A Day in Pictures

The morning was spent doing some mild cleaning and then Byron's sister Alice came by to visit.  We let them play outside a bit before taking them on a short outing.    Basil has quite the crush on Alice.    Here are a few of my favorite pictures from today:






Basil lets Byron bite all over his muzzle.

The Good and the Bad

Dropped into a puppy kindergarten with little Byron last night.  He didn't know WHAT to think.  He adjusted well considering it was a full class (three hairless terriers, a yorkie, a large mix, vizlea, beagle and king charles spaniel) and the terriers loved to talk.  He loved people, had little interest in the other puppies.  I'm hoping some time in daycare will help him warm up to other dogs easier.  He gets his 12 week boosters on the 11th so after that I'm gonna start him doing a day of daycare when I'm able to. 

This weekend I plan on hanging out at the local outdoor mall to let him get some people exposure.  We'll find a quiet bench and see if any passersby want to give him treats.    He's a great little dog.  He loves toys and has really taken a liking to Bernie.  Bernie hasn't returned the sentiment yet, she will sometimes try to play with him but generally doesn't have any interest and raises her lip at him while he licks her muzzle.

And the bad news.... Ringo's company got bought out.  The deal will go through early next year.  There is talk of the Tampa office he works in getting shut down completely.  I hope he doesn't get laid off before he is able to find another job.  I told him to start applying nationwide and take what he can get.  I can sell the house in a year and a half and move wherever he is.  If we have to live apart for a year and a half so be it.  Hopefully that doesn't happen. 

Wordless Wednesday

Exhausting Week and Weekend

Last Monday I decided I'd had enough of this being sick and went to the doctor.  I was diagnosed with an ear infection along with a sinus infection.  Went home after that to rest and get ready for family coming in later that week.  I didn't really start to feel better until Wednesday.  The cough syrup makes me SO sleepy.

My parents drove down Wednesday afternoon and we visited for a bit until Ringo came home.  Ringo's grandfather died on October 9th so they came down for the funeral.  He was such a sweet man and the short time I knew him I loved seeing him.  Ringo was so lucky to have him in his life.  Thursday was the funeral.  He was buried in the National Cemetary in Bushnell.  I don't think there was a dry eye around when they played Taps.

Friday we drove up to Orlando to pick up Byron.  He was the last puppy there as all the others had been picked up earlier in the week.  I couldn't believe how big he was compared to Bernie and Basil as puppies.  The breeder showed me how to tape his ears and we loaded up in the car for the ride home.  He settled in between mom and me in the backseat and napped most of the way.

He is quite the cuddler.  His favorite things in life are soft toys and sitting in your lap getting his neck rubbed.  He hates the ear tape but likes to have us scratch his ears since he can't get to it.  He's running around the house and yard really well and the dogs are getting used to him.  Basil was not pleased when he first came home.  Bernie seemed rather indifferent after giving him the once over.  He was up every two hours the first night home.

His vet visit went really well.  Dr. Ricci loves him and commented about what a great puppy he is.  He was very calm and let her do the exam without protest.  He weig  He even took treats from her which surprised me since he's been a bit of a fincky eater since coming home.  He met his first scary little boy in the waiting room and warmed up to him after initially being a bit scared.  Once I showed the little boy where he likes his neck rubbed he fell in love.

I'm hoping he starts to eat a little better.  We're switching him and Basil over to Nature's Variety - Prairie kibble.  He will eat about half a cup and then get distracted and go watch something else.  He only woke up twice last night so maybe he's getting more comfortable at home.  He doesn't cry much in his crate at all which is nice.

I'm taking him to agility practice tonight with Basil.  My friend Ellen has been kind enough to offer to check on him during the day when both Ringo and I are working.  I leave the radio tuned to 80's music so it isn't too silent.

He played with Basil outside for the first time yesterday.  Previously Basil would just ignore him or raise his lip when Byron came near but it seems he is warming up to him.  Byron's neck was soaked after this short play session.



He's a good little puppy.  He follows us around and is already responding to his name.  He is making good choices as far as things to chew on so far, I'm hoping that continues.  All in all, great addition to our family. 

Bernie Raw Diet Progress

Yesterday my vets office called with the test results of Bernie's recent urinalysis. Everything was completely normal, no crystals, white blood cells, bacteria or red blood cells in the urine. Her pH is still 8.0 which is too alkaline but we're working on that. This is progress from her last urinalysis that still showed some crystals in the urine.

I did breathe a sign of relief that something worked for her issue. Earlier this year she had to have bladder surgery to remove a very large stone. She somehow went into sepsis after that and nearly died. It was a long way back to normal. After trying various foods to manage her urinary crystals I ended up going "whole hog" and having a raw diet formulated by a nutritionist.

