How I Spent My 4th of July

This is as close as Ozzie gets to what some dog lovers call a “smile.” Usually he has a very serious face with an intense, dark stare, but that’s okay because so do I.

On July 4th we alternated staying in our air conditioned living room with sitting outside. Yes, the dog WANTED to sit in the sun, at least for a few minutes at a time (it was 99 Chicago degrees when this photo was taken).

 

This is also outside our apartment, but in the shade.

Here are some photos of Ozzie convalescing from some illness we never did identify. At least, we HOPE he’s getting over it now. He wasn’t keeping food down and has been producing a lot of doggie yogurt, but after a few visits to the vet, some medications and a few drops of Rescue Remedy, he’s doing better. Ozzie’s a great dog and I like him a lot, but I still don’t see how having a dog is worth all the diarrhea cleanup, vomit witnessing, trips to the vet, medical expenses (we’re over $1,000 at $2,000 total now in just nine months), cooking special foods and the walking required so he doesn’t spew or spurt in the apartment. Having a dog is gross! And a big expensive hassle! Why do people do this?

My husband Bob is the one who loves owning a dog and knows it’s all worth it, but he worked today, so I spent the day at home with the animal. I did a lot of reading (my favorite thing to do) and because I attended no celebrations, I didn’t have to stare down a big table of painful food and desserts. YAY! I chopped fresh cherries and roasted almonds, sprinkled finely ground flaxseed over all and savored it while imagining it was cherry pie. MMmmm…it worked for me! I like making my own wheat-free, sugar-free treats.

Comforting the dog when he was at his worst, Monday.

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