Lacubrious Society

Magical...

2012-01-23T16:03:00.002-06:00

Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.

Too Cute!

2011-12-01T18:55:00.000-06:00

Now what????

2011-09-23T12:55:00.001-05:00

Well...baby just had her 3-ish month ACTH re- test on Wednesday.

Post ACTH cortisol was 5.5

BUT...

Her ALP was elevated again to 2100 ...it had been down to 600+ and she tested as Anemic at a 33 when normal range is 36-60.

Symptomatically she's doing fine...but the vet wants to do another ultrasound and possibly biopsy her liver since the last aspiration in March showed some abnormal cells, not cancer at the time but not normal either. She called it hepatic modular hyperplasia and it is seen in senior dogs often as part of the aging process.

Anyhow, she said it isn't urgent but it bears checking out.

Not exactly the results I expected.

Other than Cushing's and some minor cataracts, and whatever this could be, Baby is healthy and happy. We even went to obedience class for fun this week and to Petsmart which we have NEVER done and she was just awesome. Now I'm dreading the next phase...another dog with cancer would be devastating, but it is what it is.

:)

-- Post From My iPhone

2011-09-06T14:35:00.001-05:00

kayak-0438_NI
Originally uploaded by dehmystic

Labor Day Paddle

2011-09-06T14:33:00.001-05:00

kayak-0444_NI
Originally uploaded by dehmystic

This is me, enjoying a Labor Day paddle on our first cool fall-like day. Notice the shorts AND a sweatshirt...I was optomistic about the weather and it actually did warm up enough to shed the sweatshirt.

Sweet Old Girl

2011-06-30T19:59:00.001-05:00

Baby is really coming out of her Cushing's funk. She's gaining weight and her coat looks better. She's lost her crazy hunger too. Still not wanting to be BFF with Ivy though. Still hopeful!

Not Fun...

2011-06-21T21:32:00.001-05:00

Noticed the burned chip on this hard drive...

Ivy's Kill Stats

2011-06-16T07:41:00.001-05:00

Rabbits - 1
Birds - 1
Squirrels - 0
Other - .5

Yes, our sweet Ivy is a killer. I'm dealing with it the best way I can...blogging her stats!

Good News!

2011-06-07T19:20:00.001-05:00

Baby's Test results are awesome!

Most notable:

Her ALP was 2800 and is now 635!
Post ACTH test cortisol was 3.8!
Vet confirmed reduction in liver size!

All good news so we're going to stick with the dose and retest in 3 months.

Anyone have suggestions for getting their Cush pup's back in top form weight wise. Baby is still skinny. Can you weight train a dog? ;)

Labbie

2011-06-05T08:39:00.001-05:00

A wet Labrador is a happy Labrador!

30+ Days Post Cushing's

2011-06-02T21:01:00.001-05:00

Taking Baby in for another ACTH and liver enzyme test tomorrow. After 6 weeks on Trilostane she looks so good! Pot belly is gone, her dry nose is back to normal, thirst is gone, she still loves treats but the super hunger has abated! Very hopeful that these meds will work for her long term!

Vacation Pics

2011-05-29T10:26:00.001-05:00

DH is going through and processing all the pics today! Here are a few that were on my phone:

St.Thomas

Towel animal!

Funky deck shots:

DH kickin it on deck 12:

Vacation Day 5

2011-05-26T16:01:00.000-05:00

St. Maartin!

We all met on deck 0 around 10:30 to head onto St. Maarten! We got on a water taxi to get over to the shopping and beach area. The people were awesome and helped carry DH, chair and all onto the boat. Pics to follow...

We rented beach chairs and umbrellas and basically chilled for hours, spending lots of time in the water. DH and I applied SPF 70 and 100 but still got crispy!

I think I liked St Maarten better than St Thomas as it seemed more geared to chillaxin! Both are beautiful though.

In the afternoon we split up and did some shopping, me and Stephanie, Darrin and John, and Dawn and Steve but we struggled to find each other afterward! There was about 30 minutes of chaos but we all ended up back on the ship on time!

We then crashed in our room for 4 hours after rinsing all the sand off, and assessing our burns...

Recharged we headed to the Lido deck for the laser show, live music, deck party and the Mexican buffet...que bueno! Stephanie, Dawn, Steve, and us all grabbed a table and chilled. John was in the casino winning money.

I forgot to take my phone so this post will be updated later with pics from the cameras!!!

Vacation Day 6

2011-05-26T09:45:00.000-05:00

Fun day at Sea!

Well, we had a late night and didn't get back til 1am!

So we've slept in!

Day 4

2011-05-24T16:00:00.001-05:00

St. Thomas!

Sapphire Beach! DH taking a dip!

Vacation - Day 3

2011-05-24T10:13:00.001-05:00

Today was "Fun Day at Sea" as we traveled toward St. Thomas.

Slept in today and DH has a rough morning but recovered by 1pm. I spent the morning walking the Panorama deck and sunning there for a hour or so...yeah SPF 70 sunscreen!

Then DH and I grabbed a salad, roamed Panorama deck, bought some tshirts, then grabbed some lounge chairs on the shady side and read our books or dozed until 5-ish.

Dinner at 8:15!

Vacation - Day 2

2011-05-24T10:12:00.001-05:00

We got up and were grabbing breakfast by 9am, then headed out to Nassau....where we ran into Dawn and Steve! Took some pics! Then we wandered a bit and headed back to the ship (it was so hot)!

We were gonna meet Dawn and Steve in the Serenity bar/deck but then ended up elsewhere, so DH and I grabbed a cool shaded lounger and some frou frou drinks and killed the afternoon up there just chillin!

Awesome!

Leaving Nassau!

Vacation Day 1

2011-05-21T10:59:00.001-05:00

Not so bright but an early start this morning! Met at our friends house at 4:30am to make our 7:30 flight to Orlando.

