Vino doing well

My good friend Enricka brought Vino to work on Saturday so that I could visit with him. He does get around extremely well with just one arm. Enricka is totally in love with Vino! He does have a lot of personality despite his miniscule size. Anna is slowly earning him back. Enricka has his cage on top of her rabbit's cage. As you can see, Vino really likes Abigail!

Quiet Sunday

We had a mellow day around here. Anna and I went to a birthday party for one of her classmates. It was in a really nice city park with lots of shady trees - important since it was rapidly heating up into the upper 90s today. There were lots of nice kids and parents. My only complaint was that the party was from 11 am to 1 pm, and they served the kids sugar, sugar, and more sugar.

There was the candy that fell from the pinata.

Then the cake. And juice boxes.

That was it. No other food, not even fruit or any form of protein. The main problem with this was all the kids were hungry since the party was held during all conceivable lunching times. I heard three children complain after the sugar fest, "My tummy hurts..."

Anna, after chewing her second Tootsie Roll, suddenly bent over and started hacking out a half eaten roll. Drooling excessively, she wailed to me, "Its still stuck in there!" Apparently, Tootsie Roll was stuck on her teeth, and trailing down her gullet in a elongated melty brown mess. No wonder she gagged. Blech.

At least 4 adults came up to me and said, "She's so beautiful, I love her curls..." Couldn't agree more!

Mom Jeans

My mom asked me once, "Do you like those low waisted pants?" I told her although I didn't want anything that Britney Spears would be proud to wear, I also didn't like high waisted pants because they make your butt look flat and broad and weird. Then I saw this, the very thing I fear: Mom Jeans

Be very afraid.

(PS My mom gave me some great genes - youthful looks and a petite frame).

W.A.R. II

The Women's Adventure Race in Dallas was great -- except it was in Ft Worth, not Dallas. Actually, Anthony said, "Oh my God, Jenn, do you realize where it is? This is in West Ft Worth!!!" Of course, he and the kids would be driving from N.E. Dallas where his parents live, so this was significant.

The race was held at YMCA Camp Carter, and it was a beautiful site. There were also several evacuated families from Hurricane Katrina staying at the campground. They waved and cheered us on. We started off with the run portion, but it was really more of a hike. When we went up steep rocky hills, it was too steep to run, then back down, again too gravelly and slippery to run. Then we got on our bikes.

The bike portion was nice, going through shady trails with scattered fallen leaves. The bad part was the thick sandy roads we had to ride between the trails. The bike just sinks in the sand, fishtailing and slowing to nearly a stop. The mystery events were almost identical to the Austin race - but I didn't fall on the balancing event! Emily was great on the Mind Puzzle event - we passed a lot of people with our short stop time on that event.

While we were on the first bike ride, Anthony arrived with the kids. Despite the gnashing of teeth because of the traveling distance to the race, Anthony took care of the kids the night before, got them up early, packed the car, and drove to the race. Anthony's mom and dad, and our nephew Andrew also came to help support us. We had quite a posse! Home Depot was at the race with projects for the kids to do. Here Anna creates a wooden box to hold her treasures:



After the first bike race, we had the water event. There was a small man made lake with a tiny island in the middle on the campgrounds. We had to go around the island. Emily and I piled into the tiny inflatable kayak, but our legs stuck out, and our dragging feet really slowed us down. Emily hopped out and kicked/pushed from behind, while I kept paddling.

Yeah, we might have to invest in an inflatable canoe if we do this again - plus some personal flotation devices that don't fly up around your neck the whole time. There is a float contest, where awards are given for creative floats. I liked this flipflop one. The thong part is made out of noodles, and the base is pink styrofoam wall insulation.


After the water event, we were tired, but glad we were mostly done. We repeated the bike route, without having to stop for mystery events. It was obvious how much more stamina Emily had this time around. We didn't stop except when the sand forced us to!



This next picture is blurry but really captures the moment! We just finished the 2nd bike ride and are getting ready to run the gauntlet and finish!


We really improved out time, finishing in about 1 hour, 20 minutes. We were tired and famished, and we could smell the wonderful meal that Carrabba's Italian Restaurant was cooking for us on site: grilled chicken, penne pasta, and caesar salad. Mmmm. We all chowed down, except for Anna - she would only eat the Clif Energy Bars.


Triumphant Emily and Colin after the race.


Here Montana munches on my watermelon rind after the race. Anthony brought her, too, because we left for home directly from the campgrounds. I didn't get to shower and had to go home smelling my lakey self, but I did change out of my wet clothes before we headed home.

Jumping Cousins

Colin, Henley, and Anna on the trampoline on Saturday. I figure all the physical activity made up for all the time they spent turning their brains into mush watching video after video in the car. Although, Colin's facial muscles do get a work out as he views, and he exaggeratedly smiles or frowns at happy and scary parts!

Sometimes the Journey is Arduous, and the Destination is a Relief!

