The Cataract Countdown

   The countdown to cataract surgery has begun.  I now have a pre-op appointment in Cooperstown for the afternoon of Oct. 17th, followed by a visit with my cardiologist for the the same day/place.   The procedure on my right eye will be done on Oct. 26 (the only Thursday I was scheduled to work in the shop as I predicted!!) at Little Falls Hospital.  I will see the ophthalmologist at the Eye Clinic in Cooperstown the next morning, Oct 27, to have the bandages removed and have a post-op check-up.  The left eye will be done a couple of weeks afterwards, again at Little Falls Hospital.
   Already there have been problems!  Dr. Lemanksi ordered 2 eye drops to begin 2 days before the procedure and somehow the instructions got screwed up on their way to the pharmacy at Wal-mart in Herkimer.  I'm suppose to use  antibiotic and  anti inflammatory drops but there was only the antibiotic  waiting for me today and it's instructions were wrong so the pharmacist called Bassett to try and straighten out the instructions.  After a few minutes on the phone it was decided not to let me take that bottle home until the instructions get straightened out and the other orders come thru. Instead I got a bottle of Artificial Tears to use until the days right before the procedure.
   I'm going to try and really clean the house...and floors that week before the procedure and then dump puppy care in Jeff's lap for 1 week. 'No bending or lifting' to me means no mopping floors, picking up used pee pads or warm little piles that Zoey leaves around when she misses the pads.  Jeff can also fill the water and food dishes coz that requires bending.  Hey, fastening the leashes requires bending,  so he can let the dogs out, too!  Boy, will he have fun!!   At least 1 of us will and I'm not sure it will be me.

Another Day at the Eye Clinic

   Back from another day at the Eye Clinic at Bassett in Cooperstown.  My new ophthalmologist is a young woman named Nicole Lemanski.  She seems very nice and quite knowledgeable.  Had a couple new tests done on my eyes and she was satisfied with their results and with the results that Dr. Manns had reported from my earlier visits.  She's approved the cataract surgery and ordered eye drops...antibiotic and anti-inflammatory...for the days immediately prior to and for the month after the procedure, and prednisone drops for month after.  And she gave me a list of no-no's for the month following surgery including no eye make-up! (UCK!)  Now I'm just waiting for Shannon from the Eye Clinic to call to schedule the procedure.  Dr. Lemanski mentioned she'd like me to see my cardiologist prior to the procedure, too,  and I told her I was scheduled to see him 11/14th.  She said maybe Shannon could get me in to see him sooner.  Just have to wait and see what gets scheduled when. And Dr. Lemanski said if it's up to her, it's not necessary to bridge off of Warfarin.  When I told Jeff that on the way home he asked if the cardiologist would go along with it and I couldn't answer him.  Something else I have to wait and find out about.  And since Dr Lemanski operates at Little Falls on Thursdays we agreed that's where my procedure will be done.  Now I'm schedule to work just 1 Thursday in October (the 26th), anybody want to bet that will be the day my cataract procedure gets scheduled? 

Life Goes On

     Boy, did the temperature go down overnight!  I guess Autumn is here!!
  Zoey is getting on all our nerves a littles.  

what can I get into next?

She is just 4 months old and a real little terror!  She goes full speed until exhausted, then catches a nap and is ready to go again.  Housebreaking is coming along slowly.  In the morning she gets up, hits the 1st pee pad, skips the next one (uses the floor), hits the 3rd one and from then on it's anybody's guess if she'll use or miss the pads.  Doing her business outside doesn't hold that much interest for her yet, either.   (But my floors have never been so clean!!)  She's a climber and a thief.  She can wiggle or jump into any chair and depending on what it's next to she may be off on a new adventure!  The armchair in my bedroom is next to my dresser so I've caught her walking across the dresser.  She picks up what ever catches her fancy...barrettes, stuffed animals, bras....  Paper money mustn't taste very good to her because while she takes bills off my dresser she doesn't chew them very much!  (Thank God!)  She does like Jeff's socks (a definite, NO in my book!!)taking them out of his shoes and keeps taking his sandals eventho one is just about as long as she is!  She has destroyed pencils, buttons, my US5 bamboo circular knitting needles, a pair of decorated

blue & white dragon chopsticks

dragon chopsticks that I use to put in my hair and my favorite 6" wooden ruler.  Today I caught her with my little stuffed Avon Eyeore!  But she's so cute no one stays mad at her for long!  Even Fanny doesn't stay mad at her for long after she steals a bone or treat out of her mouth!  Zoey will have a small scar between her eyes for trying to take a bone away from Fanny...or for putting her head in Fanny's mouth (not sure which) but I don't think she learned anything from that mishap.

see the small round scar?

