Frugal Village Forums - Blogs - madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/ Frugal Living Forums, a frugal living community with emphasis on debt reduction, responsible spending, consuming less, recycling and helping each other bridge the gaps for a sustainable future. en Thu, 23 May 2013 03:14:00 GMT vBulletin 1 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg Frugal Village Forums - Blogs - madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/ Raw Vegan Challenge Day 21 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5403-raw-vegan-challenge-day-21.html Thu, 24 May 2012 00:14:38 GMT For those of you who follow my blog on Blogspot, this is a repeat. :)

I have been mentioning this challenge in my previous blogs, but I haven't really dedicated a full blog entry to it, so here we go.

I discovered raw vegan food about seven weeks ago. I can't even remember what got me interested, but on a lark, I did a search for "raw vegan" in my area, and found The Green Boheme restaurant. I stopped by there and ordered a "Cool Italian" sandwich, and that was the beginning of my undoing as a carnivore. (Or, a "carnie," as I am told we meat-eaters are called.)

I officially started the challenge on May 3rd, and in an attempt to give it a fair shake, I gave up all non-raw-vegan food, which included my beloved coffee with cream and sugar (all three of which are verboten). I have to admit that the first couple of days, I was not a happy camper. Happily, I had the weekend to get over my serious caffeine withdrawal, and by Monday, while still missing coffee, I could at least function without it!! (I still miss it, by the way, but not in the addicted craving way that I missed it on day four or so.)

My daily meal plan looks a lot like this:

  • Wake up and take a pro-biotic
  • Wait 20 minutes
  • Drink 16 oz. of green juice (basically, 70% veg/30% fruit, all run through a juicer, so no fiber)
  • Approx 3-5 hours later, I start to get hungry, and I start drinking 32 oz of my green smoothie (basically, 70% fruit/30% veg, run through a high-speed blender, like a Vitamix, so you get the fiber as well as the juice)
  • Drink some water
  • After I finish the smoothie, typically around noon or so, I eat a snack. (Today was a sinfully rich chocolate pudding that tasted a bit more like a ganache, it was so thick and delicious!!)
  • Drink more water
  • Dinner (optimally, at least three hours after the snack)


The only downsides so far are:


  1. It is very difficult to maintain a raw vegan menu when you are not close to home. Raw vegan restaurants are few and far between, and when I had to travel to Arizona in mid-May, I found myself ordering a lot of fruit cups at restaurants!!
  2. I found, around week two, that I was VERY tired. This lasted for several days, even though I was getting about nine hours of sleep every day. I'd wake up naturally, but several hours later, I'd be dragging. I even had to go to my car to nap, while at work! Brooke, the chef at The Green Boheme, reassured me that this was natural and was part of my body going through a detox. Sure enough, as of a few days ago, I have been feeling my energy returning. I have been doing some reading since then, and have found that detox symptoms can last from a few days to a few weeks, so I'm right in the ballpark.
  3. It is not an inexpensive lifestyle. To do it right, you want local and organic produce, so unless you have a garden, you are paying extra for that. It also requires (despite some people's statements to the contrary), at the minimum, a good dehydrator, a good juicer, a high-speed blender (and by high-speed, I mean a Blendtec or Vitamix [ka-ching]), and a food processor. Many of the ingredients used in the meals are expensive: nuts, real vanilla beans, etc.


The upsides are:


  1. Now that I am not tired, I am feeling pretty fantastic. :) I feel healthy and I don't feel guilty about eating anything, even if it is chocolatey and decadent. I feel like my mood is better, and more stable. I am a bit volatile, at times, and I don't react well to my triggers, but lately, I've felt able to roll with the punches.
  2. I have been losing weight while not restricting my calories. Who wouldn't like that?
  3. I have been introduced to some really fantastic foods that I would never have tried before, and in some instances, I have the recipes to duplicate them.
  4. I feel like I have a new relationship with my food, and I am much more appreciative of the incredible variety in natural flavors of food, now that I am not using any sauces or spices.
  5. I wake up now and crave water, instead of coffee!


I was worried about my iron, because I have historically had a hemoglobin count in the gutter. I consistently get deferred when I try to give blood. (I seriously get deferred about 50% of the time, even when I take iron supplements regularly.) Brooke assured me that I wouldn't need iron supplements, because I would be taking in my nutrients in such a dense way (smoothies and juices) that my body would be able to get what it needed. I was suspicious that this was not true, but when I gave platelets yesterday, my hemoglobin count was so high, the nurse asked me what my secret was!

My challenge ends on May 31, and unfortunately, I have to go out of town for a week or so after that, so I will mostly likely have to resort to processed foods again while I'm gone (because the place I'm going to is the type of town that ought to be called "Dogpatch" and that will most likely have nothing except maybe a Burger King in it).

