Couple's Shower

Flourish Fancy Bridal Shower

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Who knew throwing a couple's shower would bring out my Dad's inner event planner. Last weekend we made centerpieces, wrapped utensils in napkins, picked out prizes and designed a lunch menu! My dad even stuffed, stamped and sealed every invitation that went out. Looking forward to celebratig my cousin's upcoming Wedding Day!!!

No Words Needed

Reasons why i am glad i am sick...

I have been under the weather since Sunday. I thought, "I can fight this no worries, however, I was wrong." My routine since Sunday, I constantly eat Tylenol Cold, Tylenol Flu, Bepto Bismol or some other drug that promises to cure me. Then I sleep for an hour, then I watch bad TV (Billy the Exterminator, anyone?) and I can't forget to constantly check my blackberry, because the world may end without me. Wild night for me - RIGHT now I am typing this blog post while I wait for water to boil for my Theraflu. I went into my office today at 6am to sneak in and grab my laptop with no one around. If anyone saw me dashing in they may have mistaken me for a vampire, since I was so pale, no make up, bad hair and mismatch gym type apparel. Okay, on to the good part about being sick. I am so congested and stuffed up I can't smell. I can't smell that the cat box needs cleaned, I can't smell that CJ has not touched any of the dishes in the sink since I came down sick and the best one yet I can't smell anything at the vet. Indigo started walking strange on Sunday with her hip jutted out to one side and it looked painful. Since I was home from work sick, I noticed she was always walking like this. I pulled it to together, washed my hair, put on a matching track suit and took Indi to the vet tonight for a 7pm appt. I was told it smelled bad in the vet because they were giving sulfer baths to pups with ring worm, but I couldn't smell it. We were placed in a room and Indigo's vet appt was over before the vet even came in the room. The vet tech told me as she was taking Indigo's temp, I think she has diarrhea ... I said really and looked down there, oh no INDIGO was expressing her very FULL anal glands on the vet tech. I could see it looked gross, but I could not smell it. Number one reason I am thankful I am sick this week, I can't smell a darn thing. The Dr. came in checked Indigo's hips out and suggested she had full glands and was walking funny to try and relieve the pressure. Vet Check Fee, Anal Express (free - Indi did it herself) = fastest and cheapest visit ever! I know only dog lovers will get this post and know to be grossed out.

Everyday is an untamed adventure...

One year ago today, C.J. and I were preparing to say goodbye to our beloved Weimaraner Shadow. C.J. and I camped in the living room with Shadow that sad Friday night and together we watched "All Dogs Go to Heaven." On Saturday, September 19, 2009 we kissed her good bye and held her close as she passed to the Rainbow Bridge. Shadow had a form of cancer that when it was cut open to biospy it spread quickly through her body. We were not prepared to say goodbye and it all happened so quickly. Now it has been nearly a year - Where did those 364 1/2 days go? The months after her passing were very painful and it was hard to explain to people the pain I felt from losing her. Only other animal lovers who have lost pets were able to understand. Those who only had backyard pets or no pets, did not get the pain and grief I experienced from choosing to end Shadow's life, because we had no other options. The feelings were so fresh and an empty house after work brought so much pain. No need to feed and water in the morning, no poo to remind C.J. to pick up, no stuffing to pick up from the floor after Shadow destroyed her newest stuffed toy she picked out at PetsMart.
Little did I know, one year later I would be celebrating Shadow's memory with another Weimaraner. However, before the next Weim came into my life, in January 2010 I rescued a Chinese Crested/Terrier Mix who I named Lucy. She now lives happily ever after with my parents. I am glad I was able to rescue this Senior who was in dire need of medical care and dental work. I rescued her, because it was the right thing to do, but my heart still belonged to the Weim breed.
Indigo Wrigley found me via Northern CA Weim Rescue with some encouragement from C.J. - All the stars must have been in alignment the day we picked up Indigo from San Jose to transport her to a foster home in Stockton. C.J. had expressed he was not ready for a new dog yet (Lucy was only my dog) and we made a stop in Stockton to drop Indigo off at her planned foster home. However, she did not stay there, she came to Sacramento with us. C.J. suggested we do a trial run and see how she fit into our household with our 3 cats. We had some barriers to work through, but C.J. and Indigo quickly bonded. C.J. now says, "he picked out Indigo for me." Lucy moved in with my parents shortly after Indigo moved in and Lucy was attacked by one of the cats. Indigo is not Shadow at all, they are very different both with pros and cons. I just wish I could have experienced them both at the same time. However, they do have similarities: Senior, Petite, Medical Issues, Bad Hips, Arthritis, Big Vet Bills and even BIGGER love bugs! Some of these items frighten me and make me nervous to love Indigo, I know she will not be with us forever and she will most likely meet Shadow at the Rainbow Bridge, before I do. BUT I honestly believe Shadow sent Indigo to me to teach me it is okay to love again and to remind me why I rescue senior pets. The saying goes: "Live like it's your last day on earth, LOVE like you've never been hurt and DANCE like nobody's watching" Indigo and Shadow have reinforced this saying in my life. I believe both have brought me joy I would not have known otherwise and both have taught me how to tackle the unknown, survive what you can not change and appreciate each day you have. I know Shadow has helped me become a better person and Indigo is benefiting from all the love Shadow shared with me. I hope to pass this love along to Indigo. I intend to always provide a home to an animal in need as long as I have the space and resources to do so.

