#ThrowbackThursday & #ThursdayThoughts: How Reilly Saved Her "Momma" From Dying Due to Depression in 2014

If I, Reilly's "Momma", have never really talked about my major Depression flareup in 2014, I will now (and ironically so as patient Reilly waits for her night-owl "Momma"ⁱ, though she did ring the back door bell and paw at the hallway gate a few times to indicate that she wanted to go to bed). Without going into too much detail (and ironically in this instance as well, as I said that I'd talk about the Depression flareup), I'll say this: Reilly (or rather, God through Reilly) literally saved me from dying from starvation due to oversleeping that was caused by the Depression flareup, with the flareup being caused by a relative—"A"—of a former friend of one of my relatives—with whom I understandably disagreed on an issue into which I will not delve here, and "A" was upset that I would dare to talk about it.

I would name exactly who "A" is and state what the issue was if I were not afraid of what she and some of her associates could do to me. After all, "A" took her hatefulness as far as to stalk me on my blog (Trust me when I use the word "stalk", as her visits were constant, obsessive, and within minutes of each other)—and using Feedjit at the time, I could tell that it was her because of the area that Feedjit listed as where the visitor of the blog was roughly located—and to stalk me on LinkedIn—to stalk me on LinkedIn, to try to intimidate me, and she knew that I could see that it was her! She didn't even try to set it to "Private Mode"; and as far as Feedjit, she may have even known that I was using that and could see the statistics! Needlessly to say, I quickly spiraled into a severe Depression flareup which caused to oversleep, which caused me to obviously not eat like I should—since I obviously wouldn't get what nutrition I needed if I slept too much and thus ate too little because I was sleeping when I should've been eating (Besides, oversleeping can have other disastrous effects.).

I was very blessed, then, that Reilly gave me a reason to be here. I was also blessed that she needed up to 20 hours of sleep in her first year. By the way, this is part of why I criticize the militant "Adopt; Don't Shop" types and those whom are more than eagerly quick to demonize surrenders of pets to shelters. As I stated in a recent Facebook comment:

"I feel bad for [a pup that was surrended] and her former owner. At least she seems to be adjusting. It probably broke his heart to have to surrender her. I'd kill myself before surrendering Reilly if I ever had to do so--the self-righteous judgement that I would receive would be too much to bear in addition to the pain of having to give her up. May I never have to surrender one of my reasons for being here--and she saved me from a bad Depression flareup once. Without her, I'd've overslept and starved to death."

Reilly in an Autumn 2019 portrait

ⁱAnd yes, night owlism can come with and mutually contribute to Depression

#FluffyFriday & #FlashbackFriday: The Brat Is That Smart!

PS Pictures related to the first video tell the story in quite their own way.

Another Reilly Adventure In Pictures

Long story short: Reilly's tactic to actually let "Momma" take pictures in hopes that others might see them and side with her didn't work. She knew that she wasn't supposed to bark, could've just quietly watched the other puppy and his or her owner instead of barked at them through the window, and had to stay down from the chair until "Alexa [said] that [she could] get back up [on the chair and look out the window]". She also knew what "Alexa, set a timer for five minutes" (a timer to which "Momma" subsequetly had to add time) meant.

Besides, she's the kind of pup that would more likely want scritches from even any intruders than to alert "Momma" (or "Mom-Mom" or "Auntie Michelle") to any intruders for any reasons than scritches! So, her tactic to try to convince anyone whom'd see the pictures and think that she was being a guardpup didn't work!

Being a good girl even when she behaves badly does not mean that she gets to get away with behaving badly, let alone trying to get others to side with her in whatever way she as a puppy can (at least try to) get them to side with her when she's misbehaving! 

A Reilly Adventure In Pictures, Including A Moving One

I wanted some of Momma's food...

When she wanted to take another photo instead of give me food, though, I just walked away (since I don't like pictures of myself taken unless I get treats for having them taken). I didn't get into any trouble...

Oh yes, I did! Since Momma wouldn't give me her food...

#ThrowbackThursday, #FluffyFriday, and #FlashbackFriday: Reilly Is the McGruff Of Maltipoos If a Kiss On the Head From "Momma" Is a Crime

She actually bit "Momma"'s chin! 

#SillySunday & #SentimentalSunday: A Week In Adventures For Reilly (Reilly the Brat 🙂).

By the way, Reilly about hates her night-owl "Momma" right now (which is understandable, given that "Momma" promised Reilly to go "night nights" almost an hour and a half ago).

#WoofWednesday and Somewhat Offbeat: Ringing the Bell and Barking Over Which "Momma" Can't Hear And/Or Has To Shout

"Reilly, stop!"
"Reilly, quiet!"

Reilly persisted in ringing the bell to indicate that (and night-owl "Momma" got the point that) she wanted to go "night nights" last night (and "Momma"'s trying to be less of a night owl is a work in progress), and there've been other times when she's rung the bell instead of bark—not to mention that at quite a few times when she's wanted to go outside to see someone or something, she's both rung the bell and barked!

