Update on Teddy and a big big thank you

Hi, this is going to be a short post. First thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I am so unbelievably touched by the kindness of your countless emails and comments. I was FLOORED and just blown away.... I think that broke a record, almost 250 comments and over 150 emails...wow!!! They were truly a bright light during a very dark two days. For those of you  who do not know what happened, click here to view the post from Wednesday to be filled in.  The latest is that we visited Teddy last night, they were able to put in an additional three drains, it was honestly really hard to see, the open wounds, the shaved body, the drains, my heart broke for poor Teddy, but he was so happy to see us and we were soooo happy to see him. Despite the pain he was in, his gentle and sweet disposition was still in check. Because there is still such a buildup of fluid, they still do not know if they can operate today, they will assess that today around 12. The two bites that were the worst tore into the muscle which is why it necessitates surgery. He is on an IV and is on heavy duty  painkillers so thankfully is comfortable and not feeling any pain. That to me is most important, just keeping the little guy comfortable. I get so mad seeing his innocent face, then thinking of how he was attacked not even seeing it coming. He is one of those dogs that just assumes everyone in the world is like him, a sweetheart and  full of kindness.
Now onto the dogs who attacked him and the owner, which so many of you have asked about. The three dogs belong to a single owner who lives about 1/4 mile away. They live on 6 acres. Belongs to a lawyer and his wife and young kids. He called me yesterday, is distraught over what happened (naturally) and you won't believe it but within an hour of what they did to Teddy, they went to another neighbors dog and killed the poor dog...this is just incredible! It is heart wrenching. Yes, the police are involved and have been from the get go. I called them immediately. They have been fabulous. My husband is friendly with our village mayor and bottom line is we are all concerned about these dogs and the threat that they are to all dogs and people around them. 
The dog owner immediately stepped up to pay the bills and whatever else is required but it goes so beyond the bills, it is safety and the fear that we all live in knowing those dogs are there. So this is still going on, but rest assured we are very much on it, and it is so tragic that it was at the sacrifice of landing Teddy in the hospital and killing another dog but something will be done. Its been a really traumatizing experience but I know Teddy is going to be OK in the end, a bit banged up and will have to stay in the hospital maybe a few days longer than originally thought, but thankfully he has such a wonderful positive attitude that i know before long he will resume his role being my walking companion, official taste tester, my kids ball chaser, and our beloved sixth family member. 
Seriously I don't remember being this touched in a very very long time as I have by your countless comments and emails.....just amazing!!!!!!! Thank you so so so much. I was saddened to hear that there were so many stories like Teddy's but inspired to hear so many happy endings too. Thank you for being there to offer support and words of friendship and compassion, it helped to brighten a very somber mood. I feel like I have been walking in a dark gray fog the last few days.  If Teddy looked better I would post a picture so for now lets just keep this image of Teddy in our hearts.....of him healthy and happy as I know he will soon be again! Promise to keep you posted! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Also I want to say that I normally try to respond to all my emails. I frankly got so many yesterday that I am a little overwhelmed. I am so touched that you took the time to write me and I did read each and every one but am juggling a lot right now ( while still getting a lot of orders out the door) plus have family coming in tomorrow for Easter so I promise I will get to them but it might be after the holiday. Thank you so much for writing.


UPDATE AS OF FRIDAY MORNING- Once again many many thanks for the barrage of kindness and well wishes, I believe that will see Teddy through this horrible ordeal. He is the best of spirits that he could be in all things considered. There is no doubt that its taken the greatest toll on me, it is so tragic just seeing him in the state he is in. Leaving him every afternoon is heart wrenching and I go through the whole cycle all over again of extreme sadness, and  incredible anger, but once I get out my good afternoon cry on the 20 minute drive home from the animal hospital I channel all that energy into staying positive however and realizing naturally that it could have been much worse, and he could have met the same fate as the other poor dog. It is a tragic situation all the way around. 


