April 27th, 2009 by admin

Every little thing is taking twice as long. Equipment isn’t working or isn’t where it’s supposed to be.

No major snags, but lots of little ones. It’s all too tedious to write about.

I will officially be done by this Friday, though unpacking and organizing on the other end will take some time as well.

April 25th, 2009 by admin

We just returned tonight from taking another truck load down to our summer place. I didn’t realize I was sore until I got out of the car and was suddenly aware of every muscle in my body. I wondered aloud why I was so sore. Ron said something about “manual labor”.

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It actually feels good to exert myself physically after a long period of laptop jockeying.

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Today I was the foundation of a trifecta dog-pile:

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1) Russell was on my lap

2) Halle had her head on Russell

3) Willie had her head on Halle

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It was the first time all three of them piled up on one another like that. I was happy that everyone was getting along so well.

April 23rd, 2009 by admin

I can hold Halle the Yorkie with my left hand and clip all her nails with my right hand, which I did today.

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Russell the Morkie was the wiggliest one, but the worst thing she ever does is try to escape. Ron held her while I snipped all her nails with just a little effort.

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Willie the chocolate Min Pin is the only one who has be tied with a ribbon. She hates the dog muzzle we bought her. I think I threw it away after she had a total melt down when I put it on her. She shook,  furrowed her brows and widened her eyes to the size of saucers in a look of worry, fear and bewilderment. She actually managed to tear the muzzle off with her paws the midst of a frenzied panic attack. Poor Will. I know now that she tolerates the ribbon.

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Ron held her today while I gave her a treat. I told her she was a good girl and petted her. Then I gently wrapped the ribbon on her muzzle and tied a bow at the back of her neck.

I hastened to cut quickly and carefully because she gets more anxious over time. Success!

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Afterward I brushed all three dogs’ teeth. The easiest way for me to get sustained brushing done is to use the gloves with tiny bristles built into the index finger and thumb. I use a vanilla-mint dog toothpaste because it smells sweet and fresh. I slowly pull up one lip at a time with my left hand, stick my finger (or thumb) into the mouth and move it back and forth with a slight circular motion.

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It’s always satisfying to see the difference it makes to brush their teeth. They always look cleaner and whiter. It really works!
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IMPORTANT: if you have a liver compromised dog, do not use toothpaste or anything with protein or anything that will put a load on your dog’s liver. A dog liver support group like the DLD (Dog Liver Disease) Yahoo support group is a good place to find out what can be used in lieu of “toothpaste”.

April 22nd, 2009 by admin

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All humans and dogs are tired from all the packing and moving that had to be done. We moved a truck and trailer load of stuff from our current place to our summer location.

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Of course the person who did the most heavy lifting and moving was the person with the broken ribs (Ron).

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The dogs didn’t really help much but they had a great time since they got to go for a ride through the mountains and then run around the property. Willie was outside too, but had to be leashed.

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We almost got hit by a lady who was driving in the opposite direction while taking photos of the snowcapped Rocky Mountains. I probably should have taken some photos of the gorgeous scenery too, but was immersed in “dog photo opportunities”:

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I went to see my doctor today because of the chronic headaches and nausea I’ve been experiencing since I returned to Colorado. My sister convinced me that I should check my apartment for toxins like carbon monoxide, gas leaks, etc. I let everything slide for the last couple weeks, but today I called the fire department to ask how I could check the apartment without having to install permanent sensors since we are renting.

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The fireman I spoke with wouldn’t let me off the phone until they convinced me to allow them to come test the unit themselves. He assured me:

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1) They would not be invasive.

2) They would only take five minutes to do the tests.

3) They had to drive by my place to go get dinner anyway (What?!).

4) Even though they would be required to bring the fire truck, they wouldn’t sound the sirens or flash the lights.

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Finally, I acquiesced and they arrived fifteen minutes later.

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Ron held Russell and met them outside. I had Halle in one arm and Willie in the other.

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The tests did not turn anything up, but the firemen told me their tests were not meant to be sensitive and were more for determining if there was a situation that required evacuation or immediate medical attention.

