I absolutely love this picture!  Maybe I should change the "Purse Posse" to the "Hat Posse", hmmm?  I gotta admit I'm a hat kinda girl, although I never wear one. 

I actually have about 30 old hats that belonged to both my grandmothers.  Most are from my paternal grandmother who never threw anything away, thank goodness.  There are certain advantages to being a pack rat, I suppose, lol.  I'm glad she was since she never threw away a hat.  I have her hats from way back in the 50's and on into the 60's, all shapes and colors, from the pill box variety to the big and floppy.  Some haven't held up so well, but some are in great shape. 

I guess I should find a way to display these cherished hats, but for now, they are safely tucked away in a big tote in the bedroom closet.  I can't think of a way to display these jewels without taking up a lot of space I don't have, but I at least know they are here and I can go through them any time I want.  They remind me so much of mostly my paternal grandmother, since I don't recall ever seeing my maternal grandmother wearing a hat, which she must have done, because she still had a few and gave them to me before she died. 

Does anybody else here on the ole stream have any old hats?  Maybe we should take pictures of our most cherished ones and share them, ya think?  Oh, and maybe we should consider changing the "Purse Posse" to something pertaining to hats.  Maybe the "Hatted Hotties"? LOL  Well, just a suggestion.  I'm open to others, so bring them on!

I've missed being able to come here and just let my mind tell my fingers what to write as I go.  I miss using the creative side of my brain and just letting it flow however it wishes.  And I've missed all my friends here on the stream. 

I had worked myself into such a stressful state with the job, the dogs, and the household that I had to let something go for the time being.  It turned out to be my time here on the stream, since I couldn't turn loose of anything else.  I've hired three people at work, gone through the audit, and written two grants since January. 

I've also spent a lot of time at Doctor's offices the last couple of months and am on a couple of new medications that seem to be doing wonders.  I have much more energy and stamina that I've had in a long time and the stress doesn't seem to be sending me into a tailspin anymore.  It's nice to just pace myself and not get overwhelmed for a change.  And what seems to have made the difference is a thyroid medicine that I'm now taking to eliminate several nodules on my thyroid gland. 

I feel like the old me for a change and it's been great.  And since Ice and I are both quitting the cigarettes, I have cleaned walls, pictures, carpets, curtains, blinds, knick knacks, furniture and windows to get rid of the stale nicotine smell that had invaded every nook and cranny of our house.  It not only smells great, but it's looking a lot better.  And that makes me feel much, much better. 

I love a clean house and it was getting really depressing for me to know all that cleaning needed to be done and I simply didn't have the energy to do it.  So I looked at it day after day and got more depressed.  I think the depression had a little to do with the thyroid problem as well, so that seems to be much better as well.

I plan to spend some time here on the stream this weekend and try to catch up on everybody.  I have to leave for meetings in the City again tomorrow, but will be home Friday evening for the weekend.  So for now, I'll shut up my useless drivel and will see you all in a couple of days.  Oh, and one more thing......

I'VE MISSED EVERYBODY HERE ON THIS GREAT STREAM!!!

Later!

Pup

Nobody can say that Junior doesn't know how to relax....

Oh, how he loves "his" loveseat, lol.  As you can see, he's taking up the entire thing.  However, he did concede to a little spot in the corner for the puppy. That's my boy!

Love to all!

Pup

I want to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers.  The puppy suffered all night and was getting worse, so I was at the Vet's office as soon as they opened this morning.  He confirmed that she had outgrown her liver and that there was nothing more we could do to help her.

So I kissed her sweet little head and said goodbye to her.  I hated to let her go, but at the same time, was so glad that she wouldn't suffer any more. 

I'm sorry that I haven't posted an update sooner, but since I was up most of the night, I slept most of today.  I've just come back in from playing with the rest of the puppies who are all thriving and healthy, so it makes me feel much better.  We'll be delivering some of them tomorrow and may have the all of them sold by the end of the weekend. 

