Baby It's Cold Outside

Happy Sunday everyone! We woke up to a chilly -16 Celsius this morning. It's been quite cold the past few days but the sun made it all better. Another upside to the cold weather, it keeps those little paws super clean! Yesterday, we welcomed Winter Solstice with open arms...longer and brighter days are coming!

We had a good and quiet week. Russell's recovery is going quite nicely. He had a visit from the physiotherapist last Monday and she was once again very impressed. His knee flexion is now at 110 degrees, well past the 90 degrees that is expected at this point in the recovery. Russell ditched the walker and cane well over a week ago. This doesn't mean that my hubby can now run a marathon, far from it. There is still a ways to go in the healing process and some considerable discomfort and pain at times. The nights are getting better although the pain is the worst in the early mornings. As such, we've been getting up at around 5 am. That is just fine and dandy for Merlot & Sherlock who love nothing better than to start their day early....it just means a longer wait for their breakfast LOL!

We don't have much snow on the ground but we may get 5-10 cm tomorrow night. When we got a dump of wet and heavy snow a few weeks ago, I had to deal with snow ball puppies. That was the Sunday after Russell's surgery so it fell on me to remove those pesky snow balls. Unlike Cooper & Spicy who followed the beautiful paths that I shovelled for them, our lovely boys prefer to jump in snow banks, forget the paths. So, that day, the boys and I went shopping for slush suits. They had to be ordered and came last week. We will only use them when the snow is sticky but we are ready...and bonus, they do not mind the suits at all! We also got more baby gates and decided to cut our yard in half for the Winter months, less shovelling for me. Sorry boys 😉

Those are my little news for this Sunday before Christmas. Russell will give our duo a bath today. I have a few errands to run. The next few days will be about getting ready for Christmas Eve and Day. I leave you with a few photos taken last week and one of Cooper & Spicy's 2020 Christmas photo. They are never far from our minds and we miss them dearly 💕

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas! May this holiday season bring happiness and joy for you and your family! 

With love, 

Anne, Russell, Merlot & Sherlock 

The Christmas stockings have been 
hung with care...

The squirrel is up that tree and the Boys have
him trapped until they get distracted.

The old faithful giraffe made it into the 
backyard for some catch me if you can!

A wrestling with the new slush suits....the
Boys don't mind them at all.

17 days post op, the incision is
looking good and Merlot is a perfect
caregiver.

 

Christmas is about memories and this duo gave us
many wonderful moments like this one 
captured December 24, 2020.

The week before Christmas

Happy Sunday everyone! It's very cold this morning, a chilly -12 Celsius. The snow we got last week has mostly melted and what's left makes for a very icy backyard. Russell is not about to venture out anytime soon.

This past week was good. Russell is making excellent progress. He had his first physiotherapist visit last Monday and she was impressed. His knee flexion was at 95 degrees after just five days post surgery. In 2019, the measurement was 81 after 10 days. This is greatly due to the use of the Game Ready cryo-compression unit, which we decided to keep for another few weeks. On Friday, he saw his surgeon who was equally pleased. She is 100% behind the use of the cryo unit...she said, the more the better. 

Russell is able to go down the stairs with a cane, which he does a few times a day. You know what this means, don't you.....he can resume grooming LOL! My friend Linda thinks that I got off easy with the grooming 😂 Having said all this, there is still considerable pain at times, especially when Russell gets up in the morning. Being immobile during the night is not good. Each passing day gets better though.

Meanwhile, our boys and I are doing well. Yesterday, Merlot graduated from Level 1 Obedience. I was a proud doggy mommy. Sherlock stayed home with Russell and kept him company in the TV room. Russell did a few tricks with him. Both Merlot and Sherlock are enjoying their daily trips to the basement. When I get ready to take them downstairs, they know something good is about to happen. They are such good boys 💕

On Thursday, I got my Christmas toes done, a little bit of "me time". The weather was such that I was able to walk out of the salon with flip flops. 

It is the week before Christmas. It doesn't quite feel like it this year, perhaps because of the weeks leading up to Russell's surgery and now his recovery. Nevertheless, we are having my brother, nephews and Julie over on the 25th. I have to start thinking about that day 🎄

Those are my little news for today. Russell has physio again tomorrow, Merlot gets his rabies shot on Tuesday. We are expecting rain on Wednesday. Crazy weather we're having.

