70+ lbs of Enthusiasm

Meet Ruby. The 9 month-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy I'm currently fostering --70+ lbs of enthusiasm, with only a modicum of self-control at this point. Exuberant doesn't even begin to cover it! Did you see the Academy Awards where the winner for Best Director bounced as he accepted the award "in the spirit of Tigger"? That's Ruby, in a nutshell.

Luckily, she's sweet & eager to please, so she's learning relatively quickly. In the 5 days she's been with me, she's learned to (mostly) bounce NEAR me, not ON me. She's also starting to realize that jumping on me won't earn her any attention, but keeping "4 on the floor" will. We're also working on the basics like "sit", "down", and "stay". She thinks she's a lap dog, but at 70+ lbs (and still growing), I'm working on disavowing her of that notion.

More adventures to come, I am quite sure!!

Things You Should Never Do #729

You should never sneeze while rinsing with mouthwash....Just trust me on this one.

Thankful Thursday

It's been a while, so I'm long overdue for a Thankful Thursday post. I'm going to keep it short & sweet. Right now, I'm thankful for:

• Health -- it really is so precious.
• Friends
• Being able to be there for those friends and for the confidence/trust they put into me in allowing me the opportunity to be there for them

Prayers Needed

My best friend's mother, who is like a 2nd mother to me, needs your prayers. She had a stroke yesterday and has edema on the brain. She's had a rough go healthwise -- she has lupus and has been on full disability since her mid-40's. Lupus can manifest in many ways, some of them pretty horrible. In her case, it's caused a multitude of problems, including brain tumors, broken bones caused by just standing up, and now this.

Please take a moment to offer a thought and send up a prayer for her and for her family. Thanks!

Philosophical Question

Is it wrong to watch The Biggest Loser while eating a bowl of the wonderful dessert (chocolate-orange mousse pie with a brownie crust) my sweetie made for me for Valentines Day?

Just wondering.

The Accidental Expert

Like everyone, I've worked hard to become an expert in my line of work. In addition, even tho I no longer use those skills in a medical environment, I used to, so I'm usually the "go to person" for health related matters in my office. Ditto for dog-training related questions in the rescue group. In all of these cases, these are things that I've studied and/or gained experience and in various other ways worked to become more knowledgeable about them.

Unfortunately, it seems I've gotten that distinction in another way, as well, and I'd give it up in a heartbeat....I've become the expert in cancer support.

We've recently learned that another friend was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, the same type of cancer my SO has been dealing with. Luckily, this friend's form is the indolent/non-aggressive form, as opposed to the highly aggressive version my SO had, but the treatment is the same, right down to the same chemo drugs, same immunotherapy, same schedule, etc. Given that, we've been providing support and information to him and his family since we've been there, done that and might have some insights that would prove helpful. I also find myself being the "go to person" for our mutual friends who want to help, but don't know how to do so.

Obviously, I'm happy to do whatever I can to make such a tough time a little easier. However, I'm not sure I like being the expert in this. I never expected to have to do this once, much less twice. I'd happily resign from the position if only I could.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!! If you haven't yet done so, go tell those that you love that you love them.

It's not you, it's me!!

No, I'm not breaking up with you....Yes, I know I haven't spent any quality time with you in a while. No, it's not you, it's me.

Sorry for the radio silence. I had to hit the ground running when I got back from Florida in order to get ready for an audit here at work (ugh!). The audit is this week/happening now, so hopefully, things will calm down a little and I can tell you about the trip and other stuff going on. Be back as soon as I can.