October

Wow, I can't believe it's October. At the beginning of next month Woody will have been with us for two years. It feels like a lifetime -- in a good way. :) He's still eating paper -- now he prefers our building's bills and check register -- and he still has a taste for cat poop -- but we're doing our best to deter him in that area.

Woody and Max are buds now. They hang out in the hall together and when Woody runs -- Max doesn't flinch. He just hangs out and enjoys the show. Maxie is good -- at 17 years old he seems to be doing alright. He waps at Woody every now and again when he's hanging out on the sofa with me and Woody gets too close -- but it's a friendly wap.

Woody's tummy is somewhat under control. He's on pepcid and pepto and tylen powder. It acts up every now and again but we manage to get it under control. I think we're in maintenance mode. I hope we are!

We've also discovered that I can't leave through the front door without him. He's fine when I leave through the back door. I think he knows that as my "exit" door. When I go out the front door, which I think he believes is his "exit" door he will sit at the door, sometimes for hours, waiting for me. Andrew says he cries, whines and will, occasionally, throw himself at the door. Poor little guy. So I do my best not to exit out the front door. I don't want to stress him out.

The good news is that my foot is healed enough that I can walk him again. Weekends are my days to walk him. And he knows it. We go to the park. I can't walk him in any direction except towards the park on Saturdays and Sundays. It's pretty funny to watch us if I try to veer him in another direction. He plants his feet and won't budge until I give up and we go to the park.

We also bought him a halloween costume -- bat wings. And he loves them. Which is hilarious because he hates wearing anything -- but the bat wings must be coooool. :)

I hope to post more...things have calmed down a bit...no more PT, work is somewhat under control -- for now -- and I do want to make sure I document our time spent with Woody. I read beagles average life is 12 years. Woody will be 11 years old this year. He seems, most times, spry as a puppy but the 12 years is in the back of my mind and I can't imagine our lives without him now.

It has been a long time

It's been a long time since I posted anything about my furry friend. He's good. He's sitting here on the sofa with me. Currently he is without food -- his tummy is bothering him. We can't get this sorted out. Just when we think he's better -- his doggie butt blows up -- and this past incarnation has been inside the house. Luckily I told Andrew to put out the piddle pads and they've served us well as poop pads.

Detente

Well, it's been a month since my surgery. You'd think with all this time on my hands I'd be writing more -- not so much. Not much to say when you sit all day with your foot in the air. Woody has been fantastic -- sits with me every day. There's a gentle detente between Woody and Max -- Woody will sleep on one side and Max will sleep on my chest. Max so desperately wants to head butt Woody -- just like he used to do to Kafka but Woody would never tolerate it. Maxie is desperate to be Woody's BFF -- he just refuses to acknowledge him.

Emma met Woody. She said she'd get a dog if she could find one like Woody -- so that's my objective -- find her a Woody-beagle dog.

RIP Georgia

Hi there. Gene and Lisa had to put Georgia to sleep yesterday. What a sweetie. She recently underwent chemom for stomach cancer. She was doing better but took a the worse. Gene, Lisa and her sister, Nibbles, gave Georgia a great life. She was a sweet pup who never turned down a treat or a belly rub. Who loved to run and play in the park.

We're going to miss you sweetie. We love you.

Adventures in Bartlett

How did I manage to go a month without posting? Yikes.

Woody stayed with Andy and Michele while we were in Mexico. He had some mixed results. He did fairly well -- he LOVED Michele. The kids were too much for him. Mitch and Luke are a little crazy -- they're boys -- and Woody just isn't used to all the noise or action (lots of dancing and jumping). He barked at them a couple of times and snapped at Luke. I feel terrible about the snapping. Michele assured me it wasn't bad and he made no contact with Luke -- just a warning to stay away. She said he waa welcome back.

Since he's been home all he has done is sleep. He was exhausted.

Hilary is going to watch Woody while I have surgery. He has offered to stay at our place -- I think we might take him up on it.

I'm just glad we're all home.

In the morning...

February Blues

Now that January is almost over -- was it the longest January on record or what? Felt like it had 6 weeks in it instead of the standard four. February is upon us and I'm full of nerves -- for both me and Woody. I'm nervous about Woody staying with Andy and Michele for 6 days. Poor Woody. Poor Andy and Michele. He's low key but he's a handful. And he pees. In the house. Not much but enough to make him an unwelcome house guest. Well, he does here about 1x per month. He never has at my mom and dad's house but at Cory and Lou's? Well, that's another story. I'm worried he'll get sick when we're gone. What if his stomach stuff kicks up while we're away? He's been off his medication for a month now and he seems fine. I just worry. And we'll miss him. And he'll miss us. Then there's Maxie...poor Maxie. His thyroid will be a hot mess when we come back if people can't give him his medication. And he'll be really lonely. He hasn't been left alone for this period of time ever -- Kafka was always with him before. He's going to be so sad.

See where I'm going with this? I am going to feel so guilty.

Then it's time for my surgery. They'll both have to be taken care of, again. Then I'll come home and I'll smell different, won't be able to walk and will be in so much pain. And Woody will get underfoot. And I'm afraid I'm going to fall. This is the stuff that keeps me up at night and up early in the morning. If I fall during the first 4-5 weeks and land on my foot -- my foot is toast. That makes me sick to my stomach every time I think about it. It's going to be hard on all of us. I just hope we all survive the next few months. It's going to be a long haul.