Give and Take

Tomorrow, will be two weeks since Stella's surgery. Not positive but I think when we revisit the surgeon, also tomorrow, he'll remove the staples and the Elizabethan collar we've come to love so much. Stella, in her teenaged grace, has bashed that thing on every stationary object in the building, including every door frame, every stick of furniture, the cat and my calves. It's difficult to say who'll be happier to see that thing go. To my knowledge, she's only actually jumped off the floor once although there have been a lot of sassy threats over the last week or so. It's hard not to laugh at a dog that's growling at you through fish lips and making facial expressions. One raised eyebrow from me and she'd be leaping through the house like a deer. Ordinarily that's not the case but as I said, we're low in the exercise department. Two days ago, I extended her post op walk to include a grassy plot of land two doors down, owned by the electric company. That same day, she managed to round up a tennis ball, showing up at my desk to rock it back and forth on my knee, again with the growl added for effect. She's been a good sport, I have to say. Her immobility has forced us to visit some of the more finite details of canine English language skills. Give it - Take it - Drop it - Open. She's clear on all of those now.

Get your ass in that dog house and LAY DOWN... not so much. Too many words maybe.

(Note: Thanks for all the kind notes and phone calls from readers and friends. I appreciate it very much. So far, everything has gone along as we hoped it would.)

This (little bit scary) shot was taken the day I brought Stella home. I am including it mostly for those who are headed in the direction of such surgery with their own dogs. After a couple of days, the inflammation subsided and it became much less disturbing.