What Carmella Got For Christmas

Boy what a lucky dog! This year Carmella got just about everything she wanted; a stuffed squeeky squirrel, a big giant marinated ham bone, and a bone from a T-bone steak with all kinds of meat left on it.

If you've checked the Carmella-cam today then you've probably seen what she got for Christmas, but if not, here are some adorable pictures of her enjoying her presents!

Her jaws are likely to be tired tomorrow from all that chewing!

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

Fulton County Animal Services

Knee-Deep in it

Last night Channel 5's Randy Travis of Fox news reported that Fulton County Animal Services (the same shelter where I got Carmella) was dumping feral cats in White County (near Cleveland, GA.)

Former Shelter Director, Jeri Alexander apparently was the one who authorized the abandonment of the animals. Fox 5 received an affidavit from a priest Ms. Alexander had consulted with her plans containing the details. The reason she gave him was that they would stand a better chance left out in the country, possibly picked up by farmers and used as "mousers" than they would if they had to be euthanized.

As far as I know none other than these two options were even considered. One would ask "Why did they not call other shelters if they were filled to capacity, or even ask local TV stations to feature the cats the way shelters like PAWS Atlanta often does?"

The answer to that question is particularly disturbing. Randy Travis reported that when questioned the shelter could not produce any evidence that these cats had been vaccinated (especially not for Rabies).

Those of you who've been reading this blog diligently might remember that there were irregularities in Carmella's adoption records such as no weight ever recorded throughout her entire 2 month stay, and lack of evidence that she had any more than one Distemper combo vaccine and a rabies shot. Also, the employee conducting the adoption never gave me a rabies tag or certificate to send in to the county showing she'd been vaccinated for rabies and when asked claimed to have no idea what I was talking about.

Carmella soon after brought home from shelter
(notice her ribs were showing)


In addition several vet checks had been signed off on as "normal" although Carmella was showing symptoms including being extremely underweight.

Carmella when very ill one week home from shelter
(notice how cloudy her eyes were, almost as if she had cataracts)

I remember sensing a cover-up at that time and the thought crossed my mind that what I was witnessing may be just the tip of the iceburgh.

The news story yesterday reported that there were 10-15 cats released that they could prove, but that 100 cats were still unaccounted for. The shelter had no explanation for what happened to those.

So far there has not been any talk of charges filed against the animal shelter or regulatory action taken. I hope there will be some follow-up on this. Now might be the right time for me to contact the news station about my experience. I didn't receive a response initially, but now with these recent developments the news media may be more interested in what happened to Carmella.

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

Game Plan

Yesterday I took Carmella to the vet to find out why she was losing hair in patches on her neck. She had also developed some little pustules near her crotch and on her stomach that looked as though she had diaper rash.

The vet did a skin scraping test and found out she has Demodectic Mange, although some sources say that Demodectic and Sarcoptic Mange are impossible to tell apart. Apparently Demodectic Mange is not supposed to itch, but Carmella does itch somewhat.

According to this website; http://www.mange-in-dogs.com/demodectic-mange-in-dogs.php if a dog has to have mange this type is less severe than Sarcoptic Mange.

Puppies 3-9 months of age are the most likely to get it, even the transition from puppy to adulthood can trigger the disease, and it aften attacks dogs with weakened immune systems. It's very likely that Carmella's recent recovery from Distemper left her wide open for other opportunistic diseases such as mange.

Most dogs have mange mites living in their skin at all times on some level but it may never be a high enough level to cause a breakout.

Dr. Norwood prescribed an ointment twice a day to put on her neck where the red spots are, and then prescribed antibiotic pills twice a day for the rash she has on her stomache and crotch, which he said is a secondary staff infection most likely connected to the Mange.

After 14 days of that, if she's not cured or it continues to spread then he'll dip her.

My very first dog, Bingo, when I was 5 had Sarcoptic Mange. Interestingly she was reddish brown like Carmella. My father and I gave that dog baths every day with the most horrible smelling prescription dip that looked like milk. The baths had no effect and the dog was eventually put to sleep because after a few months was reduced to a naked, red ball of sores, and as I remember became systemically ill as well. I'm sure back then the medications were not as effective as they are today.

