Friday
May042012

A Beautified Bearded Collie

Just picked Stella up from her beauty appointment over at Petite Paws Pet Parlor. I decided to take the camera over with me and try and get a shot of Stella fresh from under the dryer, comb, clippers, and what all. Here she is with Sydney. Can you believe this is the same dog pictured in the previous post?

Here's the thing: she'll look like this for about 30 hours, that is providing she doesn't go outside and sneak under her favorite bush in the backyard.

Stella was transformed today by Jessica, who joined Sydney recently at Petite Paws. It was Stella and Jessica's first grooming extravaganza. Pretty successful, I'd say!

 

Wednesday
May022012

The Neighborhood Watch Team

So, what can I say? I've come to refer to Stella as Doto - Defier of the Odds. Since her trip to OSU in March, she continues to keep on keeping on with a smile on her face and a big, loud, joyful song in her heart. She's eating well, peeping and pooping regularly, and definitely wants to go out for a walk (two, if she's at the beach) everyday. Bar nothing.

A while back I mentioned that she was panting a little more than usual and seemed restless. Must have been an anomaly because she's only panting when the house is warm (as she's always done), and she gets restless when she must - MUST - go out for her daily stroll through the 'hood. And I bet she some days she goes up and down the stairs to and from my office at least a half dozen times. Defier of the Odds.

Today after our walk she plopped herself down in the front yard to watch the world go by. Her somewhat faithful companion Axel was at her beckon and call in case she should need any assistance with neighborhood management duties. 

These two make quite a pair. Commando Cat and Defier of the Odds.

Good thing Doto has a beauty appointment on Friday. . . .

 

Tuesday
May012012

Life of a Beach Beardie

Stella knows when there's something afoot - especially when she sees her overnight bag being packed with food, extra treats, and towels.

"BEACH TRIP!"

We went over this weekend to do chores, install stuff, and take a few walks. The weather was cooperative even if the tides weren't. The place where we actually get down to the beach is what we call, naturally, "the get-down." Every winter it changes radically and sometimes you CAN get down, and sometimes you can't. In the late spring the county smoothes it out and makes the beach fully accessible, but until then it's a crapshoot.

This time around there were a couple of steep drop-off steps that were a little tricky to negotiate. The humans could barely handle it, let alone the StellDell. So, while she really wanted to, I held her back, and we looked from a distance....

No matter, though. Stella loves wandering through the neighborhood because there are so many darn smells to check out and other friendly hounds out walking their people. And not content with just one jaunt each day, she pouted until she got a second walk in each afternoon.

It was a fun and productive weekend in Gleneden Beach. The humans did manage repel down to the beach one evening to try and catch a sunset. We caught one along with this would-be buddy of Stella's had she made it down too . . .

 Life's good.

 

Saturday
Apr142012

Finally Made the Dreaded Call

When Bill, the greatest cat in world, died several years ago, we waited until the day of his send-off to call the funeral place about pet cremation. That was a big mistake. It's hard to have a conversation when you can barely choke out every other word. I decided not to hold off until the eleventh hour this time.

I waited until Stella was having an absolutely stellar day and then forced myself to pick up the phone and call Buell's/Andreasons funeral service. A gentleman named Jake answered the phone. With a deep breath and in the calmest voice I could muster, I explained the situation with Stella and asked him the questions I had on my mind. He explained everything in a very kind manner and what I really appreciated was that he kept referring to Stella as my loved one which, of course, she is. My main concern was how they would receive Stella. With Bill, we were able to wrap him in a sarcophagus of sorts and take him in. This won't be the case with a 75 pound dog. He explained it all very gently and I found out what I needed to and I know how we'll handle it.

I'm glad I made the call as morbid as it seems. When the time comes, and I know it will, the blubber factor will be sky high. When I was making the blubber call to Buell's regarding Bill, the woman on the phone got choked up as well. I'll never forget what she said.

"It seems strange but it's always a lot harder making these arrangements for pets than people."

For now, Stellar, I mean, Stella is hanging in there. She's been panting more the last couple of days and has been a little more restless than usual, but I'm just going to call that Spring Fever.

 

Friday
Apr132012

Not just one walk today . . .

. . . two! Two walks today. And there was no talking her out of it. Period.