Today - October 4, 2008

All 4 gliders are in a sleeping pouch which is hanging around my neck. There was no crabbing. No fighting - no hissing. They were a little excited and kept crawling all over the pouch - but so far so good!!! After they settled down, I gave them each a yoggie drop. Timid little Benji immediately stole Weasel's, which I thought would start a rucus - but didnt. They all had a drink of some juice and are now all sleeping soundly....

Tonight, I am putting Benji in the cage with the girls for the first time. I guess I wont be getting much sleep - as Im still not 100% things will go well when he is in their "territory".

Wow - I NEVER imagined it would be this easy!!! It took me almost 3 months to get Weasel integrated into Tilly and Tosca's cage. There was fighting and hissing and you name it!!!

Fingers crossed that all goes well tonight!!! I really dont like having two cages!!!

On September 30th, I started introductions....

I used the bathtub as a neutral area to start introductions.

Ive been introducing gliders tonight. Tilly and Benji are doing great together. Tilly immediately ran over to Benji and put her hands on his face, started grooming him and rubbing her head all over his chest. I put them in his cage together for about an hour tonight so they could play. They kind of stayed on opposite sides of the cage and didnt seem to know what they should do - but no crabbing or even an inkling that they wanted to fight. While they were in the pouch, she groomed him and rubbed her head all over him. Benji just laid there like a little glider statue - didnt know what to do. He hasnt been with another glider since he was taken away from his parents - and he is 2 1/2.

I put Tilly away and got Tosca out. Tosca didnt crab at him, but she immediately nipped him and ran away, which scared poor Benji to death. He is such a sweet, timid little glider - I cant imagine he would ever try to fight. Tosca and Benji ended up in the same pouch together. Tosca stayed on one side and slowly groomed herself and didnt really pay any attention to Benji.

The it was Miss Weasel's turn. I was sooooo worried!!! But miracles do happen and Weasel LOVED him. She went right over and grabbed his head, started to groom him and then rubbed her heard all over his chest and under his neck. I couldnt believe it!!! I was prepared for Weasel to give poor little Benji a good whompin! [cheer][cheer][cheer]

The girls are all back in their cage and Benji is alone again. Poor Little thing. Supervised play is all he gets for another week.

I havent talked about this before because its very painful for me.

My cousin, Joe, who besides being family, is also a great friend. About a 1 1/2 years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer - which started in his neck. He went thru all the usual treatments, meds, etc. But he was to far along and cancer had pretty much spread all over him. Joe has been very positive about his illness from the beginning - bound and determine to make it. Joe has bone caner, which is one of the most painful cancers you can get. And he has suffered. About 3 months ago, he was told it was in his brain. He called me that night and after he told me, he started crying so hard he hung up the phone. That was when he knew he wasnt going to make it.

Joe went steadily down hill and hospice was called about 6 weeks ago. Last week, he was given two to six weeks to live. Joe is a very good person but never a church goer. He decided he wanted to be baptized. Even tho he could barely stand up at that time, he wouldnt let the preacher come to their house to do the baptism - he wanted to go to the church. With help from family members, they got Joe to the church and he was able to get into the baptismal pool. He is on oxygen, so the preacher couldnt submerse him - only pour holy water over his head.

Joe is now totally bedridden - he is on morphine every two hours around the clock - he doesnt know anyone and can no longer even take a sip of water. Needless to say - he isnt going to be with us much longer.

Joe lives in Indiana. We have always remained close thru phone calls, letters and then e-mail. We have written to each other, sent jokes, vented, laughed with each other for many years. The last e-mail I got from him was July 7, 2008. The last time I was able to talk to him was 2 weeks ago - and he was gasping for breath with every word.

My cousin, my lifelong friend, Joe, hasnt passed yet - but he is gone. After talking to his sister, I think it has finally hit me today that I will never be able to talk to him again. Or read another of his e-mails. And I miss him already.


08-12-08 Joe passed away at 6:15 this morning.

