Is it just me, or does Old Man Winter seem especially crotchety this year? There’s a reason he’s always portrayed with a mean look on his face. I’m betting anyone in New England would agree with me. We haven’t even had the extreme weather where we are in NH that areas south of us have, but it’s been a rough one in other ways too.
Excuse me while I whine just a little bit, which I’m pretty sure I do every winter! Though usually I’m not whining until March or so when I’m really ready for spring. Don’t get me wrong, I know that others have had it worse than we have but I need to vent a bit. With everything going on with Sheba, I’ve been pretty unfocused the last few days, and I thought venting a bit might help me get my focus back. I missed a usual day of posting, and I’m behind on visiting and commenting on other blogs. I read quite a few, but can’t always seem to formulate an intelligent thought for a comment.
The Weather: We had a big snowstorm before Thanksgiving and were looking forward to a White Christmas. Then the weather strangely warmed up and every time it precipitated it ended up as rain, then shortly thereafter the temperatures would plunge turning everything into a big icy mess. Eventually late January it stayed cold enough….too cold….and all the precipitation started coming as snow. And continues to come. We haven’t had the record amounts of snow like the southern part of our state and Boston have had, but it seems to be snowing about every other day. Just enough to make the driving hazardous around here almost daily.
The dogs were happy to finally start getting some snow, only much of the time it’s been too cold to go out and play in it. This coming weekend, the middle of February, they’re saying we’re going to have the coldest weekend yet! I used to have a rule that I didn’t go outside unless it was at least 20 degrees out. I had to lower that rule to 10 degrees in order for the dogs to be able to play out there!
We have accumulated a pretty good amount of snow, and unusually this year it’s all been light and fluffy (due to the cold temps I guess), so that we’ve lost many balls out in the yard that won’t be seen again until spring. It’s a good thing we have a pretty good supply of them. It’s fun to see the dogs with their heads in the snow, but with it being so cold, I have to limit the time they do that. Last year we let Cricket do that too much one time, and she spent a whole evening squinting her eyes and worrying us! Luckily she was fine. Apparently she keeps her eyes open when she puts her head in the snow, instead of just using her nose to find the ball! So I’ve had to literally carry her in the house a few times now, because she doesn’t want to give up on finding the ball!
Luke really has been cold sometimes, and even though at first my hubby thought having him wear his sweatshirt was silly, now he realizes he needs it. A couple of times when I didn’t put it on him, he wanted to go back in the house, and one time he was even shivering. We pick on him a little bit about being from Alabama and not being able to handle the cold! His fur really is far thinner than even Cricket’s. Then he decided he needed to modify his shirt….so I ordered another shirt and a coat, which I’m still waiting for.
The Dogs’ Health Issues, with updates on both: First we dealt with Luke’s luxating patella diagnosis and having to keep him quiet for a month after that. Now we are dealing with Sheba’s lump removal, and she’ll need to be quiet until her stitches come out next week. I’m trying not to worry about the lab results we’re still waiting for, and trying to be optimistic that it will turn out to have been a cyst, and not cancer.
Sheba is doing well, so far she seems to be healing as she should be. She’s not happy about not being able to go out and play much though. I tried taking her out yesterday while I shoveled and she just got too rambunctious, even though she seemed to stay out of the deeper snow. I tried to remember what I had done with Luke when he had to be quiet, and finally recalled that I let him out on the deck with me. I tried that with Sheba but she kept jumping and barking, and I worried about her popping a stitch or something. She seemed to handle having to be inside fairly well though.
We’ve been taking her for short walks up and down the driveway. Her side seems to get cold pretty quickly, plus it’s been snowing for two days so it’s not safe to walk on the roads with the snowplows out. The snow in the woods is too deep to walk her in without worrying about her stitches getting too wet. When she first came home from the vet’s, she was really gimpy, and we think the days of inactivity there made her arthritis act up. Since we’ve had her moving around the house more, and have been taking her for those walks, she is much better as far as that goes.
I haven’t mentioned Luke’s knees in a while. It seems to go in spells…for a while you won’t see him holding up his leg at all. But the most disconcerting thing about when we do? It’s now his LEFT leg he’s been holding up (and at first he was yelping when it popped, but that at least stopped). He was diagnosed with Grade 1 in his left leg, and Grade 2 in his right! We first saw the left one come out right after he’d been diagnosed, but then it didn’t happen for a while. Now it’s been the left far more than the right. We’ll have to discuss this with our vet when he goes in for his yearly appointment soon. Does this mean eventually he’ll need surgery on both legs? I don’t even want to think about that right now.
