Tag Archives: Zoe

In The End

one only has oneself to answer to. At hospice I would hope that my husband would visit, hold my hand, make sure the pain meds were on track then let me go and dispose of me as I wish, so I must make that clear as must you.

I mean, if he can’t take care of the dog, there are none on my side of the family and on his they either get run over by trucks or live outside with farm animals and don’t sleep in our bed. He’d have to get a permanent sitter or trophy wife.

In the end I hope that WordPress spends more time helping writers get through the tech stuff instead of helping tech-savvy people get extra credit because you write their posts.

In the end I wish that no animals are euthanized for lack of a good home and that people can be euthanized if they wish it and they are severely ill with no hope of recovery.

I hope that every family loves their children and brings them up to be educated, healthy and look towards college and a great career.

Any situation calls for humor, patience, trust and grace. I’ll leave my desk now lest my dear mother-in-law’s advice (she’s a nurse) is not taken. Lay down, dear and keep your feet above your heart. Bless hers, and yours and I’m not dying yet, so you don’t have to sign on now or worry about me. I’ve a trifle to make Wednesday for a party and a pup to take out this week. Most is well except my husband is off on business and dogma and I miss him, Dee

Jake

I must admit that I let a gorgeous blond gent share our bed when my husband was out of town on business. Our dog Zoe took over my husband’s pillow. Jake, a Golden Retriever, took the lower half of the bed.

Jake now has bone cancer and may live through the summer. He’s a good buddy and is still happy and eating well so I wanted to make him some homemade treats.

Jake’s Treats

2 containers chicken livers, a pound or so, drained

1/2 of a sweet or regular onion, chopped fine

1 cup each whole wheat flour (plus) and cornmeal

2 t garlic powder

1 egg

1 cup cottage cheese

I sauteed the chicken livers in a bit of bacon fat and a tsp. of butter, s & p. Use canola or olive oil or whatever you like to keep them from sticking. Start with the onions, add liver to sear and cook and cool a bit and process to a paste. Add to flour/corn meal/garlic mixture, Add egg and low fat cottage cheese and blend. I used a wooden spoon. A stand mixer would work well here! Depending upon the weather you may have to add more whole wheat flour to make a dough.

Pat it out in two batches. I’d cook at 325 for about 45 minutes then shut off the oven for 1/2 hour or so in order to dry them out without over-baking. Cool before storing in plastic bags or containers  in the freezer.

I used my dog bone cookie cutter and the 2nd batch looked nicer than the first so they’re Jake’s Treats. Zoe did a taste test and gave the biscuits two paws up! You can roll them out and bake them as a sheet and break them up, the dogs don’t care if it’s in a bone shape.

Note: Jake’s Treats have no preservatives so should be kept in a airtight container in the freezer. They thaw quickly or your dog may even like them a bit frozen.

Last night Jake’s dad was out of town so Aunt Mary took me to see him. He’s on better meds so is in less pain and was very happy to see his Aunt Dee as well (I didn’t bring Zoe as they play hard together) and loved his freshly baked treats.

A while ago when Jake came to stay with me, he and Zoe played keep-away with Zoe’s “Precious” which is a Kong-type big lacy ball with a squeaky gorilla latex toy inside (my husband’s invention). After four hours of mayhem Jake went missing for a few minutes. I looked around for him, heard breathing and he had locked himself in our guest bath. That’s where he goes for rest and privacy at home. When Mary ushered me and Jake’s Treats in last night, I heard him in the bathroom and asked if I could let him out. He’s a sweetheart.

Here’s to the pets who make us more human, and humane. Dee

Neighbors and Otis

At seven yesterday morning I got quite a scare. My next-door neighbor I rarely see was returning from her daily morning walk and Zoe my dog and I were going out for ours. We stopped for a few seconds to say good morning/how are you.

Then Otis the Evil Elevator forced a hard close of the doors. I was inside with my arm holding the door and the other searching for the “door open” button. Zoe was in the hall.

At the last fraction of a second I tried to throw her leash into the hallway, knowing she’d be fine waiting two minutes for me to return while she sniffed our neighbors’ doorways.

The leash tightened then disappeared and I thought she broke her neck and died, apparently I yelled (I don’t remember) and know I burst into tears and four floors down trying to reverse the elevator a family entered, saw my distress and exited and said to go back up, they’d take another. They like Zoe, too.

