Linda's Thotful Spot: A New Chapter

Subject: Please Read!!!
Time: 5:18:02 PM EST
Author:  linnpooh

 

I've been getting e-mail after e-mail the past hour asking to be put on the list for this journal since I went private with it, so I've opened it back up for a week or two hoping people will get the alert and see this!!! This is not a journal I post in anymore....people have asked why I'm not posting any new entries.

 I have a brand new journal and below is the link:

 

The Long Climb Back Up

 

But in order to get alerts for it, you have to go to the new journal and set the alert from there, a lot of people are thinking that the alert for it is somehow hooked to this journal!

Thanks With Pooh Hugs!

Linda

 

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

Subject: Reminder To Reset Alerts!
Time: 4:47:47 PM EST
Author:  linnpooh
Mood:  Happy

I've had a few e-mail from people saying they aren't getting the alerts to my new journal! So I wanted to remind everyone that you will have to go to my new journal and set the alert, fresh, from there. You probably still have the alert for this journal on....I didn't just change names, I made an entirely new journal with it's own alert.

Here's The link again:

http://journals.aol.com/linnpooh/the-long-climb-back-up/

 

See Ya There!

Pooh Hugs,

Linda

 

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 4 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Subject: I Have A New Journal.....Follow The Link!
Time: 12:48:33 AM EST
Author:  linnpooh

After spending some serious time trying to get my life back together, I have decided to close this journal and start a new one. I kept thinking about how much I used to love to journal and how it helped me so much on my weight loss journey.....and now, I just don't want to come here anymore. Then it dawned on me that each time I came to this journal, I was confronted with my fall.....and I just didn't want to see it every day, it was easier to just stay in denial. Does that make sense? It's hard to see how far I fell laid out in entires and pictures every single day.

So.....I will leave it here for about a month so people will see my new link, and then I will make it private or delete it, I'm not sure yet which I will do.

But, I hope you'll come along with me in my new journal as I attempt the long climb back to renewed health......I'm nervous, but excited and hopeful.

My New Link:

http://journals.aol.com/linnpooh/the-long-climb-back-up/

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 15 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Subject: Another Day
Time: 3:37:18 PM EST
Author:  linnpooh
Mood:  Quiet

  

 

                  

 

 

I promised myself I would do better at journaling....so here I am, again!! You'll probably be sick of me popping up pretty soon! LOL!

So, is  anyone all done with holiday shopping? How about wrapping? I've been about 98% done shopping for quite a while, I just mainly have to pick up some lottery tickets for the stockings and Baby Peyton another gift. My wrapping on the other hand......most of it is still waiting for me, UGH! I did start today because I would like to get all of my out of state packages mailed on Monday, including Mandy's. I think I heard somewhere that there are only 19 days until Christmas???? HOLY COW.....how did that happen so fast????!

Speaking of Mandy, to answer someone's question.....no, she wasn't home for Thanksgiving and she won't be home for Christmas either :(   At Disney, managers can't have holidays or other peak time periods off. That makes sense, because that is when they are insanely BUSY, but it doesn't make it any less sad.....I miss her so much. We do already have tickets to go down to visit her at the end of Feb though, I plan to turn 50 at Disney world!!! :)

I want to thank you for all the support & advice you gave me concerning a friend and her problem filled life. She said some more untrue stuff, but I'm not playing that game and answering her back, my life speaks for itself. Other people's drama is so hard on you emotionally, especially when you're going through personal stuff of your own.

On that note, I have some sad news to post today that has been hurting me so badly these past few months, but  I couldn't share it with you as we were under a confidentiality contract. Our grocery store is going out of business.... and our last day of operation is Dec 27. The economy in Michigan is horrible, and with declining sales over the past few years, we just aren't making it anymore. The nail in our coffin  however, is Walmart. Because my dear friend Lisa Jo works there, and sweet Sugar loves it so much, I'll decline to use the strong and hateful words I want to about them. However, they have a new Super Center 10-15 minutes from us, and have decided to put another one on the edge of our town now.....and I call that greed. Marv's Dad opened our store in 1947 and still works down there at the age of 92! It's all Marv has ever known and it's breaking his heart. Oh, I do believe that everything happens for a reason, I strongly believe that.....and I know that Marv will carve himself out another niche in life, he is a strong & wonderful man. But, for now it hurts, and it's necessary to go through this grieving process before he can pick himself back up and start over. Please say a prayer for him if you will.......he's more depressed than I've ever seen him. Here is the video from the news about us closing, if you care to watch it:

