I hate fireworks

The past couple of weeks we have been awakened about 10:30-11-:30 pm to the sound of fireworks.
which means I cant get back to sleep. :-(

Ok, so in case we didn't notice it is MAY...

It is an absolute awful way to wake up..

Oh, did I mention they are doing them in the park next to my home, under my frickin bedroom
window. Not only do we wake up to fireworks but because they are so close it lights up our
room in flaming orange, like the house is on fire.
And because they are so close the entire house shakes....
We have blinds on the windows to keep the light out but these fireworks light up everything.

We have called the police on numerous occasions but haven't seen any results..


My neighbor is so disturbed he actually chased them one night.  I called the sh commander one
day and asked that they send a patrol car at 10:30 ( these people are so studpid they were settingthem off at the same time for a while). If they had sent a car they would have caught them.

Yesterday mornig we woke up to the remains of a 16 shot launcher in the park. I don't know how you feel but I have a problem with a young child playing in the park with this kind of crap being there.

We called the police department and they advised us to stop by. I didn't wantt hem stopping by my home.

We met with an officer, equipped with photos of the launcher that still remained in the park.
8 pics showing how close these were to my home.

Someone's home is going to catch on fire and it'll probably be mine. As a woman with a disability
I would have a really hard time running down the stairs with two dogs in tow.

I think the offiicer got the point. I really need to get some sleep.

Last night , no fireworks. I actually slept..yippee

Have a great day everybody. Remember, your actions, no matter how harmless the seem, impact other
people.

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/

back home

Mark finally got home yesterday from England.

Something about a volcano in Iceland, part 2..Now where have I heard that before?

He got stuck in Chicago.. I could recite the conversation now..I'm stuck in Chicago...
Don't get me wrong, love Chicago, used to live in Chicago but I really really hate those
calls...I'm stuck in Chicago...


I had a whole list of stuff he needed to do Friday morning and that was obvious it was not
going to happen. The airlines actually called me at 6:15 am to tell me his flight got cancelled.
Can anybody figure that one out? I would have called him, just saying !

So Thursday I spent the day making arrangements for all the things we needed to get done
Friday.

Called the pharmacy,,no problem they will deliver my meds. Whew ! One down...

Called my neighbor...can you do a post office run for me. I had soooo many orders to go
out, no problem.. Whew, Two down..

Called the vet..and begged for some help...Can someone please get the dogs food here?
I didn't know if we had enough til Tuesday when they reopened. Our vet is great..They have
delivered here before. They know Mark travels alot and they understand about my MS.
No problem, they will deliver it Friday am, Whew !

I, of course, was exhausted after this stressful morning. I pulled it off and got it all done.

I was so grateful so many people had my back. .Maybe its because we live in a small town in
the midwest. Just a diferent philosphy then California where I grew up.

I so needed a good nights sleep. Didn't get it, I will explain next post...

Have a great day everybody !

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/

6 days and couing til the start.....very exciting !!!
 

Grief counselor

I recieved a call from a "grief counselor" the other day.

She was referred by our vet and just wanted to see how we were coping
with Ripley's death. Wow.
I love our vet but that is indeed "above and beyond service"

We talked for a few and I guess I passed. LOL

The other doggies are doing much better. Both very clingy but at least
Noelle is letting me play with her again.

Last night both of them slept with me...Needless to say I didn't sleep with these
two bed hogs. LOL

We curled up on the couch last night and watched TV together.

Thanks to our vet for your kindness. I have always known you were special but
that extra kindness makes so much difference...

Have a great day everybody

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/

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Help us pick our new shirt saying...

We recieved lots of great sayings from so many sources...Our facebook page,
emails, friends, and so on.

Please take a minute to vote on the saying you would like to see on a tshirt.

The saying with the most vote will soon be plastered on your chest and the person
who provided that saying will get a free shirt...and bragging rights of couse.

Please pass this on to whomever you would like. The more votes the better.

Thanks and have a great day..

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/

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I rode a horse...giddy up

Two weeks ago I began lessons riding a horse. All my life I've been told I am allergic to
horses but low and behold I guess I was misled.
As many of you know Mark & I have this thing about horse drawn carriages. It started
wtih our honeymoon and we seem to seek them out wherever we go on vacation.
Our Christmas card 2010 was a picture of us in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Two days before my first lesson was when we had to Ripley down. I really wanted
to cancel my lesson but yet I knew I needed to do it.

Smokey was my horse. He is 12 yrs old. Kind of ironic that Ripley was also 12 yrs old
and because he was a rescue dog he came with some food bowl issues. I used to sing
"On top of old smokey" to him while he ate to keep him calm. I of course sang it in my
best italian accent..complete with a meata balla..LOL
I honestly believe Ripley is my angel watching over me as these two things are more
than coincidental.
Ripley came into our life just after I was diagnosed.with MS. I was suddenly out of work, fired
because I had MS, yes it's legal and Ripley had all sorts of issues.
It was obvious how much he needed me and maybe only to him it was obvious how much
I needed him.
I am so looking forward to these lessons. I want  the "old Cathy" back and this is
going to help her feel confident again. My family's betrayal and subsequent walking out of
my life last summer when I was in the hospital really did a number of my self esteem.

I have already noticed a change in my core strength. And although I am sore I am so
excited. Thanks to everybody who encouraged me to do this.. Mark, and especially Katy, our niece.

Have a great day everybody...

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/


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I feel like Glue

I feel like the glue that is holding this family together.

Mark is dealing with this issues about Ripley. He took him to the vet and he was the last
person to see him alive. We know we made the right decision but it is never easy.
Mark had to work  the entire day putting the morning behind him and trying to stay focused.