   We had an early supper last night so around 9pm Jeff decided to go to town and get something from Burger King.  I suggested he give Fanny a treat and take her with him.  Zoey wasn't too happy to be left with me but we managed.  Fanny loves to ride in the car and loves to go anywhere with Jeff so it was a double treat for her.  When he got back we shared a 
Whopper and a chicken sandwich with the dogs.  Zoey even got a couple of onion rings!  (Fanny is like me:  FF's yes, OR's no thanks).  Today Jeff had to go to the pharmacy to refill a Rx so he took Zoey with him.  I imagine he's got his hands full with her! She likes going under the driver's seat.   Fanny doesn't even seem to notice Zoey is missing!  She is sleeping in the sun next to my computer on what use to be

'her' chair until Zoey learned how to climb up into it, that is.  They actually shared it for while but now it's first come/it's yours for the day!
  Yesterday Jeff patched the foundation of the house where it had developed a hole just about where the old electrical entrance had been.  We didn't notice

the quarter-size hole until Jeff bushwacked all the weeds last week.  The area around the hole had chipped away and while it hadn't broken thru it looked like it might during the winter.  We had to buy a bag of mortar mix...an 80# bag...for that small space but it didn't come any smaller.  (How come it's not available in 10# bags for really small jobs like this?) We have another hole in the foundation under the TV room that Jeff's said he'll mend next week.  (I don't think he'll use half the bag to fix that.)  I put D-con out earlier this week so hopefully the critters can't come back in.  I haven't found any dead/dying mice yet.
    My things have started to sell again in the shop.  With the hot weather we had this summer I wasn't surprised not much sold but September sales were decent.  I've had a hard time keeping up with hats and now the number of sweaters has started to get low.  Guess I just have to force myself to sit and knit.  Somebody's got to force Zoey to leave the yarn and needles alone!  We'll see.

A Trip to the Groomers

      Fanny and Zoey had appointments this afternoon to have Mani/Pedi's and their ears cleaned at Olivia's Happy Tails in Herkimer but since it was so hot and humid and Zoey hasn't had her rabies shot yet I volunteered to take Fanny alone.  Jeff and Zoey could stay home and nap in the cool house.  I hooked Fanny leash to her collar and whispered to her 'let's go for a ride and get some chicken nuggets on the way home'.  She looked up at me from her nearly prone position on the couch in the TV room and I swear she said 'f**k you' and did not move a muscle.  I tried tugging on her leash and nothing happened except Zoey came running thru the house.  I truly believe Zoey said 'chicken nuggets?  I'll go for a ride in the car for chicken nuggets!' Jeff followed Zoey into the room and saw I wasn't getting anywhere fast with Fanny.  By the time he had his hat on, she was off the couch and by the door ready to go.  We all went out into the hot, humid day and drove to Herkimer.  The parking space next to Olivia's Happy Tails on the corner of Main St and Park Ave was empty but I was headed the wrong way.  I did an illegal U-turn in the parking lot of the former Crocker Agency and pulled into the parking space.  Zoey and I got out of the car and fed the meter while Jeff tried to convince Fanny it was time to climb down.  Finally she got out and we walked to the door of the shop.  That's when Zoey realized all the interesting smells on the street stopped at that door and there were just dog smells from there on.  She refused to go thru the door.  With a little coaxing, pulling and pushing, we finally got both dogs into the shop. 
   I explained that Zoey had all her puppy shots but not the rabies and they said she could still have her nails done. She shared a room with a golden doodle who was a gentleman and a perfect model.  He stood still and tall while his coat was groomed and clipped, looking over...and down at Zoey.  She wasn't sure she liked what was happening... to her ears when the groomer cleaned them or her back feet when those nails were clipped.  By the time they got to her front feet Zoey was trying to hide in my arms!  A little puppy powder and a kerchief and she was finished!

