I'm ba-a-a-a-a-ck

Didya miss me? I missed you too. Well I have to be honest, I sorta did, and sorta didn't cuz I was here:

....sitting on the beach in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Yeah, that's what I said. Mexico. Suntanning and being hot in the sun and all that...

I ran out on you and spend 8 wonderful days with my toes in the finest sand I've have experienced drinking  Brandy Alexanders and Bahama Mama's and other silly drinks with rhyming names

I'll be stopping by to catch up with you in a day or so, I hope you didn't forget about me.

Things That Don't Go Together

Last night we went out for dinner at one of our favourite restaurants - a vietnamese place that always has good food. The owner has beent trying out new things to bring people into this locations, and one of the things was a special for game night. Now admittedly Jp and I are not sports fans, and I know many people who are opposed to TVs in restaurants but last night I found out that I really didn't like watching a UFC fight during my meal. Come on people, men bloodying each other up just doesn't seem so appetizing. It almost felt like I was watching a dog fight, as these two guys were all swollen and bloody and at times they seemed to be moving so slow and powerlessly as if it was instinct to keep punching the other guy. It reminded me of those nature programs where they show two insects involved in a 'to the death' type of combat, one might already be dead, or one might be missing his head or some other important part, but the body's reflexes cause it to keep going anyway.

Next time I open the door to a restaurant and see a UFC fight on the TV, I know that I will turn right around and go someplace else. How about  you? What do you think of TVs in restaurants, or UFC matches during dinner?

Got the All Clear

Eco and I stopped by the vet's office today and she's given Eco the all clear! Yay! No more cone wearing and wrapping the foot in plastic every time we go outside! I am so relieved! And I am sure Eco is as well because she seemed to be getting a bit frustrated. Tomorrow she gets some playtime with the neighbour's dog, which is something I'm positive she will really enjoy!

It's been cold and frosty here but I'm so glad it's dry and sunny! The sun really helps get me through the winter!

Conehead

Today Eco's stitches came out which is good news except that the area is infected. The vet figures that perhaps it was caused by the stitches and so we'll give her some antibiotics and put some special cream on it and see how it does over the next couple of days. The bad news, the foot is really bugging her so she has to keep wearing her cone!

Wahh! Poor dog, that's the one thing I wanted to get rid of the most! Anyway not much I can do now but be diligent about keeping it on and keeping her mouth away from her foot and hoping that it heals as soon as possible. I just wished it wasn't raining right now as that's not really helping her situation at all!

I'm trying not to worry, I'm trying not to stress out. I'm trying to just roll with it, but it's difficult. Do you know what I mean?

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Knitted Toque

This long weekend I knit The Kid a bearded toque - that's a toque with a beard and moustache all attached, it's basically a balaclava with some style. I had some problems with the pattern and ended up knitting the toque and the moustache twice. I didn't think the pattern was that well written, but I do realize that many times it's not the designer's fault as I've seen many patterns where people have complained about something I didn't have a problem with at all.

This is the best picture I could get of it, since I finished it and handed it over right away:

You may not get to see my next project or two as Christmas is only 6 weeks away! That's all I'm saying!

My New Friend

For years we have been making coffee with a lovely glass thermal French Press until an infortunate accidental bump (that's all I'm going to say) in a shared sink caused it to break. I taped up the broken corner and we continued to use it while we waited for an unbreakable stainless steel French Press to arrive. However, in the mean time Jp bought a  drip coffee maker. With a timer.

Now the joke around here is that I usually don't like new things*, but I take 3 days to get used to it. So he patiently waited for the romance to blossom. And blossom it did. Who wouldn't like to wake up to the smell of coffee brewing, and by the time you make it down the hallway it's already made?

Now I realize it's no $1000 machine, and it's not an espresso or cappuccino maker, but it makes dang good coffee - nice and hot. And it's waiting for me when I get out of bed.  I like that.

My little friend is easy to clean, easy to use and is there waiting for me in the morning to present me with a yummy cuppa nice black coffee. Mmm. This is most appreciated as we are already a month into the rainy season. Now if I could get a friend to empty the dishwasher I'd be over the moon!

*By the way, if you think I am bad - this is an improvement from my father who took 2 weeks to decide he liked the new item.

It's absolutely my duty to share this PSA

Ladies, you can thank me later:

A Different Kind of Bootie

Eco was at the vet today so they could remove her bandage and check her stitches. It all looked pretty good so no new bandages went on, instead she'll wear a bootie until next Wednesday when the stitches come out. Every time this dog wants out for a break, I have to bag and tape it because it's a wee bit rainy this time of year in the Vancouver area.

I think I'll as happy as she will be when her stitches come out, because right now I'm basically spending most of my time keeping an eye on her so she doesn't lick that foot. I only use the big cone when I have to - poor dog, I really don't like putting it on her. They always look so sad with it on, don't they? First she's kept indoors all day, and not allowed to run and then she gets a giant cone on her head; there's only so much sleeping a young dog can do. And starting tomorrow she'll be off her pain medication so she probably won't be as sleepy and she'll start to feel how much her foot hurts. I guess I'll just have to curl up in front of the fire place and snuggle with her, right?

My crazy week

Yes last week was pretty crazy. On Tuesday, The Kid went into the hospital for unknown stomach pains and after about 24 hours of all sorts of theories it was confirmed that his appendix had burst and he had an appendectomy on Wednesday night. Thursday was Eco's surgery.

On Sunday, The Kid was discharged from the hospital and is doing better.

Eco will get her bandage changed tomorrow but things are going pretty well. Every time she goes outside I have to wrap her foot in a bandage so I'm going through our supply of shopping bags but the little thing is so sweet and allows me to put on her big Buster collar when I can't keep a good eye on her. She's doing very well, especially since she is a young dog who is used to being active and she hasn't been able to walk or play for about a week. She's starting to get a little too energetic for her foot, so I'm trying to find activities that burn off some energy without putting extra stress on that foot.

Yesterday I went to a dance bootcamp and really got a workout. I know you're thinking "well what do you think a bootcamp is lady?" But I've been to other bootcamps and this one was by far the hardest! Today my hip flexors are really hurting and my stomach is sore - which is think is from muscles and not anything else. I'm glad that this is a short week, since we get Friday, November 11th off for Remembrance Day.

I did complete a knitting project but I'm not happy with it at the moment so I won't post pictures until I either fix it or frog it and remake it. For those who aren't knitters, frogging means to unravel the piece and was named because in order to unravel it, you rip it, rip it, rip it.

How was your weekend? 

The Good News

Eco had her toe surgery today. The good news - the toe was not removed. Once the vet got inside she found it wasn't as bad as she thought and so she removed the lump and some old scar tissue and closed her all up! Yippee! I'm very, very happy about this.

I tried really hard to follow the buddhist/yogic advice to not worry but couldn't help myself. I knew that there was nothing I could do but to follow the events as they played out, but still had all sorts of worry, doubt and guilt running through my mind. Now it's been pointed out to me that the worry was for nothing. Just like I had been told.

This is not to say that it won't return and we could have to go through this all again one day, facing toe removal again, but for now I am happy with the results!

In an hour and a half she'll be awake enough for me to pick her up and bring my sweet little darling home. I am so very grateful to everyone who provided such wonderful support to me. Thank you.

Now we'll be back to this: