Hey Control....

I am looking for you, you little fucker. I will get you, and nail you down like you have never been nailed before. It's only a matter of time, it's getting there upstairs. Don't run, just sit calmly. Your ass is mine.

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It Sucks

My blogging that is. It sucks, as there is none of it.

Every time I think of something to say, I'm not in front of the computer, and obviously it's so goddamned important, I can't remember it. I wasn't actually sure I could remember my password to get on here... guess I did eh??

Ah well... Maybe I'll try and pick this up again.. if I can remember.

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Ottawa Dog Blog Dog of the Week- BEST DOG EVER!!!!

40 and free tea. I hope this is a sign...

So I turned 40 last Thursday.  To be honest, I wasn't good with it.  I don't want to be 40, 41, 42, and so on, and so on and so on.   I did have a good day.  The people I work with are awesome... I was taken out for lunch, got some cake... you name it.  I am truly appreciative and love everyone.

Where some real honest-to-god loveliness occured was after work.  I went mall surfing on my way home looking for one of those damn kiosks to renew your license plate stickers.  I DIDN'T renew on time last year and got dinged and there's no waaaaay I'm doing that again, so off I went.  On my second mall, I found the kiosk, and got the sticker.  Done.  Good.  Thought while I'm here, I'll grab a tea from Tim's.  I walk up to the counter, looking through my wallet and realize I have no cash.  Tim's doesn't take Interac, even to buy the prepaid cards so I discuss this with the 3 girls there and then kinda go "oh well", and go to leave.  Well wouldn't you know it they call me back as I'm walking away.  "What do you want?" they say, "we'll just give it to you".    I'm in shock, smiling like a big goofball as I can't believe how nice they are.   I'm still going through my very dilapidated wallet, when I find a toonie and a loonie.  No, they don't want my money, "don't worry about it, it's on us" they tell me.  Well I am almost gushing at this point and can't believe that random acts of kindness really do exist out there.  They had no idea it was my birthday or that I was having a crummy day, they just chose to help out a tired looking chick in her scrubs, probably covered in some sort of pet hair.

To you 3 ladies, I thank you.  If we weren't in such a fucked up world I could tell everyone who you are and where you worked but as it stands, some asshole would have you fired for giving away things for free.  So all I can say is thank you.  Next time I'm in that mall, I'm buying YOU tea. 

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My Poor Old Man...

Originally written last week... you know, like the one before this one!!!  

___________________________________________

Well, I have had a scary and tiring past couple of weeks.  Grandparents (Mom and Dad) I am mainly writing this for you as you're not on Facebook dammit!!  :)

It all started off with Squiggy just looking like he was getting old and arthritic.  Over the past month, he's had xrays showing just how much degeneration there is in his elbows, then an ultrasound, showing scarring on his biceps.   Then in the past 2 weeks he just seemed to get worse.  I have been trying different courses of a whole whack of different pain meds on him to keep him comfortable and walking somewhat decently.  I have been terrified of him taking a header down the stairs.  I wasn't sure if the meds were making him worse somehow, so I stopped all the new ones and he just seemed to get worse.   Ataxic in the hind end, dragging his back feet, wobbling

 when standing, and the final straw, not being able to hold himself up when he was doing "numero deux" outside.  

I took him in to see our good friend (as of late), Dr. Nick Parker, a surgeon at work.  "Yes Donna, he's neurological", he said, and trust me, the tears started streaming.   Fuck, it makes me sad to think of him saying it even now.   Anyways, Dr. Parker said a CT Scan and Myelogram would be

 next and they may or may not tell us anything.   After talking with him,  and asking him if he really thought I should bother (he is an old guy after all), I decided to go ahead with everything so we scheduled him in for the next day.  CT/myelogram and then plus or minus surgery if needed.  

So on Wednesday, I took him back in, and watched as he got sedated and prepped for anesthesia, all the while, crying my friggin' head off at work.  I've been lucky with him for most of his life and this is the first serious "I could lose my boy" situation I've had with him.   I was a mess, to say the least, but off he went.  I tried to stay away from the surgical team as much as humanly possible to let them do their work but then Dr. Parker came to get me.... to show me the WONDERFUL spinal cord compression showing up on the myelogram!!!  So what does that mean??  It means NO tumour.  NO strange neurological disease.  NO Wobblers' syndrome.  It meant... Surgery!!!  So off to the CT he went (this is so they can tell what side the disk has herniated on) and then off to be cut.

