I See You

Otis likes to keep watch over whoever is home. When I am upstairs and Jeff is downstairs, Otis sits at the top of the stairs and tries to keep track of both of us.

Hyacinth

It was suggested that the bulbs near the old walkway be moved before construction begins. I moved the bulbs, but a few casualties  occurred.

I was not sure if the hyacinth flowers would open, but they did! I love how sweet they smell.

No More Rally-O

We attended the final Rally-O dog training class. This week's class focused on getting a dog to lay/stay on a table, walking up a ramp and walking on a board that teetered.

Surprisingly, Otis had the fastest time for all dogs on the weave poles and table combination at 8.2 seconds. Cooper was close with  8.4 seconds. Otis did well on the teeter and the ramp. Coop did not want to go up the ramp.

Both dogs were exhausted after class.

I think we learned more from the Advanced Obedience Class, than we did from Rally-O. However, Rally-O was a good chance to interact with Coop and Otis and to reinforce the skills learned earlier.

Purple

These carnations remind me of our niece, whose favorite color is purple.

Cooper's Test Results

While we were waiting to pay for Coop's thyroid test, we spoke briefly with Dr Duffy. We are big fans of Dr Duffy,  because he is a great vet and a realist. Dr Duffy said that it was unlikely that low thyroid levels would cause Coop's stiffness. Dr Duffy said Coop probably has arthritis and should be on a buffered aspirin regimen. If Coop's symptoms get worse, he should be put on Previcox permanently.


We discussed Previcox (pain killer) and its risks. The vet said that he has many patients on this drug with no side effects. Liver levels must be monitored every 6 months. Dr Duffy said if the choice is giving a dog Previcox or having to put a dog to sleep because he cannot walk, then the pills are the obvious choice.

Dr Duffy gave Coop a pat and said he thinks Coop still has a few good years left. Coop wagged his tail enthusiastically in agreement. We are all hoping for that.

The test results showed that Coop's thyroid level is  now in the correct range. Coop will stay at the same dosage of medication and be checked again in another 6 months.

Arlington

I read an article in Time magazine that stated that there have been massive burial mistakes made at Arlington National Cemetery. I found this to be very disturbing. I had heard this mentioned on the news, but the article was shocking. "One worker said he thinks 1 in 10  times a headstone sits above the wrong grave"!

I understand that Arlington is a large cemetery and mistakes occur, but how can so many people be buried in the wrong place ? Even worse, how can the government use an educated guess policy to determine if the right person is in the correct grave! I realize that digging up a grave is a serious matter. However, if it is the only way to be 100% positive who is buried there, then it should be done.

Shame on our government for not doing everything they can to right this wrong. These soldiers died for our country and should be honored. Their families should not have to wonder if their loved one is truly in the grave that bears their name.

Ducks are Back

Coop is no longer our alarm clock. A pair of mallard ducks are now spending time on the pond. At 6:05 am the ducks fly in and the quacking begins. The quacking is loud and endless. Of course, this noise gets Coop and Oti racing around the bedroom and barking in response.

Otis is not a good host and charges toward the water whenever he sees the mallards.The ducks are smart and swim into the middle of the pond when the dogs are being walked.

I still wonder what happened to our people friendly ducks, Maddy and Paddy. The current ducks are wild and want no interaction with us.

Another Vet Appointment

Cooper has an appointment today at the  Norwalk Vet Hospital for blood tests. The vet wants to check if the medication is raising Coop's thyroid levels.

Coop is not as agile as when he was on pain killers, but he does not seem to be struggling to walk.  Cooper is still skipping meals, so I think he is not feeling 100%.

Tick Season

I spotted a tick on Cooper after our evening walk. Unfortunately, as the weather warms up, the fleas and ticks appear. If you have a pet, keep an eye out for these nasty creatures.

Bernard's

I have always liked the town of Ridgefield with the interesting shops and historic homes along the main street. While I am enjoying a week long stay-cation, my Westport family and I had lunch at Bernard's.

I had never eaten at Bernard's, but my aunt said this was a favorite restaurant for special occasions. Bernard's is a beautifully decorated restaurant with wonderful meals and service. The staff is discrete and we were able to enjoy a leisurely lunch. The food was fantastic. I would highly recommend the trio of chocolate dessert!

