Duncan's 1st Birthday!!!

Since the title of my blog deals with "my little dog Duncan," I thought I might actually make a post about him. Sunday was Duncan's 1st birthday!!! Animal World USA even threw him a party at Overton Park called Woofstock. Ok, it wasn't a party for him. But it was just convienently held on his birthday. There were a bunch of pet oriented booths set up and live music, as well as pets for adoption. It was pretty fun...and Duncan really enjoyed playing with all the other dogs and getting free treats and such.

Then after the exciting Woofstock we headed over to the pet store to get him a few things. He needed a new frisbee since he enjoys those more than balls. We usually use plastic lids from tupperware but he destroys those pretty quickly. I even bought him a "durable" one at the store about a month ago but he managed to destroy it too. Then we got some big rawhide bones to keep him busy while I'm in school since the small ones don't seem to last very long and I don't want him eating too many of them. And in the process of picking these items out he decides he wants a new stuffed animal too since he is pulling them off the shelf and carrying them around the store. So, all in all I think he had a pretty good birthday. Below are some pictures of him playing with his new toys. Sorry, I didn't get any pictures at Woofstock.

Lynn's Yearbook

Someone is always wanting me to update my blog so I thought that I would.

And dedicate this entire post to her.

Lynn through the decades.

Enjoy!!

The New Pad

As I promised, I am posting pictures of my new apartment in Memphis. It is fairly clean but not perfect so pardon the mess.

First, the living room...

The view as you walk in the door.

Another similar view but here you can see the vaulted ceiling.

The fireplace, tv, and balcony door

Part of the front door and the pass through to the kitchen

The balcony and my new patio furniture

The dining room

Half of the kitchen

Other half of the kitchen (with the pass through to the living room)

The washing machine in the laundry room. There is a dryer that faces it but I didn't take a picture of it.

My bed in the bedroom

My desk and chest of drawers

The door to my room and my bookcase

And finally my bathroom

Well, that's it for the tour. I hope you enjoyed it. If anyone is ever in Memphis feel free to give me a call and I'll give you a real tour.

The Brown Family Zoo

This post should be a bit happier than my last one. Last weekend my parents came to move me from Jackson to my new apartment in Memphis...yes in the 100 degree weather plus humidity. Then, if that wasn't enough we moved packed, cleaned, and then moved my brother's stuff from Memphis to Union City on Saturday AND Sunday. Then since my orientation doesn't start until this coming Monday I went home for a few days. And when I say home I really mean the zoo.

Welcome to the Brown Family Zoo.

There was Max and Dixie, our family dogs, as well as Duncan.

Max Duncan Dixie

Then there is Stone, Bruce's dog.

This is an old picture of Stone but the only one I had (I forgot to take one of him while I was home...how he got lost in the mix I don't know)

Then you throw in our 5 cats Jack, Tobey, Tucker, Lily, and Lucy.

Jack

Toby

Lily and Tucker



Lucy

Then you add Lucy's 4 kittens (Free kitten anyone??).

Also, we are keeping my aunt and uncles 3 puppies while they are out of town (which are for sale if anyone is interested).






And in case you weren't counting that makes 16 animals. I'm pretty sure there is something illegal about that. It made for an interesting few days to say the least.


Well, that's about it for the zoo. I'm back in Memphis now trying to get settled in before orientation starts on Monday. I'll post pictures of my apartment once I get it finished (and after Lynn posts pictures of her house since she had a week's head start).

A Bittersweet Death

Well, I am officially grandparentless. My grandmother died early Thursday morning, July 3, 2008. It was both expected and unexpected. She was 93 and more than ready to go. She has been steadily going downhill, ever since my grandfather died almost 6 years ago. She went from living in the same house for 50 years to a retirement home, then to an assisted living home, then to another assisted living home since the first one was hit by a tornado and destroyed everything right up to her room. She had a couple of hospital and nursing home/rehabilitation stays during that time but she always made it back to where she was. Although she had been slowing going downhill she had no major medical problems--basically just old age and severe arthritis, nothing in itself that would kill her. But it was painful, and she was sure to let me know that she was ready to die just about every time I saw her the past several years. Which, to say the least, did not make my visits with her that enjoyable.

Then about a month ago she ended up back in the hospital. Nothing too major. Some of her mineral levels had gotten really low and she had ended up confused and then unconcious, which could have also been due to her over self-medicating, whether intentionally or unintentionally. She was there for about a week and since my aunt and uncle who live in town were leaving to go out of the country for 2 weeks on the day she was admitted and my father lives an hour away, I checked on her everyday and even did paperwork that I'm not sure I was legally allowed to do. When she was ready to be discharged she still wasn't strong enough to return to the assisted living place so she was put in a nursing home for rehabilitation. I again got her settled in and checked on her. She didn't always show her gratitude either which made it difficult for me. Thus, after my aunt and uncle returned to town I took a break from my almost daily visits. Then, I was going to go check on her after a little more than a week on Thursday. Well, early that morning I found out she had passed away. She passed quickly in her sleep, as she had wanted. The cause is not for sure but my dad suspects a leaking aortic aneurism.

Therefore, as I began, it was both expected and unexpected. With the slow deteroration and recent hospital visit we all new it was coming. I just expected to have a little warning, for her to be in the hospital or something. But there wasn't, and it was probably for the better. She is in heaven where she wanted to be and I know she is happy.

The last picture I think I have of my grandmother, from Christmas 2007.

Allie Louise Brown

10/27/14 - 7/3/08