I talked to Dr. Norwood about Carmella's snorting also. He looked down her throat with the equipment he did have and couldn't see any obstruction with that, but said that she might have one further down and would need a specialist to stick a scope down the airway to check the area where he couldn't. Letting it go too long could compromise her heart, but he was being somewhat conservative about referring her to a specialist now, preferring to wait and see if it gets worse or happens in her sleep. He said if she passes out or really gasps for air then we'd have to but wasn't sure whether it was severe enough yet to warrant surgery. I will keep an eye on it but don't want to wait until she reaches that point before taking care of the problem.

Her very small snout in proportion to her size makes her prone to this sort of thing, and if she's part Shar Pei that could definitely be a predisposing factor.

Dr. Norwood can now do a DNA test to determine what breeds she's mixed with. He recently heard about the two companies I'd mentioned in my earlier blog post and has started using the blood test. I am going to put that off until I get more of the bill paid off before I get him to do that, but hopefully will have it done pretty soon. I'm going to do a blog giveaway to the person who has the closest guess and will probably run it in the weeks after the blood sample is drawn while waiting for the results.

Notice all the wrinkles underneath Carmella's chin. She is likely to have a very unusual mix of breeds in her.

I plan on doing a series of watercolor paintings on Carmella as soon as I get some Arches Cold-pressed block watercolor paper, and may select one of those paintings as the prize to be given away to the top guesser. (The paintings below are from my Greyhound Series).

Gwen, Dr. Norwood's office manager asked if I was selling my paintings and that got me to thinking about starting another Etsy shop for my other artwork. I've been mostly focused on jewelry but I could probably sell my paintings when the jewelry business is slow. There seem to be a fair amount of people who buy flat artwork on Etsy, both full-sized and ACEOs.

After the holidays are over I will be gearing up for Valentine's Day and will pick up where I left off in my new line of PMC using the rubber stamps made from my photos, and the two seed pods.

I also have an idea of how to bring jewelry and watercolors together that I want to test-market, and some new ideas for unique products to sell in my supply shop.

Also on the agenda is looking for more wholesale accounts. I've got to put some new variables into the equation in order to increase my earnings!

Be sure to watch Carmella on the Carmella-cam, and if you'd like to contribute to her vet bill we would greatly appreciate it. Thanks to all of you who have donated so far. Our goal is to raise at least $1,000 and we've raised about $100.00 so far in donations and blog ads, and $120.00 from the recent custom order (which you can see a picture of here (It was overcast that day).




Carmella is one fixer-upper that is worth every penny spent on her!
http://Giftbearer.etsy.com

Name That Crud!

Yes, here it is folks! The creeping crud I spoke of in my last entry. I don't know what it is but it's definitely something because it's a little worse than before. I took some pictures. Maybe someone has seen it before.

I just know I'm going to have to take her to the vet again. I hope it's something simple and inexpensive to treat and not mange.

I heard back tonight from a woman who is going to put in a custom order and it's not a moment too soon because I'm still trying to pay off Carmella's vet bill. I had hoped I would sell one of my Budding Vine bracelets or the bud with black opal in it also this month, but this is a start after a very long dry spell on Etsy. I hope there are more sales to come.

If you look at my Etsy Mini you'll see a few new pieces just listed tonight with those glitzy stones that are so popular right now; Lemon Quartz, Beer Quartz, and Blue Topaz. These have impeccable faceting! I bet you know someone who would like one of these under their tree on Christmas morning.

A few days ago I posted on Martha Stewart's blog. She had a video of her two French Bulldogs playing in her back yard, so I told her Carmella's story and invted her to read my blog. I've been watching her show almost every day lately. She has had some great cookie ideas for the holidays, and seems to be featuring more and more Etsy sellers.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Brea Grant's stylist regarding a custom Rainstick Necklace for her. Apparently she contacted SmashingDarling's owner asking for designers to feature on their blog and for Brea to wear on the red carpet. I could really use a big break like that right about now.