Flight ran ahead if schedule and we landed at 9:30cst / 10:30est! Grabbed our bags and called for our limo.

Made a quick Walgreens stop for supplies and headed to the ship!

More to follow...

Baby...

2011-05-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

Baby's doing okay. Her energy level is good and we are back to taking more walks. She's still hungry at times but nothing like she was.

I took this pic tonight after our walk with Ivy.

Her prescription refill is due tomorrow...she's just about through her 1st 30 days on Trilostane (Vetoryl) and so far so good!

Packed!

2011-05-16T07:33:00.001-05:00

World's largest suitcase (in our world anyhow) is packed!!! *Yes, that's a quarter balanced on "Big Bart"!

Update on Baby

2011-05-14T18:20:00.001-05:00

Baby had her ACTH Stim test on May 3rd.

ACTH stim results:
Pre 2.7. (8 hours post Trilostane)
Post 5.6

No change in dosage at this time. Vet says Baby is just where we want her!

We will retest at 30 day treatment mark, including a panel to recheck liver enzymes and see if those numbers are getting closer to normal.

Gonna board her and Ivy while we are on vacation so I gotta type up instructions and contact numbers for the kennel staff! I'm a little anxious about leaving her but she seems very stable at this point so it will be fine. Ivy will be just fine too!

Baby (and Ivy) Steps

2011-05-12T20:21:00.000-05:00

Took BOTH my girls on a walk tonight! They were so well behaved. No fighting!

Bark For Life - 4/30/2011

2011-04-30T17:06:00.001-05:00

Ivy enjoyed the Bark for Life event this morning! She bobbed for kitties (toy), tried out the obstacle course (fail), met other dogs (fun), watched the frisbee dogs, competed in the treat eating contest, got lots of pets from strangers, and rode in the car. Best day ever!!!

Update on Baby-Day 8

2011-04-29T21:28:00.000-05:00

Appetite:
Baby appears to have a better appetite in the evening versus the morning. She does eat her food very slowly and she tends to leave a little in the bowl. This morning I had to wet it down for her and get her interested. She seems to prefer her treats to actual dog food and has no hesitation in eating them. Maybe she’s being temperamental?

Activity Level:
We walked around the block last night with no problem; she seems to have the best energy level in the early evening. In the morning she seems lethargic. She readily gets up to go outside and eliminate, but after eating she lies down and somewhat hesitates to rise when called. As I said, evenings are much better.

Other:
I have also noticed she has some weakness in her hindquarters. She’s having some minor issues when jumping up onto furniture. She also has some intermittent trembling. Drinking and elimination are normal, although she has been having 2 BMs in the evening.

Wondering...
Should we skip an evening dose and see if that improves her morning appetite?

All things considered, we’re happy with her progress. She seems so much more at ease now.

-- Post From My iPhone

Hmmmm...

2011-04-27T06:25:00.000-05:00

This morning brought a significant change in Baby's appetite. She did not immediately eat her food when it was presented, it took a minute or so for her to get started and when she did it was slowly and she only ate half of it.

Last night LacubriousToo took her out in the yard and she wandered around actively. She's still playing with her toys when prompted.

Stools are normal.

Water input/output is reduced as well.

The ACTH stim is scheduled for May 3rd.

-- Post From My iPhone

***Vet's response***

"This could be potentially worrisome, meaning that the medicine does not usually have that dramatic of an effest that quickly, however it is posssible that Baby's Trilostane dose is too high. I would like you to monitor Baby for 24-36 hours. If her appetite and water intake do not improve or continue to decrease, then give us a call tomorrow and we will reschedule her stim for this Friday to make sure that her Trilostane dose is not too high."

4 Doses and all is well...

2011-04-23T21:23:00.000-05:00

Another update...Baby has had 4 doses. She had one loose stool but all others are ok. Appetite and water intake seem closer to normal, still excessive but not as intense as before. The panting is completely gone! I'm hopeful she continues to progress on this treatment.

-- Post From My iPhone

Medicated

2011-04-21T21:19:00.000-05:00

Baby got her first dose tonight of the Trilostane! Fingers & paws crossed!

-- Post From My iPhone

The results are...

2011-04-20T21:41:00.001-05:00

LDDS Test Results on Baby confirm that she has Cushing's. Most likely PDH, Pituitary Dependent Hyperandrenalcorticism. Meds are on order from Roadrunner Pharmacy and should be arriving tomorrow!

Dex Suppression (3 Samples)
Time 815
Time 1215
Time 415
Cortisol Sample 1 5.6 Range: 1.0-5.0 μg/dL HIGH
Cortisol Sample 2 Dex 4.3 Range: 0.0-1.4 μg/dL HIGH
Cortisol Sample 3 Dex 5.2 Range: 0.0-1.4 μg/dL HIGH
INTERPRETATION OF THE DEXAMETHASONE SUPPRESSION TESTS:
*
Low-dose dexamethasone suppression test:
Normal: Cortisol level less than 1.4 ug/dl 8hrs post-dex.
Hyperadrenocorticism: Cortisol level greater than 1.4 ug/dl 8hrs
post-dex.
...
If the 8hr post dex. cortisol level is greater than 1.4 ug/dl,
the following can be used to differentiate pituitary dependent
hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) from an adrenal tumor:
1. Cortisol level less than 1.4 ug/dl 4hrs post-dex is
consistent with PDH.
2. Cortisol level less than half the baseline level at either 4 or 8
hours post-dex is consistent with PDH.(Samples taken at 2 or 6hrs are interpreted the same way as a 4hr
sample)
...
If neither of these criteria is met, further testing is needed to
differentiate PDH from adrenal tumor Cushings.
...
NOTE: Approx. 5% of dogs with PDH have normal results.
False positives may occur with stress/nonadrenal illness.