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers.  Love to all!

Pup

We just got back from an after hours visit to the Vet.  This sweet little girl was just not doing well the last few days and I couldn't tell if she was eating.  I took one look at her this evening and knew that something was wrong, so we called Doc and he met us at his office.  She is dehydrated and poor, so Doc gave her IV.  He thinks that even tho he wormed her 10 days ago, it may not have done any good since the medicine only works on mature worms.  If none of them were mature, then they have matured since and have taken over.  So he wormed her again, and gave her a shot.  If this doesn't work, then he thinks she may have a liver problem and has outgrown her liver.  I hope that isn't the case, since there is nothing that can be done.  So once again, please send your prayers and positive energy to this sweet little beauty. 

We've been horribly busy with the puppies.  Some have sold but aren't delivered yet.  Some were delivered last weekend.  And I've answered what seems like a thousand phone calls and emails to folks that "might" be interested, ask a hundred questions, then never get back to us.  Ice calls them "tire kickers", since he used to sell cars.  Oh well, just part of the territory, I guess.  But with 15 puppies, all the same age, my brain is on overload just to keep up with which puppy is which, which are sold, and which are yet to be delivered.  Some of them look so much alike that I had to mark under their ears with different shades of nail polish. 

Then there's this little guy:

When I start toward the kennel, he runs inside and is the first to meet me.  And he practically howls to get picked up immediately.  I always let the mothers out to run the yard for a while so I can clean the pens and fill the food bowls.  This little guy scales the barrier that is supposed to keep them in the pen in no time flat and is by my side as soon as I let his mother ouside, lol.  I've been calling him "Bowser" and of course he gets held all the time.  The squeeky wheel gets the grease, right? Well, that's definitely his philosophy.

Sally's litter have yet to go outside and that makes for a lot of time spent cleaning pens.  I have watched her outside and when one of her puppies sticks their head out the doggy door, she runs over and shoves them back in.  The only thing I can think of that would make her do that is getting snake bit back in the fall.  She must think the snake is still around and won't let the puppies out for that reason.  She's never done this with her other litters.  Strange dog.

I had to let another employee go a couple of weeks ago, so we've been really short handed at the office.  I did manage to get through some interviews and hire a new Office Manager.  And I made the right choice!  This girl is sharp and learns really fast.  Plus she is organized and has already gotten half the building organized, filed and labeled.  She has been a breath of fresh air and has taken a tremendous load off me.  I've spent a lot of time with her, walking her through the procedures and I'm confident that I'll never have to tell her any of it again.  She just picks it right up, does it right, and makes it look good to boot.  Now, that's my kind of assistant!

Ice and I have both been under the weather.  I had a nasty viral thing that's going around, plus a sinus infection.  So my butt has been dragging about a half a mile behind me for a while.  All my energy has gone to getting to work, getting home, feeding dogs and cleaning pens.  Oh, and the aforementioned thousand phone calls and emails, lol.  But I'm feeling better and hope to get a little energy back the next few days. 

I apologize for not being around lately and I hope to have more time after all the puppies are sold.  They are about all I can manage for now, so I'll shut up now and catch you all later.  Thanks in advance for all the prayers you can muster for our sweet little puppy.  I'll keep you posted.

Love to all!

Pup

Here are the newest pictures of the puppies.  Three were already delivered, so I didn't get pictures of all of them.  Peanut made some beautiful puppies, but Buster did a great job too!  We've been on the road all weekend.  Ice went north and I went south to deliver puppies, then we both went south again for my doctor's appointment today.  Then on the way home, we got another call so we got home, scooped up the puppy we had just sold over the phone, and went right back the direction we had just come from to deliver that one.  Whew!  I'm pooped!  Work has been hectic, as usual, but I'm currently interviewing to fill two positions, so maybe I'll get a break in a week or two.  Catch everybody later!

Pup

That's all folks!  Aren't they beautiful?