Check out Carmella on the Carmella-cam right now. She's being super cute!

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

Anticipation

Carmella has been restless the past few days almost as if something exciting is on its way. I hope it's not just anxiety but instead really is a sign of something good to come!

She has been insatiable; wanting constant attention even when she is being petted currently. I don't know how much more attention you can give than that!

Yesterday and today she has been trying to chew my shoe just about every time I enter the kitchen, and when I let her get up onto the bed with me while I'm watching TV she does not want to lie down and be calm. She restlessly stands up and changes positions multiple times, starts chewing on my hands, licking the bottom of my feet, and finally jumps off the bed onto the floor where she immediately finds a sock and tries her best to chew a hole in it in record time. I had to put the muzzle on her earlier today because she was really out of control with her gnawing on my hands. I swear sometimes I think she must have ADHD!

This month I have been very broke so I'm trying to make sure she does not destroy my clothes at all cost because I can't afford to replace any right now. I am still hoping for some sales in my Etsy shop before the month of December is over. I've even decided to offer US Priority shipping on purchases of $50.00 or more between now and Christmas, not to mention I will gladly gift-wrap anything purchased if the customer would like.

Come on, "make my day"! It would be a shame to just let these items expire one by one when they could be making someone happy on Christmas morning. I am sure that whomever you're shopping for will enjoy something from my Etsy store. Luckily not all my work looks the same, so if something you see is not your style then you are very likely to find another piece that will be.

I've been a little conservative this month about re-listing things because the object is to bring more money in than you spend on fees, LOL.

It will be a great relief when I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with Carmella's vet bill.

Holding my breath that nothing more goes wrong with her that will cost more money, I notice a few small patches of missing fur on the front of her neck. Oh, no! The areas have not gotten worse within the past week, but I am concerned that the area looks to have black particles near the base of the hair right at the skin. At first I just thought her collar was rubbing there but now I'm not so sure. I doubt that would cause black little specks at the base of the hair. I'll have to take some pictures of this close-up when there's enough good lighting. Maybe somebody will know what it is.

My son's visit was great and we had a good time although it was too short. I got to meet his new girlfriend and (I might add) that she is a Syskel and Ebert Two Thumbs UP!!! Very kind, down-to-earth, pretty, compassionate (she works as a personal assistant/companion for a woman with Down's Syndrome), she paints, and she loves dogs. She's also stable and has career goals (unlike his former girlfriend). Quinn, if you're reading this, quick, marry her! LOL.

I showed her Flickr on my computer and told her about Etsy and how easy it is to open up an online store, and she sounded interested in doing that. She'd heard of Etsy before and was interested in learning more about Flickr. She has a dog that she's taken some great pictures of that looks like it's part Australian Shepherd and part Blue Heeler, and maybe a little English Setter, and the pictures she took after she'd come back from the Stone Mountain Game Ranch were absolutely greeting card material! She had one showing a fawn licking her face, and another in which a Donkey was doing its best to bite someone's face, its giant blocky teeth grinning into the camera.

She and the woman whom she was spending the day with loved Carmella, and captivated, walked over to the gate leading to the kitchen, reached over and petted her for quite awhile. Carmella was so excited about all the attention she could hardly contain herself. Her tail was wagging so hard she nearly knocked herself off her feet.

I've noticed lately that when Carmella's lying down in certain positions the force of her right front leg jerking causes her left, back leg to jerk. If you catch this on the Carmella-cam it looks quite funny, as though her legs are taking off without her. When she's lying down another way the jerking is barely perceptible even in the leg it's actually in.