I will have to write my account of the Women's Adventure Race soon. If you can't stand the wait, check out Emily's blog.

We had a good weekend, but Anthony summed it all up when he said, "I remember when road trips used to be fun. Now its just work." Not to mention expensive, the way gas prices have doubled. Leaving town, Anthony had expertly packed both mountain bikes, an inflatable kayak, and all our suitcases in the van, not forgetting to set up the DVD player for the kids. We stopped at the post office on the way out of town to pick up a package, a 20 minute diversion. As we pulled onto the highway, Anthony said, "Did you hit something with the van? Its all out of alignment." That turned into a vibration, and when we pulled into a rest stop outside of Temple, it was obvious the right rear tire had broken some cables and was about to blow! While Anthony put the toy tire on, I let the little people stretch their legs and tried to keep them from running into traffic. Funny how Montana listens better with a brain tumor! By now, it was obvious we'd have to feed the offspring on the road, so we stopped later at McD's where Colin bit into a ketchup package spraying it all over his mouth and Anthony's shirt.

We had no automotive difficulties on the way home. However, when we stopped at Starbucks, Anthony tried to pay for our beverages with $15 and charge his Starbucks card with the rest, the cashier screwed up the transaction royally, putting only 80 cents on his card when it should have been more like $5. Anthony calmly explained the mistake to her, then twice to the manager, who handed him back his card with 80 cents and said, "OK, I'm just going to comp your drinks and give you these free drink coupons," leaving Anthony to say, "OK, but I gave her $15, I'm still out $5... I don't mind paying for what we actually ordered, but I'm still in the hole here..." So then the flustered manager gave him back the $15, and in the meantime Anna had spilled her decaf drink twice and Colin was jumping on the upholstered seats everytime I had to deal with that...

In the end we made it home safely, and had enjoyed the weekend, especially seeing our kids really enjoy themselves with their cousins. Big cousin Andrew (14 yrs) is very patient with little kids, and even let them all pile on top of him on the trampoline. Henley (2 yrs) -- or Kenwee as Colin called her -- was a favorite to bounce with or play in the sandbox with, and little Rian (9 mo.s) just grinned and beamed at them all.

Keep Austin Weird

Sorry its been so long. I've been fighting a little cold and getting ready for the Women's Adventure Race this weekend with Emily.

A coworker of mine loaned me a little inflatable kayak for the race. I had a long lunch break on Thursday, so I ate a quick meal and decided to try it out. I drove down to Zilker Park, the big city park downtown, and plugged the electrical inflater into my cigarette lighter. Then I hauled the tiny craft and the oars down to Barton Springs. A couple of shirtless guys saw me and shouted out, "Hey, are you gonna go paddling in that thing? Need any help?" I said no thanks and kept walking, and put my little craft into the water down where they rent canoes.

Its really a tiny boat. My knees were up under my chin, and I had to row with my arms at an unnaturally high angle since I was so low in the water. But it was great being out there on the water in the middle of a workday. The water in Barton Springs is an amazing blue-green color. There are some scum bubbles on the top and floating chunks of algae, but the water is so clear! I could see sunfish beneath me, and lots of huge red eared turtles basked before me, waiting until I got about 3 feet from them when they decided to dive for the bottoms.

I heard guitar music, and then a guy shouted to me, "Hey, I'll give you a dollar if you'll listen to one of my songs." In the shade of the trees on the banks, there was an older guy, playing guitar for about 4 of his buddies. "That's OK," I said, "I'll listen," and paddled over to the other side of the stream. "The song lasts 3 and a half minutes," he warned, "That's a lot of paddlin' " He came to the edge of the stream over me and sang his song, traipsing back and forth over the dirt banks. I didn't recognize it, but it was a love song with lyrics like this: "Tell me all your secrets, but don't ask me none of mine/ We'll kiss as we cross the Mason-Dixon line." I could feel the cold water soaking into my underwear. In the live music capital of the world, however, the scene and the song seemed entirely appropriate.

I really enjoyed the song, and said so at its conclusion. He said, "Wait a minute,"as he fished for a buck in his pocket. I assured him that I didn't need the dollar. "Well, all I really wanted was your phone number, anyway." I declined to give it, since I was married. "How can that be? Well, I don't mess around with a married woman," he said.

I paddled down a few more minutes before heading back. My troubador and his posse had left. I pulled ashore next to a man skipping stones and his naked toddler daughter who asked me how much my watercraft cost (nothing, since it was on loan). I walked past college students in their swimsuits and their happy lucky dogs on my way back to the car. Then I went back to work.

Only in Austin...

Tomorrow is the race, so we'll see how well the kayak does with 2 people in it!

Adorable Colin

I realize Anna gets a lot of attention on my blog, because she is so articulate and she fills every moment she is in. But please don't think I don't also adore my curly-haired cherub, Colin. In fact, after a toddler who never met a multi-syllable word she couldn't conquer, I am loving Colin's babytalk.