Article on

2011-04-19T07:19:00.000-05:00

Still waiting to hear back on Baby's LDDS Test!

In the meantime, I found this short article about spending trends for pet medical expenses.

Appointment & Info

2011-04-09T09:43:00.001-05:00

Baby's LDDS Test is scheduled for Friday, April 15th.

I also found this link to some miraculous before and after pictures of a Cushing Dog.

http://www.io.com/~lolawson/cushings/cleo-alison.html

Trilostane AKA: Vetoryl

2011-04-07T22:36:00.002-05:00

The drug recommended by our Vet for the treatment of Baby's Hyperadrenocorticism is called Trilostane, AKA: Vetoryl.

I found a detailed article that discusses how the drug works, how to monitor its effectiveness, and possible adverse reactions.

We are still trying to work out the appointment for the LDDS, Low Dose Dexamethasone Test for next week. It's a busy work week and fitting in a full day at the vet is challenging but I really feel that the sooner we get Baby oon the treatment the better she will feel.

Today she's a bit lethargic again and her belly appears bloated. It seems like these symptoms wax and wane every few days and I'm not sure why. I also wonder if she is having any pain. I understand that cortisol is a steroid and as such should mitigate any inflammatory response, but does that mean the dog is not in any discomfort? Also in my research, the added cortisol can affect the GI tract and so giving NSAIDS to an untreated cushingoid dog can cause GI bleeding.

Do they have doggy narcotics? Those are probably metabolized by the liver which is not a good option either.

I guess she's just going to have feel better from having a good meal and maybe a full body massage...doggy spa style!

Mutt Census...

2011-04-06T07:18:00.000-05:00

Just read this interesting article on a national mutt census.

If you go to the referenced Mutt Census site, you can click on your state and view detailed information, including Most Popular Breed and Most Unique Breed.

Cushing's Anyone?

2011-04-05T21:51:00.002-05:00

jl-0178_NI
Originally uploaded by dehmystic

Well, I just got the call from the Vet Specialist. Baby's test results were as follows:

ALP: 2800
Cholesterol: High
Platelets: High
Thyroid: Normal
Urine: Dilute
Blood Pressure: High
Liver Aspiration: VH - Vascular Hepatopathy (typical in cushings, NOT CANCER!)
Spleen: EMH - extramedullary hematopoiesis (not typically treated, NOT CANCER!)

So the Vet (as was I) is leaning towards Cushings. Next step is a Low Dose Dex test, probably next week sometime. It's an 8 hour test where they will do 3 blood draws after they administer Dexamethasone. They will be testing for cortisol suppression, if there is any, then no Cushiings, most likely there will be none and she'll be diagnosed Cushingoid. Their recommended treatment is with a drug called Trilostane. On going follow-up by ACTH testing every 3 months for monitoring dosage.

So, as always, we're keeping it real...real interesting!

Dog Obedience Class #2

2011-04-05T20:48:00.000-05:00

sa-0458
Originally uploaded by dehmystic

As usual, I was in a rush to get home and get to my evening commitment! Doggy Obedience / Owner Training class!

I gave Ivy just a tidbit for dinner so she'd be hungry for treats in class. Then we loaded up our doggy bag, water, treats, etc. and headed to city hall.

As expected, it was a bit trying but the new pinch collar makes her so much more controllable. She was the noisy one in class, barking and whining. She did eventually calm down and since the class was small (only 4 dogs/handlers, plus the instructor and her 2 dogs) Ivy got on with the training pretty quickly.

We basically, worked on heeling, turns, and leash pressure work.

It went by fairly quickly and I think Ivy enjoyed the stimulation!

We played in the backyard when we got home...that dog LOVES to retrieve!

Basic Obedience Class

2011-03-29T21:26:00.001-05:00

Went to orientation for Basic Dog Obedience class tonight! Me and Ivy are gonna go on Tuesday's. She has so much potential I just need some guidance.

The class is thru the Union Parks Department but the company is Poochy Smooches. Http://www.PoochySmooches.com

Tonight was dog free and just covered the class do's and don'ts. I've got to get some treats for training Ivy and probably a different collar, but I think it will be really good for the whole pack!

When are we going?????

Vet Specialists

2011-03-29T13:06:00.001-05:00

Well, gotta have some testing done on aspirations from nodules in her liver and spleen, Vet says nodules could be normal due to aging or could be something else. Plus her adrenals are both enlarged by about 2mm beyond normal...so more blood work (senior profile) for an accurate liver enzyme number and a week waiting on the cytology reports. The rest of her looks good though! And she's pretty peppy!

Never a dull moment...

2011-03-23T16:11:00.001-05:00

dogs0104_n
Originally uploaded by dehmystic

We had to take "Baby" to the vet for 6 stitches (2 wounds) after a dog fight...with Ivy!!! Food is such an issue with these two, it's crazy. We are managing it with some additional vigilance and more pack leaderism. It's been fine since then.

I was planning Baby's Geriatric Dog checkup for next month but took this opportunity to ask the Vet about her little pot belly and he said it was probably fluid but would do xrays and bloodwork while she was sedated. The Xrays showed an enlarged liver but all other organs looked good. She also has a sewing needle in her stomach!!! I'm no seamstress so I can't figure that out. He was not too concerned with that because the liver problem needs top priority. He also diagnosed an ear infection, so she's on otic antibiotic for a few days.

Abnormal Blood Tests were as follows:

WBC:
NE K/ul 14.76 (mildly elevated) Range: 2.0 - 12.8
LY K/ul 0.36 (moderately low) Range 0.6 - 5.8

NE% 94.14 H Range 50.0 - 80.0
LY% 2.29 L Range 12.0 - 30.0

ALB 4.5 Range 2.5-4.4
ALP>2400 Range 20-150 (OMG!!!!)
ALT 268 Range 10-118
GLU 126 Range 60-110

She also appears very thin, hip bones and spine are visible, but has actually gained 4 lbs over the last 5 months. She weighs 44 lbs. We weren't sure if we were just comparing her to Ivy (chunky monkey) or if there has been actual muscle loss.