My intention, right now, is to try to continue to eat primarily raw food upon my return, mostly because I find that I really like the taste of it! :) ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5403-raw-vegan-challenge-day-21.html Yea!! http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5395-yea.html Wed, 16 May 2012 14:02:02 GMT Thrilled that the blogs are back where they are easy to find! Now I just hope people will start using them again! Thrilled that the blogs are back where they are easy to find! Now I just hope people will start using them again! ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5395-yea.html A week on the ranch blog 2012 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5342-week-ranch-blog-2012.html Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:50:50 GMT For those who followed this last year, I have reconstructed it, but on Blog Spot. The link, for anyone interested, is: http://mad-hen-creations.blogspot.com/2012/01/week-on-ranch-january-1-january-7-2012.html For those who followed this last year, I have reconstructed it, but on Blog Spot.

The link, for anyone interested, is:

http://mad-hen-creations.blogspot.co...ry-7-2012.html ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5342-week-ranch-blog-2012.html January 2012 groceries http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5340-january-2012-groceries.html Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:33:42 GMT Raleys: cutting boards (2) $3.74 ea beef jerky (2) $6.99 ea smoked Gouda (.51 lb @ $9.99/lb) $5.00 macaroni salad $2.99 duster cover $4.79 Half and Half (qt) $2.65 Half and Half (pt) $1.49 Raleys:

cutting boards (2) $3.74 ea
beef jerky (2) $6.99 ea
smoked Gouda (.51 lb @ $9.99/lb) $5.00
macaroni salad $2.99
duster cover $4.79
Half and Half (qt) $2.65
Half and Half (pt) $1.49

Save Mart:

sparkling water (2 4-pks) $2.99 ea
sparkling water (3 lg) $.99 ea
sparkling water (2 lg) $1.39 ea
small can of green chiles $1.69
cream of mushroom soup (2 cans) $.89 ea
cream of chicken soup (2 cans) $.89 ea
popcorn (2 bags) $1.89
puppy pads (2 100-count boxes) $25.99 ea
shredded cheddar cheese $4.19
puff pastry (2 boxes) $2.99 ea
small sour cream $2.19
bag of peas/carrots (2) $2.00 ea
bean sprouts $1.29
broccoli $1.03
carrots $1.49
celery $.99
snow peas (2 packs) $2.50 ea
scallions $.79
pine nuts (4.23 lbs @ $9.99/lb) $42.26
lettuce mix $4.99
chicken breast $8.10
chicken party wings (2 pks) $17.13 total
turkeys (2 at .69/lb) $20.79
sugar free cookies $3.99

The cutting boards are both Christmas presents for my sister and mother.

The beef jerky and macaroni salad are for me, treats, definitely not necessarily, but I could not resist their siren song.

The duster cover was to replace the very old and threadbare cover on my Mr. Clean mop. It has gotten a workout with eight dogs running around inside for the last 10 weeks!!

The cheese is to eat with the box of crackers sitting in my pantry. Crackers are no good without cheese!

The qt of Half and Half is for the house; the pt is for the office fridge.

The sparkling water is the only way I can get myself to drink water every day! It is expensive, but it does the trick!!

The chiles, canned soup, cheese, puff pastry, sour cream, peas and carrots, bean sprouts, broccoli, carrots, celery, snow peas, scallions, and chicken breast are all for a few recipes I want to try.

The turkeys are to be cooked and frozen for dog food. The party wings are puppy snacks.

The pine nuts are for the parrots. Raleys NEVER carries them. It has been about two years since I last saw them! That is why I bought such a large amount. The parrots LOVE them. They are in the shell, but not the really hard ones you normally get for birds. (My birds can't shell the hard ones.)

Piddle pads are for the puppies. I'll be fostering Olivia for a few more weeks, most likely, and Angus is staying, so I'll be going through them, even though the rest of the pups will be on their way by Wednesday morning.

The sugar free cookies are for the donkeys. Great way to hide meds!! Just put a pill on top, dollop of peanut butter on that, and you have an instant donkey "pill pocket"!! They never suspect they are getting meds!

The popcorn is for popping. A little snack on cold winter nights. :) ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5340-january-2012-groceries.html Temperament testing http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5298-temperament-testing.html Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:11:56 GMT Testing Olivia to see if she will make a good pet, and so far, here are the results:

1) Food - not food aggressive at all with humans; doesn't growl at pups when they stick their noses in her dish; I can take food away from her, including right out of her mouth, with no complaints from her.

2) Other dogs - seems very curious about my dogs, but since she is not yet vaccinated, we haven't been able to really test this one out. She wants to go in their room with them, when I take their food to them, and she doesn't bark or growl at them when she sees them.

3) Other animals - seems curious about the bunnies and parrots, but does not fixate on them. Was attacked by my rooster, and ran from him UNTIL I went after him. Then she ran up with me and gently bit at him (i.e, got the tip of his wing in her mouth, but didn't injure him at all) and backed off when I did. Seems curious about Miss Kitty and tries to go into Miss Kitty's hiding place to visit, but comes back when called. (Met a cat at the vet and was afraid of it.)

