From New York To Philadelphia To Baltimore, Although...

Reilly and Camille probably felt it, despite that "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" and "Mom-Mom" didn't feel it. The "it" in question was a NY-NJ- and DE-PA-MD-Areas earthquake that probably explains why Reilly and Camille were barking unusually continuously before or at 4:45 (probably closer to an hour within their usual naptime—like 3:00—since the sun set at around or after 4:45, and it wasn't dark when they were barking unusually continously), not to mention moving from the family room to the kitchen and back at one point. Of course, "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" is worried for some people (including a certain one) and both surprised and unsurprised that they could electromagnetically could detect a Baltimore-affecting earthquake all the way in Howard County, Maryland. Then again, since they were born at Ole Field Farm, so "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" thinks that they could've both electromagnetically detected the earthquake and had a canine sense that something was amiss at Ole Field Farm, which is in Carroll County and closer to Dover (where the epicenter of the earthquake was) than any city in Howard County is.

Mostly Offbeat: Still Being A Bad "Momma" To Reilly While Waiting For A Clear Answer Re A Certain Matter, Etc..

"Momma", so to speak, seems to have beaten a dead horse re a certain matter. Nonetheless, it involves a kind of heartbreak and confusion which "Momma" has not been able to get over for almost three years now, especially if there's a possibility that she may be right about whom a certain person is in regard both to her and to Reilly (and wanting an answer straight from the source isn't bad, is it?). Besides, she's already said that "the tall guy", for example, is simply a family friend and not at all whom she thinks is her helpmate and Reilly's "Daddy". Also besides, he also wants an "uncle" for Camille and to be a better "Auntie Nicole" to her.

She's pretty sure that especially other pet owners who have disabilities can relate to this, by the way. After all, for instance, don't they want to be able to do more that they can't do for their pets alone? Also for instance and incidentally, "Momma"'s pretty sure that other pet owners can relate to that she almost fell off of her stool when Reilly barked within the hour, and "Momma" (like other pet owners with disabilities would like to be around for their pets) would like to be around for and not killed by Reilly because she fell due to a myoclonus flareup. 

When Reilly Went To A Pet-Friendly Hardware Store As a "Guinea Pig"—And Camille Couldn't Go

"Mom-Mom" and "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" were testing out Reilly as a "guinea pig" to see if she would be the kind of "'well-behaved'" pet that the hardware store allows. Needlessly to say, "Auntie Nicole"/"Momma" was upset that she couldn't go with Reilly while "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" would stay home with Camille this week and go with her next week, and Camille was upset about not being able to go with "Mimi". Both "Auntie Nicole" and Camille were also upset that Camille missed a positive car-ride experience.

Camille, meanwhile, just looked out the window waiting for them to come back, waited in between the kitchen and the hallway gate looking at the door, etc.—she wouldn't even let "Auntie Nicole" give her scritches more than once or get her harness and leash on her to go sit on the back porch with her. (Incidentally, "Auntie Nicole" knows how Camille feels in a different way and regarding a different matter, and she knows about waiting patiently and nonetheless frustratedly and confusedly—thus part of why she could sympathize with Camille, and called "Mimi" and "Mom-Mom" to let them know  how much Camille missed them.)

As for Reilly, "[s]he was an instant hit" with the store employees and customers, "Auntie Michelle" told "Momma"; and she apparently didn't even try to eat any stray wood pellets (which she tries to eat at home) or mulch that might've dropped!

And The Thanksgiving Eve Barkfest Begins...

Just moments ago, Camille and Reilly began a barkfest when "Mom-Mom" sent Reilly downstairs after her evening nap. The barkfest unfolded as follows:

1. "Mom-Mom" sent Reilly down.
2. She called down to "Auntie Michelle" to let her know.
3. "Auntie Michelle" whinly: "Wha-a-at?" (after a long week, to be fair, and with an apology)
4. Camille began barking.
5. Reilly began barking.
6. "Auntie Michelle"/"Mimi" told Reilly and Camille that she had to go lay down for a while because they were causing her to a headache.
7. Reilly and Camille continued to bark for a little longer after that.

La vida y los momentos á la casa de Riley Rosalita y Camille Dominique, todavía interesantes—¡y Felíz Día de Grácias a todos, pueblo!

Thanksgiving 2017 Card From Reilly and Camille

PS Flash ended up being too much. However, "Mimi" liked this picture of Camille, and "Auntie Nicole" got the "eyes...aglow" idea from it. Also, Cam really did try to steal Ri's treats and had to go into her crate until Reilly's separate photo was taken, and she got an extra treat for getting into her crate as "Auntie Nicole" asked her to do while Reilly got an extra treat for finally cooperating with "Momma".

