The morning after the morning after

 

When I got back from dropping Ember off at the vet's office, I started cleaning like a madwoman.  Empty house, lots of dog-detritus lying about, and no dog underfoot to freak out when mom is cleaning, right?

I went out on the deck to shake out the dustmop of about half a ton of dog hair and looked across the street.  I missed this one yesterday!  Wow!

Speaking of the dog hair and the dust mop, I could not resist taking a photo of this shortish-coated dog's fur filling up the mop like the hair on the floor of a beauty salon.

Before the "let's go for a ride in the car" moment, I dragged my feet getting Ember up.  It was quarter of six by the time I did, so we'd have less time at home before going.  Classical conditioning reared its head.  Ember has learned (without my trying to teach her) that if she nibbles on her mommy, mommy will feed her.  Ember was hungry this morning.  Mommy did not feed her.

Partly because of this, I encouraged her into the car earlier than the drive would justify. I drove us around the neighborhood, parts where we normally would walk, and beyond those parts.  This gave me a chance to see more of the storm damage that was Mother Nature's Wednesday gift to the city.

Facebook informed me that last night one of my niece's had to borrow a "cold bed" from a friend, as she was still without power, and the heat was really bothering her.  She took up her friend's offer and hoped that today she'll get power back.  I wonder how Alicia's daughter is faring, as last I heard, she, too, was still without power.  

I mention my other niece (my son's dad's sister's daughter) in particular because she has a 13-year-old labrador retriever with her.  I messaged her that if she still doesn't have power today (Friday), talk to me, let's see if there's another option for the two of you.  I didn't know how that might fit in with Ember's surgery and recovery, but sheesh, she's family, and I have power!

Heard from her just now:  power is back at her house!  Yay!  Alicia's blog informed me that the initial outage covered about 10% of the city.  It was down to 1% by the 10 p.m. news.

I had an errand to run, and stopped by the grocery where I bought the rabbit toy that the receipt said was a beaver.  There I found the beaver that it probably got confused with the UPC for the receipt! 

No, I did not buy it, but I did buy another new stuffed toy for Ember's welcome home late this afternoon.  Post surgery she'll have to recover with a 7-to-10-day period of "on leash only" outings, and my attempts to limit her activity.  Wish me luck!

I did purchase a couple packages of the chew sticks she likes.  The last two kinds I tried out on her, she turned up her nose on. The remaining ones of those rejected sorts I took to the humane society, as long as I was out and about.

The call came from the vet.  Ember was awake and starting to look around.  I could pick her up any time between 1:30 and 7 p.m.  I picked 3:30 p.m. to give me a little more time to have the house ready for her arrival home.  She's coming home with anti-inflammatory meds, and instructions.  Nursemaid to a recovering pooch hat being prepared.

Whew!  It's now 1:25 p.m. and I'm sitting down to my lunch.  I could almost have made the original 1:30 p.m. time.  I vacuumed, dusted, swept and dust mopped, did two loads of cat and dog fur laundry.  I added adhesive "rug grippers" to a muddy mat that Ember has been over time destroying.  I have nothing to lose by doing this, and it might just keep her from flipping it up and chewing on it.  

I had already cleaned up the mess of car sick in the back seat of the car, since Ember needs to come home in that same car.  I also washed the nose prints off the car windows.  Funny how when you have a dog you get used to looking through or around nose prints.

I'm ready, Little One.  You can come home to Mommy!

Life is good!  Spark on!