VITAMINS + SUPPLEMENTS = HEALTH

It continues to be a bit rough for the dogs and people at Casa Curtin-Hess.
We're all tired right now, and have one ailment or 10, and we all take a lot of vitamins and supplements to maximize our health. While up in the night with Satchel, I decided to figure out how much the dogs' vitamins and supplements cost per day. This is just an estimate because sometimes I can get a supplement during a buy one get one free kind of sale, and we just got some more added to the mix from today's vet visit, but here we go:

SATCHEL:
Duralactin for arthritis = $1.00
Fish Oil for brain health = 4¢
Multivitamin for mature dogs = 4¢
Acidophilus for digestion = 5¢
Glucosamine w/Chondroitin for joints = 24¢
Benadryl for Severe Post Nasal Drip = 8¢
Vitamin E for healthy skin = 5¢
Sotalol for heart arrhythmia = $1.00
Deramaxx for arthritis = $1.74
Glutamine powder for digestion = 25¢
Healthy Powder concoction for overall health and nutrition = Not Sure, but in the 50¢ range
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= $4.99/day
Newman's Own Dry Food for Senior Dogs = $1.17/day
______________________
= $6.16/day to feed and nutritionally support Satchel each day

~$2/day for doggie Depends and incontinence support
We're also going to begin an additional supplement regimen to help him more with his geriatric insomnia and nighttime discomforts. This will probably cost in the $1/day range.

Of course treats and an occasional other supplement or aspirin or Heartworm treatment add a bit, but in general, Satchel costs a little over $9 a day!
He's worth oh so much more!

We had to add on a few more meds and a shampoo and conditioner after today's vet visit.
Here's a peek at our vitamin & supplement organization.

LUNA:
Multivitamin = 4¢
Acidophilus for digestion = 5¢
Glucosamine w/Chondroitin for joints = 24¢
Benadryl for allergies = 8¢
Vitamin E for healthy skin = 5¢
Fish Oil Gummy Vites for skin and brain health = 12¢
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= 58¢/day
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Newman's Own Dry Food for Senior Dogs = $1.17/day
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= $1.75/day to feed and nutritionally support Luna each day

Luna has strained her lower back and right knee recently and has new medicines to help heal her.
Together they cost 88¢/day.
She may need to take one or both for a few months.
She is of course worth much much more than money to us!

The happiness I feel because these canine creatures are loves in my life is honestly indescribable. They're just fun and great sources of energy for me. When Satchel and I are up at 3am I'm tired and wishing I was in bed and sleeping, but the years of constant smiles he has provided can't be matched by my nighttime devotion. Comforting him and continually researching ways to improve his days and nights are the least I can do to give back to this angel named Satchel.

Luna's strained back caused her much pain recently, and I couldn't do enough fast enough to relieve the sadness and stress her pain caused her and the entire family. If our Luna isn't happy, our entire family is out of balance and suffering. Her health is essential to our family's health and well-being. When she radiates her Luna-ness, everything feels right at Casa Curtin-Hess. We are not Us without our Perfect Peanut.

MISSING KOKO

I did something today I've been dreading...
I returned a bag of Koko food to PetSmart. I had purchased it in mid-July because it was on sale and we never opened it...
Taking it back solidified the empty space in my life. It hurts to live without her.


Oh, Sweet Koko...

And during my workout tonight, I started to cry when I did an exercise that she loved. With an exercise ball used for back support against a wall, I do my squats. Koko loved to stand behind me, between the backs of my legs and the wall, while I squatted. Don't know why she loved it so much, but she always came over to me and stood behind me while I did that exercise. Because I miss her so much, I want to both stop doing that exercise and do it all the time.

Just had to let some of the sadness out tonight...

GOODIES FOR GOOD DOGS

I'm so excited about the packages I sent to a K9 unit in the United States Air Force.
I listened to the book, "Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam" by Cynthia Kadohata, a fictionalized account of a human-dog team that found booby traps for troops during the Vietnam war. It inspired me to find out if there are still human-dog teams in the military. There are!
http://thehousehound.net/_wsn/page4.html

Through the Bruno Packs program, I was given an address to an Air Force Unit in Iraq consisting of 10 men, 2 women and 12 German Shepherds. I had so so much fun gathering goodies to send them!