I'd love to say long story short, but it's kinda too late for that.  Haha.   Squiggy went to surgery... came through it like a rockstar and as of Friday night is home.  I'm happy to say he's doing great.  Not as good as before, but stronger every day.  Can swagger around like a drunken sailor right now, but he's mobile -unassisted.  

I am one happy mom.   Someone, somewhere, has bought me some time with this wonderful creature.  For that, I am thankful.  

Here's TONS of pics for you.... I went a little crazy with the documenting.

This is a slice of the CT through the spine.  Normal cord.  It's nice and round for the most part.. I guess I could have picked a better slice.

Here's the compression.  You can see it squished down (image is actually upside down).

After the myelogram. You can see where the cord section loses 'contrast' where the disk is bulging into it....

My little man on the surgery table, getting prepped.

Melanie, the surgery technician, and a wonderful friend of mine, preps Squiggy.

Update as of April 7th, 09:

_______________________________________

Okay, I really tried to post ALL of the pics I took here to this stupid blog, but I'm doing it wrong or it's designed to drive you insane.  Either way, I have a whole album dedicated to this on my Facebook page, and anyone so desiring to see the rest of the pics, I can email you the link.  Suffice it to say I just wanted to get the story down for my non-Facebooking peeps so they know what happened.

As of this week, he is doing SOOOOO much better!  Better than I can even remember.  On one hand, I feel like hell for not doing it sooner, but in reality, it was very slow for a very long time and without the sudden acute worsening, I never would have figured it out.   Either way, he's almost like a puppy again.  The spring is back in his step and he's walking ahead of me during his walks now, not lagging behind me while I have to stop and wait for him every 10 steps.  Such a difference.

My HUGE thanks to Dr. Nick Parker and the Surgical and Critical Care teams at Alta Vista Animal Hospital.   As worried and upset as I was, I felt so lucky to be able to have this great team taking care of my baby.  I truly don't think he could have been in better hands anywhere else.  I am proud to work with all of you.  

Squiggy is happy= Squiggy's mom is happy.  

May he live another 12.....

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Just discovered this poem...

Always Marry An April Girl

Praise the spells and bless the charms, I found April in my arms. April golden, April cloudy, Gracious, cruel, tender, rowdy; April soft in flowered languor, April cold with sudden anger, Ever changing, ever true -- I love April, I love you.  --Ogden Nash  I'm sorry, but how cool is that??  I love April dammit.  :) Flush.

Hey CHRISTMAS Cactus...

It's MARCH!!  You missed the whole "bloom at Christmas" deal.  Ah well, I still think you're purdy.

(Yes, I am talking to my plants now.  I'm getting desperate for companionship, ya think???)

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More Peeves O' Mine

Toothpaste.  Yes, toothpaste.  Why, oh why, would you be a cheap bastard toothpaste company and use a crummy old screwtop that we fumble with and drop, usually down the drain, every day?  Then you have to try and retrieve it with a pair of tweezers-- which is next to impossible as we all very well know.   

Why would you cheap out and use them when you COULD use, the wonderful flip-top???  What a remarkable invention, and yet there are still companies not using them.  

Well toothpaste makers, if you're still using the crappy screw top, I've already been "not buying" your toothpaste for a long time.  So there!!!  Stick that down your drain!!

HATE you.

LOVE you.

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Peeves O' Mine

I have several Pet Peeves.  Let's take this one at a time so I can fully and completely bitch about each one in detail.

Number one.

Dreamcatchers on your rear-view mirror.  

Hey people, do you know what these are for?  They are for catching bad dreams.... when you SLEEP.  I am hoping to god you are not having these dreams when you are driving, or maybe you should PULL OVER and rest for a while.   So, take that fucking dream catcher OFF of your mirror, and go and hang it over your BED, where it is SUPPOSED to be for christ's sake!!!!!

Thank you all for listening.

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Hey Ontario Government- Yes You, You Dickwads....

Do you see this?  

Do you see how many CKC/AKC Judges, how many Breed Clubs, how many Kennels, how many Ontario Business owners, how many individual Ontarians, how many Canadians, how many Americans, etc., etc., etc.,  think a Breed Specific Ban is wrong????  

LISTEN UP YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!!!!! 