I leave you with a few photos taken this past week. We call the main photo "Past & Present",  Cooper & Spicy's past ornaments and Merlot & Sherlock's new ones. Our most treasured Christmas decorations 💖 Have a great week everyone!

The tradition continues with the ornament tree...
the tree dedicated to Cooper and Spicy is full,
Merlot and Sherlock have started their tree with
lots of room for more ornaments.

Merlot, the newest Level 1
Obedience graduate and his proud Mom.

Lamb chop on the run....catch me if you can!

Whatever goes up must come down or so Merlot
thinks....another squirrel escapes.

The perfect Christmas treasure...
Sherlock under the tree.

Merlot loves his spot under the tree, 
he thinks the tree skirt is comfy.

Spicy and Cooper picture perfect at the 
Christmas photo shoot - November 11, 2023.

The journey to recovery

Happy Monday everyone! The start of a brand new week with a brand new knee!

Russell's TKR surgery went very well. It took place last Wednesday at 12:45 pm. He spent the night at the Lakeshore Hospital and was discharged Thursday at noon. It is good to have this behind us. It's only been five days or so and Russell is making remarkable progress, greatly due to the Game Ready cryo-compression unit. For those of you who mentioned that it is a game changer, you were right. The pain is less, swelling is down, as such he is much more mobile. Although the walker is always close by, Russell finds himself being able to walk without it at times. 

Having said all this, the leg still needs to be elevated 40 minutes per hour and exercises three times daily. This afternoon, the physiotherapist from CLSC will come for the first time. I think she will be impressed by Russell's progress. So far, it appears to be a somewhat easier journey, albeit not without pain, than five years ago. 

A few interesting tidbits about the surgery...the operated leg was held in place by an orthopedic robot which allows the procedure to be perfected according to the need of each patient. Russell thought it was pretty cool to see. A not so cool moment though came when the epidural wore off half way through surgery. It seems that his body metabolized it too quickly....it made for a few interesting minutes until the anesthesiologist intervened and put him under for the duration of the procedure. The memory of that moment will not be forgotten any time soon.

The journey to recovery has begun with each passing day bringing the promise of healing.  Russell will come out of this with a strong knee, ready to walk the streets of Italy in May.

In other news, Merlot and Sherlock came home on Friday, after having spent a mini vacation at Myriam's. We missed them a whole lot. They quickly got back into their routine. It's good to all be back together 💕  

Those are my news for today's blog. Russell will see his surgeon this coming Friday and get the bandage off. Another step in healing. The next few weeks leading up to Christmas will be very busy. Now that the surgery is behind us, I have to get my act together and start planning the upcoming festivities. 

Have a great week everyone!

A waterproof bandage with no
staples...sutures under the skin,
glue holds it all in place.

The Game Ready cryo-compression unit doing
its magic, a chilly 34F with soothing compression.

The Boys - Sherlock and Merlot 
looking very handsome and freshly
bathed at Myriam's before coming 
home!

The Boys, home and ready for some training...
they did not miss a beat and hit the trampoline
right on cue.

Nothing better than a fresh blanket of snow to
sniff and explore.

 Sherlock and Merlot love to lounge
close to the Christmas tree.

Partners in rehab, Spicy and Cooper giving 
Russell encouragement with his physio, this
moment captured February 9, 2019.

T-minus 3 to TKR

Happy Sunday and welcome December! Yesterday we saw our first snow flakes flying, a few stuck to the ground and our pooches were crazy. Our friends in Huntsville have been hammered with snow, over 50 cm in some areas. Although we miss our beautiful log home, we do not miss that kind of snow!

Only three days to Russell's surgery. He is ready and looks forward to having it behind him. He has all he needs for a quick and speedy recovery....the cryo-compression unit from Game Ready. It is a rental for a two week period from December 4. It came a few days early so that he could fully test the system on himself prior to surgery. According to his many friends who have used it, it will be a game changer in terms of recovery, less pain meds and swelling. This unit, or something similar, is also highly recommended by his surgeon. Thank you to his friend Gary who told him about this specific unit, used successfully by his wife. 

We didn't do much this past week. I ran a few errands in preparation for Christmas. I got some baking done. We sampled a few then froze the rest. Our Christmas tree is up and looks nice. Merlot and Sherlock sniffed it once then walked away. 

