Happy New Year from the "whole family!"

Getting along....

Under the table makes a good "den."  Roy and Finny awoke for the picture taking, but Andy slept on.  

Christmas Morning

The boys (including my grand dog, Finny) must have been good all year!  They got lots of loot in their stockings!  

Merry Christmas to All!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the boys and our family!

Christmas Tree

This year we found a nice Leyland Cypress in our yard for our Christmas Tree.  It is a lot nicer than our poor "Charlie Brown tree" from last year.  This tree was way too tall and we had to cut out its beautiful top, though.

Christmas Parade

Mom and Dad and the boys walked into downtown today and watched our small town Christmas parade.  We used to go every year when our girls played in the high school band.  Our county has grown such that there are now two high schools and two bands. The parade has grown to over 100 entries now, but it still has that small town feel: tractors, boy scouts, cub scouts, horses, and church floats.  We then walked up to the Arts Festival and bought some authentic Greek pastries.  The boys smelled the nuts in the Baklava and drooled, but they didn't get any.  

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The girls couldn't come for Thanksgiving, so we invited some other folks who were "family-less" for Thanksgiving too.  We spared a turkey's life and had only veggies.  The dressing didn't have enough broth and was too dry, but other than that, the food was passable.  Alas, we have done better.  What with going to New York and St. Simons' for several years, sort of got out of practice of making good dressing.  The boys enjoyed themselves, though.  They didn't like getting banished during the meal to avoid tripping someone or getting stepped on, but they got to greet and mingle before and after the meal.  Andy even got to "show off" his animal fetching prowess.  Roy was frustrated that he didn't get to show off his tricks, but they are all running and fetching,which is kind of difficult in the living room.  I hope everyone had a sumptuous meal and good company for the holiday; for we all have much for which to be grateful. 

FALL

Andy and Roy are posing in front of one of our many Sasanquas in the yard.  We have pink ones and white ones.  They are all in full bloom and are quite spectacular to see.

Obama victory

The boys were not too happy being squished in my Obama T-Shirt, but they were certainly happy that Obama won.  When the election was called at 11:00 p.m., I jumped up and screamed in elation, they were confused and startled that Mom was acting so crazy.  They settled down and were content that we were content.  A glass of champagne followed, but they didn't get any.  New direction, new leadership, new ideas, renewed hope in America's greatness.  Let's support our new president elect and pray for him daily.

Play Time

Every night after supper, Dad has "play time" with the boys.  Afterwards all three are exhausted and ready for "rest time."

Visitor from California

My dearest friend, Jane, died several years ago.  Her daughter, in the orange blouse, was visiting from California and came to dinner at Andy and Roy's house.  She is a cat person, but Andy and Roy, after much sniffing, accepted her anyway.  The other person, Betty,  is a dear friend of Jane's.  Andy and Roy met and greeted our guests and then retreated while we ate so as not to get stepped on while folks helped themselves to the buffet.  After dinner, they came back to join the company and look cute and beautiful as only they can.

FALL

Andy and Roy are VERY ready for Fall after this hot, dry summer!  We have had several Fall-like days and are anticipating with great joy the season coming to stay!

Finny's website

If you are interested in reading more about Finny's cancer journey, go to Finny's website:  http://nycancerdog.blogspot.com/

Finny- post radiation

Finny finished his radiation treatments last week.  He now has to put up with the burning and blisters as a result.  During the day(when she is at work) his Mom has to put an e-collar on him, which is like a large lampshade, to keep him from scratching his sore places.   Hopefully, in about two weeks he will start to get better.  Keep Finny and his Mom in your thoughts so they both can make it through this hard time.

Baths

                            Roy and Andy fresh from their baths and not quite dry yet!  

                        Time for a treat for enduring such humiliation.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Andy and Roy!

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY!!

Andy and Roy celebrate their 3rd birthday today.  They had canned food for breakfast and Frosty Paws ice cream for lunch (as seen in the picture.)  They like birthdays since they get such tasty food!  What a joy since they have come into our lives!

Finny's radiation treatments

You can see the green markings on my granddog, Finny's head, to guide the radiation tech as they give Finny his treatments for cancer.  Keep Finny and his Mom in your prayers.

New toothbrushes

Andy and Roy now have electric toothbrushes, so their teeth can REALLY be cleaned well.  They thought the "whirring" noise was a little scary at first, but now they take it in stride as part of their morning routine.

Finny starts radiation treatments

Finny starts 4 weeks of radiation therapy on Monday, August 11th.  Send up prayers or good thoughts for Finny and his Mom.

Awaiting diagnosis

Our grand dog has been having some "nose" problems so he was taken to the University of GA Vet Hospital while he was visiting over the July 4th holiday.  After a chest X-ray, rhinoscopy, and Cat Scan,  the diagnosis was still unclear, so he returned to NYC and had a biopsy performed at a Manhattan clinic.  We are awaiting the results. Keep Finny and his Mom in your prayers.

Taking a snooze....

Finny and Roy taking a snooze in the living room.  I can't say that the boys and Finny are great friends, but they tolerate each other well..

