Goodbye January

Happy Sunday everyone! We woke up to a warm -3 Celsius, a far cry from the -20 of yesterday morning. It's been quite cold lately but manageable.  We live in Canada so we should be used to this by now LOL!

This past week was quiet, as are most weeks in the heart of Winter. January is coming to an end and it just flew by. February will be a busy month filled with some fun stuff like the Super Bowl,  Russell's birthday and Valentine's Day. We are planning an overnight getaway in Montreal for Russell's special day. It's always fun to play tourists in your own city. 

Russell had another physiotherapy visit on Friday and got his report card, which he will bring to his surgeon tomorrow. He passed with flying colours. Moving forward, he will carry on with private physio sessions. All that will be discussed with the surgeon tomorrow. Today is day 54 post surgery.

I had another deep tissue massage therapy treatment on Monday. The focus was on the myofascial release of the Psoas muscle, which is very tight. Aging is not always fun but better than the alternative 😏

Our sweet boys are doing well. Sherlock has grown quite a bit since we got him, not in weight but in length and height. We think he is full grown now. We call him our handsome little man. Merlot stopped growing and is about 1/2 pound less than Sherlock. We call him our pretty boy. He will finish his Grand Championship this year, which was interrupted when he got Leptospirosis last August. We count our blessings to have these two munchkins in our lives 💕

Not much else is new in the Duncan household. We've been snacking on those Sumo Mandarins, apparently only available in the Winter. They are so good and juicy!

That's it for this last blog of January. Have a great week everyone!

There is not enough space on this couch for
both of us! 

Sherlock and Merlot on lookout...they have it
covered in both directions.

The Boys looking for Russell...

A new routine, bring all the toys out
for some play time in the kitchen!

Sherlock has found his comfy spot
in the TV room.

Merlot enjoys a good nap after dinner and this
seems to be his favourite chair.

Time for the afternoon "stare down" 
from these two...enough screen
time Mom!

Cooper and Spicy loved to romp and run the 
hurdles in the backyard...March 6th 2021.

Remembering Stella

Happy Sunday everyone! We are in for a stretch of sunny weather, albeit accompanied by frigid temperatures for the next few days. That's OK, as long as the sun is shining, it's all good.

In today's blog, I want to take a few moments to remember Stella who crossed the Rainbow Bridge last Thursday morning. Stella was Valerie's precious angel, a sweet Havanese who would have turned 14 in June. Stella was our Spicy's sister. They were born months apart, sharing the same parents. 

Stella's life was filled with love, fun and purpose. As an accomplished therapy dog, she had a huge impact on so many lives, whether it was at Sick Kids Hospital, the Toronto Court House and even the Toronto Police Service. She had a special gift of spreading light and love to those who needed it most. With her human mommy as her partner, she made the world a better place.  Stella also had a playful streak that was unique to her and she was an expert at wrecking her top knot seconds after it was done 😊

Thanks to Stella, Valerie and I became good friends over the years despite the 500 Km that separates us. We exchanged photos, stories and videos that always brought a smile to our daily lives.  Stella was like family to us and we are truly saddened by her loss.

She is now reunited with some of her many buddies...Cooper, Spicy, Scruffy and Pepper, just to name a few. She is also reunited with Valerie's dad who simply adored Stella. She was the apple in his eyes. Run free little one 💜 Valerie, we are keeping you close to our hearts during these heartbreaking times. May the wonderful memories of your precious angel bring you comfort and peace. 

The four of us are doing well. Russell's knee flexion is now at 117, up again from two weeks ago. The healing continues to progress nicely. Our sweet boys are doing well also. On Tuesday, they both caught a squirrel by the body...Sherlock was first, the squirrel wiggled free then Merlot caught him again. No harm was done. We do not encourage this "behaviour" and at the same time, it's pretty difficult to stop. Is it curiosity, playfulness or predatory drive? Probably all of the above. 

That wraps up today's blog. My brother is coming over for lunch. Football and hockey games on the menu for tonight. Have a great week and stay warm!

Rest in peace Stella, you made so many lives
brighter with your engaging and care-free
spirit.

Like birds on a wire...Stella, her sister Spicy and 
Cooper, lined up for a picture perfect moment of
Havanese glory, captured on April 11, 2019.

Time to go out but first we need 
to check our toy box...

Merlot says, I got my toy...what
did you get Sherlock?!

On alert...all is secure at this gate!

Just a light dusting of snow on Merlot as he
sniffs for squirrel tracks.

TV time for Sherlock and me as 
we watch the Habs.

Nothing better than a full belly and
a little post dinner snooze for
Merlot.

Random thoughts

Happy Sunday everyone! Almost half way through the month of January, how can that be! The days are truly getting longer. We notice it especially when we take Merlot & Sherlock out after their dinner...no need for lights. Love, love, love it!