(the following was taken from the DLCC website on January 20th, 09--www.dlcc.ca)

THE DLCC (Dog Legislation Council of Canada) WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND IT'S HUGE THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS!

Business Donators - Buy yourself something and donate to the legal fund
Mimmenuk Canine Designs We will donate 10% of all January sales on our braided Kangaroo show leads.	Cindi-Lee Photography I will donate 10% of my proceeds in 2009 from Official Show Photos and Ringside Candids!	Graphic Designs by Lauren Shaw For anyone who has an advertising spot on Canuck Dogs or Best Dog In Canada, or anyone that wants a graphic for their website, or even a graphic to print and put on their home wall, I will design you a graphic, and will donate 100% of that to the BAC Legal Fund. For $25 I will do any graphic with the dimensions of 8 1/2" X 11" or under.
Best Dressed Dog We will donate 25% of our sales directly to the BAC Legal Fund throughout the month of January to help them raise the funds needed for a Supreme Court Challenge. Check out our selection of beautiful collars!	Valerie Bridaeu Web Design I will donate 10% of my earnings from web design work with the mention of the DLCC for 2009	Jan Cooper Graphics Design Jan Cooper of Rott-N-Chatter will create an original graphic or logo for your kennel or website for a $25 - $50 donation to the BAC legal fund! Even take your favourite photograph and remove the background and/or merge with another for a new and unique keepsake print!
QuinnCarlin's MidWoof.com Get all your canine reproductive needs right here in Canada! They will donate $5 for each order placed online until January 31 to help the Legal Fund. Additionally they will accept donations for the BAC	Canine Specialty Software From now until the end of the month all proceeds on new software packages will trigger a 25% donation to the DLCC. With programs ranging from $50 to $250 that can generate a lot of cash for the fight against the narrow minded and uneducated! We wouldn't exist without breeders and exhibitors like you and any effort to restrict even one breed jeopardizes us all.	Kelly's Canine Hotel We pledge to donate $1.00 for every canine guest staying at the hotel this Saturday night and challenges other boarding facilities and doggie daycares to do the same
Boston Pizza Restaurant - 1164 Chemong Road in Peterborough Ontario The owners of this location did a fantastic job donating 10% of their sales for Saturday, January 17th raising $1132.90 with the help of their wonderful patrons! Huge thanks!!

Challenges
Hostsmart.ca has issued a challenge to anyone with a hosting company or web design to match her donation of $100	Margaret McNabb of Islay Kennels has isssued a challenge to every woman with a partner in her life to match her husband Ron's donation of $100
CKC Judge John Rowtons challenges Fellow Judges He is allowed to touch 175 dogs a day, he'll give $1 for each one!	Global Pet Foods in Dartmouth NS sends out National challenge The Dartmouth NS location has donated $1000 and challenges each store to match their donation!
CKC Judge Mary White She's answered John Rowtons challenge!!	CKC Judge Richard Paquette ANOTHER CONTENDER!!
CKC Judge Susan Norris-Jones accepted the challenge too!	AKC Judge Susan Sholar accepts the challenge! Wonderful to have some US friends on board!
The Lady Slipper Kennel Club has issued a challenge to all other clubs in PEI to beat or match their donation of $100	The Island Dog Club of PEI has answered the PEI challange!!
Cynthia Seeling Professional Handler has issued a challenge to all professional handlers to beat or match her donation of $100	Cheryl Ellis of Professional Presentation by Cherfire has accepted the handlers challenge and issued her own! I challenge every person that had a dog in the group at Lower Mainland shows (Purina Show of Champions), to donate $10 for each dog that made it TO the group, and more if your dog PLACED in the group!
Joyce from Sentra Rottweilers has issued a challenge to all Rottweiler owners to meet or beat her donation of $10 / dog!	Janis McCarthy and Coventry Aussies has issued a challenge to all Australian Shepherd owners, breeders, agility trialers and flyball competitors to beat or match her donation of $100
Majekin Perm Reg'd Schipperkes We challenge to all Schipperke owners to match our donation of $50	Hot Diggity Dogs Agility Club We are challenging all other agility clubs and kennels in the Red Deer AB area to beat or match our donation of $500
The Maritime Group Club We are urging all Specialty Clubs (either Group or Single Breed) to match our donation of $100	Debalys Reg'd Siberians has issued a challenge to ALL BREEDERS REGARDLESS OF BREED to beat or match her donation of $1 / puppy bred by her since 1990
Addiron Registered Kennels has issued a challenge to ALL TERRIER owners and breeders to meet or beat their donation of $25	Old English Sheepdog & Owners' Club of Canada have issued a challenge to all Herding Group Breed Clubs to match their donation of $500
Allyndane Great Danes has issued a challenge to all Great Dane owners and breeders to donate any amount they can	Alberta Bouvier des Flandres Club has approved a $100 donation and has put out a challenge to all the other Bouvier clubs to do the same or better it.
THE SALUKI CLUB OF CANADA ISSUED A CHALLENGE TO ALL CLUBS TO MEET OR BEAT THEIR DONATION OF $1000
The response has been so amazing our webmaster is trying to catch up!!
Canadian National Australian Shepherd Association (CNASA) matched the donation!	Eurasier Club of Canada beat the donation!
Dartmouth Kennel Club	The National Whippet Club of Canada
Schipperke Club of Canada	Alaskan Malamute Club of Canada
Thousand Islands Kennel & Obediance Club	Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada