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At least we’ll be out of this place in a week’s time and that there is no emergency due to:

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1) Inadequate oxygen

2) Carbon monoxide

3) A gas leak

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They also let me know that there may be other causes from mold, chemicals, etc., and that I should call 911 if I have another bad episode of debilitating migraines, nausea and body aches.

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Thanks for visiting my dog blog!

April 20th, 2009 by admin

Tomorrow we’re taking another truck and trailer load of stuff from our winter home to our summer home.

Since Ron’s truck blew up, he spent half a day finding parts all over the valley to put together a proper hitch and tail light integration for my vehicle so that we can use my car to pull the trailer.

Ron finally agreed to go to the hospital to be seen for a couple broken ribs and check to make sure there was no damage to his lungs. He sustained the injury on the trip, but true to his machismo, didn’t tell me about it until after he had rowed our boat through all the whitewater rapids, de-rigged the boat, loaded up the trailer, and moved all manner of heavy things on at least three separate occasions.

The doc gave him a script for pain meds and said there were no complications.

All three dogs were particularly cuddly today. Maybe they felt a sense of accomplishment in working together as a group to trick me into feeding them dinner again after Ron already fed them.

April 18th, 2009 by admin

Willie, you are a good dog. I get stressed every time I leave you alone because I know you suffer from separation anxiety.

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Thank you for watching over me today like you always do when I don’t feel well. Ron made sure I had fluids, was comfortable and had a cold towel on my forehead when I was incapacitated by a migraine with extreme nausea today, but only Willie could stay with me the whole time.

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She seems to always know when I’m unwell and stays with me until I recover.

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That’s why I write and sing all those silly songs about you, Willie!

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As you can see, Russell is in the foreground.

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She is funny because she usually wants to be wherever Willie is. The breeder said if I didn’t buy Russell she would just sell her to someone else at six weeks old. I felt awful that Russell had to leave her mother prematurely, but she ending up thinking Willie was her mother.

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At first Willie was a reluctant mom to Russell, and found her to be supremely annoying, but Russell never gave up on Willie. Now the two of them are deeply bonded and enjoy each others’ company daily.

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There’s something comical and sweet about a furry messy little terrier who thinks she is a sleek, long legged Miniature Pinscher. She does her best to mimick Willie, but her legs will never be as long or springy, and as much as she believes she is Willie’s child, her good-natured, friendly and accepting attitude give her away.

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Willie is a Min Pin through and through, so she is high energy, always on high alert with her eyes, ears and nose, can jump straight up into the air from a stand still and gets antsy if she is not intellectually challenged. Min Pins are definitely type A in the dog world. Terriers can be feisty, but they can also be model cuddle-bugs.

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Willie is AKC registered from a champion lineage, including “Sir Bounce-a-lot” and “Sparticus Lightfoot”, which is probably why she prances and trots like a little show dog. But there’s nothing she loves more than to run like the wind. She sprints with the intensity and single-mindedness of a sight hound. Unfortunately she can’t be off leash for that exact reason.

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Min Pins are cool little dogs, but not for the weak of heart. If you can happily manage Jack Russells and Border Collies, you should be ok with a Min Pin, otherwise you may think your dog has been put on this earth to personally try your patience. Trouble starts the moment you stop being the boss of him or her.

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We bought Willie from her first owner when she was a year old. She couldn’t be a show dog because of a seam of white fur on her chest and a botched tail job. We still think she’s beautiful.

April 18th, 2009 by admin

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We got back from the annual Westwater Rafting trip last night. This year was unusual for a number of reasons:

1) Ron’s trusty 1988 F350 decided to breakdown just minutes after leaving. Here’s the loaded truck and trailer before the engine died:

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AAA took the truck to our mechanic’s garage after Jodi came back to our place, picked up her truck and transferred the trailer people and gear to her truck.

2) It was snowing and windy on a trip that normally is warm enough to wear a bikini top on during the day, but the sporty people I was with said: “the worse the weather the better the stories”.

3) I had migraines for half the trip. Thankfully I only went for the last two days and I had medication with me, and when I was pain free, I was able to enjoy the scenery and company.

