Outside with my dogs

Hello my friends - I'm still alive and kicking, only not as high as I used to - more like dragging, but we are hanging in there. We is me, my dogs Weezie and Teddy. This morning we went to Roquemore Memorial Park and afterward visited Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Weezie at Roquemore Memorial Park

Teddy at Roquemore Memorial Park

Teddy enjoying the Park

Weezie (left) and Teddy on a bench at the Park. Teddy's getting bored with photo sessions!

We left at 7:30 and returned by 9:30 and it still wasn't quite 80 degrees. If tomorrow is the same as this morning was, then we're out there again - come August, we're done with summer. Couped up and cranky knowing we still have another three months of heat before it starts to cool down. I saw Halloween candy in the store today, can you believe that? Anyway, here are a few photos from this morning. Please enjoy and forgive me for not being here much anymore. I'm always on Facebook and I simply can't handle both, my blog and the Facebook. Please, come and see me there! I'd love to hear from you! Take care and I'll try to check in more often than just once a year.

Weezie walking on the boardwalk at Banks Lake Nat'l. Wildlife Refuge

Weezie at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Teddy Bear at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Teddy (left) and Weezie at Roquemore Memorial Park

Teddy (left) and Weezie at Banks Lake

Weezie at Banks Lake (she lost one of her eyes to a severe ulcer last year in February, the same day my father died)

Teddy enjoying the view at Banks Lake

Honeybee on Waterlily at Banks Lake

Swamp Cypress and Waterlilies in Banks Lake

Swamp Cypress (or Bald Cypress) growing in Banks Lake  

 Thank you for reading this and I will try to visit you soon. I'm in the process of crocheting for Christmas and fall fundraisers plus will be spending a lot more time outside as soon as it cools down (which won't be for a while yet) and once I get on the computer, it takes me hours before I get back off... so often I don't even turn it on so that I can get things done ;-) I'm sure some of can relate.

Again, it's nice to visit again and I wish you all a wonderful day and a great week ahead!

Bittersweet Memories

Hello my friends and Happy New Year! Another year gone by - Christmas is over and we're off to make plans to make this year better (I hope!). I've started Weight Watchers (again) only this time I'm going to the meetings because doing it by myself just on line did not pan out for me last time. I failed miserably. Obviously, I need the support meetings give you. My next meeting is on Tuesday morning, so we'll see how well I did. I gained a bunch of weight over the holdiays and my blood pressure was over the roof and that really scared me so that I can no longer afford not to go to Weight Watchers. I know it works because every time I stick with it, I lose the weight ... I love this plan better than anything else because you are not restricted and can have anything you want. I don't have to buy supplements or special foods unless I want to and it's ok to use with any foods that you like, be it vegetarian, low carb, even the Paleo diet. You can do it all with the help of Weight Watchers. It's just a matter of being reasonable and accountable. I'm an impulse eater and often over eat, so now I'm mindful of what I put in my mouth and it seems to work because as a bread addict, I have not eaten any bread (except a few whole weat tortillas to make some wraps) I do not miss it. It's all a matter of establishing good habits. I suppose only time will tell because I'm in it for the long haul.

I hope you all survived the holidays relatively unscarred and made some good memories. Mine were quiet and somewhat melancholy. I had some health issues (as usual) but for the most part, I'm ok. I look healthy, so if I ever drop dead unexpectedly, people will say: "oh, my gosh! I just saw her the other day and she looked so healthy!" well, that's me... I rarely look sick unless I'm dying or under general anesthesia ;-) Must be all the water I drink and the veggies I eat, they give me a healthy glow. I'm lucky to love fruits and veggies, that makes losing weight easier. My problem is carbs and portion size, but I'm getting that under control.

As you know, I live on Facebook now and if you ever want to visit, just type in Doris Sturm (in Lakeland, GA) in case there are other Doris Sturms and even my dogs have pages. My Weezie Mae and Mr. Ted E. Barker (aka Teddy Ruffhausen).... and I still keep Gizzy's page up ... I miss him so much and it's been two hears since he died.