I signed up for the FunFit Advent Calendar starting today, 25 days of fun exercises for the boys. I did this with Cooper & Spicy years ago and it was fun. 

Merlot had his fifth obedience class yesterday. Two more to go and we graduate! I haven't decided yet when we will do level 2. For now, I need a wee break, so do our boys. 

Russell gave me a quick crash course on what is involved in the daily grooming routine. Blue shampoo for the feet, yellow shampoo for the bum area....I got this LOL! With this Game Ready cryo-compression unit, our master groomer will be back on his feet in no time!

On Tuesday, I will drop off Sherlock and Merlot at Myriam's for a few days. It will be a mini vacation for them and it will give me a chance to play nurse without interruptions. It's all good.

That's my blog for today. I will report on Russell's recovery next week, with maybe a pic of two of his newly operated knee. Have a great week everyone!

Sherlock and Merlot are ready
for Christmas...they loved the tree!

A furry blanket of dogs while I enjoy
my book...nothing better.

A romp on the deck before the weather pushes
us all inside for good until warmer times.

A festive planter on the deck and the 
boys are enjoying the view.

A frosty start to the day...a few snow flakes
tasted really good. Sherlock and Merlot licked 
up as many as they could.

A doggie version of three-card monte, there is
one kibble under a cone and Merlot is intent on
finding the tasty reward.

Sherlock invented his own game which combines
treat ball chasing and the hurdles, smart boy!

Wind-swept buddies on a few patches of snow...
Coop & Spicy captured on December 12, 2021.

The tradition continues

Happy Sunday everyone! The skies were clear when we took our pooches out this morning and we could see Mars, way up there and so bright. 

We had another good and busy week. Just when we thought our yard work was done, we ended up filling up two more bags with the last of our back door neighbour's leaves. 

On Monday morning, I had my physical and all is good. I spent a good hour with my doctor and we covered a lot of ground. That afternoon, I had my bone density and knees x-rayed. Still waiting on the bone density results but my knees show a mild progression of osteoarthritis.  There is not much that can be done at this point other than managing the discomfort when it gets bad. I have a number of options depending on the severity of the pain so I'm good for now. If need be, I will get a cortisone injection before our trip to Italy in May.

Our pooches are doing well. They enjoy their daily trips to the basement for either a little training or some fun chasing a treat ball. I use the trampoline as their "waiting station". They know what it's for and get on it as soon as they go downstairs. It's too funny. 

Tuesday brought a lot of sadness as we learned of the passing of Sparky, another Havanese friend. He was 14. Sparky was Spicy's cousin. Both shared the same dad and were born three days apart. We had the pleasure of taking care of Sparky back in 2018. He was a wonderful dog and faithful companion to Mary and Terry. He will be greatly missed. Run free little one and enjoy frolicking around with your pals Cooper & Spicy 💞

As the holiday season approaches, we are continuing our tradition with our personalized doggy ornaments. They will have a special place in our home. It's hard to believe that Christmas is a little over four weeks away. By then, Russell should be well into recovery mode from TKR surgery. A little over one week for that to happen. While we're on the countdown mode, our trip to Italy is less than six months away. Yay!

That's my blog for today. I have a few things to do in the kitchen then I will decorate our Christmas tree. I brought it up yesterday. Merlot & Sherlock sniffed it and walked away. Let's see how they like it once it's all decorated!

Have a great week everyone! 

The Duncan Family traditional
Christmas ornaments 2024 edition.

Three amigos on a walk at Edgewater Park 
August 18, 2018...Sparky, Spicy and Cooper.

Sherlock and 'his' hedgehog...a 
special stuffed toy only available at
specific times of the day. He knows 
when!

Merlot and Sherlock waiting on the
trampoline before treat ball play.
Such patience and self control.

Rolling balls of treat fun.

It is a good tired...Merlot napping in the living
room on his favorite chair post training.

The Boys basking in the afternoon sunshine 
on the sofa in the living room...such a life!

November sunshine

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! It's a beautiful sunny morning for us. It's been a pretty good November so far. We found ourselves sitting on the deck again the past two days.

This past week was good. The yard work is all done. The hoses are unplugged. The propane tank for the generator got filled up. Today we will cover our Japanese Maple now that the leaves have all dropped. The shovels are by the garage door. We're ready for Winter!

