why TGIF means "thank God it's february"...

I did not intend to disappear for the entire month of January. But sometimes life gets hard and it takes everything you've got to trudge through one more day.

That's how it was for me. And I'm so glad that the month is OVER!!

In addition to my health issues continuing to beat me down, I also found out - just a few days after Christmas - that Claire had a malignant tumor on her paw. She had surgery during the first week of January to remove it, and I was supposed to hear the pathology results a few days later, but the lab was closed for the holidays. During her recovery, she managed to rip her stitches out, despite wearing the Cone of Shame while I was at work. I came home and found little bits of her cast all over the house before realizing the bigger issue: ripping the stitches out had allowed the wound to gape open, exposing her bone. I rushed her to the hospital immediately and she underwent a second surgery to debride, flush, and pack the wound before stitching it up again. I didn't let her out of my sight for the next 12 days to give it time to heal. Of course, on Day 13, when I went into the office, I came home to find that she had managed to rip out the stitches again despite wearing TWO Cones of Shame at the same time. We rushed back to the vet, but thankfully the surgical site had healed enough where she didn't need to undergo a third surgery. By that point, the only open part was the top layer of skin, so that healed after a week of hydrotherapy and some good bandaging by yours truly.

Tough recovery, I'm telling you!

Additionally, I didn't get the pathology results back until just a week ago - exactly one month after the tumor was removed. Thankfully, they managed to get all of it and she does not need to undergo radiation or chemotherapy. I don't think I realized just how much the What Ifs were worrying me; when I heard the results, I literally felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

After all that, however, Princess Claire has a paw that is as good as new! The beginning of this week was a bit stressful for her as we got back into our normal routine. After being with her almost 24/7 for a month, she had a little separation anxiety for the first few days that she was left alone. She seems to be feeling a bit more confident now, but realistically, it may take a little longer for her to feel 100% while I'm at work.

My intent over the next few months is to get back to blogging on a regular basis. Of course, this all depends on how I'm feeling physically, but I'm finally feeling well enough to start doing other things rather than just work and sleep! Good thing that Claire is a snugglebug. I swear, even as I was taking care of her over the past month, she still managed to take care of me.

What a good dog :)

cape life.

Here we are, a full month after our last post. Where does the time go?! Claire and I took a little road trip from Nashville to Cape Cod last weekend and we'll be here for the next month. Whenever I'm here, I feel like I can just exhale. I can't think of any other way to put it, so... that's that.

Can I just say that it is a VERY long drive from Tennessee to Massachusetts? It was quite eventful, too, as the air conditioner in my car broke halfway through the extremely large state of Virginia. If it hadn't been a sunny 90*F day, I would have tried to ride it out until we got here, but because it was just so hot, I had to stop and get it repaired. Thankfully it was an easy fix and we were able to get back on the road after three hours or so -- and I have to give Firestone a huge shout-out (the one in Nowheresville, VA) for being so awesome and letting Claire hang out in the lobby. They even gave her treats and water while we waited. Talk about service!

We finally made it to Harrisburg PA where we stayed in a hotel for the night. Claire got her own queen-sized bed, which she was quite excited about, as you can see by the blur of her wagging tail in this picture:

 

We made it to the Cape the next day without any hiccups, and I cannot emphasize enough how glad we both were to get out of the car. I actually have no recollection of what we did that night because my mind was blank from driving for so long. The one thing that I did not anticipate was how rough the drive would be on my body. My fibromyalgia flared up like mad and after a full week, I'm finally feeling better. Note to self for the next time: break up the drive into three days, not two.

 

The next morning, Claire and I woke up early and took a long walk on the beach. It was her first time there, and y'all, I can't wait to post the video of her reaction. But that will have to wait until I get back to Nashville, so hang tight in the meantime. At first she was afraid of the waves, but by the end of our walk, she was running straight into them. She tried to drink the water like she does when I take her to the river in Nashville, but the salt from the ocean made her sneeze. Puppy sneezes are the cutest! But she didn't try to drink it again, which was a safe bet. And hey, this is a picture that I took of the sunrise that morning. Can you tell that it was the perfect day?

 

 

 

 

Later that day, one of my besties came to visit and it was AMAZING to see her. It had been a year since we'd seen each other, and I fully intend for us to visit a lot over the next month!! We went out to lunch to catch up and then spent the afternoon hanging out on the beach. Claire was so tired after her morning romp in the waves, so I didn't feel bad leaving her for a few hours. She needed the rest!

