Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year
Category Archives: Our Shetland Sheepdogs
A Most Glorious “Walkies”
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I was ecstatic to see 57.5°F on the outdoor thermometer this morning as we left before sunrise on our morning walkies.
As we walked along the woods of Sugarland Run, both Toshirō and Sachiko stopped abruptly and stared intently at the edge of the woods. It was so sudden and so intent that it scared me a little, so I stopped to see what they were staring at.
There was a majestic red fox standing underneath the trees just watching us. He was probably only four or five feet away from us, but showed no fear whatsoever of our two Shelties. He just stood, and then sat, and he watched us.
It made my heart leap in my chest. I’ve never seen so majestic or so sedate a red fox. I wish I could have stayed in that one moment forever.
Sachiko seemed completely smitten with the red fox. Toshiro largely ignored him, just watching.
Leaving for our walks before sunrise or just after sunset really is the best time to watch the wildlife around Loudoun County, Virginia. We’ve been able to see foxes, raccoons, skunks, deer, coyote, and bats during our daily walks.
I seriously need to clip a GoPro to my chest and just let it continuously record our walks, taking the best clips or pictures from each walk? No one would ever believe the red fox we saw today, but it brought tears to my eyes to see it.
Thoughts on my Health and the Year 2023
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After a week-long stay at the hospital with a few days of septic delirium, a week of IV antibiotics, and a month of Cipro, this is a loud-and-pronounced call that I need to focus on my health and getting control over my leg lymphedema as best I can.
Despite my best efforts for walking 60-90mi each month with the pups, doing frequent showers and moisturizing, I still seem to be getting cellulitis and sepsis several times each year. My last echocardiogram shows that it’s taking a toll on my heart health as I repeatedly get pumped full of IV fluids and antibiotics.
So, my goal now is to be thorough and persistent with my physical therapy at Kaiser and Virginia Hospital Center, to do more frequent/longer walks and cycling, and to hopefully get my leg into a healthier long-term state.
Or, at the very least, to be able to enjoy long walks, hikes, and cycling again?
Today was an exhaustive visit, but one of the best visits I’ve had with Kaiser about my short-term health, long-term health, and long-term treatment:
- Yes, I do have a slightly enlarged heart and decreased ejection fraction, but it’s due to pseudomonas and sepsis as a blood infection. Seeing increased heart size and changes to ejection fraction are common. They’re scheduling me for a transesophageal echocardiogram in 2-3 weeks to verify my recovery once the Cipro is over. They’ll also schedule me for a full panel of bloodwork to verify my bloodwork, recovery, and level of immunity/immunocompromised.
- Yes, I do have Stage 3 Lymphedema of my left leg. It’s pronounced. They want to photograph it monthly, document it, and do more aggressive physical therapy to see if we can’t see some recovery, improvement in mobility, decreased neuropathy. I’m being referred to Virginia Hospital Center (VHC) for my lymphedema care.
- They’re documenting that I have a severe reaction to a flea bite, not uncommon for my lymphoma, lymphedema, decreased immune response. Pseudomonas itself was likely acquired during frequent clinical visits. MRSA and Pseudomonas are concerns given my health and history.
- They recommended a Bifenthrin Insecticide fogger for front yard and back to reduce mosquitoes and insects, fog yard every 2-3 weeks. Safe for both me and our dogs. They recommended spraying my pants and shirts with Permethrin and/or DEET, to wear long pants and shirts for all walks outdoor exposure due to severe reaction to flea bite.
The Changing Face of Family, Of Loss, and Recent News…
Valentines Day marked our last days with AKC Jade Mist Kiyomi (“Kiyomi”). She passed just a week or so later. For details on what happened, feel free to read Together as Family (Valentine’s Day 2023) and Breaking Hearts. It still hurts me too much to repeat it or discuss it just yet.
AKC JADE MIST KIYOMI (“Kiyomi”) was born May 5th, 2009, to Carol Howell and Heidi Jacobsen of Jade Mist Shetland Sheepdogs in Davidsonville, MD. Kiyomi died on February 24th, 2023, at 9:15 AM, held and comforted by Victoria and Ken.
Vicky and I planned so much to do this Lent as both our personal goals and self-improvement. Both of us had our plans blown apart by the loss of Kiyomi just shy of her 14th birthday. Kiyomi would have celebrated her 14th birthday this May on May fifth. We always called her our “Cinco de Mayo” dog. She truly was like a daughter to us, and we miss her dearly.
