It's that time of Year!

Nothing cheers you up as much as seeing the trees really come into bloom! They are simply so pretty.

Some pics from my Webshots archive.

For those of you with 'funky' weather, don't worry, it most likely WILL happen for you, too, later this Spring.:)

Our daffodils are in full bloom. I must get some pictures of them. They are my favorite.

Delicate Balance

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Did you miss adorable Pugs in their Halloween costumes?

So go to this url to see these cuties!
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mustlovepugs/discuss/72157602413661456/#comment72157602477277222

You may have to have a 'Flickr' account to enjoy these. They are owned by Yahoo.

Projects & progress

I've put up pics & progress tabs in the sideboard, to celebrate starting new projects, keep track and be held accountable in each of my three areas of interest: crochet, cross-stitch & knitting.



I found http://www.yarntomato.com/percentbarmaker/?barPosition=40&leftFill=8B008B on how to get the bars.

I'll post a pic and progress bar on my knitting projet soon (that's French for project).

Pug Showdown: How to keep 2 pugs in the house

The problem with a split foyer - 6 steps up and 6 down - really shows when you want to go out the door for a simple and needed activity: getting the mail.

Like a Clint Eastwood movie, I can hear the 'Wa-o-wa-o-waaanh!' and see a showdown ready to occur, as I have my older Pug staring at me at the top of the stairs (she'll bark if the wind blows too hard) ready to come down the stairs.

Then there's the baby at the bottom of the stairs, fully able to go up stairs (but not down, Yet) looking concerned that mama is thinking about leaving her. (And ALL hell will break loose then. Does anyone else's 'abandoned' puggie girl sound like a Tasmanian She-devil, shaking her crate just like the cartoon?! Seriously?!)

So, luckily the mailbox is attached to the house and I can close the door and issue edicts while half outside the home. "You stay THERE!" "Stay THERE!"

Always scared that the little one will run up the stairs and try to get out the front door, a situation that has proven heart attack worthy in the past with my first Pug.

She ran circles into the front yard and street. It's so hard to get a Pug back inside that's having fun like that.

But she doesn't know that she could get killed by a car who doesn't think twice about going 45 mph.

They don't care about why (bec. of kids & pugs, not to mention slow adults like myself) its 25 MPH on our street. Bastards.

Giving a treat to get her in, which we did, only reinforces bad behavior, said our beloved Petsmart trainer at the time.

What do you do then? Screaming which is the first inclination, probably isn't helpful either.

My older, fawn Pug has been thru the classes and she will return to a higher step in the house, after sniffing the situation at front door level.

The little one, nope, doesn't have that sense yet. She'd go out the door if mommy does.

We gotta work on that. I'm too young for a heart attack.

Good Stuff - An Ode to Physical Therapy and an ease to my back pain

Bald eagle, Homer Alaska (Webshots)

As predicted, physical therapy for my back pain is just the ticket.

You have to work (gasp!) but it helps.

I'm working with a sphygmomanometer (honest, I think this is spelled right) - a blood pressure cuff!

It's such a slight movement, when I perform the exercise with the cuff in the small of my back, but it helps an ol' swayback like me know when I'm activating my core muscles located in my pelvis.

It turns out the core is deep in there, under muscles and also in charge of bladder control, at least in ladies.

It's a common problem for the muscle to weaken and therefore control of the bladder. Had babies ladies? You can understand.

And for those who haven't had children you're in good company - me! I'm convinced my years of depression, sleeping too long, avoiding breakfast and reality is all coming back to haunt me, now that I'm awakened by Abilify (I discuss this a few posts down).

Anyhoo, thank God that these people can help me, because my back was killing me.

Turns out you must strengthen the core muscles in the tummy in order to reach the multifidus, or back muscle, that runs the lenghth of your spine, widening at the base (read: source of my lower back pain).

I encourage people to talk to their doctors about physical therapy in lieu of drugs, that aren't going to last long enough for healing, or work very well anyway (my experience).

The physical therapist told me that 90% of back pain goes away for patients, regardless of what a patient does, but only 20-30% recur in those who do the exercises.

My thing is that I have found relief in a short period of time, and knowledge on how to help control it, just in the few light exercises I've had so far.

I'm just sharing my experience. I figure you never know when it can do some good for others.

Thank you, PT!