4) Other people - again, can't really test it out as much as I would like, but seems okay with women. Doesn't much like men, so I am having a male friend come over when I'm not home and give her treats, to try to get her association with men up a bit. When I am home, she will let my friend pet her, but only if I am right next to them. When I am not home, my friend reports that she is very barky and does not invite any interaction.

5) Handling/grooming - can pick her up, touch paws, check teeth - no issues. She drops into a submissive pose, but lets you do what you need to do. I've done rectal temps on her, given her a bath, and trimmed her dewclaws, all without any problems.

6) Obedience - didn't know any commands, although she has learned "stay" and is starting to figure out "sit". Doesn't really know how to walk on leash. Stays close without a leash, but will wander off and not respond to commands if something gets her attention, so I will not be walking her anywhere off the property without a leash attached to her!

7) House-training - will still relieve herself on carpet if allowed, but will use pee pads if on laminate. PREFERS to go outside, and will wait (as much as eight hours) to go before going in the house, so she shows a lot of promise. I have blocked her off from carpeted areas, because I think it is so much like grass to her, it is too tempting. ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5298-temperament-testing.html Puppy pictures!! http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5294-puppy-pictures.html Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:07:19 GMT As promised, pictures of all the pups! And a couple of the proud momma, sporting her knew knitted sweater. :) As promised, pictures of all the pups! And a couple of the proud momma, sporting her knew knitted sweater. :)
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]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5294-puppy-pictures.html You want to do WHAT to me? http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5293-you-want-do-what-me.html Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:41:05 GMT Olivia got her first bath a few days ago!! She is shedding, and it is making her (and me) crazy. Not to mention that she smelled like a street dog. SO...out came the puppy shampoo. It is some cherry-blossom-scented pink stuff, but it is safe for puppies, and I figured it has been a few... Olivia got her first bath a few days ago!! She is shedding, and it is making her (and me) crazy. Not to mention that she smelled like a street dog.

SO...out came the puppy shampoo. It is some cherry-blossom-scented pink stuff, but it is safe for puppies, and I figured it has been a few weeks, so it is probably okay to shampoo her now.

I popped her into the sink, in a wash tub, with about an inch of tepid water in it, and proceeded to try to get her wet. Olivia was NOT happy, but to her credit, she expressed her unhappiness by just trying to slink out of the sink. So, by the time she was dampened, shampooed, and thoroughly rinsed, she wasn't the only one who was soaking wet!! But after a thorough towel-drying, she smelled 100% better, and she seemed less itchy!

I am pretty certain it was the first time she had ever had a bath, based on the looks I was getting during and after. But she took it like a trooper. :)

Olivia is going to be such a good pet for someone. She heels beautifully, without a leash. She understands our routine now and knows, when I sit down at the computer, that I will be there for a while, and she goes to her bed (a folded up quilt on the floor) and lays down. Occasionally, she heaves the deep, heartfelt, sigh of martyrdom - a puppy with no one to play with - but usually she is patient and waits for my attention to be directed back to her.

She is starting to get playful again, as a puppy her age SHOULD be! We have had a few gentle wrestling sessions, and she prances around my feet in the morning, when I get up, wanting both breakfast and attention, not necessarily in any particular order. :) Her favourite activity is going for a walk with me down the driveway and into the pasture, and running around in the grass.

The pups are growing, and I weigh them every day, to make sure no one is falling behind. Little White Dude (LWD) is now only about 40 grams lighter than the next heaviest pup, so he is catching up! (About a week ago, he was almost 120 grams lighter.)

Puppy #5 (brown girl with pink nose) is definitely going to be the alpha pup. Already, she is the explorer in the pack, testing the boundaries of her puppy bed and ending up in all sorts of places in the bedroom when my back is turned! I finally had to build a small wall around the puppy "den" to keep her from wandering! I am thinking about naming her either Dora (the Explorer) or Amelia (Earhart).

Four puppies have now opened their eyes, and three are keeping me waiting, including LWD.

I took pics the other day, most of which did not come out well, due to the wriggly nature of puppies, but I haven't downloaded them yet, so can't post them. I promise, next blog, to add some photos! ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5293-you-want-do-what-me.html As the tail wags http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5288-tail-wags.html Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:21:53 GMT Olivia has now been a momma dog for about a week, and the pups are growing by leaps and bounds. The smallest, the white male is 232 grams as of this morning, and the largest, a brown female, is 448 grams!! I have been pulling the little white dude to try to give him extra nursing time, so he can... Olivia has now been a momma dog for about a week, and the pups are growing by leaps and bounds. The smallest, the white male is 232 grams as of this morning, and the largest, a brown female, is 448 grams!! I have been pulling the little white dude to try to give him extra nursing time, so he can catch up. Poor little guy keeps getting bumped off by the other six pups. I tried giving him some puppy milk replacer today, but he didn't much like it, so I gave it to Olivia, figuring it would get into him eventually! ;)

Olivia is going to be a wonderful housedog! Poor thing holds her bladder and bowels ALL day, even though I have given her pee pads to use, and waits for me to get home before she runs outside to relieve herself!

