Truly's 10th Birthday

Last Saturday, my Truly boy turned 10.  We spent the day doing things he likes to do.  I haven't posted about his birthday until now because Walker started to get sick later that night.

Truly said he understands why he hasn't had much face time on the blog and he gladly deferred to Walker's illness.    That's how Truly is - unassuming, patient and kind.

My best boy, Truly, on his 10th birthday.

Now that Walker is well on his way back to good health, here's what we did on Truly's special day.

First, we took him out BY HIMSELF!  That's a special treat because he got all the attention.  We went to Tail Spin - a pet store that opened last summer.  It's near our house so we could walk.

Truly being admired by people inside the adjacent store.

Checking things out.

More stuff to smell.

I'm not sure Truly really appreciated his Tail Spin bath - especially on his birthday.
I've always wanted to try the self-washing stations because getting Truly into and out of the bathtub is harrowing.
I'm scared he'll slip and hurt himself.
This was the first time that we've been there that a wash station was vacant so we took advantage.
 I don't know that I'll do it again.  Maybe this is petty but the advertised warm water lasted until
I got the shampoo on him.  Then it was ice cold.
Like the trooper he is, Truly got through it without complaining, though the look on his face is quite telling.

After drying off, we picked out his birthday treats and left for a nice, long walk.
This is the cool shoulder bag the Tail Spin staff gave him in honor of his special day.

Past the court house.

Crossing the street.

When we first adopted Truly, I took him for a walk on this street.  We passed by these purple lions in front of the florist. They terrified him.  Now he says, "Pffft -"

fjdfjdfkdf

Truly not being scared by the lions.

Truly on stage at the music store.

Truly says, "Come ON, Mom!"

Sawyer says, "Come ON, Mom!"

Truly loves to pass by the Rookery.  People sitting on the patio always pet him.

My favorite steak place, the Downtown Grill.

More good restaurants in The Alley.

Me with my smiling boy in the park.

Truly loves his Tilapia strips.  I love that they have glucosamine and chondroitin.

Now for a birthday nap.

Happy Birthday, Truly!  We love you!

"42"

Our community has been successful in getting production companies to film TV shows and movies here.  Clint Eastwood was in town late last year to film parts of "Trouble with the Curve."

The production companies seem to like the historic ball field - which is nice since we can't seem to sustain a baseball team.

Luther Williams Field

Clint was in town for several days.  I'm not sure about Amy Adams or Justin Timberlake.

Last night the movie "42" premiered in Macon.  Some of it was shot here.  The story is about Jackie Robinson's integration of baseball in 1947.  The movie company used the ball field, a city block and a couple of homes.

Chadwick Boseman was here.

Harrison Ford was here.

So was Christopher Meloni - Sawyer's "Law & Order: SVU" favorite.

Overnight Third Street became a late 1940's Brooklyn, NY set.

See the green screen behind the lady?

The production crew had to post someone to watch the display.
The vegetables were real and obviously too good for some spectators to pass up.

News Stand

Small's Department Store is really the Greek Corner Deli.  Best gyros in town.
The existing businesses  stayed open most of the time closing only during the actual filming.

This is a pizza place..

Sandwich shop.

lighting crew

They used this house in the movie.  It's been for sale for a while.  The hardwood floors on the first floor were warped.  The production company paid to use the house and to to have the entire floor replaced.  What a deal!

So what does this post have to do with Those Brindle Kids?  Check this out:

Look closer:

You didn't think I could do it, did you?  :)

It's a Beautiful Day in Those Brindle Kids' Neighborhood

NOTE:  In order to read this post, you must agree to ignore the presence of the landscaping fiber in the yard!

Yes, it was a beautiful day today.  Walker continues to improve - though trying to give seven medications to a spooky greyhound three times a day is . . . . challenging - for us and him.

The medication issue doesn't stop Walker from enjoying his favorite activity - sunbathing.

He uses the landscaping fiber as a comfy dog bed.

Maggie likes sunbathing, too.  She has to wear the muzzle because she still can't/won't stop eating leaves.

Maggie is trying to convince Walker to eat some leaves.

Maggie says, "Eat some of these, Walker!  The boxwoods are especially tasty this time of year."

Walker says, "No, Maggie.  That would be wrong."

Good boy, Walker!  Maggie is defeated.

Walker's Home!

I got a wonderful phone call from the vet tech taking care of Walker this morning.  He said the doctor cleared Walker to go home today!

Considering the nature of our trip, I thought it was very appropriate to take a picture of this:

My father takes a lot of medicines for various ailments.  Once when he was in the hospital, I had to go to my parents' house and gather all of his medications for the doctor's review.  I brought the doctor a Kroger bag brimming with pill bottles.

The quantity of Walker's medications is second only to my Dad's.

These are his anti-biotic and anti-nausea drugs.  Fortunately, these are short term medications. We hope.  :)

Aside from being very skinny and an abrasion on his nose (I don't know how that happened), our Walker is back!

I realize his body has been through the wringer and he needs a lot of R & R in order to achieve a clean bill of health.  However, he hasn't had his daily dose of 60 mg. of Prozac (for idiopathic fear/spookiness) in nine days.  His behavior is exactly like it was before he got sick, if not improved.  We'll talk to the vet in about a week about the necessity of continuing it.  Maybe he doesn't need it anymore?

Walker laying next to Truly.

Nose abrasion.

Walker under Maggie's watchful eye.

He loves his downstairs pillow.

A trip outside.

There's our alert boy.  We hadn't seen this wide-eyed face in a while.

We still don't know what caused Walker's illness.  The vet doesn't think he consumed poison or anything toxic.  There was no obstruction.  Whatever it is/was didn't harm Truly or Maggie.  It's troublesome to think that we may never know the cause - mainly because we can't prevent whatever it was from happening again.

When Walker got sick, we took him to the vet we have used for years. His condition worsened.  With the help and support of our SEGA friends, we are fortunate to be able to get Walker in the hands of vet who cared about him and who had the experience to help him.

That's one of the many benefits of the greyhound community - people who reach out to offer suggestions, insight and support.  Tonight we are celebrating Walker's homecoming and our friends who helped make his homecoming possible.