Signs of Spring VI

Easter lilies are on sale at Costco.

Signs of Spring V

The frogs are back - the croaking is long and LOUD!

Good luck trying to sleep at night.

Signs of Spring IV

Otis and Cooper's coats are at their fluffiest.

This means that soon they will start to "blow their coats" and I will be vacuuming every day

Signs of Spring III

Love is in the air! A pair of red tailed hawks have been showing their affection while perched over our pond.

No pictures of that, since this is a G rated site!

Signs of Spring II

Daffodils bring sunshine to gloomy days

Signs of Spring I

The crocus cheerfully announce that Spring is here!

Your Iditarod 2010 Winner!

Congratulations to Rev and Maple as the lead dogs of Lance Mackey's winning Iditarod team. These strapping dogs raced the 1100 +/- miles from Anchorage to Nome Alaska in 51 seconds short of 9 days.

The Iditarod is quite a fascinating competition. There's rules, strategies, and lots of personal stories that make the whole thing very interesting.  Some animal activists think the Iditarod is dog abuse, but does this picture suggest dog abuse? 

Our Bettles favorite musher, Sven Haltmann, was running  in the top 10 until he dropped from 13 dogs to 9.  He finished today in 17th place overtaking Sonny Lindner in the last two checkpoints and coming in less than 10 minutes ahead.

Cooper and Otis have been on pins and needles everyday awaiting the results.  Cooper thinks he could be a "lead dog" next year...

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Cooper's green collar proudly tells the world that he is Irish. His smiling eyes and wagging tail say "Kiss Me and I will kiss you back!".

With Oti's dark red coloring, no one can doubt there is Irish in his blood.

This is truly a day for celebration. Last year, Cooper spent St. Patrick's Day at Norwalk Vet Hospital undergoing cancer surgery. One year later, Cooper is looking more beautiful than ever.

As you get dressed this morning, don't forget to wear something green!

Storm

On Friday, it started raining in Wilton. On Saturday, the rain became extremely heavy and there were wind gusts of 60+ miles per hour.

On Sat afternoon, we were sitting in the kitchen when there was a loud snap and our neighbors 50 foot pine cracked in half. Luckily, the tree did not fall in our direction.

The wind howled all night long and the rain poured down. When we walked the dogs on Sunday morning, we saw that several of our neighbors had lost trees. When we drove in Wilton and Norwalk, we found that many of the streets were closed due to downed power lines and trees.

We were lucky and had very little damage. We did not lose power and our phone was working.

Fast forward to tonight. I got home from work and noticed that our phone was not working. I called AT&T to report the problem. They estimate we will get phone service back on Thursday night!

Maddy & Paddy ?

When we first bought our home, we had a pair of mallard ducks visit us for several weeks. We named them Maddy and Paddy. Last year, Maddy and Paddy did not appear. I feared the worst.

We now have two mallards visit us every few days. I was sure that these were new ducks, but now I am not so sure.

This morning, we went out to walk the dogs and noticed the mallards on the pond. I went back into the garage to get some corn. By the time I made it out of the garage, the female was off the water and running in my direction!

Coop and Oti barking did not phase her at all.

So, I wonder if this might be Maddy and Paddy ?

Hawks

When I was walking Cooper and Otis the other day, I saw a bunch of hawk feathers in the driveway. I wondered if something had happened to one of the hawks which often hunt in our yard.

The next day Jeff took these beautiful pictures. The hawk looks healthy to me.

The hawks often hunt in pairs and usually you can spot two of them. I always hope the pair will nest in our yard, but that has not happened.

Wet

After Friday's adventure, you would think that I would have had enough of wet dogs. However, Cooper and Otis needed a bath, so we headed to the dog wash.

Now that we have two dogs, we each wash a dog. These "water dogs", should like a bath, but they don't.

Coop refused to jump up onto the bench, so I scooped him up. Coop was obviously surprised (or maybe terrified) and did not move. I turned on hose and began to wash him. Coop was covered in suds and I was thinking that this was going remarkably well. All of a sudden Coop gave a big shake and soap flew everywhere.

By the time we left, I was once again soaked.