Click here: WWMT NEWSCHANNEL 3 : Video

It's no excuse, but this is one of the reasons behind me eating my way back up the scale.....and of course, during that time, we also lost Molly.....I just don't deal with emotional stress very well. Comforting myself with food is wrong, but it's what I've always done.....so now, here I am, fat again, and the emotional pain has only compiled by adding that into the mix, the food was only a temporary fix. So, to anyone who thinks a couple of Burger King Double Cheeseburgers are going to make you feel better.....please, stop and use me for an example for how that is NOT the answer. You deserve a better life than what being obese brings with it......and so do I.

I said I would go over my new plan with you, and I promise I will, soon. I just wanted to do a quick "touch base' with ya'll today, because I need to be working on my Christmas cards! I hope you all are having a terrific Thursday and that Friday will be fabulous:)

 

 

It may take years sometimes to figure out the significance of something.....but, if you believe that everything happens for a reason, the wait is worthwhile.

                                     ~Bret S. Beal

 

 

 

              

 

 

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 49 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Subject: The Struggle Continues
Time: 9:52:48 PM EST
Author:  linnpooh
Mood:  Frustrated

              

 

 

Hey There.....Long Time No See!! LOL!

I would like to tell you that I've been off on a wild adventure of sorts that kept me from my journal.......but alas, tis not true. I've just been very overwhelmed with my life and need to find a way to balance things again.

Raising a puppy has been quite a job.....way more work than I remembered!! Then you add being out of shape again on top of it, well, she's taken a lot out of me. I've been doing a lot for my parents, and we're also going through some stuff with our business that has caused an emotional upheaval in our lives.....so it just seems like finding the energy to journal has been hard. It's no excuse, it just is what it is, ya know?

Well, our Abby Cakes has grown like a weed and she now weighs 14 pounds! Here is her latest picture:

                     

She really is a sweetheart, just full of mischief and a lot of energy!!! LOL! But she has helped to heal our broken hearts and makes me smile every day with her antics! She is 5 months old already....where does the time go?

As for my weight, I'm not going to lie, it's bad and has had me so depressed. What kind of person loses 141 pounds and then gains it back in such a short time? I have taken the first step to figure it out though, and met with my Doctor. I was putting it off and kept canceling the appointment because I didn't want to face the scales....or him. When I finally went however, I saw how silly that really was of me. He was kind & compassionate, and when I was sobbing my soul out, he just stood quietly next to me, put his hand on my arm, and said "you're not alone in this Linda". We talked about what we both felt went wrong and how to restart my journey. Later this week, I will do an entry on the new plan he and I settled on, and how I'm going to fix what's obviously wrong in my head about food. I'm very glad I went, and he was right about this statement he made: "don't ever think you've let me down, or anyone else for that matter, the only person you let down by staying away and not facing this is.....you".

I do need to vent a little here, because I have to learn how to separate food from emotions......it a huge downfall of mine. Maybe you could help me with how to do that? This week, I allowed people to derail my journey a bit that know nothing about me as a person. The short version here is this: I knew I couldn't help a friend anymore who is very troubled, a friend whom I have spent a lot of time trying to help in the past, and even though I had finally gotten away from her, she was involving me again in the same drama she was having a year ago....nothing had changed. So, I decided to involve others that seemed to be in her life right now....so that other people who care about her would know this person needed them. I didn't take it public, I kept it within a small group of people that I thought may want to know what really had happened, and that their friend was in trouble. Did they take it that way? Did they understand that I don't talk about or hurt people, and that anyone who knows me will tell them that? Nope....my motives were called into question and I was slammed. What on Earth would I have to gain by getting into the middle of drama and making things up about my friend? Why would I do that to myself?? It just floors me that grown women can't see that I have a life and a happy family, more drama I do not need! So what do I need to learn from this....that I shouldn't get involved? Until others have walked in my shoes for the past three years, they have no right to even question why I did what I did with this person in question.....there are details about her life I would never repeat or talk about, but they factored into every decision I made. I know myself though, and I know if it happened again, I would handle it the exact same way.....every single decision I made, because I know my motives were pure. So, what I need to know then, is, how not to let other people's assessment of my actions bother me? How do I say "I did what I knew was right and to heck with what anyone else says"? Because if I can't learn to say that.....I will never stop comforting myself with food. There will always be misguided people, so I have to be the one that rises above it all......but how? <sigh>

On a much happier note....have you seen the new Disney movie "Enchanted" yet?   

