Perpetual Play Machines

Love bites for Maki

Maki

If I make myself very, very small I can fit.

Ginger discovers toys

Grout goes for the puppy wubs

and Nori will take the ball

we have each other as toys, thanks

one by one they nod off

I have toddlers again! Constant smiles, constant whining. Lots of eating, an abundance of laundry. Losing children, with just one out at a time. Dad making them wild when Mom and I want them asleep. Nothing is ever on schedule, and there is poo and pee everywhere. Oh yeah...Grandma bliss!!!

Playtime

I have been accused of playing favorites with the pups, and while I do have a couple that I have my eyes on, I have tried to be very careful to ensure each has equal time with my heart.

That said, it does appear that two get more camera time. Nori and Grout. They are the two that are the most demanding, and the two that Nugget loves to play with. It is just so darn cute to see him playing with his babies and I cannot resist taking pictures. So I can see why folks might think I am playing favorites, but it is really all Nugget's fault. Yep. That is my story and I am sticking to it!!

So, today's installment is "Play time with Dad." with Grout and Nori.

Nori is set to pounce

Nugget helps with dental care before bedtime

Grout adores his Dad

"Is it bedtime yet?", asks Nugget

A father/daughter discussion caught on camera

Playtime tuckers out little Grout

I think I may be getting it together; (NCC)

(A small break from Corgi talk. Some of that soon, I promise.)

Such an odd place to be (getting it together) for a 57 year old, don't you think? But were I to subtract my 28 years living in a failed marriage, 16 years of debilitating disease (and the bills that come with it) that would put me at 13. OK, not going back there, so will take some years back that were spent jointly married and ill, OK?

I went from my parents' house, to college, to married. I never lived alone, and never really made financial decisions on my own. In fact, much like my father used to be, finances are incredibly stressful for me; I hate dealing with it all. That said, in the past two weeks I have been signing my name to what seems like hundreds of documents. I have had enough credit checks to tank my numbers. And I can still breathe!! In fact, my financial life is well on the road to recovery, according to a loan guy, who also was nice enough to give me a couple of hints to increase the numbers quite quickly. You see, being married to a credit card-aholic has made me shun plastic money. It scares the heck out of me. As a result, I have no credit. OK, a little bit of credit, but that is because I own a house and have not been late on payments (thanks, auto-draw). So last week, after a couple of months of agony, the house refinance finally went through. When I moved here, almost ten years ago, my credit was in the toilet due to bankruptcy and all the aforementioned credit cards, most of which I knew nothing about...ill, remember? It was time to take the interest down. The cash out didn't occur as hoped, but payments are down quite a bit and being able to skip a house payment means that my truck is paid off. (Happy dance.) However, as much as I adore, and will keep forever, my little truck, it cannot haul family. One kid in a carseat is all that fits. Parents are banned to the back, and extra kid strapped in the middle without her booster.. NOT cool! So I have been drooling over the Transit Connect Wagon/Van. It carries the Ford badge, which would delight my father to no end as he was a die hard Ford man. It has a second row of seats that will sit three. And a TON of dog room. Made as a commercial vehicle it will be easy to install tiedowns for multiple crates. Like my truck, no carpets, mean easy clean up. A blast with the air compressor sends dirt and hair out the door. So I ordered one. Two months ago. Four to six month turn around would mean puppies sold...wrong! It came in two months early. My car. Yeah. NOT going to happen.

I talked with the above mentioned finance guy and will be heading in and picking up the car soon. And my credit will be repairing as I pay. It will be re-financed in a year at which time I will have fantastic scores...snicker, whatever, dude. He suggested a very low limit credit card, and keeping a balance of 49% on it. He said that would be the quickest way to send the credit score thru the roof. $500 max, and a $249 balance. Regular monthly payments. Perhaps, but it really scares me. Another obstacle to just get over, I guess.

So, I am off to get the new doggy mobile...oops, family mobile. Uh huh...want a ride?

Puppy antics

Tomorrow the babies are three weeks old. On Monday the last of the bunch, Grout, opened his eyes. Yesterday I went into the room to check on them and found Nori out of the box staggering around on her wee little legs.

Stop the clock for just a little bit!!

The small ones are getting so fun right now. Their sharp little teeth are coming in, so today begins the gathering of food supplies as they will have their first solid food tomorrow. I have a feeling my work is just about to begin big time. Nugget and Kate are still keeping them clean and spotless, as well as the box, but I have noticed that they are wetting more now. The pad needs to be changed three or four times a day. They are also much more active and a few key smarties have figured out that shrieking and baby barks get my attention. When I go running in they all look quite pleased and several little tails wag as their noise level increases. "Pick me! Pick me!" Singing to them is such a hoot. Granted, I played a musical instrument so that I wouldn't totally humiliate myself by singing...yesterday three little heads went back and the puppy howls accompanied me. Perhaps today I can get all five to join in! Well, make that all eight, as the three adult dogs also get going when the pups start...the volume is really something. I am hoping that I can get them going and then shut up so I can film it. No one wants to hear me; least of all me, myself, and I.

