Luna the Service Dingo, Rainy Weekends, Garden Updates, Fireworks & Migraines.

(TW: Migraine)

          The past few days have been nothing if not busy, stressful, and above all else infuriating beyond belief.  Then again, I feel like most dog parents- and people in general- feel that way about the 4^th of July here in the United States.  Stores start having those amazing, crazy sales, so they’re practically a zoo, neighbors are blowing off fireworks from the 1^st all the way through the 7^th, especially if it falls on the weekend, and there are parades and whatnot going on everywhere.

          Even though we had a few minor mishaps- we thought we didn’t have cream cheese to make cheeseball, so we ran out to the store on the 3^rd just to find out we DID have the damned cream cheese.  Then on the 4^th, as we’re setting up the snacks, we realize we did not in fact have crackers, in which to eat said cheeseball.  It was a quick run to the store, thankfully, and went over without too much fuss.

          Bear did well with the fireworks, thankfully, although one of my neighbors did shoot some off far too close to my property line.  He didn’t need his calming chews, and he didn’t end up hiding in the basement, under my desk, or under my brother’s desk like I thought he would.

          Luna did really well with the fireworks too, we made sure to walk the dogs before it got dark so we wouldn’t have to deal with as many fireworks. However, you know how it goes out in the Midwest, people start blowing them off come 5pm on the 4^th of July, even though there isn’t much to see.  Even still, with all the noise, both did well.  The puppies even got a special dinner with some pork from the ribs, lots of treats, and a ton of pets while the family sat and watched Supernatural.  (We’re currently in Season 6.)

          Our garden is running WILD!  We have a ton of tomatoes on the vine just waiting to turn green, the same goes for cherry tomatoes.  All of our zucchini plants are starting to fruit, and within a few days we’ll have fresh, homegrown zucchini.  As for the tomatillo plants, they’re taller than Babe, and taller than me!  Cucumbers are vining, blossoming, and I am so ready to start picking them but, right now she won’t let me.  Green beans and sugar snap peas are running amok in the absolute best way, and we’ve already picked more than 10 jalapenos, 2 bell peppers, and the tabasco are slowly turning yellow- and will eventually be red.

          I’ll add in so many pictures here:

          We harvest green beans and sugar snap peas literally every day, we can also get literal pounds of fresh basil from our basil BUSH. It is no longer a plant. Parsley is doing well also; however, my Cilantro did bolt due to the 90-degree days we were having.  I don’t think it’s done for the year yet.  Even the celery is doing well.

          As for Luna’s service dog journey- I think we’re finally falling into a rhythm of some sort- and let me tell you, no one told me what kind of a handful Australian Cattle Dogs are.  I figured because I’ve had Shetland Sheepdogs in the past, and Bear is a German Shepherd mix that we would be okay, but lord does she push the boundaries!

          Currently, we’re working on starting a schedule for BOTH dogs, it keeps Luna sharp, and Bear is really starting to enjoy the routine too.

• Wake Up
• Go Potty
• Check the Garden
  • It’s Luna’s job to chase rabbits away from our veggies.
  • Bear “helps” by running up and down the fence yelling at golf carts.
• Morning Walk.
• Breakfast in either her “sexy nutcracker” puzzle toy, or her green ball puzzle feeder. (In the future, I’d love to get more slow feeders and puzzles)
• Playtime!
• Forced Naptime- I’ve noticed she’s still in that puppy phase where if she doesn’t get a nap, either forced, or of her own willingness she gets really destructive.
• Go Potty.
• Training- we’re working on all kinds of tricks and tasks, including picking up dropped/thrown items, “drop it”, “leave it”, “find mama”, and more.
• Playtime!
• Quiet time- we want her to learn how to self-soothe and play by herself/relax during downtime.
• Check the Garden
  • When we water or go harvest, she’s always right there with us. It teaches her a routine, and keeps her butt out of the raised beds.
• Nighttime walk.
• Dinnertime
• Playtime!
• Bonus Treat (if they’ve been good)
  • We’ve been making her frozen peanut butter Kongs, though we’re looking into other slow feeders and puzzle type toys as a special treat for her and Bear.
• Bedtime.

          In other news, I’ve been feeling like absolute crap lately.  My migraines are once again out of control despite all of the meds, and I’m still needing to go get an X-ray of my hips for the rheumatologist.  I’m also supposed to call and talk to a clinical psychologist for the pain management doc, since he wants me to try a new type of stimulator- which is something I really, really don’t want to do but, I want him to stop pushing the matter so… I guess we try the trial, the trial doesn’t work since stimulators typically don’t with my kind of EDS, and then maybe we’ll finally get some kind of long-term solution to my pain?  I don’t know.

          That’s all for now, I hope everyone had a safe 4^th of July.

          -Sky