Christmas Means... Chinese Food and a Movie

Luna sitting pretty by the tree.

Fidel loves his gifts from Grandma Margie!

Eat that gingerbread man!

Luna got her first Coach collar. She's hot.

"When can we open our gifts?"

Corgi stuff from Matt.

Chinese food and a movie, as always! This year we saw that Benjamin Button movie with Brad Pitt. We both agreed that "Slumdog Millionaire" which we saw a few days later, was much better.

This About Sums It Up...

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Rest In Peace My Sweet Prince

December Snow Storm??!!

As some of you may know, we've been inundated for the past week with SNOW! Yes, snow in Western Washington. We're not talking about just a light dusting either. Last night alone we got 6 inches! I know, I know, it doesn't sound like much for those of you back East, but let me tell you, that amount is unheard of here and people just can't handle it. We've also experienced Thunder Snow and hurricane-force winds (70MPH). Yesterday, Matt and I stocked up on batteries and non-perishable food (including cat food). You can find any de-icer, snow brushes, shovels or windshield washer fluid up here in Everett. Its been crazy! I haven't worked since Tuesday (thank God for PTO), but Matt has been braving it to work (even if his friend's driving landed them in a car accident). Craziness, I tell ya!

Here are some pictures from our adventures this morning. Before we could defrost our cars we had to find them first!

Update on Nikita

Matt and I braved the icy tundra that is Western Washington today and got Nikita to his 9am appointment at the veterinary oncologist's.  He's still there now waiting for the radiologist to make it in for his ultrasound, but it is not looking good.  Even with chemotherapy the average life span for a kitty with lymphoma is only 6 months from the time of diagnosis.  We're waiting for the vet to give us a report once the ultrasound is done before we make a decision.  Either way, its not going to be easy.  

Snow Day with the Kids!

Since I teach, I don't have to work when the district is closed so I've been home the past two days with the furkids thanks to the unusual snowy weather outside. So what have I been doing? Besides, housework I've been entertained by the furry ones. Fidel has been very curious about why I am home and wants my attention at all times. So much so that he's found himself in unusual places like in this video!

Silly kitties!  Luna was desperate to find him so she could "heard" him around the house.  

Our Poor, Sweet Nikita

I took Nikita to the vet yesterday for what I thought was just a mild case of dry heaves that he's been experiencing for the past month or so. I had try laxatone but it wasn't getting any better and I knew he was breathing really hard. I thought maybe he had anixety over there being a dog in the household now. Boy was I wrong.

After several x-rays, our Vet confirmed that 90% of his lungs were filled with fluid. The poor guy was struggling to breathe! She managed to drain a lot of the white, milky substance, but not all of it. She sent that and some of his blood off to the lab and we should have the results by tomorrow, Monday. Her face clearly expressed concern over why our 6 year old cat had this problem. He could have lymphoma (FeLv) or a tumor in his lungs or he could have heart problems. He's only 6 years old!

I left with her promising to call with the results on Monday and then we'll discuss the "options." I was also given the information for two emergency vet clinics in case his breathing got worse over the weekend. I could tell by her tone that one of those options might be putting him down. My poor, sweet, Nikita. He's only been with us for 5 years now.

He's home now and resting as comfortably as he can in his window seat. He's still breathing hard and sometimes he has to open his mouth so he can get enough oxygen. Some of you may know that our other cat Fidel was diagnosed with kidney failure and hyperthyroidism 2 years ago. I joked with the vet about our house quickly becoming a pet hospital.

So please keep Nikita in your prayers, thoughts or meditate for his speedy recovery from whatever is ailing him. At the very least, keep your fingers crossed. Its been my experience, that FeLv is a death sentence for cats.

Santa Photos Are Here!

Its a scan of a print so the picture quality isn't great, but isn't she a cutiepie?

Santa Photos!

Luna had her picture taken with Santa today at Artis Photography in Mill Creek. She did really well. Matt said she wasn't really smiling, just giving her "curious" look. I'll be sure that all the "grand"parents get one! Hehe. She did bark at a pretend life-size Santa as we were walking to the studio. Oh, and before pictures I took Luna to Paddywack to get a bone. Apparently we frequent it so much now that the people there know her by name! I was shocked.

I'm reposting the following from the Corgi forum I belong to. I thought it was cute and fitting for Luna.

Luna'd better watch out,

She'd better not bite,

She'd better not cry,

I'm a tellin you why

Santa Dog is coming to town.

He's making pup's lists,

Checking 'em twice,

Gonna find out which corgi's naughty or nice,

Santa Dog is coming to town.

He sees Luna when she's hoarding,

He knows just what she takes,

He knows when she snarls at her brothers,

So be good, for goodness sakes!

Luna'd better watch out,

She'd better not bite,

She'd better not cry,

I'm a tellin you why

Santa Dog is coming to town.

