Animal Medical Issues.... Spanxy's Lymphoma & Adrenal Gland Tumor updates

Well... Well.. Well. where should I start....?

Recently after his bath

Spanxy is still hanging in there although his 2 cancers and whatever else is going on in his system is making everything hard to treat. Lets recap He is Lymphoma, adrenal Gland Tumor and an enlarged spleen. Enlarge Spleen which maybe caused by the Lymphoma... Anyways... So he has been on Carafate for probably the last year of his life to keep his gastric ulcers away because the lymphoma is in his intestines. He also goes on and off 2 types of Antibiotics as needed... along with SubQ fluids and syringe feeding when his ulcers are acting up... Which in the last few months haven't acted up at all till just recently and we have had to start his Antibiotics again. He is also on Pred to try to shrink his tumors down and to hold off inflammation in his system as much as possible but this also has its down falls and draw backs... Once you start them on pred for lymphoma it only works for so long... And the cancer is also harder to treat if you decide on an actual treatment but there is no cure and it would only by him a few months... At which he would be sick if we would have done kemo or radiation... So we decided against that and any invasion procedures to remove his viable tumor and enlarged spleen.  The last ferrtonin chip ( helps with symptoms caused by the adrenal gland tumor)  has not seemed to help him get his hair back, with muscle tone, aggression, hind leg weakness, really anything it did help with the first time... In the last 4 months or so he has now started retaining fluid in his abdomen and is having more back leg weakness as caused by the cancers. But there is no cancerous cells in the fluid which is good. So the most invasive thing we have put him through is having the fluid removed from his belly twice... and once we do he is like a new lil Ferret again. So after the 2nd time we started him on Lasik which seemed to help at first but now isn't seeming to help as much and I am going to have to have his belly drained again very soon. He is also eating just chicken baby food, ferretvite, and Ferret duck soup mixed in.. The last two so he can get some vitamins.

It has been a long road... His original estimate was 3 to 6 months of life... and that was almost a year ago... He is our lil fighter there is no doubt about that... He has been so strong but lately he has been worrying me more and more. Fingers crossed and prayers going out that he still has more fight left in him to make it through these ulcers again...

Before his belly was drained

After They drained him lost almost 2 pds

Another Newby: Our Marley Man

A couple months ago (Sometime in Feb I think)  when I was out and about... I received a text from my husband that read " I think we have been adopted" I am more in less like what the heck are you talking about ... He came home to a cat running out from under our front porch and into traffic... and the cat just stayed there... So he decided to bring him in...

 No one answered my Found Cat info.. So he is now neutered and lives with us.  Who's ever Cat he was really is missing out  on a great lil Cat. He has the best temperament in a cat I have ever seen. I actually think he thinks he is a dog half the time. He lays on his back in the middle of the floor he hangs out with the dogs... But he loves to "play" or pick on the other cats..lol. & Surprisingly the dogs and cats really didnt take that long to get used to him... He loves to be petted and loved on and he follows me around every where... Which can be annoying but he is just so darn cute I can't be annoyed at him. and he does the cutest stuff... Is he can be so Chill... He is just awesome and we love him so much!!!

So welcoming into our home and our hearts our Mr. Bob Marley (aka My Marley Man)

We lost our Lil Crownos this week

We recently lost our lil Bantam Rooster Crownos... and although he would chase me and attack when he had the opportunity he was still a good lil rooster, only doing his job of protecting (or what he thought was protecting) his hens. And although I shouldn't pick favorites ... He was my Favorite Rooster. With his Cocky lil Cworky personality. I find that even though we still have 2 roosters that crow all the time and I never thought I would say this.. But... I miss his Crowing... And I am sure his two Best Chicken Buddies Titan and Lil Banti miss him. He is the first out of the original 8 that we brought home 3 years ago and to pass at the early age of three is way to young... We buried him in the chicken yard so he could continue to be with his family that he has been with since he was a day or so old...He is loved and will be greatly missed in our Chicken Yard and lives and will be forever in our hearts...