We estimate that she drinks about 60-70 ounces of water per day which is somewhat excessive, plus on walks she urinates multiple times, this started about 2 years ago. She also had accidents in the house beginning 2 years ago, so we went thru urine testing, treated with antibiotics whihc resolved the bacteria but there was no real change in her urination. Also treated with DES thinking it was female bladder issues. No change, so we stopped hormones. Using puppy pads while we are gone and confining her to the kitchen!

Her urine also tested high for PH (10) and I was advised to alternate between vitamin C and another product (can't remember the name). I bought test strips and it appears that her urine is in the normal ph range. So treatment was discontinued. She's also developed a really dry, rough nose that I have treated with vitamin E.

I am taking her to a specialist next week for a review of the liver findings. Ultrasound for sure. I am wondering if Cushing's fits, though I know they would have to do extensive testing.

My GP Vet basically just handed me a pamplet for the specialists and I've been combing the web for answers until her appointment.

Poor Baby, she's had a rough patch here lately. Hope we can resolve the liver issues with not too much aggravation for her. All she wants is a cuddle buddy!

Poetry Tuesday

2010-11-30T19:39:00.000-06:00

Inspired by my evening...

Never say die!
For as long as I have breath
I'll thread the eye
And sew on the heads
Of the chew toys that lie.

On the ground in a heap
Fuzzy filling at my feet
Doggy slobber not so sweet
Sew the holes, then repeat.

Introducing Ivy!

2010-11-15T21:56:00.001-06:00

This is her younger picture from HALO:

Yes, it says Heidi which is what they named her but we wanted to change it. We kicked around Cissy, since she's Baby's new sis but that just didn't fit. Ivy sounds like Heidi so we're going to try that.

New Fav!

2010-11-12T17:01:00.000-06:00

And it's currently on tap at Dewey's Pizza!

End of DST

2010-11-06T08:52:00.000-05:00

The End of Daylight Savings
By Melville Cane

When I was rich in April
They robbed me of an hour,
But, having many, many,
It was plucking one flower,
Or stealing one penny.

Brooks poured fast,
Flowers pushed thickly,
Hours slid past,—
All too quickly.

But brooks drain thin,
Flowers dry seedy,
Light draws in,
Now I'm needy.

The thief must have learned it
And, giving no warning,
Mysteriously returned it
One crisp morning.

When I was rich in April
Before the early leaves,
Long before this ditty,
I never thought of thieves,
Or that thieves felt pity.

Halloween Movie

2010-10-27T21:45:00.001-05:00

Sweet San Diego

2010-10-19T18:55:00.000-05:00

Taken by Lacubrious-One http://www.flickr.com/photos/18198923@N05/5097622729

Last Full Day...

2010-10-19T16:39:00.001-05:00

Low key last full day here in SD. Headed over to Mission Beach hoping the rain would stay away. It did...for awhile.

Finally, got to dip my toes in the Pacific!

Then it poured! We got totally soaked on our way back to the condo and violated the laundry room sharing schedule...oh no! Yes, but we had to get our clothes dry before tomorrow's flight. I'm using a hair dryer on my tennis shoes!

So we're just gonna veg today...ate the leftover pancakes and will have the leftover pizza for dinner. Get everything packed up, got a flight back to reality at 9:10am.

Ocean Beach / Coronado

2010-10-18T04:22:00.000-05:00

Super laaaate start today, again! Going back to work is going to suck!

Luckily the weather is holding so we headed over to Ocean Beach for a long walk on a long pier.

Felt like a Sunday so why not have a late breakfast at the rustic cafe on the pier?

Blueberry pancakes and a breakfast sandwich for DH. Yum!

It was getting late so we plotted a course to Coronado Island with plans to hang out until dark to get some nighttime skyline shots.

Had to take a day shot first!

Then drink some beer, called my Mom to check on her and Baby, and waited for darkness.

These pics do not do it justice! It was so crisp and clear...check out DH's Flickr Site for some great shots!

By now we're hungry so we grabbed another beer and some pie at Village Pizza.

Some cheesy iPhone pics of the little shopping/restaurant area.

Plus a few more pics of DH on the Coronado Pier...

Oh yeah, one of my fav things about San Diego...no smoking in parks or on beaches y'all!!!

So everyone can breathe easier!

La Jolla, California

2010-10-17T23:51:00.000-05:00

Late start today but good sleeping weather...

Uneventful drive just a short way North today to La Jolla. There was a renewable energy fair at the park and great views of the coast.

We ambled along the walk until we got hungry. Fish tacos for me! Yum!

Pizza for DH. Then we headed to the sea wall for a better view of the harbor seals!

No, not at the zoo! These Sea Lions were just hanging by the shore!

This harbor seal was looking right at us!

All that salty air and wind did us in so we headed back to freshen up before going ocean side for some food.
We hit Robertos Taco place for tamales and a giant burrito! Sorry no pics too hungry!

Mas fotos

2010-10-17T13:03:00.000-05:00

Check out more photos at my Flickr site.

Julian, California

2010-10-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

Late start today, must be the sea air!

Today's agenda was to find the sun and since it wasn't coming to us we decided to drive inland. I had read about Julian on a San Diego tourism site and at a mere 67 miles away it seemed like a good choice.

Thankfully, about 20 miles into the trip we saw sunny hillsides!

After a lunch stop and snack run we found the turnoff for route 79 which is Cali's answer to our Hwy 94. Twisty curving back country roads, but the scenery was awesome!

