I think Ember might have some beaver in her background. Longest lasting toy we've had in a while! And the cost was perfect!
Wednesday morning I made it to and through the financial appointment. My son met me there and got to meet my financial advisor in person for the first time. He also got far more financial information about my situation that he thought he really needed to know. Certainly more than I knew about my parents' financial situation before they passed on. My brother had done this with his daughter a few months before he died, and of course at the time neither of them thought it would be needed for many years.
What came of it was an idea about what he does need more information about, being as he is now firmly in the sandwich generation. Professionally he deals with aging veterans and the issue comes up for them. He wants to review what I have in terms of long-term care coverage and how to access it should the need arise. He's concerned that if/when such a situation occurs, he would be under a good deal of emotional stress. I concur, knowing how I felt when my parents got to the point of needing help, and I had a brother and three sisters with whom to share the load. He does not. Better to set aside time now to talk about and review those aspects, before a time of duress.
As I was leaving the financial appointment, I got Scott's message to meet for the dog training session. Cues I am to work on between now and next Monday are "easy" (for slow down) and "heel" (which is to come to and sit on my right side). Wish me luck. The other two are to get into the car "load up", and out "unload". Ember did all of these just fine for Scott, I don't know how well she'll do them for me. We shall see.
The thing I was most impressed with was his body language signaling to her when she "lost" the dummy, out about 25 feet from him. She correctly read his signaling, found the dummy and earned high praise. Oh, and his "loose leash" showing off once she was tired out from running. She stayed with him as he dangled the leash loop on his thumb.
We came home to meet the lawn dudes who are setting up my lawn sprinklers for the watering season ahead.
The 4 p.m. puppy parade happened, and Ember and I joined it partway through. She was a good girl, especially as she was tired out by her workout with Scott, I'm sure!
That was one exhausting Wednesday, and the hu-mom fell into bed and slept very well.
On to Thursday
This is day 2 of the transition to a new training diet for Ember. For breakfast she got the last 1/2 cup of beef chunks from the can, plus 1/4 cup of the salmon/sweet potato kibble, and 10 green beans. She left a little of the kibble behind, covered in gravy. She is not too crazy about kibble once it gets "wet" with gravy, so about a half dozen of the kibbles got tossed, but good job on eating your green beans, girly!
We played 3 rounds of glow in the dark fetch, 5 fetches per round, 1 treat at the end of the five. Worked on the release, which, unfortunately, her words for "drop it" are "bring me". It was a mistake in training on my part, but it has stuck. I throw the ball, she runs out, brings it back, but if she won't give it to me automatically, I say, "bring me" and she drops it. If I say, "drop it", she doesn't quite get it.
We tried the "heel" command a couple times at the start of the puppy parade (before we joined the others), and I'd call it a start. She's not as quick about it with me, as she was with Scott. This morning's "load up" was kind of a mixture of the ritual we HAD been following, and what Scott is training. He had her loading up in his Silverado at the Y Wednesday, my little Honda isn't nearly as big a jump! But she got in. I have her in the alternate harness today (the Easy Walk one). And I warned the day care folks that she's now "in training" and on a diet, so go light on the treats during day care.
My trainer waved off today's session, so I mostly did human things at home. I broke down the cardboard and took a load to the recycling center. Looked like retirees' day there this morning. Also did dog laundry, swept up the results of a dog that sheds a double coat (I felt like I was working at a beauty parlor, there was so much of it), and appreciating the sunshine as I shook out the Muddy Mats I have scattered around the house. The Prisoner opted to stay outside all day. And I got a little bit of a nap before going to pick up the pup.
There is something about the harnesses with chest connecting clips (which I use). Newer day care workers often put them on her "upside down" so that the clip is on top when I pick her up. I think I know why... I suspect when they take the harness off for the day, they leave the leash attached, and then it just makes sense to them that the connection should be on top. Anyway, that has happened with both harnesses!
Ember's supper after day care. 1/3 cup salmon and sweet potato kibble, 2/3 cup chicken and rice kibble, and 10 green beans. I warmed the green beans in the microwave and allowed them to cool to a safe temperature for her mouth before giving her the dish.
She joined the clean plate club! We shall see how Friday goes.
Here's to surviving whatever each day brings, all in its own time!
Life is good. Spark on!