Halloween Card From Reilly and Camille

PS Reilly had her leash on partly to get ready for her walk, and Camille even refused to cooperate with "Mimi" at first.

The Halloween Card Will Have To Come Later Tonight, After "Mimi" Holds Camille For Separate Pictures

As "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" predicted, Reilly and Camille were going to hate getting dressed up. Reilly did not fully cooperate with "Momma" the first time, as she followed Camille's bad example of jumping off of the couch once "Auntie Nicole" got Camille's costume on her and got Camille on the couch. She did, however, reluctantly cooperate the second time and get treats as a result.

As for Camille, as "Auntie Nicole" stated, "Mimi" will have to help "Auntie Nicole" get separate pictures of Camille. There goes "Auntie Nicole"'s original theme idea for the card, by the way 🙄

Reilly's And Camille's Costumes....

Let's just say that they're not exactly pup-proved.

(You thought that "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" would reveal what the Halloween costumes are, didn't you? Not without making a Halloween card! Trick for treat, and the treat will be a Halloween card with Reilly and Camille in their costumes!

(Anyway...)

1. Reilly and Camille hate dressing up in general.
2. "Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle" (despite that she thinks that the costumes are cute) certainly did not help "Auntie Nicole/"Momma" get Camille and Reilly to get their costumes on them as much as she could have helped her.
3. The costume for Reilly was bigger than expected, despite that it's size adjustable.
4. Probably due in part to flaring-up-of-late OCD/Anxiety, "Momma" likely left the costume a little too loose since she doesn't want to choke Reilly. 

PS "Trick for treat" definitely encompasses Reilly's allowing "Momma" to put on the costume in exchange for getting a treat. 

Happy Belated National Pumpkin Day!

As promised...

The Air Force, A Loving Reilly, And Veteran's Day (Plus An Upcoming Belated National Pumpkin Day Card)

"Momma" is proud that:

1. The head of the Air Force Academy, Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria, condemns bigotry
2. Reilly refused to nosebutt her when she, in light of Lt. Gen. Silveria's admonition to the Air Force, asked her whether she hated anybody just because of what they look like, their beliefs, etc.. At one point, though, Reilly nosebutted "Momma" because she assumed that "Momma" wanted her to nosebutt when she mistook a refusal to nosebutt as an affirmative answer and asked the question again ("Momma" culpa!)

Apparently, though, Reilly loves "Momma" (She gave "Momma" kisses.) and hates everybody else (including "Momma—or at least she was tired of "Momma" bothering her with questions!).

As Veteran's Day approaches, meanwhile, "Momma" and Reilly thank the Air Force and other veterans (including active-duty ones. Once a person in the United States Armed Forces, always a veteran—except for the ones like treasonous Bowe Bergdahl and very-much-self-exaggerating John Garofalo.)

(By the way, Reilly—while she may love everybody—doesn't like everybody, and she would certainly dislike those like Bowe Bergdahl on a daily basis as much as she dislikes "Momma" on some days!)

PS Reilly did get her earned pumpkin for both being patient with "Momma" over the past few weeks and National Pumpkin Day,  and she will (God willing) be in a belated National Pumpkin Day card. 

A Sample Of Livestreams Of Reilly (The Star) and "Momma" (Only Because Reilly Needs Somebody's Lap On Which To Sit)

Reilly does not like to look at the camera even to say "Hi" to friends:



Incidentally, "Momma" did allude to part of why Reilly didn't want to look at the camera, which is that Reilly was sleepy partly due to "Momma".

Mostly Offbeat: The Sooner That "Momma" Finds Out What A Certain Person Wants, The Better For Herself And Reilly

Not knowing has kept "Momma"—and as a result, Reilly—way past midnight of late, even causing "Momma" to have OCD/Anxiety flareups while sewing Reilly's toy "Hippo". Even an answer such as "Your guess as to who your future helpmate and Reilly's future 'Daddy' is, is plainly incorrect" would immensely help "Momma" and Reilly.

By the way, this picture was taken at 2:07 AM on July 15th. The other one was actually taken on July 12, 2017 at 11:41 PM. Still, it goes to show that this is a frequent occurrence (Here, Reilly is snuggling with a toy wishbone.)

More On Wanting To Explain Things To Reilly—Whom, By the Way, Would Be A Ravens Fan For Halloween, But...

