Spent the day driving my very special girl up to the pet hospital in Pittsburgh, and you all will be pleased to know that she is doing extremely well, is no longer on any medication other than her now monthly (this was our last three week visit) chemo, and everything is going swimmingly.
I’m so proud of her- she’s so tough. It’s no exaggeration that driving up and back and dealing with this is now harder on me than it is on her.
On the way home I stopped by the orchard and picked up a peck of apples to make applesauce, as well as five pounds each of Autumn Crisp and Gingergold. Right now my house smells amazing, with the smell of cooking apples and a little cinnamon. It’s a nice antidote to the stench of our current national politics.
BruceFromOhio
Bless you both. And thank you.
jharp
So what kind of cinnamon if I might ask?
I’ve been using Ceylon cinnamon that I have been sold is the real cinnamon, health benefits and all.
But in taste tests the fake stuff seems better.
Tata
Just me, but I’d be walking around the house, holding Lily on one hip like a precious toddler, perhaps one who hadn’t learned to say, “No, Mama!” yet.
Aimai
If you throw the apples peels and all into your crockpot with a little brown sugar, leave the top off, and let it cook for three days you will have marvellous apple butter!
sfinny
The picture and good news makes my day.
Mnemosyne
Lily! Such a beautiful girl. I’m glad she’s doing well.
Charlotte has to go in for her annual heart checkup this Friday. G is going to have to take her for the first time since I’m still on crutches until next week. Since she seems to be acting normally, it will probably show another slight thickening of the part of her heart that has some thickening and that she’s too fat, because she’s a little chunkster.
John Cole
@jharp: ceylon always
Tata
Love her beautiful face!
Mandarama
Bless Lily! She has a noble profile.
After losing our beloved Golden to a stroke last month, we didn’t hold out long before the quiet got to us. The same breed rescue came through and found us new fren Oliver Tullamore <>, Tully for short. He’s half Golden and half Great Pyrenees and still a lanky puppy. We picked him up on Saturday and he’s already got both teenage boys wrapped around his many-toed paw. Hoping for lots of happiness!
Elizabelle
She’s adorbs.
Where is the bow?
Major Major Major Major
No bow?
Redshift
Hey, JC, your post about Ted Cruz getting chased out of a restaurant got linked in Greg Sargent’s Happy Hour Roundup in the Post this evening!
seefleur
De-lurking long enough to say that Lily’s grace and dignity as a survivor is keeping me on a more even keel as another type of survivor who is working to stay above water over the past few days of insanity. Lily is a role-model and both of you are lucky to have each other. Thanks for providing a safe refuge for survivors of every stripe – you and your critters and all the jackals on this site are angels (dirty-faced, and twisted, but in the best possible way!). Thank you!
jacy
Love seeing Lily looking so hale and hearty! She’s the best girl.
Happy news at my house: my oldest son got his teaching certification for his new school, where he’ll be teaching and coaching less-privileged kids. It was a school that flooded out during the Baton Rouge floods and this is it’s first year back. He’s the defensive coach for the football team and so far they are 3-0. This is where is heart lies and he’s so happy to be back with kids he can mentor. And my daughter (who teaches sixth grade at a Title I school) was just accepted to a Master’s program in Education Strategies, which should finish up just about the time she hits her five years mark (which means they’ll pay off her student loans and she’ll be debt free). Yay!
Redshift
@Redshift: (actually written by co-blogger Paul Waldman.)
sfinny
@Mandarama: Congrats on the new puppy. I am planning on adopting a cat after thanksgiving. Must admit that an empty apartment is very sad to come home to.
Mary G
@Redshift: Wow! I was just about to go read Happy Hour. We can say we knew John when.
PIGL
Is it possibly for a little doggie to be a saint? Becuase she just radiates goodness. I would make a pilgrimage to your door just to pet her for a moment. Not normally a dog person, either.
TaMara (HFG)
@Mandarama: You must send photos to one of us front pagers so we can all share in the happiness. And [[hugs]]] on losing your other pup.