There IS a bright side here though. It’s the middle of February, so the temps have to get better soon, right? Then we can get out playing more and even do some snowshoeing, now that we have some snow. I mentioned the other day how good the other dogs have been with Sheba too. When we first brought her home we gated her in the office for a while to be sure they were all OK and didn’t bother her too much. They seemed fine so we let her out and other than sniffing at her stitches every so often, Luke has not been bothering her at all! It’s almost like my friend suggested, he seems to sense that he needs to be gentle with her. He’s stolen the ball from her a couple of times, but hasn’t gotten rough with her, and she seems to know at this point that she can’t roughhouse either.
I think I crave routine even more than the dogs do. This winter it’s just been difficult to establish one, between the health issues and the weather. Eventually Old Man Winter will have to go to sleep (right?), and hopefully everything will settle down by then.
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I’ve been waiting for Winter to show up in VA, and he did this past week, Although I was grateful to be out of town for the weekend, I came back to a snowy, arctic blast. so I guess he’s finally found my neck of the woods and it looks like he’s gonna be staying for a while.
He was later than usual showing up here this year too, but once he does, he doesn’t want to leave! He’s worn out his welcome here for sure! LOL
I kind of feel like I’ve become numb (literally and figuratively) this winter. Every day, it’s just the same thing over and over again–it snows, I strap on my boots, I tackle Barley and put her boots on, and then we walk down the same two roads. I kind of feel like I’m living in a sad winterized version of Groundhog Day! When spring finally gets here, I think I’ll probably skip and frolic! I feel your pain!
Ha ha, yes, I think I’ll be skipping and frolicking with you too! You hit the nail on the head with the Groundhog Day thing….it just seems to go round and round. We’re hitting another frigid spell this weekend, and more snow coming too! I feel numb too.
I hope you feel better now after getting all of that off your chest, we think you are handling things very well, especially Sheba. Have you thought about having Cricket wearing doggles? We had some in our gift guide that came out yesterday, that way she can stick her head in the snow all she wants! I hate to wear coats luckily its been warm enough for me not to have to wear one, but that will change tomorrow, I’m sure, or no walk for me. Paws crossed for Sheba! Love Dolly
I think it did help to get all that off my chest! Thank you for saying that.
Oh, I never thought of doggles for the snow! I’m not sure if Cricket would tolerate wearing them, but it might be worth a try!
We’ve had a couple of warmer days so Luke has been able to skip wearing his shirt. But that’s all coming to an end for the weekend, so we’ll probably be stuck inside again too.
Winter does seem nasty this year and there are some horrible bugs going about here making people ill.
I wish all the dogs a speedy recovery.
Knock wood that so far at least we humans have managed to stay healthy! I know that’s no fun either, and wasn’t easy for your humans to get through.
Thank you.
Thanks for the follow up! I want winter to go away also, it’s been here long enough. It is hard to manage surgery dogs in the snow. I hope Lukes knee’s are ok and he doesn’t need surgery.
Thank you! The snow and cold definitely doesn’t make dealing with all this easy. I feel like at least the cold has to break soon though.
You have a pile of snow. Luke is still young with no fat and not much coat. I am not surprised he is cold. I wonder if his paw is getting cold so he is holding it up. Mine will do that in the cold. I also wonder if having to wade through all that snow puts stress on his knees.
Maybe you have answered the age old question of whether they open their eyes when they stick their heads in the snow…lol.
I think last winter was worse around here. It got cold and we got snow in November and it never warmed up until mid April. Many communities around our cabin had “run water” orders for much of that time in the hope that their pipes from the mains to each house would not freeze. There are some again this year but not as many and most just started. Still we are on a training pause. Too cold and too much snow. We don’t need paw/leg injuries. Phooey.
The snow came a little at a time, so it even surprises me how much we have now! I hadn’t thought about Luke being so slim too…you’re right about that. I’m not sure if it’s the wading through the snow, or that fact that it’s very slick snow and it’s easy to slip. I do think at times he’s held a paw up because it’s cold, but I know that’s not it all of the time. We don’t see him with it up inside the house nearly as much as outside though, so those are definitely factors. I think if we can just get him through the winter, it will get better after that.
We had a lot of cold last year too and not as much snow. Our septic system actually froze up partially because of that. No fun. At least a good snow cover protects things from freezing more.