This may be the last pic I took of him a couple months ago...

2012: Strive for Balance and you will find Harmony: New Years Resolutions

2012 New Year Resolutions- 

"Strive for Balance and you will find Harmony" 

strive/strīv/

Verb:

Make great efforts to achieve or obtain something. Struggle or fight vigorously: "scholars must strive against bias".

bal·ance

   [bal-uhns]  Show IPA noun, verb, -anced,-anc·ing.

1. mental steadiness or emotional stability; habit of calmbehavior, judgment, etc.

har·mo·ny

   [hahr-muh-nee]  Show IPA

noun, plural -nies.

1.

agreement; accord; harmonious relations.

1. Put Veganism on my front burner: I will not lie.. The last few months of 2011 I was not a good vegan.. I wasn't a vegan at all. Cheese was my down fall and I slipped into old habits that come easy. Easy is never a good thing... Easy is just that Easy and is not a way to strive to become a better me... For me and for the animals...When I am vegan I feel a definite Peace, a Balance, a Harmony from with in and in life... So I am striving to become a vegan and stay a vegan...
2. Workout/ Weight loss/ Nutritional Goals: I am striving to become a better me in alot of ways this year and that includes again... Physically, along with emotional and mentally, I can not be in balance if I am not happy with my physical being... So My goal is to hit the gym atleast 3 Times a week for Cardio and Strength Training. And I am striving for a significant weight loss and toning of my body this year. Weight loss goals: Jan-Mar 10lb, April-June 8lb, July-Oct 8lb, Nov-Dec 5lb... Nutritional Goals will be to eat a more balanced diet that doesn't consist of vegan "junk food" on a regular basis. To cook nutritionally balanced meals.
3. Debt: Pay off 6,000 in debt and put atleast 3,000 in savings to stay.
4. Shopping: Buy only the produce that I plan on using within the new 5 days. Plan actual meal weeks so that I only buy what I need and not more... To save food and money. To not stress shop or make up reasons to buy things I don't really need.
5. Cooking: Cook atleast 1 new healthy recipe a week. 
6. Reading: Read 12 books 
7. Cleaning and Projects: Organize the house and the storage buildings. Try to get done the projects that get planned or have been planned.... ( Kitchen Cabinets, Chicken Coop, Dog Kennel, Storage Shed, Bedroom Floor, and Animal Room Floor, Bathroom). Take recyclables in on a normal basis.
8. Artistic Side: Paint atleast 2 pictures.
9. Relationships: To nurture the relationships that are on the front burner. To give of myself to the extent that I can healthfully and pray they work out successfully, healthfully, lovingly. & happily for all.
10. Procrastinating: I am bad about procrastinating...Not as bad as some (cough cough, John, cough), but still bad all in the same. So Hopefully I can work on getting things done in a more timely manner instead of right before I need it because I didn't want to do it...

Well again I have a good long list and could probably add a few more. I am sure I will think of many over the year that I can add in because it is always a good time to Strive the become the person you want to be.

