'Tis the Season!

Now that Halloween has passed, it is finally time to gear up for my favourite holiday of all: Christmas!

Yes, I am aware that I'm skipping right past Thanksgiving but honestly I don't see much point in that holiday (other than the four day weekend and cooking/eating with my close friends).  I practice gratitude and mindfulness daily.  Shouldn't we take a moment, each day, to be thankful for the people, places, and dogs who enrich our lives?  Anyhow, Thanksgiving is pretty much just a potluck with friends and wine.

But Christmas?  I love Christmas.  The music, the decorations, the cooking and baking, the time spent with loved ones, and the whole festive spirit in general.  Yes, I celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular manner... but I don't love it any less for that.  This year I am excited to buy a second tree; my current tree is a silver one about two feet tall.  Last year the small tree was ideal to display on a table top, out of Gatsby & Lola's reach (in theory).  Aside from Lola repeatedly stealing the abalone shells I had put beneath the tree (they looked so pretty with the blue twinkle lights!) and chewing on them, the GSPs left the tree alone.

So... this year I will be getting a five or six foot tall artificial tree.  I have not yet decided if I will choose a matching silver tree or a contrasting green one.  This will be a serious test of the dogs willpower vs. curiosity vs. petty thievery.  Will they eat the tree?  Steal tinsel and/or ornaments?  Poke themselves in the eye on a branch?  I guess we'll find out!

Each year I buy myself an ornament to add to my collection.  Who says a single lady can't start her own holiday traditions?  This year, after scouring the internet for days, I found the perfect ornament for this year:

As many of you know, I lost my beloved English pointer "Lemons" to aggressive cancer (hemangiosarcoma) last month.  When I saw this ornament, I knew it was the one.  The profile looks so much like his and the craftsmanship is remarkable.  It will be bittersweet to hang this ornament high upon the tree.  I can think of no better tribute to one of the sweetest, most loving dogs I've ever met.

I had hoped he would live until the new year, but at least this way we can remember him the way he was before he really became sick: regal, stoic, gentle, warm, and so loved by everyone he met.

RIP Jack Lemon, aka "Lemons"

2002 - October 17th, 2012

Daily Gratitude - 23 October, 2012

I haven't done a posting of five things I am grateful for right now in quite a while... so it's about time to put it down in writing instead of musing to myself throughout the day.  I find it beneficial to take a moment to stop, reflect, and recognize time simple things we have to be thankful for each and every day.

#1 - I am learning to control my newly diagnosed asthma and still continue my fitness journey alongside my dearest darling friend R.  :)

#2 - I am back to cooking more of my meals from scratch (which is such a stress-reducer for me!) and am not eating emotionally/compulsively.  Getting weighed at the doctor's office last Friday was a real eye-opener; it makes me even more determined to take control of my eating and exercising habits.

#3 - Since Lemons passing, my home has had a new sense of calm that I did not expect.  My friends who have visited in the past few days have all remarked upon it.  I had not realized how much stress his being sick had put on Lola Lulu and Gatsby.  I know it was hard on me, but seeing them visibly happier and more relaxed is proving to be a much-needed succor while I am still grieving the loss of Lemons from our lives.

#4 - My favourite mid-morning snack (I tend to eat a light breakfast around 6:30am and my lunch hour doesn't begin until 11:30am) is Yoplait fat free Greek yogurt, honey vanilla flavour.  It's only 100 calories, 0g fat, 8g protein, only 12g sugar, and 80mg sodium!  The coconut (which contains actual flakes of coconut!) is delicious as well, but I ate it so frequently that I'm a little burned out on it for time being.  I believe it is also available in blueberry and strawberry.

#5 - Every day I am more and more thankful that I have such an amazing, compassionate, and thoroughly enriching group of friends, who have over the approximately two years I have lived in Tucson become my family.  I love you all!

Catching Up

So many things have happened during the past week or so, that I haven't had the time or the energy to put my experiences into writing.  Some things I am not completely ready to talk about, yet.

Last Wednesday, October 17th, I lost my beloved 10 year old English pointer Jack Lemon (fondly referred to as simply "Lemons").  I chose to adopt him last June knowing that he had terminal hemangiosarcoma and there was no way of knowing how much or how little time he had left.