As for the barking by itself, it's still an inappropriate behavior in which Reilly engages—with her often going as far as to bark with Camille when Camille's inappropriately barked (including this morning), notwithstanding that she as alphess should be setting a good example for her younger cousin and betess! The barking also frequently gets loud enough for "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" to be unable to tell her bad-example-setting "dogter" and her furniece to be quiet, especially when they're barking simultaneously and cacophonically—and often to the point at which she can't hear over it!

Of course, what can "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" do about it particularly if they don't listen to "Be quiet or get down [from their beds from which they look out of the family-room window]!" and "Be quiet!"? She doesn't have anyone (not counting "Mom-Mom" and "Auntie Michelle"/"Mimi" in this context at all) to roll them over or chase them when they try to run and keep barking or be a firmer and stronger voice than she can be (and not that "Mom-Mom" or "Auntie Michelle" will always roll them over when "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" asks them to do so, anyway). 

Somewhat Offbeat: A Cold About Did In Night-Owl "Momma"; Still Trying To Be A Better "Momma" To Reilly, Etc.

After a roughly-two-day cold about did in night-owl "Momma", she began to try to go "night nights" with Reilly earlier than before—and it's still a work in progress, and a lonely one at that in one way. At least, truth be told, she even observes that Reilly's mood in the morning and throughout the day seems better, even though her behavior often surely isn't better—as behaviors such as the inappropriate barking continue. As for "Momma"'s mood on the other hand, it's not so much better, especially when the inappropriate behaviors occur—and notwithstanding that Reilly is one reason that she keeps living, despite the paradox of Reilly seeming to want to kill her when she barks and causes her to have myclonous flareups that could affect fatal injuries.

However, at least "Momma"'s energy levels might be a little better at least at times, such as when she's able to take Reilly to go "potty" without having to use her rollator and put the loop of Reilly's leash around one of its handles—not to mention that the first occurrence of that, as "Momma" recalls, actually happened this morning, since "Momma" figured that she might as well try it. So, maybe she'll be strong enough one day to not have Reilly's inappropriate barking affect myoclonous flareups, given that she was strong enough to take Reilly to go "potty" without having to depend on the rollator—and she may even be able to take her on walks someday for all that she knows!

Nonetheless and as "Momma" mentioned, being a better "Momma" to Reilly is a work in progress.

PS On a lighter note: who couldn't find a puppy with a bandanna to be cute, let alone Reilly with a bandanna to be cute? Thus, "Momma" took the following pictures of Reilly in a bandanna:

Early #MemoryMonday and #MaltipooMonday Post

Belated Canada Day Card From Reilly And Camille

PS "Auntie Nicole" actually took the picture of Cam on Canada Day and made the card last night! 

"Momma" Heard A Firework Or Gunshot Last Night. So Did Reilly, And...

She amazingly did not bark, and she gave "Momma" kisses as "Momma" got down on the floor to call the non-emergency police from her cell phone. She didn't even have to be told to not bark, even when the firework or gunshot caused another puppy to bark¹. So, she certainly must've known that something was wrong (either that, or it was a combination of that she was sleepy and able to sense that something was wrong—although being tired hasn't always kept her from barking when she's heard, seen, or smelled someone whom or something that she considers barkworthy!).


¹As both she and "Momma" could hear—and puppies can hear louder sounds much better than humans can, which is how "Momma" knows that both of them could hear the firework or gunshot and the other puppy.

PS: No Rooboos (Reillys) Were Harmed In the Making Of This Livestream For #FluffyFriday and #FlashbackFriday

PPS Reilly has nicknames such as "Rooboo".

For #MemoryMonday and #MaltipooMonday: An Adventurous May-Into-June Week

And when this one (i.e., Reilly) scratches, it hurts! 

#WoofWednesday: More Of Reilly's Antics, Including Barking Inappropriately!

Incidentally, Reilly may have just barked in her sleep during her evening nap, unless "Momma" was hearing things. Anyway:

1. Speaking of barking, though, both Reilly and Camille really (so to speak) took up quite a bit of thinking room with their loud barks, and Reilly especially barked up a lot of thinking room!
2. As if barking inappropriately throughout the day wasn't and wouldn't be enough, running outside as "Mom-Mom" was coming back from having taken Camille to "go potty" apparently made a fine addition to the list of Reilly's Woof Wednesday antics! To be fair, though, Reilly did at least come back inside for a treat.
3. Reilly found another treat when "Mom-Mom" went back outside to garden, meanwhile, and this treat happened to be a treat which was actually a "nasty" which "Momma" had to lock the back door to get: a shredded cotton pad that she doesn't quite know how Reilly came by in the first place. Not wanting to be hit by the back door in case "Mom-Mom" decided to come in while "Momma" had to lay on the floor to get the pieces (since standing up and bending down to get them would've been quite unfeasible, especially if the door would've hit her while she was on her feet), "Momma" had to lock the back door briefly and risk locking "Mom-Mom" out of the house—and needlessly to say, she was not happy about it, and she even told Reilly (in terms in which Reilly could understand) that her IBS flares up when she stresses her out—and her acquisition of the cotton pad and shredding of it definitely caused her to have an IBS flareup.

