TONIGHT on TDIPT Mercantile...

Grace is my 2012 Maple Leaf Doll.
♥





Click on the button below to go directly to my selling page.

Hope to see you there.




:> )

Darla Update:

First, let me say "Thank You" to everyone who posted and sent emails of thoughts and prayers for her. You have no idea how much it means to me. ♥

It's been 48 hours and Darla has been seizure free. Thank the Lord!

Yesterday, we were devastated because she wasn't recognizing my hubs. She kept running away from him. He felt absolutely horrible but tried not to show it. I felt so bad. :> (
She was a little unsure of Gracie too. Kept sniffing her butt.

But today, she's been teasing her sister with a toy while barking an inch away from her face (her favorite thing to do) and when hubs came home from work she went running to the door to greet him. All good signs. :> )

I'm slowly introducing the new food, which she is thoroughly enjoying. Although I am cutting back on her portion size to make sure it doesn't send her into another seizure. I'll add a little more tomorrow. Also, this home cooked food is very rich so I don't want "fireworks" coming out of her rear.

So for now, she is stable. Me not so much, but I'm working on it. ;> )

Thanks again for your comforting comments and please keep praying for my furbaby.



Darla sends her love.
♥

Trying to comfort my best friend...

Since early Sunday morning my sweet Darla has been having bad seizures. Very bad. Back in January I had thought she was having "seizures," but the fact was she was experiencing and imbalance due to an inner ear infection. These new seizures are like grand mals.

These past few days have been horrendous. I have witnessed my best friend gurgle, salivate, thrash and contort herself and she has no idea what's happening. The helplessness I feel is unbearable. I can't make it all go away. Mamas (even to furbabies) are supposed to do that. I can only try and cushion the blows and softly talk to her to bring her back to me. When she does come back, is she still the same precious Darla? Or am I slowly losing pieces of her? I don't know the answer to that. She does know something very frightening just happened. I can see it in her eyes.
Unfortunately many of you know my experience and my heart breaks for you. I wouldn't wish dealing with this on anyone.

Back in March her liver enzymes were slightly elevated. But she showed no symptoms of liver failure or liver problems. Even for an old timer, she has a healthy appetite, is energetic and plays and poops like nobody's business.

Then those nasty seizures started. We took her to the vet yesterday to recheck her blood work and have a sonogram to check for tumors. Thankfully, he saw no tumors on her liver and her blood work was normal except for the elevated liver enzymes again. Although the levels were the same as March's.

The vet gave us seizure medication (Zonisamide) and Denamarin a liver supplement. We thought long and hard about seizure medication. We both struggled about giving it to her. After reading online all the horrible stories about Boston Terriers on seizure medication, we are opting not to give it to her. For every 1 Boston it helped, 10 Bostons seizures got worse. No thank you. We'll pass. I don't mind giving her the supplement. I am a holistic kind of gal. But when she runs out of this, I'll buy the supplements separately myself. (They charged us $137.00 for that supplement.)

I also noticed when she had a really bad seizure it was about an hour and a half after she ate. Just that alone makes us believe it's her liver and is unable to remove the toxins fast enough thus sending her into a seizure. I searched online for homemade dog food recipes for liver disease and found this one. Thankfully, I had a few of the ingredients in the frig, so I thought I would give it a try. I cooked it up and gave her a little before bedtime. Thank the Lord above she was seizure free last night. This morning, I gave her a little more and again thank the Lord, so far so good. My sweet hubs is going to stop at the grocery store and pick up the rest of what I need.

So we will try to help heal her liver through diet, (smaller portions too), supplements and love. She and I will continue to sleep on the couch with lots of pillows on the floor just in case. Will she be cured? No, but she will be comfortable. We can't rule out a brain tumor either. But we're not ready to say good bye yet and truthfully, I can tell she's not ready either. The time will come when we'll need to make that horrible decision. When that time does come, the guilt will always be there but there will be peace knowing we've done all that we could to help her.

Hopefully I will be able to get some much needed sleep and some food in my stomach. But I am a wreck. Which is why I'm rambling.
Haven't had much of an appetite. Maybe I should try Darla's new concoction? I could also use some soothing tea bags for these cried out eyes of mine. I'm afraid to look in the mirror.

To those who pray, please do for Darla. To those who send positive thoughts, please do for Darla. She really, really needs them all.



♥

I witnessed something yesterday, nothing short of a "miracle!"

As I was outside feeding the birds, I heard a faint sound far away in the distance. I shrugged it off thinking I was hearing things!

But the "sound" kept getting closer and closer. Louder and louder.
Could it be???!!! Heck no!! It can't be!!! We live way out in the sticks on a country road, it's not possible!!

