My Special Helper
It’s been mentioned a fair few times on this website that Yara likes to watch things: me, people, birds, me, children, snow, me, squirrels, buses, and let’s not forget me. Patty described it best in her first letter to me when she called Yara a “supervisor” because that’s exactly what she does best. She isn’t content unless she can observe what’s going on at all times.
Anyway, as I’m the most important subject of observation she finds creative ways to make sure she’s in the thick of things. This photo is of her supervising the activity of me wrapping Christmas gifts. Yes, she is literally wrapped herself entirely around me and is holding me in place with her paw. It’s really very cute, though it does make for a bit of difficultly with movement.
December 20, 2008
Turns out my new Blackberry came with issues all unto itself. So, after a brief stop at the post office to mail gifts, Yara and I headed back to Crossgates. Thankfully, it wasn’t nearly as crowded as I’d expected. The rep at the Sprint Store told me that he’d hopefully have the phone working in about an hour and a half so we wandered the mall. I ended up buying a few more gifts for Dad and the family and some things for people at work as I found deals just too good to pass up. I also splurged a bit on myself and picked up a new pair of sneakers which I’ve been needing somewhat desperately for months now.
Unfortunately, nearly $500 and an hour and a half later, Sprint still hadn’t resolved the issue with my phone. Hopefully in another hour they said. “If I end up spending another $500 before you fix the phone, I’m billing you,” I joked, half seriously, to the rep.
By now the mall was really starting to fill up and my patience was quickly exhausted by the complete lack of respect and kindness from shoppers regarding Yara. One person loudly complained to her friend, quote: “I’m sick of it, if that dog touches me one more time!” Whatever. Seriously, people were just rude. No one was paying attention at all to where they were walking and when they’d walk into the dog or me, they’d get all bent out of shape like it was Yara’s fault entirely and she wasn’t behaving properly. Needless to say this aggravation made it easy to cease contributing to the economy because I was hardly willing to battle the crowd. We just walked the length of the mall and back a few times. Thankfully, Sprint had managed to fix the phone when we dropped by an hour lately and Yara and I practically ran to the exit to catch a bus home.
Not surprisingly the roads are a right mess from yesterday’s blizzard and it still took an inordinately long time to get back home. But after more than 15 miles¹ of walking, Yara and I are quite tuckered out. In fact Yara headed straight for her bed and passed out for about two hours before I coaxed her awake to eat dinner.
1. Crossgates is quite literally one mile from one end to the other. And yes, we looped it at least eight times today.
December 15, 2008
Today was Yara’s second to last B-12 shot and she was a typical dramatic GSD about the affair. I wouldn’t even classify it as crying; she was downright screaming. Thankfully, she didn’t move around too much so it was short-lived, but I’m still convinced Christina and Casey are going to call the Humane Society on me.
I’m not sure if she’s feeling all right, to be honest; she’s had a decidedly smaller appetite these last few days and is at this moment lying in front of her dinner bowl, refusing to touch it. Still, she’s eating just under four cups daily so it’s nothing I’m exactly alarmed at.
The bottle of Viokase-V from Fidelco arrived this afternoon. I’m actually quite grateful as I haven’t received the bottle I purchased from my vet and when preparing Yara’s dinner I accidentally dropped and subsequently spilled the remaining contents of the current bottle. At nearly $50 a week it’s kind of unsettling, but not much I can do to put powder back in it’s bottle.
I also spoke with Robbie today. She was somewhat noncommittal on the subject of Fidelco’s possible reimbursement, noting their own financial issues. But promises she’ll be in touch sometime around the beginning of January to inform me of how much they’ll be able to help me, if at all. It’s not encouraging, but it’s also not nothing.
At this point, I’ve firmly decided whatever happens I’m not letting it ruin my holidays. And for now, that’s all I have to say on the subject.
“All the dog treats are belong to me!”
Apparently I have been especially good because my very generous partner went out and bought all these wonderful toys and treats! She was mumbling something about “Christmas” and “postage” but I’m not really up on all that human lingo. I hope eating all this doesn’t give me a stomach ache, though.
I claim these treats in the name of me . . . and I’m not sharing either!
We’re Famous!
Well, probably just Yara’s famous, but let’s not be too particular.
Anyway, as you can see off to the right Jean finally put up the portraits she selected. The one pictured isn’t one I purchased, but is a multi-shot collage of this photo, this photo and a third one I opted not to purchase at the time in favor of this portrait, which incidentally Jean has showcased in the Studio’s portrait album.
I’m still incredibly flattered by the whole thing, but I must agree the portraits really are lovely. In fact, we were there today to have some more photos taken for holiday cards! Yes, that’s right. I decided I needed to treat myself after all this stress and decided not to cancel the appointment after all. This time Cindy took our photos and they ended up just as great, though Yara spent 90% of the shoot trying to turn towards the door and look at a toddler. The cards should be ready next Friday and I’ll be mailing them out that weekend.
Now I must go and finish my final exam!