                                               

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 35 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Subject: Leaving On Vacation
Time: 11:43:20 PM EDT
Author:  linnpooh
Mood:  Happy

 

Hi There!

This will be a quickie entry, as we are leaving at 6:00 a.m for Arizona. We are taking my parents with us on the plane, and will all be attending the wedding of my niece, Julie. Our Mandy is the maid of honor and has 10 days off of work, so we will get to spend some quality time with her which will be soooo wonderful! After the wedding, Marv, Mandy & I are heading to the Grand Canyon, and then on to Vegas.....then we will return to Phoenix and pick up my parents from my brother's house, and Mandy will fly home with us to spend 4 days here before returning to Orlando. YIPEEEEEEE!  

I wanted to make sure and let you know that I have not fallen off the wagon with my eating......far from it, I've stayed on plan and know I've lost some, as my button is no longer popping open because it is stretched too far!! I just haven't been on line because I've had my hands full with so much lately, plus we had some major network issues.....I swear I haven't been hiding!! I'll return with a post and vacation pictures on the 28th or 29th and I know I'll have good news in how I handled all the food.

We had to leave Abby tonight, and I was so sad, but she is staying where there are 3  Grandkids living there, and when we left.....she was in her glory and being kissed & played with by them They were arguing which one was going to get to sleep with her, and also asked if they could take her to show & tell!!! Connie (their Grandma) said if it was alright with us she would take her in to school, as the kids love to see puppies!! Can you imagine the fun Abby will have? She probably won't want to come home again! It is a family run kennel and they take special care with puppies to make sure they aren't left alone or sad.....she gets to be in the house at night :) We have been with them for a long time....Connie kept Lacey for us and also Molly, in fact, the first time Molly stayed with her she was only 5 months old!!! They are like family now :) Oh, and I left a disposable camera with the girls and told them to take a lot of pictures.....so I'll have those too :)

Before I go, here is a picture of Abby with her new Cocker cut......how cute is she?? I miss her already.

 

Have a great week!

 

Pooh Hugs,

Linda

 

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 36 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Subject: It's Grey's Time!!
Time: 8:43:17 PM EDT
Author:  linnpooh
Mood:  Happy

 

 

                           

                                                       It's Grey's Anatomy Night!!

 

 

I can't believe it's been a week since I've posted.....YIKES!!! It's not because I've fallen off the wagon though, I'm still being a good girl. I've just got too much on my plate right now and have a puppy under foot getting into everything!!! Tonight is Grey's night....I wonder what will happen between George & Callie? I saw on the previews that Derek & Meredith are going to stay "broken up" yet still have sex. I'm not happy with this, and you'd think by now the writers would understand that we want the whole thing with those two! We want a loving relationship where they work together to solve problems and stay together....not just meaningless sex. Oh well...we'll see how it goes!

It's been a good week diet wise, I've stayed on plan and kept up with making sure I eat fruit & veggies again. We're getting ready to fly to AZ (with my parents) to see my niece get married, Mandy is in the wedding so we will meet up with her there, too! After....her, Marv & I are going to The Grand Canyon and on to Vegas for a couple of days while my parents visit with my brother. If you remember, in the past when we went to Disney, I spent weeks of prep time looking up menus and planning every bite of food that went into my mouth. To be honest, when I got back home after the second trip of planning.....things were never the same for me. After 10 days of depriving myself  constantly, I almost exploded when I returned home......maybe trying to make up for everything I felt I missed, I'm not sure. But I can actually pin point that as the spot where I lost my motivation.

So, this vacation is going to be different. I'm not going to throw caution to the wind and eat everything in site because "hey, I'm on vacation"......but I'm not going to say no to absolutely everything and have salads the entire trip, either! I will simply make the best choices I can, limit my portions, and not snack all day long just because it's available. I'm going to eat a very filling breakfast, maybe a salad for lunch and a nice dinner....limiting portions. I'm also going to eat a piece of Julie's wedding cake because for almost two years I never had a piece of birthday or wedding cake and I always felt so bad about it. I will use my head in choosing....if I want it, I will have a small piece, but I won't eat it just because everyone else is. I think learning to figure out how these things effect what and how much I eat is very important. We leave on Oct 19....so I have a little time yet before I need to put my plan into action.

