This little girl is all sass and sugar! Still a little tired from her ordeal on Friday; but when she’s not napping, she’s sassing her big brother.
Happy to say things are back to crazy/normal around here.
Have a great week everyone!
Yesterday (Friday, March 31st) morning Zoey gave me a little scare. It all started with some diarrhea on the kitchen floor before I could get her outside. And a little more outside, though not quite as yucky. Once I’d gotten her back inside and had taken care of Zen’s bathroom needs, I prepared some Olewo dehydrated carrots for my girl. They’ve always helped before, so I figured they would again.
The carrots helped firm up her stool a little bit, but what alarmed me was the tinge of bright red blood in her after-breakfast stool. I always have a poop pickup bag in my pocket so I used it to scoop up the poop. I brought Zoey in the house (leaving the poop bag on the porch) and called our backup vet to make an appointment. Then I sent a text to our regular pet sitter to see if she could stay with Zen while I took Zoey to the vet. Luckily she said could so that was good. A couple of hours later, I gave Zoey some more of the carrots.
Once we were at the vet’s and in an exam room, I told the tech that Zoey had been eating acorns off the ground – despite my numerous attempts, both successful and not, to prevent her from swallowing them – for quite some time but more so over the past week. I had even picked one up and put it in my pocket to give them with the poop bag. I also told her that Zoey was still eating her poop whenever I wasn’t close enough to stop her. 🤮 I forgot to mention that the “No Poo” chews I’ve been giving her the last couple of weeks may have finally started working. Then the tech took Zoey and the acorn back to the treatment area.
After about ten minutes, the vet brought Zoey back to the exam room and sat down to talk about what he suspected and how to treat it. The fecal labs were still in progress, but without TMI, I’ll tell you that Zoey has some intestinal parasites. The vet was also curious to know how I knew about the Olewo brand dehydrated carrots. I told him that I had learned about them some years back from one of my pet blogging friends (Joy at My GBGV Life) and have been using them ever since. He had learned about them from a veterinary parasitologist who had told him a few years ago that this particular brand of dehydrated carrots does an excellent job of killing off intestinal parasites that have become antibiotic resistant. So, obviously, I’m going to keep giving them to the Z Kids, just like I had with their predecessors.
As if all the GI tract upset wasn’t enough, as I pulled into the driveway at home, poor Zoey expelled her entire breakfast on to the back seat and floor mat. All the stress of the day was too much for her. The pet sitter was kind – and sweet – enough to keep Zoey with her and Zen while I cleaned up the mess, even knowing she might be a few minutes late to her next appointment. (She did arrive on time, though, she told me later on.)
As the evening wore on, Zoey started feeling better so I started her on the meds the vet had sent home with us. She was more tired than usual, but still felt well enough to play with Zen a few times before we all went to bed. She’s still a bit tired today, but I can tell she feels much better after a good night’s sleep.
Geez, is it really the last week of March already?! In another few days Zen will have been two weeks out from his first birthday! Where has the time gone?
I’ve been taking self-imposed breaks from blogging – and most everything else as well – mainly to keep the perfectionist in me at bay. That little demon on my shoulder, whispering in my ear, telling me that I need to do a better job of this or that. And so far I’ve been pretty successful at telling him to “bugger off” and leave me alone. (I watched “Darkest Hour” again the other night and laughed every time Sir Winston used “bugger” instead of “the f word”.)
Anyway, I’ve gotten a few things done on my “to do” list, especially the most important one. One other I can only do when the county property office returns my call from last week. And a third I can only do while my brother is here to stay with the pups. (Because one can never tell up front how long it will take to accomplish any task at the motor vehicle office.)
So, in between taking care of house cleaning, budget, and other assorted tasks, I’ve been playing with the Z Kids and watching them play with each other. And watching programs on the History Vault (thank you, Prime, for picking up old History Channel programs from the years when they were actually history related). Anyway, here are some pix and videos of of the Z Kids.
The Z Kids are my rocks, my grounders, my reasons for getting out of bed some mornings, my pride and joy (both of them being both pride and joy). They make me crazy at times, but they are definitely my angels with paws. They make every day a happy one, in spite of my leaky-eye times.
Today my big boy is one year old!! My leprechaun, my personal pot ‘o’ gold was born on St. Patrick’s Day 2022. My sunshine, the light of my life, was born in the midst of what turned out to be the worst year of my life. And he remains my sunshine boy.
