Irish Wolfhounds

I'm having so much angst with Abbey, the English Setter, not being up to par, that I wonder how I would react to having an Irish Wolfhound. They are the largest dog in the dog kingdom. Because of that, they often go to the Rainbow Ridge by the time they are seven. I don't know whether I could handle that------------and I've always wanted that kind of dog. I understand that they are amazingly kind and laid-back. Kinda' cute and funny for their size.

I've always thought of myself as being very tall, too tall. Of course, in my day, I was. Now the girls seems to tower over me. I always had Collies because they were big. My Alex was considered a large-breed, and my vet considers my two English setters as large-breeds. I think they're medium, but I have to go along with the Vet.

Monday I rushed my little Abbey, English setter, to the Vet's. When he called later in the day and said he wanted to keep her longer, so that he could X-ray her, I knew something was up.By the time 5 p.m. on Tuesday came around, I was a wreck. I had the feeling that it was something serious--and unfortunately, I was right.My poor little female has severe hip dysplasia. She was groggy when I brought her home and couldn't settle down anywhere she hurt so bad. She cried most of last night, sometimes in her sleep, and I had to take her outside twice during the night. She seems a bit better today and is on the pill the doctor gave her. We will have to wait several days to see how effective they are.Consequently, I'm a wreck, only did a tiny, miniscule bit of writing Monday and Tuesday because I couldn't concentrate. Today I have to go to Red Hat luncheon for a gal who used to work at Curves and then go to Bennington to get several huge foam rubber mattress toppers. I'm going to make some comfortable beds for Abbey...knowing full-well that Barney will used them, too.

Oh, byw, my website is back up: http://www.DoriceNelson.com

Bad day

Most of this weekend, I spent watching our little female dog.he just wasn't acting herself. I knew she was in some kind of pain, so this morning, Abbey went to the vet. She's there until he can find out what's wrong with her. It seems as if she's dragging one hind leg. This will be the first time that she's been all alone, without even Barney, our other setter. I'm a wreck.

Dogs

It's funny that a gal who like thing Celtic has two rescued English Setters. But I have a good reason. When we moved to this little village in the Hudson Valley, my husband and I had a mixed mutt (also a rescue) named Alex. Alex was part Chow, part German Shepherd and part Golden Retriever, but, more important, Alex was the dog of my heart. He was my special friend and I still miss him to this day.

We had to help him to the Rainbow Bridge eight days after we moved into the new house, a place on a bit of acreage that was to be for him. I held him until he took his final breath and something in me died with him.

I was devastated and went out the wrong door at the vet's. There was a huge dog in that section, waiting to get his infected ears cleaned. When I came out the door, he dragged his handler over and leaned against me, looking up and offering whatever solace he could. I didn't know what kind of dog he was and asked. When I found out he was an English Setter (I had no knowledge of such a dog.) I promised him, "If I ever get another dog, I will get one like you."

I have kept my promise. I now have two rescued English Setter. Barney, the male, is a tricolor, and Abbey, our little gal, is an orange belton. They are the sweetest dogs in the world and are still overcoming the bad parts of their lives. They have so much love to give. Barney is still somewhat apprehensive about things but he gets better and better every day.

I will have an Irish Wolfhound in my new historical, Saratoga Winter 1865.

Website Blues

I am desperately trying to do my own website and realize that it takes a lot of time--especially when you don't quite know what you're doing. But I'm going to get there. I didn't do much writing today.

I will go to the Writer's Village University tonight and see if I can do some work on one of the Word Slinger's postings of her novel. I might even post the beginning scene of my new historical, Saratoga Summer 1865. The book starts out in Ireland two years before any of the O'Malley brothers land in America. I might even try to do a quickie character study of my hero...

New stuff

If you notice, I now have my books on my blog. You can click right on the Amazon.com and buy them whenever you want. A friend, Nikki Leigh, helped get this all together. I had no idea how to work on my blog other than writing a post. She showed me other things I could do. Here's to hoping I remember what and how she said everything. If I do, I've taken a step forward.

Next I have to learn how to do a website--by myself. Not an easy task for an old gal. I do have a couple of disks on Front Page--and will be using them, a little at a time. Just got to figure this all out...and move into the future.

What's with the hero?

I have a big decision to make regarding my Irish hero in Saratoga Winter: 1865. He starts out, madly in love in Ireland, and winds up in New York City as a policeman. Of course, I will have to discover what forensics they used then and what the duties of a police office were in those days. I have one book that looks like it will give my research a boost.

After I get him settled in New York City, I'll have to get him to Saratoga. I wonder what could happen to him to make him go there. Anyone got any ideas?

I'm home again

It's only taken me a year to reclaim this blog, but somehow they asked me if I wanted it back. Of course, I do.

Here I am writing another novel with Celtic characters. Saratoga Winter: 1865 is the second book in the Saratoga Series. Saratoga Summer: 1863 was the first book and it was all about Connor O'Malley, the oldest of the five O'Malley brothers. In 1863, two brothers came to America and landed in New York City two days before the Draft Riots erupted. The two of them, Connor and Egan, got into a great deal of trouble, had to go through the riotous action in the City. Connor managed to escape to Saratoga, just in time for the first legalized thoroughbred racing in that city.

The actions that take place during the riots were historically accurate, as was the beginning of the legalized racing. For some reason, there are no animal characters in the first book of the series, with the possible exception of two gray carriage horses and a bevy of thoroughbreds. Come join in all things Celtic and read the book, Saratoga Summer: 1863