Happy Birthday Libby!

Today, three years ago, my special girl Boxer dog was born.  I confess, even though I am now a dog rescuer, I purchased her from a breeder in Oklahoma.  The breeder was the daughter of the breeder from whom I purchased Mac Macadoo.

I purchased her from a picture on the breeder's web page.  The breeder named her Cricket.  It's easy to see why.

I paid a deposit, as she was too young to leave her litter.  The breeder sent me updated pictures periodically.  Here's one they sent of her at about six or seven weeks old.

It was a 10 hour drive to where the breeder lived in Pryor, Oklahoma.  My daughter came over to stay with our other dogs and we left early on 9-11-11 to pick her up.  On the way there, we passed numerous ceremonies going on since it was the 10th anniversary of 9-11.  This is why we named her Liberty Belle. When we finally arrived at the ranch, she was all wiggles and kisses.  The cutest, tiniest, sweet baby girl.

We got her home and she was a holy terror, as all puppies are (especially Boxer puppies!)  But she was so cute, you could only love her.

Libby was a sickly puppy - allergic to every protein we tried.  We finally settled on Salmon and Sweet Potato Limited Ingredient food, eventually switching to Venison and Sweet Potato.  She has since had to have both anal glands removed as she developed tumors, though her food allergies went away.

She learned to swim - which she loves now.

And she turned one year old.

She is the friendliest of all my dogs, my dog ambassador.  Even my former foster dog Katniss - who does not like other dogs - liked her.

She's beautiful and sweet.  And bossy.  Very, very bossy.  

And now she's three.  Happy Birthday, sweet Libby.  We love you very much.

Love my tiny pocket Boxer!

Monday

It's Monday.  I survived the root canal (yes!) and yet still hurt.  It's getting less each day, but I'm not exercising or anything until it's all better.  I have to take Amoxicillian every 6 hours (four times a day) and I'm taking Aleve every 12 hours for the pain.

I go back on the 22nd to get fitted for the crown.

Despite that, we had a nice weekend.  We swam and cooked out - turkey burgers on Saturday and Teriyaki chicken legs on Sunday.  My daughter came over on Sunday.  All the dogs are exhausted from two days of swimming, which is great.  A tired dog is a good dog.

Also I got my photos back from the photographer I hired to take pics of me and of the dogs.  I even got Lonnie to be in a couple of them.  I put them on Facebook, so forgive the repetition.

Here are some of my favorites.  Here's me with Peyton

Here's me with Macadoo

And me with Liberty (Libby)

And here is a shot of Lonnie and me with all three of the Boxers

 Pretty cool, huh?

Ouch

Yesterday I went to the dentist to have  filling done.  At 4 am I came awake with throbbing pain in the same filling.  I called the dentist, they said to come in, and the next thing I knew I was getting a root canal.  It did not go well.

The first three shots didn't deaden it.  Neither did the second three.  Finally they gave me three more.  Surgical grade, the dentist said.  Still didn't work.

Finally, he told me he'd have to drill into the nerve.  It would be painful, he said.  The idea was to drill into the nerve and shoot some deadening stuff in there.  He said it would be painful..  It was.

So after all this was over, I was supposed to get antibiotics and pain meds.  Someone forget to call in the pain meds.  As i was seriously hurting, I called the dentist emergency number.  End result, I have antibiotics and pain meds.  Feel slightly drunk and hoping I get some sleep tonight.

Throwback Thursday and Other Random Musings

On Facebook, someone started this thing called Throwback Thursday.  The idea is to post an old picture with the hashtag #TBT.

I enjoy seeing the pictures and it's so funny trying to find one to post.  Back in the days of film cameras, we'd have to pay to have photos printed.  Of course those things pile up and no matter how you intend to get them into albums, most times they never make it.  When my mom passed, all of we kids got tons of photos to go through.

It's interesting what I find when I start searching for a photo.  (No, I'm not going to post old photos here.  It's hard enough to find them for Facebook!)

I've found pictures of me with blond hair, brown hair, red hair, curly hair, short hair, long hair.  Pics of me skinny, skinny and young, young. Pictures where I didn't look so skinny, though I always was thinner than I am now.  Sigh.  One of the "benefits" of growing older.

I saw my mom in a lot of pictures.  When she was fat and sassy, before cancer robbed her of so much.  And my husband, also younger, looking dashing.  Oh, and my daughter, who also had blond, blond hair and looked totally different than she does now.

Of course, there were the various beloved dogs, many of them passed to the Rainbow Bridge.  Mandy and Cody, Skipper, and Daisy.  I miss them all.  And my Mitchell, who is now 13, much younger with a darker coat.  Of course the Boxers too.

The past is fun to look at.  Maybe one day I'll do a blog post with pics from various times in my life.  Nah, probably not.  Too much work to dig them out.

Cover Share!

My next book will be out in October 2014.  It's a Colton's Continuity book, and it was a lot of fun to write. I adore Wyoming, enjoy watching a good rodeo, and used to know a lot of cowboys back in the day when I showed horses.  Plus there's a baby, a mysterious disease, and a stalker!  Like I said, a fun book.

Check out the cover!

And here's the back cover copy.

I can't wait until it comes out.

After this, for those who are curious, for 2015 I have a book out in January, one in March, and one in October.  Plus I have one also scheduled for 2016 already, though it's not yet written.

Summer

It's summer.

It seems like I blinked and it went from May to July.  June was a blur, which is really odd considering everything.

So far we have not yet hit 100 degrees (fingers crossed) which is really unusual for Texas.  Yet it's creeping up that way - 97, 98.

Still, we've passed the halfway mark of the year.  The days are going to start getting shorter now.  I've had a lot of work, for which I'm grateful.  A lot of other stuff too - exercising, doctor and dentist visits, doing stuff for the rescue, and making new friends.

We are using the redone pool and the dogs are loving it.

But it's too hot to sit outside and write, so I'm inside with the AC.  Looking ahead to fall.

Sunday Musings

I am a crappy blogger.  I last posted 24 days ago - YIKES.  In my defense, I have been working non-stop on books, got another new contract and had to do that synopsis, plus exercising and do my work as a volunteer for Legacy Boxer Rescue.

Plus try to have a life.  Sigh.  I confess, this blog did cross my mind a few times, but I never did make my way here to write a post.

I've been writing, writing, writing.  And trying to figure out a way to write more.  I'd like to get a short posted on Amazon, but first I need to write it.

I've done some dog sitting, which I enjoy.  One of my foster mentee's foster dog.  Plus my former foster Katniss is coming for a week starting July 1.  And I had to spend an entire day helping my daughter move her classroom as she is changing districts.  Plus visited my mom's partner for lunch.  And had various doctor appts (I have another one Monday) and dentist appts.

So basically, life has interfered with my blogging.  And I have to save my writing juju for the actual books.

I did go to Petfair yesterday even though I don't have a current foster dog.  I got to visit with my friends and make new ones.  I had a blast.

I confess, I miss having a foster dog.  And the Urgent ones break my heart.

Ah well.  I'm doing what I can.  Foster committee, home visits, transport when I can, shelter evals when I can, and acting as an Adoption Counselor and Foster Mentor.  I just wish I could do more.  And I really wish we had more foster homes.