I noticed a very long and ragged scar on Liv's back leg. Makes me wonder what kind of a puppyhood she had. She is also VERY timid of me when I pick anything up. I picked up a flyswatter the other day, and she turned tail and ran back into the bedroom. She wouldn't come back to me until I put it down, and, even then, she low-crawled submissively the whole way. I am starting to re-think my belief that her youth was not discoloured by violence at human hands.

This week, I continued to work Liv around male humans, because she has a real distrust of them. I also introduced her to the goats and donkeys, who she doesn't quite trust either! The goats think she is the weirdest thing they've ever seen - smells like a dog but looks more like a black squirrel!! The keep wanting to run up to sniff her, but I am afraid she will be trampled underhoof, so I make them keep their distance.

Reuben, my white rooster, has decided he hates Olivia, and he charges her every time he sees her, which means I have to step in and let him know that Livvy is part of MY flock and he needs to step off. He doesn't actually attack her, because she'll back off when he postures, but if I am there, he will just hang out in the perimeter of my vision and glower at us both. I wonder what he'll do, in a few weeks, when I open that door and EIGHT dogs come running out!!

Olivia also met the bunnies, and she initially barked at them, but now she just watches them with interest. She is a very sweet and gentle little girl, and the only thing I've seen her try to kill was an errant fly who was bothering her one night. (And she failed miserably in her attempt to chase down her prey.)

In weighing the pups, I was able to finally distinguish one from the next, so I now have a weight log that I can record daily, by pup, to measure progress. I am just a little worried about little white dude, because he is QUITE a bit smaller than the next smallest pup, so I am going to have to be aggressive this week in making sure he gets his fair share of meals!

In the evening, Liv finds a quiet and soft spot near me while I knit or play on the computer. If I change rooms, she'll follow me and wait to see if I'm going to stay there, then find another spot to hang out in. Very undemanding and very sweet little dog.

At bedtime, I have set up a couch cushion, so she can jump on that, then from there to my bed. Usually, after I turn off the lights, she'll go nurse her babies, then hop up on the bed, tunnel under the sheets, and fall asleep pressed up against me. She is definitely a little heart-stealer. :) ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5288-tail-wags.html Puppies!!! http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5280-puppies.html Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:59:28 GMT It was a long and rough day for Olivia on Saturday. She started to go into active labour at approximately 2p, and at 2:55p, the first baby finally arrived!! Over the next seven hours, Olivia delivered the other six babies, all beautiful and healthy: four boys and three girls! Poor Olivia was... It was a long and rough day for Olivia on Saturday. She started to go into active labour at approximately 2p, and at 2:55p, the first baby finally arrived!!


Over the next seven hours, Olivia delivered the other six babies, all beautiful and healthy: four boys and three girls! Poor Olivia was so exhausted, at the end, she couldn't even stand up. The whole time, I just kept petting her and telling her she was halfway there, then almost done, almost done, until the final baby made its appearance at 10:17 pm.


It was bittersweet, watching Olivia becoming a mother. She cleaned her babies and laid down for them to nurse, and when she looked up at me, she had very old eyes. Until that first puppy arrived, I thought of Olivia as a puppy who happened to be pregnant. But as she lay there, exhausted, with seven new lives depending on her, she looked wise and matronly, and I mourned a bit for the puppy she was never allowed to be.


Today, Olivia would not leave her pups to eat, so I brought small portions of canned food and chicken to her, and held her bowl of water to her, so she could stay hydrated. But she is such a nice little dog, she does leave her pups when she has to go potty. She comes out of the bedroom and finds me, and we walk outside so she can potty out of the house. She has pee pads in the house, and she started by using those, but after I took her out a few times, she got the idea, and now she holds it until I let her out. She hops down about a dozen steps to get to the ground, does her business, then hops back up the same dozen steps to get back to her pups. I am hoping that the exercise is helping to strengthen her leg muscles, and building up some tone in her body. She was in very poor physical condition when she came to me, and being pregnant hasn't done her body any favours. I watched her hopping down the steps this morning, and her spine was a sharp ridge running down the center of her back.


She is very sweet around me when I "mess" with her pups. She noses at them and watches me intently if I pick one up. When I put the pup back down, she checks it carefully, but will still lick my hand afterward, as if to tell me she forgives me for my insolence. Each and every time, she forgives me.


As of today, we have all survived approximately one day in this world. We have another week or so before at least *I* feel a little more confident that everyone is okay and will probably make it to weaning! Right now, I keep fearing that one will just be dead for no reason, or that Olivia will suffocate one of them, because she doesn't seem terribly concerned about where they are when she flops down in her bed!


But for now, everyone is safe, and the puppies are all sleeping and twitching, tummies full and bodies warm, and as close to truly blissful as any animal can be.
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]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5280-puppies.html A busy week and a big adventure! http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5275-busy-week-big-adventure.html Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:14:31 GMT Olivia has been out of the shelter for a week now, living in my home most of it, although she had to go stay with a friend last night and part of today, because I had to go out of town.

