Sorry for my outburst of personal misery the other day. Sometimes it all just gets to me. I know my small problems are nothing compared with some of the awful things other people go through. I hate to be a whinger. Thank you all for your support via emails and comments (and even a visit!), it means a great deal to me.

On top of Sailor, Alex broke out in a horrendous “hot spot” on his face and needed treatment. It’s amazing how quickly they can crop up and become an infected and inflamed mess. Poor Alex is now sporting the newest dog fashion of the one-sided-facial-shave with the “must have” accessory—the plastic e-collar. Oh woe is he! Three times per day he has to have his antibiotics and his wound cleaned and spread with panalog. He is not the best of patients to be tended by one with not much patience. We are managing. My legs will have bruises for weeks and the furniture is also suffering the brunt of his inadequacies of maneuvering with a plastic cone on his head.

Sailor has started on the last chemo protocol that we can try. This one is a five week cycle. He gets two different drugs injected at the vet, then home with prednisone and another drug (Matulane). He goes back in 7 days for another injection and stays on the at-home meds for another week. After that he gets three weeks off. We won’t know if this one is working until after the second injection. We are hoping he can handle this protocol as there is a 30% chance that he could become sick from it (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). It’s even more expensive than the previous treatment. The Matulane alone was $236.00 for 14 capsules! ouch.

It’s been gloomy and rainy all week, but it looks like the sun may just come out today. The grass outside my window is actually looking green and the forsythia hedge has a glow of yellow about it.

Much better! Just took Tucker for a run—wonder if I saw my King with his unique crown in the window. Warm enough for some spring clean-up. The wind wouldn’t cooperate and apparently didn’t like my leaf piles, however. Goin to watch the Yankee game then off to Giants Stadium for the Red Bull’s Game. It’ll be a chilly night!
~Luke
P.S—I took pictures of some flowers in the yard. Maybe you can tell me their names? Lot’s of strange flowery/dirt smells in the air too. Since my grass finally started to grow and looks somewhat greenish maybe those forsynthias (spelt right?) will be all yellow by next weekend.

Love the shadow of the lace curtain! That’s beautiful.

Lynne, I’m SO sorry to learn about your dogs’ health problems, and so sorry you’ve had a late winter bout of the blues.

In my experience, almost everything is out of my control. There’s something kind of liberating about that truth, at least for me.

But I’m sending much love and warmth to you. That is something I can control!

Take good care.

lovely glowy warm photos, i LOVE that top photo.

thinking of you both and sailor.  :O(

Luke, perhaps you did see the King in the window ...

Reya, glad you liked the pic. I’ve tried many times to capture that light and finally got it right. I like your way of thinking about being (not) in control! Thank you!

Letty, glad you liked the pic as well. Thanks for the thoughts and hopefully we’ll be meeting up soon!

Hi Lynne,

What a beautiful picture of the shadow of the curtain on the wall, I love it.

Our Bernese had a collar/bucket/lampshade on one christmas and oh what chaos she caused.  The laugh was,  we were happy that the vet had just brought in a new clear model which was supposed to be far better as the patient can see what is going on.  By the end of day one we had so much black duct tape on it there was no clear plastic left to see through.  If anyone saw her comming towards them they did a star jump because her best trick always has been going through your legs.  Even if our doors had been 6feet wide she still would never have cleared one.  We still laugh about Belle’s bucket head and it was many many years ago. 
I really do hope Sailor responds well to this treatment and that there is no sickness etc. and all my love to Alex and a big cuddle for the beautiful Hailey.
Regards
Chris

Hi Lynne, Sorry you’re having a bit of a bad time - this is when you need to start singing “things can only get better” - as I did when I was in Houston and my luggage was in France!  As to the spring - we’ve just got winter back - we had blizzards yesterday .... but looking on the bright side, the lambs are entertaining us in the field in front of the house and there is more colour appearing in the garden. Best wishes, Anne

Thank you Chris and Anne!