Busy, busy, busy. Ember has sure filled your days, you can't say you are any kind of couch potato with her in your life. :) Have a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I may not wear her out, but she wears me out!
DeleteI might try that diet!
ReplyDeleteLOL! If we could get the salmon and chicken and rice and sweet potato all fresh, it would be a great diet, wouldn't it? As kibble? Eh...
DeleteTraining will make life easier for both you and Ember. My dog refuses to eat any kind of vegetable. For a rescue, he's pretty picky.
ReplyDeletePlanning for the future is such a good choice. It makes difficult times less stressful, when emotions run high and the processing functions of the brain are low.
Mother Nature needs some planning. Snow predicted here for Sunday morning. Ugh!! Have a sunny day. 🤗💖
Brrr... they are not predicting snow here, but the temperature lows will be below freezing Saturday, Sunday, Monday overnights.
DeleteFunny about rescue pup being picky. Maybe he had some bad experience with foods he was offered in the past? Ember is still quite fond of her blueberry while I fix my own breakfast. I haven't made her a "puppy salad" in a while, but it's coming up on Springtime.
LOL! Glad the stick keeps Ember entertained!
ReplyDeleteSooooo good that DS went to meet your financial advisor with you so he knows about everything. Dad and I did that and it made things SOOooo much easier getting things settled after he and Mom passed. Good move. I need to do that w/Clara, too. And YES, better to be armed w/the information rather than having to hunt for it when you are emotionally @ low ebb.
Sounds like Ember had a great training session. HOPE she performs as well for you! Sounds like she’s doing well! And adjusting to her training diet, too. Awesome.
HUGS
barb
1cd
It was a huge wake up call when my brother passed so suddenly and unexpectedly. Fortunately he had clued his daughter in on "how the money works" and that he had it set up so that it was pretty much on autopilot so she didn't have to make any immediate changes. I'm not quite to that point, but getting there. This was a start, in terms of letting son in on what's up. I have no idea if he knows as much about his dad's situation, but he's in the unenviable position of having two parents aging, 1200 miles apart. I know he's helped his dad with understanding the veteran side of things (dad is a VietNam era vet).
DeleteI was so proud of Ember on Friday... I got a phone call from the financial house, and started talking about some piece of business I needed to take care of... and Ember just trotted into her crate, all on her own, to let me go do "human stuff".
Yes, the more prepared your survivors are w/necessary details, the less stressful it is. It will not be w/o stress, but at least it's mitigated a little.
DeleteGooooood girl Ember! You let Mom do her human thing and relaxed. Awesome job.
here's to a good weekend.
barb
1cd
Oh, how wonderful that you had your son go over things with you and the financial planner. It was double-difficult for me when my folks died, as Dad never sat down with me to go over that sort of thing, even though I asked. (I was the trustee.)
ReplyDeleteI opened a joint bank account with my daughter last year in addition to my primary bank account. That way she has access to my funds in the event I'm not able to pay bills due to illness or injury. Most of my bills are on auto-pay, but not all.
Yay for Ember adjusting well as she learns new things. Even though she's not quite there, just the fact that she's attempting to do things like getting into the car is great, I think. She is willing and must want to, as she's attempting.
There's a lot of emotional work involved in grieving. Adding financial responsibility to it only complicates things. A joint account with your daughter sounds like a great step. I have to thing of that. I have him set up as POA that can be executed at any time, but having her joint on an account is automatic.
DeleteOne note of caution, from personal experience, that works OK as long as when we depart the planet we do it in the "normal" order (parent first, child later). My mother in law had set up her joint account with my husband's older brother... only he expired before she did and it had some nasty tax side effects. So hopefully you've got that under advisement. POA takes time to kick in and hassle, so I understand doing it ahead of time.
The problem with Ember and the car is that she did not WANT to get into the car, finding other things in the garage more interesting. But we ARE making progress with the matter of fact "load up" cue!
Ember's toy longevity is impressive! The financial appointment sounds important, and your son's involvement is thoughtful. Training progress is good, and the body language signaling is fascinating. Sprinklers are a sign of spring, and a tired pup is a good pup. The new diet is interesting, and accidental training is amusing. Productive Thursday at home, and the harness clip observation is insightful.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day! (((BUG HUGS)))
I'm working on giving her both the "bring me" and "drop it" cues in the hopes of her learned that they both mean to give the toy/ball/dummy to the human!
Delete