"Liv" is adjusting very well to home life. She has learned to navigate my stairs, even with a HUGE belly, and she prefers to go outside to go potty. She ignores my chickens and, as we learned at the vet's office, is fine with cats. When I am at home, she finds a soft place to lay down where she can watch me, but then falls asleep unless I make too much noise. She is just starting to trust me enough to occasionally let me out of her sight, but not very often.

Olivia had to go to my friend's house last night for a sleep over, because had to go out of town on a project, and I knew I wouldn't be home until late afternoon today. I hated to do it to her, but I didn't want her alone for that long of a time, just in case she went into labour.

So Liv and I hopped in my car at about 7:30p and made the hour-long drive to my friend's house. Liv started in a crate, but was getting car sick, so against better judgement, I let her out and let her sit on the passenger seat. Of course, she ended up in my lap, where she promptly fell asleep until we reached our destination. I felt like a heel, walking away and seeing my friend stop Livvy from following me, but it was for her own good.

This afternoon, I picked her up, and I saw her through the window before I went into the house. She saw me too, and pure joy ran through her little pregnant body. :) She was sure I had abandoned her, and she could not control her excitement when she saw that I had not! This is going to be a tough foster, when the time comes to let her go! After just a few days, she is bonded to me!

I learned from my friend that Olivia did well, but that she does not like men, at least not big men with big beards. :( But little Olivia worked her magic on the women, and I can add at least one more notch on the list of hearts that she has won over. And my friend's mother-in-law has asked to be notified when the puppies are born, because she wants to adopt one of them! So even Olivia's unborn children have that same magic charm of drawing people in!!

So, in her short stay with me, she has learned that chickens are beneath notice, but that parrots are interesting, because they have human voices; cats are ignorable; other dogs are interesting but a little overwhelming in large numbers, so best to stay up in a human's arms and watch them from afar; women are good; big men with beards won't eat you; donkeys are scary; and for a nap, nothing beats a comfortable and wellworn blanket after a long car ride home.

Still no sign of active labour. I have started a Chip-In account for her, hoping to offset SOME of the out-of-pocket expense of her upcoming vet bills, and so far, I have had $40 donated toward her and her puppies!!

Crossing my fingers (and I am sure Olivia is crossing her paws) that she has the babies this weekend, so we can both relax a little! ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5275-busy-week-big-adventure.html Olivia - Making a House a Home http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5272-olivia-making-house-home.html Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:12:24 GMT Olivia's fur is dry and dirty, with mats of dried mud in places, and she has all the appearance of a dog who does not know what it means to live in a house. She is trusting, so I hope she was treated with kindness in her young life, and she has no physical or emotional signs of mistreatment or abuse, so I hope her life has not seen the horrors that can befall a dog who is left outside and unprotected. I hope that she still thinks of humankind as exactly that: kind.

It took Olivia a full day to leave the den I created for her under my desk, and another full day to venture outside the confines of the bedroom. She walked gingerly on the hardwood floor, not sure what to make of it. At first, any unfamiliar noise sent her scurrying back to the bedroom, to the small security she had found. But, being a trusting dog, and being a dog who has not known cruelty, she quickly adapted, and began to explore the house.

In her three days, she learned of televisions and music, about which she is ambivalent. She probably heard similar noises while being kept at the outskirts of a family life. She learned that garbage is off-limits but that pieces of chicken are offered freely in its place. She learned about parrots and finds them fascinating! (They, in turn, find her just as fascinating!) She learned that when you move from carpet to wood flooring, you have to watch your step, and that when look cute enough, you get scratches behind your ears. She learned that not every loud noise means she is in danger, and she learned to sleep deeply, rather than startle at every sound.

As I write her journal, Olivia sleeps at my feet, her paws twitching in some dream only she understands. In her belly, the young lives within her wait to start their own journeys, to learn their own lessons. As I write her journal, I know that I'll never write the final chapter, because Olivia will move on to another home, hopefully a home that will keep her safe for the rest of her life, but I content myself that I can write THIS chapter of her life, and that it will be a happy chapter, and that I can write the prologue and the first chapters of her babies' lives, as well.
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]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5272-olivia-making-house-home.html The next day http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5271-next-day.html Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:12:06 GMT After a relatively good night's sleep, Olivia started her day with a hearty breakfast of warmed canned dogfood. She stayed in her new den all day, although she greeted me with a thumping tail every time I came into the room.

I had some concerns, during the night, that Olivia had kennel cough or some other respiratory issue. Her eyes were all gummed up, and I would hear what sounded like very wet, laboured breathing, but only once in a while. She seemed okay this morning, however, and I think the sound I was hearing was her vomiting. I have read that it isn't unusual for dogs near whelping to vomit, so I am trying to not freak out about it.

Olivia is obviously uncomfortable, but she slept quite a bit today, which she needs, and when she awoke, she would take treats of raw chicken from me. She drank quite a lot of her water, and she is having normal bowel/urine breaks.