   Fanny, on the other hand, knew what was going to happen, never liked it and didn't like it today. When her name was called, she tucked her tail between her legs, spread her back legs and tried to hanker down.  Jeff had to pull her down the hall to the grooming room. The groomer slipped on the muzzle to keep her from impulse biting and Jeff stayed close to calm and reassure her as they lifted her into the grooming tub.  Her ears were cleaned out and her nails clipped.  A pretty kerchief was put around her neck and she was finished. 

   Fanny couldn't wait until she was out of there...Zoey was waiting to compare notes...and we got them cow hooves as treats because they were good and didn't bite anyone!  Their next appointment is Oct. 11th. 

   Since I had promised the dogs chicken nuggets, we went to Burger King next and got a 10-pack of nuggets for $1.49 for them to share, 2 Whoppers for $6 for Jeff (and some onion rings) and a Buffalo chicken sandwich for me.  Then we drove over to McDonald's and got 2 large sodas for $1 each and a glass of ice water for free.   Jeff suggested going down to the river to eat our lunch at the Maytan Fishing Site so we drove down there.  It was worth it!  So nice and cool by the river with just a slight breeze!  Jeff walked the dogs around the picnic area by the river before we headed home. Fanny wasn't terribly impressed but Zoey would have stayed all day.
   Fanny fled straight into the house when we got there but Zoey wanted to run around a little outside. Now both of them are napping...Zoey on the chair to my right and Fanny at my feet to the left.  Oh, Jeff is getting ready to nap, too.  Maybe that's now such a bad idea.

Anticipation by Zoey

       It's exciting to live each day following your nose
...smelling where it takes you, tasting what it leads you to, getting you into trouble when you don't 'stay in the yard'.  It can lead you to things to climb over 
or put you on the level to walk on tables or dressers(!!) or tempt you to dig holes in the middle of the yard...or the couch pillow(!).  It can lead you down the driveway after the car...20 minutes after if drove away (OK, my nose doesn't tell time so good) or follow Fanny around the house.  It can tell when supper's being served or when Mary has a cookie and a cup of coffee (she'll share but Jeff won't).  It knows which drive-thru window put treats in their drawer for Fanny and me (the bank) and which one doesn't (the pharmacy) and which ones just smell good (the pizza and sandwich places) but they all have nice people who say how cute I am. Sometimes it tells me I don't want to go inside somewhere but then Mary or Jeff just pick me up and carry me in.  Usually I'm right, like the place that sort of smells interesting but has a lot of other smells, too, that I'm afraid of.
I've gotten stuck in the hinny with a pin or something a couple of times when we've gone there and didn't feel so good afterwards.  But I like to sit at the window with my nose against the screen and just watch and smell the backyard.  There are a lot to things I want to explore out there...maybe someday, if I ever get as big as Fanny.  But then, they tell Fanny to 'stay in the yard', too.

More Outside Work

 More beautiful days spent outside watching the dogs play and knitting while Jeff worked clearing more brush and weeds and helping Wally. Who would believe it's the middle of Sept. and temperatures are in the mid 70's to low 80's?  Tuesday both dogs listened and 'stayed in the yard' except for one quick excursion thru the greenhouse and out the backside of it into the woods...but they came back when Jeff followed and called them. Jeff found the old Frisbee and Zoey seems to like chasing it and bringing it back.  Fanny could never be bothered! 
   Zoey's got a new trick...climbing onto the armchair in my room and then onto my dresser. Caught her the other day running thru the house with a small jewelry box of earrings and rings in her mouth and later with a tape dispenser! Then after supper I actually caught her walking across my dresser!! That means I've got to rearrange the furniture again. I wondered how she managed to get the Eyeore bopplehead over the weekend. I do not want her to be able to get the Wedding Dress bear or the animals Jeff gave Mom and me over the years! And I just found her on the bed...how she did she get up there unassisted? I think she did it during the night, too. She's not dumb...now if she could just remember what pee pads are for...or better yet, follow Fanny and do her business outside!
   Today Wally decided this was the year to mend his driveway.  The wire for the electric lights on the fence started out under the driveway but over the years the pipe that holds it had surfaced and he had  resurfaced that part of the driveway.  Today Wally decided it was time to dig out the pipe, bury it and resurface the driveway again.  Both Wally and Jeff could imagine the pipe getting caught in a snow-blower or picked up by a plow blade if it really snowed and we had to call for help getting out!  Jeff went out to help him dig and after a couple of

