Things are looking up!

I am the proud new owner of a Canon Powershot SC 130, as of today. Only took two tries from the store, as the first one was faulty, but after another quick trip into Saskatoon (only a 20 minute drive from house to store!), I replaced it and was able to get some quick photos taken to try it out. The settings are very similar to my old camera, so that lack of quality in the photos you are seeing below has NOTHING to do with the camera, but rather it has everything to do with the subjects. Seemingly in the 5 days without a camera in the house, they have forgotten what it means to pose, HA!

Anyway, it was also a trip to the vet day for Spike and Sophie both. Spike is continuing to have some problems with his neck and shoulder, so he will be going back in 3-4 weeks for another appointment just to make sure he's on track. I am trying to get him back healthy enough to maybe run a trial or two in April and May, so I have time to continue rebuilding his muscles to be ready for competition, but I have to just be patient and make sure I am actually remembering he still needs lots of just straight line running too! As well, Spike and I are going to do another Theresa Rector agility seminar in April, if all goes well, so I need him in shape for that.

Spike, looking dazed. It was SUPER hard to get him to look at me!

Murphy, in a rare moment she decided to sit still.

Sophie, just a split second before she moved, lucky me!

Sophie is one lucky dog at this moment! I am so grateful that Rebecca suggested I take Spike to Dr. Orchard as I randomly asked if she could help Sophie. Because of that one simple question I assumed the answer would be "no" to,  Sophie is completely well as of this moment. She has been approved to go back to Agility classes and can now start with low jumps. She has been free of lameness for over 6 weeks now, and has been without any medications for that length of time. I see no signs of pain, no evidence that she will return to her former incredibly sad state. What I'm left with is a mischievous, rambunctious, happy Lab!  At the start of the appointment today, before she had any adjustments, Sophie was leaping, straight up and down, all four paws off the floor, repetitively to give Dr. Orchard kisses, as she laughed and told me "there's no going back now...we can't tone her down, you know!"  Sophie is able to get along with other dogs, she is HAPPY and she's getting into TONS of trouble so I know things are on the upswing. 

I am still shocked at the difference between Sophie this winter and last winter. Last winter, I hoped I could manage to keep her around for another year or two before deciding I couldn't manage her pain. Now, I suspect she'll outlive me, LOL.

Sophie is getting into more trouble than ever before, however.  Consider the following:

Yes, that's Murphy with an empty Blizzard cup (thanks Rebecca for the blizzards today!! Lovely Saturday treat to go with the Tim Horton's coffee you brought me too!)

Murphy zoomed down the hallway to my bed where she tried to avoid the evidence. Nice try little brat! I KNOW you have the cup!

She's given up trying to pretend it's not her chewing on it.

Anyway, what does that above scene have to do with Sophie? Only Sophie can and will stretch herself out as far as possible, then use her paws to bat at things at the very back edge of the kitchen counter to get it down. She'll even do things like this in front of me, expecting I won't notice or care. Oh, I notice all right!   Sophie has gotten SOOO bad that I nearly tossed her out of the car before we even got to the vet today. I stopped to run a few errands on the way, one of which was a trip to the grocery store. It's my fault completely for buying that bag of Sweet and Salty popcorn, of course and that my trunk is broken on the car (it's an old car, and I am seriously getting sick of fixing things! I need to trade it in for a shiny mini van where I can LOCK HER IN A CRATE!) so the groceries were in the front seat. Now, I'm not stupid, they were locked in a rubbermaid tub that I imagined was Sophie proof. HA! She managed to nose her way in, and in the 10 minutes I ran into flyball for a quick visit, she ate the WHOLE BAG! Sigh. Needless, I had to apologize to poor Dr. Orchard because Sophie is some smelly now! Sigh, what have I done?!? 

Anyway, yup, life is good. Sophie might be a very bad dog, but I wouldn't trade her for the world. And, Spike is getting better so that's awesome. And, I am happy to have a new camera again! Life is good!