I bought Olivia a new collar today, a pretty pastel blue one, and I picked up puppy supplies (food and "medical" supplies for the birth) for the litter. I am about as ready as I can be for the big day!

At about 6pm, Olivia became very restless and moved out of her den to sit near me. She spent several hours at my feet while I played on the computer, occasionally thumping her tail to remind me that she was there, and she would whine a bit and try to get comfortable. I feel that she is looking to me to "fix" her discomfort, but all I can do is cup her head in my hand and tell her it is all up to her now.

Looking at her face, I can tell she is a very young dog. I would be surprised if she is over a year old. The face that looks back at me is that of a puppy, and I can't help but be angry that a dog who should still be growing herself is having to raise a litter of her own.

I put my hand on her belly, to feel for contractions, and I felt the puppies kicking. It was both a very exciting moment, and a very scary one, for me. Such little lives, and they are all my responsibility now!

By 8pm, Olivia was back in her den, and now, about an hour later, she seems settled in for the night. She snacked on another small bowl of canned dog food, and had a few bites of her kibble. I am hoping she is comfortable enough to get some sleep. When the puppies start to come, she'll need to be well-rested and ready. Honestly, I was expecting her to go into labour tonight, based on how restless she was!

I am happy that Olivia seems to be calming down and settling in, and that she had at least a day to become comfortable with her surroundings before going into labour. I am hoping she has a couple of days to really relax and get to know me, and the daily routine, so that she can feel secure when the puppies arrive.
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]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5271-next-day.html Olivia - The first day http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5270-olivia-first-day.html Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:04:19 GMT I'll admit it. I was a little disappointed. I was told that I would be fostering a pregnant dachshund, and at the last minute was told it was actually a chihuahua. Love dachshunds, tolerate chihuahuas. But the commitment was made, so I set off to Sutter County to pick up my new ward, knowing that this would be the beginning of a relationship that will last at LEAST two months, depending on how pregnant this girl was!

I arrived at the Animal Control office at close to 2pm, and after some paperwork, three young men dressed in jail jumpsuits met me at the intake gate, with Olivia on a leash. All my disappointment left me when those warm brown eyes met mine, and I immediately just wanted to make everything better for her. At this point, she was still a no-name chi-mix dog, with only an intake number to document her existence, but I noticed all three young men stood nervously around while I put her in a crate and told me what a nice dog she was. So, she is definitely a charmer, and she had stolen at least three hearts already!

Olivia and I got home at close to 4:30pm, and it took her about 90 minutes to decide it was okay to come out of her crate. She graciously accepted the bed I had provided for her, and she settled down for the night. She didn't touch her kibble, but she ate about 1/3 cup of wet food. When approached, she would allow me to touch her, but she would hold a very submissive posture.

