Did we break his tail?

I accumulate enough dog fur in my house on a weekly basis to knit a nice sized blanket. So, when it is time to give the pups a bath, my bathroom is off limits. Wet fur in the place when I am supposed to be getting clean does not excite me.


Fortunately it is easier, quicker, and causes less dirtying of our home if we use the hose. Unfortunately, this means Ransom has to endure some cold baths. We try to plan it on a sunny day that isn’t super cold, but on Saturday it was in the 40s and I felt pretty bad watching his legs quiver while we cleaned him as quickly as possible.

And it is always worth it [to us]. He smells lovely and he is super-soft all over. I can hardly stop touching him when he is clean and pretty. The next day Ransom was extra cuddly and sweet. He kept coming up to me to get petted and loved – which is abnormal. Usually, he finds a comfy place to lay and stays there.

That’s when I noticed that his tail was all wrong. It just hung limp. It didn’t wag. It didn’t have its normal perk. Something was wrong. Was he sick and his tail was showing me that? Or was something wrong with his tail? I tried to think through the past 24 hours to remember if we had shut his tail in a door or something. But we hadn’t. I also noticed that he didn’t want to sit and when I told him to, he tried but, wouldn’t put his bottom all the way to the ground.

It must be the tail.

I started feeling along his tail – which he hates even on a normal day. But at the very base of the tail, it was sensitive to him and he would yelp if I put pressure on it. By now he was using the full forces of his powers through those big brown eyes and especially since he was clean, I was succumbed to his powers and immediately babying him. Rubbing him and accepting licks that I normally do not. He had Hubs under his spell, too and was getting treats that he gets only for going into his kennel.

Hubs did some research and found out that his tail was most likely not broken, but as a result of the cold water bath we forced on him, he had something called “Dead Tail” or “Cold Water Tail.” Sensitivity at the base and a limp tail that is held horizontally for 3-4 inches and then drops are the signs. The tail remains in position even with the dog moves. The best thing to do is leave the tail alone and let the dog rest. Recovery should be complete in 2 weeks, but usually in a couple of days. It is usually associated with hard workouts in under-conditioned dogs, heavy hunting and swimming or bathing in water too cold or too warm.

Ransom’s tail has never been normal. It has a curl at the end and I’ve been grateful because we don’t have to worry about the normal killer-wag from labs. His does a nice soft bounce when he wags and I definitely prefer that over the unnatural hang we have going on now. I feel bad about his tail, but honestly, I don’t think it will stop me from bathing him outside.



Produce

I had heard of these co-op things before, but never really understood what to do or how to order. I'd always been interested in trying it out, but then was faced with the daunting question of what to buy and was it worth it. This past week, I finally tried one out.

I was told to order a Produce Basket. It consists of 50/50 fruits and veggies, supposedly enough to feed a family of 4 for 2 weeks. It cost $23.50 and the only kicker is that you don't know what you'll get because it is based on availability and season.

Ordering was easy - completely online. I picked a drop-off spot about 2 miles away and I had a 15 minute time frame to pick it up. If I was late, I lost out on my produce and my money. Pretty great incentive to not forget. The only extra cost to take into account was that you have to buy a bag the first time you go for $1.

After I ordered, I was pretty nervous. What would we get? Was it worth it? We don't have a ton of any extra funds if this was a horrible flop. But, Hubs has been eating smoothies almost every morning of the week and we both want to eat lots of fruits and veggies.

Wednesday came and I went to pick up my order. The co-op is run completely by volunteers and they had it running smoothly. I walked in, gave my name, picked up my bag, and left. Here is what I got:

4 apples
1 pineapple
5 bananas
2 oranges
5 mineolas
6 kiwi
1 pound strawberries
3 broccoli crowns
1 bunch asparagus
1 bag spinach
1 head romaine
2 green peppers
1 zucchini
1 eggplant
2 tomatoes

Besides the eggplant, we will eat everything. Richard has fruit and spinach galore for smoothies, I froze the broccoli, and everything else can be eaten before it rots. Neither of us prefer zucchini, but I've heard it is really good in bread so I'm going to try that.

Plus, pineapples, asparagus and strawberries are too pricey for me to actually buy at the grocery store, so I really do think that we got a great deal. All those fresh vegetables and fruits for $23.50. I can't wait to see what kinds of goodies we get in the summer!