I tried to take a picture of all that I sent, and I tried to get a lot of things from the wish lists of the soldiers. Luna helped me think of some stuff, buy some stuff and we wrapped and packed it all up into 3 military boxes from the Post Office.
We sent:
Travel sized shampoo, conditioner, soap, shower gel, hand sanitizer gel and wipes, and Kleenex packets
12 pads of paper with a penny taped on each one - Penny For Their Thoughts!
17 ball point pens
7 magazines / doggy catalogs
22 citrus flavored Emergen-C packets
Black tea bags
baby wipes
11# of dog treats, some of Satchel's Cinnabones!
8 plastic frisbees that we wrote sweet things on like "You're Such a Good Dog!" and "People in Commerce Township, Michigan Love You"
12 doggy rope toys
LOTS of Ziploc bags in gallon and quart sizes
razors
lip balm
Q-tips
Strawberry Halls

gum

Mini First Aid kits
pony tail holders
panty liners and tampons
emery boards
Furminator dog brush

I was encouraged to send a letter so I did that too. I have no idea how long it will take for the packages to get to them but I hope we get some notification that the boxes were received. I know they are very busy, but we had so much fun doing it that I hope I get to know that there were HUGE smiles opening up all the goodies.

"Of course you're good for Satchel. He's over 15 years old and on this Earth."

When you have love in your life, it's easy to see the sweet side of things.
Take Satchel's increasing incontinence. There's a lot of carpet cleaning and Clorox Disinfecting Wipes in our home, but there's also outside time. Even if he says he doesn't need to go out, I get my Satchel down the ramp, and headed toward the grass, and he becomes an artist on the driveway...

Walking as he pees, Satchel makes a pretty pattern

I worry and wonder about Satchel night and day - if I'm meeting his needs; if he needs to go out, but is too tired to get up on his own; if he's comfortable - I just want his days to be stress free, and for him to feel I am able to speak dog and know what he needs before he even needs it.

I ask Jason to tell me how I am good for Satchel, and his usual response is, "Of course you're good for Satchel. He's over 15 years old and on this Earth."

I try to remember that, and I try not to say out loud or in my head, "But just being here isn't enough. I want him to be enjoying his day."

Then Satchel will lift his head and look at me, and I know he wants me to massage his neck and back. I ask/tell him, "You enjoy this don't you lovie?" He lays his head back down and is relaxed, and with that, he answers me. Our Satchel enjoys Us, and after all these years, we speak a little bit of Satchel and Satchel speaks a lot of English, and we know. We know there's good in every day because there's Satchel in it, and when Satchel's getting a massage....aaahhhhh, all is good.

Satchie enjoys a cool weather outdoor massage.
Isn't he delicious?!

CRAFT SHOW

While it was a beautiful day, and Luna and I loved spending the hours together, the craft show was not what we would consider a success and I'm sad.

Luna was of course the Star of the Day with everyone wanting to pet her, and everyone complimenting her on how well-behaved she is. My response is usually, "She's perfect," and I said that many many times. She just is.

We had a lot of people stop by our table.

Our little I'm a D.O.G.! station for the day!

We received A LOT of compliments on the bandannas and sold some dog treats, but most people wanted to know the simple, one-step, one thing to do to get their dogs to be like Luna, and to tell lots of stories of why their dogs could never be like Luna, and some told the story of how their dogs came into their lives. We listened. We gave advice only when it was really being asked for...and I might have gotten a bit sun burned it was so nice and warm!

Luna got hot too!

Sure, some people will tell me it's because of 'This Economy,' but I don't believe it. I believe a lot of people have plenty of money and will spend it on what they like. One of the women next to me was selling Beijo bags and she sold 3 "It's a Cinch" bags for $95 each. She also sold a couple of other small purses and some of her mosaic artwork. She had a very successful day and was so happy. It was really enjoyable to have a nice person next to us. She had a tent and Luna sat with her for a little while and we called Luna her Good Luck Charm!

So I still have quite a few things left over. I'm going to send the dog treats to the Air Force Unit I'm sending a doggy care package to. I'll post pictures of all of that next time. Anyone who is on my Christmas list and has a dog can expect to receive "A Biscuit A Basket" for Christmas! We'll find a way to use everything. No worries. Just disappointment.

After some rest today, we're ready to start tomorrow and the next day with positivity and thankfulness for all we have!

