Tree Treasures Redux

we have a collaboration

she brings
I receive
the tree gains


see Pinterest preface
and original blog story link
below

A friend, Renée Lewin, brings an ornament for my Christmas tree each year. Most of these pieces are not created for tree decorating. They include key chains, ribbons, jewelry, a piece of a chandelier, fridge magnets, craft items. These tree treasures are from antique shops, artists and specialty stores. They are her souvenirs from all over the world. Renée spends all year searching. Happy to share my growing collection.

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/Chanukah%20and%20Christmas%20meet

LIAM AND HIS TREASURES

and the full collection on Pinterest

https://www.pinterest.com/cbiz50/tree-treasures/


2018 's is a starfish
made by an artist Liza
peaceramics.com

 

THIS YEAR'S GET TOGETHER

AND THAT'S A WRAP

Woof, Woof

Lumps On Liam

 

a cropped cone...I cut off four inches

Liam had surgery
for a hard lump on his shoulder.
He has many soft fatty lumps. I know because I examine and feel his little body and notice any changes immediately,

Liam has more lumps than I do.
Lipomas are fatty deposits.
And they can be large and are moveable


This new one was different.
small and immobile


see blog story about the past large lumps

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/Lumpy%20Liam

we biopsied and the results were inconclusive.
surgery was the next option
done
and the cone was installed for protection.  Much too big. I cut it down and he wore it for two days.. slamming into walls, getting stuck in the doorways, unable to negotiate the stairs, getting snagged on each carpeted step.

WEARING THE CONE

and then I realized

there is no way he could reach his shoulder

unless he was channeling Linda Blair's head turning performance in the Exorcist

see how his head turns

no where near the shoulder

I took off the cone 

But

I had already ordered a soft more mobile holiday themed cone from Amazon

and when it showed up, I put it on for a photo op

 and we had a pose

the vet called with happy news

no cancer

a Fibroma

and here is what they are 

I had one years ago

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/skin-disorders-of-dogs/tumors-of-the-skin-in-dogs


 Fibromas resemble collagenous nevi or skin tags. Fibromas occur in all breeds but are primarily a tumor of aged dogs. Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, and Golden Retrievers are most at risk. The head and legs are the most likely sites. Fibromas appear as isolated, generally raised, often hairless lumps originating under the skin surface. They feel firm and rubbery (fibroma durum) or soft and mushy (fibroma molle) These tumors are benign and treatment is optional. However, complete surgical removal is recommended if they change appearance or grow large.

stitches came out this week


the wound cratered open
the edges were not kneaded together


we debated about returning to the Vet

I took out my surgical supplies from my post operative wounds
and committed myself to the job of healing

I was an able assistant in my own home care

I was eager to take on the job

I immediately violated a recovery rule by allowing Liam to take me on a long walk... the Parts Unknown places he visited were swampy. messy, wet and had other dogs...all a danger to a dog with an open wound

I did not read up before I ventured out

https://www.cuteness.com/article/clean-care-dogs-incision

Now I did and am on board

HELP, MOM THINKS SHE IS A VET

wound is healing and the walks will begin next week.

We all want it

I am losing 5000 plus Fitbit steps without my Liam walk

Woof, Woof

Liam /Parts Unknown

PARTS UNKNOWN

I have let Liam lead. And he does

I am traveling to parts unknown. 
I have driven down these streets
but I am seeing them at slower pace and at a lower level

This started with the information in an article posted on Facebook which I consumed with relish.
and I wrote a blog story about it

http://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/sniffing

since incorporation of free walking into our outings our lives have expanded
each walk is a new adventure

and a friend remembered this observation

 https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0697686/quote
 Jerry Seinfeld: On my block, a lot of people walk their dogs, and I always see them walking along with their little poop bags, which to me is just the lowest function of human life. If aliens are watching this through telescopes, they're gonna think the dogs are the leaders. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume was in charge?

I am one of those folks. More now than ever.


I began to let Liam sniff and lead me a few weeks after Tony Bourdain committed suicide. I imagined I was making a canine episode of Parts Unknown...his CNN show

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Bourdain

SMELLS

TRUFFLES FOR TONY?

one of my faves is the Hanoi visit

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/bourdain-parts-unknown-obama-hanoi/index.html

Tony Bourdain left a legacy of involvement in many fields

PARTS UNKNOWN EPISODES

LIAM GETS HUNGRY

Did allowing Liam to walk me arise from Tony's passing
Am I conflating the two?
Maybe
but that's okay
we had original episodes through mid November
some cobbled together and all without Tony's iconic intro
they were new though
last one was 11/10

  

and now we are on our own

in Parts Unknown

LIAM LEADING ME TO PARTS UNKNOWN

woof, woof

Starbucks Holiday Cups

LIAM LICKING A STARBUCKS HOLIDAY CUP

What?

