Texas Lady

I’m supposed to be doing daily exercises for physical therapy but just haven’t been able to focus. As in: haven’t done them even one time in a week. I’ve cancelled 3 appointments. It’s hard to concentrate right now and I think partly due to grief over Bandit. We still cry almost daily. But life has to go on, doesn’t it? And I find myself about to resume a former chapter in my life. Now that we’re moved and the majority of the organizing (for me, anyway) has been done, it’s time for me to sew for the first time in my new sewing room in the new house. Not that I have a lot of sewing planned, just a few blankets to hem and a damaged quilt to repair. But it’s the first time I’ve sewn anything at all since December 2018 after my mother died. Life got too busy to do anything as relaxing or soothing as sewing.

The dogs seem to be adjusting to life without a big brother. They’re noisier during the day but more settled when we’re all together in the evening. They have begun to pitch a fit when they hear noises or someone around their house. I thought for a while we’d lost our alarm system completely when we lost Bandit. There’s a big hole in our life now that Bandit filled for so long. When we count dogs, there’s not many left. Life is simpler, I think, but I’m still somewhat lost.

DH is out for the afternoon working on the old house so we can get it on the market. I like having alone time; always have. It’s peaceful and quiet, but hard to get motivated today.

Dusty and Zoe, sewing helpers

Where I sew now; today’s projects

I also have blankets in the washer and dryer to finish and have almost finished my coffee.  Guess it’s time to get a move on.

Last Thursday our 35 pound heeler mix, Bandit, became ill. We took him to his vet on Saturday. She said he had a 104.5 degree temperature, his left knee was out of place (she popped it back in) due to probable arthritic changes, but nothing showed up on xrays. Diagnosis was probably a UTI. She gave him 3 prescriptions and said if he wasn’t better to bring him back on Monday. We never made it back. He steadily got worse, more unstable on his feet, more painful in different places and in obvious distress. By Sunday morning we knew he was in real trouble. We took him to the local animal emergency center. By the time we got there he was barely breathing, and was drooling; he’d had a seizure before we could get him in the car. They took him right in and started an IV, ran blood tests and told us they thought he either had meningitis or a brain tumor. His blood looked good and the fever was gone. There was no definite diagnosis because there was no neurologist at their clinic or on call. While we were deciding what to do he had a grand mal seizure; instantly there was no decision. We had to euthanize him. We told him goodbye and held him until it was over. We’d just lost the best dog in the world.

DH rescued Bandit and his 2 sisters from a shelter to keep them from being euthanized. We found homes for the sisters but couldn’t part with our sweet Bandit. He loved every rescue critter that passed our doorway for the next 9 1/2 years of his life, including a 92 pound mastiff that tried to kill him. He let puppies crawl all over him and lick inside of his mouth just because they wanted to taste him. He’d never move. He protected and stood guard over all his Chihuahuas and any other animal we fostered. He was always the big brother, the guardian, our residential alarm system, DH’s fishing buddy, and everyone’s best friend. More humans than us cried Sunday. I want to remember him like he was and pay homage to the Good Boy I always told him he was. I don’t have room for all the pictures I took of him in 9 1/2 years but here’s a few I like.

Bandit’s Shelter Photo

Puppy Bandit

In the Chihuahuas bed

Bandit with Daddy

DH and his fishing buddy

Bandit’s 8th birthday in the car

The Chihuahuas are so quiet.  They don’t know why we are so sad and why we cry from time to time.  They don’t know why their brother isn’t here; Mimi roams the house looking for him.  Bandit was always Mimi’s favorite even when he had no time for her.  She would rub her body against him and her tail would wag so fast.  She wanted to play with him but didn’t know how to begin.  She’ll be 16 on January 30th; we’re hoping this doesn’t push her into leaving us, too.  Our normally happy, slightly noisy and messy energetic pack is on hold, silent but on guard watching us for cues.  I keep expecting him to come in, put his head in my lap and look up at me with those liquid brown eyes with all the love in his heart there.  I wish that could be again.

Not a very original title, huh? Sitting here making phone calls to catch up on business after the turn of the decade. Errands done, ZsaZsa picked up from grooming (she’s a happy puppy now and smells wonderful!), dog meds picked up from the vet in Friendswood. So I’ve been on the road all morning then on the phone for a couple of hours since I got home. Not much accomplished around here obviously.

On a more positive note, I have a new great-grandson. I got to meet him yesterday for the first time; he’s a week old today and will be living in El Paso with his dads. He’s a cute little thing and we already love him dearly. I don’t think they’d appreciate me posting pictures but just know that he’s ADORABLE!

Things are moving right along on the home front. Most of the boxes stacked inside the house have been sorted. The garage has cleared somewhat and most of the stuff from the old house has been brought to the new one. I spent a day in my sewing room going through it all and organizing with my new system. Most of it is now labeled and neat—but that’s because I haven’t started sewing yet. I haven’t done any sewing since Mom died October of 2018 except for a few blankets for the rescue last Xmas. I have 3 projects lined up currently, sewing or making dog harnesses fit. I really don’t care much for sewing as such. I love embroidery and that’s what I want to get back to ASAP.

Here’s a picture of some of my helpers today:

Mimi, Zoe and Gypsy camped out in the sewing room with Mom

DH is at the old house today power-washing concrete so it’s quiet here.  I’m about to turn on my tv and get started so it’ll get more active really soon.  Just wanted to check in.  Easy, quiet day.