In other news, I thought about letting my domain expire and giving up on both this server and website. I’m glad that I didn’t, but I was frustrated and depressed. I really had no interest in maintaining it or updating it. Between the blog and the wiki, it seems to do fairly well, with as many as 1200-1300 visitors each month. As our lives pick up again, carry on, and we have more news/events/tech to share, I’ll start posting more content again.
Working as a DevOps Engineer as my company grows and our team expands, staying active with my Amateur Radio license (K3KBF), reading, and gaming on the Steam Deck have taken most of my time and interest these last few months when not enjoying time together with family. I’ll have more news about Amateur Radio, the Steam Deck, SteamOS, the GPD Win 4 as a likely successor to the first-generation Valve Steam Deck, and other tech in coming posts.
This is basically just a “hey there, I’m still here, still alive” post. Hopefully, I’ll post something more substantive soon.
I’m still here… and, hopefully, you are too?
Here’s a quick “photo dump” of our recent events and news:
Together as Family (Valentine’s Day 2023) and Breaking Hearts
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Our oldest Sheltie (Kiyomi) suffered a severe seizure (unresponsive for several hours afterwards, vet tells us likely due to brain tumor/damage) last week. She’s still with us, but she’s on Prednisone, Gabapentin, Antibiotics, and Anti-Seizure meds. At 14yo, we know our time with her is nearly at an end. We’re trying to make the most of our time together. It’s amazing how quickly time with our beloved pets goes by?
We were able to take better pictures of our Shelties together and together as a family this evening.
With love from our little family to yours… Happy Valentine’s Day.
Our Hearts Are Breaking…
A Temporary Reprieve and Last Time Together as Family.
Since I don’t feel like re-typing or retelling the events of the past week, this is what I told my manager and co-workers:
You know that Vicky and I weren’t able to have children, despite trying for years and then getting medical assistance (IUI/IVF). I finally convinced Vicky into our getting dogs about 14 years ago. We got Kiyomi the same month that Vicky’s mom died, and she quickly warmed up to becoming a “mom” for Kiyomi. Long story short, Kiyomi’s been like a daughter to us.
While working on my notification script on Wednesday morning, Kiyomi was asleep on my food and began spasming. At nearly 14yo, I thought she just woke up and was trying to right herself. She immediately urinated, pooped, vomited, and began having violent spasms. It was a seizure. She bit my leg and scratched me as I tried to pick her up. When I swaddled her in a blanket and tried to constrain her seizure, she let loose this horrible scream. I’ve never heard a dog scream before, but it made my skin crawl and my heart ache. There was nothing I could do for her. It lasted for a solid 20 minutes while I was trying to call Vicky and to get Kiyomi over to the vet.
Once at the vet, Kiyomi was unresponsive. The vet told us that 20-minute seizures usually result in brain damage or death. Vicky and I had to make the terrible decision. We signed the paperwork and as the vet was preparing the injection to put Kiyomi to sleep, Kiyomi raised her head and looked at Vicky. Vicky asked for a moment, put Kiyomi on the floor, she stumbled and staggered, but walked around and followed Vicky as she called or walked around the room.
So, we asked for more time, but the vet said that Kiyomi might only have days or maybe weeks, but that she won’t be the same after such a seizure. He told us to take care of her, enjoy our time, but prepare ourselves. He sent us home with steroids (Prednisone), anti-seizure medications, and Diazepam injections (in the event she has another seizure). He warned us that she may very likely have a second severe seizure, and told us to be thankful but to enjoy our last time together
Sorry for the “drop everything and run”, but it was a horrific experience. When people have children, pets take on a lesser meaning. Since Vicky and I don’t, and Kiyomi was our first dog together when we couldn’t have children, she’s been like a daughter to us. Between the shrieking seizure and the experience, …well, it was rough. Going to be a few days before I get “dog screams” out of my head.
Valentine’s Day, 2023
With love from our little family to yours… Happy Valentine’s Day! 🥰💕
To Be Real — What It Means To Be Loved
“Real isn’t how you are made,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’
‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit.
‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘When you are Real, you don’t mind being hurt.’
‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ he asked, ‘or bit by bit?’
