But they really are the sweetest kinds of lemons. :) This is Stella and her little boy Pavlov. Most of my Blogging friends know them by now. We have a friend who had to leave the country for his father's funeral. He was supposed to be back Monday. Long story very short, he may not be back at all. It's complicated and very emotional, very worrisome due to finances...and really? How can we really stay sane with five dogs and three cats in our rental?
We HAVE to. We refuse to give these two to a shelter, they are sweet dogs and we will somehow manage. Plus they look great in Alex's hats! :)
I always take pictures of my little Jack-rabbit in a hat, so we had a little fun last night! Caring for so many animals is challenging. I've really missed my regular blogging and my hobbies. I know there is a way to get back to our routine...I just haven't found it yet.
Goofy Marlene and Big Girl Charlie look pretty slick don't they? You know, I haven't even had time to respond to the comments on my last post and you were all so sweet! :)
Waiting for dinner, as they all "take their place". We finally got all five of them to stay put while we get their dinners going! They are all very smart pooches! I feel like I'm neglecting the poor cats these days, the dogs take up so much of my time, energy and focus.
I did find time to can 38 jars of tomatoes though! FINALLY the tomatoes were a good price, so late in the season. I am currently working on 40 pounds of apples for apple sauce. I'm really enjoying the canning process!
I've wrapped my Camemberts and they are now aging for another month and a half.
I started a "Baby Swiss" cheese too. The "baby" just means it ages less than a Swiss! Actually if I want to be all proper and legal, it's an "Alpine" cheese. I didn't make it in Switzerland so I shouldn't really call it a Swiss. I guess it's like trying to call a sparkling wine made anywhere other than the Champagne region of France a champagne! I don't think the cheese police are monitoring me...so I'll call it a Swiss lol. This will be ready in early 2018.
Check out the "cheese cave"!! Minus the Swiss, I have 10 cheeses aging! The Colby and Dry Jack will be ready to try in the next few weeks...and my first Cheddar on Halloween!
To cheer myself up I went to the market this morning and got some little pumpkins and decorative gourds. Monday is our Thanksgiving and I have a massive dinner planned for Alex and me and our eight fur-kids lol...insanity.
I miss catching up with everyone! Besides some emails and recipe sites, I haven't been online in a week. I hope I can find a way to get back to my routine really soon because it's weighing on my spirit a little bit. I'm wishing all of my Canadian friends a Happy Thanksgiving! Despite the stress, I'm SO thankful for my life, my home, my relationship and my fur-family. We will find a way! :)
Wonderful photos and very delightful. Wish you all the best, warm greetings!
ReplyDeleteDo NOT stress about not having the time you want for blogging or commenting right now. If you do feel guilty or uneasy about not doing your usual great job on this, be afraid. Be very afraid, because several of us devotees of yours will come to your house and beat you with a wet noodle. (We will also bring some dog food and doggie treats because feeding your present herd has got to be taxing your budget!)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Thanksgiving! It's lovely to see the pumpkins out.
ReplyDeletei am sending you an email....i am soo happy that somehow, you are all doing well!
ReplyDeletesending love to you all! your friend,
kymber
Great job on the tomatoes, they will be good in soup this winter. Maybe you can find a home for the doggies they look like nice ones.
ReplyDeleteWe will always be here so don't stress about not being here time to time. Take care of business and that will make you feel better.
ReplyDeleteOh Rain, I really do feel for you. I know how hard it is dealing with unexpected fur-babies! We had hoped ours would all get along, but I've only hinted at it in my blog about Echo, because I'm sure my BF or his family may read it. However, she has to be rehomed because she so badly attacked my dog that she nearly killed him. It's broken our hearts but we just can't have that kind of uncertainty in a place where people will come to stay.
ReplyDeleteSaying that, I seem to have suddenly attracted the local cats and found myself today with only enough cat food to last the weekend! Thank goodness for my emmergency supplies! The new cat eats as much as all my others put together!!!
