End of Fiscal Year

Tags

Birthday, dachshunds, Nicky, PEI, taxes, tourisms

The Federal Government Fiscal Year in Canada is March 31. We arrived in PEI in and around that time 6 years ago. So now it is time for updating insurance etc. and last year I had a nasty surprised from my broker who increased my car insurance without warning or explanation. So I enquired and was told that the Government had authorized the increase, I smelled a rat and thought it is not so. This is not how insurance companies operate or set premiums. I also had problems with them in the past with getting answers to questions or just a call back. Even if you went in person, no one could see you, we will get someone to call you which never happened. So I decided this year to find another insurance company and CAA sent me a letter about insurance. I have been a member for decades and always got good service from them.

Papers are ready for income tax which is due also at this time, this is Spring Season in Canada. The first cruise ship arrives on 22 April, a first in 24 months, tourist operators are all excited and this comes on the heels of a piece of investigative journalism exposing the exploitative nature of restaurants, bars in general with low pay, no benefits and very long hours, 14 hour days is common. lots of abuse from owners and patrons alike. The tables are turned now, the shortage of staff is a very real problem and the same owners are crying in their soup. Given the obscene profits during the short but lucrative tourist season, I wonder how many will pay attention and reform their business to attract staff and train them properly. Not all restaurant and bar owners are crooks but there is a sizeable group. The tourists in town don’t know but the locals do and we avoid such places.

Birthday week for me, two cakes ordered from my favourite cake maker. One is an orange flavoured cake and the other is a Moka (coffee) style. More activities are planned of course, stay tuned for details.

This morning I noticed that Nicky has an irregular heartbeat, he has always had a heart murmur but this seems different and I am worried. So I will give the Vet a call, maybe she can help. He is 13 years old and he sleeps a lot, though he also has energy when required. He is definitely an old dog.

Mr. Nicky

Pancreatitis, Meetings

Tags

Canada, Dachshund, elections, Nicky, Vet

Well Nicky was not feeling well for the last 3 days and he obviously had some stomach issues.

He has a very delicate digestive system and anything can trigger a malaise. Last night he was very sick and I took him to the Animal Veterinary Hospital of the University of PEI. They are always open 24/7, though for a fee. The service is excellent and you get a Vet with experience and a fourth year student who is doing their practicum learning with the professional vet. Nicky got some blood work done and all was fine. He then got a shot to stop the nausea and he came home. This morning he was a little tired but he is bouncing back. For a thirteen year old he is doing fine. We do worry about them.

Earlier in the day I had meeting at the Club to plan the Friday party with lots of VIPs. At the same time the surge in Covid cases on the Island in schools amongst kids under 12 is worrisome. However what we see now is those who are not vaccinated are getting sick. Since 90% of the Island population is fully vaccinated those who get sick, the unvaccinated, really stand out. We have 22 cases which is not much and testing is going full blast in the last two days. So we should get to the bottom of this pretty soon.

Violence on the campaign is on the rise, one candidate was assaulted in his Office yesterday by a women, the PM got rocks thrown at him, his wife was called a whore by some idiot macho guy. Signs have been defaced with swastikas and the rise of the extreme right wing People’s Party (PPC) of white supremacist is difficult to believe, but they are at 7% in the polls right now. We have never seen this in a Canadian Federal Election before. Only 4 days to go before voting day 20 September.

• 

Another Birthday

Tags

11 yrs old, Birthday, Nicky, puppy

Festivities at our house never stop, any excuse is good to pop a cork of champagne and eat cake. So Sunday 23 February is our Nicky’s 11th Birthday. Nicky is very different from Nora in personality and temperament. He plays Mr Tough guy and he has a ferocious bark for a 12 lbs dog. but it is all show. He also thinks that he has to protect Nora from just about everything and Nora is annoyed by this and will beat him up.

Because his father was a European Champion Show dog, Nicky thinks he too is a show dog and for a WireHair Dachshund he has all the qualifications. Yes he is on the Catwalk of Life.

We call him Nicky Sunshine because he loves to lie in the Sun so much and just sleep, always looking for a ray of sunshine. Like in this photo above taken in Rome in our study on Via dei Villini, staring into the Sun.

He loves to sit with me and it is a routine with him, I have to sit and then he comes and sits beside me so he can get a cuddle. We do this in the morning and for sure at night after dinner. He also has the habit of going to bed at 10pm this is something we have never been able to figure out, how does he know the time? He does get a cookie before bed but then again he gets a cookie if he goes outside, etc. Habit I suppose. Same for his dinner always at 5pm and in the morning he use to get up at 7am but lately it is more like 7:30am. He has his own little routine and we are just the personal attendants.

Nicky in profile and Nora with her severe look.

Nicky resting again from his active hound life in the sunshine. He is a little monster when it comes to attention grabbing, constant whining until he gets what he wants, very stubborn, never forgets except for commands which he always looks puzzled when you order him about, you talking to me look.

We get so use to them in our lives, a constant presence. Happy Birthday Nicky. 

