{ A bit of a stressful week, but all things are back on track }

Oh what a stressful week it was.

Monday morning, we woke up to Kaia being unwell, lethargic and running a fever.   What we assumed was just an upset stomach, quickly became a bit scary.  We took her to the vet that afternoon, and they did a Parvo test, as a precaution because she is under 1 year old.

Thankfully, it was negative, as the vet and we both suspected.

It turned out to be a gastrointestinal issue, due to her eating a pig bone.  One of Curt's students had given him a pig bone for her to chew on.  The thing is, Kaia chewed right through it and ate some of it.  I have never liked pig bones, or any bones for the dogs, I always worry about it splintering and creating shards.

The veterinary confirmed that pig bones are not to be given to your dogs, neither are rawhide bones, or any kind of bone that can splinter and shard.  We were horrified.  She set our minds at easy and told us that it wasn't our fault, that we didn't know, and she sees a lot of this at her office because people don't know.  But from that moment on, not to give her any.  

It was a slow week.  She was put on antibiotics with an added medicine to rectify and regulate her gastrointestinal system.  She was also put on anti nausea pills, because she was really nauseous.

She didn't full recover until Thursday afternoon.  Today she is back to her bubbly normal self, running, eating and being as sweet as can be.

So, I guess I just wanted to share that with you, to warn you of the pig bones and rawhide bones.  The vet suggest rather giving them a knuckle, which doesn't break apart or shard.  

 

This sweet boy has been understanding, and for the most part left her alone, although Monday morning, he was trying to play with her and she got quite annoyed.  They usually play hide and seek, chase each other etc.  He didn't understand that she wasn't well, so when she came walking slowly into our bedroom, he came running out from under the bed and jumped on her.  

As I'm sure you can understand, she was not impressed.  Poor baby!

He quickly understood she wasn't well, and left her alone the rest of the week.

 

 

The early mornings I spent with my sick girl, meant a lot of moments with my Bible and the Lord.  I love getting up long before everyone else, lighting a candle, grabbing a cup of coffee and just enjoying the stillness of dawn.

And then as the sun starts to shine, I step outside just to catch the magical light reflecting off the leaves and vines on the fence.  

 

With the days getting shorter, and colder, I have been making use of my clothesline even more.  I want to enjoy every minute that I can still hang my clothes out to dry.

So when I washed my kitchen towels, tablecloth, fall kitchen towels and placemats, they all went straight out on the line.  I think it's one of those timeless homemaking chores, that we as homemakers will always be connected by.  

 

I also removed and packed away all the Fall decorations.  If it were up to me, all the Christmas would come out, but I've had to hold off on it because hubby says "Only after Thanskgiving".  Hahaha

He's lucky I love him, so I'll just humor him.  But everything is ready to go.  

 

And with the cold coming in, it also means I get to pull out my big fuzzy slippers, sweaters, long sleeves, scarves and hats.  I do love winter time.  I used to prefer summer, but with me inching ever more closer to menopause, I just can't handle the heat anymore.  

 

At least with the cold I can layer, and put on more, wrap myself in a blanket and so forth.  Love it! 

 

 

I've slipped on the flannel sheets, and for some reason I sleep so much better in the winter, with the flannel sheets, than in the summer.  It's probably all psychological, but nonetheless, it is what it is.

 

As we get closer to Thanksgiving, I am full speed ahead with planning and lists.  I want to try and get as much done before the day, as possible.  This year, I don't know if I've mentioned it yet, but the World Cup 2022, begins right around Thanksgiving, and both Portugal and Brasil are playing on Thanksgiving day.

 

My family and I are so thrilled, not only do we eat yummy food, but we get to watch something that we LOVE.  It is sure to be an amazing day. 

 

 

Right now, I am going to watch a Christmas movie, while I continue to crack pecans.  Yes, I am still trying to get through the boxes we have.  But it's a blessing to have these many, especially since I can freeze them.

I will leave you with a picture of mine and Curt's gifts above, from our church, last weekend.  It was in celebration of Veteran's day and they gifted both the veteran and the wives.  It was extremely sweet of them.

Anyway, I hope you are all having a wonderful, restful weekend.  

I will see you all back here in the morning, for our Happy Homemaker Monday!!!

{ Good Dog and Best Patient Award }

Our sweet Kaia is home and resting, thanks to our good Lord!

She came home sporting a Good Dog Bandana, given by the vet's office, for being the best patient and a really good dog.  The vet said she was a social butterfly LOL

Apparently, our Kaia was still recovering but trying to play with the other puppies and kittens that had been neutered and spayed, keeping them entertained and making them feel better.  The vet and the technicians all loved her.