It seemed like it took forever to get to the town but it was packed with people! It was crazy with horse drawn carriage rides, several restaurants, bakeries selling apple pies, a cemetery tour, antiques & more. It reminded us of Hermann, Mo.

Two miles further down the road we stumbled on Menghini Winery where we tasted 3 whites and 3 reds, bought a souvenir tasting glass and a bottle of their Merlot. And, talk about a small world; we ran into a woman from St.Charles, Missouri plus discovered the winery tanks were made by Zero Mfg of Washington, Missouri!

The trip back was speedy, but cloudy as we bid adieu to the sun.

Dinner plans are up in the air...maybe fish tacos at the beach!

Point Loma, California

2010-10-15T21:20:00.000-05:00

Today we drove out to Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma. Expansive views! Submarines! Helicopters! Lighthouses! Oh my! DH was not digging the heights at first but acclimated pretty quickly and got some cool pictures.

Here are my iPhone pics of the monument and cloudy vistas:

Cabrillo National Monument, established in 1913, commemorates Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo's voyage of discovery as the First European to reach the West Coast on September 28, 1542.

After visiting the monument we took another road towards Point Loma and even though the cloud cover was thick we got some nice cliff pictures.

By this point we were starving and wind burned and pooped! We booked it back to the condo then headed out to the Mission Beach oceanside for some beer and food...

Stuffed Mahi Mahi in saffron sauce and mashers for me!

A brisk walk along the beach ended the evening on a great note!

Mission Bay Condo

2010-10-14T21:53:00.000-05:00

Really enjoying the spacious condo here on Mission Bay. Close to everything and actually in a quiet area. It's on the 3rd floor and the place has a little, oldish elevator reminiscent of the one we used at our hotel in Madrid, Spain.

The building is older as are many in the area. It's amazing to me the number of buildings crammed so close together but with varying architecture and style.

Dining area...

Our view!

Kitchen, galley style...

Master Bedroom...

Spare bedroom...

Pacific Beach / Mission Beach

2010-10-14T18:09:00.000-05:00

Thick, gray clouds obscured the sunrise that I was hoping to catch when I woke at 6:15am PDT. Booh. So I kept company with a cup of coffee, an English muffin and some cut up pineapple just enjoying the quiet.

When DH woke up we slowly got ourselves ready and headed out! We walked along Mission Bay then crossed over to the ocean side and walked all the way to Pacific Beach. It was awesome, all concrete paths and we could just go on for miles!

Here's a photo of Crystal Pier. It's got little blue and white cottages right on the pier that you can rent (6 months ahead of time)!

So cute! We walked the entire pier and DH got some photos & video of some surfers. Look for them in an upcoming post.

Here's the lifeguard station at Mission Beach where we plan to check-out a beach wheelchair for DH tomorrow. Totally free of charge courtesy of their Parks Department!

Had a tasty lunch at the North Shore Cafe just across the street from there. Here's DH recharging from our trek.

All in all it's been great! Just need the sun to come out!!! Please!

Anyhow, I'm writing from the cool, breezy balcony of our condo listening to the Belmont roller coaster which we can see just a block away! More later!

Garlic Fries & Beer

2010-10-13T20:52:00.000-05:00

Let the festivities...err vacation begin or continue. Managed to nav our way to Gordon Biersch!

Weirdness

2010-10-13T19:33:00.000-05:00

Ok, so we are in San Diego and what's the first thing we notice at the condo? This! WTF?!

Notice it says Mystic Seaport Museum across the bottom. This is just all kinds of freaky.

Here's why....on several levels:

1. The Charles W. Morgan was what we named one of our coffee drinks when we owned the coffee house. It was a breve latte, flavored with chocolate, caramel, and praline syrup. Very popular. So when I see that name I think of that drink.

2. I travel halfway across the country to the WEST coast only to find a poster referencing a seaport and ship on the EAST coast.

3. Said seaport and ship, which I visited personally this same time of year not 2 years ago! Most notably AFTER said coffee shop/drink naming.

So ok, it's just weird for ME....and LacubriousToo.

Spinach & Strawberry Yummy

2010-10-07T18:59:00.001-05:00

A smoothie, handful of baby spinach, 3 strawberries, lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon of Stevia, and about 1 cup of filtered water. Blend in the vitamix then pour and enjoy!

Green monster!

2010-09-17T18:42:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness our tomato harvest was pretty much done! We had a green monster show up yesterday to lunch on a green tomato and he was still there today!

Turns out he/she is a Tobacco Hornworm. Nasty little devils which can wipe out tomato plants in 12 hours. We only had two small fruits left so we let him hang out. Of course now that I know he'll turn into a huge (4 1/2" wingspan!!!) Carolina Sphinx moth I'm reconsidering! I despise moths!!!!!!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manduca_sexta?wasRedirected=true

Lafayette Park

2010-09-11T18:16:00.000-05:00

Headed to Lafayette Park to catch a Javier Mendoza show! Brought a bottle of wine, a blanket, and some great weather for an evening in the park!

Darrin doing his thang!

The ride in...

Cous cous recipe

2010-09-11T12:44:00.000-05:00

Here's the recipe! I don't add raisins or feta to mine as they're not a favorite in this house! Feel free to mix up the ingredients to your taste.

Can-Am

2010-09-07T12:23:00.000-05:00

Saw this in the parking lot of CB today! Sweeeet!

Just Chillin'

2010-09-03T18:14:00.001-05:00

Cous cous is good good

2010-08-25T20:16:00.001-05:00

Whipped up another big batch of cold cous cous salad. Yummm! Nearly 100% organic ingredients.

Super easy to make and even better the next day! Post a comment if you want the recipe!

