running!
So i talked to my friend at work about running and she’s just like me she can do almost any other sport except running. She’s been running for a while now and does really well.. we got to talking about this because she has a foot stress fracture from upping her running regimine too quickly. She ran the Santa Clarita half marathon. She tells me to just set goals 1 mile no matter how long it takes and keep doing it each week (walking where necessary) and within 3 weeks you’ll be able to do it way easier than you could when you started. She even does triathalons! I started running 2 weeks ago but stopped when things got hectic around my birthday.
I really want to start running so that me and the dogs can excercise at the same time 
It also strengthens the knees and creates healthier more dense bones, both pluses and strong knees means easier wakeboarding! First things first, I REALLY have to get new running sneakers. Any recommendations?
Damien…
Took Damien to the vet yesterday while Josh was at work.. and since Josh’s truck is 5 feet off the ground, I can’t lift Damien into it and had to put Damien in my mini. I tried to protect the seat with a huge comforter but Damien is a clutz in my car and was laying half on the floor with his paws on the seat.. then I ran into the vet first to make sure there were no other dogs and tell them I’ll wait outside cuz he’s dog aggressive and they said fine. By the time I got back to the car Damien was in my back seat! looking at me from the back window. Great. He acted very strange at the vet usually he’s all over people but he was super shy and climbing all over my lap. I brought his tennis ball with him to distract him from other dogs but even that he was not that interested in. They couldn’t find anything wrong with his breathing besides a whiz noise when he inhales which could be normal. His temperature was normal, so no pneumonia or fever. She gave me expensive antibiotics for him for the next 10 days and if there’s no improvement on Tuesday he goes in for X-Rays.
On the ride home he was just as clutzy.. I had the windows down so he wouldn’t drool on them (it was warm out too) and he somehow found a way to drool all over my side mirror with his head out the window. It took me a good hour and a half to vacuum out and clean all the drool and hair off of everything.
But Mandy is doing fantastic! She walks around all the time and begs at the table now.. not such a good habit. She comes to greet us when we come home too.. She’s in good spirits.
Lots to catch up on…
Went to Philly to visit Tracey for our birthday. I hope to have photos posted by end of day today in the photo gallery link on the right side there… it was really fun even though it was FREEZING! 36 degrees at night!! so i was all bundled up in sweaters, hoodies, scarfs, pea coat all on top of each other Her kitten, Voltaire is super cute and wild. Next time i visit i’m going to try to make it in a warmer time of year. We went to 2 H&M stores there within a block of each other and there was no 2 hour line to get in, like the Pasadena and LA stores!
Thanksgiving was yummy. Charlie came by and we made just enough food. It seems a 14 lb turkey takes longer than 3 hours like all the recipes say, but we only ended up eating the breasts which reached 165 degrees. The cooking at start of day didn’t go so well with burnt cranberry sauce (forgot about it on the stove) and failed pie crusts. So after frequent trips to Albertson’s (I was on a first name basis with the cashiers by this point) for crisco, then more cranberries, then potatoes, we were all good. I’ll post pics later tonight as well.
Damien developed some sort of cough last night. Sounds like a heavy wheezing choke but he makes no progress.. it comes and goes as coughing fits. He did it again this morning and woke me up scared that he was choking to death. I’m gonna try to take him to the vet tomorrow when maybe Josh can help me. That’s another thing, when he gets excited it sets him off into a coughing fit.. or when he tries to bark 
which is often.
now playing: Say Anything - Chia-Like, I Shall Grow
Accupuncture for Animals
Mandy had her accupuncture today. It was pretty cool to watch. The needles are so super fine that the doctor twicked one of them with her finger and it bent just like a piece of hair or a bristle from a paint brush. I never realized they were that flimsy.
The vet put the needles in her leg in a few spots and down her spine and one right above her eyes in her forehead (probably 9 total). They’re left in for about 10 minutes and then pulled out. She did seem to relax after 3 or 4 were in, I’m not sure if it was the accupuncture or her getting used to the doctor though. Standing up she still limps a lot, she needs 2 more visits for them to determine if it is helping her or not. The next step is surgery.
Just like medication, massage, and other remedies, some work on some people/animals, some don’t.