TaMara (HFG)
How did Lily get out without a bow? Or is that the ride to…not from. She is so purty.
Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ
Sweet pup. Love her little white muzzle.
debbie
Such a serene face! Lily has endured chemo better than any human I’ve known.
rikyrah
Lily is so beautiful ??
rikyrah
@jacy:
Congrats to your son??
HypersphericalCow
She looks so stoic. “I have faced Death, and barked at it.”
TomatoQueen
Beautiful Lily girl, so serene, so glad you’re doing so well.
Steve in the ATL
@Mandarama:
You’re gonna need a bigger vacuum cleaner
donnah
What wonderful news about Lily! She looks great, and I hope she continues to do well.
RedDirtGirl
So happy to get the report. Whenever I see a dog of that make and model I think, “it’s a lily-dog”. Have done my volunteer training with two rescue groups in my area. Hoping to actually volunteer this weekend.
Jackal Query: Am I correctly remembering John raving about getting pedicures?
J R in WV
Great news, John, so glad for you and your beautiful little girl ~!!!~
Mandarama
@sfinny: Wishing you the best in finding your new family member! Our kitty was lonely after losing our other cat and a dog in one summer. She’s actually enjoying the puppy messing with her, since she gets to give him the smackdown.
Emma
@RedDirtGirl: Re: pedicures. Yes. And so do I.
P.S. Beautiful girl is beautiful.
Mandarama
@TaMara (HFG): Aww, thank you! It was hard to say goodbye to him after 9 wonderful years. He was on the front page here when we got him, too. ❤️
TS (the original)
@Redshift: There are also some good polling figures mentioned in that roundup.
Mandarama
@Steve in the ATL:
TRUTH.
stinger
Lovely Lily, going to (or coming from) the place where all the nice people fuss over her. She receives her just due. So glad the news continues good.
My local orchard does special things on Wednesdays during the season, like fresh cider doughnuts. Unfortunately, Wed. always seem to keep me swamped at work and I haven’t been able to get away and get good (non-supermarket) apples.
Mainmtta
Wonderful news. Lily is a beautiful dog and a true surivor.
jimmiraybob
Thank you.
Debg
Lily looks marvelous. I’m glad she’s doing so well.
zhena gogolia
@PIGL:
Lily is indisputably a saint.
seaboogie
@Mandarama: sorry for your loss and happiness for your new one. The love of my life was a golden. I have a pup-sitting client who lost her boxer dog of a lifetime, and was so bereft about getting another dog. Long story short – in November I will sit her TWO new boxer puppies. Told her that her late boxer Foxy would absolutely insist on her bringing another dog (now dogs, plural) into a loving home, because dogs are generous of spirit that way. Puppies!!!!!
guachi
Late night election update. Cook Political writer Dave Wasserman adjusted five ratings today, all towards the Democrats. Specifically, CO-06, NY-02, NC-13, PA-01, and TX-31. The total effect of the changes would be expected to net the Democrats about 1.3-1.4 seats on average.
I like Cook Reports because they go into district specific reasons for their ratings changes.
Assuming zero change in ratings before election day, Cook’s ratings before today’s changes implied about a 72% of a Dem majority if you don’t believe in a ‘wave’ that disproportionately benefits one party or a 99.5% chance if you do believe in a Dem wave.
After today’s changes I’d guess the new ratings would be about 80% chance and still over 99% chance. I haven’t actually run the numbers as my spreadsheet is at work. But a change of 1.3 seats is really large.
Current seat total estimates would 221.9 (no wave) or 228.6 (wave)
Before today the estimates would be 220.6 (no wave) or 227.2 (wave)
So the change in today’s ratings adds a HUGE cushion over the 218 mark from 2.6 seats to 3.9 seats in the no wave scenario. That’s a big difference when running random trials.
