Nola's Heroic Recovery

I posted earlier that Nola had been sick but was getting better. It is an understatement to say that I spoke too soon. He continued to get worse and I had to take him to the Emergency Pet Clinic late on Sat night. An emergency pet clinic is basically like an ER for pet, there was a dog that had a gun shot wound, a small dog that had eaten a pencil, a small terrier that had gotten stung by something and his face was about 3 sizes too big for his body, and then there was my friend and I and Nola.

He had to be hospitalized that night and he stayed there through the weekend. I picked him up on Monday morning, he was wearing a bright blue cone and he looked like a sad flower, and took him to my regular vet. Since we were sort out of all options they performed surgery on Monday afternoon.

Nola had a piece of bone stuck 2/3 of the way down his intestine and a severe infection. His intestines were beginning to die and his entire system was starting to shut down, but the vet luckily didn't have to remove any thing but the bone.

I have no idea where Nola ate the bone for what kind of bone it was, just that it was a very hard bone, most likely from some mammal.

I finally brought Nola home on Wed and we all went down to my parents for a little rest and Nola recuperated with his best friend Oso.

He had lost a little over 10 pounds in a week and ate only small amounts at first but ,he is doing much better and except for the 6 inch scar and his shaved stomach you would not know that he had surgery.

Of course he got several new toys to help his recovery, a rooster, an octopus and a banana to remind him of his first toy I ever got him. Sometimes I think he gets sick just to get new toys.

Nola's new Octopus

Nola and his toys

Nola was kind enough to show off his scar

In case there was any doubt about his recovery, Nola is still jumping high to catch his rooster.

PW Comics Week debut

I have an article on Rick Geary and his new graphic novel The Case of Madeline Smith is this week's edition of PW Comics Week. The book is part of the series A Treasury of Victorian Murder, and concerns a Scottish woman who murders her lover. It was really fun to interview Geary, who was very charming, entertaining and intelligent in discussing his love 19th-century killings.

White Rocks Cliffs

One of the few non-child activities over the weekend was a hike to White Rocks Cliffs. Neilson, John, Greg and I set out around 9 on Sunday for the 3 mile trek. While it wasn't too long, the first mile or so was pretty strenuous. There were a few mosquito attacks, but we were rewarded with a beautiful view of Route 7 Valley and the Taconic and Andirondack mountains at the top.

Directions.

Stone Cairn.

Valley View.

John and the valley.

Purple pinecones.

Neilson and toad.

A toad in hand.

Kid-O-Rama

I had a mini-college reunion with some of my friends over the holiday weekend. (Our official 15th reunion is at Middlebury next weekend, which some brave souls are also attending.) We do this almost every year, but this is the first time the number of kids was almost equal to the number of adults (9 children--including 7 boys--to 16 adults). Next year the next generation may overtake us.

Jen, Carlito, Greg, and Carlos

Sam.

Ben and Nate.

Al fresco.

Catherine and her cowgirl boots.

Carter.

Michelle, Catherine, Neilson, and next year's edition.

Kids bellied up to the bar at Rowell's Inn.

Kids transfixed by television.

Cats I Know--Lucie

Lucie's full name is Lucie Cooper Nichol, an homage to a character on the O.C. Until recently, her name was Lucy and she lived in the basement of a Greenwich Village co-op as a mouser, a job she held for ten years. No one really took care of her, although she was fed regularly at least. My friend Kristen knew this was no life for a cat and became determined to give her a home. After a series of at times tense discussions with the board, Lucy moved upstairs to a life of leisure and became Lucie. She is an incredibly sweet cat, very trusting and friendly. When a person enters her home, she immediately leads him or her over to the couch and settles down in for a lap sit and snuggle.

Red Peonies

Bets gets technology + Spring in South Texas

Just wanted everyone to see my new phone. I am very excited . It arrived yesterday and I bet it will take me a while to master all that it can do. Jody you may need to give me a lesson.
This is the most beautiful tree in Laguna Vista and it is in front of our house. Of course it also has the best dog in Laguna Vista under it. The picture was actually taken about six weeks ago but I couldn't get my invitation to work until Jody sent me a new one yesterday.