Clubs and Donors
Atlantic Terrier Association	Halifax Kennel Club	Dartmouth Kennel Club	Pacific Kennel Club	Nipissing Kennel Club
Maple Leaf Silky Terrier Club	Austrailian Shepherd Club	Erie Shores Kennel Club	Canadian Briard Club	DogZworth Flyball Club
Aurora Kennel Club	Papillon Canada	Hub City Kennel Club	Rhodesian Ridgeback Club	CAANS
TNT Sharpei Rescue	Nuthatch Enterprises	Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada	Vancouver Island Dog Judges Study Group	Barrie Kennel Club
Sydenham VDTC	Border Terrier Club of Ontario	Forbidden Plateau Ob & Tracking	Valley Kennel Club	Canadian Manchester Terrier Club
NFLD Dog Club	Red Deer & District KC	Ft. St. John & District KC	CRDFS	New Brunswick Kennel Club
Afghan Hound Club of Canada	Chihuahua Club of Canada	Temiskaming Kennel Club	Evelyn Kenny Kennel Club	Asso. of Great Dane Fanciers
St. Catharines & District KC	NS German Shepherd Dog Club	Border Terrier Club of Canada	Pug Club of Canada	Great Dane Club of Canada
AHC of Canada	Sudbury & District KC	Boxer Club of Canada	Northern Ontario Boxer Club	Saluki Club of Canada
Canadian Mastiff Club	Belleville & District KC	Mount Royal Toy Dog Club	Scottish Terrier Club of Canada	Eastern Canada Dachshund Club
Oshawa Obedience Asso.	Great Pyrenees Club of Southern ON	Ft. Saskatchewan Canine Asso.	Victoria City Kennel Club	Miniature Dachshund Club of BC
Brantford & District KC	German Shepherd Dog Club of London	Pomeranian Club of Canada	The Tovaritsch Foundation	Fredericton Kennel Club
Thousand Island KC	Siberian Husky Club of Canada	Siberian Husky Club of Manitoba	Lady Slipper Kennel Club	Saint Bernard Fanciers of Canada
Saint Fanciers Club of Manitoba	Shiba Inu Canada	North Saanich Dog Obedience Training Club	Canadian Manchester Terrier Club	Collie Club of Canada
Thunder Bay Kennel Club	GEODIC	Collie Club of BC	Bouvier Club of Canada	Schipperke Club of Canada
Oakville and District Kennel Club	Rottweiler Club of Canada	Bull Terrier Club of Canada	C.O.R. Newfoundland Club of Canada	Nickel District Kennel Club
Lower Mainland Kennel Club	Woodstock Kennel Club	Pine Ridge Kennel Club	Canadian Dog Judges Association	Canadian Dog Obedience Judges Association
Kitchener Waterloo Kennel Club	Guelph Kennel Club	Alaskan Malamute Club of Canada	Alberta Boxer Club	Bull Terrier Club of Alberta
Champlain Dog Club	Chinese Shar-Pei Club of Canada	Chow Chow Fanciers of Canada	Algoma Dog Fanciers	Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada
Bull Terrier Fanciers	Canadian Cardigan Corgi Club	North East Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club	Weimaraner Association	Canadian Kennel Club
Ontario Cardigan Fanciers	Island Dog Club	Alberta Doberman Pinscher Club	The Maritime Group Club	Sighthound Magazine
Old English Sheepdog & Owners' Club of Canada	Canadian National Australian Shepherd Association	Eurasier Club of Canada	Bearded Collie Club of Canada	Alberta Bouvier des Flandres Club
Eastern Canada Dachshund Club	Atlantic Region Conformation Judges Association	The Prairie Dachshund Club	Canadian Tibetan Mastiff Society	Tibetan Terrier Club of Canada
National American Eskimo Dog Association	Great Lakes American Pit Bull Terrier Club	The Grand River Club	KOC	Ontario Lure Coursing Assoc
Algoma Dog Fanciers	Canadian Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog Society	Canadian Manchester Terrier Club	The Pomeranian Club	Fredericton Kennel Club
FreshStart Dane Rescue (NB/NS)	Standard Schnauzer Club of Canada	National Whippet Club of Canada	Canadian Sighthound Field Association	The Sighthound Club of BC
The Northern Alberta Canine Association	Westwind Sporting Dog Club