This past week was good although filled with emotions thinking about those terrible fires in California. Our hearts are with everyone dealing with this disaster. We have been watching it all unfold and it's beyond tragic. Once again, we are thankful for the simple, everyday blessings that come our way. 

Russell is doing well. The swelling on his upper thigh is almost gone. Everyday brings new progress. He has another physiotherapy appointment tomorrow. It will be fun to see what the knee flexion number is...trying to beat 113 degrees from two weeks ago! Russell also had blood work done last week in preparation for his physical this coming Tuesday. All is good on that front. 

Our boys are doing well. We were reflecting the other day that they have been part of our lives for just a little over six months now. They have brought us such joy and peace. Sherlock is now 14 months and Merlot is 20 months. They still have that puppy energy and at the same time we are noticing "some" maturity happening. As I'm writing this blog, they are chasing each other up and down the hallway...yep, crazy puppies! We love them to the moon and back 💕

I've been seeing a massage therapist for some much needed fascia release in my hip flexors. In between sessions, I'm doing some daily yoga to help with the stretching. It's never been "my thing", way too slow for me, but I decided to give it a try and it's helping. I'm now addicted to "Yoga with Adriene" videos on YouTube. I say whatever works.

We got some snow last week. Not a whole lot but the boys enjoyed it immensely. The snow was very fluffy as such they created their own paths, mostly from chasing squirrels... and guess what? Both caught the tail of a squirrel in their mouths as it was going down the crabapple tree. I saw it with my own two eyes!  The squirrel was trapped between the baby gate and the Merlot & Sherlock duo. It eventually wiggled free and ran away from them. It all happened so fast, I couldn't get my phone out quickly enough. They are so obsessed with squirrels it's crazy!

Those are my random thoughts for today. It will be a quiet Sunday. Lots of football to watch. No hockey until Tuesday. How about those HABS! 

Have a wonderful week and enjoy our random weekly photos!

Patience is a virtue especially when
you are waiting to catch a squirrel!

Sherlock says that squirrel tail was 
mighty tasty!

Merlot thought the tail was a little too furry!

Together, snuggle time for the boys!

Is it time to go downstairs and play yet?!

Sherlock is the 'master' of the LOOK!

Cooper and Spicy loved the sofa and being on
neighbourhood watch, photo taken on
January 21, 2022.

A quiet start to 2025

Happy first Sunday of 2025! We woke up to another coolish morning and a dusting of snow. Our boys always get excited when there is fresh snow on the ground. They like it better than the mud we had last week...so do we. For them, it means they don't have to line up in the mudroom and wait for their paws to be wiped. They know the drill 😆

This past week was quiet and relaxing. Our New Year's Day was good. I cooked a small turkey and it was delicious. The next day, I made a big batch of turkey stock and froze it. It will make for some good soups in the coming months. We also took down our Christmas decorations. It took less than an hour and all was back to normal in the Duncan home. 

Russell had a visit from his physiotherapist last Monday. His knee flexion is now at 113 degrees, from 110 the week before. At this point, it is well beyond the normal measurement at this stage in the recovery. Any further gain will happen in the next few weeks/months with more physio and exercise. We are happy to have this behind us and we look forward to walking the streets of Italy in a little over four months.

On that note, we got a Happy New Year email from the reservation manager of the Bellevue Syrene Hotel in Sorrento. Mrs Giovanna Russo reconfirmed our reservation and our request for a top floor room. We can't wait!

I watched the last five games of the Montreal Canadians. What a treat it was to see them play so well 👏 I also watched The Perfect Couple Netflix series. It was quite good, a modern day "who dunnit". Yesterday, I started another small series which I will finish today, Missing You. Some good old fashioned downtime. 

Merlot & Sherlock are doing wonderful. They have lots of playtime during the day, inside and outside. They also enjoy chilling with us in the living room. Wherever we are, they are always close by 💕

Yesterday was our nephew's wedding in Punta Cana. My brother just sent me some photos so I thought I would include one in my blog. Sean & Julie make a wonderful couple. We wish them a lifetime of love and happiness!

That's my blog for today. I leave you with some photos that capture how we spent the past few days. Have a great week everyone!

A frolic in the fresh snow....these boys know how
to enjoy in the moment.

Time to chill on Russell's lap...how do you
spell "relaxed".

Merlot found the Habs game very interesting.

Merlot loves a good belly rub and Russell
was glad to oblige.

Sherlock has very special eyes and 
he knows how to give you the 'look'!

Sherlock and Merlot...sofa time and of course
the zebra has to join in.

Congratulations to the newlyweds
Julie and Sean! Both looking very lovely
and we wish them a lifetime of
love and happiness.

Cooper and Spicy enjoyed the 
snow and the many paths they
used to run...photo from
January 14th, 2023.