I don't know if this has any significance or not but she's been shedding like crazy! She wasn't shedding over the summer and it seems to have caused a delayed reaction. All of my clothes are covered with short, light brown hairs, and it's all over my blanket, and even comes off in my hand while I'm petting her. I bought a lint roller and have used about half of it up in just a few days. Pretty soon there will be enough hair to send to some spinner to make yarn from. To look at her you wouldn't think she would have that much fur or that she'd be bald by now, but in fact quite the contrary; her hair is very healthy-looking, shiny, soft, and she seems to have plenty of it for a short-haired dog. I guess feeding her Iams does make a difference, because the former dog I had when I fed her the cheaper stuff didn't look anywhere near as robust and healthy as Carmella does. There's something also about her muscle tone that really shows she's in great shape, and she has real bounce in her step. I really think she would be great at some dog food commercials!


If any of you have just recently started reading look back for comparison to the posts from July and August at the pictures of her then and you'll see what a dramatic change there has been! Be sure to remember to share Carmella's story with your vets.

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com

A Little R&R (Re-Set and Re-Group)

I've been ill for about 3 weeks and have not been able to be online much lately without feeling worse but tonight seem to have a window of opportunity to write something. At least for the time-being I have enough energy to get a few things done so I'm striking while the iron is hot, as my condition fluctuates throughout the day. I'm waiting for some test results to come back from my very disorganized and haphazard doctor's office, but not holding my breath. One time it took three weeks to get results in the mail that I really should have gotten a phone call from the nurse about.

Alot has happened since my last entry. I have not felt up to working on my jewelry, and various fees sucked up the money I had set aside for the rubber stamps, so it looks as though ordering them, and launching my new line will have to wait until after the holidays unless I happen to make a decent sale (or several) this month.

A friend has fallen on hard times as well, and I am feeling somewhat useless in trying to help. It is never quite so evident as it is right now just how important it is to have enough money to fix all the leaks in the boat that invariably come along when you least expect it, which present themselves at the most inopportune times.

Then another goal had to be put aside (one I'm not at liberty to talk about just yet), but if you've been reading diligently will recognize as that "upsetting event" which required more of my time and resulted in my overdoing it and compromising my health. Sometimes life sends us a message that if we don't sit down it will knock us down whether we like it or not. I am the kind of person that has a tendancy to "get it done or die trying", and I just had to come to a point at which I said, "OK, I'm not super-woman and there is no way I'm going to be able to do it alone." That situation is still up in the air, but the future of that will in large part depend on how much back-up I will have at the crucial time when it's most needed. I have to keep reminding myself that it's not a matter of weakness, but one of my having done it virtually alone for way too long already, and that nobody succeeds at anything alone. Somebody said to me about 2 weeks ago that maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world if that particular goal didn't happen, and that which surrounds it folds, and maybe she's right. If the right people just aren't that into it the way I am then perhaps it would be an empty victory to see it through. Recent events have only strengthened my thesis that man's very survival depends upon each cog in the wheel doing it's part for the whole to function effectively. If that sounds alot like Socialism then so be it; right about now Capitalism as it exists here in America has become way out of hand and a little Socialism, getting back to the basics, whiddling it down to only that which is most important would do us some good.

I was thinking tonight about how we need to re-set our clocks, compasses, and the like; kind of have a "do-over", on a personal level with our busy hectic schedules and priorities, and on a more global level with the environmental and consumerist monster we've created, wanting more, bigger, better, faster...wanting more and more "stuff", mucking up our lives with more and more complexity when really what is needed is more simplicity, to slow things down, and to savor the people in our lives, the art, the warmth, and the beauty in the smallest of details.

People are so upset about losing money in the stock market, but then there are those who don't even have money in the stock market and are worried about how they'll eat and pay their bills, and this avalanche is now carrying with it the bodies of those who only weeks or months ago were most concerned about their investments. In the mass of scrambling and desperate arms and legs such concerns quickly pale in comparison to the more immediate concerns of where they will draw their next paycheck, and how long any money saved will last.

It is just beginning to dawn on people that in a flash of an eye all of this could be gone and husbands must then face their wives, possibly to really see them for the first time since they met, stripped of all the trappings and usual distractions, treadmill turned off, faced with days which seem endless, the sudden quiet, a pregnant pause...hearing the scrape of fork against dinner plate, a sound so familiar, usually drowned out by wheels turning in their heads, and the white noise of perpetual motion.