To donate, please visit:  www.dlcc.ca

Thank you from Squiggy and I.

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Today, I am a Non Smoker.

I can finally, almost legally (as far as insurance purposes go anyway) say that.  Today has been one year to the day, since I last lit up.  

I never thought it would be me.  I thought it was a "crutch".  I have an addictive personality and I needed it to "cope".  Well, all not true. 

I have had just as many stressful moments as the year before, and I got through them.  I have just as many reasons to have a cigarette, and I didn't.  Maybe I just went outside for a minute.  I've had an apple (I've developed an addiction to Red Delicious apples now- a much lesser evil).   I've surfed the web for 2 minutes to "get away".   I've done many things... but I have not... not even once, lit up.  

I'm not a preacher now.  I understand what it's like.  I know how friggin' hard it is and I also know that people don't quit, unless they've had it.  Really had it.   I've been going to the gym for 2 years now.  I was disgusted at the smell coming from my coat in my gym locker after a workout.  It was gross.  I would leave the gym and light up in my car on my way home.  Nasty.  I saw smoking friends my age with the little lines forming around their lips.  I saw my non smoking friends without those lines.  I could see them starting in me.   I saw my money FLY out of my wallet... to the tune of $2500.00 a year... and I didn't even smoke that much!!!!   I was tired of sinus infection after sinus infection.  I was tired of EVERY cold starting in my head and ALWAYS ending up in my lungs.  I hated the cough I had every morning.  The smoker's 'hack'.   I hated ending up in Emerg. for asthma attacks and having the doctor ask the dreaded "Do you smoke?", and having to say yes.  Oh, that was humiliation-- because they were right.  One year and not ONE trip to emerg. for asthma since.  I had made a list and all of the above (and a few more) were on it.  I carried that little list around and the damn thing worked.  I would pull it out in moments of doubt.  

I LOVED smoking, oh, how I loved it.  But I HATED quitting.  I don't want to have to quit ever again.  I watch people around me struggle with it, and I don't want to go through that again.  I'll stay where I am thank you very much.

I am a non smoker.  :)

I'm gonna miss you little bitches....

Donna's Quit Stats:

Since Wednesday, January 16, 2008,  I've been smoke-free for:

1 Year(s), 1 Days, 23 Hours, 23 Minutes, 40 Seconds.

I have saved $2,517.33 by not smoking 5137 cigarettes.

By not smoking I have added

33 Days, 3 Hours, 6 Minutes, 28 seconds.

to my life expectancy.

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I Had To...

I realize I haven't written in a while, and the longer I go without writing, the harder a time I have coming up with something to write about.
So this is still about nothing.
It is the middle of the afternoon in the middle of January, and I am about at my lowest at this point. I hate this time of year. It sucks the life out of me. I could sleep the next two months and be happy.
I just had a nap (which I am perfecting on my days off at this time of year) and woke up NEEDING sugar. I have this cookie batter which has been sitting in my fridge and... voila.... I popped some of that crap into the oven, and then ate cookies so bloody hot afterwards, I had to slide them onto a plate and use a fork. I have 3rd degree burns to my tongue right now, I'm sure.
So here is the aftermath. I ate 2 1/2 and now I'm done. I guess the girls at work are getting some cookies tomorrow....

Happy January everyone. Here's to a New Year filled with good things-- like maybe the declaration that we'll be skipping Januaries from now on. Haha.


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