About this Blog: Bread making recipes, knit and crochet projects, wood working, gardening, digital imaging, travel, cruise ships, Labrador Retrievers, and more....

About the Header Image: Idlebrook Wendy Darling Evensen "Wendy" one of our three Labrador Retrievers.

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Sunday, October 19, 2025

Lily's Home Health Care

 Good morning,

Now that Lily is home from her surgery (see earlier posts this week), we have blocked off the end of the living room, put down a king size comforter, and have added items to make Lily comfy as she recovers.  

She has her basket of toys and her Private Duty Nurse Wendy.  Her other Private Duty Nurse Elsa is also nearby.

She doesn't spend much time here, though, because her post op meds make her sleep a great deal so she sleeps in her kennel.  We call it her "house."   

 Lily is being a very good patient.  She is only allowed to go outside on a leash, is not permitted to climb steps or get onto furniture, and must wear her party hat at all times.

We're giving her plenty of TLC, though, and hopefully, these two weeks will go by quickly.

Thanks, again, for all of your kind words and prayers for sweet Lily.

All the best,

Lois

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Lily is Home

 Good morning,

Our sweet Lily is home after a very difficult week.  She came home late yesterday afternoon and I grabbed Kjell's phone to snap a picture of her before she came into the house.  She looks tired, but her tail sure was wagging to show how happy she was to be home.

The back story:  Lily swallowed a sock that got stuck in her small intestine.  The surgeon at MedVet did a great job of administering saline solution orally, then moving the sock through her system to the inevitable end.  To do this a long incision was made in Lily's belly.  At least there was no need to make an incision in her intestine.  That was exceptionally good.

So, Lily is home, the sock is in a jar on the table, and aftercare and medications have begun.  Lily has to wear her party hat for two weeks.  Activity is restricted:  no climbing stairs or furniture, no playing with her siblings....  

Oh, and that was an expensive sock.  We were quoted $10,700 before she was treated.  We don't have the final bill yet, but believe it will be slightly lower after an adjustment.  I'll check my credit card statement later today when everything has a chance to post. 

Thank you to everyone who wrote and asked about Lily.  You are so very appreciated.  It was a very difficult week for Lily and the rest of us, too. 

All the best,

Lois

Friday, October 17, 2025

Lily's Surgery Successful

 Good morning,

That's Lily sprawled across Catherine's knees and an adjacent chair at the Vet.  They are waiting to see the doctor after an ultrasound and before Lily's surgery.

I'm happy to report the surgery was a success yesterday afternoon.  Lily had swallowed a very expensive sock.  Well, certainly not expensive when we bought it, but expensive to get it out of her.  She is scheduled to come home this afternoon and will have two weeks recovery.

We hope Lily is tired of eating socks!

Thank your prayers and kind words for Lily.  It has been a difficult week for Lily and the rest of us, too.

More recovery photos to come....

All the best,

Lois

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Prayers for Lily the Lab

May be an image of dog and text 

 Good morning,

Our sweet Lily is in the hospital because, as Labs are known to do, she has swallowed something she shouldn't.  We don't know what it is yet or if surgery will be necessary. She had an ultrasound yesterday, received fluids and pain meds overnight, and will have another ultrasound today.

Please keep her in your prayers.  Thank you. 

This is an image of our two year old Lily from last Easter.  

Lois

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Image from Viera Wetlands

 Good morning,

Today's image is one that Kjell took several years ago when we visited Viera Wetlands in Melbourne, Florida.  

Kjell was going through some of his old images and came across this.  It is just so pretty, I had to share.   

 Enjoy,

Lois

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Dough Man Face

 Good morning,

It's that time of the week again to make bread.  The face you see above is the not-so-happy dough man as I started to knead after the first rise.  I suddenly realized the dough was looking at me.

I talked nicely to him, divided him into two portions for two loaves, and kneaded each portion before putting them into the bread pans to rise again before baking. 

 They looked very happy and yummy when they came out of the oven.  

Ah, adventures in baking....

;),

Lois

Monday, October 13, 2025

Acorn Squash

 Good morning,

I harvested this acorn squash from the front yard yesterday afternoon. It's wet and sitting on a kitchen towel because I just washed it off. 

 The back story:

 While cooking, Catherine sometimes tosses seeds from veggies she is preparing into the front or side yard.  Well, this one "took" and sure enough, we have a lovely acorn squash.  It seems only one seed sprouted into a vine, but there are a couple more small fruits still growing and a couple of flowers.  If it stays warm enough, we may get another one or two to the kitchen.

This is such fun!

What did you grow this summer?

All the best,

Lois