Hungry Joe
Lily is one of the sweetest-looking doggies I’ve ever seen. She just radiates it, and it comes across in every picture. How is that even possible?
seaboogie
John – we all have a dog (and/or a cat) of a lifetime – the one that touches ours hearts most deeply and creates the perfect inter-species bond. Lily is your dog of a lifetime, she’s a one-er. And your shared bond has touched us all. Thank you for sharing your (happily ongoing) Lily experience.
guachi
Looking at the Senate races which were last changed on the 21st the Democrats are looking at an expected 48.64 seats (no wave) or 50 seats (wave).
I actually do have my random trials set up in Excel. The 9/21 estimates give a 10.8% chance (no wave) or 37.3% (wave) of the Democrats getting to 51 seats. That win in Alabama is doing most of the heavy lifting here.
Back on 8/24 the chances were 3.9% and 17.8%, respectively. This is the Dems best chance that Cook has given them so if you are a Democrat you should be enthusiastic about the Senate going from ‘longshot’ to ‘real possibility’.
There are 8 toss-up races — four Democrat and four Republican — Florida, Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas. I don’t know if any of the candidates in those races really need more money but those are the most competitive.
CaseyL
There is something so Zen about Lily in that photo. Truly she has been through the tempering fire and come out knowing what’s important: The moment. This moment. (And lots of lovies.)
I work at a vet’s office now, and it’s a madhouse most days. The kitties, bunnies, and guinea pigs are, alas, in carriers, so little chance of getting acquainted, but I do get to see and say Hi to a lot of dogs. Today we had a couple absolutely adorable English Boxers, an older one and a pup, who couldn’t wriggle and wag enough. The older one kept trying to jump into my arms. It is wonderful seeing so many animals and the humans who love them; and wonderful to work with doctors who are so dedicated to their patients. A real antidote to the hellish timeline we find ourselves in.
Mel
@jacy: Thank you for sharing that wonderful news, and enormous congratulations to both of your kiddos. They will change the lives of many, many children for the better.
Please tell them that this old teacher sends thanks to them for picking up the fight to protect and educate the next generation.
MoxieM
She looks like she never was sick. It’s so nice to see. Paws crossed.
?BillinGlendaleCA
Speaking of kiddos, my step-daughter found a new friend downunder.
Mel
@?BillinGlendaleCA: What a wonderful photo! Your stepdaughter looks so happy, and she clearly has excellent critter-whispering skills!
Aleta
Lily looks good. I like how she’s looking forward.
Aleta
@?BillinGlendaleCA: Beautiful.
Aleta
@seaboogie: You’re a good friend.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Mel: She’s having a good time down there, she even got to feed a kangaroo. Today it was off to New Zealand.
Villago Delenda Est
Wonderful progress report on Lily. She is indeed a good dog.
Steeplejack (tablet)
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
“Really, officer, I was just helping that koala back into the tree.”
seaboogie
@jacy: So glad you have this wonderful news to share with us – yay your kids!
seaboogie
@Aleta: ?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Steeplejack (tablet): Yeah, that’s the ticket…
WaterGirl
Hi sweet Lily.
Sloane Ranger
Ahhh, she looks so happy and alert. I’m so pleased for you both.
Boom Zillla
Jesus wept, I sat and stared at that picture of Lily forever. All the while wishing I could just rub her head and whisper little secrets about how good and strong she iis. Niot that it’s much of a secret. Then thank her for being John’s best friend.
John, if I’m ever in WV. which I admit is unlikely as I live in San Francisco, laid up all day, just waiting till I can’t make bills next month… Sorry, this isn’t about me..
If I ever get to WV I’d profoundly appreciate it if I could meet Lily. Oh, and you, of course. : ) Not asking for an invitation to your house, though second behind pictures of Lily and Steve my favorite posts are of your house. I know it’s been an unending money-pit so far. Hopefully that will stop. I love your house.
I just really, really want to pet your sweet dog. Makes me hurt a little wishing I had one like her.
Good for you, John Cole. You both deserve each other.
Be well.
Boomzillla
ihop
lily: “i got this.”