I hope things settle down for you soon and you find the time you need for yourself. Lots of love and hugs.xxx
It is hard to say no to a friend in need and also difficult to look into those sad dogs eyes and not want to help. You are a good soul.
ReplyDeleteAw, that is really sweet that you are keeping them! It is a lot of work but if anyone can find a way to make it work, it's the two of you. Those furry faces...how can you resist? They are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour canning! Wow...that is quite impressive. I've been wondering about that lately. Now that the kids are grown and moved out, and my husband and I have decided to retire early, I have time for stuff like this. And since I enjoy home cooking and homemade food, canning makes sense. I'll have to read up on it. In the meantime, I freeze all kinds of things like chopped veggies and applesauce and meals and soups and desserts and tomato paste cubes and on and on. Buying things when they're on sale and preparing and freezing them is a great way to stretch the budget.
Anyhow, I've rambled on...
Don't worry about blogging and all that. Take your time and get into a comfortable and manageable routine. We'll be here! And if you want to do an email exchange to keep in touch, I'd be happy to do that, too. Just let me know. No pressure!
Awwww...I love u for not giving up on them. I hope your friend is ok. The 5 look super comfy :)
ReplyDeleteAnd your cheesecave .... yummmm
I can understand your determination not to let the dogs fall into the "no owner" twilight zone. My daughter is a great animal lover and has rescued many different creatures, but she lives in an apartment too. Over the years, all of my ferrets have been rescues she brought here, and we've had silkie chickens a friend decided she didn't want and was going to abandon, two giant white chickens she raised in her apartment from chicks. She found them in a pet store just before they were sold as snake food. We've had numerous cats, and she will be leaving her pet squirrel and her horse with us when she moves from Cincinnati to Jacksonville, Florida.
ReplyDeleteIt can be tough fitting everybody in, but I've always found that you get some much back from the animals in return.
How very dear and sweet you people are taking these sweet souls in! We took a Mama dog and her daughter in - their people were going to take them to a shelter. We couldn't stand it - so we took them in (SWEETEST dogs) - boosting our dog family up to eight. No matter - we considered ourselves lucky to have them. We've had up to ten dogs at one time (and eight cats, two geese and a cranky cockatiel) - we always felt it a total honor to have them in our lives. Sometimes it's crazy - but most of all a house filled with lots of love. We wouldn't have it any other way - Best wishes - from our house to yours:)
ReplyDeleteYou have such a great attitude.
ReplyDeleteFive adorable dogs can be a lot of work. I hope you can get a routine or get things figured out soon. Soak up the love. Glad you didn't take them to a shelter. I am going to watch my friends two dogs for a few days plus our own and I will be exhausted so can't imagine having five. Are you able to take all five for a walk at once? Congratulations on being able to get some canning done! Nancy
ReplyDeleteBaby swiss? That is one of my favorite. Yum! So sad to hear the dog's owner can't keep them, but glad they are in a very good home.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good sign...I am responding to comments! :) I hope to visit all of your blogs this week to catch up with my friends! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Blogoratti :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Mama Pea :)) Wet noodle beating huh? Lol...I will definitely avoid that! ;) We're lucky that we have discovered the two new dogs actually LOVE Charlie and Jack's food, so we can feed all of them the same stuff! Marlene has a special diet for her bladder, but otherwise, I think the money situation is solved. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine :) Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
ReplyDeleteHi Kymber! :) Thanks for thinking of us! :) I look forward to your email :) We are doing really well despite the shocker. It's weird, we got the news on Thursday and just 4 days later, things are starting to get slightly normal here quickly. Happy Thanksgiving to you and J! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Gill :) I really enjoyed canning the tomatoes! And the apples went well too. I think that I might just buy tomatoes for canning from now on. Not worth all the work to plant so many and it costs less to get them at the market. As long as I know they are local and not loaded with pesticides. They really are sweet dogs. We're still a bit up in the air about the situation, but it looks like we'll be keeping them after all.