That might be too scary until the Ravens shape up, and Reilly and Camille live in a house where any Halloween costumes are either of the following:

1. Cute and/or celebratory—e.g., such as dressing up as a fan of a football team, like one relative of Reilly's and Camille's happens to be doing this year (though of course his or her human family will dress him or her up, and "Momma"/"Auntie Nicole" won't say what team to protect everybody's privacy).
2. Not over-the-line or too-scary-of-which-to-make-light-of-even-on-Halloween scary. "Momma" even thought about dressing up Reilly as a ghost until the idea that Reilly would have to be dressed up in white got in the way (and "Momma" will not use certain colors, even for cards with Reilly in them, in this era if she doesn't have to do so, especially she does not want things taken out of context. Besides, another color would be confusing—unless Camille would be Ms. Pacman [and there's a morbid one—i.e., with a puppy dressed as a character that would eat the character as which the other puppy is dressed]).

By the way, that's part of what "Momma" wishes that she could explain to Reilly in terms beyond terms that one would use when he or she would talk to puppies, whom are intellectually equivalent to human toddlers. In other words, "Momma" wishes that she could go beyond using terms such as "very mean" and "not nice" when she refers to racists and other bigots when she's talking to Reilly, and she wishes that she Reilly could understand terms such as "racist" without her having to elaborate in puppy terms on what "racist" means—i.e., without having to say something like, "'Racist' means somebody who hates somebody else because of his or her skin color or ethnicity [and then having to elaborate in puppy terms on what 'ethnicity' means, since puppies don't have memories like humans do and won't remember what 'ethnicity' means unless they are told about it repeatedly overtime]."

Camille's Pre-UTI Inflammation Or Early UTI Infection, Mental Illness, Etc.

Somehow, my phone ended up sending Facebook-status updates to the wrong page. Nonetheless, this does eventually give me the opportunity to bring up the conversation as to how pets such as my sister's puppy, Camille, can affect the mental health of their human family members—such as my sister and me—for good and—albe inadvertently—for bad.

Like my sister, I have OCD/Anxiety; and let's just say that, that exacerbated our dread when Camille ended up at the emergency vet due to a fever and pre-UTI inflammation or a UTI infection. For many (if not most) people with OCD/Anxiety, this is the case: that is, dreads that are understandable and normal become exacerbated, and the exacerbation affects an OCD/Anxiety. Thus, an OCD/Anxiety-Exacerbated Dread cycle began when Camille ended up at the emergency vet.

There have also been other mental illness-exacerbation cycles regarding events ad other matters that involve Camille and Reilly (my puppy), and I imagine that this is nothing surprising to other pet owners whom also have mental illnesses. I imagine that this is also nothing surprising to those whom've read what I've specifically written about or otherwise mention in regard to those matters—not to mention that I feel absolutely judged (and know that I've been judged) for writing about those matters (Don't think that I'm not aware of that when, e.g., I lose friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter for writing about those matters and sharing my writing—what you think of me online reflects exactly what you think of me offline, as the Internet is merely technology that you use and not the reason for how you act offline and online).

Am I going to lie, though, when, for example:

1. I overslept quite a bit during Reilly's first year due to a Depression flareup? I was very lucky that Reilly needed up to 20 hours of sleep per day during that amount of time, meanwhile.
2. I have been unfairly judged by my mother and even my sister, whom have said that I shouldn't own a pet if I can't take care of her or him due to how my mental illnesses affect me? (By the way, "[Y]ou shouldn't own a pet if you can't take care of her or him" is a common canardic trope that is used against people with mental illnesses and other people with disabilities—not to mention people like me whom have both mental illnesses and other disabilities.). They (like others) could be a little more understanding and helpful instead of unempathetically judgemental.
3. The mental illnesses that I have effect energy drains that affect me to not be the best "Momma" to Reilly and "Auntie" to Camille?
4. The guilt that I feel for not being the best "Momma" to Reilly and "Auntie" to Camille affects my Bruxism to flare up (as it's affecting it to flare up as I type)? By the way, I inherited every single one of my mental illnesses (including OCD/Anxiety) from my father, whom also has Bruxism.
5. There are actually matters about which I've not written (including which I didn't mention before writing this blog entry), such as OCD/Anxiety flareups when I'm making cards with pictures of Reilly and Camille? Because of the OCD/Anxiety flareups, making those cards can take quite a bit of time. For example (and this is where I feel judged already again), I often hit the "Undo" or "Delete" button when making those cards because what if, for example and God forbid. I'm using colors that look like colors that hate groups use (I try to avoid using certain colors because of that.) or drawing a shofar with shapes and end up using it on the card, anyway, because I can't correct the part of it that looks like a butt when at least one of the shapes is unfilled or outlined? Am I actually being irreverent and is my motive actually to be irreverent, even by typing this? Also, I avoided using "objects such a shofar with shapes" because I don't want to sound like my Anti-Semitic ex pastor whom called the Ark Of the Covenant a "piece of furniture" by calling a shofar an object.