What could be worse for an extremely pregnant dog than the stress of being kept in a public kennel, then thrown into a crate and driven to a strange home with a strange person, and being expected to care for your babies, not knowing what tomorrow will bring? All I could do for her was give her comfort and food, and hope she would relax and feel secure enough to have her puppies and accept them.
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]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5270-olivia-first-day.html Road Map/To Do List for the Day - May 4, 2011 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5140-road-map-do-list-day-may-4-2011.html Thu, 05 May 2011 00:40:20 GMT
  1. Do my morning exercises
  2. Vitamins
  3. Feed dogs breakfast
  4. Feed Miss Kitty breakfast
  5. Clean Miss Kitty's litterbox
  6. Feed parrots breakfast and change water
  7. Feed bunnies and check water
  8. Check/change food and water for parakeets and finches
  9. Take out kitchen compost
  10. Feed fish
  11. Medicated cookies to Buddy and Dusty
  12. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Fluconazole)
  13. Check hummer feeders and refill as necessary
  14. Take out trash
  15. 64 oz water
  16. Refill vaporizer
  17. Exercise
  18. Wash dishes
  19. Sweep
  20. Vacuum
  21. Dust
  22. Knit, bead, or sew
  23. Read
  24. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Sodium Iodide)
  25. Feed chickens and change water
  26. Check wild bird feeders and refill as necessary
  27. Dinner to goats/donkeys
  28. Dinner to parrots
  29. Dinner to cat
  30. Outside stretch for the dogs/foraging toys
  31. Feed dinner to dogs
  32. Give Chewy his meds
  33. Put all clean dishes away
  34. Collect eggs
  35. Floss my teeth
  36. Set up coffee pot for tomorrow
  37. Write in my journal
  38. Meditate or yoga
]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5140-road-map-do-list-day-may-4-2011.html Road Map/To Do List for the Day - May 3, 2011 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5139-road-map-do-list-day-may-3-2011.html Tue, 03 May 2011 19:01:38 GMT Did okay for a Monday yesterday. Time to step it up. :)
  1. Do my morning exercises
  2. Vitamins
  3. Feed dogs breakfast
  4. Feed Miss Kitty breakfast
  5. Clean Miss Kitty's litterbox
  6. Feed parrots breakfast and change water
  7. Feed bunnies and check water
  8. Check/change food and water for parakeets and finches
  9. Take out kitchen compost
  10. Feed fish
  11. Medicated cookies to Buddy and Dusty
  12. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Fluconazole)
  13. Check hummer feeders and refill as necessary
  14. Take out trash
  15. 64 oz water
  16. Refill vaporizer
  17. Exercise
  18. Wash dishes
  19. Sweep
  20. Vacuum
  21. Dust
  22. Knit, bead, or sew
  23. Read
  24. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Sodium Iodide)
  25. Feed chickens and change water
  26. Check wild bird feeders and refill as necessary
  27. Dinner to goats/donkeys
  28. Dinner to parrots
  29. Dinner to cat
  30. Outside stretch for the dogs/foraging toys
  31. Feed dinner to dogs
  32. Give Chewy his meds
  33. Put all clean dishes away
  34. Collect eggs
  35. Floss my teeth
  36. Set up coffee pot for tomorrow
  37. Write in my journal
  38. Meditate or yoga
]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5139-road-map-do-list-day-may-3-2011.html Road Map/To Do List for the Day - May 2, 2011 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5138-road-map-do-list-day-may-2-2011.html Mon, 02 May 2011 17:10:55 GMT Woo hoo!! I am back and my computer is fixed!! I took a little vacation from electronics this weekend, so lots of catching up to do!
  1. Do my morning exercises
  2. Vitamins
  3. Feed dogs breakfast
  4. Feed Miss Kitty breakfast
  5. Clean Miss Kitty's litterbox
  6. Feed parrots breakfast and change water
  7. Feed bunnies and check water
  8. Check/change food and water for parakeets and finches
  9. Take out kitchen compost
  10. Feed fish
  11. Medicated cookies to Buddy and Dusty
  12. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Fluconazole)
  13. Check hummer feeders and refill as necessary
  14. Take out trash
  15. 64 oz water
  16. Refill vaporizer
  17. Exercise
  18. Wash dishes
  19. Sweep
  20. Vacuum
  21. Dust
  22. Knit, bead, or sew
  23. Read
  24. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Sodium Iodide)
  25. Feed chickens and change water
  26. Check wild bird feeders and refill as necessary
  27. Dinner to goats/donkeys
  28. Dinner to parrots
  29. Dinner to cat
  30. Outside stretch for the dogs/foraging toys
  31. Feed dinner to dogs
  32. Give Chewy his meds
  33. Put all clean dishes away
  34. Collect eggs
  35. Floss my teeth
  36. Set up coffee pot for tomorrow
  37. Write in my journal
  38. Meditate or yoga
]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5138-road-map-do-list-day-may-2-2011.html Road Map/To Do List for the Day - April 28, 2011 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5128-road-map-do-list-day-april-28-2011.html Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:57:49 GMT My computer fried yesterday, so it is in the shop and I am working on a loaner. It is a Mac, so I am having to get my learning curve up!