Expecting to see my dog lying dead on the floor with a broken neck, instead I saw said neighbor K standing with Zoe at the end of the leash. I didn’t find out until last night what happened.

K heard me yell and rushed outside and first tried to get Zoe’s leash undone from the collar but knows little of dogs and how their leash apparatus works. So she pulled the leash as hard as she could and it came out of the elevator. She saved Zoe’s life and for that we thank her immensely. I’ve nurtured Zoe for ten years and would hate for ten seconds to end her life. Her neck seems fine, it’s not swollen or broken and she doesn’t seem to be in pain, thanks to K.

Zoe wrote a thank-you note to K (Dear Ms. K, Thank you for saving my life. Mom thought I was a goner. It’s great to have neighbors like you. Zoe) and sent me out to the new florist to get an arrangement. Currently we’ve no solid plans for July 4 weekend as pre-incident my husband was asked if we’d be around. K & J’s grandkids are coming into town and they talk about Zoe all year and take turns calling on her.

This year will be special. If it’s OK with their folks they can help feed and take her out, supervised of course, and my husband will twist extra balloons (without Zoe, the twisting and occasional popping freak her out) for them.

I addressed the issue of the “hard close” elevators because it could be an issue for elderly residents, young families with strollers and sleds or water gear, and those of us with elderly pets. No word as yet though I was asked if Zoe is OK. She seems to be so, but only because our neighbor saved her life.

Cheers to great neighbors! Farewell A, who moves today. Once she’s settled we’ll go to a certain museum together. Dee

Sleepy Dogs and Thunderstorms

It’s rained just a bit after a glorious weekend but there are rumblings in the distance so now I’ve moved dog Zoe’s big bed next to my desk, away from the window, and she’s sound asleep.

Fireworks don’t really scare her and it’s only the noise of air shows that bother her a bit. The only time she gets under our bed is when she gets too hot on top of it (down comforter and feet) or when my husband makes balloons. Yes, a software consultant who makes balloons.

He’s out of practice but Zoe wishes he’d never do it again and goes under my side of the bed to hide until the squeaking and some poppings occur. Now my husband goes to a public place when a child and his/her parent want a balloon animal. Children in the neighborhood know him as the “balloon man” and he always has a few in his pocket or hat. It’s funniest when he’s dressed for work and is at an airport gate with a crying child. Twisting a dog in 30 seconds does wonders for all.

Our dog has been a sleeper since we got her at just six weeks of age and can go overnight like nothing. She has to get the best spot. Usually next to me as I do the morning walk and feed her and have done so for over ten years. As I said, she’s at my feet, sound asleep and the thunder clouds have retreated for now.

No matter what happens, she’s slept through a Category 5 hurricane with my husband all night, ten hours while I sat up and blogged it. I’m not too worried about planes going over and thunder and Harleys. But I should probably take her out before the next wave.

She loves a pool, a river, a bath but not getting wet by rain. That’s my dog. Zoe’s her name, Greek for “life.” Working with animals all my life she’s the happiest I’ve ever met. By finishing this, it’s pouring outside, it even may be hail from what I see. She’ll thank you kindly for the delay. Oh, it’s hail. Not good. Dee

History

Last week our dog, Zoe (Greek for Life) turned ten. The other day she took her first “senior” blood panel.” The vet called the next day and said it was “beautiful.” Then she said if she doesn’t gain weight she may have cancer, and that blood work has no indications for cancer so she needs x-rays and ultrasound.

Zoe is 1.6# from my goal but my new vet has not disclosed her weight goal. I’ve done a lot of research and talked to two other vets, including her hip surgeon of nearly ten years ago.

Val the Vet, Zoe’s hip surgeon, is an Aggie, is top notch in veterinary circles as there were few women in the field back then. She says the blood-work should have shown something and that Zoe’s coat is “luxurious” and that a nutritional absorption problem should be dealt with by probiotics, which our current vet recommended and will arrive tomorrow. Her weight goal for Zoe is 32 pounds.

I have fought for Zoe her entire life, since she came to us at six weeks (having been spayed at five weeks of age, shameless) and we’ve had her nearly ten years. Aside from her bad hips, diagnosed at five months, she’s been healthy. But we’ve moved across the country several times (she loves the car and her orthopedic bed in the back and only sits up at off-ramps) and have several vets.

