Saturday, July 28, 2007


This is Nixie sitting on a fallen tree in Avery park last year. The large yellow X means the tree was marked to be cut down, but a big wind storm came in and took most of the trees down with it. She loves climbing on anything and she loves going down a slide! We took all three to the mountains today. It was cool and smelled so wonderful. Avery was a little jumpy, of course Lance didn't help that by throwing rocks out into the forest just to watch the big dogs go running after them! We all had a great time. Traz got tired, but it was a long up hill climb. He did a lot better than he would have last week. No more liquid flea treatments for Traz. I really believe now that is what caused the last two bad episodes, his confusing and crossed legs. I read that it would do that to a dog with DM, but I either didnt believe it or am still in denial that Traz has something neurological going on. I learned from Shadow's illness, it really doesn't matter what I think or do, it will run its course and nothing I do can or will change that. We will just continue to shower him with love like always and count ourselves lucky for every day that he is in our lives. Today I am thankful for Oregon's lush green forests, warm summer sun and three happy tired dogs.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

28 years ago yesterday I said yes......


We celebrated our 28Th wedding anniversary yesterday. It hardly seems possible. The picture is Lance and I at around 20 or 21 years old, I don't remember my hair being so red, but I do remember Lance having those long sideburns, they were all the thing in the late seventies! and he liked Elvis, ha ha ha. We met at 18 years old and got married 7 months later. We moved from Oregon to Nebraska the month after we got married. We knew 2 people in Nebraska, the friends who talked us into moving there! We were truly on our own right from the start. We met great people there and had wonderful times that are now perfect memories. I was home sick a lot though, and was glad when we finally came back to Oregon for good, 17 years ago now. Lance and I have had a great life together. We've traveled and seen places we only dreamed of when were these two young kids, just starting out. We work together, spend all of our free time together and still wish there were more hours in the day to be together. Today I am thankful for this perfect life, great memories of years shared with my loving husband and of course , thankful that he's a dog lover too!

Sunday, July 15, 2007

All Three Sitting Still At One Time


I was determined to get a picture of all three dogs (far left --Traz. middle-Avery. right-Nixie.) I am holding their favorite toy above my head and Lance snapped the picture! Its not a perfect pose, but its all three in it, ha ha ha. This was a great dog weekend. Perfect weather and lots of outside time. Avery took two trips with us yesterday, first to the downtown car show, he had a great time meeting and greeting people. Then to Silverfalls in the afternoon, he enjoyed that even more, tons of people petted him and he got to pee in the creek, ha ha ha...he is such a boy dog! Today I am thankful for my perfectly simple life, sunny days and sharing life with the ones I love.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Avery Killing Seaweed


Avery found this huge, long piece of seaweed and drug it around the sand until there wasn't much left of it. He really enjoyed that. I was somewhat disappointed that there were no other dogs for him to play with. I know the one Vet I took Nixie to said dogs shouldn't go in the ocean because the salt water is drying and the Salmon residue could hurt them. I say Pish..! to that. Let dogs have fun. There is not one off leash park in the city we live in now, but we still have the one where we work, so I am thankful for that. Dogs need to run, just ask Traz! He still runs every day, even with his legs giving out on him. It's 100 degrees today, Avery never noticed, nor did Traz. Nixie on the other hand, hates the heat. She waits by the door to get back in to the air conditioning. She's a girly-girl, ha ha ha. Today I am thankful for air conditioning!, but more thankful for everyone I am surround by that made me laugh today.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Avery's First Trip To The Ocean

Whats so funny about this picture is, I think I have worn this same coat to the beach for the past 15 years..!! ha ha. I know I have a picture of Shadow and I walking along this same beach and there I am in the red coat, funny. Avery had a great time. He was brave, but not stupid about the waves. He didn't drink a lot of salt water (big improvement over Traz)
I had Nixie to the vet yesterday, we got a new medicine for her allergies and she played this morning! She ran in the yard and even got frisky with me when I came out the door. She hasn't done that in a year or more. I feel encouraged! Today, I am thankful for perfect summer weather and long sunny days. I am thankful to have had this day to spend with the loves of my life (husband included) I'm also thankful for the fish shack that we have eaten at nearly every coast trip for as long back as I can remember, thankful to be sharing the extra fries with a new puppy after his first trip to the beach!