 Two weeks ago I began the Couch to 5K training program with my friend R.  The first time I ran, I had an extremely difficult time breathing afterward.  For several hours.  I chalked it up to being woefully out of shape.  I had two other severe reactions post-run, where I could not take a full breath without wheezing for hours and usually woke up coughing still the next morning.  I made a doctor's appointment to be checked out for asthma on the 31st, but last Friday after three days of shortness of breath and feeling like my chest was being internally crushed (and bruised) I missed work to go to an urgent care center. 

I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma that was further complicated by my allergies.  Basically when I ran, my lungs opened up more fully, taking in more pollen and causing a severe histamine reaction on top of the asthmatic inflammation and bronchial spasms.  I'm on three more medications now (for a grand total of four, more about that later...).  So far, so good on this regimen.  I finished Day Three of Week Two after a six day lay off.  Between losing Lemons and the doctor's two days mandatory rest from physical exertion, I felt pretty rusty last night, but I did it anyway which felt great.

Today I biked the three miles to work and will bike home stopping about halfway to go to the bank.  I used my inhaler before and after the morning's ride, but I feel okay and only have coughed a little bit.  I made a point of giving myself ample time to get to work so I wouldn't have to rush.  It took a little longer than usual, but to me it's not a race.  As long as I get to work on time and physically feel good, that's what is most important.

Last Saturday was the first big event for my non-profit dog rescue, Arizona Bird Dog Rescue.  You can read more about it here.  There are quite a few more photos on our Facebook page, which you can find by clicking the big chocolate coloured dog logo on the right-hand sidebar of this blog.

Next Saturday is another big dog-related event here in Tucson: the special test screening of the unreleased documentary "Guilty 'Til Proven Innocent" which we will be attending to show our support of the film and both my own & my rescue's opposition to breed specific legislation (aka, BSL).  You can read more about the invitation only event and my stance on BSL on my rescue blog here.

Weekend Roundup - October 6th & 7th, 2012

"Weekend Roundup"  ...I like that!  It reminds me of the Wild West, which is where I live.  Although perhaps "wild" doesn't need to be capitalized anymore.  People don't rob banks, steal horses, and pin stars on their chests then shoot people in the streets in broad daylight anymore... or at least not most of the time.

"Roundup" also makes me think of Monsanto, but we won't even go there...  it's too impolite a topic and this is a happy post!

Last weekend was one of the best I have had since moving to Tucson after flipping a coin.  (I think I won that toss!)

Saturday morning my dear friend S. brought over my niece-dog Laney Lou and we (me and Lola Lulu) went for a nice walk around the U of A campus and mall.  Lola even walked past a marching band (playing a slow tune or warming up or something) and didn't completely freak out.  We stopped a couple of times to take photos and give Lola a chance to relax.  All the strangers, bicycles, and especially skateboards frighten her, but by the end of the walk she was doing pretty well and once we got home she got to run around in the yard with Laney and the boys (Gatsby & Lemons).

Laney Lou & Lola Lulu!

Later that morning my friend A. and I headed up into the Santa Catalina Mountains to take Jack Lemon (aka, "Lemons") hiking on Mt. Lemmon.  We ended up doing about 2 miles on the Marshall Gulch trail and the weather was sunny, brisk, and utterly perfect.  Lemons had a blast playing in the creek, smelling and pointing things, and he napped hard on the hour-long trip back home.  I may or may not have bought half a pound of fudge... but if I did, it would have been half traditional chocolate and half maple nut.  (It was delicious and reminded me of childhood vacations in northern Michigan where a lot of historic, touristy towns have confectionery shops.)  For those who may not know Jack Lemon's story, he is an almost 10 year old English pointer that I adopted last June knowing that he has terminal cancer (hemangiosarcoma) with an unknown expiration date.  He is just about the sweetest creature on four legs and everyone who meets him falls instantly in love with his gentle nature.  I make a point to take him places and make sure he has fun for however long he has left.

LOVING the creek that ran alongside the trail!

Me & Lemons (toward the end of the hike; he was getting tired). <3