Breakfast Treats

You who follow my blog have seen Andy and Roy get their morning treats from their Dad, but here you can see our Grand dog, Finny, participating in the breakfast treat.

July 4th dinner

Our daughters were here for our July 4th celebration.  We grilled salmon and had lots of delicious veggies with homemade ice cream!  Our celebration was tempered by the fact that our "snake friend" was found by Finny, our granddog, who as a consequence of that "meeting" spent the night at the Vet ER.  He is safely home today but still somewhat swollen. 

Happy July Birthday to Sis!

Sis' birthday is not officially until August, but since she was home, we celebrated it early!  Andy can be seen observing the opening of the presents.  Our Granddog, Finny, is behind the couch, and who knows where Roy is hiding?

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day

Love,

Andy and Roy

Happy Father's Day!

just because....

The boys were getting jealous that this is "their blog" and I haven't posted a picture of them in a couple of weeks.  They had a bath yesterday and were so beautiful and fluffy, we just had to post a picture .............just because they are so beautiful.

Swell Henry

This is a picture of my eldest daughter's performance in New York City.  She paints pictures with words weaving a kind of  tapestry of words.  This performance was based on a CD by one of her New York friends entitled "Swell Henry."   My boys love it when she visits, because she uses many of her "voices" to entertain and befuddle them.

NYC

I left the boys with their Dad and flew to New York City to see my oldest daughter perform with the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Field, and Harlem Arts Alliance production.  I saw her on Friday and Saturday night.  You think I brag about my boys - don't get me started on my GIRLS!!!  

Saturday morning we went to the Farmer's Market outside Prospect Park in Brooklyn and stocked up on yummy veggies!  Vendors set up the tents and offer home grown fresh vegetables along with some meat and fish for Brooklynites to buy.  My granddog, Finny, went along too.

My three boys I left in Georgia were mighty glad to see me when I returned.

Happy Memorial Day!

Today is Memorial Day when we honor those who have given their lives that we might enjoy freedom.  I hope none of us ever take their sacrifice for granted.

The weather here has been absolutely perfect.  The days are pleasantly warm and the nights are cool enough to sleep under a blanket.  The boys love it when we can leave the back door open for them to come and go as they please. We have only turned on the Air Conditioning one day, and then switched it off again.   We have been eating all of our meals out on the porch and keeping up with all of our regular bird friends "dining at the bird feeders"  as we dine "al fresco."

Mom's in the dog house

The boys are not very happy with Mom these days.  Since we have not caught the poisonous snake that bit Roy, Mom has not taken the boys out of the pen.  Every morning after our walk, grooming, and breakfast, they stand at the door waiting to go play fetch.  They wait to no avail.  I am as afraid for myself as I am for them.  No playing outside the fenced area until Mr. Snake is found and disposed of!

Happy Mother's Day!

The boys again gave me a lovely Hydrangea for Mother's Day.  I hope it lasts as long as the one from last year!  I love BLUE!

Snake Bite

We had a very harrowing night on Sunday.  I had just come home from a concert and Phil was in the utility room holding Roy.  He said that he thought a snake had bitten him while Roy was out in the yard.  Phil went hunting for the snake but couldn't find it. By the time he came back, Roy was obviously in distress.  I changed clothes and we took him to the UGA Vet Emergency Clinic since our local Vet was obviously closed on a Sunday night.  (Why do these things always occur after hours?)  We waited at the ER for 3 hours while Roy was observed and treated.  They wanted to keep him overnight to make sure that the swelling did not close off his wind pipe, but we decided to bring him home.  Phil stayed up all night keeping a watchful eye on him.  Monday morning I took him to our local Vet who said he was obviously bitten by a venomous snake.  She gave him another shot and put him on antibiotics since the venom can destroy tissue which in turn can become infected.  He was bitten on his chin and you can see the two puncture marks where they shaved his chin.  It looks like it must have been a fairly large snake from the width of the fang marks.  Today (Wednesday), Roy is much better.  The swelling has gone down enough to where you CAN see the fang marks, which you couldn't on Sunday night.  He is eating and acting normally now.  

Glad that ordeal is over and we don't want a repeat.  No more playing outside the fenced area until we catch our snake!

Relay for Life

We participated for the third year in the annual "Relay for Life" to raise money for cancer research.  There are absolutely no pets allowed, or we would have taken Andy and Roy.  We really don't consider them "pets," but members of our family, but unfortunately other people see them only as "pets."  They both have certainly been a source of joy and support during my cancer battle.    As you can see from the picture, there are luminaries all along the track course labeled "in honor of" or "in memory of" loved ones.  As we "survivors" walk the track we are encouraged on in our journey with cheering and clapping.  It is a very moving experience.

Weigh-In

Dad and the Vet Tech are busy weighing Roy while Andy supervises.  We take the boys periodically to the Vet to keep a check on their weight.  Extra weight is bad on the joints and legs, so we try to keep the boy's weight under control.    One young man is going to have to have a cut in rations.

