Christmas Parties

We had a busy weekend just pass us.

It was filled with lots of Christmas parties!!

We went to Bubbles' work BBQ, which as good and we just finished up before a big storm came.

We had a swimming Xmas party after swimming and lifesaving on Sunday.

Maggie & Bonnie

Then, we stopped past home, picked up Maggie & the picnic food and headed off to the park for the Dog School Xmas party!



Bonnie

After sitting around and eating lots of yummy food. It was time for the games. There was best dressed, best trick, fastest eater, most waggy tail, dog most like its owner. Between Maggie & Bonnie, they won 3 of the games.

Monty & Maggie competing in 'Fastest eater'. Oddly, Maggie won. It was a bit of a Bradbury moment.

Maggie doing her 'trick' - figure 8's through the legs

She Won!!!

Bonnie rocking the fancy dress! She won!

Monty

Bubbles patting Monty

Patrice & Lady L came and joined us at the party

Maggie & Bonnie - all tired out!!

It was a nice afternoon and Maggie was very very happy to see all her friends from school after being away for so long. We are sure she is looking forward to the new year and going back to school.

(This is not all of our Christmas parties - Spanky has already had 3 others, and has 2 more to go, while Bubbles had 1 more!)

Christmas Wreath

I found this wreath tutorial on a blog a while back and decided that i would try to make one for our front door for this years Christmas.

I started this project a couple of weeks ago when i wrapped the polystyrene wreath with red wool (both purchased from Lincraft). Then i left it for a while as we just got really busy and there where other things to do (and i hadn't brought any felt yet for the next part!).

I came back to it this past weekend and finished it off.

I brought the felt on Friday, then on Sunday after swimming I sat down while doing the weekly TV shows catch up and finished it off.

I chose to use white & green felt. I cut the felt into strips then lay them out (with the biggest placed on the bottom - and as you can see, i cant cut neatly). I then did a running stitch through them, and bunched up the felt as i went (i used a 'super strong' thread, that i doubled over so it was super super strong). As you can see, i didn't make it neat, which was fine because once its scrunched up, you cant really tell how neat or messy it is. Thank god!

Once i had done the stitching and scrunching, i tied it all off, chose a position on the wreath where i wanted to stick it on, then whet crazy with the glue! i used PVA as that's all i had on hand, but a hot glue gun might work a bit better and easier (as the PVA gets a little runny).

Ta Da!

New Peg sets

For the November market, i made 8 sets of these Melways peg sets, just to see how they would go, and if anyone would be interested in buying them.

Well, they where all gone within a couple of hours!


Some people liked them because they could send them to friends overseas (and have a little bit of Melbourne). Others liked them because they had only sons at home and it was more 'boy-ish'. Others liked them just cause they liked them!

So, along with the hundreds of glass magnets to be made this month (because i sold over 450 magnets at the November Ivanhoe Makers Market!!) , i plan on making more of these.

 

 

 

The GIANT drink bowl (& first walk)

Tomorrow we are back at the Vet clinic again, this time just for a check up with the Orthopedic surgeon to make sure Maggie's leg is going as well as it should. We have our fingers crossed that all will be well, as Maggie seems to be doing great.

This last week, Maggie got a treat.

Brand new Pools!! and it was just in time, as we had a hot day the day after we brought these.

Yah! A new Pool!

As soon as Spanky put these inside from the car, Maggie hopped into them and had a bit of a rest.

The next day, one of the pools went outside as it was going to be warm. Straight away it was used. As a drink bowl.....

Waiting for the water to go in it

Having a drink

Playing with the ball in the water

On Friday, we decided that it was time for Maggie to get out of the house and yard and go for her first walk in over 5 weeks.

Bubbles got her ready and she was very excited and could hardly sit still with the prospect of leaving the yard!

Getting her chain on

With holty on

Hurry up! I'm ready!

It was only a 10minute walk, but she seemed so happy to be out and about. We have since taken her out each day, but still only for short walks. We will gradually build up to longer, we just don't want to push her too much.

Maggie's surgery - take 2

Its been a busy couple of weeks since Maggie's first surgery.


We managed to keep her 'resting' for two full weeks. A couple of times each day we did some leg exercises with her and encouraged her to start using her leg properly (try telling that to a dog! - you find yourself outside with her in the yard talking to her, saying "Maggie, use both legs." "That's it, put your foot down." "Slow down so you can walk on both legs." etc. and just hoping the neighbours aren't out in their yards listening!).

Maggie Crate bound

How she was holding her leg before the 2nd surgery

First scar after stitches out

When we went back to Dr Harry to get her stitches out, he had a feel of her leg, and told us "something isn't right here, there is too much movement". So the next day, Spanky & Maggie are back to see the Orthopedic Vet who did the surgery. She had a feel around, and also felt there was too much movement. The likely reason was the Maggie had popped out the pins holding her tendon in place.

Another 2 days later, Maggie is back at the vets and booked in for Xrays, with probable surgery that afternoon.

From the Xrays, it is found that she had popped both her pins out (one above the knee cap, and one below) that are holding her tendons in place so her knee cap is in the right spot. The vets have no idea how she was able to walk at all or use the left leg, but she was and she also was showing no pain at all (could comfortably get her leg up behind her ear to have a scratch).


So, she had surgery again.

Day 1 Post 2nd Op

1 day post 2nd op - the new incision & older scar

She now has longer pins in place and some wire to hold them in better. The vets think that just due to her size and the strength of her quad muscle she had popped the pins out within a couple days after the first surgery (there was no bone fusing, which tells them it was early on).


Its AMAZING how well she is now walking. Within a day post surgery, she was using her leg almost like normal and at her 4 day post op check up was walking perfectly, and only hopping a little when wanting to run. It makes us realise now that how she was after the first surgery wasn't right, but at the time we thought it was ok.

We had to do a mad scramble to organise some people to help dog-sit her during the day as we had limited notice that she would be having surgery. The Golfer & Teacher (Bubbles dad & mum), Lucille (Spanky's brother) and Giggles came to the rescue and helped out when Spanky couldn't get the day off work (Bubbles was away interstate).


Looking funny with her 'cone' on!



Last night we visited Dr Harry again (bit like De javu) and got Maggie's stitches out (again) and as of today, she is back to spending her days outside in the fresh air, watching the birds and snoozing!

Finally allowed in the backyard by herself

Still fenced in though - only a small yard to start with

If i wave at you, will you let me into the rest of the yard?



Leg after 2nd lot of stitches are out. Pretty special with two scars!