Miss you Shadow and I am looking forward to many more memories with Indigo Wrigley, so she can one day share her memories with Shadow!

Friends, Make the World Go Around...Men Just Enhance It!

I have found myself pondering what makes me happy - What do I want out of MY life? Marriage and babies tend to be on most women's mind when it comes to life successes. However, I have never felt these were necessary to live a fulfilled life. I have a best friend, whose name I will not use to protect the innocent, but together we are going to copyright: "I want (insert name) to enhance my life, not be my life." We both feel strongly about this and when she used this line, I whole heartedly agreed! I like to think of marriage as a partnership where both parties bring something to the table. I honestly feel marriage has changed significantly since the "nuclear" family has adjusted and changed over the years. Also you do not have to be legally married to be in a partnership. I like to think of all relationships (friends, work, family) in my life as partnerships. Why should one person ever hold up a relationship/partnership for two people - "PARTNER" assumes two or more people are involved.
I am at a time in my life, where friends are marrying, friends are divorcing, friends are welcoming bouncing babies (the first or second), friends are buying homes or upgrading homes and I have some friends who are still trying to find themselves. I have recently decided to control your own happiness you never truly find yourself, but you ebb and flow with the tides. I have been known to be a control freak and if something isn't done the way I do it, then it is wrong - I am making an effort to work on these things in my life. This is where Yoga entered my life last week. People really take time out of the day to stretch and just be in the current space?? I am not there yet, because my mind does not seem to have a pause button. However, I am going to give it a good try. I like the idea in theory.
****This blog entry may seem to be all over the place, but I have been thinking alot and I just like to write it all out.****I am also at a point in my life where I am learning/trying to listen more and not talk so much. I am not saying I did not like the way I lived my life before, I am just trying something new. We all learn from our mistakes and it can be painful to watch what you think is a mistake take place before your eyes, but who am I tell anyone else how to live their life? At this point, I am still deciding how to live mine. :) Also it may not be a mistake, it may be the best decision ever made! I don't take "risks" well - so I often think things maybe mistakes but they aren't. I am vowing via this blog to incorporate some "calculated" risks into my everyday life. I know I am “that friend” that if I give too much unwanted input people don’t like me (or what I have to say). I can be opinionated and I've always said, "that is just who I am." However, I am attempting to begin a new journey (path) in my life where I am going to step back, watch, listen, live and enjoy. I am always willing to offer my input or a word of caution, but it is not up to me to try and save the world. Why did I ever feel it was my job to protect others? I think I am honestly just a caregiver at heart and I want to make everything better - I love projects! I am going to care for ME!

