Mr. Mike is HOME! The bleeding would not stop so the vet had to put him out again and went in and cauterized the incision. So now Mike is home without packing in his ear and no bleeding.
He was pretty groggy and listless this afternoon but is coming out of it nicely this evening. He ate dinner a little while ago. All is well for now. We'll know more when the results of the biopsy come in.

The news on the house closing is that it will not occur until June 15th as originally planned. The buyer if our house's lender hasn't got the paperwork drawn up yet and hasn't got an appraisal scheduled yet. That works out best anyway! Here we have the 3 guest rooms, the family room and the craft room to house some of the "out of town" family anyway! Sis, Keith, Brett, Chisato, Caleb, Mike, and Judy will be staying here I think.

The unanswered questions of yesterday have been resolved - in good ways!

My trial run of cupcakes went well. I didn't return with any! I figured out a few things I'd like to do different. This weekend I'm going to try out the "main cake" (It's a relief not to have to be packing!) Thanks to friends I think everything is going to come together for a bueatiful ceremony! I'm trying to remember to let everyone know they should bring a jacket or sweater - just in case it gets windy/chilly at the lakeside so they can enjoy the evening. It could be hot, cold, or somewhere in between!

Hope everyone is enjoying life with all it's unknowns!

Yesterday and today have been about Mr. Mike! Yesterday evening I put dog ear wash liquid in his right ear, massaged the ear canal and went to sop up the extra with a kleenx as usual. What was not usual was that the kleenx was covered with blood! He moved away and when he shook his head blood flew every where! I grabbed some more tissues and held them to his ear and they came away soaked too. Jack had hamburgers on the grill but immediately turned that off and called the after-hours vet. They got us right in. The vet looked in Mike's ear and was able to determine there is a growth deep in his ear and it was "oozing" blood. Not being our regular vet he gave us some medicine that would numb the ear so Mike wouldn't keep shaking his head and something to stop the bleeding but wanted us to take Mike to our regular vet in the morning. The stuff all worked and Mike slept most of the night - better than Jack or I did!

Jack took him to our vet immediately this morning and Mike had surgury to remove the growth within an hour! It was deep in the ear canal and large. The vet has sent the tissue off to be biopsed. He's not saying anything more on the subject until the results come in. The current problem is they haven't been able to get the ear to stop bleeding. Jack and I went to pick Mike up at 3 pm and the vet wouldn't even let us see him. He has him heavily sedated so he won't shake his head and is hoping the bleeding will stop. He felt it would excite Mike to see us and wants him to stay still. If this doesn't work then the vet may have to go back in and cauterize the incision. The vet mentioned some other intricate sounding procedure that may have to be done on the ear but said we'd cross that bridge when we get to it. I really miss Mike and am praying this is all going to be resolved shortly! Mike has been my buddy for many years now...I don't want to think about not having him around!

In addition to the medical excitement yesterday, we got a call from our realtor asking if we'd like to close on the houses before the end of the month! That would mean moving before the ceremony! In a way that would be great. In another way it will be challenging to get moved and get everything ready for the celebration!

So last night I packed 6 boxes, tonight I made a "test run" of the cake receipe I plan to use for the wedding - to take to the meeting tomorrow night and get feedback. It's a little unusual and I want to be sure it is well received by a variety of people.

I'll just alternate my evening activities and hope to be prepared for whatever developes! Cheryl said she would get back to us tomorrow on the likelyhood of everything closing before the first of June!

So now I'm going off to say my prayers and then to bed. Tomorrow will be here soon enough with what news it brings of all this things!

Wow, it's May 13th already! Wedding Celebration in less than a month! Closing of the sale of this house and purchase of the new one in just over 30 days! All good stuff!

It's been an emotional Mothers Day for me already. Thoughts of Mom came with a lot of sadness. I know she wasn't happy the majority of her life. I feel very lucky that I have had a better go of it. We visited Jack's mother's grave and left silk flowers - something I've never done at my mothers crypt. Don't know if that is part of the sadness today or not. I don't believe that Mom's spirit is there but it is a show of respect and rememberence.

Working in the yard brought me out of it as working in the yard always does. Life is a cycle and all is wonderfully planned by a far greater intelligence than I. All is as it should be in the world.

Here are a couple of shots of the new house... the "before" pictures! I've been sketching and day dreaming about the gardens already and am chomping at the bit to get started! As you can see the front is done... but then there is the rest of the lot!

Caleb is planning on doing the concrete work for us on the North side yard, the back patio, and the shed/shop for Jack that will be located under the trees in the backyard. Then inground sprinklers go in - then sod in the NON garden areas. I keep telling Jack I'm not much for grass - I don't think he realizes what the means - yet. An oriental garden area, a cottage garden section, mini orchard, raised bed vegetable garden.... hmmm, sound familiar? This will be my last garden!

Yesterday we purchased 4 arborviata shrubs... for the south end of the patio ... but they will serve as part of the decorations for the celebration before that! As you can see we have a lot of landscaping to do! Anyone desiring to get us wedding presents would be safe with any lawn ornaments or outdoor entertaining items! We'll be spending a great deal of time in the backyard!

The lot is almost a third of an acre and has many established trees. The neatest being a HUGE old willow tree that will be perfect for grandchildren to explore... Jack may get drafted into treehouse design!

The East West orientation of the house is great for sunlight in the house and gives me a little bit of everything to work with in terms of gardens... deep shade, partial shade, full sun, woodland... I'll be busy for years!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Mother's Day!