Last night I snuggled up in my bed wrapped in blankets in front of a good movie on TV, Carmella curled up, her head nestled in the crook of my arm, and although so much had gone wrong in the previous several weeks I looked at her and thought how this was going to be the best holiday ever because she has grown into a beautiful young dog, healthy and robust and very much alive.

It has been an amazing transformation taking place before my eyes over the past month or so. It seems as though her DNA takes turns and a certain breed will show up more prominantly for a few weeks, and then another, all the while making the puzzle of her lineage a little less mysterious. Breeds I was pretty sure she had in her before I'm not so sure of anymore, and some new possibilities emerge. In just the past month her neck and chin have gone through some pretty dramatic changes. The new collar I'd just adjusted for her a month ago is already almost too small for her. I looked closely and found that she has developed loose skin around the throat, and looking at her chin revealed some little crinkles. I'm thinking it's probably not enough to be Bloodhound, but it could possibly be Shar Pei. The only thing is that Shar Peis have very clunky snouts with pendulous lower lips, and she definitely has a much firmer and thinner snout. Although her forehead is wrinkled she does not have the squinchy eyes either nor do they droop. If it is Shar Pei then whatever else is in her must be balancing her out to make her more streamlined. That is possibly German Shepherd and maybe some Shiba Inu. She may have some Pit Bull in her because of her powerful jaws, but otherwise she is looking less like a Pit Bull than she was a few months ago.

Tonight I read more about Dingoes and interestingly, the material said that they have a habit of going for the feet, so that is definitely still a possibility. I also read that Shar Peis often chew on everything and like Pit Bulls can be stubborn with problem behaviors and require special training techniques to overcome those quirks. Carmella chewed clean through the cord on my heating pad in only 5 minutes during when I left her on my bed as I made myself something to eat in the kitchen. I came back through the livingroom to find her gnawing on the detatched pad. I really didn't need to have one more expense on top of everything else. That will have to wait to be replaced next month although I really need to use it now.

In addition, she stripped off the laminate on one half of the door between the garage and the kitchen. I came home from doing my grocery shopping one day to a floor scattered with splinters of wood.

All this got me to thinking again about DNA testing, so I did a Google search and found two companies who now offer over 100 breeds. In case you would like to get your mixed-breed dog identified, Mars Veterinary offers what they call The Wisdom Panel for $125.00, a blood DNA test which can identify 157 breeds of dog; http://www.wisdompanel.com/mixed_breed_analysis/breeds_detected.aspx

The only breeds not detected are; Dogue de Bordeaux, Beauceron, English Toy Spaniel, Skye Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier, Swedish Vallhund, Tibetan Mastiff.

The other is MMI Genomics, a subsidiary of MetaMorphix Inc., offers the Canine Heritage Breed Test which can identify 105 breeds of dog at present, and costs $120.00; http://www.canineheritage.com/breeds.php

This test is done from epithelial cells inside the cheek in the mouth of the dog.

The following article tells you why getting your dog tested is useful; http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/1578

Once I get Carmella's current vet bill paid down some more I plan on getting her tested.

If you would like to help with Carmella's vet bill;

* Buy an ad on my blog to the right

* Use the donation button (at top of side-bar)

* Or*

* Shop in my Etsy store at http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

I still have a ways to go before her bill will be paid off completely, so whatever you can afford would be greatly appreciated. Every bit adds up.

My son will be coming for a few hours today. This is the first time he will have seen Carmella. He and his girlfriend took a look at my blog about a week ago and they both thought she was really cute. I haven't seen my son in a long time. It will be nice to get a chance to visit with him, and I hope he will be able to get three days off from his job around New Years. He lives in Athens, GA. which is about an hour and a half away from here. He'll be coming up with his girlfriend who will be driving to Stone Mountain related to her work.