 

 

I know some of y'all are connected with us on our Facebook page, but for those of you who aren't, you need to know that part of my mother's preparation for our arrival included putting sheets all over the furniture to "protect" them from Claire's fur. Clearly, we never had dogs growing up. Anyway, Claire's new favorite lookout is the window behind the sheeted couch, which gives her a good view of one side of our neighborhood (and, more importantly, of the squirrels and rabbits), so she's been spending a lot of time here. Again, please note the happy tail.

 

 

Interestingly enough, my mom forgot to cover one chair in the house, which has become a great place for naps. Claire is smart enough to curl up here when my mom isn't home. I don't have the heart to tell her to get off, especially when she's as cute as she is. Who wants to disturb a comfortable dog, anyway? Not me. That's just mean!

 

 

 

Of course, I still have to work during the week (though I'm so thankful that I can work remotely!), but Claire and I have settled into a routine that seems to be working well. My "office" is in a room that I only go into while I'm working - I thought that would help Claire understand that I can't play when we're there. We get up in the morning and go for a long walk, eat breakfast, and do a little training, and then I get the work day started. Claire hangs out with me and naps until lunch, alternating between the floor, the couch, and this cozy little pallet that I've set up for her next to my desk.

 

 

 

I've got an hour break for lunch, so after grabbing some food, Claire and I spend some time playing frisbee, going running, and doing more training. After she's gotten out some energy, she's ready to lounge around while I finish up the second half of the work day. At night, we've been heading to the beach after most of the tourists have left, and we'll go for another long walk/run so I can unwind and Claire can get back outside for a bit. Then it's time for dinner and playtime (she likes to play tug with her stuffed animals, and four of them have already succombed to her destruction), and then we hang out with my mom and her boyfriend before calling it a night.

 

 

The other night we went for a walk at the Harbor instead of at the beach - mainly because I was feeling nostalgic for a place where my friends and I hung out a lot when we were in high school. There were a couple other dogs around and Claire did really well by not reacting to them. I was so proud of her! Anyway, while we were walking on the docks, Claire saw ducks for the first time EVER and was absolutely fascinated by them. She didn't cry or whine or bark, she just sat there transfixed. Birds in the water? Who would've thought!

 

So, now you know what we've been up to and where we've been lately! I'll be posting again next weekend, for sure. And of course I'll share more pictures too. Hope you all are well and have been enjoying your summer!

 

well-matched.

When people ask me what mix Claire is, I like to joke that she's 50% dog and 50% human. But seriously, when I think about how alike we are, I think there's a lot about me that has rubbed off on her over the past almost-four years together. For instance...

1. We have some of the same hobbies: eating, sleeping, exploring, and being with friends.

2. We are both extremely empathetic. Whenever someone is crying and sad, Claire stops whatever she is doing and goes right over to the person to try and make them feel better. As for me, I'm a social worker. 'Nuff said.

3. We love snuggling, but we can't fall asleep unless we both have space to stretch out.

4. We have a strong appreciation for nature, and we love being outside. The weekends have been filled with leisurely walks and romps in the field near my house.

5. It doesn't take much to make us happy. We like the simple things in life.

6. We guard our food. No sharing when it comes to deliciousness! Get your own!

7. We get grumpy when we are tired. And then it's best that we have some quiet time.

8. Two words: peanut butter.

9. We are very sensitive to our surroundings, whether it be the people we're around or the situation we are in the midst of. Change is hard, and it takes us a little longer to adapt - though we always do!

10. We love being around others, but we are most comfortable and happiest when we're with our best friends.

11. When we put our mind to something, we don't stop until we've reached our goal (though for Claire, this mainly has to do with chasing squirrels out of our yard).

12. We're each other's favorite.

an update about our downtime.

Claire has been so happy lately with our new routine! Maybe it's a coincidence, but I think not. I mean, more one-on-one time means more belly rubs, and who wouldn't want that?! We continue to go down to the field every few days and I've been bringing special treats so that, while we're there we can work on coming when called - a big confidence-builder. Her tail-wagging has increased the more her down-time has increased. It's like she has completely decompressed! Not only that, but she now bounds out of bed in the morning when I mention that it's time for school at Bark-O-Lounge! There are better boundaries with playtime verse rest time, and it's been really good for her. I am incredibly happy because she is too!

It has been much easier for her to relax over the past two weeks, also. She hasn't been pacing restlessly at night, and she's been even more of a lovey little girl. I mean, we spent our Valentine's Day evening cuddled up together while watching a movie - her head was on my shoulder and she just curled herself up next to me and fell fast asleep. I couldn't possibly think of any better way to spend the evening. Flowers and chocolates? Who needs 'em when you've got a sweet cuddly dog by your side?!

times, they are a-changing.

