Oh, Did I Mention My Glasses?

Now, ever since I turned 45 I've become blind as a bat as far as seeing near. It may be because I made so much fun of my sister, Michelle, who I always call "Mrs. Magoo."

So today I came home and probably placed my glasses in Maggie's way. Needless to say, I found my glasses on the floor ... they were so mangled and crooked ... I tried to straighten them out but they were too far gone ... Oh, she didn't break anything, they were just so crooked I couldn't fix them. I had to shamefully wear them until I got another pair of frames ... I guess people wouldn't notice it if I cocked my head to one side while I was talking to them ...

Thank you Maggie, my money tree outside is starting to loose it's leaves ...

July 4th and those awful fireworks!

Today is July 4, 2008 and I'm a little leery about how Maggie is going to cope with the fireworks ... you see in California you can buy fireworks at the stands (all over) ... they aren't the kind that go up in the air, (illegal ones from back east), but they make lots of noises.

So, I called my vet and found out I can give Maggie a Benadryl to help calm her down ... I was a little leery, again, but I purchased a bottle at the grocery story and came home ... the vet said with her weight she could probably have two, but once again I decided to become a vet and I think I only gave her a half of one, (after all, I know what it does to me.)

We're outside on the patio and I'm sitting on the chair with Maggie next to me on the leash ... it's just now getting to be dusk and yep, all of a sudden you can start to hear the neighbors start lighting their fireworks ... Maggie got so scared she took a beeline for the dogie door, my hand was wrapped around her leash so when she ran, I fell over... I get up off the cement, and go in the house and I can't find her ... of all places to look, she's in her crate all curled up, not coming out ... I'm thinking, "she hasn't been in that stupid crate since she was sick." Of all places to hide, I guess she felt safe there ... we closed all the doors and put the TV on loud to drown out the noise ... she seems to have settled down.

Two lessons I learned today ... I think I waited too long to give her the Benadryl and I probably didn't give her a big enough dose ... all in all, we survived 4th of July ... but I do have some big bruises on my arm where I fell off the chair when she got scared ... looks like I got beat up !!!

Once again, "Thanks Mags, hopefully next year will be better!"

Happy First Birthday Maggie Mo!

It's

June 1, 2008

and today is a huge day ... a day I didn't think I was ever going to celebrate. Maggie turns one today and we are going to the park for our "obedience" class and then afterwards, having a dog party! We get to class and everyone shouts "Maggie's here!", I'm so glad to hear everyone welcome us (but I'm sure it's their signal to each other to look out, Maggie is here). We have our class and yes, Mags is still the worse one in the class, gets out of line when we're walking (to usually take a pee break), lays down when she should be sitting, you get the picture ... I don't care though, it's her day!

After class was over we all got in a big circle and the trainer called Maggie and me into the center of the circle. She talked about how sick Maggie had been and how we almost lost her and then they all sang Happy Birthday to her ... afterwards, we had frosty paws ice cream (ice cream for dogs) and cookies I bought on-line thru a dog barkery ... you should have seen all the dogs licking up their ice cream and eating their treats ... Maggie got tons of gifts and after an exhausting day, we went home.
She really did have a large time!

Balloons and Kites

Maggie is getter better day by day ... She's now on my bed at night, I just make sure I put some 24"x36" pads down, with a blanket or sheet over it, and she's good to go. It feels so good to have by best friend lying besides me, and not in the crate looking at me with those "sad" eyes. Sure, she's on meds now ... but it's a small price to pay to let her finally be the dog and companion that she's meant to me.

Today I came home from work and Maggie was outside just barking up a storm. She came in to eat and was back outside barking ... I didn't quite know what was wrong with her and then I finally figured it out. The neighbors next door put their umbrella next to the fence and there are two things in this world that Maggie, that I know of, does not like, balloons and kites. I think that she thought the umbrella was some kind of a kite, since it was flapping in the wind some. I finally bite the bullet and walk next door to tell them, "I'm sorry for all the barking, if you want any sleep tonight, you might want to move the umbrella from the fence." "Oh, they said, we didn't hear her bark at all" ... "Oh my gosh, I'm thinking, tell me you didn't hear all that!"