GIVING IT A GO

Luna and I are going to a Craft Show on Saturday!
I'm not sure that I have the discipline and drive to be a Craft Show Person, meaning Craft Show People are continually creating their crafts, keeping up inventory, researching craft show opportunities, paying sometimes big fees to be in shows, traveling all over to get to the shows and telling everyone all the time where they will be! I haven't been great at any of this... BUT I'm going to try my second 'show' this Saturday:

Fundraiser Flyer
http://www.shopsatgreenoak.com/events.php

The last 'show' I was at did not turn out to be the success I envisioned, so I'm going to go to Brighton with all my wares...plus a little tweaking to improve the success rate...and plan to come back with NO INVENTORY! Yay!

I have 10 doggy bandanas in each size: Small, Medium & Large.
I'm selling them for $5 each

I have 28 bags of "Satchel's Cinnabones" - dog treats!
Selling them for $2/bag of 10 bones

30+ packs of what I call "Philosophy Cards" which are 6 cards of quick reference for how to develop a positive & strong relationship with your dog.
Selling them for $5/pack

And 18 "A Biscuit A Baskets" - 6 in each size of Small, Medium & Large.
$15 each


Luna will come with me for company, and hypoglycemia safety, as well as to show how awesome dogs behave. Look how ready she is to go!

The Saturn is packed up and ready to head to Brighton!

So wish me luck that I come back with Nothing, but a great story of success!

Little Tidbits

Just some things I've been meaning to share...no main point to the two things, just little tidbits about life and plans at Casa Curtin-Hess.

At Casa Curtin-Hess, I tend to be the idea person and Jason often is the only one who can make the ideas happen. For several months, I have been saying that Satchel needs a ramp. His mobility was being limited by his constant desire to hop down and up the side porch steps when he needed to go outside. I was concerned he would break his teeth if not his neck even with our support and supervision. Jason wasn't confident a ramp could be built with a safe grade. I said we needed something and researched the many kinds of hip support leashes and gadgets. It didn't appear that they would meet Satchel's needs. I said, "We can find a way honey!" And Jason did.

Luna 'models' the ramp built for Satchel's safety. It's been wonderful for him even though he doesn't like it and is SURE he can hop down and up the steps on his own without breaking anything...that independent Satchie!

Since it's all dog all the time at Casa Curtin-Hess, names for pets come into my mind all the time. I don't have a limit for the number of dogs I could live with...Jason does. His limit is 2 unless we are able to live on our acreage in Empire, Michigan where he feels he could live with 4. Our dogs are immortal in my mind, so I know I'll only have room for 2 more names, but you can't always know what your dog's name is until you meet him or her...no matter what name they come to you with. Here are the names I have to choose from for now. So far, the only way the list has changed has been to get longer...

Hamlet - the Great Dane I will have one day - I have loved the play Hamlet since 1985 or so
Tallulah
Hud - one of my favorite Paul Newman characters is Hud Bannon from the movie Hud
Harper - one of my favorite Paul Newman characters is Lew Harper from the movies Harper and The Drowning Pool
Scout - daughter in To Kill a Mockingbird
Wrangler - LOVED my Jeep Wrangler 5-speed
Canaan - Biblical and really enjoyed the wonderful book The Rapture of Canaan
Otter
Atticus - the dad and lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird
Bosco
Ambler
Kaspar
Maillot - French word for 'jersey' as in cycling jersey as in Maillot Jaune, the Yellow Jersey of the Tour de France
Dashiell - loved this name since I learned of the author Dashiell Hammett
Rudy
Ruby
Bixby
Joao - pronounced Zhhh-wow, a name from Brazil
Chewie - LOVE Chewbacca from Star Wars
Wookie - since seeing Chewbacca's love for Han Solo, I've always wanted my very own Wookie
Persephone - great song by the Cocteau Twins
Trotter
Lucas Jackson - title character from my favorite movie of all time Cool Hand Luke
Jack McCoy - one of my alpacas' name - I love Law & Order and Jack is my favorite character tied with Lennie Briscoe
Lennie Briscoe - one of my alpacas' name - I love Law & Order and Lennie is my favorite character tied with Jack McCoy
Knave
Frank Galvin - character from one of my favorite Paul Newman movies The Verdict
Calamity

I do hope to have chickens one day too, so maybe some chickens will have a few of these names!