Let the chaos begin

This week has been... well, crazy. I'm sorry I was quiet for a bit... I haven't been feeling well, so I haven't been on top of my game to start with, which makes everything seem like it takes a lot more effort than usual. Our preparations for our upcoming big trip back to Alaska are in full swing. So much to do, so little time. In between starting to get stuff organized, fixing the lane again so we can get the 5th wheel out to get it's tires and brakes checked, we are also preparing for a three day trip next week for Doctors appointments and last minute shopping for the trip and 5th wheel. And my last big splurge at my favorite used bookstore.

Douglas tried one time with his morning coffee to update the blog, but I guess he got too lazy. 

Earlier in the week, I found an abscess on Flavious, one of my Great Pyrenees guard dogs, near his second dew claw. It is a royal mess - infected, sore, you name it. It was covered in hair so I'm not sure when it appeared and he hasn't showed any discomfort or trouble walking, and he's certainly still running around, play fighting with Max, eating, etc. 

Anyway, I knew he had to go to the Vet right away, so I made an appointment for today. I had some reservations about the clinic I was taking him to, because I am just uncomfortable with them from past experiences. Some have been good, some have not been, and that may be normal, but when it comes to my critters - I worry like a mother over her child (like a lot of you do too I'm sure!) So I lost sleep worrying about this. Until by chance I found out, purely by accident that my favorite Vet had just opened up his own clinic! This Vet has dealt with our farm kids before and saved my blind ram, Lambie pie. I trust him - and that is saying a lot. I called right away and they said they could see Flav today too. 

Jim (our farm helper/friend) came late last night so we could take his car which is way easier to load Flavious into than the big truck, and so he could help me, which was greatly appreciated. We took Flav in this morning and the poor kid is just a hot mess. It turns out it isn't an abscess, but a tumor, so it needs to be removed. Hopefully it's not cancer. I started to freak myself out a little bit when the thought occurred to me it might be...but then I remembered recently, I've decided to be a calmer Donna than ever before (which would make anyone who knows me break into hysterical laughter) so there was no need - at this time, to freak out. Flavious was a very good boy while getting his shots and getting his dry skin looked at- he pretty much just lied there like he was dead, which is exactly what he did when it was time to move him. Ever tried picking up a hundred and something pound Great Pyrenees and carrying him to the car, then lifting him into the car? It wasn't easy.

Poor Flav (as he'd like to be called... any extra sympathy is surely appreciated by him)  is on antibiotics now, and first thing Tuesday morning he'll go back and have the tumor removed and hopefully be on the road to healing. It will be a long road after that, trying to keep him dry and away from Max for a while... It will be like my own personal version of mission impossible.

Your mission... if you choose to accept it... 

Dun, dun... dun... 

All the staff at the clinic are great. I feel like one of the great worries of my life has been lifted off my shoulders. Knowing I have people I can rely on and also trust. However - Dr. Greg is not currently seeing farm animals, but hopefully this will change in the future and if needed, I'm fully willing to beg. I did remind him that my critters, Lambie, Sammy, and crew,  are not really farm animals anyway. I mean they live in a barn - but it's actually not a barn but rather a hotel with a maid who comes daily to clean up after you, and it's even got room service for your meals. No pool, but an on site massage therapist and nail spa.

Flavious has recovered from his trip to the Vet today and was his usual playful self when time for evening chores came around.

I had a difficult time getting Flav to eat his antibiotics in treats, because he chews everything into little pieces, drops it on the ground, and then picks up the crumbs... he's done that since he was a pup. So I tried the good old peanut butter trick and that just ended up in tears... Well in reality, me covered in peanut butter. I found out that as long as I get the meds and whatever treat it's in, in his mouth partway, he'll eat it. If I just hand it to him, he breaks it all up and spits the meds out - so at least I did manage to figure out the trick with him. Norman the chihuahua would eat medicine stuffed inside a shoe if I gave it to him. He's not very particular.

Flavious apparently doesn't even like peanut butter and Max wasn't all that keen on licking it off my hands either. I couldn't get help cleaning up the sticky mess to save me. 

In other news... the little dogs have been enjoying (depends who you ask) the freak snow storms we've had earlier in the week. 

And while thankfully the snow is gone, it's still really cold for this time of year still. The wood stove is burning away in the house to keep the chill away. 

Brina was up at the house this evening, and on the way to the barn for chores she was pretty anxious to get there so she could have her bottle...

 are you coming?

lets go!

For now, I'm off to bed. I'm the kind of tired where you can't see straight and you have to give yourself a pep talk just to drag, or walk, yourself the few feet into the bedroom to get to bed at all. If I don't make it, I'll sleep where I fall. Right now, it really doesn't matter to me. 

So, goodnight for now, and sweet dreams all.