There was quite a scary incident that occurred at the park last weekend, and it left everyone a little shaken up. I've been thinking about it all week long, and my conclusion is that it's time to make some changes around here. The bottom line is this: somewhere within the past 1.5 years, the dog park has become less enjoyable for Claire. Whereas she used to love going all the time, it's now a 50-50 toss up. Her needs have changed. She tried to tell me, she really did. I'm just a little slow sometimes. But after The Incident, it clicked, and I finally get it!!

So here's what I have decided to do. She still adores her time with her friends at Bark-O-Lounge (as in: she waits patiently by the door while I'm getting ready in the morning), so this is going to become a Monday-Wednesday-Friday deal. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we will continue our long walks in the morning and at night. And on the weekends, like this one, we will run errands together, hang out, go walk down to the field by my house and play fetch, do some training here and there, and go for a hike or two. Stress free and fun quality time for both of us!

This weekend was our trial weekend without time at the park. Yesterday morning, poor Claire was visibly stressed out and seemed a bit depressed. But as the weekend carried on, she became happier and more relaxed and decompressed than I've seen in a really long time. It may be too soon to tell, but so far, it seems like a change is what Claire needed. And seeing her happily wagging that tail is exactly what I needed.

when we don't use our coping skills.

I rarely have to work on Saturdays at my new job, but today was one of those rare times. My friend Carrie offered to take Claire to the park this afternoon when she brought Tucker, and I knew Claire wouldn't mind being whisked away for some time outside. I was wrapping up my last case for the day when I got the following text message from Carrie: "One of your couch cushions did not get by unscathed." Apparently Claire doesn't like when I work on Saturdays either, and she didn't choose to cope with it very well...

hello again!

After a few weeks, I'm glad to report that: we're baaaack!

I got back to the States last week from my missions trip to Uganda, and it's been a tough transition - I'm still experiencing major reverse culture shock. Claire got back last week from overnight camp, and it took her a full week to recover from all of the fun she had with her friends at Bark-O-Lounge. To help us both out, we've been having a lot of quiet time together - long walks to start our days and end our days, and lots of snuggles and smooches. It's really helped us both to get back into a routine.

This transition isn't the only one we're dealing with, however. As I mentioned before, I quit my job right before I left the country. Then I spent a few weeks having life-changing experiences in Uganda. Then I came back and immediately started a new job. Then our roommate moved out, so we suddenly have our house to ourselves again. All of these situations are awesome in and of themselves, but when they all happen within a six-week period of time, it can get a little overwhelming!

Because of all these changes, you will be hearing from us a little bit less this month. My goal is to blog at least once per week in November and then kick it back up to twice a week in December. Stick with us, will you? It's important to me that we don't just disappear from the blogosphere [I just love ya so much, LWC friends!], but I do need to make sure that I'm taking time to process everything from the trip, adjust to my new job, spend a solid amount of time with Claire each day, and still manage to get some sleep. But, like I said, we'll be back to normal in December.

Also, we'll be having a giveaway next week - it's a good one, too! All animal lovers will want to enter - even if they don't have a dog themselves. Now that's saying something, isn't it?! So stay tuned, y'all.

  

TGIF.

It has been a busy few weeks around here. I'm sure that most 27-year-olds are out on this Friday night having a grand old time with their pals and staying out until the wee hours of the morning, but not this girl. Nope. I can honestly say that there is nowhere else I'd rather be than in this bed, snuggled up with Claire. Let's give a quick recap of recent happenings, yes?

• Work. Work is always crazy busy, but especially when you're covering for a coworker. [Elizabeth, next time you go to Switzerland, don't forget to pack me in your suitcase. Just kidding... or am I?]
• Preparing for a conference. I have a little over a month to do some research, make a powerpoint presentation, and come up with an hour's worth of pediatric social work goodness to present at a national conference. [I'm really excited about this opportunity, and I've got some great material. The only hitch is that I have a slight phobia of public speaking...]
• Uganda. The missions trip with Visiting Orphans is three months away, and it's coming up quick! We've been doing a lot to prepare, both individually and collectively. A lot of the planning has been for our fundraising event that is tomorrow night [if you're in Nashville, you should come!]
• Dog-sitting. I love my friends. I love dogs. So, it just makes sense that I help 'em out by doing this, you know? Also, Claire loves it! She gets to hang out (a) with me, (b) explore new places, and (c) hang out with her puppy friends. What more could she possibly want? [Answer: an endless supply of Nylabones].
• Photography. My other job. You know, aside from being a social worker and blogger. I absolutely adore photography, and I cherish the times that I get to use this creative outlet - especially when getting to take pictures of people's beloved pets! [That being said, I'm booking shoots into the fall, so let me know if you're interested!]
• Working out isn't my favorite way to spend my time, but it's important. You know, for my health and all that. I try to go 2-3 times a week, which gets a little tricky now and then, but I try to make it happen. [Unfortunately, in this case, it's not the thought that counts].