  : (

Azaleas in full bloom

We have some late blooming azaleas which have not yet bloomed, but the rest are in their full glory.  Many 20 year old plants were killed in last summer's severe drought, but many managed to survive.  This pink ruffle is in full splendor!  Andy and Roy like to run under the overhanging branches and play chase with each other.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today was Dad's Birthday.  I made him a delicious dinner as my present.  The boys gave him a store bought gift  since they are not very good in the kitchen, except for mopping up the floor as I spill things.  As you can see they wrapped the present very luxuriously!

Once a month:  the dreaded bath!

Here is Roy getting his bath.  Andy is probably hiding somewhere hoping to escape the torture!  But I'll find him!  They are so beautiful and fluffy when they are done!

In my continuing series on grooming:  Once a week -

Andy is getting his toenails cut with a "Dremel"(a small battery powered drill)." I started out in the beginning slow and easy, letting them "hear" the whirring sound of the dremel, then doing one toenail at a time, letting them relax after each one and giving a treat when all went well.  Now, as you can see, Andy and Roy just lie back and let me trim their nails....No Problem!

After our walk and tooth cleaning, then comes brushing the boy's coats.  They are brushed first with a pin brush to get the loose hairs in their undercoat, then a comb to get out all tangles, and then finally with a brush to give their coats a shiny gloss.  It is relaxing for the boys and for me.  

If you look in the upper right hand corner, you can see Roy patiently waiting his turn.

The Boy's Grooming Routine

Over the next few weeks I am going to feature the "Boy's Grooming Routine."  

After we return from our two mile walk, I first brush Andy and Roy's teeth.  This picture is of Roy getting his "pearly whites" brushed.  Both boys like the taste of their mint toothpaste and always get a goody for allowing Mom such intimate contact with their mouths.  They will even let me use a dental scraper on some stubborn stains.  My human dentist was amazed that they allowed me to scrape their teeth!

HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Easter!

Roy is more interested in getting his picture taken than

ferreting through the eggs to see if there

is anything good to eat inside.

Andy on the other hand is sure

there is a treat in there somewhere!

For Andy, "Hope springs eternal!"

Kong Treats

Every night after playtime with Dad, Andy and Roy get a "Kong treat."  Tonight it was a piece of a hot dog stuffed inside the Kong.  Andy will usually work on his Kong tirelessly for hours, if necessary.  Roy will work at it for a while and then say, "What the heck," and go take a nap.  If Andy doesn't succeed in getting the treat out of the Kong after a while, I will get it out for both of them.  Maybe Roy is just being uncharacteristically smart, and deciding to wait for ME to do all the work.

Camellias

Our camellias are in full bloom now.  We have several dozen throughout our yard amidst the abundant azaleas.  Last summer's drought doesn't seem to have hurt their blooms; for the bushes are crammed full of flowers.  We also have forsythia and daffodils blooming, but still have the chill of winter in the mornings.  I am about to get "spring fever."

George Washington's Birthday

Yesterday we invited some choir friends over for Sunday dinner to celebrate George Washington's Birthday.  (His actual birthday was Friday, but, hey, any excuse for a party!)

As I have said before, Andy is usually "Mr. let me get to know you" before he allows himself to be touched or loved in any way.  Wendy was the exception.  The boys are not allowed on the furniture, but allowed in laps, so you can see that Wendy has a lap full!

Roy's Trick

After I pictured Andy and his brainy trick of fetching his toys by name, I promised Roy I would feature him.  Here he is all by himself!   This is Roy's one show-off trick: shaking hands!  Of course, he can also catch a frisbee, but that is hard to catch on camera.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 My Three "Boys:"  Roy, Phil, Andy

Happy Valentine's Day!  

                           

Huge Camellia

It is February and all of our camellias are starting to bloom.  This particular bush is taller than me!  Its blooms look like miniature 
carnations.

Andy's toys

Here is Andy with the toys he knows how to fetch by name:  (from L-R) duck, frisbee, dog, cow, rabbit, and cookie monster.  You can also see part of Andy and Roy's  "dining table" in the upper left of the picture.

Roy was not too happy about being left out of this picture.  Both boys know what is going to happen when I get out the camera.  Next time, I will have to pacify Roy and post only his picture!

A Tribute to Katie

On Tuesday I had the honor and privilege of conducting the memorial service for Susy Dirr.  After battling cystic fibrosis for 31 years, she finally succumbed to the disease after putting up an heroic battle, even undergoing two lung transplants.  Her bravery and courage were applauded at the service.  I want to pay tribute to Katie, her big sister (the blond in the picture.)  Katie stood in the background, as in the picture, and did what was needed to help her family and Susy.  For example, when Susy was too weak to walk to the beach, Katie carried her on her back.  Katie is a wonderfully talented and beautiful young woman.

My family is blessed with good health, wonderful children, of the two legged and four legged variety.  I pray we will all cherish each moment we have and never take LIFE for granted.

The Book

My Birthday Book

My daughter, Marian, made me a book of my Sheltie-Mom blog and gave it to me for my birthday. She is a graphic artist, so the book really looks professional. It contains all my entries for 2007. I am taking orders for copies! I am now a published author!