On a warm and sunny day, it was fun to wander Main Street. We made sure to window shop at Addessi Jewelers with their sparkling diamond displays.

Rally-O Oh!

You never know what new obstacle will appear at Rally-O.  When we walked into class the weave poles and a tunnel were out.

We have been practicing the weave poles in our yard. Cooper and Otis completed this obstacle fairly quickly.

The tunnel was something new. Neither dog wanted to go into the 3 foot fabric tunnel. Even tossing a treat into the tunnel was not enough of an enticement. Otis went into the tunnel and sat down,and the tunnel flipped vertically. Many of the smaller dogs raced in and out of the tunnel.

Every day is a new adventure at Rally-O!

Dover Furnace

What could be more fun on a beautiful spring day than going to shoot sporting clays ? I don't shoot, but Jeff loves this sport. I have always wanted to drive a golf cart and finally got my chance. It was a little cold at 10 am, but we had a lot of fun and enjoyed spending time with family.


Dover Furnace in Dover Plains, NY has a beautiful course. The buds on the trees announce that spring is here.

We enjoyed a great lunch at Copperfield's in Millbrook, NY. Their "Turkey Tuesday" special features turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, cranberries, cornbread and salad for $9!

Good Try

March Madness is in full swing! The UNC men's basketball team made it to the round of the Elite Eight. Unfortunately, the Heels lost to Kentucky (76-69) in a hard fought battle and will not be in the Final Four.

I am proud of how well the Heels played. UNC is a young team and previously had games where they fell apart. UNC had their chance to win, but in the end Kentucky proved to be the stronger team. Hopefully, UNC's players will return next year and they can again make a run for the National Championship

Driving Miss Daisy

I spent the day with a friend in NYC.  We had lunch at Don't Tell Mama. This is a piano/cabaret bar and restaurant. The food was ok (not great) and the service left a lot to be desired. The waiter was hard working, but one person cannot cover an entire restaurant. The sliver of lemon meringue pie I received, could not be called a slice. I would NOT recommend this restaurant if you are in the theater district.


We then went to see the play, Driving Miss Daisy, starring Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones. The Golden Theater is relatively small and there is not much of a set for this show.

 The acting in this 3 person play was incredible! James Earl Jones stole the show and Vanessa Redgrave was fantastic. They did a wonderful job of drawing you in and making you believe that over the years these 2 people who had nothing in common became fast friends. Driving Miss Daisy ends its Broadway run in April.

Favorite Things

Toys in our house have an extremely short life. In 15 minutes, Cooper managed to tear open this "super tough" toy.

I really don't mind having to clean up the mess, when I see how happy Cooper is. It is nice to see Cooper active again.

Tulips

Nothing says Spring like tulips!

More Rally-O

Cooper and I skipped obedience class last week, because he was having a hard time standing and walking. Cooper did not seem stiff today, so we decided to attend class.

Upon entering the building we were met with weave poles. This was a big change from weaving around cones. After a few tries, Coop and Oti both figured out what needed to be done and completed the weave in 11 seconds. The smaller dogs managed to finish the exercise in 7 seconds. I could not help but think that our Sheltie, Brandy, would have flown thru this event.

We also worked on an active down, where the dog goes from walking to down with no sit in between. Cooper aced this 5 second down and completed the exercise in 5.3 seconds. Otis managed a close second with 5.4 seconds

Pompeii

When we went to see the King Tut exhibit in NYC, there was an ad for the upcoming exhibit "Pompeii". My Dad was always fascinated by the ruins at Pompeii and I told Jeff we should see the show.

We took the train into Grand Central and headed to Times Square. The exhibit consists of two parts. The first part shows relics from Pompeii  - everything from artwork to a gladiator helmet to jewelry and wine vessels. I was amazed by the sophistication and beauty of this ancient civilization.

The second half of the exhibit shows body casts of people and animals who were unable to escape the mud and toxic gases.  24 hours after Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was destroyed. When I saw the body casts and read about the thousands of people who died, I could not help but think of the Japanese tsunami and how quickly nature can destroy what man has built.

I would recommend visiting the exhibit if you are in NYC.

Still going

The cyclamen that I bought back in January, is still flowering. I am shocked, since none of my other plants have survived life in Wilton.

I'm Hungry

Even after eating a full bowl of kibble, Otis wants more!