They have decided to keep the drains in for another 2 days, have gone into one of the bites and closed it up successfully and will assess the big one on the shoulder possibly on Monday.  They are keeping him comfortable, on an IV and on heavy duty painkillers/antibiotics so he is not in pain. Unfortunately he will not be home for Easter but we will make up for it when he does come home hopefully shortly after and have a nice welcome home celebration for him and serenade him with a favorite meal and some new toys. We can't wait just to give him a big hug and welcome him back to where he belongs. Thanks for your prayers, support and friendship, means THE WORLD!!!!!!
As you might imagine, I am physically, emotionally and mentally worn out. My parents are coming in today so I am going to take the weekend off to decompress from this rough week. I so miss being a part of blogland as I normally am but its not in my heart at this very minute and I know you understand. I am sure within a few days once Teddy is on the mend, and things are looking up I will be too....and we will both be on that road to recovery together. I look forward to reporting back to you on Monday! Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend.


                        Wishing you all a wonderful Happy Easter and a Happy Passover.

                                

Say a prayer for Teddy......

Good morning. Yesterday was a really really rough day. Really tough. Teddy was attacked by a trio of dogs, (neighbors dogs all belonging to one owner from a distance) they are I believe some kind of hybrid wolf mix, not sure but they look eerily like a pack of wolves with very tall skinny legs and long snouts....they ferociously marched onto our property and took full advantage of my precious little Teddy, who was just sitting in the grass minding his business.  We didn't realize at first how bad it was. But at the vet, after they shaved the areas that were affected, we soon realized that he had been bitten multiple times, and had received several serious deep bites all the way to the muscle. By the time we got to the vet, his fever spiked all the way past 105 and excess fluid started to build all over his little body. He was having a hard time walking and was so lethargic, it was incredibly painful to see my little buddy like that. Just writing this is so unbelievably hard. To know Teddy is to love him, everyone at the animal hospital adores him, they could not believe that despite the tremendous pain he was in, that his little tail was still wagging while we were all petting him (while he was being examined)....that's how sweet he is!

 Bottom line he is having surgery in the morning, last night his condition was too fragile, his fever too high to put him under general anesthesia,  but hopefully this morning he will be good to go. He will remain in the hospital for at least 3-4 days,  as he will have several drains and though we desperately want him home,I know that's the best place for him. The house feels eerily quiet without him. Walking into the kitchen is just not he same without him there to greet me, cooking seems boring and mundane without his curious little face at my side wanting samplers as I go along, there is no "taste tester" like Teddy, my morning walks will come to a halt as I have no interest in them if he can't be with me. I cannot imagine his amazingly sweet disposition and adorable face not here for the next four days. I am trying to channel my extreme anger and turn it into something positive for Teddy's sake. 
 I know everything will be OK. You really don't realize just how important a dog is to you, until something happens, just how much a part of your family they are until something occurs that shakes you up to your core and you realize that your family is not your family without them. Well this has really shaken me up more than words can say. Somehow, it just doesn't seem appropriate today to post about the things I normally love to post about...not when my heart is aching and is somewhere else. So today I am taking the day off. I will keep you posted. I am praying and hoping for great news today . Promise to update you tomorrow. Thank you and wishing you all a wonderful day!

Teddy, I cannot wait to see you just lounging about as you do best next to the flower beds, just "doing your thing". I love you dear sweet boy and cannot wait until you come home!

UPDATE AS OF 3:40PM.....He is comfortable, on heavy duty painkillers, stable, wagging his tail (amazing that his sweet personality shines through even while going through such trauma), they were able to put in two additional drains today, so he has a total of 3 now, they did not operate today, because his body is getting rid of the excess fluid of which is there is a great deal. They will access tomorrow how things are looking and if its a good idea to operate tomorrow. His fever is thankfully down and they are doing to do stomach xrays. We are going see him at around 6pm. Fingers crossed that all continues to go well. I cannot thank you enough for this TREMENDOUS OVERWHELMING outpouring of support, I was blown away when I came onto to see nearly 200 comments and tons of emails overflowing my email box, thank you, thank you, thank you.....they truly touched my heart. Its been a rough 24 hours and you better believe I will give you en ear full of this owner and his pack of horrendous vicious dogs and whats going on over there as soon as all this goes away...........will continue to keep you updated. I am confident he is going to be just fine. Thank you again.......

