Home of the week and other things....

This weeks home is "different," I think that is the right word?  From what I read there was a bungalow there and it was teared down and the house built in its place.  First of all it looks so different to the other homes on the street, I wonder how they got planning permission to build it?  I applaud how they have incorporated energy saving features, but visually this house doesn't do it for me?

I do love the shower in the second bathroom and when we replace ours that would be the look I would go for, which I know is totally opposite to the style of our house, but I think it would work....otherwise the rest of the house I could live without.  What are your thoughts?

Anyone looking for more slow cooker recipes?  I got this link in an email.  I didn't know you could cook lasagna in a slow cooker?  The gingerbread recipe looks yummy.

I have a strange noise in the house at the moment, luckily I know what it is, its the dryer.  I rarely use it, but had to do a load of laundry this morning, and due to the wet weather we are having, the only way to ensure dh has work clothes for tomorrow, is the pop them in the dryer.  I did make sure the laundry was washed when the hydro was at the cheap rate, but will be using the dryer though the medium rate of hydro.

Heading to the vets this morning to get Molly checked over and she needs some shots.  Bathed her yesterday and some parts of her skin are so sore.  Will see what the vet says and go from there.  She is getting worse with age, poor thing.

Beautiful day, cooking and poor Molly........

Sunday was a stunning day.  Started out cool, only 0 oC when I got up, but it got out just lovely with the sun shining.  A perfect day to be alive in my books.  I spent the morning in the kitchen freezing some veggies and making up a couple dishes of roasted veggies.  I had a combination of potatoes, butternut squash, parsnips and onions. I drizzled them with olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Got the two butternut squash in the back of the photo chopped up and popped into the freezer for another day.

Popped them in a 400 oF oven for around 45 minutes to an hour. I made a couple of dishes at once, so I only cook once but have enough to eat for a couple of meals.  I just pop them in a Tupperware dish and re-heat them in the microwave.

I also picked up a corn beef brisket and stuck that in the slow cooker and cooked that all day to go with the veggies, along with some wedges of cabbage, that I also stuck in the slow cooker for just over 3 hours.

Molly is not 100% again.  She has been having a really hard time with her allergies.  I gave her a bath a week ago, and decided to bath her again on Sunday to see if it would help her skin.  As you can see this is one of her sore spots. I use a special shampoo that I got from the vets on her.

Dh thinks her back end is also getting a lot thinner and she doesn't have the same perkiness she used to have.  I disagree but to be on the safe side I think I will try and get into the vets later on in the week.  We do have to board her for a couple of nights when the wedding is on, so I need to get the kennel cough jab for her, so it will kill two birds with one stone and not cost me for a double visit.

When I mention the "W" word.....walkies......she seems perky enough too me!!!

Poor Molly..........

Had to take Molly for her annual check up as they wouldn't give me any more pills for her allergies until I went in!!  Anyhow, ended up HAVING to consent to her getting her rabies shot, along with the DHP and Parvo vaccination.  The vet was really pleased with how her skin is looking and how healthy she is.  She has lost another pound in weight and is down to 38 lbs.

While we were in the vets office a guy came in with two cats in carriers.  Molly could hear them, so that set her off........she howled and howled.  The true hound in her came out in full force.  When we went into the main reception,  Molly immediately went for the cat carriers............however one of the cats hissed and flicked its claws......so Molly went flying the other way to get out of the way!!!  Then she started howling again.......my poor ears were ringing by the time we finally left the office.

So why am I saying poor Molly............well she is scheduled for surgery next Wednesday (20th), as she has gone and broken her upper molar, exposing the nerves.  Why she is not in excruciating pain is beyond me.  They have to put her under general anesthetic as this tooth is the hardest one to extract.  The bill for this will be between $530 and $580.  Her visit to the vet on Thursday was $193.17.........yep she is one pricey dog!!!  One good thing though is that they are not scaling her teeth while she is under as her teeth look good otherwise.......thank goodness for that!