Don't Feed The Grinch

It's been all over the news; those dire predictions of gloom and doom for the economy. One has to wonder though whether the mainstream media is contributing to make these predictions a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The events of the past few years are not an act of God, like a flood or a hurricane, but the result of man's decisions here on earth; a series of events that created a domino effect and a climate of "all or nothing" thinking that has begun to take on a life of its own.

Now it seems to be common for people to react to this news with a knee-jerk reaction; cutting out spending, deciding not to exchange presents this year, putting the brakes on so fast they could almost get whiplash!

Even large companies seem to have scaled back their advertising. (I never thought I'd miss all those clever ads for Target until they were gone).

A walk through the mall today seemed eerily hollow, the halls seeming to echo, most of the brightly colored decorations conspicuously absent. There were sale signs evident in all the shops, big and small alike, yet a feeling of mailase seemed to hang in the air replacing the usual festiveness of the season. There were no twinkling lights as there had been this time last year and clothing colors did not seem to give any sign that the holidays were approaching. Except for a few red pyramids of strategically placed red metallic balls, and the temperature in the building turned down too low it would have been easy to forget what time of year it was and to think it was just any other day.

My show last weekend was a bust. After working a total of 22 hours I came home sick and about $18.00 in the hole. We artists are supposed to make a profit at such things, not actually lose money! I still have not recovered both physically and emotionally from the events of the past week or so, but I'm looking for ways to have fun despite all the "bah humbug" going around like a virus.

I firmly believe that clamping down the proverbial sphincter is not going to cure the economy, nor will it prevent whatever unforseen problems may come along. It is more the illusion of control that not spending any money gives us, and like it or not, there are more than enough problems that will come up if we live long enough that require our money, sometimes every last bit of it, so why not continue to enjoy at least some of it while we still can?

I'm not proposing that people go out tomorrow and blow their last dime, but just don't stop entirely. If we stop spending entirely then the economy will never recover. It is reasonable under the circumstances to spend less on Christmas expenses than you did last year, but eat, drink, be merry, and give gifts that are meaningful to those you love and care about, and for Godsakes, take Christmas (or other applicable holiday) off from work to spend quality time with people in your life!

For those of you especially who are creative it should not be hard to create a nice time on a budget. I have never been at a loss for something to do to have a happy and memorable holiday, (and I live way below the poverty level).

With a little ingenuity one can come up with a meal, thoughtful gifts, and even some really cool decorations. Watch carefully. I am about to show you some great examples if you need creative re-fueling. There are things you can make or buy that are heartwarming and don't cost an arm and a leg, so don't feed the Grinch. Do enjoy yourself in this season of giving.

http://kniftyhooksneedles.etsy.com/ has a wide selection of really pretty hats for only $15.00 apiece! A gift like this is not expensive but it's substantial, especially because it's well-constructed and not mass-produced.

Here are two of her hats shown below.

Winter White Coloured Retro Hat

Pink Pow with Black and White Stripes Ear Flap Hat

Now this you can hardly beat! http://rainbowswirlz.etsy.com/ is offering any 5 totebags for only $35.00! That's only $6.00 apiece folks! It's not limited to only the bags shown in the picture either. If you have 5 people to buy gifts for you can take care of them all in one purchase. Imagine that!

5 Tote Bags SALE

If somebody on your list loves pottery then check out this original signed piece by http://fancyfootwrkspottery.etsy.com/ for only $20.00

Strawberry candy dish

Here are a few great gifts for the guys in your life. http://stinkybomb.etsy.com/ makes a soap that looks like a handgrenade. Army buffs should love this.

American Grenade Soap, Army green

$10.00

For the man who does alot of writing http://styrendesigns.etsy.com/ offers this pen made with genuine turned Lacewood at the great price of only $21.00.

Handmade Lacewood Executive Style Pen

One of these Southwestern leather slide bracelets could be just what your man wants (but they can also be worn by a woman who likes that earthy, cowgirl style). Each of the three similar bracelets in my shop are available for $60.00 apiece, and with what you get for that price they're well worth it. Check these out at http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/

Unisex Southwestern Slide Bracelet (Garnet and Peridot)

Women or teens will love the simplicity of these Haiku Earrings. These are also available with frosted Amethyst. Only 2 pair of these remain. If you're on a tight budget but want to buy a nice gift these are the ticket.