Javi Trackside

2010-08-21T20:20:00.001-05:00

Headed out with friends to celebrate DH's birthday! Dinner at Dewey's Pizza then headed to Illinois to Fairmount Park Horse Racetrack for their First Hispanic Festival and to see Javier Mendoza play!

Javi Trackside...

In Memory of Linus

2010-08-09T05:00:00.013-05:00

One year ago on this day we said goodbye to our dear dog, Linus. The end of 13 years of memories of our "play dog", Linusaurus Rex. It's been really hard not having his little personality around anymore. I can't believe it's been a year. It still seems like just a few months ago.

How he came to be our dog...

It was a year or more after my childhood dog, Honey had passed away that Linus came to us. He was a stray that had "shown up" at my parents home in Gerald, Mo. Dad called and said he had a dog for us, so we drove out to take a look. He was about 5 or 6 months old, lanky, and a bit under the weather. He had a very expressive little face and we loved him immediately.

He rode on Darrin's lap all the way home, a bit lethargic but still cute.

We took him to the vet ASAP and got him all fixed up, wormed, shots, neutering, etc.

That "puppy stage" was so trying! He had a penchant for chewing plastic. CD cases, cheap shoes, one of every pair of my dress heels! Oh, and how dare the mailman bang on our mailbox every day! Yep, Linus busted out the front window glass one day prompting a stern letter from the USPS about controlling our dog. We promptly replaced the 50 year old windows.

He loved to chase a toy down the hallway, and walks were a favorite although we regret not taking him as much as we should have. Tennis balls were the only toy that survived his attentions. He loved the soft, stuffed, squeaky toys...but a little too much as it only took a few minutes of play for the stuffing to suddenly appear on the outside of the toy.

The Melanoma...

In 2008 I took him to the vet for an abscessed tooth. They put him under and did a good cleaning and ended up removing 3 teeth! Then in June of 2009 it appeared that he had another abscessed tooth. However, when they took a look it turned out to be a tumor. On June 30th it was removed and we had it sent off. The news was not good, Melanoma which in dogs is terminal, he had 2 to 6 months at best. We looked into several options and finally took him to The University of Missouri - Columbia. They did a full workup and approved him for a clinical trial of Interleukin. Wasting no time we brought him back the following week, they treated him with the trial meds and after 2 days sent him home. He promptly spiked a fever which resulted in a midnight run to our local vet for an IV, then an early morning ride back to Columbia. It was almost two weeks of the staff trying various treatments to get his platelets to normalize...they never did. I was amazed at the extent of the treatments but in the end Melanoma, or rather a complication called DIC due to Melanoma that had metatasticized was the final straw and we were forced into making the decision to let him go. It was one of the saddest times in my life.

Closure...

About 2 weeks after we said goodbye, we received the package from Columbia. It had his collar, paw imprint, and a card signed by all the caregivers, veterinarians, and vet techs. I opened the box in the kitchen by myself and cried my eyes out. Darrin came in from outside and I showed him what came and we cried together.

About a month or so after, we got a call regarding his Melanoma. They confirmed that it had metasticized to his lungs. There was really no way for him to survive. We did the best thing we could do, we gave him a chance, contributed to science through our participation in the trial, donated his tissue for the tissue bank, and allowed a necropsy...that's more than a lot of dogs get to contribute and we can feel good about that even while we miss him every day.

Rest in Peace, Linus.

Javier Mendoza @ La Gra

2010-07-16T21:40:00.000-05:00

We're baaaaack! Back in the Javi Fandom again!

Bird Babies! Again!

2010-07-13T18:21:00.001-05:00

Super Supper

2010-07-12T19:12:00.001-05:00

Homegrown lettuce and cukes along with some store bought peppers. Tossed with some fresh ground pepper and Himalayan sea salt! Yum yum!

Fried green tomatoes?

2010-07-11T19:20:00.001-05:00

No, I think we will wait until these grow a bit more and get ripe!

Weeeeeeee!

2010-07-10T12:26:00.000-05:00

For Sale

2010-07-09T10:58:00.001-05:00

Beautiful, oak curio cabinet. Curved glass, mirrored back, and lighted. Shelves feature a groove for plates to rest for display.

We also added an extension cord for additional lighting or electric needs inside the cabinet, easily removed. Great for those Holiday displays!

Pick up in Union, MO.

Update...
Width @ widest: 30.5"
Depth @ deepest: 14.5"
Height @ tallest: 63"

Almost here!

2010-07-09T07:56:00.001-05:00

D's new ride!

2010-06-26T13:30:00.000-05:00

Just picked her up from the dealer! Putting on the temporary hand controls now so we can get her home!

Potential Purchase...

2010-06-22T22:27:00.000-05:00

IOS 4 - Love IT!

2010-06-21T17:06:00.003-05:00

Updated my iPhone to IOS 4 today! Love it! I was able to get my pages down from 8 to 2 using the new folder feature. Finding all my fav apps will be another matter. I'm sure there will be some adjusting to do with regard to the layout & organization.

Also, the new unified mailbox seems pretty cool, haven't had much time to play with it yet.

I also want to take a look at the iBooks app.

The 5x zoom on the camera is ok. Probably not a feature I'll use too much on this unit but perhaps on the new one I will since it has a better camera.

Just for a laugh...

2010-06-20T21:42:00.001-05:00

I wish I had the patience to train our dog to act!

Bird Condo Living

2010-06-19T11:01:00.001-05:00

Those little suckers!!! I did not get rid of the nests and now our porch light condo and our under deck ledge condo have been sublet! Not sure who is in the porch light but there are 2 nearly full grown robins under the deck...I expect them to leave in the next few days as they barely fit in the nest anymore!

I just discovered a wren fluttering around back there this morning plus I heard some chirping under the deck so I went to investigate. Sure enough they appear to have taken up residence via a hole at the corner of the header board for the deck and are in there between the siding and the aluminum header board cover...yet another hole I need to eliminate!