Even with all of this great stuff going on, the most important thing is that I get to spend some solid time with Claire each day. She goes to school with her friends on my busiest days, so when we get home, we usually just get into bed and cuddle [and there's no complaining from me about this!] while I blog or read or watch a movie. During the other days of the week - the less busy ones - I rush home, pick her up, and we go for walks and hang out at the park for a couple hours. Lately, I've been trying to squeeze in some time to teach her some new tricks, too - she loves to learn, that's for sure!

Claire is one of my main priorities, and because of that, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I'm always up for a quiet night at home with my best friend - especially with the busyness that has been going on throughout the past few weeks. It's no sacrifice at all. :)

    

6:30am walks.

My pal Lauren over at Life with Desmond wrote a post a few days ago detailing her morning walks with Des - which she loves, for the most part, since she is a morning person. I, however, am not a morning person. I'm not a night owl, either, for that matter. I operate the best between the hours of 10am-3pm.


But in the past few weeks of medical leave, during which I had plenty of time to hang with Claire and heal up and think about life, I decided to get back in the swing of going on morning walks with Claire. Lauren&Desmond like to walk at 5:30am, but that is an hour of the day that I just don't like to see. Ever. So Claire and I head out at 6:30am - after I've had time to take a 20 minute shower and wake up, while the Little Miss enjoys this extra time to continue sleeping [I'm jealous of her life, on many occasions - this being one of them].


Although I normally hate getting up so early, I have to say that I love this new routine. I like getting to go on leisurely strolls with Claire, and because she's just waking up when we leave for our walk in the morning, it really is leisurely. There isn't too much traffic in our little neighborhood, so it's nice and quiet and beautiful. And it's just me and Claire time. What a perfect way to start the day.
  

the co-sleeping arrangement, as of late.

So. My dad bought me an amazing gift for Christmas. Amazing. I don't think he envisioned that I would have to share it with Claire, but what's mine is hers and what's hers is...hers. Hmm... lucky dog.

Anyway, Dad bought me a heated mattress cover. Did you know that they make these babies? Well they do. [Invest in one. You won't regret it]. I am now sleeping like a little burrito, with a heated mattress cover under me and a heated blanket over me. It's a great little cocoon.

Claire thinks so too.

The little miss starts out by curling up at the end of the bed on top of the blanket that my mom gave her from Pier 1. [Because basically, when we went home for Christmas, Claire claimed it as her own, and my sweet mama - as generous as she is - decided that Claire should keep it since she loves it so much]. Usually, Claire likes her space when she sleeps and only on occasion would she come and cuddle with me through the night. But now, around midnight every night, I find myself waking up to the sound of Claire jumping off my bed. When I am fully awake, I see that she is sitting next to my bed looking at me. [Which sounds sort of creepy, but... it's not]. And - like clockwork, every night - I climb out of bed and Claire jumps back into bed - into my spot - and gets all cozy in the cocoon. And there she sleeps until morning.

It's been cold in Nashville lately, apart from yesterday's 60*F-tornado-warning weather, so the heated mattress cover has been a blessing to keep us extra warm in this old house! And I certainly don't mind sharing the warmth with my girl.

...Though I could do without the midnight wake-up calls.
 
 

that's what i love about sundays.

The first day back from being out of town is always busy for me. Especially this time. There is major construction going on at my house that had to be put on hold while I went back home to be with my Gram, and to come back to a house that is a disaster area was a little bit stressful. This trip home was also extremely difficult emotionally, so I really just wanted to use today to catch up on sleep and snuggles with Claire. But of course, there are always other things to do first:

We started our day with a quick trip to the dog park, and Claire mostly just hung around me and my friends giving out kisses. I loved it, they loved it, she loved it. Win-win-win (please tell me that you are familiar with that reference). When we came back home, the cleaning commenced. While I was in the midst of it, I dropped a whole box of goldfish which exploded all over the floor. Not to worry, however - Claire came to the rescue and helped me clean it up: I went to get the broom and by the time I came back, it was all taken care of (apparently she really likes goldfish). I went grocery shopping and then made Claire some ground turkey mixed with peas, since she is boycotting her food unless it has something tasty mixed in with it. I also made myself a mediterranean frittata with feta cheese, which got Claire's stamp of approval; she's my taste tester since I've started cooking organic and gluten-free meals.

