My Boy...

Who says gender roles/identity isn't something that is biologically determined at birth? This boy grew up with his sister's dolls and 'girl' toys... and look at him now.

Leaf blower extraordinaire! 

Cutting down all the dead fall.

While this looks very dangerous due to all the dead foliage, I assure you that it was safe, as the ground and debris was soaking wet. (Even approved by the Fire Dept who showed up at our house! lol) We literally have a creek running through our backyard right now due to run off! 

Limb Walker?

Yep, as you can see, this weekend was all about yard clean-up!! Felt good to finally get working in the gardens etc, now that the snow (most) is gone!

Koda... seriously... he's so cute. 

I don't think I ever posted photos of our finished backyard Coop. Just needs a little more paint inside!

The chickens also enjoyed the weekend... lots of free ranging to hunt for bugs and worms. 

Where was my 'girl' you ask? She was at the neighbors, playing house. ;)

Guess what Kenya has....

... that excites me (and the kids) more than hippos or lions?

Source

Yep... that's right - Chameleons!!!! (And yes, that is a baby hitching a rid on the horns!) Are you kidding me right now? These lizards are fascinating, very rare and exotic in the pet trade here.... and soon they will be running around our yard! The one above is a Jacksons Chameleon - common in Kenya.

I know some of you may think this is an odd creature to like... but, I love em! I raised a couple quite a few years ago... but eventually had to give them up as they literally took 2 hours a day to properly care for them! With 2 babies at home, I just couldn't do it. (Not to mention the fact that I had to breed their food as well - don't even ask, unless you really want to know! ;)

Here they are...

Our Male Panther Chameleon 'Bella' (we thought it was a girl)

Their cages... Left side empty - no chameleon

Bella as a juvenile

'Fauna' our skittish female

Muffin has a good discussion with Bella in the shower

Unusual house guest

Meet Sally the Snail.

She lives on our windowsill.

Muffin discovered her busting a move across the road one day in December.

Not a common sight in winter when snow blankets the frozen ground!

Concerned for her safety, she brought him inside and placed her in a jar. It wasn't until the next day that I noticed her. Well by then she had warmed up nicely and was hungry!

 I couldn't put her outside as it would have likely shocked her system and she may have froze or died... or something. AND - I didn't know where to put her. After a little research, I discovered that snails hibernate during cold weather or periods of drought. They will burrow into the ground or seek shelter in a crevice. Which, didn't really solve my problem... as hibernation is a slow process, I couldn't just stick her out in the freezing cold!  (I know... I'm a softy!)

So, I decided to leave her in the jar with some food by the window where it was cool. After a few days I pushed her glass right up against the window and stopped putting any water in the jar. She then went into hibernation... for a good few weeks until I had to try and clean the stuck on, dried up spinach leaf that had literally melded with the glass. A little bit of warmth... and some humidity caused her to wake up! She's now working on replenishing herself for another long sleep.

Her favorite food - carrots!

And if you think that's weird, wait till you see the other very strange pet my Muffin has been keeping downstairs... next time!

RIP

Grandma T - Oct 15, 1928 - Dec 17, 2011

The best Grandma

(Photo taken on her 83rd birthday.)

Mikha April 17, 2001 - Dec 29, 2011

The best Friend

(Photo with Muffin in 2003)

We were so very lucky to have them both in our lives. We hope they are together, setting out into the sunset on a great adventure!

"Cancer is Evil"

... as said best by my son.

Yesterday was a very sad day at the Thompson house. Our first baby, Mikha has been diagnosed with a very aggressive bone cancer. Yes, Mikha is a dog - but Mikha was really our first child! I know some people don't 'get it', but others will. He is a member of our family. Period.

Last week, we noticed that his ankle was swollen. We took him to the vet, she felt his bones - said nothing was broken and assumed it was likely arthritis. Thursday before we left, his entire lower leg was swollen a great deal! It was painful and he was putting no pressure on it. We put him on pain killers and had him looked after with special care while we were gone. It had gotten worse over the weekend, so we took him back to the vet yesterday. She X-rayed him and found this:

Cancer has eaten right through the bones in his ankle. We can have his leg amputated and he will have a month to live. We can amputate and treat with chemotherapy and he will have 3 months to live. We only have a few days left before this cancer will spread to his organs. (There is some thought that it has already made it's way to his lymph nodes.)