 

By Invitation Only.....Springs rebirth

Hi there! So happy to be here for our monthly "By Invitation only" post where a very special group of bloggers get together to present our  interpretation on a mutually agreed upon theme for a particular month. This month its all about spring, a new season, new beginnings and a  reawakening.  What does spring mean to us? Well to me, its a time of rebirth, a time of renewal, a time to open the windows both literally and figuratively. The warm air is knocking on our door, the blooms are bursting and everything feels new again..........
When I think of spring my mind branches off in so many directions, I think of new beginnings, a beautiful season brimming with hope, bright skies, flowers in bloom everywhere you look, watching winters bare limbs come to life with lush green leaves, new life taking shape. Spring is such a beautiful season....it is impossible to contain it to just a few ways. So to try to capture my thoughts I decided to do an "ABC's" on what spring is to me, without further adieu here we go.....

                                      A is for  April showers

 B is for Bunnies, especially cute ones that fit into darling little tea cups for two!

              C is for cool,crisp flawless skies

D is for daffodils...gotta love their vivid yellow colors and perky blooms, they are like the poster child of spring!

E is for Easter eggs, what is spring without them!

                    F is for forsythia and their explosive     color             

G is for gardening because if you ever want to feel like a green thumb, this is the time!

H is for hydrangea, another one of my most favorite flowers, of all time....love love love them for their heavenly blooms as much as I do for their staying power

I is for investing in a few wonderful new pieces of springs finery in bright fun colors!

J is for Jasmine whose intoxciating scent reeks of spring!

K is for knowing when to take a break just because you deserve it!

L is for lillies, one of springs many beautiful flowers

M is for misty mornings, I cherish my morning walks with Teddy, my faithful walking companion and there is nothing as beautiful as a misty morning in the spring

N is for the nests resting in the trees ready to bring new life in a new season

O is for orchids because lets face it they are spectacular during any season!

P is for Parties....spring is a perfect time to throw a party. Even a small get together for friends or family

.

Q is for quiet, I love the quiet and  peace that spring brings, when things stand still a little longer

R is for rabbits....it is their season afterall!

S is for sunshine, does it shine any brighter than during spring?

T is for  Tulips....gotta love them and I do in all their many colors!

U is for Umbrellas because we all know rain and spring go together like singing in the rain and Gene Kelly!

V is for Vases....something I have plenty of on hand during the spring to take full advantage of all of natures bounty ready to be displayed!

W is for Wisteria, yet another gift from nature that is just jaw dropping gorgeous!

X is for Xpresso al fresco  (come on just let me spell it this way)

Y is for Yellow...a color I think of as springs poster color it is happy, uplifting and oh so cheery!

Z is for  Zoo, because seriously what better season to visit one than when everything is in bloom and the animals eagerly await a visit?

So that wraps up just some of what I love about spring. I am sure I could easily go on and on, its such a glorious and majestic season. One that inspires us to fling open the windows, let the rush of fresh air fill us with renewed vigor and hope, clean our homes and fill them with the scent of freshly cut flowers, and mark the new season as time to start anew. I know for me its a time to reflect on what I am grateful for, what I hope to achieve and what I hope to be. Cheers to a magnificent spring to each and every one of you!

Want to see more....here are more links to the others in this wonderful group of talented bloggers!

Enjoy!