 

We opted to do a onesie instead of the Elizabethan Cone, better known as the Cone of Shame  hahaha

She did come home with the cone, but wasn't liking it at all, and a couple times walked into things.  So with the vet's approval we decided to do the onesie instead.

I must say, she has not once even attempted to look at or touch or lick her sutures, it's as if they aren't even there, but we will still keep the onesie on for the next 14 days.

The onesie we picked was the Recovery Vest.  It comes with a pocket where you insert a Lavender essential oil disk, to keep the pet calm and to help with anxiety as well.

 

 

 

We got the large size because it was the closest to her weight range, although it is a little big on her, but it doesn't bother her at all.  It's soft thin material, and because it's not snug on her body, it doesn't rub on or snag on her sutures at all.  It also allows the skin to breathe.

She does have a slight skin irritation, and has medication for that, along with her pain meds.  But she is doing so well, she has eaten, she is drinking, she tries to play and run, but also gets tired pretty quickly and takes a lot of naps.  

Kaia had a slight temp this morning, but the vet said that's normal due to the surgery and anesthesia etc.  At the time I'm typing this post though, her temperature is back to normal.

 

The thing I'm finding the hardest, is keeping her from jumping on the bed or couch.  We pick her up and put her on, or pick her up and put her down, but there have been a few times that she just goes and does it before we even get to her.  Keeps me on my toes for sure.

 

We are just thrilled that she is home, recovering, the surgery is done and went well and now we can just concentrate on her healing. 

{ Kaia went in for her spaying }

It's been a very slow day.  I have spent it with my hubby, who is home on leave for the next 3 days.  

Early this morning, we dropped Kaia off at the vet for her spaying.  It broke my heart, and I know that may sound so ridiculous to say, but just leaving her upset me.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried on the way home.

I think it brought up a few memories of Marley.

Anyway, she didn't get to her surgery until this afternoon, and we got the call around 3:30pm letting us know she was in recovery and had done really well.  We get to pick her up tomorrow at 8:30am.  I am literally counting down the minutes hahahah

So I spent the whole day, just trying to keep my mind busy.  

 

Hubby and I went to Petsmart for some supplies for Kaia for her after care, then came home, did a little yard work, had a swim, barbecued some burgers and bratwurst and just relaxed.

 

I did hang up some clothes inside, it was so hot out, that I didn't even want to put the washing in those temperatures.

 

Would you believe me if I told you they were all dry, in 10 minutes?  Even inside, and even though there were some towels too?  This heat is ridiculous.  

 

Anyway, I didn't take photos of anything else,  but I am going to just show you what my husband was working on.  Tomorrow I'll show you Kaia and anything else I get up to during the day.

 

 

 

When we first moved to Texas, in 2015, my mother in law had given my husband, his dad's old smoker.  He had that smoker for so many years, and then passed away, and it was just left at his parent's house in Oklahoma.

We brought it home, and used it just a few times, but it was pretty dingy, rusted, old, the wooden board on the front was destroyed from the weather, the handles were broken etc.

We couldn't decided what to do with it.  Thought of getting rid of it, but neither one of us could bear to do it, so the next plan was to go ahead and bring it back to life.  Give it a new coat of metal paint, new board, new wooden handles and grates.

My husband sanded it all down and removed all the rust first.  Unfortunately the grates inside were very rusted and old, so we got rid of those and will buy some new ones.

He then bought some metal black paint, and gave it a new fresh look.  He also made new wooden handles, and just needs to make a new board for the front of the smoker.  It's a work in progress but already looks so much better.

While he was out there working on it, a butterfly just appeared out of nowhere and landed on one of the smoker's legs.  It didn't move, it stayed there the whole time my hubby was spraying the paint and working on it, only leaving when he was done for the day.

I think that was my father in law, giving his son some love and appreciation for the work he is doing on his old grill.

Very sweet to think about, isn't it?

She is looking as good as new.  It's amazing how you can refurbish something with just a little elbow grease and a lot of love.

I can't wait to see it all finished.  We plan on having a whole barbecue area, with the smoker, our gas grill, and hopefully some cabinets of some sort for keeping all the barbecue tools.

But it will happen slowly, because everything takes time and money, of course.

So there you go, that was my day, nothing really happened.  I'm just glad this day is done and I can look forward to tomorrow.

Have a good Tuesday night friends, I'll be back tomorrow with an update on my little girl.