Adding to the Family!

We have been searching for another dog to add to our family for some time now. We tried to adopt a dog last January that did not work out. He was not happy here and consequently made the rest of us very miserable. We took him back to his owner after a week.

We talked about doing a puppy. We talked about just waiting. We looked for awhile and then stopped for awhile. I decided to go back on Craigslist and look... and had found several dogs that we liked. A few ads actually belonged to scammers wanting to take our money. That being said... I came across an ad for a Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Shepherd... a 5 year old female that is a housedog. We sent an email off and waited.

They responded the next day and arranged to bring her to meet us. She ended up staying and we are on day 3 of getting adjusted. She's a BIG dog... very tall and long, with a very large head. She's extremely intelligent... and is very protective already. She's attached to me all day until John gets home and then she ignores me in favor of the Big Dog. She is quite a picky eater and it's going to take time to get her tummy adjusted as she has a sensitive stomach.

Her coat is short but she does shed. Thank God that we just purchased a new Dyson animal quick vac! I think we will be getting a new Dyson animal vac soon to keep up with the fur. Punky is taking a rather wide berth for now... but does spend most of her day being attached to my right side. Having 2 dogs in the house again is very different... and Sophie-dog is keeping me very busy as I work on helping her learn the noises of the house and noises of wind and pine cones hitting the roof and snow plows and car doors. It will take some time for her to learn to take cues on what to be alarmed at. She does have pretty good house manners and some training. We are already working on improving her training skills.

We went to Petsmart and purchased her a new dog bed... but she's so long, it doesn't fit her. She did not enjoy going to Petsmart and had to go back out to the truck. She's not really been socialized all that much... so my plan to have a "therapy dog" will likely have to wait. It will depend on if I can get her trained to not be so timid and scared of new environments. So... with out further ado, meet our Sophie!

These photos were taken at her previous home... She was being fostered as her owner had a stroke and they were afraid Sophie would knock her over trying to be affectionate. It's my observation that Sophie is able to gage how to best interact... she is very gentle with me on the stairs and does not pull me when on lead. I can't wait for the weather to clear enough to be able to take her outside and work with her.

Thanks for reading... have a blessed day!
~Suzanne

A Long Overdue Daybook Post

FOR TODAY (January 17, 2013)...

Outside my window... it's 32 degrees, with 4 inches of snow on the ground.

I am thinking... it's time to start looking for another dog for our house... one that I could train for therapy work.

I am thankful for... a hard working husband that works seemingly endless hours to provide for us.

 

From the kitchen... I made chili last night and plan on making a Frito Pie with left-overs.

 

I am wearing... a black and pink dressing gown... still haven't hit the shower yet today.

I am creating... a new crafting area in the guest room... excited about that!

 

I am going... likely "nowhere" since it's cold and icy out. I like to stay in!

I am reading... the autobiography "Rod"... about Rod Stewart.

I am hoping... to plan a little day trip for DH and I in the coming month.

 

I am hearing... the laundry going in the other room and cars going by on main road.

Around the house... I am working on slowly cleaning things, dusting and putting things away.

 

One of my favorite things... is that Punky dog has become so bonded to me since I am no longer working. She loves to be next to me or even better... being in my lap for a belly rub.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week: To continue to get things back under control after being sick with the flu for 7 days. To be able to sit at my craft table and work on a project.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

One of Those Lucky People...

I am one of those "Lucky People" who have been suffering from the flu. I am finally on the backside of it... but the flu took all of my energy and interest with it when it left.

I still have a lingering cough and some body aches. I have a really bad case of "sofa-itis" and a side of "I don't really care" thrown into the mix. I am still very fatigued and I can't seem to go to sleep at a normal time causing me to have to sleep in every day. (I don't like to sleep that late... it screws up the day!) But for some reason... my body is requiring that I sleep 9 to 10 hours... with a nap in the afternoon for good measure.

You may recall that I had to go off my synthroid in December and go in to a hypo-thyroid state which caused me to sleep 18 hours a day. I don't know if this fatigue is part of that... part of a lingering flu symptom... or something else. I do know that I have no energy or desire to do anything. All I want is to sleep. It's all I can do to clean up the kitchen and make dinner for DH. I made myself a doctors appointment for Tuesday... and I do have a sleep study scheduled for tonite.

I am trying to bring some sense of normalcy back to this house from before I stopped working. It's not working and yet it's driving me a little crazy that I can't seem to get everything back to a neat and orderly stage for some reason. I think I am going to start with trying to get my dining room table uncluttered (DH's favorite dumping ground) and work on all the paper that never gets tossed or shredded. (I think I will even break out the shredder from under the desk and out it into overdrive.)

Well... it seems that writing about my issues has helped and I am ready to go tackle the 2 afore mentioned projects and get that shredder going! If you see smoke from over my way... that will be the shredder!

Thanks for reading!
~Suzanne