Scarey Christmas Toys

The other night Matt and I went to Wal-Mart to get chocolate. It has become our Friday ritual of sorts. While there we checked out the Chrismas stuff and found a crazy rotating/singing reindeer toy. For whatever reason we thought this would be a great item to take home to Luna and Vlad - our most social pets. Of course, I videotaped it all to share on this blog.

It went over OK, but I totally returned the toy Sunday night!

Remnants of Halloween and... Christmas?

One night, I tried to take pictures of Luna in her cat costume. You can see why she could never really wear it correctly from the pictures.

We definitely won't be buying her anymore costumes with hoods. In fact, my students who had similar hoods with their costumes had the same kind of problems. The hood would just NOT stay on!

Here are the pumpkins that I made for the furbabies. As you can see, I am not a very good painter.

And finally, I purchased Luna her first Christmas gift. A pink signature Coach collar! She's a Coach girl now. She tried it on earlier today and it fits. I don't think she cared though she was just concerned that she was wearing two collars for a little bit today!

Dog Park Grand Opening and Preschool Halloween Party 2008

I woke up early this morning to take Luna to the Grand Opening of the new 4.5 acre Willis D. Tucker Off-Leash area in Snohomish, WA. We were running late and totally forgot her cat costume for the contest! Ugh. Thats twice now because I forgot it for our Halloween party at agility on Tuesday night too. I don't think Luna cared so its alright.

We had a blast at the grand opening! We met 3 other Corgis there, 2 cardis and another pem. Luna really liked the Cardi named "Time." They had a costume contest for the dogs at the pavillion and then afterwards we walked to the new off-leash area where they did a ribbon cutting ceremony. Yes, for a dog park! We came away with so many goodies this morning! The parks department gave us a collapsable water bowl with a bottle of water, treats and biodegradeable poop bags inside and then we got a whole other shopping bag full of treats and free samples from a local pet store. Luna was in heaven. She got lots of compliments and I met lots of nice dog owners from the area. She did mange to get in a tiff with a yellow lab, but through no fault of her own. She told him to back off and he kept egging her on. Man, she was ready for a throw down! I had to drag her away from him quick.

The best part is a play structure company that usually outfits new playgrounds with equipment let the parks department use their dog agility equipment for the day. Can you believe they are now in the buisness of outfitting dog parks with play structures now? Crazy. I got Luna to go through the hoop and go on the teeter totter, she jumped off, but she refused to do the A-Frame. Oh well. We haven't done that in class yet. And might I just add that she is a quick learner at agility class. Our instructors are mighty impressed with her improvement in just three classes. She loves it too and gets excited to go every week.

Yesterday, I survived my class' Halloween Party. The best costume by far was "Speed Racer." She looked great and it was perfect for her because she is obsessed with all things car-related. Check out the picture of Batman and Robin while you are at it. Isn't Robin adorable? He totally struck a pose when I had him stand next to Batman. His mom couldn't get over it. He has some personality. My costume? I was just a pink bunny. With the economy as $hitty as it is, I just couldn't bring myself to spend $40 on a costume I would only wear once so a co-worker's daughter let me borrow her light-up bunny ears she got at the fair!

Howl-O-Ween 2008

Last weekend, Matt and I took Luna to her first Howl-o-ween party hosted by Paddywack, her favorite store. Believe it or not we missed out on 2 more Halloween dog parties this weekend, but her agility class is having one this Tuesday and then we have another one this coming Saturday at the new dog park that is opening up near us. Yes, Western Washington without a doubt, loves dogs.

I have pictures to post from Howl-o-ween plus I want to share the link to Paddywack's gallery where Luna has TWO, yes, count them, TWO pictures up. She's all smiley in them.

The event had a lot of great human food that was all catered. She walked away with an awesome treat bag too which included the pumpkin cookie that she devoured in the video I posted.

Luna met a Hawaiian Corgi at the event named Miley. They weren't too sure about each other since they were both females. They actually started a barking contest which was real hard on the ears! Oh well. Poor Luna is getting better slowly at being social.

http://paddywack.smugmug.com/gallery/6344482_XBSfw#P-1-15

She's on page 1 and 5.

Luna and the Halloween Cookie

I shot this video on Sunday after we took Luna to Paddywack's Howl-O-Ween Party. The cookie is from her treat bag. She was a very scared yet excited girl that day.

Creative, Crafty, Me?

Over the past few weeks, I have tried to modernize a set of candlesticks that my MIL left with my husband when she moved out of Seattle several years ago. Here is the step-by-step process I used as well as the end result.

Here are the candlesticks after I sanded down all of the lose and chipped silver paint.

Close up shot. There was some rust present.

Getting ready to spray paint them black. It took 2 coats.

Below is what they looked like after 1 coat. I put painter's tape around the plastic beads to protect them.

The final product below. Unfortunately, I wasn't as careful with the painter's tape as I should have been so when I took it off there were some noticeable spots of silver that I missed. Oh well. I plan on just bringing them into work and finishing them up by filling the holes with some tempra paint. Hopefully that will do the trick.

Now I just have to find a spot to show them off!