2011 Ends and a New Year is in the Horizon: Resolution Updates

2011 Outcomes 

1. Quick Temper- Have worked on this pretty well... There are still some room for improvements though.
2. Read 15 books this year!!!!  I read I think 8 books and started 2 others that I have yet to finish.
3. Loss 15lbs by October 2011- Well it wasn't by Oct but by the beginning on Nov I had lost 11. But since I have had a few heath problems and haven't been going to the gym regularly I have gained 6 back over the holidays..  :( So really only down 4... 4 is better than nothing but still not my first goal.
4. 1 New recipe a week, or more, sugury baked goods can not count as the only new recipe for the week unless they are leaving my house- I have made a few new recipes but not half as many as I wanted... and the list goes on and on. Got 7 new cookbooks for Christmas and 5 Right before Christmas and some others throughout the year.. So I have a ton of recipes just too many messes for me to cook around.
5. Take out no more then 4 times a month.- Ha, that was a joke... Never happened probably never will.. Go out to much for this to come to fruishin.... But I can always hope.
6. Return my library books on time! not a week late... For the most part this one went down without a snag!
7. Make our savings account grow while paying off $6,000 worth of debt.... Well it grew then took a huge nose dive :( so no savings and I will have to update the debt part later once I have the patience to look it up... But I don't figure we hit 6,000 knowing how many I wants got put on the credit cards ( Kayaks, Camera, Shot Gun, etc) and the animal bills that are always coming and some get put on our carecredit... Just like Storm's who is about to have surgery to remove bladder stones... Still looking for the money to pay for that :(
8. Blogging, To have more entries than 2010. Plus to blog about some important topics instead of putting it off and forgetting to do it. :)  Started out good.... dwindled half way through the year, and pretty much ended in Sept/Oct when I started going to the gym everyday and started watching what I ate... :(
9. To use more of the produce we purchase and grow... again HA... Some got used... Some didn't... I should keep a running list of product waste this year... Its so sad how much produce we waste. The fridge needs cleaned right now and I am sure there is a good amount of produce that needs taken out... :(
10. To organize and remove alot of junk from my life.- Had a yardsale... Does the house look better? No... I was on strike for a while and now everything is a bigger mess than what it was before...  Plus it flooded and ruined a on of stuff... O yeah and the flood took 5 or 6 storage containers so I guess that removed some junk from my life.. that should count.... :(

But even at the end of all my Failed Resolutions I am still seeing where it is good to strive towards a better me and living situation and will not hesitate to set new Resolutions very soon.... I had a really good year with family and friends. And I am even in contact with a few friends from the past which is really great... People come back into your life in strange ways sometimes... But I love them and am so glad they are back in my life!!!

We did lose one of our Babies this years.. Our Lil Abu past away at the beginning of the year. I wish I could have done more for her. We are not sure why she went into shock... It was a surprise to all of us. She is loved and very missed by us and will forever be in our hearts. 

No blogging!!! Just a lil catch up..

Been busy busy busy.... I don't know with what exactly and what I do know I am not about the share here...hahaha...lol... Not really... Been shopping, planning parties, shopping, visiting some old friends, shopping, reading, shopping, going to the gym, shopping, cleaning up after a flood, shopping, dealing with Storms Bladder stones, shopping, Giving Spanxy a hundred meds, Shopping....you get the picture :) But I do know one thing I haven't been doing and that sadly is blogging :(    

Im not sure where I went wrong this year ... I don't think I have been that busy... They gym seems to take up more time then I thought it would and has made my back and self feel a million times better!!! Couldn't even imagine my back feeling so much better..(When I do get to the gym regularly, 2 or 3 times a week or more). But even though it makes me feel alot better I still have a love hate relationship with the gym... Love that I have lost 10lb, Love my back and me feeling better, love the way my husband looks at me (blush), love being out and about, love when I'm stressed I can jump on the elliptical and glide to my lil hearts content, love watching the guys gawk at the girls through the window like noone knows what they are doing...to funny..... Hate to sweat, hate all the people who seem to go to the gym at the same time I do, hate the gym rat guys who are nice to look at but not fun to exercise infront of, hate the people who sit and conversate on the equipment I need, hate the people who thud on the treadmill when they run, hate my headphones that only seem to work half the time, hate the super long drive to the gym daily or every few days that costs out the ass in gas! O yeah, and I hate getting started..being right under my fat burning heart rate when u feel like u want to die.... But then I love when the sun finally shines on you and you feel like running forever!  So I could def go on but it is def a love hate relationship!

Shopping has been on the top of my agenda in the last few months.... Sale sales everywhere! Love it! But now sadly I am broke from all those damn sales! lol... But i had fun while it lasted!  :)

O yeah and I have been on strike... From cleaning, cooking (because the kitchen was a mess), and other womenly duties...   I love my husband very much. Dont get me wrong... He works long hours just for us... But when he cant do one lil thing around the house without causing an argument its time to put ur foot down... Something I just need help and I have asked and asked and finally decided a strike was in order! So I have been on strike for a month and a half... and the mess has been driving me crazy... He will never throw in my face "Well what do u do around here?" ever again... because now that everything has piled up around us, there are no clean dishes, clothes, socks or underwear, but my own... Im sure he has figured it out...lol... and he has asked me to come off strike and has even showed some effort to help... I just hope it continues cause I will not hesitate to start my strike all over again in the near future if he decides I dont need the help I have bagged him for for so long...lol  Now I just need the house clean cause it has drove me bonkers and luckily I have that gym membership cause if I would have sat here all day with the mess I would have went mad! lol

But now we are getting ready to start a new year and hopefully a new year of blogging, a new attitude, opening my life to more love and self growth... :) Looking forward to the year to come and hoping it will be a wonderful year full of new experiences and memorable events...

Vegan Mofo: Lightlife Giveaway Entry

Had the opportunity to make my 1st wedding cake!

I got the chance this week to make my first wedding cake. I was excited but nervous. 

It turned out pretty good... Chocolate turned out perfect! Had some moisture issues with the yellow cake that I iced to soon after taking it from the freezer and didn't know till after the wedding...

I know a few things I need to correct and a few things to do differently next time... and I am still a little excited and really enjoyed the opportunity! :) Actually really surprised how much I enjoyed it..

 and I also surprisingly, actually welcome another opportunity and hope to one day have one... 

I also stayed true to my beliefs and made the cake vegan.

Used:

 The Joy of Vegans 

Chocolate Cake recipe (my fave)

Vanilla Cupcake recipe (Moisture issues after freezing)

&

Isa's Buttercream Recipe

But for the Covering I used all Veg shortening instead of partial

 Vegan butter because of heat and humidity issues..

Delivered safely to the wedding reception! :)

My few Prep Pictures

Crumb layering the cakes
This is a 6' chocolate cake.
Takes 2 Cups batter for each 2" Cake
So 2 recipes, Minus half cup each.

The vanilla cupcake recipe makes 5 cups batter.
A 10" pan takes 6 cups of batter for a 2" cake.
Need two-2" cakes... Which equals 3 recipes... 2 whole recipes and the
3rd recipe needs to be used to put a cup of batter into each of the other recipes.
Which leaves you with 3 cups extra batter.

Each Chocolate cake recipe makes 2.5 cups of batter.
A 14' Cake needs 10 cups of batter for a 2" cake..
You need two- 2" cakes.... or 8 recipes or 20 Cups!

Vegan Creamed New Potatoes YUM!

One of my fave things to do is take foods I grew up with "comfort foods" and veganize them... 

(John Calls it retrofitting...  lol)

And for some things thats not so easy... but this one is super easy !

As I wrote yesterday I haven't had any new potatoes in a few years...

So I cooked these the first chance I got!!!

They were so good... The texture of new potatoes are so creamy by themselves...

and I love them with gravy and peas...

Problem.. 

Thought I had 2 bags of frozen organic peas...

Did I?

Not That I can find...

Not that John can find in either freezer...

I swear I bought those peas...

I have posted my gravy recipe before but I figure I will post it again since I havn't posted in awhile and to make it easier to find...
All you need:
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Oil- I use EVOO
Vegan Butter (I use Smart Balance Light)
Flour
Pepper
Salt
Potatoes
and The missing peas.......

Just make it like normal...

Melt Butter in pan and add some oil and let heat up(Med heat)I also add pepper at this point. I like the flavor of using both.. (If you are using a butter with water let the water cook off) its 1tbsp Butter or oil to 1tbsp flour per cup of milk.... So put all the oil and butter in them measure out your flour and add it.. Let it cook a couple minutes to lose flour flavor.. Then take a whisk and whisk in about a cup of milk at a time so it doesn't get lumpy... Let thicken... add you peas a couple minutes before you take it from the heat.. Then add fork tender potatoes to gravy and serve...

I like to eat alone or on toast...

Flea Market!

This summer I was hoping to make the summer of Pyrex and other retro finds.... But sadly since my car caught on fire and was totaled I have been stuck at home so my truck doesn't guzzle the loads of gas it takes to yard sale shop. But also sadly I had forgotten about three flea markets that are around our area every weekend, all summer long,... And luckily I finally realized what I was missing when by chance, going out of my way to get to Starbucks for a Venti Soy Mocha Frappuccino took me past a pretty big outdoor flea market last Sunday... But I was on the way to the hospital to see my Grandmother so I skipped it and decided I would definitely go this weekend... and so this morning I got up at the butt crack of down  (6:30am) and got ready... Why does the flea market have to open at 6am and end early in the morning as well... I don't know... But I went anyways... and drug my little sister along for the trip.


Granville Firehouse Flea Market
I am happy I went... I had a couple good finds... of course stuff I don't really need... but I did find me some PYREX! Yay PYREX! lol... and I also found something else I had been looking for for a while and figured I would never find one, and if I did I figured it would be to expensive for me to purchase on the spare of the moment, because online & in the antique stores they charge atleast $100.00.... But luckily my great find was only $5...Yep... $5... yes it is scratched in a couple places, yes it is the wrong color and needs refinished, but 5 bucks, some sand paper, and a can of stain & sealer later it will be perfect! Well atleast close...

I wanted flat fronts.. but for $5 I am willing to go for raised.. :) This will serve as the laptop desk.

The inside of the doors are in great shape, But it looks like 2 might have been replaced.

I also found a 1940s set of Primary color bowls and the buy sold me those and an extra green bowl (which isn't actually from the 1940s set) for $30 bucks... Plus he gave my little sister a piano thing for free... He was very nice... His original price was $28 set and $12 or $15 for the one green bowl... Which I would have never paid... lol...

I did miss out on 2 Texas ware bowls that I really wanted. I was $2 short and of course he wouldn't come down $2... so I had to go clear back to the truck and by the time I got back from loading the desk... they were gone... But I guess when or if I am meant to have them I will find them for a price I am willing to pay...He was stretching my price limit anyways...

Next we went to another flea market that is up the road from Granville Called Blue Horizon...

I purchased another divided veggie dish... I passed this one up before and decided the price was right today at half off $8.. so $4

Then since it was half off I also purchased this Flamingo Pink Pie Plate at half off $6... so $3

and this little orange fridge dish which I will probably never find a lid for... but it was originally $4, half off made it $2

I also purchased some Yummy new red potatoes... My grandfather would always give us a bunch every summer and since he passed away a couple years ago we haven't had any... Its funny how food can bring back such fond memories... I plan on making New potatoes, peas, and vegan gravy... YUM!

Purchased a smaller Humane trap for the rats that have been living under the chicken yard and stealing food... It is a catch and release like our bigger one... but this one the rat can't fit out of.... $8

I also purchased some small junk because it was cheap... 24 pack of sharpies $3, PedEgg replacements 2 packs for $5 (thats 6 or 8 of them, I was getting ready to buy these at BB&B so lucky I ran into them there!), another dog leash $3... This stand also some other as seen on tv stuff really cheap... might go back for more, so sad but true...

I was surprised by how many sellers had produce... I seen atleast 7, if not more.... not one organic though :( But still next year I will go and find some veggies there... Hopefully if I ask a couple times they will start selling organic... maybe... u think? maybe its just wishful thinking.... But I will have faith! lol...

over all good experience and think I might go to the one in Shinnston next week! :)