Pictures from Japan

My friends get to go to cool places. Kevin just arrived home from his trip to Utah with his kids. Scott is mid-way through a three week business trip to Japan. I thought you would like to see these Keen Pictures. Another friend of mine is on her way to France! Ah! Springtime in Paris!!!

Getting some wanderlust over here...gonna rack up some points on my new business card so I can do some airtravel. Course, one of the first places to go would be Pittsburgh to see mom, then head to Chicago to see Kevin, then maybe to South Carolina to see Carla et. al. I wish I could go away for that long...maybe some day.

Right now, though, I am dealing with a new, and interesting crisis. Lux was diagnosed with Ehrlichiosis , a new and nasty tick borne disease: CLICK HERE!!!!.

Apparently, they picked up the diagnosis when I went in yesterday for her heart worm test, and since she was not in the least symptomatic, they are hopeful that she will be fully recovered after a course of antibiotics. We will get the results from her blood tests next week and have a better idea of how infiltrated her white blood cells are (or are not). I am , as always, keeping her on her raw diet, which she, ahem, thrives on. She thrived a bit too well over the winter, putting on almost 9 pounds! Too much!!! More walking.

But now I am terrified of the ticks. It is only April and they are out in droves already. Ick. Ick. Ick.

If anyone out there has any less toxic ideas for ticks, please respond here. I know that some use citronella oil, and someone mentioned Neem oil recently. I check her really vigilantly, and I am always touching her so I find them quickly, but, still, we already have a positive diagnosis for a disease she did not have in September, and at an antibody level which indicates recent exposure. Sigh.

Besides, this nasty thing can attack HUMANS, too! So check your nooks and crannies for ticks after walking in the woods, people.

Go ahead, look like a dork with your socks pulled up over your pants. Be a dweeb. Embrace your inner Nerd.