Saturday, September 25, 2010

Out of the Internet Dark Ages

We bit the bullet this week and as of today had a satellite internet service installed. It's not as fast as cable modem or DSL, as far as I know, but it's much faster than the dial-up we've been using for years. The cost though is 8 times what we were paying for dial-up, but the last few weeks we've been having more and more problems, bad connection speeds, unable to connect at all, it's been very annoying. When it happened now and then no big deal but when this is your major entertainment and it's an hourly problem, time to upgrade.

We went with Hughes Net because it seemed to have the best value. I ordered the Pro plan rather than the cheaper Home plan to get a larger download allowance as well as slightly faster speeds. However, apparently, they still signed me up for the Home version though I had the operator repeat that I wanted the Pro version. Plus my discount seems not to be applied. So I get to call them again and try to straighten things out.

But at least it is faster and I can have more online fun!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Happy Birthday Luna

Luna turned 5 today. Bittersweet as we lost Rocket yesterday but we went for a couple of long walks and she got lots of special goodies and chicken in her dinners. She went for a swim in Mud Lake, chased sticks, and visited Uncle Butch's house 3 times today and played a little with Yogi. She's doing pretty well I think. We both are. It's hard to stay sad with her bounding around. She is such a sweetheart!

Rocket: August 21, 1997 to September 10, 2010

He's gone. Friday morning I got a call from Uncle Butch's wife, Rocket couldn't get up, he had an "accident" and was crying because he couldn't get up to go outside in time. I got there  in under 10 minutes, I called Hal, we carried him outside on his bed, I helped him up so he could pee. His rear legs kept collapsing, but he managed. We helped him back to his bed then carried him to the car. I called the vet's office while we were on the road. He rode quietly in the back seat, he seemed comfortable now that he had peed. We got there just after 9:30 am. The doctor was amazed that he wasn't jaundiced, that he had gotten into the wading pool the day before. I had spent that afternoon outside with him, it had been a nice day. He seemed to enjoy laying in the sun and sniffing the air.


They brought a gurney out to my car. We lifted the bed onto it, and wheeled him into a room. I signed a form and paid the bill. Then the doctor did it. I held Rocket's head in my hand and then he was gone. It was fast, it seemed too fast. He swallowed. His eyebrow twitched, his nose whiskers quivered. We wrapped him in a blanket and wheeled him back out through the side door and they bundled him into my back seat. We were driving home by 9:55 am.

Hal dug a grave by the lilac bushes near the pond. Uncle Butch and his wife came over, they brought Luna with them. It was all done by noon.

Rocket performing the biscuit dance at Uncle Butch's house.
So Rocket is gone and it seems very unreal. I expect him to appear around the corner and perform his biscuit dance. I'd so love to see it again.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Almost Went to the Vet Today

Would have been for the final visit for Rocket, last night he was breathing roughly, he was weak, falling over, and everyone agreed it was time. I went over this morning to check on him and he was breathing normally, looking around, being his normal self for a dog who isn't eating. Turns out the pain pills I was giving him for pain I thought he might have, were causing all the symptoms. Fourteen hours after I'd given him the last one he was able to walk outside, get in the pool, have a drink, come back inside and went to bed. He was a different old dog today. He's still not well and won't get better, but he's got a short reprieve.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Beach Party!

On the last day of August I joined my friend at Jewell Lake with his dogs and mine to celebrate his getting Tink a year earlier. She's Mr Mike's little sister. He acquired Tink while on a trip to South Dakota where he goes every year for field work. Both his dogs are bird dogs of the pointing variety whereas mine are retrievers though untrained in that job. I certainly don't need my dogs to start retrieving chickens.


Luna Retrieving yet again.
 
It was a hot windy day and the 3 younger dogs had a blast chasing bumpers. They chased them over and over and over. Eventually, they did tire out.
 
Mr Mike pointing at something....


Tink Leaping

Rocket also seemed to enjoy himself though he did what he usually does which is simply lay in the shallows and just watch everyone else.

Rocket Being Rocket


It was a good day.