Hello Fall!

Happy Sunday everyone! What a gorgeous start to this brand new season. Nothing but sunshine and warm temps for the rest of the week. I have to say, I do like Fall and all that it brings. I love the foliage that changes colour day by day, cozy sweaters. I love the various scents, be it the scent of fresh air in the morning, the leaves, yummy baked apples and let's not forget, the smell of roasted turkey. On that note, yesterday I bought our Butterball for Thanksgiving, a whopping 23 pounder. It will be a good one!

This past week was good. Russell and I had our monthly pedicure...yep, Russell is into monthly pampering now, no polish though LOL. Cooper and Spicy had a few nice walks. We missed seeing Matisse the PON and Pauline but ran into Errol a number of times. We also ran into another couple that we see from time to time on our walks, very nice folks, no dog although their daughter has a Corgi. We chatted for a while. As we were talking, somehow the topic of the space shuttle came up. It turns out that Jim (a former AC pilot) is good friends with Canadian astronaut David St-Jacques who launched to the ISS in 2018. Jim and his wife attended the launch.  Given my fascination with all NASA stuff,  it turned out to be a very interesting chat.

Cooper is stable. He hasn't had any coughing episodes for two weeks. His appetite is still good despite the increased meds. We take comfort in that. Spicy is doing well also. Both have the best life and they know it 💖

Yesterday, we got a bit of yard work done. I cut back some plants and filled two bags. Russell trimmed a few bushes. He also cut the grass. There is lots more to do. Two bags at a time I say.

Nothing else is new with us. Tomorrow morning, I have my pre-physical work up (blood work, ECG, etc) before my physical on Thursday morning. I have a mammogram scheduled for October 11. It is that time of year.

Those are my little news for today. I have some meal prep to do for the week and a chicken pot pie for dinner ... our first seasonal meal. We may go for a walk later. Then, at 1 pm, I will be on the deck with my iPad watching the Red vs White Intrasquad Scrimmage HABS game 👏 Have a great week and Happy Fall!

Cooper and Spicy romping into Fall.

Spicy and Cooper think they have something
cornered in the backyard.

Spicy on her inspection of the rudbeckia.

Cooper standing guard, "I hear something"

Spicy's pre-breakfast ritual,
being thankful for what she is about
to eat.

At the ready for squirrels or a BBQ tasting, which
ever comes first.

Cooper looking extra cute.

Last full week of Summer

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! It's a beautiful morning in Beaconsfield. The weather for this last week of Summer is looking quite decent except maybe for Tuesday. I noticed a little bit of a chill when I took Cooper out at 5:30 this morning. I also had to turn the light on in the kitchen when I gave him his pill. Nothing lasts forever.

We enjoyed quite a few walks last week. Last Monday, we ran into Matisse and his human. It is nice to see how the three dogs truly recognize each other now. Today is Matisse's 11th birthday. Cooper and Spicy wish him a fun day!

Cooper had his appointment with Dr. Javard last Wednesday. It was timely as he had a few coughing episodes the night before. A thoracic x-ray showed a significant progression in his heart disease. His kidney values were relatively good but his potassium was low so he is on a potassium supplement now.   His Vetmedin is increased to three times daily and the furosemide dosage has increased also. So far, Cooper is tolerating the increase in meds and his appetite is not affected. He hasn't coughed since last Tuesday night. We were at the hospital for almost two hours. In between waiting for x-ray and blood results, we had some good conversations with Dr. J. He applauded our vigilance in paying attention to signs of progression, however small they might me. By doing so, we are able to continue to provide Cooper with some good quality of life and us with more time with him.  At the end of our consultation, I showed Dr. Javard a video of Cooper chasing the squirrel last week. It put a big smile on his face. He said, if chasing squirrels makes Cooper happy, then let him even at the risk of putting some stress on his heart. We are letting him set his own pace. He will know when he needs to slow down.  I have to say that we are grateful to have such a wonderful vet team on our side. Both our local vet Dr. Stiles and Dr. Javard are simply the best. 

It goes without saying that we are distraught by this, however, knowing that we are doing everything possible to keep our Coop going is what makes this somewhat more bearable. Our little girl Spicy stood by our side the whole time we were at the hospital. Her tail wagged when she saw Cooper come back from the x-ray. It was a very sweet moment. We continue to cherish each day with both to the fullest. 

Not much else is going on with us. I have lots of yard work to do but I'm not quite in the mood. Maybe when Fall arrives. Russell needs to cut the grass again, it is still growing at a very fast pace. 

The NFL season is in full force now. I'm finding myself actually being excited by some of the games. We watched the much anticipated debut of Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets last week...it lasted 94 seconds before he got injured. Out for the remainder of the season. Yesterday, I watched my first NHL game of the season, well sort of. The HABS new recruits against Boston. The HABS won 😆 A few more weeks before the start of the regular hockey season. 

That's my blog for today. I wish you all a great week. See you in the Fall!

Peas in a pod on squirrel patrol. 

Nothing better than BBQ lickings for these two!
They are the ultimate taste testers.

Cooper catching a well deserved
nap after his visit with Dr. Javard.

Cooper loves to explore...here he
is on the trail of the local chipmunk
who has taken up residence among
the rudbeckia.

Spicy patiently waiting for Coop
to return from x-ray.

Waiting to see Dr. Javard at 
DMV.