Incidentally, my memory-affecting ADD also flared up as I was writing. For instance, I forgot for quite a few seconds what I was intending to Google when I (and for a moment just now, I forgot that I wanted to type "intending to Google when I") went to Google "Bruxism"? As for when my ADD flares up in regards to immediate matters regarding Reilly, instances of my ADD flaring up are when I forget that I was going to put on her harness and leash or give her a treat.

Meanwhile, Camille is healing from the pre-UTI inflammation or early UTI infection—and (though I don't mean to sound flippant) excuse me if part of her pre-UTI inflammation or early UTI infection was due to not taking her to "go potty" as often as it seems like I could, as my energy is frequently drained. Besides, Camille doesn't always immediately ring the bell when she needs to "go potty", and I don't know if she needs to "go potty" until she rings that bell or indicates that she needs to get out of her crate during naptime to ring the bell.

Somewhat Offbeat: As "Momma" Mentioned Last Night...

Exhaustion once again befell her, and Reilly once again had been very patient about it. "Momma" even had exhaustion throughout the day and may've even gotten a cold (as she once got before) as a result.

(Almost two years, and you'd think that "Momma" and Reilly would have a clear answer by now! Reilly turned 3.5 Hebrew years on September 13-14 or 14-15, by the way.)

"Mimi" Relented For Camille "Will Jump For Chicken" Czarnecki

(Something like what happened)

Camille: (Doing something.)

"Auntie Nicole": (🤔🤷🏽‍♀️) Holy heck—what is she doing?"

"Mimi": That was Cam. She wanted the chicken bone so badly, she just went after it. I could not give Cam the bone, but I let Reilly and Camille lick my fingers.

Camille: (Barking and "nearly jump[ing] on the bone" and "lunging at the bone after the fact")

"Mimi": No, Cam; I can't give you the bone. I don't have any chicken. Maybe tomorrow.

"Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle": Oh, alright; I'll let you lick my fingers.

Camille and Reilly: ("Are you kidding? They went at it—they just went at it," and obviously more than obliged. -"Mimi"/"Auntie Michelle")

(The chicken was better than bird feathers!)

Mostly Offbeat: A Quick Note From "Momma" Re A Few People

In case anyone's wondering, "Momma"'s possible helpmate and Reilly's possible "Daddy" will never have to worry about Reilly's new friend or anyone else being "Momma"'s possible helpmate and Reilly's possible "Daddy", unless God wills otherwise. Besides, the family friend is not from the area whence "Momma" hinted that he comes. Also, Reilly has met the family friend before, whereas she has not met her possible "Daddy"¹.

¹Quién "Mama" extraña todos y de quién piense todos los días.

Reilly Just Found A New Friend In A Family Friend, Despite That She's Jealous Of His Kitties

Sniffing the kitties and wanting a scritch—ambivalence

"Mom-Mom" brings Reilly over

Scritches behind the ears

Only one phrase to describe especially this picture and the two next pictures¹....

As for Camille, she wasn't having any of Reilly's jealously.

Reilly is much happier after a good scritch behind the ears.

¹One can stop at 5:15 and then resume at 0:00 and stop at 6:02. By the way, Reilly hears "Momma" sing this all of the time. Also BTW, the family friend is not whom some might think that he is.

Dentastick? "Momma" Culpa. Bird Feathers? Culpa Canina.

One can understand why "Momma" mistook Reilly's half of a dentastick for a "nasty", although she later apologized to Reilly for mistakenly trying to take her dentastick—and no wonder that Reilly clenched the dentastick in her jaw and kep turning her head away from "Momma"!

Reilly also clenched her jaw when she somehow left two cardinal feathers down to their rachises and quills—and "Auntie Michelle" has no clue how Reilly got the bird feathers! By the way, "Momma" and "Auntie Michelle" are fairly certain that Reilly tried to eat only bird feathers that she found by the birdfeeder and not any actual birds.