ReplyDeleteThanks Stefanie :) You are right about that. We took care of business so to speak with that "friend" (I gave him "the business" in a very sweet way lol) and I DO feel much better!!! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Yarrow :) Oh gosh, I'm so sorry about Echo...that is SO HARD. When Stella first arrived here two weeks ago, she fought with Charlie so many times, there was a little blood drawn and we were just furious...but we are so lucky the two silly girls have settled into their order in the pack because they are both such wonderful dogs. If they'd continued fighting like that, we would have to do the same as you. I feel for you. :( But you are so sweet to be feeding the local cats. We have so many feral cats here, we couldn't afford to feed them at all! Sending love and hugs to you too! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Starting Over :) Thank you so much. When he called us two weeks ago, it was around 5pm, and we were in Montreal 3 hours later picking up his dogs. It was so fast, we just couldn't say no. It was overwhelming at first, but we're starting to all settle down, thankfully!
ReplyDeleteHi Martha :)) I can NEVER resist a furry face! Especially Pavlov's...his eyes are a bit close together and sometimes he looks cross-eyed, which makes him even more endearing lol! Yes, we will find a way, no matter what. :)
ReplyDeleteI think you should DEFINITELY get into canning! Do you have a good market nearby where you can buy in bulk? We're lucky we do. I got that 40-pound box of apples for $26. We give the dogs apple sauce with their food, to hide the pills and supplements, and canning my own comes out to way cheaper than buying the organic jars. Plus I love seeing hundreds of full Mason jars!! :) I started out with a water-bath canner which you use for fruit. I'm hoping one day to get a pressure canner so I can do veggies and meats too. If you do get a canner, be wary of Canadian Tire's selection. We got one there and it was way too small for the jars to be covered with water. Also the rack was so crappy that the jars kept falling out the sides. We ended up having to return it and get one at Amazon.
Alex said in our new place he's going to build me a proper "jar" pantry. I really wish I could can more stuff, but we just have no room here! Btw, I have a doo-hicky on my side bar where you can send me an email, I'd love to correspond that way too! :) Happy Thanksgiving!!
Hi Sis :) The cheese cave is my 9th child lol...we're going to be trying one of the cheeses today actually! I don't think I have you and G beat yet on the number of dogs we took in lol...but we're getting close!! :) Happy Thanksgiving! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Harry :) That's really nice to hear about your daughter, though I'm sorry to hear she hasn't changed her mind about where she's moving. People like her are so needed...a lot of pets and other critters just fall into the "no owner" zone as you put it, and it's so unfair of us humans. The idea of these two dogs being forced into a shelter breaks my heart. The only one close by that doesn't have a "euthanasia" clause is the one where we got our own dogs and the conditions are lousy. As far as I'm concerned, they are OURS now. :) And you're right, the house is full of love and silliness... and chaos, but we're handling it better each day! :) PS, thanks for your lovely comment on my last post! You described me perfectly lol ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Karen :) EIGHT...okay you have me beat!!! That's really good of you too, it upsets me to read that anyone would give a mama and her puppy away...they are lucky! :) I too feel that honour of taking them in and having them in our home. They are so sweet...I have a soft spot for dogs so I think it was inevitable that we would keep them. So far they've all been pretty good, after the initial fighting between the two un-fixed Alpha females!! My biggest issue is not tripping over them when I'm in my tiny kitchen! :) Best wishes to you too and your big fur family!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks John :)
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy :) I think that short-term doggie-sitting is much harder. Once a week or so have passed, they start to get into the routines and things settle a bit, at least that's what we've experienced. So the initial fear of how we'd do it, is easing up day by day as they all meld into a good pack! Oh gosh no, I couldn't walk all five together! These are big strong dogs...plus they'd be pulling constantly to "lead" the walk. Alex and I walk them after dinner together most nights if we're not dragging our feet to bed early! :) I hope your dog-sitting goes well! You know, I was hoping to be canning my own tomatoes! Oh well...that's okay, a lesson learned right? We still got a lot of cherry tomatoes so I'm happy about that! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Kristina :) Yup! Baby Swiss! It's drying out in the cheese cave now and should be ready sometime in March of next year! :) And thank you, the dogs are in a very good home. When I was a kid I always thought about opening a dog shelter...careful what you wish for huh lol? No, it's okay though, they are good dogs and so far things are getting better really quickly so we're very relieved!