I went shopping for clothes for the wedding and dissolved into tears. I can't believe the size I was down to and had I kept going....I could have worn something fabulous. But instead, I'm having to order clothes on line and wear things I don't like because it's all that will fit me. When you are only 5 feet tall and weigh what I do.....well, they just don't make clothes for those proportions. I have no one to blame but myself that I'm back to not fitting in seats, having to ask for belt extenders, and huffing & puffing when I walk just a few feet. I'm very sad to say I'll probably have a wheelchair again in Vegas....as it's just too much walking for me. I'm very depressed. Why would I do such a thing to myself after experiencing the freedom of living like a normal person for a while? I so enjoyed going on rides with Mandy & Marv, and once again, I have to sit on the sidelines and watch. I'm trying to keep my chin up and just go forward though, so I'd so appreciate your prayers that I can stay with it and be more forgiving to myself about all of this. I know I let a lot many down, and having to face people every day as they discover I've gained it all back hasn't been easy.....the look of horror, and then pity, on their face is more than I can take at times. Just keep praying for me!

The good news is.....Abby has no cancer of any kind!!! YEAH!!!!  The Histopathology showed a tumor like growth that was some sort of skin disorder, maybe a hair follicle grown the wrong way. The only thing that matters is that she will be with us for many years to come, and that makes me very happy! Here is just a short bit from her along with some photos.

Abby's Adventures.......Vol # 5

Hi, it's me....Abby! I'm feeling very good these days and I mind my Mom about not biting at my incision while on her watch! I get my stitches out on Monday and then I can finally get my bath and my Cocker cut at the groomers....I'm way over due! I still have to wear my tee-shirt when I go to bed at night because I get a little naughty about biting at it when Mommy is a sleep!

                  Who Me, Naughty????

                    

I've been working on my training and this week we are working on "off" when I get up and grab things off chairs and tables. Personally, I think it's very fun and don't understand why I can't do it. I also like to beg while my family eats, and my Mommy says I'm some kind of word like "obnoxious".....although I can't imagine she thinks I'm anything but cute :) She is training me to lay on my rug while they are at the table and I'm doing pretty good....I liked jumping up and down on them, crying, and panting much better, but I guess the rug will have to do!

                     

I love playing with my toys and my Daddy said it's looks like a hurricane went through the toy box.....I think it looks fine, here are the pictures, what do you think?

                       This is how Mommy leaves it each night after she picks up:

                     

                              This Is It An Hour After Getting Up!

                     

 

This is my Mom's favorite picture of me this week....I do look cute, huh?

                              

That's it for me...make sure to hug your pets this week and buy them a lot of treats and stuff, okay?  Love, Abby

 

I'm done too, as Grey's is almost on!!  I'm taping Ugly Betty tonight so I could get this journal done....I'll try not to go so far between entries again. Have a good week and stay happy & positive, I'll try to love myself more....you do the same!

 

 

 

                          

 

 

 

Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs.  Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger.  If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves. 

                                                  ~Dale Carnegie

 

 

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 23 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Subject: Finally Friday!
Time: 9:31:35 PM EDT
Author:  linnpooh
Mood:  Quiet

 

 

                                             

 

 

 

Hi everyone, I hope you are enjoying beautiful autumn weather where you live.....we sure are in Michigan! This is my very favorite time of year and it usually doesn't last very long, so I try to enjoy all of it that I can.

When I talked to my daughter, Mandy, this morning she reminded me that I hadn't done a journal entry in a few days......SHE IS RIGHT!! Time just keeps getting away from me and I forget I need to come here to connect and stay grounded. I can't ever leave this part of my life behind again, because I just stay on track better when I write down what is happening in my life.

So, here I am....warts and all :) I've had a pretty stressful week between getting my mouth hammered & drilled at the Dentist, and our little Abby undergoing some minor surgery. I'm happy to say that no matter how things went, I didn't stray into the chips & dips and no fast food passed my lips! Having a little of those things will fall into my life plan of eating when I'm ready, but comforting myself with them is something I have got to let go of. I'm really proud of myself for saying no, because believe me when I tell you that the "good" Linda & the "Bad" Linda were duking it out in my head trying to decide if a Quarter Pounder with Cheese would make me feel better. I sat in the car and thought it over, asking myself "how will I feel when it's gone?". The answer was that I'd be very mad at myself, depressed because I gave in, and the stressful event that led me to eat it would STILL be there for me to deal with. I won.....I'm in the battle of my life to finally defeat my food demons, and this round went to me!!! :)