While the washing may not be fun, I love how soft and silky the dog's coats are. Coop and Oti never look more beautiful then after a bath.

Springtime

A pair of mallard ducks have come to visit us. Sadly, these are not Maddy and Paddy. I guess we will never know what happened to our two friendly ducks.

When Coop and Oti see the ducks swimming on the pond, they bark.

Last year when our neighbor's tree fell in the pond, two limbs broke off and are floating in the middle of the pond. The ducks seem to enjoy sleeping on the logs.

Ferry Ride

Remember this next time you decide to take the Ferry...

Happy Ending

I work at home on Friday's. On Fri, the usual wake up, shower and get dressed for work rules don't apply.

I was working in the office wearing my purple sweatpants and pink pajama top and thinking it was almost time for lunch. All of a sudden Oti started barking like crazy and Coop quickly joined in.

When the dogs would not settle down, I went into the bedroom and looked out the window. I saw a yellow Lab racing around the pond. All of a sudden the Lab jumped into the pond.

I had not seen this dog before. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. Should I let the dog run loose or try to catch him and see who he belonged to? I realized that if Coop or Otis got loose and were running in someone's yard, I would hope that person would help to reunite us.

I grabbed my coat and Coop's leash, pulled on my boots and raced out the door. The dog was now racing thru the woods. I called to the Lab and he came bounding over. The dog was soaking wet and jumped up and rubbed against my legs.

I grabbed the Lab by his collar, but there was no tag. Now what to do ? I had no idea where the dog had come from. I attached Coop's leash and thought perhaps this dog either belonged to a neighbor up the road or had run off from someone in the nearby park.

The dog and I began walking down the road. The Lab was blissfully happy. As we neared the end of the road I heard someone calling long and loud. Could this person be searching for the Lab ? The dog showed no sign of recognizing the voice.

It turns out that the dog's name is Dusty. Dusty belongs to a neighbor's employee and had suddenly run off. The man thanked me for returning his dog and headed inside.

When I got back home, I laughed at what a sight I was. My purple pants were soaked, my boots were dirty and my hair was a mess. Oti smelled the Lab on my clothes and would not stop sniffing me. I realized it was the perfect time for a shower

Obama's Road Trip

Found this YouTube video that explains Obama's spending in a fun way.

Shortcut to China

We went to visit our Long Island family this weekend. Cooper and Otis love to visit Grandma and run in her large fenced yard.

When we arrived, the dogs went into the backyard and raced around kicking up snow as they ran. After a few minutes Otis ran up the deck stairs and stood peering into the kitchen. Oti looked pitiful, panting and pleading with big sad eyes to be let inside.

Both dogs came inside and were later let out for one last chance to run free before leaving. Oti did not want to go out, when his people were inside. Cooper on the other hand raced out the door.

30 minutes later I looked outside and knew there was trouble. The pure white snow was now brown with mud. I called to Coop and he raced over, covered in dirt. His legs, belly, chest and ears were caked with mud.

I went over to look at the muddy area and there was a hole a foot deep! I have no idea what Coop smelled that made him dig or if he was just bored.

There was no way Cooper could get into a car. Since the outside faucets are shut off for the winter, I grabbed a bucket of water and tried to clean most of the dirt off him.

Cooper left Long Island in disgrace. I am not sure if he will be welcomed back at Grandma's. At a minimum, Coop can no longer be allowed unsupervised time in the yard.

We will be going back to LI in the spring to fix the lawn. This time the dogs may stay home.

5 Guys Burgers

Jeff and I were shopping in Brookfield and stopped to eat at Five Guys Burgers. I had never been to 5 Guys before, but it is a favorite of Jeff's.

The menu is very simple hamburgers or hot dogs and fries. That is it! They do have buckets of peanuts you can snack on while you wait for your order to cook. You can even throw the peanut shells on the floor.

If you like fresh juicy burgers you will LOVE this restaurant. I thought the simple fare was a little pricey ($5 for a burger, $3 for fries), but it was very good.

The burger reminded me of something I would cook on my own barbecue grill. Unfortunately, my grill is under a foot of snow right now.