Then it got so loud I could have sworn it was coming from the trail behind our home! I ran out into the road to make sure my ears weren't deceiving me.
THEY WEREN'T!!!!



It was a Mr. Softee ice cream truck!! Out here in the country!! I haven't heard that music in over 12 years!!
I was giddy with excitement!! But unfortunately a half hour prior, I had a giant bowl of ice cream. So I just waved "hello" to the gal driver as she drove by.

After seeing that, I smiled all day knowing little (and big) country kids could experience the fun of an ice cream truck.

I remember when we moved here. I joked how our precious Hannah would sit and look out the window with 75 cents on the window sill waiting for Mr. Softee to drive by to get a Nutty Buddy. But he never drove by.



If she was still here with us, I would have treated her to one.
♥

So maybe my use of the word "miracle" was a little strong.
Nah!!
((giggle))


Happy Sunday!

"Enjoy the little things...

for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
~Robert Brault



Go for a long walk, color on your porch, sing out loud to the Muzak as you grocery shop, Moonwalk on your driveway (c'mon I know you can), wave "hello" to the car next to you at a stoplight and watch their reaction, eat a big bowl of chocolate ice cream with crushed potato chips on top. Okay, that's my weird childhood thing. I'm sure you have your own weird food concoction.

Just remember to enjoy life, be grateful and take nothing for granted.

♥

Have a great weekend.
:> )

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, right?

I've never read the book, but the title says it all.
Example. I told my sweet hubs I ordered new living room curtains. With the new windows, I figured it was time to replace the ones we've had for 10 years. He thought it was a good idea also.
Many of you know, I'm not a froufrou curtain kind of gal. I have sheers and tab curtains on many of our windows, including the living room. I like the simple and casual look of them. Heck, I'd have no curtains at all if it wasn't for my hubs.

So I searched and searched and finally found just the right tab curtains I was looking for online at JC Penney.



I picked them up at the store the other day and spent the whole afternoon ironing and hanging them just right.



When hubs came home he walked in the living and said to me, "So you didn't like the new curtains??"
HuH??!! After spending hours ironing and hanging them, that was the only word I could utter at the moment. But after I mustered up enough energy I bellowed, "THOSE are the new curtains!!!"

"Oh. They don't look any different to me."
At that point I had to physically sit on my hands otherwise I'd find them wrapped around his neck.

I then explained, "THOSE old curtains are "Sienna Red", THESE new curtains are "Rustic Red!" There's a difference! Jeepers! Get with the program, pal!"

So not only are Men from Mars, some might be a little colorblind and won't admit it.

Happy Wednesday!

:> )

My mama is the "Queen of Cool and Unusual Stuff."

Whether she's shopping at a yard sale or at the mall, she has a knack for finding really neat items.

She called the other day and said, "I picked up something for you at a yard sale. I think you'll like it. It's a goose nut cracker."

A goose nut cracker? All I could picture was a 1980's white goose statue with the raincoat, hat and galoshes. Remember those? You could dress them up in all kinds of outfits and leave them outside on your lawn for the whole world to see.
Since waterfowl in leg warmers and a headband isn't for me, I was a little hesitant. But my sweet hubs stopped by her house yesterday to pick it up.

Oh my! I was thrilled to see it was a Canada goose! (my favorite goose) I love this!



So a big KUDOS to my mama yet again for finding the cool and unusual!

I think he will look quite handsome with some mixed nuts in the box base. Unfortunately, my family and I cannot all fit in there so a bag of mixed nuts will have to do.

:> )

YAY!!

Not only do I have more room in my house now, I made a few pennies too. Just shy of the Powerball jackpot. ((giggle))

What a great weekend we had at our barn sale! Met so many nice folks from all over the place. One group of gals piled out of their vehicles as each tried to outrun the other to our tables yelling, "I saw it first!" Man, they were funny!

There was a guy who stopped by asking if I had any old dolls for sale. He then proceeded to brag tell us about the "tens of thousands of dollars" he's made buying and selling dolls. "Wow! That's awesome!" I responded.
I asked him if he sold any Izzy (Izannah Walker) dolls. He looked at me like a deer in headlights. He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. Many of you out there know an Izzy doll is the mother lode of old dolls. I'd give an arm and a leg for one.
Hmmm... Maybe he was pulling our leg just a tad.
After he left my hubs says to me, "H*ll, even I know what an Izannah Walker doll is and I don't know diddly about dolls. I just remember you always yakking about wanting one."
I bet the guy made his tens of thousands on Little Kiddles.

Overall, we ended up with only a small box of stuff left over and a few pieces of furniture, so I can't complain.

Now... What to do with all my "millions" I made?!
Hey, if he can say tens of thousands, I can say millions.

;> )

Oh!! Just a reminder, my eBay listings end tonight!







Happy Sunday!

