We're back from the vet after Coz's one-week check-up with good news. Healing well, no infection, he's a Good Dog. We don't need to confine him as much, which will make life happier for all of us. He has a new wrapping --- festive orange this week. Here's a pic with the bandages removed. It looks much better than I'd expected. I was nervous about being a weenie when the doctor asked if I wanted to see the contraption, so I was gratefully surprised to see this.

And he's up!!

Here's a pic to show what happened, and serve as warning to other people with (especially large) dogs.

Cosmos was bounding back into the house for his I'm-A Good-Dog-For-Peeing-Outside treat, just like he's done a bazillion times, but this time he stepped on the hose. The hose rolled under his front foot, so that his leg went under the bottom step, while the rest of him kept goind forward. You can see on the Xrays how the bones broke at the top and bottom edges of the bottom step. This could have been avoided if we'd put a 2"x4" strip of wood as a "header" beneath the bottom step. If your steps look like this, please consider modifying them.

Congrats to my RSCVC prize winners!
First - Trish in Alberta
Second - Jerilynn in Oregon
Third - D.A. in Montana
Trish, your box shipped today, but in two packets, not one.
Jerilynn and D.A. - your's will ship tomorrow.
No new pics of tThe Coz tonight - it's late and I still have prizes to pack and rubber trimming for the Puyullap show this weekend, but Cosmos is doing well, and I'll post pics tomorrow. He just doesn't know what to do with that big blue appendage. Best he knows, he took a long nap and woke up with it LOL.

Here's a good reason to send snail mail.

These postage stamps came out 30 April, but I just got mine yesterday. For once, the PO has not PO'ed me LOL
Help support a good cause while you're paying your bills.
I'll post more later with Cosmos' update, and RSCVC winners.

He's home!!! Here's what the Xrays look like with all the pins and struts.

Now we just wait and hope that all the broken bits will eventually grow into a big glob of bone.
And here's the patient.

The big lump isn't his elbow...it's wrapping around the clamps. It looks bad, but he's coping well and being a Good Dog. The vet says we can hope for 80% recovery in 4 months. The beige rectangle on his back covers a pain medication patch which he'll wear until Friday.
I was to announce the three winners of the RSC Virtual Convention today, but I've been a bit distracted. All but two orders shipped today, and I'll announce the winners tomorrow. Sorry for the delay.

Doesn't this look nasty? :-( The vet just called, and Cosmos is out of surgery. He has 8 pins holding his leg together, which will hopefully stay in for 4-6 weeks, and then he'll be in a cast for who knows how long. We're another day older and more deeper in debt, but grateful that he's going to be OK. He comes home tomorrow, and I'll post a pic of the patient then.

Hi guys, and Happy Mothers'Day. I'd planned on posting some pics of our Hawaii trip today, but we've had a bit of a whoops with Cosmos. He fell on the back steps this morning and broke his leg. He broke both bones in two places a couple of inches apart, and the bones between the breaks are all kinda chunked up. We spent the afternoon at the Pet Emergency Hospital, and left him there for tonight. They say he's resting comfortably, and we'll meet with an orthopedic surgeon in the morning to discuss what can be done. I'll post again when I know more. Sure could use some happy thoughts sent this way.

Well, I've really screwed up. The RubberStampChat Virtual Convention is happening this weekend, and I forgot to post it on my blog. Actually, it started Thursday evening, but it runs until Monday 6pm PacTime, so you still have many valuable shopping hours. If you're not a member, it's easy to register and access the Convention Hall. Just go to www.rubberstampchat.com to take advantage of all the Convention specials offered by a bunch of great vendors.
I just got to San Fran on a red-eye from Honolulu. I'll post vacation pics later this weekend. Gotta run for the final leg back to Spokane.

First, I want to thank all of you for the get-well emails and wishes. I'm pretty much back to *normal*...just in time for the last round of shows. Since my last post, I've been to Holland, San Jose, and Akron. I *thought* I now had a quiet week to get caught up, but I was surprised to get a "Check in for your upcoming flight" email from United this morning. Oh, sh*t...let the frantic packing begin...but this really is quite funny. I'd intended to do the show in Hawaii and have a few days holiday afterward, so for once I started early and had my ticket, Creighton's, the hotel and car rental purchased ages ago...and then the show was cancelled. So, in the midst of $42,000 of medical debt, what am we doing?? We're going to HAWAII!! And there isn't even a stamp show! HaHa! Even better, I paid for almost everything with airline miles!
...And now to continue with my Around My Neighborhood series, why do Spokanians shop in their pajamas and slippers???


OK, the blue snowflake pajamas pic was shot at the airport. Not quite "my neighborhood", but they were really funny.

I'm still not getting out much, but wanted to share the get-well gift I got from a couple of my BFF's, Paula and Teresa -- a beautiful handmade book with red pages and purple (of course) leather binding, an activity kit with sketch pad, color pencils AND markers (!), and peeps. Yes, Paula they DID make me smile.
I'm blessed to have such wonderful friends who know just what will brighten my day.