Sorry to hear you’re not able to get out and train either!
I dislike winter also, but it’s always mild in Texas. Aw Sheba! I hope you heal up soon and the lab results are good ones.
Thank you, Ann!
Quite a few years ago we went to TX around this time of year…it was so nice!!
We’re pretty much done with winter here in Montana as well. I’ve certainly had enough! I hope Luke and Sheba improve with each day <3
Thank you! I think if we can just get through this winter, things will get better soon. It’s just too darn long, isn’t it?
We’re so tired of winter! And we still have at least a month to go. Bring on spring!
We probably still have at least a month and a half here. But we’d be happy enough to just have a few warm days…..maybe the January thaw we never got?
I’m so sorry for you guys in the north and the east coast – these winters have been TOUGH. And having to deal with injured/sick dogs…no fun. I hope Sheba’s results come back with good news – when do you hear?
We should hear something anytime now, by the end of the week at the latest.
I’ve been waiting for snow all winter; but I’m glad we haven’t gotten all the white stuff you New Englanders have. A couple of inches — not feet — instead of the horrible cold rain would suit me just fine. Just enough for the girls and me to play in.
The waiting for lab results — whatever they may be — is always the worst part for me, too. But I do my best to stay optimistic. I figure it’s better to stay cheerful anyway since worrying never gets me anywhere but in bed with a headache. So far, the optimism hasn’t let me down. Here’s to great results for Sheba! Hang in there, Jan! Your Golden Girl is going to be fine. I just know it!
We wanted some snow on the ground, and were happy to finally get that, but the darn cold is what I can’t stand!
You’re right, worrying is just a waste of time, and it gives me a migraine as well. But sometimes I can’t seem to help myself. Thank you for being optimistic for me! 🙂
That’s too much stuff for one dog mom to worry about. I hope everyone heals, the snow stops, and the sun comes out.
Thank you so much, Mary. Things have to get better, right? Hopefully sooner rather than later too!
It has been very mild here on the bayou. I’d love a little snow. Congratulations on winning our Rejeneril! It has made an incredible difference in Bentley. We report your win on the news today!
Thank you so much for including us on the news, and for the giveaway! 🙂
We’d be happy to send some of our snow and cold your way, or better yet, trade it for your mild weather! 🙂
I feel your pain. I keep trying to remind myself there will be some mild days come the end of this month and they will become more frequent as March comes in. Still we keep having these snow storms. Our last one started Sunday and finished up this morning and we are expecting more on Thursday and of course, some very cold weather.
Glad to hear the pups are doing okay, the waiting is the hardest part. Hang in there ok?
I will, Jodi, thank you. The waiting is the worst part. I try not to worry, but if I don’t expect the worst that’s when it happens (that’s my worry logic).
I imagine you have far more snow down there than we do here, so I feel bad complaining about that. Maybe if we could just get a chance to catch our breath in between storms it wouldn’t be quite so bad? 🙂
We are pissed at winter this year, as it is a disaster! Way too warm, we miss every snowstorm, just not our kind of winter at all! Bailie has real thin fur compared to me, but she never seems cold and always likes to be outside. Hope everyone heals well and you have a period of good health at your house.
Bailie probably keeps moving a little more than Luke does. He likes to just lie in the snow and chew on a ball or something, so I think he feels the cold more when we’re playing in the yard.
We’d be happy to send some of our cold and snow your way, but I guess it just doesn’t work like that. You still have time….maybe more will come your way?
Thank you for the well wishes, Emma, I think we should be due for some healthy here pretty soon!
Actually “Old Man Winter” was worse to Michigan last year than almost anyone. This year we are getting a normal amount of snow….thank goodness!
I think you deserved a break this year then, Caren! I guess we all get to take our turn…..
UGH! You have been going through SO much lately, please feel free to let some steam off and whine ALLLLLLLLLLLLL you want!
I don’t blame you one bit!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Thank you, Jenna! I always hate being the whiner and complainer….but sometimes you just have to get these things off your chest. Or have a good cry!
I’m with you, Mr. Winter is an ole grumpy f*rt. And I wish we could chase him away like a squirrel. I cross my paws for you Sheba and I hope it heals up quickly and without problems. Let’s count the days till we get some more sun and warmer temperatures…
Thank you, Easy! I think some sunshine and warmer temps would make us all feel better, wouldn’t it?