Christmas Treasures 2023

Happy Sunday everyone! We woke up to mild and sunny weather. Not a bad way to end the month of November. This coming week looks decent.

This past week was good and quiet. Our pooches had a couple of walks then the weather got wet, damp and windy.  Cooper continues to do well. Spicy is doing good although she's been under the weather for a few days. Russell and I were reflecting yesterday on how different our duo is growing old. Coop has a very sick heart and is still full of life. Outwardly, he looks totally healthy. Spicy, on the other hand, is showing some signs of slowing down, despite her heart condition being very stable. She doesn't have a spring in her step like she used to and her eyes are not as sparkly. Despite this, she perks up when I get the snuffle mats out. It's an activity that they both truly enjoy and we indulge them. Each day with them is a gift.

I haven't put up our Christmas tree nor have I started baking. I don't quite have that Holiday spirit in me yet but it will come. I did buy our 2023 Family Christmas ornaments. We call them our little treasures. They will be added to our "doggie" tree.  I also got Coop and the Spice girl a new snuffle mat for Christmas. It came yesterday. They say Christmas is for children...we say it's for our pooches 🎄💝

Russell and I are doing well although we are not getting the best sleep. We now find ourselves having a quick power nap in the afternoon. It helps recharge the battery. We both had a pedicure last week, a little pampering also helps.

Not much else is happening. It's hard to believe that November is coming to an end. Christmas Eve is four weeks away. I better get my act together. 

That's my blog for this week. I leave you with a few pics that I captured last week and one of our little Christmas treasures. Have a great week everyone!

The Duncan Family Christmas ornaments 2023.

The duo catching a pre-breakfast snooze...it is 
a pampered dog's life.

Spicy in post-breakfast nap mode on her sofa!

Holding vigil is a ritual, a routine, their duty -
 they keep us safe from Prime, Fedex,
Canada Post, intruders and
squirrels.

Grey Cup Sunday

Happy Sunday everyone! It's 7:00 AM, Russell and I are having our first cup of coffee and catching up on the news. Our pooches got their pre-breakfast meds and are now having a nap. Our weather is looking good for today. Looks like it will be nice weather for the Grey Cup also. 

This past week was good. On Tuesday, Cooper had his consultation with Dr. Javard. All went well. Given that Cooper's resting respiratory rate (RRR) remains in the 22-24 range at the moment,  Dr. J. recommended to hold off on increasing the spironolactone dosage. If it increases to above 30 on a consistent basis, we are to up the dosage. His furosemide remains at 30 mg, three times daily. His blood work was also good, especially his kidney function. All things being equal, we will have another follow-up in three months or so. We are grateful for these good news. Each day is a beautiful gift. 

As we were chatting away with Dr. Javard, we mentioned that we were using the video to measure the RRR. He thought this was brilliant and even told his assistant to make note of it for other patients. Thank you again Gerda for letting me know about this. So much easier and can be done even at a distance without disrupting Cooper's rest/sleep. 

Our little girl Spicy came to DMV with us and kept us smiling while the Coop was being poked around. People couldn't get enough of her in the wait room.  She is doing good and her RRR is in the 14-18 range. 

Other than those doggie news, Russell and I are doing well. I resumed my workouts last week after slacking off for a while. I also bought all the baking ingredients for those Holiday yummies. Working out and baking go hand in hand, don't you think? 😂

Russell found himself a little project. He is sorting out the coins that were gifted to him when his father and uncle passed away. It is a tedious process, sorting them out by denomination and year, then putting a collector's value on them. It's a good thing Russell has the patience for it, me, not so much LOL!

I end this blog by wishing Spicy's daughter, Pepper, a Happy 11th Birthday tomorrow. She takes after her mommy in every way possible. A very sweet girl 💝

Have a great week everyone! For those who will be watching the Grey Cup, enjoy. Good luck to both teams!

Cooper and Spicy in the car waiting for my return
with their meds.

Spicy giving Cooper a little doggie
snuggle.

Spicy says, come on over, there is 
room enough for two on the sofa.

Snuffle time...always a fun and rewarding
activity for Cooper and Spicy. Finding those
little dried chicken treats is 'hard' work.

Cooper on another patrol in the backyard, he 
ensures his domain is squirrel free.

Happy 11th Birthday Pepper from
Cooper and your mommy Spicy.

Preparing for the Season

Good morning and happy Sunday! It is a cloudy morning for us. The weather this week is looking relatively nice and mild. 

This past week was good. We enjoyed a few walks by the Lake. We hardly saw anyone, looks like many people are starting to hibernate. We plan on continuing our walks throughout the Winter as we have done in the past, weather permitting.

