Notes: Tuesday 1-27-15 ... and It's Isa's Birthday

Morning:

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1/27/2015 8:52 AM; 1/27/2015 10:34 AM Hmm, sometime has gone by.  It’s just after 10:30 am and we’re ready to go to Dr. M’s.  WITH the exception of the part where Dakota doesn’t feel like eating.  I think he’s protesting getting less food in his dish OR, maybe because of his ear infection.  We went to the doctor yesterday and she said it is a yeast infection.  She checked it under the microscope.  She also said our dog is about 16 pounds too big!  YIKES!  Apparently he has gained 11 pounds since mid-November.  It’s pretty outrageous.  We had been feeding him 2 cups x 2 times daily, and she said he was fine at 70 last time, though she would like to see him at now 65.  Poor pup.  He’s getting now then just 1 ¼ cups 2 times daily, AND we are crushing up his treats so we get 4-6 per medium milk bone.  I think he can appreciate getting something while it won’t make him THAT much skinnier.  She’s also thinking he might have a problem with underactive thyroid like we have, so she took a blood test and we’ll see how that goes when we go back in two weeks – well Wednesday, February 11 @ 3 pm.  We were given some medicine to put in his ear twice daily and that’s gone pretty good for all intents and purposes so far.  It’s a bit of a wrestle, but in the end he gives up and lets me do it as well as swab his ear with a cotton ball.  When the medicine warms it turns liquid and goes down his ear, but then when he shakes his head it comes out dirty wax.  So that’s what we’ll be doing for a while.  Good stuff.  She said we caught it at the beginning before it got too bad.
Hmm, I had 20 minutes to go so I brought him outside – he went to the bathroom, but then he laid down out there where he could communicate with the husky that is also out.  Good for them.  I will give him about 12 minutes, and then we’ll be on our way.
I woke up just before 6 am this morning and talked to Rich before he left.  He’s been having a hectic time collaborating with a new facility that is very big in Chicago.  I hope he does ok, but like everything a question of how many job responsibilities for how many dollars.  He seems to be in good hand with it and I’m sure he’ll make the right decisions.  He’s very capable and has been finding more energy with just having lost his first 20 pounds.  I’d like to have a little of that!  Hmm, checked email and printed something for Rich.  Not sure why he had me do it from home?  Well, it’s done. 
We had a little bit of a sluggish morning.  We started off alright, but then slowed down a bit while talking to Linda.  That’s the time we’re supposed to talk though so things work out.  We have everything done in the house up to the part where we sweep.  We missed that yesterday too, so we’ll be sure to get it this afternoon.  A lot of time has gone into working with Rich and the new furniture.  I’m not crazy about the fabric, because it’s not GREAT fabric and the color is dark, but at least its toward what I want so better than most others.  I guess looking at the clock, it is about time we get out the door.  Need to remember to get a couple bottles of water … ok, we can do this, right?
Evening:

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1/27/2015 5:46 PM Just me.  It’s a little odd, but we are back at the computer and it is actually evening!  Wow!  Who would have figured.  We went through a slower period after we got home, but was talking to linda before dinner with Rich.  We had Reuben’s and a nice fire.  He really is my best friend and I like being with him.  I cleared the table, but haven’t cleared the counter yet.  The food did get wrapped and into the fridge.  My poor buddy has about had it!  He didn’t eat breakfast until he got home just before 4 pm and so now we’re trying to hold off his dinner a little.  I did take care of his ears, so we feel better about that and he doesn’t seem to be shaking as much – though we did worry about his appetite.  The doctor from the vet called and said that he Didn’t have hypothyroid, so that was really good news.  AHA Linda was online, but just for a few moments – it’s time for NCIS and she and tony are watching from the couch.  She has her laptop with her, but we let her go.  Whoops, medicine!  Good Girls!
We fed Dakota a late dinner – it’s about 7 pm now.  We’ll wait to watch NCIS with Rich.  Dakota didn’t have breakfast until we got home from Dr. Marvin’s at about 4 pm.  He seemed plenty hungry enough.  He’s just laid down next to us.  Whoops Missy is up now – went to put on pjs and had to turn the light on which disturbed her so she came out crying so where’s my dinner!  HA!  Not yet CAT!  No one likes an aggressive cat!  I think we’re all good here for a little bit.  We got some water while we were up from the sunroom.  Dakota was still eating/drinking and didn’t want to go out yet, so we’ll let him digest it.  THAT be a good Ann AND Rich bought us a couple of little breads instead of cookies – that’s what we asked for.  Didn’t make sense after all we ate today.  We listed that on our food task, so NOOOOO need to go into that here.  Linda’s lost weight again – so PLEnty of good stuff over there!
I’m not sure if I said it yet, but Rich went out to a fishy meeting about 5:20 pm, so two hours ago.  We kind of wandered a bit til we found ourselves here, and then as you saw we lost ourselves to looking for some good doggie parks – there are about 3 of them all about a half hour away.  The one we found most interesting was in Aurora – again 20 miles or 30 minutes away – just average around here.  They have 3 parks – one just opened a few months ago and there new one is at a sports complex – so that the dog park is split between small and large dogs, but the dog park is open ALL year long from sun up to sun down AND it is 15 acres big!  That’s a really nice size.  It looks like parking is right next to the park too so I have a chance there.  I would have to bring my walker and sit relatively close to the entrance.  BUT, it WOULD solve the problem of Dakota getting a place to free run.  It’s run by the park district in Aurora and we’re not in that district so we’d have to pay double, but it’s only $50 for an entire year pass.  I think that is a good idea.  I think we’re going to ask Rich if he can drive us and maybe the girls there this weekend to see what they look like.
Hmm, ok, that was good timing.  Maury just called and talked 10 minutes.  He was frustrated because of something between he and Ame, but after that we were able to say hi to Elizabeth and to sing her happy birthday which is today.  I’d ALMOST forgotten.  I’m so grateful for the call!  My ears are all happy for hearing a robust happy birthday song!  Pretty happy mood AND we did eat half the cranberry bread.  THAT was good!  I think that is about it for now.  I’m going to take Dakota outside, and we saw coming in there was a box at the doorway to the garage.  I think the mail-lady put the box that Melissa sent and we’d like to look at that for a while in front of the fire.  We might turn on something in the background, but I’m not sure of that yet.  Just hoping the box is not too heavy!  WooHOO!!!

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