MARSHA HARRIS http://www.splenderosa.blogspot.com/ 

TISH JETT an American in France http://afemmeduncertainage.blogspot.com/ 

YVONNE PRATT USAhttp://stonegable.blogspot.com/ 

CHARLOTTA WARD in Sweden http://spaceforinspiration.blogspot.com/ 

GREET LEFEVRE in Belgium http://belgianpearls.blogspot.com/ 

CATHERINE ROBINSON in London http://www.catherinerobinsoncashmere.com/ 

ANNIE BOUTERSE USA http://plumsiena.blogspot.com/

COTY FARQUHAR in Australia http://cotyfarquhar.blogspot.com/

FIFI FLOWERS artist with Parisian flair  http://fififlowers.com 

DEBORAH PETERSON between Houston & Scotland http://www.dumbwittellher.com/

DUSTJACKET ATTIC, Debra in Australia http://dustjacketattic.blogspot.com/

SHARI MILLER USA http://www.littlebluedeer.com/

TINA USA theenchantedhome@gmail.com http://theenchantedhome.blogspot.com/

MONA THOMPSON USA http://providenceltddesign.com/

JACQUELINE MUMFORD England http://home-biba.blogspot.com/

KARIN JANSKY France http://lapouyette-unddiedingedeslebens.blogspot.com

VICKI ARCHER an Australian in France http://frenchessence.blogspot.com/

CECILIA GONZALEZ Spain http://desdemventana.blogspot.com/

RENEE GRANIER & ANGELA FOSTER USA http://underspanishmoss.com/

LISA USA not participating this month http://amidprivilege.com

FRANCINE GARDNER a woman of the world in NYC http://interieurs.com blog

CHRISTINA FLUEGGE USA http://greigedesign.blogspot.com/

STACEY BEWKES USA http://quintessence.com

LEANN BROWN USAhttp://linenandlavender.blogspot.com/

LENE Norway http://theessenceofthegoodlife.blogspot.com/

SANDE CHASE Canada www.agiftwrappedlife.com

SHARON SANTONI France http://myfrenchcountryhome.blogspot.com/

KAREN MALAN UK Pas Grand-Chose Blog http://athousandmiles-k.blogspot

DEJA PSEU USA unefemme.net.

ISA CHANDLER http://isaslittleworld.blogspot.com/

VERONICA tasselsandtwigs.blogspot.com/

Which would you choose?

Hi there.....hope you had a great weekend! Thanks for all of your advice about migraines. I look forward to reading over a lot of it today, seems to be a lot of good advice in there! I can always count on my readers to come through and truly appreciate it. Can you believe we are already in April? 2012 is already flying by or is it just life in general as we get older? Think it must be the latter! Anyway today's post is fun.....just imagine this, you are throwing a luncheon for a bunch of your friends. The reason? Why spring of course! Just a lovely "spring-y" get together to celebrate the newness of this majestic season. Its up to you as to what your theme and feel will be, casual and laid back, formal and fancy, a beachy vibe perhaps or a more colorful setting tickling your fancy? There's something for everyone. Intimate for six or big and lavish....... If you were throwing a party for your nearest and dearest which setting most appeals to you? Have you or are you planning a party any time soon? Have fun and cannot wait to hear which you choose!

CHOICE 1 Sunflowers for sixteen

The Casual Gourmet

CHOICE 2 Colorful and whimsical

Pizzazzerie

CHOICE 3 Serene and elegant on the porch

Hire Society

CHOICE 4 Vibrant blue and white

Carolyn Roehm

CHOICE 5 Under a tree canopy 

Little bits of lovely

CHOICE 6 A more formal affair

Tara Geurand

CHOICE 7 A garden party wonder

Southern Accents

CHOICE 8 Country cottage charm

Cottage coastal

CHOICE 9 For the garden lover in all of us

Alchemy Fine Events

CHOICE 10 Soft and sweet

HGTV

CHOICE 11 Rustic feminine elegance

A little cuppa tea

CHOICE 12 Oceanside

Carolyn Roehm

CHOICE 13 Feminine and sweet

Desiree Spinner Events

CHOICE 14 Elegance on the terrace

Veranda

CHOICE 15 Grand and formal

Southern Living

CHOICE 16 Old fashioned elegance

Little Sooti

Well....don't know about you but I would be delighted to be a guest at any one of these soirees and this has me in the mood to plan a little spring fling! Hard to pick a favorite but those outdoor settings always draw me right in. However give me any table with beautiful flowers and I am sold. I am hard pressed to pick just one, have it narrowed down to my top three. How about you.....your turn! Which is your top pick if you were to set a table for a spring luncheon? Wishing you a wonderful spring day..........

Thank you  Mon of Splendid Willow and  Barbara from The Treasured Home for featuring The Enchanted Home Shop on their  blogs today!! So appreciate it. Please stop by and have a look if you have a minute.....