Wait for it....

2010-06-17T22:40:00.002-05:00

Ordered and now just waiting...possibly arriving on July 15th! Now to sell the old ones...any takers?

Roadside stop - Smoky Mountains

2010-06-17T21:24:00.001-05:00

Got this shot after climbing into the river bed at a roadside parking spot.

Great vista!

2010-06-17T19:47:00.003-05:00

This is one of my fav photos from our trip...and I took it myself! It's at Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains National Park. It's part of a site that was a farming community in the 1800's. We had to drive about 22 miles to get to the Cades Cove loop which is a drivable road that winds through and passes old cabins and primitive churches. On certain mornings it is only open to bicycles. It was a beautiful day when we took our trip there!

Inside the Cabin

2010-06-16T16:53:00.002-05:00

Here's a little (grainy) video of the inside of the cabin.

Carribbean in Kentucky?

2010-06-15T17:49:00.002-05:00

Who knew you could get Carribbean food in Kentucky! ?! Cocos Lokos in Louisville rocks!

http://www.cocoslokos.com/Home.html

Best mojito I ever had! Also DH loved the Pollo Guisado and the croquettes we shared pictured above were so good with a spicy sofrito and cream sauce on the side. I had the coconut shrimp pasta with some tostones (mashed fried plantains), very good. DH's entre came with rice, beans, and some maduros (slices of plantain marinated in citrus juices then fried).

It was a really unexpected and tasty dinner...in Kentucky!

Laurel Falls Aka: Trail From Hell!

2010-06-14T20:40:00.004-05:00

Sweet Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! WTF were we thinking???!!! The trail sounded doable; 1.3 miles, paved, ok not ADA grades but a 300 foot climb to the falls. Labeled as an EASY hike by the National Park guide book. What the heck, right? So we decide to give it a go with a guy in a wheelchair plus 20 pounds of camera gear, plus friggin 90 degree heat, plus a light lunch, and did I mention the 300 foot climb in elevation? Oh, and that paved trail? Yeah that sucker has seen BETTER DAYS. OMG! Most of it was crumbled away at the edges. Oh yeah the edges, the ones right next to the ridge that plunged down hundreds of feet. The path, that slanted TOWARD those ridges. The path, the guy on WHEELS is trying to use! The guy who sometimes has a problem with HEIGHTS!!! Oh MY God, what were we thinking??? These Falls better be the most amazing thing ever!

At some point, delirium kicked in and the decision to keep on going was made. The people passing us on their way back down would encourage us. They said it was beatiful and cool and refreshing up there. And that did sound nice, no matter that the wheelchair guy's left arm was giving out, or that the rubber feet fell off the tripod, or that I was having second thoughts...about having enough life insurance!!!

So on we went, stopping every 30 feet or so to rest DH's arm, catch our breath, and wipe the sweat from our brow. Now the people were passing us by telling us that there was a bear on the lower Falls and if we hurried we might see it! Oh boy! What a photo op that would be. So we kept going. Then, a group came toward us at a pretty fast clip. THE BEAR WAS ON THE TRAIL AND HEADING OUR WAY! DH and I had spent the last hour climbing to that point...WE WERE NOT TURNING BACK! So we stopped and waited and another group of people came through and made a big racket to scare the bear up the ridge from the path. As we continued on we looked up to see the bear moving along the ridge ABOVE US!

At this point DH is starting to freak out a bit, between the height, the crappy trail, and the bear...but we are so close...we keep going.

And finally...We get there! And it is cool and refreshing! Only there are A TON of people there. It's like it's Disney World or something. People are taking pictures of each other. They're sitting on the rocks, climbing all over. All the little kids are in the falls, slipping and sliding around and having a good ole time. Yep, just what we wanted, a picture of a bunch of ugly kids lolly gaggin around in water that a bear probably peed in! Where's the natural setting? My nature shot of Laurel Falls?!?!? Effed up in a major way, let me tell ya! We did manage a few pictures, but all in all, the amount of effort was not worth the view. Two thumbs down!!!

And speaking of down, that is exactly where we headed! It was easier than up but I had to play brake pedal for DH...oh my aching legs, back, neck, arms, and DH didn't fare much better! He got blisters on his hands, I got them on my feet! Mamma mia, where is the hot tub! The 10 mile drive to the cabin never felt so long!

Here are the pics:

An ad for Deep Woods Off!

2010-06-13T20:36:00.000-05:00

kh-tn-0035
Originally uploaded by Lacubrious-One

Forest Primeval

2010-06-13T20:32:00.000-05:00

kh-tn-0039
Originally uploaded by Lacubrious-One

Look at that Escargot

2010-06-13T20:29:00.000-05:00

kh-tn-0034
Originally uploaded by Lacubrious-One

Stumbled onto this little guy at Sugarlands Trail. Thank goodness DH was there to help me with the camera settings. Adding the flash made all the difference!

Smoky Mountains Sugarland Trail

2010-06-13T11:09:00.009-05:00

kh-tn-0018
Originally uploaded by Lacubrious-One

After hitting what we thought was the right trail and dead ending at the Park Ranger HQ, DH and I hit the one ADA "trail" at the Smoky Mountain National Park. It was called the Sugarlands Nature Trail. It was a one half mile loop of sidewalk through the forest with a stream/river running along part of the path. I took the video below with my iPhone as I was "off trail" down near the river taking pictures of some butterflies. Check it out!

Saw lots of these guys around!

kh-tn-0146
Originally uploaded by Lacubrious-One

So disappointed over having to miss the Roaring Fork Drive AND Clingman's Dome due to ROAD MAINTENANCE!!! Arg...everywhere we go on vacation seems to be under construction or maintenance. We will try to hit Laurel Falls tomorrow. It's not ADA but it is supposed to be paved and just 1.3 miles.