Zen’s mama, Sunny, is also celebrating her birthday today! She is a sweet girl! What a present to give yourself on your birthday! Nine beautiful, healthy puppies! She is a wonderful mother to her puppies!
Zen was my little Smudge Muzzle at 4 weeks; and he still has a bit of the smudge around that precious muzzle.
We brought him home on May 14th, when he was just past eight weeks old. I chose the 14th because I needed a happy event to balance the awful monthly anniversary of Bogie’s accident.
Zen spent a great deal of time of the first five months of his life at his Grandpa’s house with his mama Sunny, Aunt Bailey, and cousins Stormy, Charlie, and Skye because of Sam’s dementia. It broke my heart to not have him here with me; but Sam’s dementia demons were taking over more frequently and making poor Zen very nervous. It was better for the poor little guy to be in a stable environment. Two weeks after Sam went into the hospital last July my sweet little Zen puppy came home. He’s been with me ever since, healing my broken heart one day at a time.
I can’t believe how fast and BIG he’s grown over the past year! When Sam and I first brought him home he weighed about 12 pounds. Just ten days ago, when I had to get a weight check for his heartworm preventive, he weighed in at 81.5 pounds!! And it’s all muscle!! This boy is strong!!
This boy is such a love! He gives me hugs that are as much from Sam as from himself; he gives me kisses “just because” and when my memories are leaking from my eyes; and he adores his little sister, Zoey (who will be six months old tomorrow).
Happy First Birthday my Smudge Muzzle/Leprechaun/Sunshine Boy!! Mama loves you more than I could ever put into words!! I hope I will always be deserving of your unconditional love!! 💚💚🐾🐾🍀🍀🎂🎂🎈🎈☀️☀️🦴🦴🎾🎾🎁🎉
A few weeks ago I had to have the air duct system under the house replaced. The old one was originally installed, I think, around 1988 or 89 after Sam moved in. (Before we knew each other.)
The air quality inside the house was, well let’s just say, poor. And the dust just. would. not. go away. I’d dust one room; and before I even moved on to the next room, the dust would be right back where it had been. It was frustrating to say the least.
So along with having the system replaced, I bought some air purifiers from Amazon and have had them running at various speeds all day long every day. I could tell the difference almost immediately.
I also did a “spring cleaning” of sorts of the main part of the house. Being the only human in the house, I could only reach so far even standing on the step stool or laying on the floor with the dust mop; but I got about 95% of the dust. I let my little robot vacuum do the rest of the reachable areas.
I still have to do the big room downstairs, but that’s going to take a week at least. First I have to get rid of some most of the clutter that’s accumulated over the 28 years since we closed in the carport and made it into my office and laundry area. That job alone could easily take a week, especially since I still can’t bring myself to part with some dog toys, clothes, collars, etc. from as far back as Kissy. (For those of you who don’t know, Kissy was my own first dog as an adult. She was a small miniature poodle who came with me when I moved down here in 1993 – from Long Island, NY – to marry Sam.)
So, with all the cleaning I had to do, I had to take a break so I could give Zen and Zoey some quality time. I’ll take another break while I’m (finally) doing the room downstairs. But Zen, Zoey, and I will return! And I’ll probably be posting pix and videos on Facebook of my two hooligans.
The pups’ monthly Gotcha Day is coming up in less than two weeks; and Zen’s first yearly birthday is two weeks from today so you know I’ll be doing a post for that! And Zoey will have her first half-year birthday the very next day. 🎉🎂🎈💚💜🐾🐾
To start with, I’m thankful that Heavenly Birthdays Week is over. And that Ducky’s first year in Heaven is complete as of last night. It was a rough nine days, but I got through it intact.
Those are the flowers I had put in the sanctuary of our church on Sunday morning in honor of my three newest guardian angels on their birthdays.
I’m thankful, too, for my earth angels, Zen and Zoey. Thankful that they love me unconditionally, and that they love each other too.
I’m thankful for all my friends in the pet blogosphere who have “been there” for me over the years and with whom I’ve shared the joys and sorrows of pet parenthood. ❤️❤️
And I’m thankful for my genetic family, my church family, my Golden (Retriever) family, my family of friends and neighbors, the roof over my and my pups’ heads, food on my table and in my pups’ bowls, and so much more that I can’t enumerate.
My sweet, loving, sassy soulmate. You would be starting your 11th year on earth today if you were still here physically. Instead, you’ll be starting your second year as a winged furry angel on Wednesday night.