"I hungry," he says, rubbing his tummy, "I wanna twanwich!" He still calls his sippy cup his "MiMi," and its so cute I don't correct him, and shamefully, even encourage him. Whenever he wants comforting, he asks for "MiMi and Dween Banket."

Ah yes, the Green Blanket. I thought we were so ahead of the game when Colin appeared to be a blanket baby who had no preference between the 7 baby blankets he inherited from his sister (she who has a come-apart if Pooh Bear is missing). They were all soft knits, about the same size, and (I thought) interchangable. Until, the day the demanded the "Dween banket. DWEEN BANKET! NO, ODDER DWEEN BANKET!" The beloved green blanket has frogs on one side and raindrops on the other. Colin can tell which one it is in the dark.

He takes his little square fabric of devotion and spreads out each corner, making a little pad for himself in the kitchen. Then he sits on it and drinks his MiMi. Sometimes he folds it over his little bare legs and sometimes he feels it lovingly with the back of his hand.

He likes to watch Dora, the Backyardigans, Mary Poppins, and Bammy (Bambi). But he is in love with Cinderella. "I wah watch Cinder- rera," he croones. When she appears on screen, he beams at her. When the fairy godmother turns her rags into a beautiful ballgown, he says, "Pretty dress!" Later, he sings Cinderella's song, A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes, but Colin just hits the highlights: "A dream.... a wish... a heart may. Asleep...."

Anthony thinks his love for Cinderera and for footwear may foretell his gayness. I have heard a lot of people recently who see something feminine in their sons and think this. They almost seem to wish for it, so they can prove how tolerant they can be: "Look, my son is gay and I still love and accept him." But I don't think this necessarily portends same-sex love for Colin; I think he is in love with Cinderella, and wants to be her Prince (even though the prince is hopelessly underdeveloped in the movie).

Anyway, I am definitely in love with Colin-O.

Dos Linguas and a spill

On Friday, I got to cut and sew another cat tongue. This one was a cat with a tumor under its tongue. The owner had just noticed it when the cat started bleeding from its mouth. Hey, do you know what's under your cat's tongue? I cut the nickel-sized tumor off and sent it off to the lab. I had picked my sister, Emily, up at the airport on my lunch hour so she got to see the whole thing. One of the other vets I work with came over and said, "I can't believe you are cutting another cat's tongue!" We were almost jumping up and down we were so excited. Yeah, its crazy but I really love what I do.

Emily and I were "training" for our next adventure race. Saturday we went for a long bike ride and swim, and Sunday we rode our bikes and jogged. First we went to the high school track to run, and found it was locked. Some other people were on the track and encouraged us to scale the chain link fence, as they had. We decided it was more adventure event training and did. Emily did great; she didn't stop once on our long bike rides, and did some running/some walking at the tracks.

At the end of our second bike ride we decided to mountain bike up a steep drainage hill. Its one I go down all the time with the bike trailer, but I can't go up it with the trailer. Emily said, "You go first, I'll give you plenty of room." Good thing, since I hit a large log on the approach, and completely lost all my momentum. I was determined to continue, though, and so kept going until I hit the cement slope. My bike stopped and I went over the handlebars. I didn't hurt myself too badly, although I did land poking myself in the neck with my handle brake. It bruised my left sternocephalicus muscle (the one that sticks out when you turn your head) so its sore but doesn't look bad. I also have a large silver dollar sized bruise on my right inner thigh; not sure how that happened. My ego is bruised more than my body.

We had a great relaxed Labor Day, but it seems weird that I have to go to work tomorrow. Colin's first day of Preschool is tomorrow, too. Please check out my new banner for the Humane Society at the right hand margin.

Who got your cat's tongue?

OK, there are going to be some really gross pictures in this post, so if you don't want to see them don't scroll down. DON'T SCROLL DOWN! They are very graffic and I don't know how to make it so you can't see them unless you click on them. So, just go on to the next site if you don't wanna see.




An outdoor only kitty who hadn't been eating well for a few days was panting outside when the owner noticed his tongue was bleeding and had something seriously wrong with it. (It is abnormal for cats to pant even in this obscene Texas heat). The poor cat obviously got his tongue caught on something that seriously cut it up. There was a dangling necrotic piece that clearly had lost its blood supply and now was dying a odiferous death in his mouth. Although it was late in the afternoon, we immediately sedated him and took care of it.

Here's the first gory picture, rather artfully taken by my nurse. You can see the dead portion of the tongue as it lays on the surgical drape.


I removed the dead part and debrided the rest of the tissue. There was a deep laceration on the bottom of his tongue (not full thickness) and a shallow one at the top that I sutured closed.


The post-operative results.


Cat tongues really are amazing to look at with those thick grooming spines. After some pain medication and antibiotics, I sent him home. He was affectionately rubbing his face on my hand when I discharged him, just 1 hour later!