Now we're in the routine of making her food every two weeks and she knows when her food is being made. She'll corgi splat in the middle of the kitchen while we make it for her. Might also have to do with me giving her the leftover apples, bananas, kale and blueberries that I don't need. Basil loves it too, especially carrots.

For now, Bernie will be the only one on a raw diet because of time constraints and the fact that Basil's little digestive system doesn't handle change very well AT ALL. Byron and Basil will likely move to Natures Variety food or something like that since I want to get him off of the now Proctor and Gamble owned Innova Evo.

Sheep Herding

Today was full of me driving around all over three counties.  I took the dogs sheep herding up in Groveland, brought them back home to Tampa, drove back up to Brooksville to wish my niece a happy 4th birthday and then back home again to finally "relax" (editing video and pix from herding event).  Anyway - here is what I've edited so far.  Enjoy!

When Corgis Disagree

Everyone has a disagreement once in a while, this one happens to be over a particularly smelly spot to roll in. Bernie thinks she should be the only one rolling in it. Basil disagreed and some mouth wrestling/vocalization ensued. All over in a matter of two seconds and no corgis were harmed in the taking of this photo.  Too bad humans can't solve their disagreements as efficiently.  

Wordless Wednesday

Bernie Scenting

Extremely Late Takeoff

 

Time To Make You Hungry

Since the weather has finally cooled off, I think I'm going to make a batch of gumbo up as a treat for the husband that is one year older tomorrow.  The recipe I use doesn't have okra in it since he doesn't like okra.  Still excellent none the less and not that difficult to do once you get the hang of making a roux.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 lbs sausage (we use mild and hot smoked country sausage)
• 2 quarts of chicken broth (you won't need all of it but you need enough to stir in to the mixture)
• Butter or oil for roux (we use 1.5 cup of peanut oil)
• flour (we use 3 cups of white flour)
• 2 large onion, diced
• 2 large green pepper, diced
• 2 head garlic, diced (as many cloves as you'd like)
• 2 stalks celery, cut up
• salt
• pepper
• cayenne pepper (to taste)
• cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's, available on the internet or in grocery stores)

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a cast iron skillet
2. Brown chicken and set aside
3. Add remaining oil and heat until a pinch of flour sizzles when you put it in (heat is usually on med/high
4. Slowly add a spoonful of flour one at a time and whisk to incorporate it in before adding the next spoonful.  Do this until all 3 cups of flour has been added.  
5. Continue whisking roux mixture until the color has turned milk chocolate brown or darker depending on how rich of a roux you want.
6. When the roux is the color you wish it to be add in the chopped vegetables to stop the roux from cooking.  Mix all vegetables in and let them cook until the onions are clear.
7. Pour roux and veggie mixture into a crockpot.  Add the browned chicken breast cut up into smaller pieces and cut up sausage.  Mix together.
8. Slowly add a bit of chicken broth in and stir mixture in crockpot.  Keep adding until the consistency of ingredients is a thick soup.  
9. Add spices
10. Turn crockpot on low and cook for 3-4 hours.  Check the gumbo and spoon off any oil floating on top.  If it seems to be too thick add more broth.
11. Serve with white rice and french bread.  I also recommend serving with Gumbo File' found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores.

Any leftovers can be refrigerated to have the next day.   It will serve six hungry people easily.  

The peanuts I ordered should be here soon so I'll get to boil those this week too. :)
Katie's Green Boiled Peanuts

One Less Weekend

Can I just say, getting a baby gate should not be such a dramatic thing. I ordered a couple of inexpensive ones online (the kind that stay in place and have a gate that swings open and shut). Ringo didn't like it so I returned them and we picked one out together at Babies R Us. He wanted one that looked nice so we picked one out and took it home later on Saturday to install it.

The gate installation was a pain let me just put it that way. Once I manhandled it into place it works fine. The dogs now can't get near the front door since we blocked off all points of entry into the front rooms of the house (sitting room & dining room). I know Bernie likes to sleep in the front room but she'll find a new place to sleep in the other 1800 square feet of the house.

I got absolutely nothing done in the yard except getting my yard man to fix the sprinkler head that was snapped off last time they cut my lawn.

The dreaded patio swing wasn't removed this weekend like I hoped it would be. I'm gonna call someone else and see if they want to take it. We did purchase garden fencing to go beside the neighbors fence as an extra barrier. I've just gotta clear out the debris and put it up. Ringo bought me a little sledgehammer to use.

Byron homecoming countdown: 10 days.

Tomorrow is Ringo's birthday!

And a good portion of this weekend was spent working on a special quilt for a certain niece. Pictures to follow.