We had our first fall squash of the season....acorn, and it was YUM-O!! I cut it in half, scooped the seeds out, spritzed the halves with spray butter, sprinkled Splenda Brown Sugar on them, and baked it for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. We have chicken breast in the freezer that Marv has already grilled, so I thawed two of those out, and he made a salad.....it was  a great and healthy meal! Don't you just love the "seasonal" foods? Right now we have the best crisp apples and awesome purple grapes and I can't get enough of them. It feels very good to be in control again....I don't know what I'm doing scale wise, but right now I don't care either. My goal for this month was simply to get myself back on the track of eating healthy while trying to include some foods that I gave up on my last weight loss quest. If I don't learn to change my behavior it will make no difference if I lose all the weight again.....it will only come back like it did this time.

I've been enjoying my TV shows this week....it's good to have some of them back on! My happiest moment was last night however, when I saw Grey's Anatomy take a turn back towards the light!! Wow....it was like seeing an old friend that I have missed and don't ever want them to leave again. I'm glad the writers got their act back together and let's hope they continue on this path for the rest of the season. Come on now......you all know I was squealing with delight at the Mer/Der ending, did you hear me? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, those two together and just how dreamy was he when he looked at her? It was also SO awesome when he was defending Meredith to Mark....I needed to see that after his wishy washy actions last season. Yes Arlene, your Mcsteamy did look pretty fine too, and I loved his scene with Derek at the end where they laughed....those were GREAT lines!!! :) I laughed so hard when the now "Residents" were giving their new Interns the same speech that Bailey gave them.....CLASSIC!!!!!

                                                          

Did any of you watch Private Practice? I didn't care for the pilot back in May and even though this "tweaked" version was better.....I'm still luke warm on it at best. My biggest complaint is that the characters need to grow up, they should be acting differently than the Interns on Greys....these are established Doctors! I like Addy a lot, she was strong and feisty.....but on this show, she is sappy and seems unsure of what a professional is like she is a world class neonatologist for heaven's sake!!! Why they wrote her character like this, I'm just not sure. I'm not bailing yet, but they better do some major repair as far as I'm concerned or it may not make it. JMHO though, I know Stacy loved it.....how bout you?

Well, since little Abby has had a rough couple of days, I'll let her tell her story now. Poor little thing.....but she has been a trooper, she has the sweetest personality.

 

Abby's Adventures.......Vol # 4

Hi, it's me.....Abby Cakes!  Like my Mommy said, I had a little traumatic event this week. Remember when she told you I had that bump on my back? Well, when I went to the Vet on Wednesday for my 12 week shots, DR. Ann Marie took a look at it and decided it had to come off right then! My Mommy didn't go there expecting to leave me.....so she got a little upset and cried. It wasn't that long ago that my sister Molly was going through bad things, and this was just a little too much for her. But, we both got through it. She had to leave me there for the afternoon, but I was pampered and babied so even though I was scared.....I was okay.

The quarter sized growth on my back was a congenital cyst within the skin, on the right Thoracolumbar area. It went pretty deep and was infected, but they were able to remove it all and I'm now on antibiotics. DR. Ann Marie is very sure it will be benign, but just to be on the safe side (after what they just went through with Molly, they want to get at anything right when it could be starting!) they sent it in for a Histopathology, and the results will be back in a week or so.

I was confused and I didn't understand why I was hurting......I just wanted to be held all night and would whimper if Mommy even put me down to use the bathroom. She let me sleep in the crook of her arm and each time I woke up in discomfort, she would pet & kiss me and make me feel safe again. Today I'm doing much better, my back is sensitive to the touch and I cry if I'm picked up the wrong way.....but I'm feeling much more like "me" and already into trouble again!!. I had to have a lot of stitches, and they will come out in 10 days.....feel free to send bones my way :) :) Here are some pictures of my day and even though I have an owieeeeeeeee, I'm still very cute!

 

              Waiting to see Dr. Ann Marie....

             

                 More Waiting................

             

               Getting Sleepy While Waiting To Be Taken Back To Surgery......

             

                Back Home & Showing Daddy My Stitches......

             

                Another View......

             

               My Tee Shirt So I Won't Bite At The Stitches...

