The Kids on My Block!

Wouldn't it be wonderful to go back in time...just for a day...and relive the best memories of an earlier life?  On my street, there were nine of us girls within two or three years apart in age.  We were all in school together, in Girl Scouts, goofing off, ballet lessons, dress-up and just hanging out.  Some of the best times were the birthday parties.  Here's mine...

And here is my brother's...

Here we are goofing off....

The boys had their organized sports...ours would come later!

So, we had more parties...

We didn't set up play dates; we just knocked on the doors of our friends and were invited in.  We hung out all day until we heard our mom's voice calling us in for dinner.  We graduated high school, went to college, married and moved away.  And thanks to social media, some of us are finding each other again and we are reliving some of the best memories of our lives!

Today's post, The Kids on My Block, is brought to you by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.  Stop by and enjoy some wonderful memories others have shared by clicking above.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Wishing you a great rest of the week!

I'd Like to Share....

I'm not ready to be an empty-nester!  No, I won't be one! Not me, no not me! My children no longer live with me but I just couldn't stand the thought of being completely "empty." So I brought the dog with me when I moved to Chicago with Mr. Noexcuses.  

Tootsie is a rescue who came to live with us in 2006.  We didn't know her age, or her breed, but we knew she was full of unconditional love!  The shelter guessed her age to be that of about 18 months, but had no clue as to what kind of dog she was.  Once we had her groomed for the first time, she looked like a giant Scottie, but with floppy ears!  As she grew, so did our guesses at her breed...part Schnauzer, part Basset and now we think she may be part Bear!

Over the years her health has been good...no major illnesses, no broken bones and no hanky panky with the boys in the neighborhood!  After returning from a 10 day vacation we noticed a little anxiety panting that seems to have hung around, but nothing truly obnoxious.  We figured she was mad because we went to the beach and didn't take her with us! 

Tootsie loves the outdoors, especially the snow!  I hate the snow...at least I hate it at 6:00am or 10:00pm potty breaks, or anytime of day that I have to drive in it.  But she loves it and would stay out for hours if we would let her!  The heat, on the other hand, is not her favorite season!  It makes her very lazy...just like it does the rest of us...and she takes a lot of naps.  In the warmer seasons, she sleeps in the bathroom on the cool tile...next to the wall so she feels safe.  We are in a very warm season right now!

Last week as we were getting ready for bed, I could hear her scratching the bathroom floor and wall.  I thought that she was changing positions.  The scratching was continuous and I peeked around the corner to see if she was having a bad dream.  She was trying to get up, but couldn't make her legs work.  She would lift her head and it would drop right back down to the floor.  She was panting heavily which concerned me. I could see that she was awake while all of this was happening, but she never whimpered so I was confused.  She continued to attempt to get up, but could not. My thoughts turned to "seizure" and I began to panic.

I called Blue Pearl, a Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital about 15 minutes away from the house and described her condition.  They were so supportive and helpful and managed to calm me down enough so I could speak with regular words.  They suggested we bring her in so they could take a look.  Since she could not walk, we had to carry her.  This is where the "part bear" comes in.  She is a lug...a lovey lug, but nevertheless a chunky monkey!  

We arrived at the hospital and got her into a very large and open exam room. There were at least three technicians/doctors there to greet us.  We were escorted to a small waiting room while they examined Tootsie and I drew the short stick to fill out the forms. After a short wait, the Vet came in to talk to us.  I missed every other word that was spoken, but I did catch the words "not a seizure" and "probably just dehydration."  There was a concern that it might be an inner ear infection which caused dizziness (an explanation for not being able to stand). I have Vertigo, so I can relate to the room sort of spinning around at any given time. 

They wanted to give her some fluids, check her blood, and keep her overnight for observation if it was okay with us. I felt secure that she was in good hands.  We agreed that this would be a good idea.  We were welcome to stay if we wanted, however, they thought she would be fine and they would call us if there was any change.  Once she was settled and they had the blood results they said they would call and let us know their findings.  The next few hours were hell for me. I turned to my faith and prayed with everything I had. They called a few hours later with good news. There was a minor infection in her ears, and a slight elevation in her liver values. They were going to start her on antibiotics and a liver protectant.  They said Tootsie was resting well.  I felt very hopeful from the sound of the doctor's voice. 

Early the next morning, I called to see how she was doing.  The doctor was very excited to tell me that not only did she stand up on her own during the night, but that she was drinking and went outside to go potty.  I couldn't speak as the tears overflowed from relief and joy.  I think I must have thanked her at least a dozen times and said I would pick her up shortly.  

I feel to fortunate to have such a happy ending to this story.  It might not have been were it not for the incredibly professional, expert and loving attention given to our Princess Bear while she was in the care of Blue Pearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital in Elk Grove, Illinois.  

Thank you Blue Pearl, for everything! I hope that others who are in need of your services will think of you because of the story I share.   



This post is brought to you by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.  Please scamper over to see what others have to share today!

Grateful for Sight

Welcome to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.  I'm sharing some sunsets (and a sunrise) that I've come across in my travels!

Sunset in Arizona

Sunrise in Brisbane, Australia

Sunset at Overholser Dam, Overholser, OK

Sunset, Coco Beach, FL

Sunset at the North Pole

The Overholser Dam picture provided by Pastor Rick Green, Lake Overholser Church of the Nazarene.  I am so very grateful that I can still watch sunsets and sunrises, as they imprint upon my head and heart just how beautiful nature can be.

Please stop by the Writer's Workshop for more spectacular pieces and pics!