Argh Independence: A Whole Blog Clean-Up

~ Jenny

So here’s the plan:

I’m going to spend the rest of the summer putting Argh posts back up in sections.  But this time, all the posts in a series will be linked and will have a master page with the posts linked and labeled.  Needless to say, this will take time, and I’m doing other things–writing a book, cooking, shaving dogs, throwing out half my belongings–but my goal is to try to get one section up per day.    Today’s plan is the Questionables, but since there are a zillion of those, that may slop over into tomorrow.  I celebrated my holiday early. when Krissie was here (we had a fabulous time) so the next six days will be given over to being a cleaner, meaner blogger.   Well, not meaner.  You know what I mean.

In other news, I had a bitch of an MRI last week–90 damn minutes breathing on cue–but it was worth it: my heart function,  the EF anyway, is back to normal.   Went from 15% to 59% in a year (normal is 55 to 70%).  So I can ease up on the death jokes.  And get hit by a truck tomorrow, but that’s life for you.

In still other news, Krissie told me she knew how to groom dogs and took the clippers to Milton.  He looks bald in some places and chewed in the others, but at least the neighbors laugh whenever they see him, and then they pet him and tell him it’ll grow out.  I clipped Mona,  too, but she just looks like a choppy little lamb.  Milton looks like we ran the lawnmower over him.  Yet to come: Veronica.   Also, pictures if I can get that organized.

44 thoughts on “Argh Independence: A Whole Blog Clean-Up”

  1. HUZZAH FOR NORMAL EF!!!!!!!

    Not allowed to get hit by a truck. Or a plane. Or a kid on a Segway.

  3. In other news, I just typed the list of questionables. There are 102 of them. It’s gonna be awhile.

    And thank you all for the good wishes, too.

  4. Congrats on the heart news!

    As for dog clipping–you using a dog grooming kit? Recently I got a new one that’s cordless and low noise. Like my old one, can just choose the right length clipper cover so hair turns out pretty even so long as the dog is combed well beforehand and any little matts/clumps removed first. Haven’t used the new one yet since my pup has hair issues re seasonal allergies but interested to see your pics:)

  6. I’m a longtime lurker. Thank you for sharing your insight and humor. I’ve learned so much from your posts on writing. I’ve referred many of the authors I’ve worked with to your Writing/Romance blog. But I just found it’s become a private blog and I can no longer access it. Is this a permanent change?

    1. I’m not sure about Writing/Romance. I haven’t added anything to it in months, so it was pretty dead. I’ll either revamp it and put it up again, or I’ll incorporate the posts here. I still have all the content, it just needs to be reorganized.

      And thank you for the kind words, too!

  7. AHH, fine news indeed – the ejection factor, not the dog clipping. Now that I bath the dog, I’ve new respect for the people who shear sheep in record times at the agricultural show demonstrations.

  9. I’m so happy about your heart news!!!!! I also sympathize with the MRI discomfort. When I had brain MRIs in 1992, it took 4 hours. Thank God the new machines are faster than the old ones. When I participated in a study a few years ago, it was much faster, but still enough to start back spasms. But that is minor in the face of such great results. Whoopee!!!!!!!!!!!

    How is Krissie? I really loved hearing from her on AbFab.

  11. I had a checkup on the 17th. Three or four days later, the bloodwork came back and I got a call. “We are concerned! You are borderline anemic and your potassium is high – come back for more bloodwork. Are you taking Potassium supplements? STOP THAT. Those leg cramps are from too much, not too little. And drink lots and lots of water.”

    So I threw away all supplements. Guzzled water. Went back (yesterday) for bloodwork. Waiting for news. Jenny, I’m so jealous. Conga rats.

    I got good news, but not health related. The folks who held the note on the dead Ford Taurus called to say they got the insurance settlement and my balance is now zed. That’s roughly $300 a month I can now apply to the new Ford Fiesta payment. Yay and such!

    The dotter’s Routan is in the shop. She borrows the Fiesta, a problem with which I have not, except for coordinating around my work schedule. Last Saturday, she delivered me to work at 3-ish, did stuff with the grand kinder (Busch Gardens or Water Country) and picked my up at midnight. She was pooped.

    TTFN

    2. Since Jenny didn’t speak of transportation, I assume that was addressed to me. If so, the only buses in our vicinity are school buses, and schools out for summer.

