Bathroom Remodel: Potty Training?

We haven't made much progress on the bathroom this week because we got a new puppy! (Technically we are foster parents but we are hoping to make it "official" next week). The little one was rescued with her litter mates from New Mexico via a Fort Collins, CO rescue society. We picked her up Friday night and in between my crazy festival schedule downtown (Jubilee Days) and puppy potty training, Jason has only managed to remove all of the old tile, dry wall and insure the new plumbing is working.

Here is Jason removing the old blue tile.

Here is the little one:

The rescue named all the pups in the littler after birds. She end up with "Chicken" but we are leaning towards Bonney (after William H. Bonney, aka Billy the Kid) or Hatch after Hatch, New Mexico.

Our older dog, Shelby is unsure of the entire situation. Between all the banging in the bathroom and the new dog, she mostly keeps to herself. I was lucky this afternoon and got photos of them together.

We aren't sure what mix of breeds she is or how big she will get (the rescue facility said she was the smallest in her littler). I'm hoping she gets big enough to keep up with Shelby but not so big that she doesn't fit in the Game and Fish truck!

That's all for now. Back to work on the bathroom (we have 10 days to get it done before my folks are in town!)

Time in Heaven and Hell

I don’t like March. Not only does it come in like a lion and out like a dragon in Wyoming (we had gust of winds up to 60 mph yesterday) but something strange and dramatic always happens in March. From massive migraines, to vehicle accidents, to sick dogs, can we skip March next year?

About two weeks ago our hound dog, Tillie started to act funny. She wasn’t eating and was having accidents in the house. We took her to our local vet (who is amazing by the way) and the first theory is that she had a tumor in her tummy. After two sets of X-rays, the tumor was ruled out but there was still something amiss so we opted for exploratory surgery. Turns out Tillie’s intestine was backed up. After the vet “unplugged” things, Tillie had a difficult recovery. She was in so much pain that she started having seizures. Jason and I took care of her round the clock for about a week. She’d show signs of improvement, eating again, good blood work, cancer was ruled out, then, as if she had a stroke or picked up a virus, she adopted some strange mental behavior. She would walk in circles for hours, only turning to the right. After the vet suggested a change in medicine and a lower does of pain pills, she seemed to get better again than bam, 36 straight hours of pacing, pacing, pacing… She stopped eating and drinking and would cry and wine if we tried to get her to lay down or sit still. She wouldn’t sleep. She was burning calories at such a fast rate that her ribs started to show through. After many sleepless nights and inefficient schedules, we made the very difficult decision to say our final goodbyes. In the end she didn’t seem to recognize us anymore and would have starved to death had we let her continue to pace.

Tillie was cremated and we have a special spot in mind to spread her ashes.

The Christmas photo we didn't use

Loyal hound, always watching out for Jason

Her noise always got her in trouble!

She didn't like it if we would fuss over her. She was very independent and to "mature" for silly things like toys. But if we weren't looking...

Some playful moments

So after a week in hell, it was a nice surprise to experience some moments in heaven. We said goodbye to Tillie on Monday and by Tuesday it was like God had his hand on the nitro button for positive energy (at least for me, Jason’s schedule was still quite hectic). From Tuesday on it has been blessing, blessing, blessing! Complements from coworkers, a job well done, free lunch, an interview on Channel 5, a good night’s sleep, successful work products, time to walk and reflect with Shelby (even if it was windy, it is finally warming up here with temperatures into the low 50s) and, although short, quality moments with each other.

So yes, life is difficult but I refuse to let it knock me down. Life is also a balance, of the good, bad, ugly and beautiful. I might be a closet pessimist but once and awhile, I can shut that door and stand through the storm knowing there is a rainbow on the other side.

Thanks to all our family and friends for calling and leaving messages of condolences. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers and are so lucky to have you in our lives.

Busy, busy... Oscar!

It is Oscar week – my favorite time of year and yet I find myself completely overwhelmed with my “to do” list instead of enjoying the glamour and excitement surrounding my favorite indulgence.

This week I have to say goodbye to my good friend, Carlen and her two daughters, our goddaughters. It seems as if we just met in church and now they are headed home to Washington. While we are happy to see them reunited with their extended family, it is also hard to watch them go.

We are already hoping for a summer reunion in Yellowstone!