After all of that, we curled up and took a long nap, which I have to say is the most glorious and blessed part of Sunday afternoons. This is my favorite part of our weekend routine, when Claire and I can just be. Those of you who have dogs surely know what I mean; I will always make time for this!

  

choosey moms, choosey dogs.

Alright, before I tell you this story, you've got to know a little bit about Claire's background. So... keep reading. It'll all make sense. Claire has a little problem called GERD. You know, gastro-esophageal reflux disease - acid reflux. Every so often it flares up, causing her to wake up around 3am with a stomach ache. When she was a puppy and the vet figured out that this was a chronic issue for her, I was told to give her famotidine before bedtime for a month to see if that helped; if it did, then I was to stop giving her the medicine until she started showing symptoms again. I give her the medicine by hiding it in a spoonful of peanut butter; it's one of her favorite foods (she likes Jif the best) and masks the medicine, so it's a win-win situation. We've been on this regimen for over a year now and it seems to work pretty well.

A few months ago, Lissa and Claire were watching a movie with me in the living room. We were all up past our usual bedtime, and Claire had fallen asleep on the couch during the movie; she goes to bed at 9pm like clockwork. At the end of the movie, I told Claire that it's time for bed - she knows this cue and normally gets her Blue Elephant before leaping into bed. This time, however, after putting Blue Elephant in bed, she jumped on down and went into the kitchen. She wedged her nose between the refrigerator door and the frame and quickly - expertly, mind you - pried it open. She sniffed around for a minute and then grabbed the jar of peanut butter with her mouth and brought it over to me, then sat there looking at me, waiting for me to give her the nightly "treat" of PB&meds. On this occasion, I had two jars of peanut butter in the refrigerator, as the Jif was almost gone. The other jar was some generic brand. I'm assuming that Claire smelled the difference between them and picked her favorite brand upon recognizing the smell. I was in shock and awe, my friends, shock and awe. Trainers and veterinarians always say that dogs like routine, I just didn't realize that it was so specific!

But I have many questions about this. How did she figure out how to open the refrigerator in the first place? Has she been practicing when I'm at work? What has she consumed while she's been nosing around in there when I'm not home? And, for crying out loud, how do I ever begin to train her to close the refrigerator door after she's gotten what she wants?!

...I have a feeling that I would be in so much trouble if she had opposable thumbs.

  

   

back to the grind.

After an incredible week-long vacation with my family, I am back! Claire spent the week at sleepover camp at Bark-O-Lounge with her friends and is just exhausted from having so much fun! We are both extremely happy to be reunited, though. I was having some serious withdrawals from my baby. I got back late on Saturday night and she slept curled up right in my arms - so cute! Every time a trip is in the near future, my friend Elizabeth always has to sit and listen to me talk about how I know Claire will be fine while I'm gone, but it's me who has a tough time! If only she could fit in my pocket and come everywhere with me...!


As great as the Thanksgiving trip was, and as wonderful as it is to be back with Claire, it's always tough to get back into a routine after having some time off. Not only for me, but for Claire as well. Dogs are creatures of habit, and they tend to fare better with a schedule. For us, things may change a bit daily, but they mostly stay the same from week to week. Claire has breakfast and dinner around the same time each day. She goes to school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On the days that she goes to school, we sleep in a little later and she gets a biscuit when she gets in the car. On the days that she stays home, we get up early to start the day with a mile-long walk, and she gets a biscuit when I head off to work. When I come home, we work on training for a little bit and then have playtime. On the weekends, we spend the afternoons at the park. Claire goes to sleep around the same time each night, regardless of the day's activities. Our schedule is a bit more flexible than some, but it works for us, and Claire is comfortable with it because she knows what to expect!


This week may be a little difficult as we readjust. For instance, as I type this, Claire is running back and forth from the kitchen to where I'm sitting on the couch and whining to go outside for the third time in fifteen minutes - not because she needs to go potty but because she just wants to be outside; Mondays are usually school days for her so she's not used to spending the first day of my work week inside. My goal is to have her back on track by Wednesday - keep your fingers crossed!