Haiku (Variscite and wood) Earrings

$8.50

For children (or for animal-lovers) http://clickityclack.etsy.com/ has this realistic stuffed rabbit; at a steal for only $10.00!

Frosted Charcoal Cuddle Bunny

In addition to buying your gifts, you can also make them. If you already have something you make regularly or you have a skill you can use when needed there are lots of supplies on Etsy to help you plan for your hand-made gifts. Your loved-ones will be so excited to know that you cared enough to take the time to make them something lovely.

If you don't generally do any art or craft there are always baked items, and as long as you can follow a recipe in a cookbook there are many choices of home-baked goodies that your friends and family will enjoy, many of which only cost a few dollars to make.

For the holiday dinner invite a friend or family and make a day of it preparing some delicious food. If you play your cards right it need not cost alot. If your budget is especially tight plan a menu of something you can buy in bulk (there are some places where you can even get a good deal on a turkey if you watch sales circulars and compare prices), or make it a covered-dish dinner and have each person contribute something.

I ordered a pizza one year when my son was here and I couldn't afford a turkey. We watched a good movie in front of the TV and ate while we talked. Neither of us minded not having the traditional meal. The important thing was that we made a point of doing something special.

This Thanksgiving it looks as though it will be just me so I decided to get just a turkey breast and potatoes and I'll have that and salad, since I really don't like the dark meat anyhow and a whole Turkey would be more than I can eat for a month! I saved alot of money that way too. My son probably won't be here until around New Years, so I may have to do the same thing for Christmas. Carmella will keep me company until then.

Traditions are important. They are what keeps us connected to life and to one another. The economy is bad enough, so don't feed the Grinch by cancelling Christmas. Make a point to stimulate the economy. Remember that whatever (or whomever) you do feed will grow.

Just When You Thought Things Were Going Well

It's odd that sometimes when you think things are at their best unbenounced to you they're really on the cusp of total collapse. I've been busy putting out fires. That seems to be the theme of the day. The Carmella-cam stopped working altogether and it required about 3 days of talking to 3 different companies to come up with a solution without paying through the nose. Finally I reached a supervisor that believed in good customer service and by that time I was hoarse from all the hours spent on the phone. The Geek Squad is going to send a guy over on Monday to fix it. The supervisor I spoke with on the phone said it could be a defective router and she is going to leave instructions for him to bring another one just in case. It could also be that the set-up was configured wrong to begin with and re-configuring it might fix it. I also requested that the guy speak with the camera manufacturer Linkseys to be absolutely sure that he is connecting it to the web correctly so it will not fail when he leaves.

All this came after I received some very upsetting news which required alot of extra work on my part that I should not have had to take on and then my autoimmune disease flared up horribly. The last thing I needed was to have to clean up somebody else's mess and it seems as though the ramifications just keep coming.

The one constant was that Carmella was here the whole time by my side. Thank God for dogs because if you're looking for loyalty they will never let you down. There is a permanence to them you can't get anywhere else.

The woman from whom I'm supposed to be buying the rubber stamps of my pictures has dropped off the radar again. That always seems to happen whenever I ask a question in my e-mail. If I were not so tenacious she would have lost the sale completely, but I will still place the order although this has dampened my enthusiasm to get it as soon as possible quite a bit with all the stops and starts. I'm running out of energy with all this being required to drag people that has been happening lately.

Yesterday when I went to take a bath I found that I was bruised all over. The past few days I'd been in awful pain throughout my body and then the next day it felt as though my muscles had been torn and were itching as though healing some damage. Then I noticed the bruises. That is very strange. I have had the pain many times but bruising is new. I hate to go to the doctor because he is not thrilled about having to treat something that isn't easily fixable and I have to drag him too each time I go in there. If he's tired of it that goes double for me but what can you do. We all will get something serious that we can't shake sooner or later and I don't have the luxury of going home and forgetting about it. I have to deal with it everyday whether I want to or not. Some days I barely notice it and other days I'd have to die to feel better. That is the nature of the beast. I just try to enjoy my life as much as possible, to make a difference, and make the best of it.