 A day later than usual!  I have photos of them  from every year and it is always Nov 1 but this year it is Nov 2 and
this year 4 styles.
Liam likes the four designs... as he is four designs as well. As we say all the time #fourdogsinone
beagle, dachshund, dalmatian and Irish setter.
A designer mutt.
We have four holiday drinks to go with the 4 designs of the cups. See following photo

and story in the link following

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/01/business/starbucks-holiday-cups/index.html

Securing all four was a challenge as we do the mobile app and I was not sure how the cups were rotated. Since we go every day I suspected we had a shot at the full set fairly quickly (we also have Paul's coffee) and it happened in 3 days. See the following link... this is my drink...a chestnut praline latte
https://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/chestnut-praline-latte#size=11033006&milk=63&whip=125
I lopped off some calories by deleting the whip cream and one pump of syrup. From 4 to 3... also I drink half...
I got it down to the low 200's.
add more Fitbit steps and I am good to go.
see photo

MY ADAPTATION

LIAM WITH THE MOBILE APP LABEL

 
Liam illustrates


he is licking, not drinking the latte

don't report me to the ASPCA

I swabbed the inside with peanut butter to ensure his blockhead remained inside for an appropriate amount of time for the photo-shoot

actually it was way too long and one cup ended up eviscerated 

MORE, MOM?

woof, woof

CokeHead

COKEHEAD NOSE EXAMPLES

My ENT doctor asked if I were a cokehead

WHAT! WHY?
Do you know what it is?
read 
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cokehead


Background
As a child I was known as Carol McSniff to the ENT doctors in Manhattan
I spent a great deal of time there
I had trouble breathing
had frequent long lasting drippy colds
they removed my tonsils and adenoids
no change
I missed a lot of school
It goes on

in my twenties I discovered a miracle spray
and as I do with items I love I overused until my nose swelled and nostrils closed and I had to wean myself off
This is it

I gradually went back to my usual stuffed nose and colds and slogged through life as Carol McSniff

When I turned 50 I joined AARP. They suggested tuning up your chassis. I made some wellness appointments... and one was a visit to a new ENT...my nasal issues were still there...

My doctor upon looking up my nose asked
"are you a cokehead?"

no, I was not a cokehead

I knew what it meant

I said "why do you ask?"

He told me I had a hole in my septum...that is the grizzle in the middle of your nose between the nostrils which holds your two nostrils together and keeps your nose from falling flat on your face

official definition

Definition of septum:

a dividing wall or membrane especially between bodily spaces or masses of soft tissue

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/septum

cokeheads suffer from this hole in the septum issue
I told him I never had the opportunity to sniff up the white stuff
and
had I been offered
I am sure I would have tried it

and
become addicted as happens with me

I told him of my ferocious prolonged irresponsible Afrin use
Yep, he agreed my abuse of it could have caused it

He recommended Neti pot
for nasal irrigation
irrigate
irrigate
is the mantra for
crusty bloody noses like mine
here it is

and its uses
https://www.everydayhealth.com/products/reviews/how-safely-use-neti-pot/

I tried
several times
the using of it nearly drowned me as it went from one side to another and down my throat not out my nostrils
it is supposed to go up the nostril and come down
since I have a big hole across mine the water went down my throat and I choked

DROWNING FROM NETI RINSE

At some point I noticed my nose had fallen
become crooked and wider
I guess with no support it is falling and within a few years may lay flat on my face

I recently decided I should fix it
and maybe get a designer nose
should I request one of these noses?
Liam illustrates nose choices

LIAM NOSE EXAMPLES

but it sounds dangerous and possibly fatal
see story
should I risk my life for a nose?
https://todaysface.com/What-Is-A-Septal-Perforation
so I remain with a wider crooked flat nose

and dream of my nose when I was young
see photo left
Liam and I
young pups

Me on the left and Liam right
puppies with erect noses

older, bigger and flatter
 and wider

Woof, woof

Fit-bitten

LIAM WAITING FOR HIS WALK TO ADD 2500 STEPS TO MOM'S FITBIT

I am coming up to the one year anniversary of purchasing and wearing and incorporating Fitbit into my life, October 20, 2017
I have been Bitten by the Fitbit device. It is an addiction. It controls my actions. I love that it does. I  am an exhausted controller of me. I need someone else to help. I got it with my Fitbit.

Last year, I wrote a story about it. Here is a refresher.

https://liamlicks.blogspot.com/search/label/Fitbit

An excerpt from it

 What I have Done to Get Credit for my Exercise on Gym Equipment

Swung one arm while on the treadmill, using the other to type on my iPad...precarious

Hooked my Fitbit on the handlebars of my home row machine

Exaggerated hand motions while walking on both gym and home treadmills

Strapped my Fitbit to the pedal of my home row machine

Stuffed my Fitbit in my sock for all machines

These have been mostly successful...still working on the sock insertion 

Really???
I did all that???
crazytown

A year later I have discarded all these tricks

 and figured out a doable step-accruing routine

What works

walking in place 

while waiting on a line

  

plants
 one a time, taking to sink and back (I have many plants)

laundry 

increasing trips up and down stairs

parking
 far away from my destination
  
LIRR

walking the platform at the station when train-waiting

regular health club workouts

http://www.pushfitnessclub.com/new-hyde-park/

here I am below

PUSH FITNESS SCENES

 home gym workouts

BASEMENT EXERCISE VENUE

and walking Liam

who rests everywhere in the house between walks

                                                 

 most recent 7 day stats in screenshot below

I average 17,000 steps a day

this keeps Liam and me in shape

he maintains his 5 pound weight loss

MOST RECENT ONE WEEK STAT SUMMARY

Liam accrues steps by traveling to every chair and sofa

Liam resting

 


 and we are ready to go

LET'S GO MOM

 Woof, Woof