Update on Zulu, the Dogs & Life

Things have been semi-quite around the house. I'm trying to take it easy since I'm coming off of 2+ months of being sick and RuRu had some sort of allergic reaction last week that had us taking some drastic measures to get her better.

For some unknown reason, her front feet swelled up, she started to get sores on them, on her lips and red bumps all over her belly which was spreading. To top it off, she had a fever of 104. Dogs generally top off at 101.5 so we knew something was going on, not to mention she just radiated heat.

We began dosing her with Benedryl, changed her food, sterilized her environment and tried to figure out the source of her discomfort. We'd had topsoil brought in, used a pesticide a few days prior (although we thought we'd kept the dogs separate), opened a new bag of dog food and later found a tick on her. In other words, lots of directions to investigate. After calling the dirt company to find out if they added any weed control or non-local ingredients, the pet food company to see if there was a change in their formula (none of our other animals showed any symptoms) and stripping her food and environment down to basics, we're still left wondering what the trigger was, but she is now doing great and back to her playful self.

In the meantime, Dan and I are slowly working on some of the many little projects we need to do around the house. I've begun staining some of the new kitchen cabinets and need to get motivated to strip, sand and stain the remainder of the older ones. We also have a few details to finish up on the dog room and need to build shelves in the garage to better organize that space as well. Oh yes, and all of this while watering, watering, watering our new hydroseeded areas.

It's so nice to be taking time-off from Agility. The last few weekends we've been sleeping in, making breakfast, eating nice and healthy, working out and spending a TON of time with each other and the dogs.

While out judging, some have mentioned they envy our life together in the dog world. I agree, it's really great to share that common interest with each other. The other thing that I think makes our marriage work so well is that we have a life together outside of Agility. Dan and I work with each other on house projects, have common friends, like similar things such as sitting around a bonfire and we'll often do nothing and relax together (the dogs fit in perfectly on this last one!). We're also comfortable enough to go do things on our own. Dan likes to golf with his Dad & his buddies and I like to go to breakfast or lunch with my friends or just do 'girl-stuff'.

I don't want to give the impression that we're perfect because we'd both start rolling on the floor after having been taken over by a laughing fit. To be honest, there have been a few moments when I found myself daydreaming about the various ways I could suffocate him while he slept and I'm certain there have been a few moments were he's planned my demise as well. The good news is we can joke and laugh together about it and face the situation for the reality it is.

The better news is we have more highs than lows. I wouldn't trade my marriage for another any day. : )