They moved the umbrella and Maggied settled down for the night ... "Good-night my sweet Maggie Mo, sleep tight!"

P.S. And that's the way I met my neighbors!

The Carpet Ripper ...

So today I'm getting ready for work, you know, the usual ritual we now have ... get Mags out of her crate, feed her, dispense meds, wash her little "tush" in the back from her bladder problem, put the blankets in the wash, etc ... it's a lot to do before I even get in the shower!

I let Maggie have the run of the house while I jump in the shower before work. Just as I'm getting out of the shower I heard this "ripping" noise ... "what the heck can that be?" "Maggie?", No answer (like she would) ... I run into the living room with the towel around me just in time to see Maggie pulling on a string in the carpet ... "Oh my gosh Maggie", "NO!", I yelled as she continued to pull and tug away at the string ... How she even found that little string is beyond me but she managed to pull it right up ...

Today I need to find a carpet man to fix this ... the good thing is that it's at the seam and probably can be repaired (for a mere price, I''m sure) ... back to that tree outside to get some more bills ... "Gee whiz Mags, I just left you alone for a little while" ... "someday I will laugh about all these escapades of yours" ... "but not today."

I shared what Mags did to Daddy and all he can say is "tell me some good news about Maggie." I think he feels bad for what I've been thru with her health and I assured Daddy that I wouldn't have it any other way ... She's meant for me as I am her ...

Mad Dash to the Bedroom

Maggie is getting bigger and bigger by the day but she is still a puppy and enjoys jumping on people when they walk in the door ... The days when I come home from work, I carefully open the door (trying not to awaken Maggie), and slowly walk in the kitchen ... it doesn't matter, no matter how many times I try to sneak up on her she is usually looking at me thru the patio door ... now I know what's gonna happen ... she's gonna dart thru her doggie door and jump up on me to greet me ... some days it's okay but other days I have clothes on that need dry cleaning ... I usually make a mad dash towards the bedroom, close the door, change my work clothes and then I let her in so she can get a proper greeting ... whew, but there are days I don't quite make it to the bedroom in time ... "ah Mags," "you and those big paws" while she says "Gottcha!"

Is that my ... Oh No!

It's now April, 2008, two months from bringing Maggie home. I have a friend that consulted with Dr. B about a medication called Proin, a supplemental product for urinary incontinence for dogs. We decide to put Maggie on this medication, after all, what can it hurt? Only time will tell ...

In the meantime, Maggie doesn't have a clue that she is sick ... she's getting around so good after the hip surgery and just enjoying life playing with her toys, my dishtowels (ugh) and everything else she can get her paws on ...

Today I was watching her play outside while I was doing the dishes ... she was so happy running around in the backyard ... dancing around, lifting her head up and down ... I just love seeing her happy ... but wait, "oh no, not my phone Mags" ... needless to say, I no longer have a phone ... she has this phone so chewed up it won't work ... it's my fault for leaving it on the patio chair :-(

I e-mail all my family to let them know that I will be "out of pocket" tonight ... if anyone needs me I guess they will have to come by ...

I wonder what time AT&T opens up tomorrow ...

The Slow Healing

Maggie is slowly getting better. She's been to the vet for check-ups and is on so much medication ... prednisone, zenoquin, clavamox, and radiographs from her hip surgery to see how she is progressing. It seems every time I go, I end up in tears ... I hate to hear that Mags will probably never sleep on my bed and she will have to be in a crate or be an "outside" dog due to her bladder issue ... My poor vet, Dr. B., he is so wonderful and understanding ... he just comforts me and hands me tissues ...

Good thing she is a trooper about taking her pills ... just a spoon full of peanut butter and they all seem to disappear. It seems every time we visit the vet it costs a lot of money, don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining ... I just go outside and pick the bills off of my tree outside ... I just hope the tree doesn't die ...