1. Do my morning exercises
2. Vitamins
3. Feed dogs breakfast
4. Feed Miss Kitty breakfast
5. Clean Miss Kitty's litterbox
6. Feed parrots breakfast and change water
7. Feed bunnies and check water
8. Check/change food and water for parakeets and finches
9. Take out kitchen compost
10. Feed fish
11. Medicated cookies to Buddy and Dusty
12. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Fluconazole)
13. Check hummer feeders and refill as necessary
14. Take out trash
15. 64 oz water
16. Refill vaporizer
17. Wash at least one load of laundry
18. Find burner covers for stove
19. Exercise
20. Wash dishes
21. Sweep
22. Vacuum
23. Dust
24. Knit, bead, or sew
25. Read
26. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Sodium Iodide)
27. Feed chickens and change water
28. Check wild bird feeders and refill as necessary
29. Dinner to goats/donkeys
30. Dinner to parrots
31. Dinner to cat
32. Outside stretch for the dogs/foraging toys
33. Feed dinner to dogs
34. Give Chewy his meds
35. Put all clean dishes away
36. Collect eggs
37. Floss my teeth
38. Set up coffee pot for tomorrow
39. Write in my journal
40. Meditate or yoga ]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5128-road-map-do-list-day-april-28-2011.html Road Map/To Do List for the Day - April 27, 2011 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5126-road-map-do-list-day-april-27-2011.html Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:01:36 GMT Great day yesterday, despite being stuck in meetings the whole time I was at work!! Not sure if I can keep up the momentum today, but doing my best! :)
  1. Do my morning exercises
  2. Vitamins
  3. Feed dogs breakfast
  4. Feed Miss Kitty breakfast
  5. Clean Miss Kitty's litterbox
  6. Feed parrots breakfast and change water
  7. Feed bunnies and check water
  8. Check/change food and water for parakeets and finches
  9. Take out kitchen compost
  10. Feed fish
  11. Medicated cookies to Buddy and Dusty
  12. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Fluconazole)
  13. Check hummer feeders and refill as necessary
  14. Take out trash
  15. 64 oz water
  16. Refill vaporizer
  17. Transplant cucumber
  18. Finish one square of baby blanket
  19. Wash at least one load of laundry
  20. Find burner covers for stove
  21. Exercise
  22. Wash dishes
  23. Sweep
  24. Vacuum
  25. Dust
  26. Knit, bead, or sew
  27. Read
  28. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Sodium Iodide)
  29. Feed chickens and change water
  30. Check wild bird feeders and refill as necessary
  31. Dinner to goats/donkeys
  32. Dinner to parrots
  33. Dinner to cat
  34. Outside stretch for the dogs/foraging toys
  35. Feed dinner to dogs
  36. Give Chewy his meds
  37. Put all clean dishes away
  38. Collect eggs
  39. Floss my teeth
  40. Set up coffee pot for tomorrow
  41. Write in my journal
  42. Meditate or yoga
]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5126-road-map-do-list-day-april-27-2011.html Road Map/To Do List for the Day - April 26, 2011 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5124-road-map-do-list-day-april-26-2011.html Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:19:09 GMT I did a decent job yesterday, respectable but by no means stellar. Today might be tough as well - stuck in meetings all day....
  1. Do my morning exercises
  2. Vitamins
  3. Feed dogs breakfast
  4. Feed Miss Kitty breakfast
  5. Clean Miss Kitty's litterbox
  6. Feed parrots breakfast and change water
  7. Feed bunnies and check water
  8. Check/change food and water for parakeets and finches
  9. Take out kitchen compost
  10. Feed fish
  11. Medicated cookies to Buddy and Dusty
  12. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Fluconazole)
  13. Check hummer feeders and refill as necessary
  14. Take bag of thrift to gate for Freecycler
  15. Clean parrots' cages
  16. Move/consolidate cashmere supply
  17. Pre-grind rest of week's meds for Girl
  18. Pre-mix rest of week's meds for Buddy/Dusty
  19. Transplant remaining strawberries
  20. Post office coffee pot on Freecycle
  21. Damp mop dining room floor
  22. Take out trash
  23. 64 oz water
  24. Refill vaporizer
  25. Exercise
  26. Wash dishes
  27. Sweep
  28. Vacuum
  29. Dust
  30. Knit, bead, or sew
  31. Read
  32. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Sodium Iodide)
  33. Feed chickens and change water
  34. Check wild bird feeders and refill as necessary
  35. Dinner to goats/donkeys
  36. Dinner to parrots
  37. Dinner to cat
  38. Outside stretch for the dogs/foraging toys
  39. Feed dinner to dogs
  40. Give Chewy his meds
  41. Put all clean dishes away
  42. Collect eggs
  43. Floss my teeth
  44. Set up coffee pot for tomorrow
  45. Write in my journal
  46. Meditate or yoga
]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5124-road-map-do-list-day-april-26-2011.html Road Map/To Do List for the Day - April 25, 2011 http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5123-road-map-do-list-day-april-25-2011.html Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:48:37 GMT I did a great job yesterday and got everything done. I don't expect to do as well today, because it is a Monday, so I have to concentrate on work again, but at least I am starting again after a really productive weekend!
  1. Do my morning exercises
  2. Vitamins
  3. Feed dogs breakfast
  4. Feed Miss Kitty breakfast
  5. Clean Miss Kitty's litterbox
  6. Feed parrots breakfast and change water
  7. Feed bunnies and check water
  8. Check/change food and water for parakeets and finches
  9. Take out kitchen compost
  10. Feed fish
  11. Medicated cookies to Buddy and Dusty
  12. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Fluconazole)
  13. Check hummer feeders and refill as necessary
  14. Move coffee pot from car to office
  15. Move office coffee pot to car
  16. Post office coffee pot on Freecycle
  17. Take binders into office
  18. Clean Miss Kitty's crate
  19. Take eggs into office
  20. Call vet re: appt for Chewy
  21. Damp mop dining room floor
  22. Take out trash
  23. 64 oz water
  24. Refill vaporizer
  25. Exercise
  26. Wash dishes
  27. Sweep
  28. Vacuum
  29. Dust
  30. Knit, bead, or sew
  31. Read
  32. Medication to Girl (Tucoprim/Sodium Iodide)
  33. Feed chickens and change water
  34. Check wild bird feeders and refill as necessary
  35. Dinner to goats/donkeys
  36. Dinner to parrots
  37. Dinner to cat
  38. Outside stretch for the dogs/foraging toys
  39. Feed dinner to dogs
  40. Give Chewy his meds
  41. Put all clean dishes away
  42. Collect eggs
  43. Floss my teeth
  44. Set up coffee pot for tomorrow
  45. Write in my journal
  46. Meditate or yoga
]]> madhen http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/blogs/madhen/5123-road-map-do-list-day-april-25-2011.html