I know you’re always nearby, even if I can’t see you. You borrow Zoey’s earthly form to visit me. Quite often. I call Zoey by your name. A LOT.
I miss your physical presence, baby girl. I miss your sweet puppy kisses. I miss seeing that sweet smile, and loving gaze, that you reserved just for me. And I will until we are reunited.
Ducky, you and I will always have that special heart-and-soul connection. It transcends time and space. It keeps our spirits connected even though our physical selves are separated. All those years we spent working and playing together, trying to relieve your anxieties around strange, unfamiliar people, were the cement that strengthened our bond from one day to the next; from one year to the next.
I was devastated when you left your earthly form behind that night. My baby girl was “gone” in an instant. I hadn’t been able to tell you one last time how very much I love you. Or how very sorry I was for not being able to protect you well enough from Daddy’s dementia demons. I hadn’t been able to hold you lovingly as you left your body behind. It took a long time, and the help of a pet-loss psychologist, to forgive myself for all the times I felt I had failed you or disappointed you. Just writing this is bringing on the tears again. Zen keeps coming over to check on me. Zoey is here on the couch, curled up next to me, like Bogie used to do in the mornings.
Wednesday night will be a year since you joined your sisters and brothers in Heaven. I won’t ever “get over” losing your physical presence, your special smile, your sweet puppy kisses. But Zen and Zoey have been healing and expanding my shattered heart with their own ways of loving me. And I know you’ve been right here with us, helping us.
I will always love you, Ducky. And I know you will always love me, and be here with me. ❤️🐾❤️🐾. We will meet again, my sweet girl. Zen and Zoey send you puppy kisses. 💚🐾💜🐾🦮😘🦮😘
The back yard isn’t one for a “Better Homes and Gardens” centerfold layout by any means; but at least it’s finally safe for my puppies to really have fun together in with just me to supervise. HUGE thank yous to the pups’ “Grandpa Chuck“, his friend and neighbor, Josh, and Josh’s employee, Aron, for ALL their HARD, back-breaking work!!
Since this is supposed to be “Wordless Wednesday”, I will limit my verbosity for this post 🤣 and just say I hope that everyone has a great hump day!!
Just like her older brother, Angel Bogie, Zoey must have her morning snuggles with me. 💞🦮🐾
Funny to me is that as a rule of paw, the male Goldens are more likely to be the “needy”, cuddly pups than the females. Well, I never did like living by “rules” anyway. In this house, the roles are reversed…..
Zen is more like Ducky in the snuggles department: when and how HE wants them. Zoey is just like older brother, Angel Bogie: SHE must have the morning snuggles on the couch (or in the recliner). Her brother, and sister Ducky, knew I would need another snuggle buddy and that little Zoey would be perfect in that role. 🥰
So, on to the second reason for this particular Awww Mondays blog post…
HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY In Heaven my Beautiful Bogie Boy!! Mama will always miss you until we’re all reunited. And I will always love you.
After all the tears, stress, and losses last year, I needed puppies in my life again, so I’m thankful for these two sweethearts. They keep me company while I’m home, and wait eagerly for me to come back when I have to leave.
Zen is – and always will be – my sunshine boy. He was the bright spot in my life, my sunshine, before he was even born last year. He knows when I need a hug, or just to have him at my feet. He’s not the snuggler that Bogie was; but, like Ducky, he will snuggle with me in his own way and time. And those unexpected snuggles are even sweeter and more precious as a result.
And Zoey is my precious little girl, the starlight in my heart. She’s been growing a little at a time – which is better for her as well as for me – so I can still pick her up when I want to. And, like her older brother, angel Bogie, she loves to snuggle with me. She is truly a cuddle buddy. And Zen gets a little jealous at times.
I’m thankful, too, that these two love each other and have bonded so well with each other. They act like big brother and little sister most times, squabbling over a toy or rough-housing. But they also snuggle with each other. They remind me of Ducky and Radar, and Ducky and Bogie. Siblings and best friends at the same time.
These two hooligans are my angels with paws. They are, at times, more devil than angel; but what puppy isn’t?! Ducky and Bogie knew exactly what I needed and that these two would fill that need.
As usual, I can’t add the Thankful Thursday blog hop link…something about it not being supported?? So I’ll just go add my link on our host’s blog. It won’t even let me do that today. 😤
in my heart 4ever 