5 Guys recently opened in Westport. I am sure I will be eating there again.

Camping

Camping season is right around the corner...

Snow, Snow, Go AWAY!

After 2 days of solid rain, the snow began to fall early this morning.

There is now 5 inches of snow on the ground. Cooper and Otis are happy. There is nothing they enjoy more than eating fresh snow.

I on the other hand am not happy. I miss the sun and seeing green grass.

It is supposed to snow all night and tomorrow.

Blood Tests

Norwalk Vet Hospital called and said that Oti's blood tests and urinalysis showed no problems.

Oti has started to eat again - canned food mixed with dry. We are feeding him less and I think that he is hungry when breakfast and dinner are served.

Jeff jokes that we are funding a new wing at the vet hospital. I wonder how many pets do not get medical treatment because their owners cannot afford the cost.

Oti's Checkup

Dr Major examined Otis today. The good news is that she did not feel any lumps (tumors). Dr Major said there is no obvious reason why Oti is not eating. A blood sample was taken. We should get the results at the end of the week.

Oti does have an ear infection and will be getting medicated ear drops daily for a week.

Oti has put on 2 pounds and is now 82! The vet suggested cutting back on Oti's food for a few weeks to see if he is being overfed. Also, we will slowly add the dry food back into his diet with the prescription canned food.

Dr Major said that Oti seems to be healthy and it may be he is not hungry. She said some dogs go thru phases where they eat less and then go back to their normal diet.

Another Vet Visit

Oti has stopped eating.

Over the last two weeks, Oti has become a finicky eater. We mixed some canned food into the dry and suddenly Oti was interested in eating again. However, now Oti shows no interest in either the canned or dry food.

Oti and I will meet with Dr Major at Norwalk Vet Hospital this afternoon. Dr Duffy was booked until Fri afternoon and I didn't want to wait.

I am hoping that maybe Oti's loss of appetite is due to something minor like a virus or sore throat.

Checkup

Cooper and I met with Dr Duffy today. Dr Duffy said that there seemed to be no recurrence of the thyroid cancer. Coop's thyroid was not enlarged and his lungs and heart sounded clear. If the cancer were to spread, it would be in Coop's lungs.

Dr Duffy said that if the cancer were going to come back, it is usually evident in 12 months or sooner. So, it seems that Cooper is going to be fine!

There are no guarantees, but I was relieved to hear the good news. Dr Duffy said he thinks Coop is about 8 years old and doing great!

Monday

Cooper has an appointment with Dr. Duffy at Norwalk Vet Hospital on Monday.

It has been almost 1 year since Cooper's cancer surgery. This checkup is to find out if the thyroid cancer has spread.

The oncologist said that without chemo or radiation, Coop had at best 1 year to live. That statement was made in March 2009. While I know statistics can be misleading, they can also be correct.

I think Coop looks great. Let's hope that Dr. Duffy agrees.

We will be crossing paws and saying prayers for good news. I believe that a dog who has suffered so much, deserves more time to be loved.

Winter Coloring

I was walking the dogs and looked at Cooper and Otis walking shoulder to shoulder ahead of me. It struck me then that Cooper is now red.

Cooper's coat is a lighter red than Oti's dark auburn, but it is still red. In the summer, Coop loves to spend hours out on the deck soaking up the sunshine. By the end of summer, Coop's coat was yellow/blonde.

I thought it was odd that I see Cooper every day, but did not notice his gradual color change.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today is Valentine's Day. I hope that everyone wakes up to beautiful roses like these.

My wish is not for jewelry, but rather a Dooney and Bourke handbag. I wonder if Cupid will deliver one to my door?

Valentine's Day red makes me think of Danny and the red collar he wore. Danny's red leash still hangs with his brother's.

Flowers

The amaryllis has 2 flowers in bloom and one is still a bud.

I think these flowers seem small compared to previous bulbs. Jeff says that for $5, I can't complain.

Not So Tough!

These "tough" toys are not so tough! At least that's what Otis thinks.

Oti and Coop are so sweet, that I often forget just how powerful their jaws are. The dogs can crack an ice cube or rawhide without even trying.

