Posts from the ‘Bob’ category

Isaiah 40: on wings like eagles.

I write this Wednesday evening. We are close to finishing week 1 post TPLO surgery. Bear is doing very well! Mostly, he moves with caution. He waits for me to get the Gingerlead on and also “helps” when I lift him in and out of the Jeep by lifting his legs. He gives me lots of kisses when he’s in…Thanks for the lift! Thanks for taking me! I love you!

If he has any pain or discomfort he is not showing it although he is still on some pain medication. I am so grateful this first week has gone well.

I’m adjusting to a different routine and struggling a bit. It always takes me some time to change gears, drop some things that just do not need doing and stick to the absolute priorities. Walks are not really a break for me at the moment as it is physically and mentally demanding to support Bear as well as keep my footing in what is now ice and slush. A few new muscles are making themselves known :)!

This morning, I sat at the kitchen table with my first cup of coffee and just enjoyed the light, the snow, the smell of a pot of beans simmering…

Bear sleeping peacefully. Bob is around the corner on his bed.

After a bit, I listened to today’s Pray as you go. The reading was Isaiah 40. It is a favorite of mine. The subtitle in my NIV Bible is “Comfort for God’s people”. This chapter describes God’s majesty and his goodness and a directive to trust and draw strength from Him.

40:28-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary
they will walk and not be faint.

Amen :) !

Hearing those words, sitting quietly, letting go of worry and fear and tiredness and knowing I have all of the strength and time that I need.

Today’s work day went well. Not quite a full day but close and all got done that had to get done.

Along the line of resting…much as I liked the comfort of sleeping near Bear, particulary those first nights, I knew I had to get back to my own bed. Bob was trying to sleep with Bear. Bear was not 100% with that program and so would move. I would wake up. Etc. And I was hovering over Bear a bit. I know the best I can do for all of us is to keep calm and peaceful in my mind.

I bought a tool to help all of us… (I am SO grateful for Amazon Prime!)

A baby monitor :) !! BTW, this is a very inexpensive one and it was plug and play and works great. And I am not the only one using it for pets per the Amazon reviews. One person wanted to try it to keep an eye on their chickens.

Anyway, it keeps an eye on Bear and I can both see and hear from the bedroom so I’m not jumping up to check on him.

I have the camera set to get a view of the room. It has infrared for nighttime. I am so pleased with the darn thing.

The first night, I waited until I woke about 2:45 and moved to my bed with Bob for a half-night trial. All good. Last night, I went to bed in my bed for a full night. All good. I think we all had a more restful night. Bear was asleep every time I woke. If his eyes are open the infrared makes them glow white. Before I fell asleep, I heard a bit of clanging – he was getting a drink of water and the camera/monitor picked up the water dish bumping the frame it sits in. I watched on the monitor as he got his drink and went back to his bed.

Ultimately, a lot of peace of mind for me and slightly more normal for all of us. Bear wants to go to the chairs he normally sleeps in but that is two steps up to get in them, so we are waiting at least another week – we’ll see how the 2 week post-op checkup goes.

This is one reason the sunroom was the recuperative room of choice: it is the one room in the house that allows Bear to see outside from the floor.

But then…he later chose one of the few spots with no rug. Funny boy!

Week 2 – onward…on wings like eagles!

A nutty Monday

This morning was a nut butter morning…

Peanut butter on the left, pecan-almond butter on the right.

Backtracking to the weekend…we all had a restful weekend. I added another bed to the recuperative suite as it became clear that my single was not necessarily going to be mine. It is musical beds but so far, I’ve been able to snag the largest for nighttime. I did have one nap in the smaller bed and it is quite comfortable.

While I would rather Bear had not had to have this surgery, given that he did and we have a critical period of rehab…I am not feeling like living in the sunroom is a hardship at all. It is very cozy and we are comfortable. Yesterday, I went in the bedroom for a change of clothes and the bedroom felt almost strange. I was glad to get back to the kitchen/sunroom which feels like home. I’ve thought that if I get a chance to build the house I’d like to build, it would be 1 large room with a kitchen corner, a sitting corner, a sleeping corner …a bath/utility room with a door, but otherwise – 1 open space. This experience confirms that I would very much like that. And it wouldn’t have only a front porch…it would have a wrap around porch with doors on all sides – high ceilings so the roof could overhang the porch all around. I have a friend who can design this perfectly.

Well, back to Monday.

For this morning’s nap, Bear in my bed and Bob in the dog bed that is now Bob’s bed as the dog’s preference leans in a different direction…

In lieu of a morning nap on a workday morning, I indulged in one of the nutty mochas I like to make with whatever nut butter is left in the blender. And this morning, for an extra special treat…cashew cream whip with cashew caramel drizzle. I think I can now get on with my day :) !

Open House

There have been several hard freezes.

The few bugs and flies here are done.

I took down the “screen” curtain on the front door: a right of passage to Fall and Winter.

And that got me to thinking, that maybe the gates in the house could go also.

No gates.

Open House.

Happy Us!

***Both screen and gates were removed on 10/18.

Morning

After a dramatic cold front that took temperatures 20 degrees (F) colder with three nights in the 20’s, we bounced back to somewhere in the middle. A change to “wet and cold” is forecast for the weekend. We really need some rain and I am looking forward to having a fire in the woodstove and cozying up inside even if it does mean boots, hat and coat for outside excursions.

But meanwhile, we are all enjoying the sunshine.

Bear’s leg is finally doing better. Not 100% yet, but we doing a bit more off leash and normal.

While he did not chafe or object to the leash, he is also obviously happy to be off!

Beardog in sunshine – beautiful.

A treat is the normal reward for a good walk. All walks are good walks!

Bob joined us in the sunshine.

And I lingered over a second cup of coffee before going in to start my work day.

Morning.