We enjoyed a few walks with our pooches. The weather was gorgeous. We sat on a bench and took it all in. Merlot and Sherlock are doing wonderful. They are such good boys. They play well together and know how to entertain themselves. It is quite nice to watch. Now that we spend more time inside, they have had to adapt their puppy play...no running around in the living room please LOL! 

Aside from the backyard, our deck became their playground of sorts since we got them. They are now getting used to playing in the basement. No birds or squirrels to watch but there is plenty to do and lots of space. I have a number of enrichment activities planned for them for the Winter months.  And yes, the giraffe will also make its way to the basement 😊

Russell is just about two weeks away from his TKR surgery. He is ready. It will be good to have this behind us as we enter the holiday season.  Due to his surgery, we will not be able to attend our nephew's destination wedding in Punta Cana on January 4. Sean is hoping to arrange for a video stream so we can maybe watch it live. We will have our own little celebration with them at Christmas.

Those are my little news for today's blog. It is Grey Cup day. Not sure if we will watch the game but I hope to stay awake for the half time show...The Jonas Brothers. I love that group. Our HABS won last night, it was a good game. 

I leave you with some pics that I took last week and one of our Coop & Spicy. Without realizing it, I chose a photo of them that is similar to the one I took of Merlot & Sherlock a few days ago. I only noticed the similarity this morning 💕

Have a great week everyone!

Sherlock and Merlot at the ready (down & stay) to
begin their training session.

These two know how to dance and tussle...
it is all in the name of play.

A beautiful day for a walk at Edgewater Park
and a tender moment with the boys.

Chilling in the living room...Sherlock and 
Merlot have been asking for their own iPad.

Merlot saying "hang in there
Mr. Giraffe, I'll get you down"

Sherlock telling Merlot, "not so fast
buddy, I got him first'.

This November Friday morning sky was on fire.

Cooper and Spicy ready for their training 
session...this moment captured
November 21, 2018.

Back on track!

Happy Sunday everyone! It is a rather cool morning but the sun is shining. We don't care much for the darkness at 5 pm but we love the brightness in the early mornings. 

This past week was good. It only took two days for the boys and us to get back on track following the time change, from a waking up perspective. Meal times were never a problem for our pooches as we kept them normal...although both were singing for their food one hour early. We told them that all good things are worth waiting for.

We got some yard work done but there is still quite a bit to do. We also need to get a number of things done around the house before Russell's surgery, which is now just a little over three weeks away.

Russell continues his pre-op muscle strengthening exercises. It is going well. He purchased a cryo compression therapy device prescribed by his surgeon. It will help reduce the swelling and pain. Things have evolved since his last TKR five years ago. 

I had routine blood work done on Friday for my upcoming physical on the 18th. I also have a bone density test scheduled for that day. I might be able to get my knees x-rayed that day also. I am still bothered by the knee pain which intensifies if I stand on my feet for too long. Not a good scenario for someone who just can't sit still. It will all get sorted out.

Yesterday, we celebrated our little boy Sherlock's first birthday. He is such a wonderful doggie and brings us immense joy...well, both do 💕 He had a good day which included a tug game with his brother. Merlot let him win! 

Merlot and I had our second class yesterday. It went very well. He is by far the smallest dog in the class, the biggest one being a two year old Bernese Mountain.

In the world of sports, our Montreal Canadians are going through a rough patch these days. Some fans are just about ready to give up on them. I am not although it is disappointing to see them lose. Let's see what the next 67 games bring.  

That's my blog for this week. We will attempt to finish our yard work today...attempt being the operative word. Tomorrow we will remember all those who sacrificed so we could live in freedom. Lest we forget. Have a great week everyone!

Chilly on the deck somedays but Merlot
and Sherlock will dance for treats in any
weather.

Happy 1st Birthday Sherlock...enjoy that cake!
We love you so very much.

Sherlock graciously shared his birthday cake
with his best buddy - Merlot.

A little game of tug on Sherlock's birthday...
Merlot knew he had to let Sherlock win.

Eyes on the goings on beyond the fence.

The Habs and the boys...what could be better...
maybe a few wins in a row?

Four paws up for Merlot as he naps
securely against the wall.

Sherlock has found his comfy spot
in the living room on the sofa.

Spicy and Cooper always together and this 
moment captured their togetherness 
November 19, 2022.