‘It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse. ’You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
― Margery Williams Bianco, The Velveteen Rabbit
Best Wishes for Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year
MERRY CHRISTMAS! 
…with love from our little family to yours. Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
“Re-learning” the Fundamentals of Photography
DAY ONE — A RETURN TO FUNDAMENTALS
Practicing with the new Canon… which isn’t easy when Sachiko was hyper and desperately wanted to run and play.
I’m trying to ween myself off AUTO and AE, return to the basics of Matrix vs Spot, practice and fine-tune my Focus, Shutter Speed, and Exposure.
I’ll need to take more “photo walks” at various times of day under different lighting conditions to practice how to quickly assess and set the camera. AUTO and AE are nice, but I know I can do far more and far better with practice.
Hopefully, they’ll only get better, but I seriously need to “read the book” and practice photography a LOT more.
Years of smartphone photography have given me a few bad habits I need to break. You can do so much more with a “real” camera, but it takes investing a little more time and talent than having the smartphone quickly do it for you.
Much like basic math or wayfinding. Calculators and GPS have rotted my ability to do arithmetic quickly or orienteering using a map and compass. 😆
POST SCRIPT:
Three Generations of Gamers (and Handheld Game Consoles!)
❝ I am a gamer, not because I don’t have a life, but because I choose to have many. ❞
Three generations of gaming consoles:
• Kiyomi with the Sony PlayStation Vita (PSvita)
• Toshirō with the Nintendo Switch OLED
• Sachiko with the Valve Steam Deck
Together as Family at Christmas (2021)
Scenes from our family together at Christmas
From our little family to yours, we hope you had a very Merry Christmas and that you have a Happy New Year!
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Sachiko’s First Christmas
“Little” Sachiko is amazed at all the Christmas decorations and lights around our house. Kiyomi and Toshirō have already told her that Santa Paws will be here in four more weeks. 🐾💕
Thanksgiving
“Little” Sachiko not-so-little at 7 months
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Sachiko at 7 months old is not so little anymore. She has now grown larger and bigger than her older brother Toshiro (7yo) and Kiyomi (12yo). She’s incredibly loving, loyal, and precocious, but looking more like a Collie (or large Sheltie) as she’s growing older and bigger than our two other Shelties.
Together, Kiyomi, Toshiro, and Sachiko have become a loving, loyal, and playful trio of Shelties. All three are from Carol Howell of Jade Mist Shetland Sheepdogs. We miss Carol deeply, but she has introduced so much love, warmth, and light into our little family and into our lives!
“Mornings are hard!”
“Mornings are hard!”
Yesterday I read that James told Richell “See you tomorrow!” as they parted ways for the day. This morning as I was biting into my bagel while Victoria left for work, she said the same. Seems that this long week and “pandemic time” means that a spouse leaves for work on Blursday and doesn’t return home until Soonsday.
It didn’t take Sachiko long to rebel against our “everyone stays quiet in their crate until fed” training. This morning she was most certainly acting up and throwing a tantrum. I warned Victoria that we’d have days like today where Sachiko regresses or acts out.
Toshirō has been deposed as Beta to Kiyomi’s Alpha as Sachiko tried pushing him out of his spot on the bed last night. Sachiko slept near the pillow at my head all night while Kiyomi slept by Vicky’s side and poor Toshiro slept on the floor.
As if our crate tantrum and Toshiro deposed weren’t enough, Sachiko decided to “pick a fight” with Kiyomi this morning and start wrestling her. Vicky grinned and hoped that Kiyomi would put Sachiko back in her place. I quietly watched. It looks like both our female Shelties are wrestling, playing, and trying to assert themselves over the other.
Sachiko backed down, Kiyomi has been sticking close to me this morning, and Toshiro is back to running Zoomies with Sachiko at an insane pace around the house.
Ken (speaking to Karen) – It didn’t take Sachiko long to rebel against our “everyone stays quiet in their crate until fed” training. This morning she was most certainly acting up and throwing a tantrum. I warned Victoria that we’d have days like today where Sachiko regresses or acts out.
Karen (speaking to Ken) – So, let’s use food here. It is not rebelling, it is more likely an extinction burst – it worked before, let’s try it again. Then they increase it in intensity to see if it will still work. If we give in, then we reinforce the behavior. Therefore, the behavior keeps going.
Behaviors that are reinforced as they happen are behaviors that are more likely to keep going.