If you have every wanted to try something like this, I'd suggest getting the produce basket, if they have it. The one I ordered from was: www.communityhelpingscoop.com.

The magical mug has lost its power

This mug had special powers.

Each day for the past 4 weeks I walked into my Starbucks and handed the barista this mug. She would fill it up with my favorite brew and handed it back to me. No questions asked and no money given. Just a magical mug that gives free coffee whenever. Pretty much a dream come true for me.

But then...the magic stopped.

Today, my magical mug no longer works. I walked right on past my Starbucks store, not even glancing in that direction. Immediately at work I filled up a different mug with normal office coffee. Not even close to the same. It was sad.

On the last day of magic, my Starbucks unknowingly brewed one of my favorite blends [Cafe Estima]. Yep, I used my magic mug two times that day.

So, I might be going through a withdrawal for the next few days; but it sure was fun while it lasted!

St. Louis Site: Blues Hockey Game

For Christmas, Hubs got tickets to the St. Louis Blues hockey game. This was our first NHL hockey game ever. In fact, all my hockey knowledge comes straight from the Mighty Ducks movies - all three of them.

We took the MetroLink to the Scottrade Center, where the Blues play. Its is so convenient to not have to worry about parking and really, I'm not sure you could park closer without paying a ridiculous amount and then worrying about whether your car gets broken into or not.

I insisted we use some of my Christmas cash for food at the arena, which is a treat for us. And then we went to find out seats.

They were great seats. We were 5 rows behind the penalty box. For first timers, it was awesome because you could really grasp how fast the puck moves, and how fast the players move. I was always focused on the game because it was right in front of me.

I didn't understand everything, but caught on more and more as the periods progressed. It also got more excited as the game went on and I found myself standing up and cheering for the team. The blues had 38 shots total, and finally scored on shot 37 very close to the end of the game.

And although I watched for it, I never did see the "V" formation that always worked for the Mighty Ducks.

The Blues won, which added to the first time experience. And, I would definitely go again. I enjoyed it much more than baseball - it was fast paced, they played some great music, and you don't have to sit outside and sweat in the summer heat. Actually, I'd suggest wearing warm clothes...it got a bit chilly in there after a while.

I am officially a fan of the St. Louis Blues and it's something to see when visiting St. Louis. I may even be caught trying to watch a game on TV!

Question of the Day

Will our Christmas decor be put away by the time our friends come over on Friday evening?

Don't judge me. Please.

Adventures in Grocery Shopping

Hubs and I went grocery shopping together today.

First, we went to Trader Joe's. Always crowded, but totally worth it.

Then, we went to Wal-Mart. Always crowded, and totally despise it.

Parking is a nightmare at both spots. At Wal-Mart, I point out an open spot next to the cart corral.

Hubs: You know I don't park next to the cart corrals.

Me: It's probably the safest place to park at Wal-Mart. Nobody actually uses them.

I earned a high-five for that one, as we walked in a saw carts strewn about the lot just feet from their convenient corrals.

Between the two stores, we walked out spending only $49 for a week of groceries. Not. Too. Shabby. I think I'm finally learning to shop smart. I think.

Comfy

I'm ba-ack (said in a sing-song voice). I've ignored my blog for over 3 weeks which hasn't happened in the almost 4 years that I've been blogging. There aren't any excuses for my absence either. I just haven't blogged.

But here I am now, and today I'm sharing a story about the pups.

Ransom has always had a thing for comfy, soft items. He loves stuffed toys, although he never gets them because they end up destroyed and eaten. Our entire upstairs consists of hard wood and tile, so we find him either on his bed in the bedroom or in the basement on the couch [the only piece of furniture he is allowed on]. When we visit our parents, he isn't allowed on the couches either, so he searches for whatever comfy spot he can find.

Over New Year's weekend, the only comfy spot available was a dog bed meant for a pup 1/3 of his size. That doesn't stop this dog. Somehow, he turned and twisted and pushed its limits until he made it work - determined not to lay on the hard wood when something comfy was around.

It might have been a comfy spot, but it certainly could not have been a comfortable position. Minutes later, he was curled up tighter inside the bed, snoring away.

His cousin, Holly, was less than thrilled that he took over her bed.