This picture may not look like much to you, but to me it made my heart sing. This is George sleeping on C.J. - This morning as I exited the shower, I peeked out to see if C.J. was still sleeping and lo and behold George was sleeping on him. George use to always sleep on C.J. every night, however since his illness he has not jumped up on the bed much. Yesterday when I came home from work George and Diesel Ann were curled up together on the bed. I may not love cat hair on my bed, but to see George trying to act like himself again gives me some hope. I am not sure if George will pull through his illness, but I do know he is feeling better. All I can ask for is for George to feel well enough to behave like a cat, enjoy his family, eat when hungry and use the cat box! Trying to learn to be excited for the little things and not fret about the things I can not control. Tonight Indigo has school and hopefully she will perform well, because yesterday she was a brat. She did not listen to any commands and was very unlike herself. I hope she was just having a bad day yesterday, because I like it better when my dog listens and likes me. I am wondering if she is not feeling well or was just having a moment.

OKAY, big news - For the first time on Thursday I will try basic beginner yoga. If you know me well, you know I don't like to try new things or things I may not be good at, so this is a big "baby" step for me. I did not want to face this new challenge alone, so I bribed my mom into going with me. If I am going to enter into an unknown and strange world, I felt I should take someone along with me. :) Mom and I begin Yoga on Thursday. Wish us luck!

My weeks are filling up, Dog School on Tuesdays and Yoga on Thursdays. Also contemplating joining some of my girlfriends for their Women's Bible study on Wednesday. I must admit some of these new thoughts/adventures are from my last Book Club assignment, Eat, Pray, Love! This is the first book to really move me in some time. I did not enjoy all of the book and literally only scanned some sections, but other sections I read twice to make up for scanning others. :)

My life has literally gone to the dog and cat...

Just trying to type this blog has been challenging.. Is George in the cat box is he going? Oh, wait is he in the bathroom eating his food. Did he drink any water today? George came home on Sunday night from the pet hospital and he has been requiring constant supervision. He can not talk, so I must be his words, I must pay attention to all of his bodily functions. So after our follow-up visit on Monday night I learned George has "diaper rash" - We bought some Desitin on our way home and we hope this clears up soon. If you do not know what I am referring to, please read the blog post prior to this one. I have literally been sweeping since I got home today, I can't put the litter pan lid on because George needs the extra room right now and he THROWS the litter everywhere. This morning, I thought I would never make it to work. I secured George and gave him all 3 of his morning meds, swept litter, cleaned George after he wiped his tail through his business and walked through it. Fed and watered the cats. Placed dog kongs in the backyard. Gave Indi fresh water and food, and then showered, dressed, applied make up and flat ironed hair that should have been washed, but I just did not have the time. How do mothers of REAL children do it, especially those with multiples?? I give lots of credit to working mothers, who seem to have it all pulled together. I can only imagine how tough it is with children you must drop off at daycare and pick up by a specific time everyday. Okay so for the most part my days have been consumed with George's care. Now on to Indigo, she had her obedience class tonight and to be honest we had not practiced any commands since her class last Tuesday night. With George being sick, my days have been consumed - However, Indigo powered through and she did great today. With some work on my part, Indigo can be a wonderfully trained dog. I believe she will always be shy around dogs, but as long as she listens to my commands this is okay. I can manage having a shy dog as long as she is well behaved. Diesel Ann and Gemini are my other two cats and they have been minding their own business, they seem to steer clear of George. I am sure they sense he is not feeling well. At this time, we are hoping for the best for George.

*I started this blog to write about what I enjoy and I seem to be semi-complaining alot. However, I love my pets and these are the challenges that come with rescuing older or sickly pets. I am glad I am able to care for them when others have given up or would give up.

**What did I enjoy today? I did ENJOY taking Indigo to class, snuggling with George, a non fat iced Chai, e-mailing with my cousin and catching up with Dawn on the phone. Now off to prep George's 4 nightly meds and holding a good thought for his full recovery!

George. George.. George...

George was in the pet hospital from Thursday night to Sunday night with an IV fluid drip. I visited him twice on Saturday and once on Sunday morning. When you visit your pet often the animal is brought to you in an exam room, however, since I am at the vet very often and they somewhat know me, I was asked to visit with him in the back room. Okay, the back room is scary, on Saturday morning a cat was being spayed right behind me on a table, another dog was having his private area examined, there was a dog sprawled out on the floor with a towel for a pillow (he could not stand because the tumour in his belly was too large) and this was all going on around me as I tried to coax George to eat some kibble. I can't blame the guy there was too much going on around us and I even found it hard to concentrate. The back room is scary to me and I can't help but think of all the scared animals in pain, not to mention their animal owners having to make difficult medical decisions for their beloved pets. George was fed through a syringe while he was in the hospital. He also yanked out his IV a few times and had to wear a silly looking collar. Hoping to bring George home after one night in the hospital turned into a 3 night stay. George was released from the hospital once his kidney numbers were in the normal range, however he still had not eaten on his own at the hospital. He was released with meds he needs 3 times per day, this is very challenging for those of us who work away from the home. He was diagnosed with pancreatitis and possible early kidney disease. His system has been flushed and I know he is a fighter, so hopefully he can pull through this. I did catch him eating this morning - SCORE!!