             

 

Isn't it so sad to see her like this? It was not quite the start in life we had hoped for with her and made us really sad.....it's just wrong. But, only God knows why we were put through this so soon after losing Molly, and eventually, we will know too. So, I'm going to give this burden over to Him and trust in His wisdom as far as the test results go. Our Vet really does think it will be okay, and that it was just a fluke. I'm going with that answer for now because the thought of anything else is  just not an option. We love our little Abby and we plan on her being around for many, many years......and she will be! :)

Have a great weekend and always remember I'm on your side!

 

 

 

 

                                

 

 

 

 

 

When life turns upside down, remember that we have a loving Creator who will give us strength if we will give Him the eyes of our soul with faith in His restoring power.

                                                               ~ Steve Brunkhorst

 

 

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 27 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Subject: On Plan, Dog Training & TV
Time: 8:39:36 PM EDT
Author:  linnpooh
Mood:  Happy

 

 

                                

 

 

I'm still here....just a wild few days that barely left me any room to breathe! But, I'm back here now and reporting for J-land duty! LOLOL!

Let's see, on Friday I had a melt down of sorts because, let's face it, we all need those occasionally.......and the tears flowed freely throughout the day! Saturday was much better and I even managed to do some much needed housework, with help from little Abby Cakes of course. ;) On Saturday afternoon, my brother & his wife came over for a visit and we got Pizza for dinner. I followed my plan and had one slice (they were on the large side) and a side salad. I made pudding parfaits for dessert with sugar free pudding & sugar free Cool Whip.....they were delicious!!! After church on Sunday, my parents came by and we went by my brother's house and dropped my Dad off to watch baseball. Then my Mom, SIL & I went to Target where I bought a few things for Abby, a gift card, and a couple cute items for Mandy's Christmas stocking that I ran across! When I got home, even though Marv was worn out from "puppy patrol"......he cooked us steak on the grill & roasted corn on the cob (I had one ear), it was YUM-O!!! I felt in control over the last few days and never went off on any binges or had more than a small to average helping of anything. I allowed myself normal foods and didn't feel deprived, I just made sure I allowed for the points I needed to have them during the day and watched my portions. I feel good!!!!

I had so many questions about training Abby to use the bell....I thought I'd explain it a bit better for you. Yes, she rings it each time she needs to "go" and she has it down pat now........she's completely housetrained and hasn't had an accident since the second day we had her home and we've had her for 11 days. It took me about one day to teach her to ring it by me asking her to, and by day three she was ringing it on her own (constantly!!! LOL!)......by day four she had connected the dots to ringing the bell = needing to go potty. Now, I'd say she has it 100%......she knows exactly what she is doing and why. She still rings it more than she needs to because she knows she gets a Cheerio, but that will only last through this week, then we start tapering off the treats and replace it with praise only. I taught all of our 4 dogs now to do this, and Kiley was 4 years old when I taught him.....the rest were puppies.

It's very simple.....first buy yourself some bells and hang them right by the door at a level your dog can reach very easily (I started with a cow bell with Kiley, but switched to decorative ones when Lacey came along). For two straight weeks, you need to take your dog out on a leash, even if you have a fence....they must know they are going outside to "go", not to play. On day one, take your dog out often, once an hour or so....and each time, do this: take their paw and hit the bell then say "potty outside or a word of your choosing)", after you say that while ringing the bell, then praise the heck out of them and give them a treat (I use Cheerios, but it can be anything you choose). Once outside, encourage them to "go potty" and once they do.......give them another treat while saying "potty outside, good girl". Repeat this process over & over & over....never veering from the pattern or way you do it, and all family members must do it too. Then on day two, when you take their paw and ring the bell....say it about 5 times in a row, each time giving them a treat. It would be like this: "Abby, want to go potty outside ?" then take her paw, hit the bell, say "potty outside" heap on praise, give treat, "potty outside" heap on praise, give treat, "potty outside" heap on praise, treat, "potty outside" heap on praise, treat, "potty outside", heap on praise, treat. By day three, they will be ringing that bell A LOT for the treat, not really connecting the dots to going potty. No matter how much it drives you crazy, you musttake them out and praise them, even if you know they couldn't possibly have to go again......that part is essential!! Each dog will "get it" at their own rate, Lacey was our fastest...she had it all in 2 days!!! Abby is in second place and Molly was third, but even she had it by day 6. For two weeks, even if they already have it learned, you have to keep treating them and taking them out every time they ring that bell....which will be a lot!!!! Then after two weeks, give them the treat every other time they ring it and replace the treat with praise only, then after a couple of days, give it every third time, etc, until they are going out strictly to please you and hear your praise. As you cut back on the treats, they cut back on the bell ringing and eventually only ring it when they have to go. Until the day my dogs pass away, I still gave them a treat once a day for ringing their bell and going potty, usually the first out of the day.....just because they are so fabulous for doing it!!! LOL! If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Oh, and as for teaching old dogs new tricks.....it took Kiley about 7 days before he was doing it like a pro and he was 4 years old and VERY stubborn!!!!

