Happy Birthday Otis!

Otis has been with us for 2 years. How quickly the months have passed.

According to Oti's medical records, he is six years old. Otis still acts like an excitable puppy.  I think he is really only 4 years old. Otis greets me with the same exuberance whether I am gone for minutes or days. After a long day at work, it is nice to come home to Otis, who acts like being with me is the greatest thing ever.

Otis helps to keep Cooper young at heart. Both dogs love to play together.

Otis has become an important member of our pack.We thank his Maine Mom's, Bobbi and Linda for bringing Otis into our lives.

Welcome!

This new welcome sign was a gift from our LI family. I love the cheerful birds.

It matches our Christmas gift

Table Manners

We decided to barbecue and eat dinner outside on the deck. Inside, the dogs have good table manners. They know not to beg and usually lay down under the table while we eat.

Once outside, it seems that Cooper and Otis thought the rules changed. I am not sure if it was the smell of hot dogs and hamburgers cooking or if it was being out on a beautiful evening, that got them so excited.

Coop sat next to my chair and began to bark when the hot dogs were placed on the table. Otis sat near Jeff drooling. The down command got both dogs to lay down for 5 seconds and then they popped back up.

When the table was cleared, both Cooper and Otis got a small piece of hot dog. I guess their persistence paid off.

Meeting the Family

On Saturday morning, Jeff, Cooper, Otis and I headed to upstate NY to visit family. When we arrived  4 hours later, the dogs were anxious to get out of the car.

While we were there, Cooper and Otis got to meet some of Jeff's extended family. I was impressed by how good Coop and Otis acted. The dogs were not perfect, but after a long drive and being in an unfamiliar home with a group of strangers, both dogs were pretty well behaved.

Cooper wandered to each person to get petted. Looking at Coop, I was amazed. Was this the same dog, who when first adopted, never wanted human interaction ?  Coop took an immediate liking to Berry and kept placing his paw on her. This is Coop's way of saying, pet me! Thankfully, Berry is a dog person and she patiently petted Coop.

Otis bounded from person to person wanting attention . 80 pounds of dog coming at you can be a bit unnerving. Thankfully, everyone realized Otis is just a big happy dog, looking for love.

When we arrived home on Sunday afternoon, both dogs were exhausted and slept all afternoon.

Glimmerglass Opera

I have always wanted to attend an opera. Unfortunately, Jeff does not have the same desire. Luckily, my mother in-law knew of my interest and generously purchased two tickets to Carmen, at the Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, NY.

I did not know what to expect, but the opera was fantastic! One hour before the show begins, Glimmerglass has an expert discuss the composer, the opera and parts of songs are played, so you know what to look/listen for during the show. This was interesting and helpful for a first time attendee.

We had "critic's row" seats and an excellent view of the stage. I was surprised to see that the people in attendance ranged from age 16-80. Dress ranged from suits and long dresses to slacks and even a few people wore shorts.

At 8pm, the scheduled start time, the announcer said a patron had a medical emergency and the opera will begin after medical services arrive. At 8:30, the ambulance came and the opera began.

I had always pictured opera singers as large men wearing viking helmets. Imagine my surprise, when a svelete Carmen and muscular Don Jose stepped onto the stage. I did not realize that a large part of the opera was the dancing and the theatrics, not just the music.  The singers were incredible and the 3 hours passed quickly.

If you are ever in Cooperstown,  NY in the summer and want to attend the opera, I would highly suggest visiting Glimmerglass, I know I will never forget my night at the opera.

Hydrangea

I love the purple color of these flowers

Wall of Rhodies

The rhododendron blooms  are at their peak!

Treatment Options

Dr Duffy called to discuss Cooper's Cushings Disease diagnosis. Unfortunately, Dr Duffy did not have the detailed blood test results, so we spoke in generalities. Dr Duffy did not recommend surgery. To remove an adrenal gland is a difficult surgery, since this is located close to major arteries, including the aorta.

Medication could be used to block the hormones which are being produced. The preferred medication is safe with few side effects. Dr Duffy said if Coop's symptoms are not severe, we could wait to begin treatment.

Dr Duffy is going to speak with the Cornell vet. After Dr Duffy has all the details, we will determine what to do. I was very relieved to hear that surgery was not recommended.

Unstuffed

The new toys from Linda had a very short life. Even though all the stuffing is torn out, both dogs still like to carry them around.  Of course, they both want the same toy at the same instant.

Dr Duffy is back from vacation, but we are still waiting to hear from him about Cooper's treatment options.

CT Made the Top 5!

Well, if you count "The Top Five States With The Highest Median Real Estate Taxes" a good list.

Easter in July

Happy 4th of July!
The Easter lilies are now in bloom!

Ice Cold

With plans to visit our LI family, I knew it was time to give the dogs a bath. Since the day was warm and sunny, we decided to wash the dogs in the driveway.

The water from the well was ice cold. Otis was a good sport and just stood patiently while he was shampooed and rinsed.The instant the cold water hit Cooper, he shook from head to toe, getting all of us wet.

The dogs spent the afternoon on the deck drying out.

Senetti II

In the early spring, I purchased a Senetti. The instructions said that when the plant stopped blooming, move it outdoors, replant in a larger pot and trim the plant to half its size.

It has been a few weeks since the plant was trimmed and now it is in bloom again.

Guard Duty

Otis is enjoying the sitting wall.

Seeing Otis peering over the wall makes me think of  a sentry, guarding the castle's gate.

More Garden Scenes

Cushing's Disease

We received Cooper's blood test results and he has Cushing's Disease. Dr Forman said that there are two treatment options: surgery or medication.

Surgery would be complex and involves removing the adrenal gland.  The vet believes the mass on the adrenal gland is cancerous. Removing it would stop the spread of cancer and should cause Cooper's hormone levels to return to normal. Our concern is that this is major surgery and Coop is 10 years old.

Medication could control the Cushing's symptoms. However the cancer would continue to grow and spread over time. The "good" news is that adrenal cancer is slow to spread.

Our regular vet, Dr Duffy, is on vacation until July 5. We will discuss Cooper's situation with Dr Duffy when he returns and then make a decision on how to proceed.

Fresh Flowers

This mix of yellow and orange flowers caught my eye. The label on the flowers said they were grown in Cranston, RI.

Picture Spot

Cooper and Otis seem to approve of the new walkway. Unfortunately, Otis will run down the hillside, instead of using the stairs, if he is not on leash

Oriental Lily

I rescued this bulb when the new walkway was installed. In its old location, the deer would eat most, if not all, the buds.  I  tucked the bulb in a corner between the edge of the house and the stone wall and hoped for the best.

As the spring days passed, the buds grew bigger. Frequent deer sightings, in the front yard, made me doubt this plants survival.

When I came home tonight, the lily was in full bloom.  Isn't it beautiful ?

What's in the Box ?

When Jeff and Cooper got home from the Cornell Vet Clinic, there was a box waiting at the door.  The box was from one of our favorite people, Linda F. Linda  had  read that Cooper was not feeling well and had sent a get well gift.

The box was full of dog treats, squeaky toys and Lindt chocolates (for Jeff and I). The dog treats looked so tasty, I was tempted to try one. Cooper and Otis gobbled up the treats.  I gave Coop one of the squeaky toys and he raced around the house squeaking it as he ran. I have not seen Coop that happy,  in a while.

A few minutes later, Cooper began to tear the toy apart to get to the squeaker. Stuffing is now sprinkled around the house. Thank you Linda, for cheering all of us up!