Hello to my Ray of Sunshine in the Snow!

Funny, Val and I met in 1978. I was a wee 19 year old (he was 31....my parents were NOT impressed. My Dad gave us three months. We'll be coming upon our 42nd this May. When my Dad was still alive I would call him every year on our anniversary for a little Daughter to Dad harassment about how we had made it far beyond his predicted three months.) Lots of love and laughter!

Thank you for walking me through my over-developed sense of caretaking. I know that so much of it is my fear of losing him. I know, I know - nothing has happened and he is really doing very, very well. But those old behaviors sure have a way of creeping in. I used to refer to my dog, when he was little, as reactive. He'd see a dog in the street, or the Fed Ex guy, and would react and go bonkers. He's much better now that he is older, so maybe this "oldish" dog can learn new tricks and, as you said "lengthen the leash a little bit" and not be so reactive myself. Speaking of dogs - I had to take our little guy to the vet today for bloodwork - it's a long story but he has chronic tick fever. What are the chances that both of my boys have a blood disease? Val's of the white cells and Taz' of the red cells. Oh my. We're praying that we've gotten rid of the tick fever for good (after treatment with doxycycline) and are waiting for results from his PCR test. He was a stray that Val found and trapped (catch 'em alive trap) in the desert three years ago. Tick fever, starvation, anemia, etc. etc. etc. The tick fever went underground and then reappeared recently. He is truly our baby! Which brings me to my point - Mr. Crabby Pants is getting his funny pants back on. He told Taz to be careful what he told his vet because you never know what they will do to you. He said that he just went in for a backache and look what happened to him. LOL

It takes a lot of gardening in my head to come back to balance - but I feel like I'm getting back there. I'm sure there will be more ups and downs to come. Hopefully, more ups! Tomorrow it will be raining all day so it will be a great day to take a Mental Health Day in my shop. Three gourds in the works at once.

"Talk soon"!

Sheri