That's it for my dog training lesson, and I'll turn it over to Abby so I can get ready to watch the season premier of "Heroes"....I'm SO pumped!! Here is my TV schedule I told you I'd post, I warn you......I'm addicted!!

Monday

9:00....."Heroes"

10:00......"CSI Miami"  (taping "Journey Man")

Tuesday

8:00......"Bones"

10:00......"Law & Order SVU"  (taping "Cane")

Wednesday

9:00......"Criminal Minds"  (taping "Private Practice" & "Bionic Woman")

10:00..... "Life"  (taping "Dirty Sexy Money")

Thursday

8:00......"Ugly Betty" (taping "Smallville")

9:00......"Grey's Anatomy"  (taping "CSI" )

10:00....."Without A Trace" (taping "ER" & "Big Shots")

Friday

9:00....."Moonlight"

10:00.... "20/20"

Saturday

9:00....."Law & Order CI"

10:00...."48 Hours Mystery"

Sunday

8:00....... "Gossip Girl"

9:00....... "Desperate Housewives"

10:00...... "Brothers & Sisters"

Also, somewhere will be the original "Law & Order" & "Dateline" both of whom don't have a start date yet. Then in Jan....I add "24" to the mix!! Anyone joining me???

 

Abby's Adventures........Vol # 4

I've had a really fun few days......everyone is lovin me!!! Today I'm 12 weeks old....wow!!!! I'm completely housetrained now. I come 90% of the time when I'm called, I'm sleeping all night and working hard on my nipping. I get into mischief a lot.....Mommy says trouble is my middle name! On Saturday, I helped Mommy clean and I especially loved dusting under things......she said I was a big help :)

                     

                     

I go for a walk every day and I'm getting much better about not biting my leash. Once a day, Mommy and I sit on the front porch and watch the neighbors and cars.....since there is no fence like in the back, I have to be on my leash. I love to bite that thing, just like when I'm walking!! My favorite thing is to stand up tall and watch the joggers go running by....I wish I could chase them!

                     

                     

So, that's about it for me today, I just love my family and I'm having fun. I have to get my 12 week shots on Wednesday and I will probably cry, so I'll be glad Mommy is there. I also have a bump on my back that she is a little worried about.....I'm sure my girl, Dr Ann Marie will take care of it!! Until then, wags & licks......Love, Abby.

                     

 

 

Have a great Tuesday everyone....I'm sending lots of love your way! Remember we arein this world together and everything is made easier with friends.

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

It doesn't matter if the stream is narrow or wide. Your goal may be attainable next week or seem years beyond the horizon. There is always that first stepping-stone to start you on the journey.

 

                                                   ~ Steve Brunkhorst

 

 

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 32 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Subject: Thotful Thursday
Time: 9:41:49 PM EDT
Author:  linnpooh
Mood:  Happy
Music:  My New CD "Coco" By Colbie Cailat.....EXCELLENT!!

 

 

                    

 

 

One day late for my journal entry (I'm trying to make time for one every other day for now) but Miss Abby just has other plans for my time these days! She is a bundle of energy and is wearing me out....but she has so much sweet love in that little package, she steals my heart! I need to find a way for reading journals now too, but I will....just hang with me a bit longer and take pity on this over weight, out of shape, old lady!!! :)

Food wise is EXCELLENT!! I feel very motivated again, and have been making sure I have healthy food that I can just grab on the move while I'm on "Abby watch".....it has made a huge difference. I had some black grapes this week that were simply divine, and when I'm eating them I always wonder why I give this stuff up for junk every single time?? I need to work hard to not make that kind of food an alternative, but rather a staple of my life that fits in with everything else. Balance....I must learn balance! I am running over to my parents a lot too so I can help them out, and on the way home is when I usually have a melt down and hit the fast food lane, scarfing down everything on the menu. But I have been victorious over this for 8 straight days and I can't tell you what it means to me...I have three areas of extreme issues with food and that is one of them. So, this has been a a big step in the right direction....and I'm PROUD of me!! :) In my new program of allowing myself things that are alright to have and count, I had one low fat ice cream cone with my parents when I took them to run errands, and it felt good to feel normal. I may not look that way due to my huge size again....but inside, I felt like a normal person who could sit there and just have an ice cream cone (instead of an entire carton full because I miss ice cream) and I loved it!