      I have lived in places with good public transportation. This isn’t any of them.

  15. Yay on the EF news!!

    I had to laugh at the dog clipping story. Been there. Last year I got a Doodle and decided to do the trimming myself. (Did you know that even the eyelashes grow on a poodle? If you want them to be able to see, you have to trim them every month or so.) After months of practice, she is finally starting to look like a dog after her trim. And yes, even the worst mistakes do grow out. What’s more, dogs don’t care what they look like.

    1. “What’s more, dogs don’t care what they look like.”

      I dunno, our family dog used to have the proudest tail in the air when she walked down the street. After we trimmed her fur down, including that magnificently fluffy tail, she just never quite recovered…(or maybe it was her pride getting bruised from never catching any of the rabbits that taunted her at the lake)

      1. I used to have a rough collie and when he was wet and looked like a drowned rat you couldn’t even crack a smile in his direction because he knew he looked ridiculous. It made getting him ready for shows an exercise in self control. If his coat was dry, you could laugh at him all you wanted.

    2. “What’s more, dogs don’t care what they look like.” Uh, yes, some canines are so invested. Case in point: my two terriers, fresh from the groomers, happy, proud, and show-offy.

      Thhanks for the info on eyelashes. Confirms I’m not *entirely* crazy. Doodles are fabulous dogs, love their temperament.

    3. We attempted to trim our poodle-mix dog and I swear to this day he knows when we are reminiscing about it.

      It was a total crying-from-laughter scenario. So bad. So hilariously bad. We attempted that exactly once and have left it to the experts ever since. He definitely prances a little bit higher when we get him from the groomer, too – there’s gotta be some vanity in him and not just us anthropomorphising the situation 😂.

  16. Yay on the EF! That’s fantastic news.

    I took my cat to the vet today and her thyroid is normal but she’s got 2 more months of pills and then another blood test. Hopefully that vet visit won’t be 300.02. There was a lady there bringing in her deceased dog for cremation (the vet lives in the country and has a pet crematory) so I wasn’t not going to complain.

  17. I’m amazed by your generosity, Jenny, in walking people through your writing process. I find it endlessly helpful and inspiring. And brilliant news on the heart function!

  21. Happy for the good heart news. You and Krissie are brave. I’ll brush hair and teeth but otherwise my Sheltie goes to the groomer.

  22. Yay on the heart news! I sympathize on the dog grooming. Several years ago I took my long haired cat in for what’s called a lion cat. His fur had gotten matted and I couldn’t get the mats out so the grooming was much needed. When I picked him up, I had all I could do not to laugh; he looked so scrawny and pathetic. I called my then spouse and warned him not to laugh when he saw him. When he got home that evening, he took one look at poor Dougal and burst out laughing. His mistake…the following morning when he got dressed for work, he discover that Dougal had urinated in his work shoes!

  23. So happy about your heart! Sorry about the MRI, My legs always cramp in those machines.

    I am considering trimming Oreo myself. She has really long fur around her shoulders and chest and she seems far too hot. And the top of her head is all knots. With a dead car, paying for grooming doesn’t seem reasonable, but I’m not sure how awful she’ll look when I’m done.

    But as this is the before picture maybe the after doesn’t matter that much.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BzbtamfAV6w/

  25. Yeah for good health news.
    My MRIs are about 90 minutes also and I have to take drugs to not have a nervous breakdown in the machine.

  26. Yeah, you!!! You know, I think they might have made them tougher back in our day! We are not going quietly into the night!

  27. That’s brilliant health news, I’m so glad!

    And photos of Milton wanted, please.

    My mother cuts her dogs’ toenails. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The risk of cutting into their quick is just too high.

  28. All the heart happies! My own heart is lifted at the news. I’ve put a hex on all trucks in your vicinity. And, yes, please, doggie photos.

  29. Oh excellent work on getting the EF back to normal! Ka rawe to mahi! (great work! – I’m trying to learn and use more Te Reo Maori).

    1. Nope. No idea why it happened. No idea why it improved so much. That’s very anxiety making.

  31. Congratulations on the excellent health news! But still take it easy on yourself and take your time getting through things. That’s the “good” thing about work and chores – they are always ready for us even when we aren’t ready for them. In other words, it’ll all still be there later – take care to make sure you are, too!

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