PS Besides not letting any puppy—especially any small-breed puppy—eat feathers, follow other safety precautions (including not letting your puppy eat any other "nasties") to let your puppy live long and prosper¹—no matter whether he or she is in his or her pre-adult, adult, or senior years.

By the way, it really wasn't that long ago when Reilly celebrated Hanukkah 5776, is it? (She hates "Momma" when "Momma" makes her wear her tallit v'kippah—or anything else—v'ima lah ohevet b'kal mikreh.)

¹Via Diana Ketchen

An Reply To An Email That "Momma" Received This Morning, And An Incidental Note

By the way, "Momma" blacked out the email address of the emailer in question, as well as replaced one word in the email and blacked out the puppy's name to protect the emailer's privacy—and she is publishing the email here because the questions could really be FAQ questions, given that they were well-thought-of questions:

From: Nicole Czarnecki
To: halarivijay3
Sent: Thu, Sep 14, 2017 10:05 am
Subject: Re: Ole Field Farm Puppies

Hi, Dr. and Mrs. Halari:

Per your queries:

1. Joyce was and is a wonderful, loving, knowledgeable, and competent breeder. "Love Little Dogs" is truly an honest and accurate name for her website. By the way, we referred neighbors (Shelby's owners) to her, and they in turn referred other neighbors (Solo's owners) to Joyce. (Also, please tell Joyce that Reilly, Camille, Shelby, Solo, and Fenway are all doing well. I should mention, too, that Camille and Shelby are maternal sisters, and "Tootsie's [Camille's and Shelby's mom's] grandmother is Apple's [Reilly's mom's] sister.")
2. Reilly and Camille each adjusted well to being brought home. Reilly was not brought home until she was three days short of nine weeks old, and Camille was not brought home until she was 10 weeks and five days old.
3. They've been very good; thank you for asking.
4. Yes. Smaller dogs will have more risk for issues such as luxating patella and UTIs, for example, though that is a genetic-based risk and not due to breeder fault.
5. Yes. I'd read up on dog ownership, talk to the vet, talk to neighbors and loved ones whom've owned dogs, and certainly talk to Joyce :-). 
6. Yes, though that's also genetic. For example, Reilly is allergic to heartworm pills (We ended up opting for heartworm vaccines, a booster shot of which she got yesterday) 

Nicole Czarnecki

http://about.me/nickidewbear

-----Original Message-----
From: Vijay Halari
To: Nickidewbear <Nickidewbear@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Sep 14, 2017 9:28 am
Subject: Ole Field Farm Puppies

Good morning,

I'm reaching out to you about Ole Field Farm puppies. My [family] and I are inquiring and truly planning on buying one from Joyce. She's been great and "Ollie" (the Male Morkie) have been great but we wanted to hear from previous customers about their reviews.
1. What did you think about Joyce?
2. How about you pet after you took them home?
3. How have they been?
4. Anything to look out for?
5. Any pointers for first time dog owners?
6. Any specific health issues with your pets?

We are so excited and plan on picking up Ollie tomorrow morning (9/15), please let use know what you think, it would mean a lot to us.

Thank you,
- Dr. and Mrs. Halari

PS Admittedly, this is at least a small comfort for what "Momma" has been enduring of late—and not to mention that Reilly has been a lifesaver through all that "Momma" has endured¹.

¹Including confusion re what a certain someone wants. Note to him, by the way: 

Tengo algunes preguntas muy cándidas y una admisión cándida para tí, si me permite te preguntar las preguntas; y lo siento si son demasiada francas. A esto punto, necesito las preguntar y la admitir a tí, especialmente porque pronto llegará Yom Kipur (y no pienso que Jesús escribió mi nombre en el Libro de Vida sin razón): 

• ¿Amas o no amas mí y Reily?
• ¿Pienses o no pienses que eres mi futuro esposo y el futuro "Papi" de Reily?
• ¿No entendí algunas cosas que dijiste implicitamente hasta muy tarde, entendí?
• En mi defensa, el momento y las circunstancias no estuvieron el momento y las circunstancias para mí entender qué dijiste. También, el caso no está y no estuvo que no me culpo por manejando algunas cosas en las circunstancias en una manera que no estuvo bueno; y lo siento por cualquier daño que he creado, incluyendo cualquier daño que he creado para tí y Reilly—y no es fácil por mí admitir, aunque neceisto lo admitir que por cualquier daño que he creado, incluyendo cualquier daño que he creado para tí y Reilly, y en parte para mí estar una ¨Máma¨ mejor a Reily y (si Yejovah quiere) ser una buena esposa para tí algún día.