I'm gearing up for the new TV season next week.....WHOOHOOOOO!!! As most of you know, I'm quite the addict and have been getting my schedule all worked out with what I'll need to tape <hehehe>. I know all my dear J-land friends faint in disgust when I say I don't watch reality TV, but I don't......none! I'm strictly a drama girl and I'm ready for all my faves to start back up.....when I get the schedule done, I'll post it and we can see if we watch any of the same shows. Of course, I have my Grey's girls, and they know that if I don't get to see some Derek/Meredith love this season, I'm going to do some major time WHINE.....so ya'll might want to hope I get that too, because my whine isn't pretty! LOL! 

Not much else in my life right now to write about, just puppy breath, puppy kisses and a lot of puppy mess, too!!! LOLOL! I am feeling happy again and I have a purpose....I still miss Molly so much, but my heart is being healed just by the simple way Abby scampers happily next to me every time I change places in a room!! LOL! That little girl needs me and I, her. :)

She is "biting" to get to her entry (hehehehe...no eye rolls Scotty!) so here she is!

 

Abby's Adventures.......Volume # 3

 

Hi New Friends!

I've had a fun couple of days and I'm learning new things constantly. Today, Mommy said she thinks I've "got it" on the house training......and it made me wag my whole body! Of course, it is supposed to rain tomorrow...so she may be eating her words when I decide I don't "do" rain!! <hehehe> I ring a bell to go outside.....my two sisters and one brother before me all did too, Mommy teaches itwell. My brother, Kiley, was the first dog....back in 1979. He used a cow bell on a cord, but after he crossed the rainbow bridge and they got my sister Lacey.....they bought her some fancier bells. Molly used them after her, and I have now inherited them too....here is a picture of me getting ready to ring them:

                   

Of course, I now have a potty picture too....why do Mom's insist on embarrassing their kids with potty pictures? She is posting it here for her friend, Jen, and she said to tell her "this is the "G" rated version of Doggy P", whatever that means! ;)

                   

Tomorrow, we are going to work on "drop it", because I love to run with stuff I'm not supposed to have, and play tug of war with my toys when they want to play a dumb came called "fetch". One new thing at a time...that is what Mommy says is best, and it seems to be working. I do love those Cheerios she uses to teach me with though....YUM-O! I also got to start riding in the car to visit places and that is pretty fun. I need a booster seat where I can see & be safe, and Mommy is working on getting me one...but I did pretty well, considering. Here is a picture Mommy took while we were at the stop light......see how good I'm being?

                    

I'm also doing  much better at sleeping at night.....and that seems to make Mommy a little less grumpy, I just don't know why we can't play all night. I do get to come into bed with her inthe morning at about 4:00 a.m. when I wake up and need to go potty..... after she takes me out, she snuggles me down with her and all is right with the world! I don't like it when she doesn't take me with her 24/7, wherever she goes. Here is a picture of how sadly I look at her when she goes to throw laundry in and leaves me behind the baby gate....sometimes I add a pathetic little howl and she always comes and tells me it's okay, she will be right back. It seems like forever though...

                      

Okay, that's it for me....Mommy says I need to pick up my toys. Here are a couple more pictures that she took of me over the last couple of days....she says I'm photogenic! :)  Wet kisses to you......Love, Abby.

                          

                     

                     

 

I hope you enjoyed the new pictures and antics of Abby....she really is a puppy full of character. She is so much fun and has brought light once again into our sad and darkened house. When Marv came in last night.....she ran to the door to greet him, and  he scooped her up as she peppered him with kisses. We didn't have to say a word about what we were feeling, the tears in our eyes and smiles on our faces said it all. :)

Have a happy, happy, Friday and remember that I'll be thinking about you and sending good thoughts your way. Whatever it is that may be burdening you....together, we'll get through it.

 

 

                                 

                                                ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

 

 

Written by linnpooh Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 31 comments: Show Recent | Add your own