'...the ditch has got to be deeper...'

 hours

they had the ditch dug deep enough for the pipe to sit nicely on the bottom.  Once it's filled in and covered, the pipe will be safe.  Mixing and

'...even out that high spot...'

pouring the concrete will be tomorrow's job.
I think Wally had to buy
5 bags of mix to have enough to fill that trench! Glad this beautiful weather isn't 
going to waste! 
   Unfortunately, the lawn isn't growing back very fast.  Wally thinks it will regenerate by itself by spring but in the meantime it looks rather poor.  And both guys want to run a couple more passes with the leveler before seeding it.  I'd like to buy a bag of 'shade seed' but they'd probably make me spread it! 
P.S.  It ended up taking 12 bags (the 40# ones) to fill the ditch but the job is finally done!  It will take a couple of days for it to dry.

Puppy Shots

   Zoey had her last set of 'puppy shots' today at Tractor Supply's weekly Wellness Clinic.  Fanny went along for moral support but waited in the car.  Zoey wasn't too sure what was going to happen when we went into the store and definitely didn't like meeting other dogs.  There was a beautiful golden retriever puppy ahead of us in line who was half Zoey's age and double her size that she didn't really care for too much.  A pair of pugs (adults) were carrying on and she tucked her tail and I had to hold Zoey in my arms until they left.  A miniature Australian shepherd with the most beautiful clear blue eyes was behind us and she didn't care for the pugs, either.  Zoey took her shots and liquid vaccine without any fuss.  We handed in our baggie with a 'sample' to be tested to make sure the dewormer had done it's job.  We had the vet check out the scratch Zoey got yesterday from putting her head in Fanny's mouth because it had developed a scab.  The vet said it was healing nicely and it looked like Fanny (who's been licking it several times a day) has been taking care of it beautifully.  Jeff picked up a free bag of puppy chow and I got a couple of dog treats shaped like tooth brushes!  Zoey liked the one I gave her but Fanny didn't care for hers.  
   Jeff went fishing last night and the dogs decided to sleep with me...until Wally's outside light went out (it's just outside my bedroom window on the fence) and the neighbor critters came out to play in the dark.  Fanny started to run from window to window barking with Zoey right behind.  Finally Fanny jumped onto Jeff's bed and laid there looking out the window waiting for him to come home.  Zoey can't make it onto the beds without help so she climbed into the chair next to my computer and went to sleep.   Fanny repeated her barking routine a couple more times whenever the motion light on our garage went on...something came close enough to trigger it...but finally she fell asleep, too.  When Jeff got home around 11pm she woke up and got Zoey up so they were both waiting for him at the door, barking and wiggling.  Jeff was disappointed he hadn't gotten any fish and was starting to ache from sitting outside for so long after dark.  He took a piece of chocolate pudding pie I had made and a cup of coffee and went to read in his room.  Fanny and Zoey followed him hoping for some crumbs.  I said 'good night' to all of them and went to bed alone...haven't done that in a long time!  I had opened my north-facing window and the breeze was so nice!  Who needs air-conditioning?  I managed to fall asleep right away and slept until 4:30-5am when Fanny had to go out and when she came back in suddenly Zoey and Fanny were demanding space in my bed.  If you think a queen-size bed is large, try putting a person, a 90 lb dog and a small puppy in one.  There is not any room to spare.  But we slept until 9am when the 3-ring circus was back!  Zoey still hasn't learned not to put her head in Fanny's mouth.  Good thing Fanny knows enough not to bite down on her any more!!