Our government allows doctors to keep our records on file and use them for (and against) us. I have Zoe’s files. I know Zoe better than any vet ever will because I give her the best food and care and keep her on the European pet travel scheme for the past nine years in case we are sent overseas.

Vets, know that I have her file. It’s a file of her adoption, former name, and every vet visit and obedience class. Telling me she may have cancer with not a hint in the blood work may just mean she’s getting older and her body is changing.

I will work with a vet on Zoe’s behalf and have no problem changing vets if I think someone can give her better care because I know her better than anyone else.

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Greeks and Turks

I grew up loving the ancient Greeks and learning the culture as I’ve visited there a bit. The last time was tracing the route of Odysseus through the Ionian sea.

Turkey, not so much. I always wanted to go and my father and brother have gone twice over the past year and I always benefit from their travels. This weekend I’ll hang an artisinal trivet on my kitchen wall. It’ll be around the corner from my gorgeous newly-framed photos from Korfu, Zakynthos and Lefkada.

Also, I’m wearing a Turkish bracelet all the time, except in the shower. The shake reminds me of Greek worry beads.

I think you were meant to be together all these centuries. Luckily the choices we make for our dog with vet et al are not yet between Scylla and Charybdis. Yes, I saw it and also went through the Strait of Corinth from horrific seas.

All the cargo ships saw this small sailing boat bobbing around like a cork and called it in asking for us to go through the strait first. I hope we get some calm seas around here sometime soon, and hope our lifelong companion will be OK. Cheers, Dee

Happy Birthday Zoe!

I know the day you were adopted but not the moment because you popped out of the cardboard box they gave us. I was in the passenger seat with you, at nearly six weeks old, on my lap.

While J drove I grabbed you and threw the useless cardboard box in the back seat, hoping you wouldn’t do anything nasty sitting on my lap. You were so calm and sweet and have always been a “car dog.”

To this day you have your 4″ orthopedic mattress in the back and you only wake up on off-ramps or at stop signs/lights.

We named you Zoe, Greek for life. I’ve worked with animals for over 20 years and this is the happiest dog I’ve ever met. No, they won’t let her work as a therapy dog because she eats raw food. At age ten, I’m not going to change her diet.

People here don’t know my name but everyone knows hers. Zoe. We had to have her hips taken out as a pup due to severe hip dysplasia. She grew her own, as she was too small for titanium hips. For years she could corner around a tree and lose a Retriever chasing a ball.

Next week she goes in for her first elderly blood panel, shots and health check. She doesn’t get much chance to run here. All the dog parks are far away and the fines for off-leash activity are high. I always think of her in the outfield, waiting for the Chuck-it to hit and beat all the pups and dumb dogs. She would bring the tennis ball back and drop it at my feet. Then go back to the outfield.

Life without her would be really tough. At least this time I may have my husband at my side. I’ve been through four of these and each takes a part of your soul.

But today is a happy day and Zoe and my husband are sleeping soundly on our bed as I write. Zoe’s on my pillow. She won’t let me out of her sight. I’m the food wench!

Note: 1/30 was my mother’s birthday. She’s been gone over five years now. I made Zoe’s birthday 1/31 for reasons.

 

11th Wedding Anniversary

That’s today. And it’ll be Zoe the dog’s 10th birthday this week. What a day! Most of all I’m thankful for the two of them, and for all the love and care our families and friends have given us over many years.

I may have told you this, after the ten year tin anniversary, is the spoonula anniversary with Rubbermaid kitchen gear. At least that’s what Jim thinks. I’ll shop later for his favorite meal for the ages, steak and potatoes and I’ll infuse a veg in there somewhere. Perhaps carrots.

Let’s hope next year is not adult diaper anniversary for me or Zoe. Dee

 

One Puppy

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve brushed out our dog Zoe, who will be ten years old next month. She really needed to get out her last undercoat and prepare for winter. Hey, she wears a fur coat outside and I do not.

Today I didn’t get a full dog out of her. I was told it was only a pup. She looks gorgeous and fluffy and ready to fill out once again.Perhaps a bath is on order next week. Thank you for making the suggestion! Cheers, Dee

What Would I Do?

