts, we welcome Fall. I guess. :)
Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at 3:50PM It seems like forever since we last updated the blog.
What's the problem you ask?
I've been spending a lot of time this summer just trying to keep up with Stella! Since our last post when she had just marked her one-year post surgery anniversary, she celebrated her 15th birthday. That was on the 4th of July. Another good reason to set off a whole bunch of fireworks!
The summer has flown by. We've spent lots of time at the coast, trotting around the neighborhood, and generally hanging out, and this girl shows no signs of slowing down. If we don't walk every single day, she plants herself at my knee and huffs and puffs at me until I finally grab the poop bags and head out the door. I'm happy to take her out for those jaunts (or should I say sniff-fests), believe me, and we haven't missed a day for many, many months now.
Afterward, she joins me upstairs where we work for the rest of the day. Well, I work and my assistant takes a nice, long nap until around 4 pm. That's when she's ready for a treat. And if we don't go down right at 4 pm, she's huffing and puffing at my knee again until I cave (which she's doing right now, because it's well past 4!).
Her pacemaker is working beautifully and she still manages to make it up the stairs often several times a day. This alone to me is a miracle and I attribute those climbs in someway to her continued good health. That and the chicken she has every night with her kibble. Let's don't forget THAT.
At the foot of the stairs, she pauses for a moment and thinks it over; then makes her way up. Next thing you know, the view has changed significantly.
So, to recap. Little Miss - 15 years, 2 months, a good walk every day, a great appetite, sleeps like a log, smiles frequently.
Good dog. Really good dog.
Friday, June 29, 2012 at 2:58PM Today is Stella's one-year-post-surgery anniversary! Yay Stella! Defier of the Odds. EverReady Bunny of Canines!
It's hard to believe that one year ago today, Stella was literally on her last heartbeat and under the threat of a nasty, nasty cancer. On June 29, 2011, she had her pacemaker inserted. The next day she had her spleen removed and intestine resected. Spent four days at OSU Small Animal Hospital and came home on her birthday - July 4.
At that time, her vets gave her about three months to live. Now, twelve months later, she's on the threshhold of her 15th birthday and is still going strong. She's hard of hearing, hard of seeing, and has a pretty wobbly back end, but she's eating well, peeping and pooping right on schedule, and demands a walk around the neighbor every single day.
Here she is today just after our walk. Look at that face! Those huge bright eyes and that big toothy grin. Hard to believe how well she's doing considering all that went on with her.
She's slowing down, there's no doubt about it. And everyday is a gift. But she just keeps enjoying life and as long as there's a treat to be had, she's game for anything!
Yay Stella from your eternally grateful human. And yet one more huge hug to Stella's vets!