Joe and I e-mailed almost every day for several years. The last e-mail I got from him was July 7, 2008.

His last e-mail had a link to this song and poem. I wonder if he was trying to tell me he knew his end was very near....

http://www.allright.com/Poems/TOLRailway/TOL.htm

This morning, I had to get out my little hospital cage and separate Tosca from Tilly and Weasel. NOT because she is sick or injured, but because she was being totally obnoxious with Weasel.

There was a lot of commotion in the cage last night, but not "fighting" so I didnt get up to see what was going on. This morning, the noise STILL happening so I sat and observed them.

Tosca has decided she is going to "mate" with Weasel. Weasel doesnt return those feelings. Tosca would not leave her alone. If Weasel stopped for a split second, Tosca was on her - biting her neck and humping. Weasel was beside herself. Tosca chased her around the cage and just would not leave her alone. Tosca was being VERY aggressive about it. Weasel was doing a lot of loud hissing and fussing.

Since I had to work today, and could not be there to supervise them, I felt it best to separate them so no one got hurt. I could just see it escalating into a huge fight and my coming home to one of them injured.After recently viewing some pictures of mating wounds - I didnt want to take any chances.

Poor little Tilly, who is mindlessly happy, was just running on her wheel having a grand time, oblivious to all going on around her.

If this is what happens when suggies mate, how do you all stand it???

Today is the anniversary of my little Barbie's death. I cant believe its been 3 months already.

And Boomer, my 17 1/2 year old who passed away on June 17th has been gone 7 months now.

Breezy has been gone for almost 4 years. She passed away from pancreatic cancer....

Its a very rare day that goes by that I dont think of them and cry.

Rest in Peace my little fur babies. Know that you were loved every second of your life and beyond. I know you will wait for me and we will all be together again....

Today is a very sad day,and Im feeling devastated as I lost another one of my beloved dogs, Barbie. Barbie was 11 1/2 years old and has been battling diabetes and cushings for almost 2 years. She has been very brave thru it all, enduring 2 shots of insulin and other medications on a daily basis.

I also have Barbie's mother, Brandy and on the day Barbie and her sister, Bonnie were born - May 3, 1996 - I was there with her as she took her first breath of life. Brandy had to have an emergency c-section on a Sunday afternoon and it was just me and the vet. I was right there in the operating room while the c-section was performed. He handed Barbie to me and I rubbed her down until I heard that first little puppy sound - and shook her down to clear her nose - and held her to keep her warm while her sister was getting the same treatment with the vet.

She is an American Kennel Club, National and International Champion, of which Im very proud of. Ch. RRR's Baguette Diamont. Barbie and I traveled all over the US to dog shows and grooming competitions. She had a beautiful coat and a gorgeous little face and a very charming personality - so it wasnt difficult to win both the dog shows and the grooming competitions with her. People were drawn to her everywhere we went.

I am also just as proud that she was such a little trooper during her last couple of years. She would actually let me know when it was time for her insulin shots. She eventually lost her eye sight and was totally blind - but she adjusted. I never knew how terribly smart she was until then. She knew what "step-up", "turn left or right", "stop" and numerous other commands meant so she could pretty much walk along with us with out any problems. And she learned to use the other dogs as her eyes and they understood and helped her . She was truly incredible

At the end, it was again Barbie, the vet and me. Im so thankful I was able to hold her as she took her last breath.

Barbie is survived by her mother - Brandy, sister - Bonnie, son - Buddy, and her niece and nephew - Bailey & Babette.

And of course, Alan & I - who love her and will miss her dearly.



Rest In Peace, My Little Barbie Doll

Rita
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Occupation:Telecommunications
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I am the grandmother of Drew, who is 10years old and Harry & Rosie (twins) who are 2 months old. They are the loves of my life! Favorite Quote
"Some people are like Slinkies...USELESS, but they still make you smile when you push them down a flight of stairs!" My Bio
Have 3 Bichon Frise, a sulpher-crested cockatoo and 4 Sugar Gliders