It was a hot week!

Happy Sunday everyone! It's a rainy morning for us. A good day for Russell to watch some exciting NFL games this afternoon. 

Last week was very low key. With the extreme heat that we had, we literally did nothing. It was too hot for doggie walks. The only time we spent on the deck was late afternoons with the fan on. Normal temps returned on Friday. It was nice to eat dinner outside again! 

Cooper had a bit of an unsettling week, as a result so did we. For the first time, he had a couple of night time coughing episodes and we noticed that his resting respiratory rate was higher.  After a few discussions with our vet and more RRR measures, we decided to make an appointment with Dr. Javard, Cooper's internal medicine specialist. We see him this coming Wednesday at 9:15. If an adjustment to Coop's medication is to be made, Dr. J is the one who will do it. Until then, we continue to monitor his resting breathing rate. It is higher than it's been but still below 30, unless Coop sleeps on his side, then it is much higher. Something to discuss on Wednesday. I am so grateful to Gerda who suggested using the video on my phone to record the breathing rate. I then replay it a few times, count the breaths and record it on the app. It is so much easier than trying to focus on one spot for 30 seconds. 

On Friday, we were without water for a good part of the day due to a water pipe that broke at the end of our street. We were given the notice the day before so Russell filled up the bath tub so we could fill the toilet tank as needed. Flushing was not an issue 😂

Yesterday, Russell cold smoked cheese on the Big Green Egg for the first time, cheddar and gouda. It took about two hours. The smell of the smoke was to die for. We are letting it mellow in the fridge for two weeks then we will give it a try. It should be delicious. 

Our birds are busy and happy with their feeders. Russell got a suet feeder and Woody Woodpecker has been having a feast! It will be wonderful to watch the birds in the Winter. 

We should be able to resume some walks with the pooches this week. Spicy gets her rabies on Friday. She will come with us to DMV Hospital on Wednesday. We could leave her at home alone but we'd rather have her with us. She will provide us some comfort while the Coop is in the exam room 💗

That's my blog for today. I leave you with a potpourri of photos, some taken on our deck last evening. It was a lovely night to sit out. Have a great week everyone! 

Snug on the TV room sofa...ready for an NFL
game or two perhaps.

On the front porch, waiting for daddy to come
home.

Backyard gate brigade...what is 
the password to enter?

Spicy inspecting the trug.

Cooper catching a nap as the sun
sets.

A lovely pink sky at sunset last night.

The mandala pattern, a glow from 
a candle, outside last night.

The Squirrel Buster suet feeder
and Woody the Woodpecker 
seems very content.

Gouda and Cheddar emerging 
from a 2 hour applewood smoke on
the BGE.

Labour Day Weekend, Hot and Sunny!

Happy Labour Day Weekend everyone! We are enjoying the most amazing weather, more on the way! 

This past week was good and it went by way too fast. Cooper & Spicy had their wellness exam on Monday. Dr. Stiles did a thorough physical examination, checked their teeth, ears, eyes, listened to their hearts. Spicy was due for her DHPP and rabies vaccines.  She got one on Monday, will get the other in a few weeks. We also debated whether we would give them the Bordetella vaccine this year but after discussing it with our vet, the decision was a no brainer. Although our duo is at low risk of getting kennel cough, they could still be exposed to it simply from meeting other dogs when on walks. Kennel cough, especially in cardiac dogs, can be serious. Like any vaccines, they are not 100% protected but some protection is better than none.  

Spicy weighed in at 5.7 kg and Cooper at 7.7 kg. He was 9.2 in August last year. His weight seems stable now. Dr. Stiles calls him "her brave boy". She is thrilled that he continues to do well on his meds and that he is eating well. We agreed to redo both their echocardiograms at the end of November. 

On Tuesday, our new thermo pump/furnace was installed. All went very smoothly. We can't say enough good things about the company that installed it, Nedair Industries from Ile Bizard. It is so darn quiet, we can't tell that it's on. It's a very good job done. 

We resumed our walks on Thursday. We ran into a couple that we hadn't seen since last March. We used to see them all the time. We were wondering what happened to them, and they were wondering the same thing about the four of us. The timing of our walks somewhat changed. It was good to catch up with them. It's amazing how many nice people we've gotten to know over the years, simply by walking Cooper and Spicy. 

On Friday, I went to the Pointe-Claire market and stocked up on Delicata Squash...'Tis the season! Last night, Russell smoked baby back ribs on the BGE. A Labour Day tradition for us. They were delicious, the best ever. 

That's my blog for today. September has started on a good note, with this beautiful Summer weather. Let's enjoy to the fullest! Have a great week everyone!

Cooper and Spicy keeping watch on the crew
from Nedair as they install the new heat pump
and furnace.

Waiting patiently for their exam
with Dr. Stiles and then a treat.

Spicy dining off of fine china while
Cooper waits in the wings to 
clean up any leftover crumbs.

A little nap on the bed.

Cooper looking relaxed and settled on his 
chair, the perfect spot to watch for
squirrels.

Spicy looking glamorous with eyes that 
penetrate deep into your heart and soul.

This spider just hanging around....waiting for
dinner to come by.

It is apple picking time for this grackle in our
backyard.

Applewood smoked baby back ribs with 
all the trimmings...delicious.

The duo chilling on the deck after a squirrel
chase.