Work is nuts with a ton of administrative tasks due in late Feb., early March. I’ve got grants to apply for, City money to beg for, conferences and training to register for and accreditation paperwork to complete.

I was hoping Jan./Feb. would be slow after the hectic, but fun activities surrounding the holidays but no luck… With the snow on the ground, downtown shopping has slowed but my schedule is just as busy.

March 15^th will mark my one year anniversary with Main Street. Maybe then I’ll feel like I know what I’m doing! J

Outside of work, I’m answering emails about museum conferences and putting together the annual banquet for the local historical society.

In between work and volunteer duties, I’m still trying to “learn” my new computer and camera. I’m wishing I had the luxury to just “play” and not feel guilty about not working!

Here are a few photos from last weekend that I shot in RAW and JPG (a first for me working with RAW files). We had a nice outing; above freezing with little wind so Jason and I snuck out to one of his hunter management areas and let the dogs run.

Do Bad Things Really Come in Threes?

This year has been an up and down of good, bad, good, bad, etc. Weeks were we just feel hammered by life. Instead of living life in full steam ahead mode, I keep wondering what’s around the next corner?

You already know this week has been hard with the passing of our cat, Rocky. Yesterday we got a call from the boarding facility that has our horse Cooter. They informed us he got himself stuck in his pen and beat himself up pretty bad. Jason took him to the vet who kept him overnight for observation. His face was swollen and he was breathing funny. This afternoon Jason was able to pick him up and take him back to the “ranch” but we’ll have to watch him carefully the next few days.

Then this evening I got a call from my mother letting me know my Grandpa Beyer is in the hospital in Cobb County, Georgia. He is dehydrated and has little to no appetite. He hasn’t been feeling well for the past month. The good news is his heart is healthy and he started to perk up after the first IV. They will be keeping him overnight and will be running tests in the morning. We are hoping for good news by the end of tomorrow.

Please keep Grandpa and the entire Beyer-Sherwood family in your prayers. For as many blessings we receive daily from God, this last stretch from March on (since the truck accident)has been really hard on our family. Please lift us up so that we can be strong for our loved ones.

Hunting season is upon us and Jason and I won’t see each other much the next few months. It is comforting to know that you are thinking of us.

God Bless,
Trey and Jason

RIP Rocky

Rocky, our rescue kitty from New York passed away this morning. He was a big 12 lb. cat who LOVED to eat. Earlier this week, when he didn’t let me know his food bowl was empty, I knew something was wrong. (He typically cries VERY loudly when he is hungry!) I made him a vet appointment last night and this morning, when I got ready to put him in his carrier, he cried when I picked him up. He was very uncomfortable. Turns out he had a large mass in one of his kidneys.The vet was great, she was gentle and kind and did everything she could to help him. In a short 30 min. we went from planning surgery to remove the infected kidney to discovering that both kidneys were failing. Even though he was in a lot of pain, Rocky sat very still for X-Rays and blood work. Afterwards, he was visibly grumpy. He is typically a very sweet, mellow cat that lets our friends’ children pet and play with him. He was also a VERY good snuggler. This was a very sudden event but Jason and I are grateful that we got to say our goodbyes in person and that our vet is a warm, caring individual. Rocky did not have to suffer long and he was loved and appreciated by many. Even the dogs will miss him! Rocky came to Wyoming in the fall of 2004 and spent time with me at the Territorial Prison. While there the entire staff spoiled him with extra food and attention. Within a few months he was at his “fighting weight”! Rocky was rescued in the summer of 2004 by our dear friends Alana and Alex, who at the time, were living in New York City. They found him starving on a roof top in Rockefeller Plaza. Thus the name “Rocky”. Alana flew out with Rocky in October of 2004 and it was love at first sight. Rocky was “my first kitty” – the first cat that I was responsible for caring for and who I could call mine. He rode with me the 4.5 hour roundtrip every weekend to Casper when Jason and I were dating. He taunted Jason’s dog, Tillie until we moved into our house in Laramie where they called truce and have put up with each other ever since. He endured being licked and chased by Shelby and was never tempted to eat our fish. He enjoyed spending time with Jason’s parents in Elk Mountain and grandparents in Wheatland. Rocky was well traveled and well loved.

And yes, it is Friday the 13th, a sign that Rocky had a sense of humor. He will be missed.

New Pets

Blue, someday will be known as "Old Blue" Cheeta and Orange Fish (Unofficial)

Not pictured, "Little P"