I see alot of parallels between Carmella and I. Even she seems to be getting the same reaction from her vet. He wants her to be instantly better and it just doesn't work that way. She, unlike me, is cured of the disease, but it will be anybody's guess whether all the damage will heal or not. I finally received an e-mail from Dr. Norwood about the possibility of putting her on an anticonvulsant. Apparently he'd tried to call Dr. Sears about it but his voicemail said that he was unable to retrieve his messages, so he never got it. He said that if Dr. Sears thought it was worth doing he would go ahead and prescribe it. I e-mailed him and told him Dr. Norwood was trying to get ahold of him and have not heard back. I wrote Dr. Norwood and asked whether Klonapin would be safer than Phenobarbital in terms of risk for liver damage and said that I would hate for her to have to tough it out for at least 4-6 months while waiting for her body to take over and heal the jerking and that it must really be making her tired and sore to have that constantly. Dr. Norwood has fallen out of contact again after my response e-mail.

One thing I have noticed is that Carmella seems to have a hip that comes out of place on one side as if it's loose in the socket. I'm not sure when that started, but I discovered it one day when I put my hand on her back and she walked forward. I could feel it. I asked Dr. Norwood about that in my last e-mail as well. I hope it's not hip displaysia. It occurred to me that it might be because she does look like she has some German Shepherd in her and that breed is prone to it.

Right now she looks very much like a German Shepherd and also has alot of Pit Bull characteristics. She's still gaining weight and has become very muscular. She doesn't have an ounce of fat on her!

Sometimes in the morning after I let her out she will jump up on my bed and snuggle up while I'm watching TV.

She has gotten better about not chewing on me but still goes through times when she gets rambunctious with open jaws, especially when she's been outside running around and chasing squirrels. Yesterday she just about pulled my arm off trying to get to a squirrel through the computer room window as I was holding onto her collar. She sounds like a hound on the hunt, desperate to grab these furry animals that frequent the back and front yards as commonly as leaves. Occasionally one will stand right in front of the window on the porch teasing her as if it knows she can't get out that way.

I got another bill from CareCredit and the total is still pretty big after Carmella's procedure and the one follow-up visit to Dr. Norwood a few weeks ago. I have a 2 day show coming up on November 14th and 15th which is this coming weekend. I hope customers are not going to be too penny-pinching because of the economy because it would be nice to be able to pay off another big chunk of that bill.

This show is one of the few a year offered by the GA. Microenterprise Network that I belong to. These shows usually are connected with various conferences. I wish they held them more often, but usually they are only offered once or twice per year. The entry fees are relatively low ($50 or $60) as they are geared towards low-income small business owners. This particular one is connected with The Refugee Women's Network, Inc. and takes place at a hotel in downtown Atlanta. The location is good and I usually do well at conferences of this type.

Yesterday I spent all day literally just organizing my jewelry and putting price tags on items that I'd been listing on Etsy since my last show. I didn't realize how long it had been and just how much inventory I'd built up in recent months. The gray duffle bag I carry to shows weighs a ton and I have about 4 large ziplack bags full of jewelry, a full earring rack which holds about 24 pairs of earrings, more on earring cards, about 5 stand-up flocked necklace display boards, and a few rings, not to mention a whole tray of softies bracelets! Since I have nobody to go with me I have to use a minimum of small displays; just what I can carry. I often wish I could have a more interesting set-up, but that would involve more hands to carry it, and as I don't have a vehicle that would be next to impossible. I'll be happy if I can sell half of this stuff. That would lighten my load considerably.

Last week I finished a copper bracelet that is along the same lines as the piece "Hint at Something Deeper". I figured out that if I used a certain type of beadcap it looks like the seedhead of a poppy.

Copper Poppy

http://Giftbearer.etsy.com/