No-one would say a million these days. Let’s say I played the Powerball lottery and perchance won $82 million.

What would I do? What would you do? First things first, tell my husband. Then this is about me and what I would want. This is my fantasy, not his.

First I’d bankroll a start-up for anything my husband wishes to do. Then I’d make sure every child in our family gets a college education and do with it what they wish after graduation.

I would rent a home somewhere in some mountains while we buy land and build our dream home. It would be small (2/2) and simple with a three car garage (one space for guests and enough room for a tool shed and gardening table) and heated garage and driveway.

Out back would be a MIL flat fitted behind the walls with disabled access devices (think rails in bathroom) prepared for but not installed, with room for at least six guests that would be annexed to Jim’s home work place and perhaps  a writing place for me, but I’d really prefer a nook off the kitchen with old file storage elsewhere, as I pay the bills and want to hear noise before something boils over, starts to burn or if the dog needs anything.

I’d get a team together that covers legal, financial, administrative, home and other needs. I would start a foundation that would help children and animals and encourage girls to study math and science, also have all parents involved in the education of their children. Spay and neuter pets and ferals. And probably human/civil rights that keep the NSA from reading this email because their initials are in it. Thanks for reading! Say hi to your folks in Utah!

Travel is definitely on the itinerary, for educational purposes. if it wasn’t for TSA tagging me as the terrorist grandma every time I fly while my husband stands aside luckily holding my purse, laptop and passport awaiting my fate before going to the gate, I’d fly more often. Ye gads, imagine 20 years from now and they take my wheelchair apart and lay me out on the floor while they disassemble it and leave it to me, on the floor, helpless, to put it back together.

So sorry an agent got killed this week. That sad incident should have never happened but it really makes me not want to fly over Thanksgiving but we do have a flight. I’m sure that they are going to triple down at TSA over the holidays. Let’s just hope I don’t get taken to that “special room.”

Yes, last time I flew they needed to pat me down after the naked scanner. They asked if I wanted a special room and I said no, let all 2,000 people walking by see you feeling my breasts and crotch so they know what they’re about to discover is yet to come. Then the first TSA woman left without explanation and I stepped off the pad and two TSA agents stepped up out of nowhere ready to beat or tase me and told me to stay put. The first agent was looking for bomb residue on my hands. Of course there was none. I think they may have been putting on a show for their bosses and I was the victim that time. My husband went through with TX BBQ on dry ice, no problem.

I will add access to a private jet to my fantasy list. Yes, I’d put my husband through flight school and perhaps buy him a small plane. This is for you, dear!

Nothing for the dog. Perhaps another $35 collar for a “wardrobe.” She’s happy as is. Ours would be the rural home to which every stray/feral would visit. That is my dream as well as we cannot have a cat indoors (husband’s allergies).  I would build a warm/cool, interesting facility for them outdoors, as I miss seeing them and I’m glad this dog person, 25 years ago, became a cat person as well.  Wishful thinking, indeed,

I was taught to reach to meet my destiny by one parent, and to stop and consider my limitations by the other. It certainly has been a path, unique by any standards but next I get to tell you about our place and how that will change the world! Dee

Days

In a former life I was asked to create days off (with pay for state workers) and that didn’t really work except for Martin Luther King Day, and we all were off for that and we took a station wagon to D.C. and did events all day and heard Coretta Scott King speak at the AME church. Amazing!

My role at work was to stop these things from happening and no new days off were approved on my watch but three days of commemoration were to be celebrated. Raul Wallenberg, (NAZI  prisoner and Swedish freer of thousands of Hungarian Jews from Hitler). Tadeusz Kosciousko (Polish hero 1700’s) who has a bridge nearby and Saul Wollenberg who helped finance our Revolutionary War in the late 1700’s.

Of course I did 1,000 other things but as I look back these are more important at this point in my life. See, I always let other people steer my life from parents to college to bosses. Believing in myself, walking an old dog and cooking breakfast and dinner for husband and dog every day for years is comforting. Writing is a joy. Having challenging conversations with a really smart person makes me want to get up every morning. The dog, Zoe, doesn’t talk so much as make her essential needs painfully known, no matter day or night.

Cheers and have a wonderful day! Dee