Yep, was downtown for my birthday again this year.  This time, just across the street at a new restaurant called Nostrano.  Had a nice dinner with the girls and Todd.  

Am managing winter much better this year, as it has been warmer than the past couple of years and sunnier!  My outside temp for walking the dogs is 15 degrees.  Most days qualify - so that is a good thing.  Walking is good for the dogs and good for the soul!

Rest in peace, sweet Ezra

Ezra came to my Mom and Dad in the late summer of 2009 through my volunteering with German Shepherd Rescue Alliance of Wisconsin.   The organization had received a frantic call from a young woman who had adopted Ezra earlier in the year (I had even approved the family during the home visit in the spring).  According to the young mom, the dog was un-trainable, peed/pooped on the carpet, and was definitely not what the family wanted. If GSRAW didn't pick up the dog immediately, she was going to the local kill shelter.  


I made a frantic (and somewhat guilty-feeling) drive to Sauk City on a Monday night expecting to find a freak dog.  What I found instead was a sweet and gentle  long-coated Shepherd who came right up to me, sat by my side.  I casually asked, knowing some of the situation, "how long is Ezra home alone each day".  The woman says, "oh, sometimes 10 to 12 hours a day."  Hum, I took one look at Ezra and if looks could talk, she was ecstatic when I put a leash on her and said "Let's go, Sweets!"


Unfortunately at the time, I had female foster Shepherd who did not want to share the house with yet another dog.  So on the way back to Madison, I called my Mom and asked if  "Grama's Doggy Daycare" had an opening and if Ezra could stay with her for a few days while GSRAW found a foster home where we could re-assess her "issues" and get her readopted.

Well, you know that Ezra ended up finding her forever home with Mom and Dad within days.  She didn't have any housebreaking issues, (as I suspected), and was a really sweet dog who got along just fine with my parent's other adored and deeply loved Shepherd, Katte.  And boy, did Ezra love people.  She'd get so excited to greet people coming to visit.  This dog found herself at home with my parents immediately.

Jeez, I guess being cooped up 10+ hours a day with no socialization makes a person a little unpredictable.  Fortunately, Ezra found her "fur-ever" home with my parents, traveled south in the RV last year and lived the life of luxury as is befitting such a sweet animal.


Almost a month to the day after my parents put Katte to sleep last summer, Ezra started limping and then she started flopping and staggering all within a few days.  A trip to the UW Vet school brought us the news that Ezra mosty likely had Degenerative Myelopathy  which seems to hit German Shepherds pretty hard.  


Through the fall, the DM continued it progressive wasting to the point that in December Ezra could no longer stand on her own. It was with sad hearts, that my parents made the decision to end Ezra's pain and suffering.  


Ezra is one of the reasons I volunteer with GSRAW and subject my mom to my fostering/rescuing adventures.  Yes, it is so hard to "give" your foster dogs away after caring for them, loving them, nurturing them.  But, it's even  harder to make them apart of your life and then have to let them go before their time...

But as a wise GSRAW friend told me
...We need to love them enough to put them out of their pain and suffering.    We have given them all our love and the best life possible,,,,and now we need to see them through to the end.    It never gets easier,,,,,no matter how many times you've been there.    It's all just part of loving an animal and accepting the gift and responsibility to the end.    They give us so much and ask so little in return.    They are truly a gift that we need to take care of and cherish to the end. How lucky she is to have you there for her.


Good bye, dear sweet Ezra.  We'll miss you.

Repurposing a wool scarf

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to continue along my creativity path.  Not sure what that means but I'm happy to amble along finding new crafty projects. So I wiped the dust of my sewing machine and just started sewing.  

I found some inspiration on this website about reusing old sweaters.  I had picked up a yellow wool scarf that I imagine someone had lovingly knitted  and gifted to a loved one.  Unfortunately, the scarf found itself washed in hot water, which magically felted the natural fibers.  Now the shrunken scarf wasn't so lovely looking and was donated to a local thrift store.

Well as the old saying goes, One person's junk is another person's (or in this case, dog's) treasure.  I've happily been cutting up the scarf and making toys for my boy, Teiko.  The cost of the scarf was $1 and the time to make two toys so far.   As you can see in the photo, Teiko is quite happy to have new toys. 

And  I don't have to pay $10 for a dog toy that will be shredded within days.  Bonus!

The Duck Mobile

I saw a news program about the dueling duck ladies in Wisconsin. Unbeknown to each other, they had the same great idea of decorating their cars with all types of rubber ducks.  Todd and I saw the Madison version yesterday while shopping.  It definitely brings a smile to your face.