Category: Me and the House

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Almost Friday

I was up on the house and the garage roofs today – both are now reasonably clear. AND, I raked up the stuff that came down. And I got VERY warm. It was 80F!!

Anyway, done. My hired yard help fizzled, but my ribs are better and I’ve been doing things, just taking it slow and carefully.

I’ve taken a pre-emptive dose of ibuprofen and arnica and expect to be 100% in the morning.

I noticed that the temperature started dropping about 5:30 so my Friday plan is to mow and trim at the 5:30 p.m. hour. It takes just under 2 hours which will give me time after to wind down.

Meanwhile…

“Hey, we still have that air conditioner, don’t we???”

Mr. Bob is doing fine on the new ear drops – I think a bit of improvement.

Almost Friday.

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Sunday morning

Saturday was off and on drizzly with off and on brilliant sun breaks – the week looks to continue the same. Today dawned misty and drippy. It is the kind of gray that makes the new grass and foliage almost glow.

Bob and I shared the morning quiet on the front porch. I think Bob is hearing a bit and is slightly less wobbly. We finished the premium antibiotic yesterday and proceed with a lower dose ear drop. Bob is looking more himself and generally more comfortable – yea!

Bear manned the lookout on Beardog Point before joining us for a treat near the front porch.

Puddle water is the best! There are 5 water bowls between the front porch and various venues in the house – full of sweet, clean well water…but puddles are always first choice when available.

Beth, a friend and blog reader – and family are in the area on vacation this week and stopped for a visit yesterday bringing with them a gift of baby herbs to start my 2013 herb garden. Woo-hoo – and Beth must be a bit clairvoyant as she brought all herbs I wanted to try this year: cilantro, sage, oregano (!!- this is a new cooking favorite), lemon thyme and my must-have basil.

A beautiful Sunday morning.

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Monday’s drama, Tuesday’s sang-froid

Mondays have had a bit of drama lately.

Bear in mind that life here at the family Summers tends towards the quiet and VERY non-eventful, so a “bit of drama”…well, all is relative, Yes?

Still.

This week’s Monday drama started between 3 and 4:00 a.m. with a bit of throw up from Mr. Bob.

That is not usually a drama kind of thing except that we are dealing with the ear infection and medications… BUT, it was a one time thing and did not seem like the last week’s throw up thing related to the drug.

As I was cleaning up and watching…Bob was walking kind of funny. He was walking and then kind of stumbling…like he’d had one too many. I put 2 and 2 together: ear infection and stumbling??? – balance issue with inner ear.

This conclusion made me concerned about the steps he negotiates to get to his food.

At 3:30ish a.m. on Monday morning, I dismantled the door/sawhorse arrangement that held Bob’s food, water and “house”/photo light box.

Everything important to Bob on one low level.

We start Monday with a lack of sleep (me!), a wonky sense of balance (Bob!) and a “so what’s up with you guys?” (Bear) – frame of mind.

Emails and phone calls with the vet.

Ultimately all progressing well…ears are draining – GOOD! Short term ramification of the draining is the balance issue and little or no hearing.

Monday evening.

The forecast thunderstorms missed us.

The forecast wind did not!

The rearranging of Bob’s table, lack of sleep = aggravation of my rib stuff.

I hired help for cleanup and various grounds keeping stuff. Not my favorite chore(s) anyway, so oh, Yes!!!

Tuesday.

I kept Bob in on Monday. The wobblies, lack of hearing – they seemed like a risk for wandering about outside. But, after the wind, etc., the air was clear, the sun was warm and he wanted out.

I thought some sun would be a good thing but I didn’t want him wandering in the woods when he wasn’t hearing and not 100% footing-wise.

He mostly likes the front porch so we reached a compromise.

Baby monitor that I used with Bear post-op.

Mr. Bob…enjoying the sunshine under the watchful eye of the baby monitor.

From Monday drama to Tuesday sang-froid: Perfect.

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It’s Friday and we are all still alive

Mr. Bob has had a rough week.

Two vet visits and then he had a bad reaction to the first antibiotic – nausea after a bit of throwing up. He was a sad sack on Wednesday.

Bear and I made a run back to the vet and traded meds. Bob got a reprieve from all until Thursday afternoon.

He perked up yesterday and has been fine on the new stuff which is a once a day liquid so happier for both of us!

I am moving easier and more comfortable each night. Ribs tend to be a bit of a long haul but I’d rather deal with that, than a problem with a moving joint like ankle, wrist, shoulder or hip. Thankfully, the soreness in my left wrist/arm was slight. I wear ankle supporting light hiking boots in the woods and for trail walking and often carry ski poles used as hiking poles. I am ever grateful that all of me works well so that I can enjoy being outside and I’d like to keep it that way.

And speaking of things working well…the Bear boy is doing so well. He is a week off leash and doing more running and jumping every day. He has had no signs of soreness from increased activity. He has shifted easily back to our pre-op/pre-injury routine. Yea, Bear!

Yep, seems like old times :) !!

Everything is as it was.

And, per typical mid-May we are having a Montana heat wave: upper 70’s daytime, upper 40’s night time, i.e. darn near perfect.

Happy Friday.