For now, he is on pain meds and happy as can be. A couple days of lots of hugs, photos and goodbyes. This morning, he managed to make his way down 2 flights of stairs to find me in the office, so he could lie at my feet. Still loyal as ever - so I let him eat cat food! :)

Mikha is an extremely unique dog and I wanted to do a full post on how amazing he is, but I shed enough tears yesterday that it will have to wait.

Muffin was hysterical when she found out and Mister curled up on a stool and claimed he was never going to get off. He has been their playmate, best friend, defender, protector and babysitter since the day they both were born.

Dr. Google

It is an unfortunate fact that both of my dogs have Kennel Cough. Wait a second... it's not as bad as you think. A human equivalent to a cold if you will. Yes, we do vaccinate our dogs... but never for Kennel Cough as we have never had the need (and it only lasts 6 months), and I really don't believe in over vaccinating.

One week ago, I was sure that Koda must have gotten a bone lodged in his throat and was trying to hack it up. (Key symptom #1). He also had a runny nose. (Key symptom #2). He had kept me up all night Thursday. I was certain that at any moment the dog was going to stop breathing! I woke Dan up and he called the emergency vet service. We were told if there was a bone stuck in his throat, he couldn't do anything about it until morning. Nice emergency service I'm thinking. It's a good thing the dog didn't get hit by a car or something! First thing the next am., Dan took him in. $160 to say that perhaps he scratched his throat with a bone and it is now inflamed. A shot of anti-inflammatory and some anti-inflammation pills.

2 days ago, Mikha starts the same hacking. The hacking almost sounds like a honking and honestly sounds like they have something in their throat that they are trying to get up. They sometimes also spit up saliva during a coughing spell. (Key symptom #3) Google, my pro bono vet, informs me that our dogs have Kennel Cough. The recommended treatment is actually vitamin C and Robitussin DM. Seriously. If you prefer natural remedies - a teaspoon of honey will help coat their throats. 

Now, we are trying to keep our dogs at bay and off the trail as much as possible. Koda plays with everyone in the neighbourhood and manages to catch everything first and brings it back home to Mikha. So look out dogs... and beware, not all vets are as cheap and as informed as Dr. Google!

Spring Backyard City Chicks...

We have 4 new additions to our menagerie! I know... our household just keeps getting crazier and crazier by the minute!!

Yes, we do live in town. But... we have a secret. A quarter of our back yard is CPR property. There used to be railway tracks right behind our house. Can you imagine? They have since turned this track into a walking/biking/skiing trail. However, this means that beyond our lot line... we don't have to follow town rules. So we can have an open fire pit... and chickens! We won't be keeping our neighbours awake with any roosters mind you! Hens only. We aren't the first to do this - many of the properties that border the town have chickens. In fact, I'm almost shocked that we aren't allowed to have a few backyard chickens in town here! This city is very crunchy and green.

So without further ado... I would like to introduce you to my personal favorite: Cotton.
Cotton is a pure bred Ameraucana chicken. She will lay green eggs! Cotton is very curious and adventurous. She is the least afraid of all the chicks. I love her for her fuzzy, fuzzy cheeks!

Next up is Missy. Missy is an Ameraucana mix. She has a gentle go with the flow personality and gets the pretty award. She always looks nicely groomed.

Then we have the funniest of the bunch. Ossy... which is short for Ostrich. This bird does not look like a chicken! It has a small head and a long neck. It's a noisy little thing too - I suspect it may be a rooster. Ossy is a Cuckoo Maran (we think) and should lay dark chocolate brown eggs if she is a she.
 

Last but not least, is the youngest of the bunch. May. May was born on Muffin's bday. She is a pure bred Ameraucana Bantie. She will be half the size of a standard chicken and should lay blue eggs. She is small and sweet.

May not only pooped during her photo shoot - but she got very vocal. Because she is the youngest and the smallest, she gets cold very easily. She was not happy, so we quickly had to put her back into the sauna cage.

They grow so fast... so we are enjoying the fuzzballs as much as possible. As you can imagine, the kids absolutely adore them!! I will post update photos as they grow... ;)



KODA is the CUTEST dog!

To my complete surprise... Koda won the KBS Cutest Pet Contest!

Thank you to all that voted! We will pick up our prize on Thurs, but rumour has it that there is a $500 gift certificate for dog sitting, a free bag of food, a vet certificate etc... Which couldn't come in any more handy, as we have run right out of dog food yesterday... and have just bought can food till payday roles around... and I have been delaying a vet visit for Mikha as well. So it is all needed and appreciated! Thank you!!