4) We didn’t have enough vehicles to comfortably run shuttle. Some vehicles are left at the “put-in” (where you get into the boats at the beginning of the trip). Other vehicles need to be driven to the “take-out” and left there so that there’s a way to transport everyone back at the end of the trip. Then the people “running shuttle” drive back to the put-in.

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If there aren’t enough vehicles at the take-out, people and cargo have to ride like sardines until they reach the rest of the vehicles at the put-in.

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The crew didn’t complain about the cold, the snow, the freezing rain, or even flipping over into cold whitewater rapids, but there was definitely griping about having to squeeze into vehicles for the ride back.

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Ground zero for this trip is usually our place. It’s my husband’s departmental trip at the end of the ski season. He plans and functions as the trip leader. As an experienced raft guide and trip lead he’s a great person for the job.

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When I first met him I was impressed by how many people told me they would completely trust their personal safety to him. He has a highly developed sense of responsibility and concern for others’ safefy as well as as the competence to back it up. It’s one of my favorite things about him.

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We had a total of sixteen people, four dogs, four oar boats, one paddle boat, eight vehicles and one trailer this year. There have been as many as 21 people on this particular trip. The duration of the trip is five days and four nights. I joined them for the last two days.

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I apologize in advance for not taking any photos of the rapids. I wasn’t feeling well enough to be a good photographer except for the times on land or during calm stretches of “flat” water.

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My photographic goal was to document the small dogs on this trip. Russell is our seven pound Yorki-Maltese (Morkie) and Halle is our five pound Yorkie. There were two other dogs on the trip: a sweet and submissive lab-mix named Josie, and a dominant aggressive Rotty-mix named Libby, who probably should have been named Cujo or Killer so that people could manage their expectations. I mean that in the best way.

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I actually like Libby, she just scares the living daylights out of other dogs, both big and small, and her growl inspires images of a punctured jugular.

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Here’s Libby enjoying the trip with her significant others: Scottie and Melissa:

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All the photos in this post are from the last two days of the trip.

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Russell and Halle are both wearing Neoprene as a base layer to keep their core warm in the even they fell into the water. Their second layer consists of a hooded waterproof breathable rain coat. The third layer is their PFD (personal flotation device). Usually bigger dogs or double or triple-coated dogs only need a life vest. Our little ones are just more susceptible to cold.

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I thought dressing the dogs in three layers was a bit much, but after the trip I realize how it was both practical and functional. The dogs didn’t once appear uncomfortable or try to remove their clothing.

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Sadly, I have no photos of what happened during the most exciting part of the trip: the whitewater section and the paddle boat flip in the biggest and muchiest rapid called “Skull”, which also features “The Room of Doom”.

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Running Skull successfully is fun even though you typically get wet.

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Unfortunately the paddle boat with five people in it took a line that threw the boat into a vertical position and then flipped it over. Everyone went into the water.

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Of course every person in that boat was fit and accustomed to outdoor “situations”, so it didn’t take long for someone in that group (Rob) to flip the boat back over and for everyone to climb back into the boat.

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Three boats including ours went before the paddle boat and pulled over under the rapid to prepare for a rescue if needed. Ron was on a rock with his throw bag. As soon as they flipped, Ron threw the bag to people in the water, but we weren’t close enough.

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The paddle boaters were cold and wet, but unharmed and the only material loss was Alex’s hat which we saw sinking as we passed it.

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We made a stop for a quick lunch where most people changed into dryer clothing and then cruised the rest of the flat water to the take-out.

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It takes a little time to get everything off the boats, rigged on the trailer or stowed in various cars and trucks and organize the shuttle back. Everyone was pretty tired and hungry. Last year we didn’t get home until midnight because we stopped for a sit-down Mexican meal. This year we just grabbed $5.00 footlong specials at a gas station Subway and got home by 9:30 pm.

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I asked Ron if dogs are allowed on commercial trips. He said typically they are not allowed. Plenty of dogs go on private trips where people secure their own permits row or paddle their own boats, and take their own gear.

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Some rivers allow dogs, others do not depending on the national parks policies. All dogs are supposed to be on leash at the park locations, but may be off leash at the campsites along the river.