Another reason I hardly blog is that every time I come here, I remember my boy and all the wonderful times we've shared... this blog isn't about crocheting at all (as it turns out) but a memorial to my Gizzy and it just hurts me so much to remember those times of us together - even though I should be over it by now, especially since I have two other fur babies to love. But, so be it!

Again, I'm on Facebook, but will try to check in from time to time. I can barely keep up with my friends on Facebook, so blogging on top of it would eat up all my days... I'm trying really hard to get away from computing so much. I enjoy it, but it really takes up most of my time if I'm not careful.

Oh, by the way, I'm in a new apartment. They refurbished/redid all our units, so I'm living in another location, but same complex. I love it. We have a much bigger kitchen now and a dishwasher (my new best friend) I love cooking and baking because clean up is so easy now. They also provided all of us with a Whirlpool energy efficent front loading washer and dryer, so I sold my Kenmore set and they're working on making us a community carden. We each get a 4' X 4' bed to grow what we want ... a lot of people won't want to gaden, so who ever wants that space, can have it. Also, our Social Hall has a computer room with three computers with internet access and a small gym with two recumbent bikes and a thread mill...so I'm pretty happy about that :-)

Tomorrow is Holy Three Kings day, or the Epiphany, so that's when I'm taking down all my Christmas stuff, so here's a photo of my little 4' tree and some decorations. I made it look cozy for myself and the dogs. I had no company, but got lots of cards and a few packages in the mail, including a new digital camera from a friend in Singapore. My Fujifulm Finepix finally broke and the cell phone photos just did not cut the mustard (so-to-speak) All in all I feel blessed and wish you all a happy and healthy 2014!

 Weezie Mae, the sweetest and calmest dog in the world.

Teddy Bear (aka Ted E. Barker, Teddy Ruffhausen, The Tedinator, Teddy Kreuger, etc)

Teddy loves the squeaky doggy toys I crochet and here he is chewing on a drumstick I made for him.

A collage of my apartment with the decorations.

Weezie wearing her pink hoodie she got from a friend in a Christmas gift exchange.

Teddy wearing his hoodie he got from a friend in a Christmas gift exchange.

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Greetings from Lakeland, Georgia!

Enjoy your day!

Hello there ... it's been a long time!

Hi everyone! Some of you may remember me, but I've been gone for almost a year. Been busy mostly with my health and find Facebook more efficient for me to handle.

Without going too much into the boring details, I survived a six-months anti viral treatment and have been Hep C free for several months. My six-months check up will be in a couple of weeks and I hope for good results.

During that time I was anemic and so weak that I could no longer keep up with Romeow and had to find him a new home. I still miss him, but I know he's happy. I periodically hear from my friend and he says that Romeow is a happy boy and that he is very well loved.

I did however adopt another Peke from Facebook. Teddy is from Alabama and he came to me in December. On the day I picked him up, I ended up in the ER for another surgery and my neighbor took care of Weezie and Teddy for the three weeks over Christmas and New Years while I was hospitalized.

I'm feeling better now, but I know I'll never be well again since I suffer from chronic infection (I was on a PICC line for 8 weeks) and was seen by an Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in exchanging hip implants. His office is in Atlanta at the Emory University Hospital. I was going to go to the Mayo Clinic because of the complicated procedure of the process, but they were not accepting any new patients at the time. My metal implants are leaching Chromium and Cobalt in my blood and that is poisionous and can cause all sorts of serious health problems, but that's another story.

Right now I just want to introduce you to Teddy, who is about 4 years old and a riot. He's a silly boy and loves to play with his squeaky toys and enjoys his food more than any dog I've ever had. He wants to try everything I eat and even enjoys some fruits and veggies. Weezie is basically a meat and potato gal, but she loves cheese.

I'm so glad I have my energy back so we have been walking around the lake every morning, except today is raining again - our third day of rain in a row. Teddy's not happy and he makes sure I'm not either ;-) I may try taking them and bring my rain coat. The dogs need a bath anyway. They don't exactly love each other, but learned to accept each other and more or less pass each other like two ships in the night. Weezie is slowly coming around and it may take a while, but at least we have no confrontations. Teddy is not pushy with her and considers her moods and follows her lead, so all is well, but he does torment me sometimes, simply because I let him. I'm afraid I have spoiled him rotten, but I call it: customized to my needs.

