Sunny Rockies

Erica's Work Team night at the Rockies.

Sided and Trimmed

Chris finished trimming the new garage wall yesterday. Now we need to paint.

Updated Kitchen Light

Our kitchen light fixture.  It came with the house and was ready for a long overdue update.  It just looked dingy.

It looked dingy because it was!  Look at all of the filth, grease, and bugs.  This required some major elbow grease.

All cleaned up and the brass is ready for Hammered Nickel Spray Paint.  The glass shade looks almost iridescent now that it is clean and we like it much better.

The Finished Product.  All for the price of a can of spray paint.

Cone Head

It's Going to be a Long 2 Weeks

The good news is Zoey is feeling much more like herself today. She is walking around and jumping up on the couch. She has eaten and been medicated (not sure she even needs the pain meds) this morning. Her eyes and stomach incision look good.

We are supposed to "keep her calm" for two weeks, which is already proving pretty difficult.  This means no playing, running, or jumping.  We might have to institute more crate time.

On a side note, she is pretty cute with her cone on.  She is clumsy and mopey.  Other than that, it doesn't really bother her too much.

Our Little Patient

We gave Zoey a nice bath and trim before heading to the vet at 8am this morning.

We just picked her up and it is expected she will be groggy for the next 24 hours. Zoey has to wear the cone for 2 whole weeks. She is on pain meds for the next 3 days and eye ointment for 10 days.

She is pretty pitiful, but she will be good as new soon. All of the staff at the clinic love her and it sounds like we were lucky to even get her back ;)

Planting is Done!

While Chris worked on the garage wall last weekend, Erica planted Salvia, Little Spire Russian Sage, African Daisies, and Overdam Variegated Reed Grass. The alliums were planted last fall.

That wraps up all of the planting for the year. It feels good to have our yard and gardens in order for the summer. Now we can just enjoy.

Guess Who's Having Surgery!?!?

That would be this little girl.

It was walk in clinic day at the vet, and she woke up with 2 cherry eyes this morning, so in she went. She has been having recurrence on and off for the past 6 weeks.

The vet was able to confirm it is definitely what we thought and luckily there was a cancellation on Friday's surgery schedule that will allow Zoey to get spayed, microchipped, a toenail clipping, and both eyes fixed. Hooray!

There is a chance of recurrence after surgery, but Zoey is a very good candidate because she is young and the glands have not been out of place for a long time.  

If it does come back, we will be referred to a dog ophthalmologist. They guarantee their work, but it costs a lot more.  Fingers crossed we never have to go down this road.

Prepare for upcoming pictures of Zoey in a Cone of Shame.  Poor girl.

Cooking Up Some Plants

Basil, Chive, and Pepper.

House: Year 2

This is our delayed recap of year two in and around the house.  March 30th was the official 2 year mark and this is what happened:

1. Ripped out periwinkle patch between house and driveway, put in rock, and planted.
2. Rocked around the backyard and around the slab behind the garage.
3. Installed Egress windows in the downstairs bedrooms.
4. Painted the back hallway/stairs & installed a new light.
5. Painted Master bedroom.
6. Ripped out the bush in the backyard.
7. Mulched and planted the retaining wall garden on far side of driveway.
8. Installed a new light in the Wine Room.
9. Cleared out the garage so we can park both cars.
10. Hosted our first big party on the patio for Erica's 30th.
11. Last but not least, we had a little creature come live with us.

You can see Year 1 here.

What we still need to do:

1. Build new fence next to the patio.
2. Spray paint gold light fixture over back door.
3. Refinish and seal front door.
4. Paint the downstairs + trim.
5. Build closet in second downstairs bedroom.
6. Reposition dining room light over the table.
7. Cut down and re-bind dining room rug.
8. Replace the 3 missing tiles in the upstairs bathroom.
9. Paint upstairs spare bedroom.
10. Build cover for grounding wire & water pipe in downstairs bedroom.
11. Replace driveway.
12. Replace roof (someday).
13. Replace basement windows.
14. Repair/restore upstairs windows.

Garage Wall

There used to be a rotten wall with a hinged door in the back of our garage.  We ripped it down shortly after we bought the house and it has just been boarded up with plywood.

Chris built this new wall on Sunday and sided the back.  Now all we need to do is put up some trim and paint it and the siding.

Zoey's First Home Depot Run

Zoey in the screw aisle after jumping the cart.

Our dog friendly Home Depot (the Lowe's across the street from HD is too) sounded like a great socialization exercise for Zoe Dog this morning.

Zoey is deathly afraid of other dogs, which we knew, and we found out she is also afraid of riding in the cart (not surprising - she is also afraid of our rolling recycling bin). Apparently, launching yourself a few feet onto concrete is less terrifying than riding in a cart because she decided she would jump out of it in the Garden Section which gave Erica a good scare.

She seems fine; she didn't yelp during or after her plummet to the ground. Her chest is a little red and scratched, is all. She will not go back into the cart for anything. But she will walk along side it pretty well.

Despite all that, we did manage to pick up the exterior house paint, perennials, spray paint, and lumber and siding to finally replace the plywood wall in the back of the garage.

Sassy Pants

Antipasti Della Casa

We had dinner with Cori and Bob at Firenze a Tavola last night. We ordered the meat and cheese platter. It was just as good as it looks.

Love these Little Buggers!

Tennis Balls

Nectarine

Look what we planted yesterday! It's not a peach tree like Chris wanted, but the price was right and it was close enough.

Happy Mother's Day!

Downward Facing Dog

Zoey enjoying the morning sun.

Her Majesties Tulips

My Queen of the Nights are finally opening. I was worried they would be purple, but they are pretty true to the "black" color I was hoping for.

ATL

Erica is in Atlanta this week. Here she is with work people who have been pulled together for a special project for the next 6 months.

Zoey getting cozy in the morning

The Derby Family

All Trimmed Up

Zoey's face got a good trim today. She would not let us clip it with our dog trimmer.  So, after putting it off for almost 2 months and multiple attempts with Zoey in a headlock, we did it the old fashioned way - with a scissors.  No headlock needed.

Looking good is hard work!  She got a toenail clipping, bath, and grooming.  She is recovering with a nap.

She looks like a new dog.

On a side note, her eye is back to normal as of yesterday.

Derby Day!

Here is my Derby Hat. I found a bridal bouquet at the thrift store for $2.49. Chris said he thought it would be more outrageous like his outfit instead of classy.

We are all going to a derby party this afternoon. Zoey will be wearing her sundress.

Derby Hats In Progress

Thrift Shop

The boys found derby outfits at the thrift shop.

Zoey is Embracing the Snow with a Christmas Sweater

Oh, and her right eye is jacked up again today.

Still Coming Down

Erica is at home with Zoey. Snow days are tough for little Zoe Dog, she won't go outside willingly. She doesn't like the cold and wet.

Happy May Day!

This mornings view. My tulips are freezer burnt from the last snow...