Since I'm not the owner of the winning 337 million dollar Powerball ticket...

I'm going to be scarce for the next two, three days.











Wish me luck!

:> )

"I saw a werewolf...

drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's and his hair was perfect. "


Wanna see more? Click on the "My eBay" button below.



I've also got Little Red on there too.



Like I said, just click on that "My eBay" button.

:> )

"The difference between try...

and triumph is a little umph."
~Unknown
(Maybe it was this ant)



"The person who is waiting for something to turn up might start with their shirt sleeves."
~Garth Henrichs

"The view is better when it is earned."
~Unknown



"All the so-called "secrets of success" will not work unless you do."
~Unknown

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."
~Sam Ewing



"Nobody ever drowned in his own sweat."
~Ann Landers



"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
~Thomas Edison



"Men are made stronger on realization that the helping hand they need is at the end of their own arm."
~Sidney J. Phillips

"God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest."
~J.G. Holland



"If you feel you are down on your luck, check the level of your effort."
~Robert Brault

I was in need of a swift kick in the *ss little motivation today.

Happy Tuesday!

♥

Hey, Loudmouth!!!

That's right! I'm talking to YOU!!



Remember this?

As I was digging around for stuff for our barn sale, I pulled out my old GE Power Sound Loudmouth 8 Track Tape Player. I wasn't surprised when I popped in a tape and the dang thing worked! That was back when they made things to last. Not like our throw away (made in China) society now.

Man, I sound like an old timer, don't I?
"Yeah and I had to walk to school.. For 20 miles.. In the snow.. Barefoot..."
**giggle**

It seems just like yesterday I was a kid flipping through the Sunday Family Weekly and there it was!! The Columbia House Club!! All those records and tapes for only a penny!! I'm pretty sure I heard angels sing.



But mama always said I couldn't join because I'd get stuck having to buy a lot of tapes for the regular price afterwards. She had to be wrong. They wouldn't do such a thing.

So I secretly marked the ones I wanted and filled out my name/address, scotch taped a shiny, copper Abe Lincoln to the form and joined.

Guess what? Mama was right. Needless to say, I did a lot of chores that summer.
But I was able to do them while boogying to KC and the Sunshine Band.

Oh, that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh.

Happy Monday!

:> )

Freshly picked and straight off the Primitive Pumpkin Vine...

Click on the "Seasons" button.




:> )

I don't need to be a man, do I?

I recently learned about Man Candles by Yankee Candle Company.



Is this a new concept?? Sorry, I don't get out much.

They have scents like:
"2x4" ~ The warm, unmistakable scent of freshly planed wood and sawdust evokes a sense of confidence and quality.
"Riding Mower" ~ Hot sun. Cool breeze. And the intensely summery scent of freshly cut grass.

Sawdust and mowed grass??? Oh my!!! Those are a few of my favorite smells, how awesome is that?! ♥

I am definitely going to check them out.

Hey! Maybe they'll come up with a WD-40 candle!

Oooh better yet, I could just dab a little behind my ears.

:> )

Have a great weekend!!

Drumroll please...

#1
Dixie Clay

Against hearth.


#2
Boston Mill

Against hearth.


#3
Castle Gate

Against hearth.


Hold the phone! Before I tell you the one we decided on, (which by the way we BOTH amazingly agreed on), tell me which one you like best and which on you think we picked.

The brick is going in my kitchen.

Well??
**impatiently tapping foot with arms folded**
I'm waiting...

:> )

GUESS WHAT ARRIVED TODAY?!

My thin brick samples! YaY!!

I tore into this box like a monkey on a cupcake.




Sorry! You're going to have to wait to see them.
**snicker**

But I'll keep you posted.

:> )

Attn: Local yokels and not so local yokels...

Get your scoots on!



Come bring your family and enjoy a run or leisurely stroll through the beautiful, rural Central New York countryside.


Click on the photo for more details.

Hope to see you there.

:> )

This little piggy went to market,

Nope. She shops online.



This little piggy stayed home,
Wrong. She attends a weekly Zumba class.

This little piggy had roast beef,
I don't think so. She prefers chicken.

This little piggy had none.
Don't let her fool you. She had some.

And this little piggy went "Wee wee wee" all the way home...
Make that all the way to YOUR home.



She's available on my Countryfolk Keepsakes selling site.

Happy Tuesday.

:> )

A braided oval rug...

gives a room that wonderful, homey feel. ♥
(You know the routine. Just click on the photos for the direct links.)

Perfection.






I do love the rectangular style.


AND the round style too.


But oval is the traditional style. ♥


Poor Darla. She doesn't have a lil' braided, oval rug to call her own.


So she's going to ask Santa to bring her this!


She must surf the net when we're asleep. **sigh**

:> )