However, the poor little man seems to have come home with another problem. To be polite his back end is swollen, red and seems to be leaking some kind of fluid. I called the vet (to ask about it) and I am taking him back tonight to have it looked at. I can’t believe they did not notice, it is hard to miss. I am sure the STRONG pain meds he is on will take care of the pain, but I think it may be infected and we can't let that get any worse. I am honestly considering applying for a part-time job at vet, I spend all my free time there anyway and I would be able to benefit from the employee discount. If you hear me say, I got another job, you will know where!

George Come Home Soon...

George is at the vet hospital, he had to stay the night last night. He has not been feeling well and when he stopped eating I knew something wasn't right. I took him in for an appt. yesteday and they recommended he stay over night for a fluid IV drip and to have some tests done. George is C.J.'s little buddy, he follows him around and sleeps with him nearly every night. The past two nights @ home George slept under the bed and in the bathroom on the tile floor. He has also been throwing up bile all over the house. We were able to coax him to drink some water from a cup on Wednesday night, but I knew this was something more serious than just an upset stomach from eating too quickly. I have googled every possible thing for cats vomitting green, foamy stuff and I have myself panicked and waiting by the phone to hear the results from his blood work. I hope it is something that can be fixed. Those of you who know George, know he is a fighter and has been through alot. Just 3 years ago he had a mass removed from inside his brain between his ears. He recovered well, but has never been 100% since the surgery. He has been a sickly cat since the day I brought him home from the SSPCA. However, he is also been the biggest love ever. If you meet George, you will like George, he even can make non-cat people like him. George is an Apricot color with the most lovely blue eyes that are crossed. :) He has cross eyed and is the most adorable thing you have ever seen. He loves being the center of attention and joins the group for any party we host at the house. George likes to eat, play when he feels like it and snuggle with Diesel Ann. I hope George can be "repaired" and come home to make us happy and smile some more. My biggest priority is that is he is not in pain and can live the life all cats want - Eat, Nap, Nap, Sun bath, Eat and then time for bed with C.J.! Get better soon and hurry home George!!
Love Mommy

Treat, treats and more treats

I have always been relatively good in school. I like to get good grades, I enjoy seeing the A or B printed on the paper. Red pen on a paper correcting mistakes is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Let's say I don't do so well with constructive criticism, but I am working on it. We all are works in process, RIGHT! So tonight was a big deal for me - Indigo had her first night of school with 5 other dogs in one room. This is a beginner class, but since Indi is shy and not always at ease around other dogs I was worried. I could just picture it, her not listening, me getting frustrated and I would be the failure, not the dog. For once my behaviors and smarts were not being judged, but the way I handled my dog was. We walked into class and claimed a space near the back entrance, as soon as we entered the room Indi's little nub of a tail tucked under her butt and she was DONE. She looked at me with sad pathetic eyes that said, "Really, you brought me here with these crazy wild monsters on a Tuesday night." I smiled, talked baby talk to my dog and got her to wag the nub and get somewhat excited about school. Then I pulled out the high value treats. If only all of life's' problems could be solved with pea sized smelly treats.
INDIGO MY SENIOR DOG DID WONDERFUL. With my encouragement and some coaching from the instructor she obeyed all commands and wanted nothing more than to please. Once again, I was able to be at the top of the class and this time it was more rewarding than ever, because I was able to share it with someone. The someone may have been my dog, 5 strangers with their dogs and 2 instructors, but the most thrilling part was Indigo's excitement. The wag of her tail and the smile in her eyes meant more to me than sitting and staying until released or touching my hand when I said touch. Seeing her confident in herself and act like a dog, made me proud. This moment made me realize why I rescue dogs, why I take the extra time to work with Senior dogs and why I became a dog person in my mid 20's. Some people are born dog people, I became a dog person when my first true dog love Shadow was introduced to me. I must admit I believe the "right" Weimaraner can make anyone a dog person!!