9 months old

Friday, Anders turned 9 months old. It is hard to believe that he is 3/4 of a year old but it is true. Yesterday, he got dressed up for his first baseball game. He and Frank took Trish to the airport while I went to work. Then last night we had dinner at the Washington street Culkin's. Eric and Jane showed Anders a little about baseball and football. A good time was had by all. Here are some photos from yesterday. I forgot my camera last night so I didn't capture the cousin ballgame but will next time.

A sick puppy

Nola has sadly been very sick for the past week. After several trips to the vet and lots and lots of worry he seemed to finally take a turn for the better last night when he finally ate food for the first time in 3 days.

This morning he tried to jump on me, usually that is not allowed but I was never so happy to have him jump. The key word in that sentence was "tried" he still doesn't have the energy to actually jump.

Capers is confused by his lack of energy and keeps "dancing" in front of him trying to get Nola to chase him.

After blood work, x-rays, IVs, tons of medicine, and activated charcoal the vet still doesn't know exactly was wrong, just that most likely he ate something and had a severe reaction to it.

The picture was taken several weeks ago on his first real hike up a huge granite rock in the hill country outside of San Antonio.

A resolute girl of her peculiar taste

I was doing research at the Archives of American Art yesterday and found a great description of Harriet Hosmer's studio and house just before she moved to Rome. I was in a book called Three Holes in the Chimney.


“Miss Hosmer had determined to go to the old country and complete here studies, and to come home occasionally, which she did as long as her father lived, so a short time before she left her native town she opened her house and studio to the public, which was a very happy thought. Her father’s house had a long hall passing through the centre; on the left hand side was the doctor’s office, then the staircase, then a large room which she had fitted up as a museum. Here she told us were articles which she had collected herself, and pointing to a nest with eggs in it, she said: “ I got this in Concord, Mass.; it was on the highest tree for miles around; this was at the top, and I got it at sunrise, too.” She had ducks, fowls of every description in our climate, insects, curious twigs and branches, grasses, ferns, in fact everything a resolute girl of her peculiar taste and with such a venturesome spirit might collect. It was a very warm day, and as she handed us a big palm-leaf fan, said: ‘We will go out into the studio and get cool.’ Her father had given her a small, square building to fix up especially for her use, quite a little way from the house among the trees; here she could use her great hammer and tools with which she worked unmolested. We stepped into the room or shop, as it looked to be, as on the bench were the large hammers and different tools. ‘And no, ladies,’ she said, ‘I will show you what I have been about the last few months,’ and stepping up to something which was in the centre of the room, she took hold of a dark cloth and lifted it off, an thus unveiled to our astonished gaze one of the most beautiful sights I ever saw, in marble, certainly the best. On a rough pedestal, which she had fixed herself, was placed a beautiful state which she had made out of a rough slab of marble—a life-sex bust which she called the ‘Goddess of Sleep.” Around the head was a wreath of poppies, most beautifully wrought, so delicate once could see between each leaf, bud and stem. As Miss Hosmer stood with one hand on the handle of a large hammer which lay on the bench, I ventured to ask her how she could possibly use such heavy tools. She said: ‘Only a knack of the trade, that’s all.’ Her working suit hung up near the door, and pieces of marble and dust from her work lay around, as if she had just finished working. She shook hands with us all as we left, and I have never seen her since. She walked along with us as far as the front entrence of her father’s house, and invited us to come again. Miss Hosmer wore a small figured brown and white lawn dress, made with yoke and belt, plain skirt; she carried a small gold watch and chain, and now when you read about Miss Hosmer in Rome you will feel more interested,” said Mrs. Clark.

Anders in the Grass

On Sunday, there was a wiffle ball game at Slosson Lane that lasted for hours. Some of us, however, spent our time watching Anders as well as the game.

Animals of Geneva

Any weekend in Geneva is an opportunity to hang out with lots of nice animals. Their numbers have been expanded lately, with the arrival of Johnny's three cats and Higgins, Eliza's new kitten. Higgins, along with Evie, lives on the other side of Seneca Lake, but often visits Geneva with her family, and loves to curl up and sleep with Granddaddy Bob.

Tiger

Tuffy

Higgins with Granddaddy Bob

Important Kitten Business

Sacked Out

Evie

Relaxed Canine

Expensive Snack

Anders, as his father says, "experiences the world through his mouth." On Friday night, a digital camera was his latest experience, with the consent of its owner. Is it any surprise the camera didn't work come Saturday?

Eliza's Famous Silly Putty Makeovers