Tranquility Point is amazing!

2010-06-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

Day .5: Got here around 6:00pm EST. Unloaded the car. Checked out the cabin...AMAZING! DH said it's the nicest place he has ever stayed! This place has everything! Unpacked. Freshened up. Got the Baby settled. Made a grocery list. Went shopping. Came back & made some food. Chilled. Got in the hot tub. Heaven. Got out of hot tub...slowly. Changed clothes. Chilled with some tunes in the living room. They have an iPod dock compatible stereo! Awesome. Read a book. DH took some cabin pics. DECOMPRESSION in progress...

Day 1.5: It is truly peaceful here. Woke up early to the sunrise. Took care of Baby. Snoozed. Got up and made breakfast. Took a nap. Woke up to rain. Took Baby out. Checked out all the area brochures we found in the coffee table. Thought about another nap after all that work. Considered having lunch. Thought about getting in the hot tub...all in all, perfectly peaceful so far!

Vacation Plans...

2010-06-06T13:20:00.003-05:00

We've booked a cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It's called Tranquility Point and I think it will be marvelous!

Not sure if the weather is going to cooperate, but we shall still have a great time just getting away. The place is pet friendly, so Baby is going with us!

We're gonna check out Smoky Mountains National Park, and just meander around a bit, relax, and enjoy the views.

Outward Hound!

2010-06-06T08:45:00.001-05:00

We picked up this dog backpack for Baby at Petsmart yesterday. Need to get a picture of Baby on here!

We are trying to use it as a tool to drain her energy on the walk as well as for carting her own water, poop bags, snacks, etc. It should come in handy when we're hiking around the Smoky Mountains this coming weekend!

Going green!

2010-06-04T23:29:00.001-05:00

Tomato, lettuce, basil and cilantro...all a growin' nicely!

Un Vargas on the deck

2010-05-03T18:54:00.001-05:00

> First had this red wine and lemon soda concoction in Cordoba, Spain.
> Tried to recreate it with Pepperwood Cabernet plus Italian soda.
> Yum! So refreshing on a Monday evening out on our deck.
>

Bowling Chic

2010-04-24T18:12:00.000-05:00

What Lies Above...

2010-04-19T22:45:00.001-05:00

House Finches have taken up residence above our front porch light! Here's a shot of that nest. We've also discovered a Wren's next in the garage. It's like our house is a bird condo building!!!

-- Post From My iPhone

What lies beneath...

2010-04-17T14:16:00.001-05:00

Our deck! Robins have built a nest and moved in the family. We also have a house sparrow with a brood above our front porch light!

-- Post From My iPhone

Spring Lilacs

2010-04-17T14:14:00.001-05:00

I love seeing our lilac bush in bloom again!

-- Post From My iPhone

Walk in the Park

2010-04-17T14:12:00.001-05:00

-- Post From My iPhone

Evening at LaGra

2010-03-19T22:43:00.001-05:00

We were able to head out of work early today for 6 games of bowling practice! Bucket o beer plus pizza ended up being our "late lunch"!

Then after a quick run home to take care of Baby dog and freshen up we headed to Dogtown STL to catch a Javier Mendoza show at LaGra. Yes folks this is our FIRST Javi show of 2010! We are in jeopardy of losing our groupie status!!!

Awesome show and great way to be reminded of why we love Javier's music so much!

-- Post From My iPhone

Multitasking...YES!!!

2010-03-11T17:30:00.000-06:00

Apple's iPhone 4.0 software to deliver multitasking support

Check out this article on AppleInsider.

I'm nearly 100% happy with my iPhone, but this would be a great improvement. Almost as good as when they added Copy/Paste!

I'm Jacked

2010-03-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Well, I made the move...to a new, heavier ball! After bowling with my 12# Hammer Psycho for nearly a year, I was beginning to notice some deflection and decided with the help of LacubriousToo to move up to a 14# ball. I was happy with the Psycho but thought it would be lame to get the same ball (just heavier) so we looked at what was available and the Jacked was it. So I ordered the 14# and LacubriousToo ordered a 15#, both with fingertip grips! Yep, you heard right, LacubriousToo is moving to a fingtip to improve the rotation and reaction. He's really happy with it!

We had a pretty good lesson with the Pro shop guy, who also fitted and drilled our balls. He gave me some suggestions for improving my approach, which I am still trying to get implemented. Change is so hard! Plus, I'm not all about the sports so the whole muscle memory thing takes a while with me. I had a good practice session but totally freaked when I tried to use the ball in league on Wednesday. I managed to pull it out by the 3rd game, thank goodness. And we are still in 1st place!

LacubriousToo got some suggestions for his swing and release. He's an avid practicer and has bowled nearly every day since he got the new ball. I hope he doesn't overdo it.

We're going to try to get some practice time in this week and weekend so I can get my form back. We're looking forward to joining a summer league with some friends!

Calls from +63 63 884 399

2010-02-18T11:15:00.003-06:00

So I've received 2 calls from +63 63 884 399. I missed the 1st one on 2/17/10 but picked up the 2nd one. It was a man with a really thick accent asking for my DH. When I asked who was calling he said Discover. I told him that I already instructed them to take us off their call list as I had been getting several calls from another number 866-290-4961 where the person calling identified themselves as with Discover.

Based on the country code, these calls are coming from the Phillippines.

I did some googling of this type of call, and these are most likely scams. I have not found this specific number referenced anywhere so I'm putting it out here on the off chance someone else googles the same issue.

63 63 884 399
63-63-884-399

507 and all I got was...

2010-02-10T22:15:00.001-06:00

...this fridge magnet!!!

Blackberry Wheat

2010-02-06T20:58:00.001-06:00

I am ready for Spring!!! In spite of this winter weather!