A Big Scare...But Everything's Okay Now

I took Snickers for a walk today. Normally, I shut the gate in the fence around the track I take her to - but today I didn't. Normally, I always bring the leash just in case there are people at the track - but today I didn't. Normally, she stays with me the whole time, but today, she didn't. As we walked, I called Dee's daughter to tell her I would probably pick her up for church around 4 PM. I got off the cell phone and looked for Snickers - she was gone. I whistled - nothing. I called for her - still nothing. Then I saw her - on the other side of the fence, across the road! She must have gone back through the open gate and decided to go back home on her own. I ran - not a brisk walk, not a jog, but a flat-out RUN! I could just see her getting squashed by a speeding truck or something. I finally caught up to her after running through the gate and a good ways down the road - she knew she was in trouble but I suppose I was more glad she was okay than angry with her. Anyway, everything is okay now.
The next big thing is going to Baylor this Tuesday for Dale's surgery. I hope everything is okay for that as well. Then this weekend I'm taking Kinsey and Jessica to the hospital to see Dale, and maybe do some Christmas shopping, look at lights, and things of that nature. Maybe I'll even make some of that punch Mom makes for Christmas Eve every year and take a thermos - we always drank some when driving around looking at lights on Christmas Eve. Hmm, that sounds good...

Thanksgiving Recap

'Twas the evening after Thanksgiving, when all through the house, there was way too much food, ...... hmm, I guess I should stick to photography and leave the poetry to my sister, ha ha. Here's a challenge, Robin: Make a poem for the evening after Thanksgiving, when you are still stuffed and barely able to move, and the thought of all the turkey and related foods in the fridge almost sickens you (and yet I am compelled by some sinister calorie-infused force to go and sample Dee's pumpkin pie cake - even now it's sitting on the bar, taunting me, daring me to have "just a taste".)
Hmm, I got off topic there. Thanksgiving went very deliciously today. Mom and Dad brought the dressing, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, a uber-delicious lowcal pumpkin pie, and green bean casserole. The Martins came, bearing turkey, pumpkin pie cake (also good - and yes, I can hear its sweet siren song even now), mashed potatoes and more deviled eggs. My grandmother made a lowcal cherry dessert which was quite good as well, a ham, and rolls. I made sweet potatoes, a pork roast with a cran-apricot glaze (I reduced some cranberry juice for almost an hour, then added some apricot preserves - it was dang good), and the piece de resistance: my signature Smoked Cheddar Baked Macaroni and Cheese. Mmmmmm.
Kinsey almost ate all of the pork roast while we were still cooking. And they all said we would have too much meat! What do Mom and Dee know about cooking Thanksgiving? Ha, at one point, all the hens left the kitchen and I was alone (well, Jessica and Kinsey were there for a bit, but I was Head Chef In Charge by default), and we had reached a critical mass as far as things needing to be cooked versus available oven space. Thanks to my brilliantly contrived on-the-spot resource management techniques (in other words, I got Jess to ask the hens what to do, lol), Thanksgiving was rescued from an almost certain dismal dud of a disaster (ahh, alliteration) to the fantastic flourish of flavors that would have made Paula Deen proud.
Now I sit here, stuffed to the gills (with Dee's cake singing softly in my ear) watching the TVLand I Love Lucy marathon. I hope I haven't missed the Vitameatavegimin episode.

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Politics, Politics

I'm watching the Democratic Presidential debate as I write this - ooooh, I'm live blogging!!! Not that I am a liberal - far from it. I just enjoy watching these characters dance around the issues with feel-good nonsense answers, cliches and platitudes (i.e. "return power to the people", "what the people want", and so on). My favorite line so far (not counting Joe Biden's pretty good attempts at levity) is from Dennis Kucinich, responding to the question of providing drivers licenses to illegals. He skirts the issue, and instead takes issue with Wolf Blitzer's use of the term "illegal", saying they should be called "undocumented". GAHHH!!!????? They broke the law by coming here ILLEGALLY, therefore they are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!!! I am sick and tired of the dems trying to play down that fact - they are law breakers, plain and simple.

Hillary Clinton just said she feels "very comfortable in the kitchen", referring to the heat she has been getting from the 'boys' lately. But it reminds me of something else she said back in Bill's days about not staying in the kitchen and baking cookies. I recall Mom took some offense at that - just a little!! Seems like Hillary might not be as comfortable in the kitchen as she says, ha ha.

Obama is floundering, almost petulant because he can't seem to get his points across. The reason he can't get them across is because he refuses to give a straight answer - and they thought Clinton (Hillary) was bad about that! The guy's a politician, trying to give a slick answer and not actually answer the questions. Anyone who thinks he is a political outsider is gravely mistaken.

So far, the winner in my opinion is either Joe Biden or Bill Richards. Biden seems to have charisma, a presidential presence, at least on the debate floor. I still have no intention of voting for any of these guys, but I seem to like Biden the best. Edwards is too slick. Hillary is just.....well, she's something. Not because she's a woman - gimme a female candidate who is worth voting for, who can be presidential, and I'll vote for her in a heartbeat if she's the best candidate. Too bad Maggie Thatcher can't run for president - now that woman was a great leader. Condoleezza Rice - not that she has presidential ambitions, but if she made a run for the White House, it would garner my interest. I don't know of her experience in domestic issues, but she might make a good President.

That's all for now - watching these guys is making me laugh too much!

She's Home!!

The surgery went smoothly - I brought Snickers home this afternoon. She is tired, stressed, thirsty and hungry (not much food or water tonight, as per doctors orders!) but otherwise fine. I am tired, stressed, but otherwise fine myself - having to wait on news of the surgery was almost as bad as having the surgery itself. (Snickers might disagree, of course)

Two Days

Well, a little over one day, to be precise. On Wednesday, Snickers will have her surgery on her eye to remove the growth located there. It's not a life threatening condition. It merely irritates her eye to the point that it tears up all the time. I know if I had a growth on my eyelid pressing on and even touching my cornea, I would be ready to get it taken off, and QUICK! So this is a good thing, even though Snickers probably won't realize that. In fact, this will probably be the worst thing she's ever gone through, other than last week when I dropped her off at the vet (presumably to have the surgery, but that didn't exactly work out). First, she can have no food after 6 PM Tuesday. That in itself is a travesty, from her point of view - NO TREATS!! Then, to add insult to injury, no water after bedtime. She drinks more water than any dog I've ever seen.
Anyway, once the surgery is over, she will be much more comfortable, so to me, it's well worth it. Some might scoff at spending close to upwards of $500 total (including the bile acid test last week) on a dog - I don't. Now if it was a cat, uh, yeah, save the money for something worthwhile (like doggie treats!). Sorry, cat lovers out there.
Hmm, that makes me think: I need to get Snickers something really nice, a treat to end all treats. Any suggestions?

The Results Are In.....

.....and they are very good! Snicker's liver function is quite normal. The bile acid test was completely normal, nothing wrong at all, so she is doing fine and is well enough to have the surgery on her eye next week to remove the growth on her eyelid. Thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers - you too, Frances!