They can also gently take a potato chip or piece of popcorn from your fingers.

Bloom

The amaryllis is finally in bloom!

5:00 PM

Still snowing, wind is starting to howl. The trees are bending. Will we lose power tonight ?

Noon

Snow is still falling! Have at least 6+ inches on the ground.

I am thinking it would be nice to be in a warm, sunny place right now.

7:00 AM

The snow started falling around 5:00 AM. It is predicted to end at midnight!

14 inches!

The weatherman is predicting 10-14 inches of snow today as a Nor'easter hits Connecticut!

There is already a long list of school closings. Even Metro North is canceling trains. It seems that any snowfall greater than 10 inches causes problems for the rail lines.

The ability to work from home means that there is no concept of a snow day :( However, not having to drive in the snow means I can't complain too much.

Any time now

Here is the latest amaryllis photo.

I expect that one night this week I will get home from work to find the flower completely open.

Training Day

On Saturday, Otis and Cooper had their first training session with Patti. Patti was recommended by Jeff's friend, Andrew. Andrew has a Labrador that likes to jump on visitors and Patti corrected this problem. Since Oti has the same bad habit, we felt it was worth hiring her.

Patti said that 10 minutes of training (mental stimulation) is a tiring for a dog as running outside for 30 minutes. The pictures show just how Oti looked after a one hour session.

We learned "Leave it" and "Drop it", in the hopes that Oti will stop running thru the house with laundry and shoes, "Meet and Greet" and "Basic Recall". Patti said that it we practice ten minutes every day for 6 months to 2 years, eventually Oti will learn what these command mean!

Since Coop does not have these same bad habits, Patti focused on Coop's light and shadow obsession. Even she was flummoxed at how to break his concentration, since Coop has no interest in treats and quickly shredded his new squeaky toy.

It seems that the training is for us more than the dogs. Practice, practice, practice is the key.

Closer

Each day the amaryllis bud opens a little more.

We are getting closer and closer to finally seeing it bloom.

New Hats

Today there was a large envelope in the mailbox from Oti's Maine Mom, Bobbi.

A big THANKS to Bobbi for sending these two new hats to Jeff!

While I was holding one of the hats, Oti jumped up and grabbed it from my hand. The chase was on. Obviously, Oti has not yet learned that hats are not toys.

It is hard to stay angry when Otis looks at you and grins with sparkling eyes that plead come play with me.

Starting

If you look closely, the bud on the amaryllis is finally starting to open!

Bulb Watch Wednesday

If it's Wednesday, it's time to show the latest amaryllis photo.

As you can see, the bud is now taller than the leaves. However, there is no sign of the bud starting to open.

I read that amaryllis flower within 6-8 weeks of planting. We are now in week 9.

Faker

Jeff and I were walking the dogs in the snow when I noticed that Otis was limping. I looked more closely and saw Oti's rear leg was up and not touching the ground.

I was sure that snow was caught in Oti's paw and making him uncomfortable. I took off my glove and brushed off the sand and snow. Oti happily put his foot down and walked away.

One step further, I noticed Coop was limping and staring at me with his big eyes. I sighed, brushed off his rear paw and he trotted away.

It was then that I noticed Oti was now holding his front paw in the air! I had enough, so ignored both dogs and we kept walking.

Once Otis and Cooper realized, they were not going to get any sympathy, they both trotted along on all four paws. Fakers!

Secret Snuggler

When Coop first arrived, it was clear that he had little interest in human companionship. As long as Coop's food and water bowls were full, he was satisfied.

Over time, Coop learned that sleeping on the bed was a VERY good thing. If he had to share the space with us, then that was a sacrifice worth making.

Lately, I have noticed that Coop has become a secret snuggler. When Jeff's parents were visiting, Coop would approach them and put his paw on their leg. This is Coop's way of saying. "Pet Me!".

When I work, Coop will come into the office and nudge me to pet him. In the morning when the alarm goes off, Coop loves to snuggle on the bed and be hugged. If I am stretched out on the floor, Coop will lay against me in hopes of getting his back scratched.

After years of abuse, I think that Coop may be finding his inner Golden!