ReplyDeleteA girl's gotta know. Are you secretly related to Martha Stewart? (my girl crush) I declare you get so much done, and I'm impressed. To get all those adorable animals picture ready is pretty neat. Hang in There, and know that we appreciate you! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteHi RO :)) Ha ha ha...if I were secretly related to your girl crush, I'd have an army of employees to help me out lol! :) Thanks for your sweet comment! Things really are getting better a little at a time! I feel I can breathe easily for the first time this morning...now I'm getting ready to make our Thanksgiving dinner! Food coma tonight lol! :)
ReplyDeletehaha....they look adorable sporting their hats.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has enough love to go around all eight cuties, it would be you (and Alex). That's quite a handful, but it's great that they all get along. It's nice that the cats have each other for company, as I went through some guilt when I added a new dog and that took away some of my together time with Slimbo. I solved that by letting him sleep in the bed at night. Such sacrifices... Just pop up when you can and let us know how you are. Baby Swiss! I haven't had that cheese in years! xo
ReplyDeleteHappy day after Thanksgiving! I was out of reach since Thursday so now am catching up.
ReplyDeleteLove the hats! They all look very dapper in them! Its going to be BUSY for you! We are finding our three take up most if not all of our spare time. I am wishing you balance! :)
And those cheeses!!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM :) That's all I can say. I can live on cheese alone. :)
Oh my goodness..it will all work out! I hope everything settles into a routine for you all!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam :) They make good models, though you wouldn't believe how many photos were taken to get just those shots lol!
ReplyDeleteHi Susan :) Thank you! :) We LOVE dogs...I mean we both love cats too, but we have a soft spot for dogs and I think that our friend is lucky that we said we'd help him out...awww...that's nice that you let Slimbo sleep in your bed...every time we added a new pet, all the others felt neglected I'm sure! When things settle, the house will be all good again! I hope the Baby Swiss turns out well! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Dianna :) Thank you, I'll take ALL the balance you can spare. Actually now that Thanksgiving is over, I'm totally taking it easy now. I think that the house is much more balanced too. The new dogs are getting used to things and fitting in. The poor things are craving attention though, my heart breaks for them still. I wish I could live in my cheese cave, with a secret exit to the wine bottles lol...
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenn! It was a total surprise for us, still is. So far, things are okay though, I hope it continues to get better! It's tough on us, and I'm sure on them too! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you are back blogging and I was missing it! Time goes so fast for me it's scary! Love the pictures of your pooches and so sorry to hear your friend isn't coming back. I know you love those 2 but the time and expense is what weighs on a person. After my pets go there will be no more as I get older I need the money for my meds! LOL! I figures what I spend a month on mine and it is way over $100.00 and yours are all big ones too that eat more! LOL! You and Alex are saviors and those angel dogs know it! It always seems that those with the least in our world give the most. Bless you both!
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Thanksgiving and look at all your canning! Congratulations! I remember how messy tomatoes were to can and it was always at the hottest time of the summer in Iowa. Your cheeses look awesome and I need to go back and revisit how you made your cheese cave. Always remember....where there's a will there's a way and you are such a great example of that saying! Maybe you could get a 'Go Fund Me' page for some hlep with the dogs expenses. Hugs ~ Sam
Hi Sam :) I figured you were busy yourself! It's the time of year...plus the added canines!! And thanks :) We really just can't give these two away...it's our lack of trust in people, we'd always be wondering what happened to them. But things are much better since I posted this, as long as that person keeps sending us the food money we'll be okay. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're right, where there's a will there's a way for sure, and we usually find it! Thanks for the suggestion, the donation/fund me thing...it's not for me. I would never feel comfy asking for money. But we're not desolate yet lol...