There were other antics as well, though these three antics exemplify just how badly Reilly can behave! 

The Great Debate Continues, And #TuesdayTroubles Such As Reilly's Attempts To Jump Down When She's Supposed To Wait!

#MemoryMonday, #MaltipooMonday, and #MotivationMoney: When Reilly Learned A New Trick

And one at which she's getting better at learning and mastering.

#MemoryMonday, #MaltipooMonday, and #MondayMusings: Time Outs For Reilly, More Jealousy, Etc.

Just a few highlights of what's happened of late in la casa de Reilicita Rosalicita:

1. "Quiet or get down!" doesn't always work on the little barkbrat (namely, Reilicita Rosalita herself). Thus, "Momma" has needed to devise a new system: putting Reilly in "time out" by telling her to "get down" from the window and stay down until the timer that she sets on Alexa goes off, which she has told her outrightly (e.g., "You need to stay until Alexa says that you can get back up there.") and despite that she is not always obeyed (and has to tell her to get back down and stay down until Alexa says that she can get back up there).
2. Reilly may be or may not be learning a new trick (Stay tuned to find out 😏.).
3. Speaking of tricks, both Reilly and Camille quite often continue to insist on tricking everybody into thinking that they need to "go potty"—and have made friends with the spray bottle on that account as well as other accounts!
4. Speaking of both Reilly and Camille, Reilly now gets jealous when "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" even asks Camille if she can give her a kiss!
5. Meanwhile, both of them have had quite-adventurous walks recently—and (according to "Mom-Mom"), today's morning walk entailed Camille literally jumping three feet in the air when the wind blew a recycling bin or trash can toward her and Reilly!
6. By the way, Camille just turned four years old on the Hebrew calendar! (L'Yom Huledet Same'ach, Kamila!).
7. Also by the way, Reilly has been dealing patiently with (among other things) "Momma"'s recent Depression flareup, although she's let "Momma" know when her patience has been tested by either trying to go "night nights" in "Mom-Mom"'s room or even running back downstairs!

PS In case anyone missed the recently-posted video of Reilly...

Reilly's Reaction To "Santa Ducky" In A Video!

But "Momma" wasn't April Fooling Reilly!

"Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" Had To Give Up Camille?, and Reilly Has a "Daddy"!?

April Fools! In all seriousness, though:

1. The subject of the above video has been recommended by "Mom-Mom" to stay with Reilly should "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" ever move out since Reilly and Camille "are a bonded pair", and it would apparently be cruel to separate them. This is also part of why "Mom-Mom" would not necessarily get her own puppy while Reilly and Camille are still living in the same house: that is, Reilly and Camille are bonded enough to possibly exclude any subsequent puppy from the pack. She would actually buy "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" another puppy to take with her in order for Camille to stay with Reilly. While "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" is heartbrokenly and heartbreakingly tempted by that logic, "Auntie Nicole"/"Momma" absolutely put her foot down on that one: that is, "Auntie Nicole"/"Momma" reminded "Mom-Mom" that Camille would be more heartbroken were she ever separated from "Mimi" than she would from Reilly, especially if "Mimi" got her a companion and someone over whom she could be alphess for once. Of course, "Mom-Mom" wouldn't hear of it.
2. "Mom-Mom" of course assumes that "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" and Reilly will never move out—wooo; what a way to further shatter (or at least try to shatter) any hopes for her and Reilly! 💔 
3. If "Momma" and Reilly ever do move out (which, Yehovah willing, they will somehow), "Momma" is taking Reilly with her regardless of what "Mom-Mom" thinks.

PS The above video is a video of Camille and "Santa Ducky", since "Auntie Nicole" has no recent pictures to post and wanted to still post something there (obviously in part to not give away whether "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" really did had to give up Camille), and "Momma" did record Reilly's reaction to it—and she'll post that reaction later today (א׳י׳י).

Read The Post And Then My Comment On It, And Then You'll See What's Between the Lines

In other words, Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital doesn't care about people, let alone pet owners, or pets with disabilities (and neither does "People", apparently, which is a damned shame).

PS I absolutely let Hillcrest have it, too. By the way, I used the example in re people with Epilepsy because my maternal grandmother (ז״ל) had Epilepsy and seizures because of it, one of which I witnessed.

PPS I urge you boycott Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital, especially if you have disabilities and all the more so have service (including emotional-support) animals. Hillcrest seems more than happy to call you a coward if you ever (ח״׀״ס) have to have a service animal put down and cannot stay in the room.