It rained on Thursday, bringing down even more leaves.  So as soon as it dries up a bit, I must go out there and run over them with the tractor to mulch them.

Oh no I'm in trouble again!!!

So on Thursday I had to take Molly to the vets to get her blood taken for her allergy testing, $410 later!!  Anyhow they weighed Molly and she has put on 6 1/2 lbs since we got her.  She is now 45 lbs, and she has to lose weight.  The problem this to my mind she is always hungry, and  I have started making her the chicken breast, with brown rice and veggies, which she adores.  She gobbles up her breakfast and supper in minutes, so I have been giving her a little more to eat.  As its cold she's not out as much and not getting the exercise, so all this adds up to her putting on weight.

So she is going to go back on the bought food as I can monitor how much she eats better, and I know she is getting all the nutrients she needs.

I still have a horrible headache.  I have never had one this bad in a while.  I am blaming it on the fact that I have been varnishing part of the floor in our bedroom, on Monday through Wednesday.  I went to bed on Wednesday night at 7pm and slept right the way through until just after 5am on Thursday morning and as I am writing this on Thursday night at 6pm I am so tired and could go to bed now.

Also my mouth isn't healing properly from last week.  I have ran out of antibiotics, and have got a blister on the inside of my cheek.  I have been rinsing out my mouth with warm salted water, but it still stings like crazy when I drink anything too hot or too cold.  Orange juice about kills me with the stinging.  I will see how I feel after the weekend, if I am no better then I'll have to go to the dentist again.  Where they pulled the tooth that seems fine, its all around the tooth, the gum and my cheek which is still so sore.

That is also the reason I haven't been visiting anyone's blogs, as I my poor head is killing me.

Did you put your money in your pot today for the Daily Saving's Club?

Today's Money Saving Tip:

Trade Plants with Friends and Neighbors. One of the best and cheapest ways to get plants that you know will do well in your area is to trade with nearby friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Many species, such as iris, daylily, and hosta, can (or even need to) be divided periodically, while you can collect seeds or start cuttings from others.

It can only happen to us!!!! and a couple of questions

Now what you ask.........

well Molly continues to be a joy, BUT.........would you believe she has allergies!! I know what you're saying, she'll fit right in, in this house. She started chewing her paws when we brought her home on Saturday, Maxine our black lab did the same thing and was allergic to ragweed. Now ragweed allergies don't normally start until August 15th, so not sure what is going on with Molly.

So I take her to the vet on Tuesday for a meet and greet, and to get some allergy pills. He's not sure what is going on with her eating her paws, but gave me the pills. The problem with these pills though is that for four days she is on a high dosage, which makes her pee like a trooper. That brings me to another issue, Molly cannot go through the night without being let out for a pee and a poop!!!

I swear it's like having a baby in the house. Plus she tends to chew her paws through the night, and as she is sleeping in our bedroom, both me and dh are walking around bleary eyed...LOL Also as Molly sticks to us like glue, there will be no way she will sleep anywhere else.

So of course the vet says we need to check her for heartworm, and I should make sure she doesn't get fleas, so she should take Advantage for that. Here is a breakdown of the bill:

Office Visit - $55
60 Allergy Pills - $40.80
Heartworm test - $32
Advantage Medication - $94.72
GST (tax) $11.13

For a total of $233.65

I need to research this more for next year, as I am sure I can get the Heartworm/Flea control medication cheaper, and I used to give Maxine Benadryl for her allergies, but she was 100lbs in weight, and as Molly is less than 40lbs I don't know if I can give her Benadryl?

Also there is a cat wandering around outside. I have seen it on our property a couple of times now. It spends a lot of time wandering around the raspberry patch. What should I do to encourage it to hang about our place? I don't want to have a cat in the house, but don't mind having one outside. Also as it is freezing cold in winter here what happens to them in winter?