A dog's Life

Indigo seems to be on vacation every day, but last week she went on vacation with her people.

Our little family went to La Selva Beach for a week of sun, sand and photos!!! The cats had to stay home, but they had our wonderful pet-sitter to look after them daily. The cats sure seem to like him better than us. He leaves notes stating, "Diesel Ann played with me while George sat on my lap." George sits on my lap too, but Diesel Ann never plays with me. :(

It took a few days for vacation mode to kick in and the Corporate work life to drift away. Darn those blackberry devices, I think I will save that for another post. My parents rented a house that was dog friendly and I mean it was really dog friendly, it included a large dog run as well as 2 fenced acres! We were the guests of my parents on vacation. (Thank you Mom & Dad!)

Indigo being shy and somewhat reserved began to truly act like a dog and run off-leash, as well as hunt. She sniffed, she pointed and she caught a ground squirrel or two. Our Weim girl is a hunter at heart. Every morning she was up at 5am to go outside for a potty break and to begin her morning hunting routine.

I have many highlights from the week, beginning with napping in the hammock with Indigo at my side. Meeting friends for lunch with a fire drill in Monterey, dinner on the deck with my parents and Friday night date night with C.J. at Shadowbrook. Going out on a yacht for a sunset cruise with my dad as the Captain, but the number one highlight for me was meeting up with Pet Photographer Tonya Perme. She took professional photos of me, C.J. and Indi at our rental house and SeaCliff Beach. The photo sitting was a gift for my birthday from C.J. and some of my best girlfriends gave me a gift certificate to use to purchase additional photos. In preparation, Indigo received a bath and brushed and I painstakingly blew out/flat ironed my hair the one time all week. On Tuesday afternoon Tonya met us at our vacation home and began taking photos of Indigo, then C.J. and I joined in for some family photos. Once we had numerous photos at the house, we moved on to the beach location. Indigo did really well, she acted like a dog and even ran into the water chasing rocks we threw into the surf. C.J. and I got wet from an unexpected wave as we posed for the camera and ultimately had a wonderful experience. Indigo was exhausted after the shoot, this was more excitement than she is use to and having two bad hips makes for a dog who tires out rather quickly. I told Tonya, "I bet this is the first time you had to pep up a Weimarener instead of calm one down."

After less than 24 hours, Tonya sent a link to look at some sneak peek photos, I was sitting on the beach, with Indi napping under her umbrella, while I cruised Facebook. I could not access the link from my blackberry and I was having a panic attack because I could not see the photos, but people were already commenting about them. I quickly packed up Indi and ended our beach session to rush back to the house, this is when I realized social media is running my life!! I need to learn to do things in moderation and remember things will wait. However, I think the rush back to house may have been worth it as the photos brought pure smiles to my face. I can't wait to see them all and pick which ones to have printed. What a great gift, I will always remember!

Pet friendly Santa Cruz:

Indigo joined us for lunch out in Santa Cruz and sun bathing at Manresa State Beach. Santa Cruz has many dog friendly establishments including, Betty's burgers where we had lunch, Aldo's on the dock (Santa Cruz Harbor) where we had breakfast, as well as some "nicer" places like Michael's on Main. Remember to always call ahead to be sure locations are still pet friendly. I used www.bringfido.com, which I found to be very user friendly and updated. I believe Indigo had a great vacation with her people and I know we had a wonderful vacation with her.

Jumping in..

Let me begin my introducing our newest family member, Indigo Wrigley Berry.
She is a shy 6 year old Blue Weimaraner who was found as a stray in San Jose, CA. She is thankful to the Northern CA Weimaraner Rescue (NCWR) for giving her a chance when no one else did! A NCWR volunteer housed her for a few days in San Jose, until I was able to pick her up to transport her to Stockton for a new foster home arrangement. However, she never stayed in Stockton and to make a long story short - she resides with me, my boyfriend and three cats in Sacramento.