 

Big adventures

Tags

AVC, Bundnie, Cairo, dogs, Nicky, Nora, Ottawa, Reese, UPEI, Vet

Having two dogs is like having two kids, same thing really, they have their little personalities and ways of doing things. Having lived with dogs in the house since 1990 we are use to them and how they are the presence in our lives. Our first two dachshunds, one short hair from Cairo and one long hair Chicago were family members and they travelled around the world with us. To this day we have fond memories of Bundnie and Reese and how they were more than just dogs.

Bundnie and Me on the terrace of my apartment in Cairo 1990.

Reesie and Bundnie on the deck at our home in Ottawa, 1993

Bundnie died at home of old age at 18 and Reese died in Rome at 17. A year later we were visiting a colleague of mine outside the City in Capena and her husband use to walk around the countryside and came upon the farm of Dr. Massimo Buzzanca and his wife Tiziana, both are well known in breeder of Wirehair Dachshund circles in Italy and their dogs are bred with other champion dogs in the EU.

Nicky and Nora are now 10 years old, yes it has been a decade since our time in Italy. Nora is older than Nicky by a week, they also have travelled with us not as much as Bundnie and Reese though.

Last week Nora had symptoms of what is very common in any aging Dachshund back weakness which can lead to paralysis. Unfortunately we know all too well what that means, we went through several back operations with Bundnie and Reese.

Nora always seem to get sick on a weekend which means that only the Animal Veterinary Clinic at the University of PEI is open, but since we are outside normal clinic hours, a special fee applies of $135. just to step in. They took good care of her, the AVC is a teaching hospital and they also take care of Farm animals and horses. So its complete kennel rest for her for a month and some medication.

Of course Mr Nicky also started to have what looked like a tooth problem, so we took him to our other Vet who is known in the region for specializing in dental work, even the AVC refers patients to him. Though in Nicky’s case it was not his teeth, I got a call from the clinic and was told that he had a growth under his tongue and it had to be removed pronto, could it be cancer? His teeth were fine. So it was sent for biopsy and about five days later we got the results, all benign, no problem. We also had another growth removed from his shoulder, it too was benign just fatty tissue.

Vet care in Canada is very expensive if compared to the USA. When we lived in Ottawa, some people took their dogs to the USA for treatment, the border is only 50km, away a short drive. We cannot do that here, the border with Maine is about 5 hours away through moose country not the thing to do in Winter on isolated highways.

This week we will return to the AVC for an assessment of Nora’s condition, though at the moment she is doing fine. Nicky is going back to have his shoulder stitches removed at the end of the month. At the moment he wears the cone, which he will not wear if going outside, he simply refuses to go out with it. He gives you that look and you know what it means.

Nora on her favourite sofa

Nicky stretched out and Nora on the cushion. 

 

Miguelito and Someonitez visited Ottawa

Tags

Arizona, dachshunds, Dignitaries, Nicky, Nora, Northern Lights, Official, Ottawa, Parliament, sites, Summer, Visitors

Our friends from Phoenix visited us in Ottawa in the past week. We had planned this visit for months and prepared a briefing book for their visit, I say this in all seriousness. They too were somewhat surprised by our level of organization.

It was great fun to have them with us and brought a change of pace from the recent tragic events in my family. Both are delightful gents, good conversationalists, walking on average 15Km a day visiting sites around town.

We took them to Montebello, Quebec on Sunday which is always a pleasant drive down Hwy 50E. Sunday night we went to Parliament Hill to see the new Northern Lights Show which is quite dramatic.

Our poor Nicky was quite sad to see them go and so was Nora who tried to jump into their suitcase.

Here is a panoramic retrospective of this week long Official Visit

Official Birthday Party with specially designed Tomato Soup Cake as per MCR’s request. We do not know his precise age but have been told unofficially that it is anywhere between 43 and 73. The Fire Dept only allowed 2 candles on the cake.

We paid a courtesy visit to Rideau Hall, Home of H.E. the Governor General of Canada

We also went to visit Laurier House, a national historic site and home of two Canadian Prime Ministers, Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King. A fascinating place full of artifacts. No seance on that day with dead dogs called Pat or the long dead mother of the PM.

The sculpture Maman by Canadian Artist Louise Bourgeois. An iconic piece of contemporary art. All went well until our friend wishing to conquer his fears of spiders decided to climb on it, when the police arrived well… it’s a long story. Ah those tourists.

No expenses where spared to impress our guests even renting a canoe.

A walk in the woods of Chateau Montebello before lunch, if you look carefully there are  2 black bears on the left side of the picture.

He said ”Where is the Roastbeef?”

Now Evelyn, I thought this establishment was Vegetarian

The Northern Lights show at Parliament, impressive, much appreciated by our visitors.

Blooming tulips on Parliament, the story of WWII, Canada and Holland.

The Canadian Flag at 50. All part of the story told at the Northern Lights Show ending with the National Anthem

We saw many more sights and walked a lot around the Capital, had fine dining at home and in restaurants. Still much more to see and we hope our friends will return. Ciao Ragazzi, Ci Vediamo!

Ottawa Airport Field