So, pup starts barking when you are bringing food, stop and walk away. The moment pup stops barking, toss a little food. Then keep tossing food as you approach.
Sachiko barks, walk away.
Sachiko quiets, toss some food and head towards Sachiko.
Then I work towards asking my pup to be quiet a little longer each time as I bring food.
Quiet brings food, barking gets you to go away.
Growing Up So Quickly: Sachiko at 20 weeks
Sachiko (20wo), Toshiro (7yo), Kiyomi (12yo)
As of Sunday, August 1st, 2021, Sachiko is now 20 weeks old and just over 13 pounds in weight. Standing at 15 inches (measured at the “withers” [shoulders]), she stands as tall and weighs as much as her older brother, Toshiro.
In comparison, here was Growing up so quickly: Sachiko at 12 weeks.
Growing up so quickly: Sachiko at 12 weeks
New Feats in Canine Agility?
Sachiko might be the first Sheltie that Vicky and I will need to buy a “Cat Tree” for. She climbs furniture, gates, and puppy pens now.
Several times, we’ve heard a “thunk” followed by scampering and barking as she climbs over her pen, scales the gate in our kitchen or living room, and she proudly runs around the house when we thought she was contained.
I’ve never seen Canine Agility for jumping, scaling, and climbing, but Sachiko might be a good candidate for the new AKC sport?
Scenes of Our Shelties Together
A random sampling of some of our favorite pictures from today with Kiyomi (12yo), Toshiro (7yo), and Sachiko (10wo).
In Memory of Carol G. Howell of Jade Mist Shelties
Carol G. Howell, born Carol Adelle Gilbert, died of cancer on Tuesday, May 11th, 2021. Carol was born in Sacramento, California to Erwin A. and Hester Virginia (Almond) Gilbert on September 18, 1941.
Carol met the love of her life, Keith Burroughs Howell, while attending University of California – Davis. They were married August 17, 1963. They moved to Carmel, California after graduation where Keith practiced as a veterinarian in an animal hospital. Keith later transferred to Maryland where Keith worked for the state of Maryland. They resided in Davidsonville, Maryland. There Keith and Carol bred and exhibited Shetland Sheepdogs under the kennel name, Jade Mist Shelties. Keith also showed horned Hereford cows.
Carol’s first sheltie was bred by a classmate of Keith’s. His name was “Robbie”. He wasn’t a conformation dog, but he did excel in Obedience during his short three years of life. Carol and Keith attended many dogs shows and purchased many dogs from smaller unknown kennels. None turned out to be a show dog. They were finally offered a puppy by the best known breeder in California, Valerie Daniels of Dan-Dee Shelties. They named the puppy Dan-Dee Study in Scarlet, “Susie.” Just a few months later, Valerie offered Carol and Keith Susie’s dam, “Petite.” Petite was Carol’s first champion in 1967, the start of many champions. Susie became the foundation for Carol’s breeding program.
Carol’s heart dog was the one she had when Keith died of cancer in 1991, “Dillon”, otherwise known as CH Jade Mist Beyond Tradition ROM. He was the sire of 56 champions. Carol also had other dogs that are on the ROM list: CH Jade Mist Memorandum, CH Ilemist As You Like It, Regalia Geneagle Keepsake, and Jade Mist New Sun Rising. ROM means that the dog had to sire 10 or more champions or if a female, then 5 or more champions.
Carol’s most lasting influence is all the dogs she provided to people as their companions. There was a Jamboree held for ten years where people that have Jade Mist puppies gather together, let their puppies play, their owners socialize, and they had food, prizes, and games. Carol often attended this jamboree, which was often held near her home in Davidsonville, MD.
Carol was also willing to help many new people break into shelties and mentored several people. She often sold some of her best to them to help them start their kennels. Many of the current kennels and breeders of today have Jade Mist shelties in their pedigrees.
Carol is survived by her sister, Nancy E Postlethwaite, nieces Joan and Amy, and nephew Ron. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Keith in 1991, her brother, David in 2012, and a nephew Brian. She was greeted at the rainbow bridge by the hundreds of shelties that she has bred or as been as “Grandma Carol.” She is missed by her many friends and those she has mentored.
Sources:
(1) Facebook, written by Patti O’Dell in memory of Carol Howell
(2) Flickr, photographed by Ken Foreman, during the 10th Anniversary of the Jade Mist Jamboree