Teddy

  

Teddy at Lake Irma

Teddy and Weezie on my rollater/walker when I pushed them home

Weezie (l) and Teddy having a conversation

Us

Weezie in back and Teddy up front

A collage of my three dogs, past and present in the same kiddie swing at Roquemore Park (and a dragonfly that I photographed.) Gizzy is top left and Teddy beside him and below is Weezie.

My pretty Weezie girl

Our new neigh-bors!

Looking pretty in her new summer cut (from last Spring)

Recent photo of me (from last week)

Last but not least, my Gizzy boy in heaven, whom I still miss very, very much!

Have a nice weekend everyone! I'll try to write more and share more photos, even if it's just with my cell phone camera because my digital broke and I don't know when I can get a new one. Take care and stay healthy!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Just wanted to check in quickly to wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day and a safe and restful weekend.

We're still here...

Sorry it took a while to post again. I've started my Hep C treatment and have completed almost two weeks of it. I have some, but not all, of the side effects, but I've got a long ways to go (between 6 and 12 months.) I've been feeling VERY weak and just a few quick steps will send my heart racing. I'm so glad I had an echo cardiogram done before I started these drugs (Incivek, Peginterferon and Ribavarin.)

I've not been online very much, trying to get used to the new me (whatever that means!) On Monday I have to go for blood work to check my hemoglobin to be sure I'm not getting anemic (a very common side effect) and have my Incivek dosage adjusted if necessary. Incivek is the new drug that was just approved for use in 2012 and is designed to knock your immune system down so that the other two drugs can attack the virus and I've been told they have been very successful with this medication. Out of 20 patients at my doctor's office, only one had to abandon treatment because it was not effective.

Meanwhile, everything is status quo! Not much going on here. Romeow still enjoys walking on the leash and climbing trees:

He seems to be driving me more nuts than usual because when I can't take him out for our regular walk, he gets so frustrated and starts to act like a wild child (understandably) but when I'm feeling too tired to go, then we all have to just wait it out. I put him outside in his cage and Weezie on her leash so they can watch the neighborhood and get some fresh air. He's just spoiled rotten and doesn't know when he's got it made. He's almost eight months old now and still bites sometimes! (We're working on it!)

Look, how he has chewed up the outer edge of his basket. That rascal!

Weezie lounging with a squeaky toy!

Weezie continues to be a good, mellow girl and sleeps all day unless she's sitting outside watching people or we're walking around the lake. We still go to the Nursing Home together, but I have missed a couple of visits while starting this treatment. I told them to not write us off and we are coming back next week. Weezie makes up for the hyperness of Romeow, otherwise I would not be able to handle two over active pets right now. They just have to suffer with me through this. I still walk with them, but not as far and often as before. Thankfully this is only temporary. Next month I'm going to the eye doctor for my past due exam. Having visual problems is also a side effect of the medication, but it's reversible or else I would not sacrifice my vision for a Hep C cure.

I still think of my Gizzy boy every single day and miss him when ever I see his face. I just recently started to enjoy nature again and manage to walk around the lake without crying, but it still hurts and I suppose, it always will. My doctor put me on Zoloft, because depression is a very common side effect of the medications that I am taking. I don't feel any different, but as long as I don't harbor suicidal thoughts, then the medicine is working. (I never have had those thoughts before, but the medication is known to do that to people, so we just wanted to take precautions and put me on it during treatment.)

(I remember you every time I walk past this table, Gizzy, and see you sitting there in my mind's eye! You are sorely missed. Mama loves you forever and ever!)

Also, this year, I'm turning 60 on June 16 and I have posted a Birthday Wish on my Facebook account. It's a simple wish of wanting to help homeless animals. If anyone wants to participate and contribute, here is the link:

Causes - Doris Sturm's Birthday Wish

Wishing you all a most wonderful weekend and God bless you!