Noelle started off being angry. It appears at me. Maybe because I was with her all day but
I just didn't know how to help her through her grief.
Some of our friends from the sheltie rescue gave me some good advice. Let her grieve the
way she wants to. She has come around and is starting to behave like our little "Marley
wanna be". She has however decided to sleep everywhere Ripley liked to lay down.
She rarely ever jumped on our bed, even when she  was invited and now I find her there
all the time. Ripley used to lay on it when I went in the shower.

She is starting to play again and snuggle with me so I think we are heading the right
direction. I was not looking forward to hiring a shrink for the dog. LOL

ARod has been very clingy. He is normally clingy. When we adopted him we were his 3rd home
in his short life of 2 1/2 years so I'm sure he is having thoughts of "are they gonna get rid of me next?"

Yesterday I found him chewing on the trim in the hallway. He is needing extra attention.


We have been taking them for extra long walks and that is helping.

I have removed as much of Ripleys stuff from the house so we don't have to look at it.

 I am doing okay. I miss him terribly and always seem to be watching a TV show with a sad
dog story this week.

Time does heal all wounds. When one door closes another one opens.

Miss you Ripley. Miss having you in the office snoring. LOL

Have a great day everybody ! hug your fur kids !!

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/

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The MS Shoppe

Today on my facebook page for the business http://www.themsshoppe.com/

I announced we are looking for new tshirt sayings...

The one we choose will get a free tshirt...

So my friends, please put your thinking caps on and help us out.

Feel free to repost this request anywhere you want...your own blog, your facebook page,etc.

Please keep it clean, non religious, and not political

Pick your shirt colors...Refine an old saying...The canvas is yours !! Have fun my
little MS keteers. LOL

Thanks a bunch

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/


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Jury Duty

Last week I got called for jury duty....

About a month ago I got a questionaire for potential jurors. I filled it out and returned it
and made it pretty clear I wouldn't be a good juror but low and behold I guess they
didn't believe me because I got called for duty.

I figured I was in for a fight to get out of it but was pleasantly surprised when I
called and they told me what they needed from my doctors.

I called my neuro and they faxed a letter saying I would be unable to serve for medical
reasons.

I have  to admit I was a little dissapointed. I would have loved to serve as a juror.
We don't have alot of crime out here so the case wouldn't be gruesome and honestly,
I always wanted to go to law school.

I do believe it is my civic duy to serve buy my MS bladder said it was not interested in
behaving. LOL


Have a great day everybody

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/


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http://chattycathytips.blogspot.com/

Here is the link to my other blog...Stop by and visit and SHARE...

See ya there !

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/


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Rest in Peace Ripley

This morning we made that awful decision to put our beloved Ripley bear
down.

He had been struggling with his kidneys shutting down for quite some time.
Every time he went on meds, he would bounce back and be full of energy and
then a few days later be sick again.

This morning it was obvious he had lost his will to fight after struggling for so
long.

He will be missed but he is in a better place. He gets to chase all the other doggies in
the rainbow bridge.

Love you lots, Ripley. Mr. Puppyman or mud puppy as he was also known.

ripley is feeling better, believe it or not

Joking aside...Ripley went to the vet again Friday afternoon when Mark got back in town.

They pumped him full of liquids again. He came home bloated but had an increased level of spunkiness.

He also ate dinner ( which he hasn't wanted to do every day)
Of course, his dinner was freshly made by his mom,(me) the short order cook.
The day before I had made rice and Friday night I scrambled some eggs and added that to it.

Saturday we made ground beef and rice. Now he has eaten a few days in a row. Not alot of dog food
but he has something in his tummy.

He does have a noticable increase in energy to which we are both grateful.
He is still having major medical problems but he seems happy again. Yeah


I may not be a mom to anything but my fur kids but I am still a mom

Happy mnothers Day everybody

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/

another rough day with dog

Today was an emotionally exhausting day again dealing with a sick dog.

Spent all day nurturing him and finally got him to eat this afternoon.
Afterward he was up and looking so much better like he wasn't even sick
earlier in the day.
His kidneys are shutting down. He looks like hell and then bounces back.
I'm so confused.
He is going to the vet again tomorrow. Hopefully his numbers are not going
down but after this week I have a hard time believing it.
The meds were working for a while but then stopped and now as I write this
he feels good and actually wants to play.

I have always referred  to him as "my gift from god" due to his circumstances
on how our paths crossed and because he came into my life when I needed him
but more importantly he needed me.

Please say a big puppy prayer for him. I'm not ready to let him go.


Cathy
The MS Shoppe

social network

The other day we watched The Social Network.

Good flick. We both really enjoyed it. We have Netflix.
Its a great service,especially for me. I dont drive so movies
are delivered to my home quicker than lightning.

So although we both enjoyed the movie alot it was obvious
that our littlest and newest dog did not.

The envelope was sitting on the arm of the couch ready to put in
the mail that day. I had planned to do it after I ate breakfast.

When I finished breakfast I walked  in the living room to
many red pieces of the envelope scattered all over.
Some pieces even hung from the dogs mouth. GUILTY !

Oh great now what ! Yes, I had to call Netflix and explain
my dog ate the envelope. Embarassing !

They were so wonderful. We all laughed and they even told
me it happens all the time.

I guess the dog doesn't like facebook. But I do...

The next movie I got was Sex and the City so I'm afraid
to leave the envelope unattended. God only knows what
he'd to that one ! LOL

Have a great day everybody. Hug your dogs, cuddle your dogs,
even if they have little red bits of netflix envelope hanging from
their mouths.

Cathy
http://www.themsshoppe.com/


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