Sharp little toenails are being ground instead of snipped and so far no scratches and open wounds on Kate. Now if they would only learn to open their mouths and say "ahhh" so I could do a bit of equine dental. The thing I like least, well, really about the only thing I don't like about puppies, is those needles that grow from their gums. I will soon have five sets of them. Ow. (That is from me, Nugget, and Kate. I am sure that Henry will just disappear if they approach him; that is what he did with baby Nugget. Smart boy.)

So begins another day at Casa Galena. Wow. I actually have my first litter. The first to bear the "Galena" name. How cool is that?!!

Pictures will be coming this weekend. These are some nice pups. And smart. Geniuses, really. Likely to be the bestest in cardi-dom. Harvard and Yale quality. For sure. Football scholarships? OK, maybe not. But auditioning soon for those choral slots.

2 weeks and 2 days

and I will just post a few pictures. No one wants more than a name on the subject anyway, right?



Maki showing his freckles




sleeping Maki




Ginger




Nori




Grout




sleepy Saba




pile o' pups

The trick seems to be to have sleepy pups, but not tired pups. Too tired makes them complain and go searching for a comfy spot to wedge into. Sleepy makes them pretty pliable. However, I have about a ten second window of time.

More later.

Ten days Old

I cannot believe how quickly time is passing. While I look forward to eyes and ears on the babies, at the same time I want things to slow down a bit. All were over the one pound mark by one week and I occasionally put a pup on the scale, but it is no longer a part of the morning ritual. Nugget helps with cleaning detail now that I no longer freak about him being in the whelping box. However, I still am very uncomfortable if I am not in the room. It is quite fun to see him dote on the wee ones.

Last night I got a call from my oldest son. He was having to go to a convention and his two girls, ages 7 and 5, have a tough time when he leaves. He decided to surprise them with a trip on the ferry boat and a visit with the puppies.



wanting to leave no one out



These kids have been taught (by a psycho kitty) to be incredibly gentle around animals. I had no worries at all letting them see the pups.

They are growing so quickly; both the kids and the pups!!                           

Changing by the hour

The pups will be a week old tomorrow night. They are in a constant state of growth and change. The noses are black now. When born only one had a little mustache. The points are starting to show more and their bellies are always full. They complain bitterly when they find themselves at the wrong end of the box. Kate ignores them when they scream, but it drives Nugget into a panic if it last more than a yelp or two.

Kate is eating about three to four times her normal amount. I basically feed her whenever she comes out. The boys can't figure out why she gets fed so much and they get only twice a day. However, after a week of it they have pretty much given up on me.

I am tired, but it is only because I spend a lot of time at night just staring at the pups and Kate, instead of sleeping.

I took a couple of pictures today of Saba and found his marking interesting. It is as if when they painted him it ran down on side. There are a couple of collars that are not uniform in size from side to side. However, I can certainly think of a lot more things to worry about.

Lunch at the milk barn

Four different people have now asked me if I had considered Kate's problem pre-delivery to be placental detachment of the still born pup. The more I think about it, the more I wonder. That could account for the vet not finding any specific issue in her neck. We all assumed neck because she held it to one side and could barely walk. Perhaps her head was cocked to her belly, and that was the side where that pup was. It could also account for her not being able to lay flat, and not wanting to be touched at all. It is an interesting thought, and I will likely check out her neck at some point. But the idea sure makes me go hmmmmmmmmm...darn stoic dogs make it really hard to figure out where they hurt!! I sure hope playing ball in the field didn't contribute. I will never know for sure, but do know that the placenta on the pup was smaller and the cord was deteriorating. There was a LOT of fluid that came out with him. Rigor set in very quickly. All signs that it was not a real recent event that took him.

However, I hear of all these monster sized litters and look at my handful of pups and feel pretty darn happy. I am sad about the one that didn't survive, for sure, but I am very happy with my easily handled (actually Kate only handled) first litter. It is as it is supposed to be.

Father/kid and relaxing in the box

I got a few pictures today of a couple of the pups. The others were either less than thrilled, or Kate was done with me messing with them. I will get Saba tomorrow, or later tonight.





Nugget and Grout





Ginger

 



Kate and Nori

 



Grout

 


more Grout

 


Maki---tan pointed?

 



How about now??

 

Meet the Nugglets

 It is very hard to take puppy, aka furry slug, pictures without a wrangler, so bear with me. For the most part you get faces. More later. Without further ado:

Happy Mom and babies



Grout




Maki




Nori




Saba




Ginger