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The ski season is officially over for us and the whitewater season is beginning. Ron works as a whitewater photographer on the Arkansas River in South Central Colorado. We move next week.

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Today I was laid up with another massive migraine/nausea attack. Ron, Jodi and Alex spent the afternoon cleaning and unloading gear from the trailer.

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Now that I am pain free for the moment, I am surrounded by four snoozing bodies: Ron, Russell, Halle, and Willie.

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Willie is the Min-Pin who had to stay home because she can’t ever be off-leash and has a low tolerance for cold weather. She didn’t seem as upset as she usually gets when we “abandon” her. I think the terriers told her she wouldn’t have liked being wet or cold. My buddies fed her while I was gone. (Thanks Rhett! Thanks Paul!) I left the TV, night lights and heating on for her, as well as full access to the down comforter she loves to crawl under at night.

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You’re ok Willie!

April 15th, 2009 by admin

Russell, Halle and I are getting picked up early tomorrow morning to go on the last two days of the raft trip. The two little terriers have no idea they will be running whitewater rapids on a raft. I know Russell will have fun. She’s been on three times more rafting trips than I. Halle will have a brand new life experience.

It doesn’t matter how much I travel, I still feel anxious the night before a trip. Often I can’t sleep or feel stressed. Tonight is no exception, but I will manage it by taking a hot shower, making my todo list for the morning and reading to prepare for a good night’s sleep.

I will be back Friday night and will put a post and photos up about the trip. I’m so glad I can take two of the dogs, but sad that Willie will experience separation anxiety while we are gone. She is a wonderful Min Pin who hates being alone. I just can’t risk having her run off while we are on the river.

If I finally figure out my stubborn, diabolically smart, escape artist Min Pin who is so dexterous with her paws and mouth that she doesn’t need opposable thumbs, I’ll take her everywhere with me. I promise.

Willie, you know I love you and would never abandon you. I do not favor the other dogs over you. I just want you to be safe. I will be back on Friday night and will spend quality time with you.

April 15th, 2009 by admin

Now is a time that the saying “when it rains it pours” seems to describe the sudden deluge of mechanical problems we’re having.

In the last week the following things have happened:

-Our hot water heater failed and required a new thermostat and heating element.

-Our truck engine blew up seven minutes from home.

-The turbo stopped working and the check engine light came on in the Beetle.

-My sister popped her car tire and is leaking fluids from her car, her clothes dryer stopped working and now the electrical panel in her apartment needs to be repaired.

-Today I took my car in for a routine oil change and the mechanic let me know that I am leaking fluids in both axles and the rear transmission.

The above repairs total about $6500. Ouch. At least I don’t have a deluge of vet bills at the moment!

I noticed there were about 20 cars in my mechanic’s lot. He confirmed that he had very little work until recently when he suddenly got flooded with repair jobs.

I’ve been at the mechanics so many times in the last three days that his dogs wag their tails when they see me coming. One dog is a giant yellow lab puppy named “Piston” who must be pushing 90 lbs at a year old. He carries a yellow tennis ball made of solid slobber in case someone will play with him (like me). The other dog is a friendly, sweet and mild mannered black Cocker Spaniel named “Winkie” who just wants lovin’ of any kind. He is so lovable and cuddly. If he weren’t so dirty I’d give him a bear hug.

I pet them, play with them and tell them they are good dogs in English and Spanish every time I go to the garage. They are on the grimy side since they are auto garage dogs, but I can tell they are loved and well cared for.

I need to remember to bring them a treat tomorrow when I drop off my car.

April 13th, 2009 by admin

I don’t know why I’m not getting all my email. If you have sent me email and have not received a reply, please post here.

I also don’t know why I’ve been having migraines every day for a couple of weeks, but it’s killing me. And it’s accompanied by nausea, as if the stabbing pain in the head weren’t bad enough on its own.

I used to get migraines a couple times a month, but this is ridiculous.

I didn’t go on the river trip today in part because of how I’ve been feeling.

Hopefully I’ll be well enough to join the crew for the last day, which is the day with the rapids. If I go I will take two of our three small dogs with me.

In the meantime, I will be drinking soda water and eating unsalted saltines until the nausea subsides.