We got the echocardiogram results for our duo. Spicy's MVD remains stable, no change in her meds, she is still in stage B2. Very good news for our little girl. Cooper's condition has not significantly increased since May, considering that he is in Stage D, last stage of MVD. We take comfort in this. He is at high risk of recurrence of pulmonary edema in the short term so the cardiologist is recommending an increase in one of the diuretics, Spironolactone. Before doing so, we decided to get the opinion of Coop's trusted internal medicine specialist, Dr. Javard. We will be consulting with him on Tuesday afternoon. We look forward to this appointment as we have a few questions, the kind that are best asked face to face. 

Aside from this, both are doing good. Cooper still enjoys his games of retrieve with his favorite lamb chop. He hasn't lost a beat. He is eating and sleeping well. He continues to pee at all hours of the day and night, to be expected with the diuretics. We pretty well have his peeing pattern locked in now LOL! Spicy continues to enjoy her enzymatic chews and takes pleasure in lounging around. Her appetite is not the best at the moment. She will only eat soft food (we have ruled out dental issues). She seems to be in cahoots with her daughter Pepper though....both are fussy with their foods and meds these days. We are finding ways to make it work.

Yesterday afternoon, we had a family Christmas photo session with a new photographer in Kirkland, Annie Viens Photographe. We got the proofs last night and are so happy with them. The hard part will be to choose the ones that we want...maybe all 87 of them! We will review them all today and send her our picks.

Russell booked his medical appointments, blood work, physical, etc. All will be done before the Holiday Season.  On that note, we are slowly preparing for it. Now that the family photos are out of the way, I will be looking to buy Cooper & Spicy's Christmas ornaments. I will also start giving some thought to my holiday baking. 

It is 8 am. Russell and Cooper had their breakfast, Spicy will get hers around 9 or 10 depending on her appetite. Not much on the go today. Russell will be watching an NFL game being played from Frankfurt, starting at 9:30 am. I believe today is the last International NFL game. I am still rejoicing from the HABS win against the Bruins last night, first win against Boston since November 2019. What a game! I will be watching the goal replays and post match interviews later today. Also, congratulations to the Montreal Alouettes for winning the Eastern Conference, off to the Grey Cup next week in Hamilton.

That's my blog for today. Have a great week everyone! On Thursday, I will meet up with Lise and Diane for our lunch, postponed twice so far. Looking forward to it!

The long stare down...or is it what is next? 
Whatever it is, these two are partners in crime.

Cooper retrieving the lamb chop...the lamb chop
never had a chance.

Always time for a chew...these guys love
their enzymatic chews - their teeth do too.

Spicy says do you like my new 
hairdo? I did it myself!

Grandfather Watkins on his return from service
in Europe, a newspaper clipping from the 
Montreal Star.

Uncle Charlie Duncan rests at National 
Field of Honour in Pointe-Claire.

Run free sweet Matisse!

Hello everyone and Happy Sunday! It was nice to wake up to a brighter morning. Our weather is looking a little gloomy at the moment but the weather experts are calling for sunshine. The past few days have been simply beautiful. I didn't think we would get more deck time in November but we did. It's been nice.

Today, we are remembering Matisse, Cooper and Spicy's walking buddy, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge on November 2. He was 11. We met Matisse for the first time during the Summer of 2021 at Edgewater Park. We spotted him and his human from a distance and Russell asked what breed he was. Matisse was a beautiful and gentle Polish Lowland Sheepdog. He loved his walks, finding joy in every step. Since our first encounter with him and Pauline, we crossed paths often, more so in the past few months. We met almost every Monday morning. The three amigos formed a bond and it was really nice to watch. Matisse was so loved and lived a full life until the end. His paw prints will forever be in the heart of Pauline and those who had the privilege to know him. Run free sweet Matisse, you will be missed during our Monday morning strolls 💔

This past week was good. Halloween night was fun. Roughly 30 kids showed up and we watched them from our dining room window. Cooper and Spicy had their echocardiogram on Wednesday. We do not have the results yet, most likely in the next few days. We are a little anxious about it. 

We blew and bagged leaves on Friday. We have 18 bags for pick up tomorrow morning, just from our front yard. This year, it seems that our backyard was spared and all the leaves blew everywhere except in our yard. 

Now that Halloween is over, it is full on Christmas everywhere. I saw holiday planters at Provigo. Way too early in my opinion. On that note though, this coming Saturday, we have a family Christmas photo session booked. We haven't done it for a while. It's time.

That's my blog for today. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Majestic Matisse...a true gentle soul.

Ever attentive to Pauline,
Matisse was a rare gem.

The three amigos taking a rest to watch the goings
on at Edgewater park.

The new normal 'trick or treat' station, take one
please, complete with illuminated goblin!

Cooper and Russell keeping an eye out for the
little trick or treaters as seen from the dining
room window.

Spicy likes to do her part on lookout
for goblins.

Scary!

She said, "You can't tell me they are all the same?"

Cooper and Spicy are the picture
of patience as they wait for 
their echocardiogram.