Thank goodness for Excedrin Migraine. It’s the best over-the-counter relief I’ve run across so far.

April 12th, 2009 by admin

Yesterday we moved one truck load from our winter place to our three acre property with a small cabin.

The Yorkie and the Morkie ran and played all day and all night. I walked Willie our Min Pin on leash. Her 100 foot runner is not up yet.

Min Pins should be considered sight hounds! They see something and they are off like the wind. I’m positive Willie can run about 35 mph, and she never just runs across the street. If she escapes, she can be gone 4 hours to overnight. She’s been spotted four to five miles away.

I feel badly that she can’t be free to play like the terriers, but what can I do?!

Moving from one seasonal home to the other takes about a week. Unfortunately we can’t finish moving until after the river trip. Most everyone is leaving tomorrow. The dogs and I will only go for the last two days.

Well, back to unloading and organizing stuff at our summer place.

April 8th, 2009 by admin

Something’s wrong with the water heater. We haven’t had hot water in two days. Our landlord said the plumber will be here tomorrow. I had to take a shower at the rec center this morning.

The silver lining is that I actually worked out when I went to the gym.

Unfortunately I ended up having four oatmeal cookies for dinner. How did that happen?

Dessert was Alka-seltzer Cold Plus Nighttime. I seem to have a low-grade cold of some sort that just won’t go away, though it waxes and wanes throughout the course of a day.

I don’t know if it’s a good idea for me to go on the river trip if I still feel under the weather.

April 6th, 2009 by admin

Here’s a photo of Halle with hair wax twirled into her bangs to keep them out of her eyes.

She’s a great sport to let me constantly mess around with her hair cuts and styles.

Today I felt a lot better and was so grateful for the care Ron provided me last night that I spent the afternoon re-covering the laptop case that he bought for me three years ago. It was pink with white polka dots. The only “before” picture I could find was this partial one:

My current laptop is too big for the case, it was way too nice to dispose of, and Ron’s laptop didn’t have a case yet. So covering it with new fabric for Ron seemed like the appropriate thing to do.

A little elbow grease made it as good as new. Here’s the laptop in it’s new masculine attire:

April 6th, 2009 by admin

I feel like this year barely just started and suddenly it’s April.

I’ve been sick a lot since I’ve been back to Colorado. I think it’s a combination of the change in climate, altitude, lifestyle, time zone, and various natural transitional stresses.

Last night I was a sight: propped up on the couch first with frozen veggies on my head, then a cold towel, covered up like a mummy in sheets. The lights were turned down because I was sensitive to light. Silence would have been fine, but I played a healing meditation on pain to help me focus positively on releasing pain from my body.

We think it was a combination of food poisoning, a cold and a migraine headache with nausea. I had a small fever as well.

It was pretty miserable. I couldn’t read, listen to anything loud or dissonant, use my computer, watch TV or even talk on the phone or with my husband without exacerbating my symptoms. All I could do was lie immobile on the couch. I couldn’t even sleep due to the discomfort.

My husband had to bring me fluids, medicine, towels, etc. throughout the evening. The dogs gently tucked themselves around me as they do when I am unwell. They were all very nurturing. It’s so nice to feel safe and cared for.

I took my migraine meds, drank a lot of water, and decided to take a sleeping aid to get some sleep, but mostly put me out of conscious misery.

It worked. I feel 90% better today and can put food down without getting sick.

I hope to be more productive today. That will cheer me up.

April 2nd, 2009 by admin

I’m enjoying peace in my life even though there’s much to do and a lot of traveling and moving in the next two months.

All three of my little dogs are curled up like cats. We call it “donut”. So the three donuts are all on my down coat, touching each other: one black, one brown, and one legally blonde.

It just occurred to me that my hair has black and brown in it as well as some subtle blonde streaks. I didn’t have my hair done that way on purpose, but it could have been a subconscious manisfestation.

April 1st, 2009 by admin

Not too many pranks this year.

It snowed so much today I had clear my car off three times during the day.

It’s cold too, but the dogs are keeping me warm. It’s amazing how warm three small dogs are. Who needs a heating pad or electric blanket! Plus there’s the cuddle factor.