Snoozer Scalloped Dog Ramp Demo

I have to constantly think of ways to keep Maestro busy on days off. Here, he demonstrates how to use the Snoozer Scalloped Dog Ramp. I blogged about it earlier in A Look at Pet Stairs and Ramps.

As you can tell, he tackles the scalloped stairs differently as compared to regular stairs - with a subtle zig-zag motion (like deer on a hill) - as opposed to barreling up or down. The foam is so soft (yet firm enough to sustain his weight). He lands on the floor gently.

Dog Ramps and Stairs on Amazon

On the Hunt for Recipes for My Arthritic Dog

As Maestro is mostly on a home-prepared diet, I've been on the look out for dog food recipes for my little arthritic dog. In my post, Cooking for A Dog with Arthritis, I learned that turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties.

The following are a few dog food recipes that I tracked down for dogs with arthritis:

Arthritis Stew Recipe

Cherry Oatmeal Muffin Recipe

Homemade Dog Treat Recipe for Dogs with Arthritis

Homemade Treats for Dogs with Arthritis or Diabetes

They all sound pretty yummy to me! We'll let you know which homemade dog treats Maestro prefers. Stay tuned!

The Thrill of Helping Others

Shortly after the devastating floods in Southern Alberta (which spilled into British Columbia and Saskatchewan), a friend and I were looking for ways to help. We joined several flood support groups on Facebook, but when we found YYCHelps, we thought, "Hey cool! Someone's on the ball with organizing!" We promptly signed up.

In less than one week, the website and volunteer opportunities processes on YYCHelps were streamlined even more. My friend and I signed up to help with Tide Loads of Hope through the YYCHelps website. Two of the ladies we helped were interviewed in this news clip:

At the same time, I spied a posting for volunteers with some social media savvy. I got excited. Here was something that called to my technical and social media geekiness.

At the volunteer orientation session on June 27, 2013, I signed up to help in two areas. Within six hours, I was appointed to lead the website updates team.

I was leery of the commitment, especially with me heading out the CFMTA Convention early July. The core team member who approached me said, "If you could set it up, I can take over when I return [and you go]."

The core team explained that they wanted a swarm structure for the teams. Everyone is dispensable. The set-up, if done properly, should allow for anyone who can read and use the computer to take over your role.

After just five crazy days of working with my team and setting up the team handbook, we've really gelled while building up something truly exciting. Before leaving for Halifax, I appointed two back-up team leads from within the team, although part of me didn't want to leave. It was just too darn exciting.

Yes, I'm an adrenaline junkie. Being thrown into a project running, trying to get something meaningful set up (and set up well) within a tight timeframe, meeting with and working with a diverse group of like-minded and talented people for a good cause - how could you NOT get high from this?

In the end, my initial fears were about nothing. The bulk of my commitment was during those five days, which involved contacting my team, setting up a schedule, developing a team handbook (Version 1.0 and 1.1) and liaising with the other team members as well as the Core Team.

When I left for the CFMTA national convention, I had complete faith that any member of my team could step up to lead the team successfully. Although I popped in on our team's online chat window my first day away, I was quickly shooed offline. The team was on it. I had absolutely nothing to worry about.

My two back-ups did a superb job while I was away, working the team out of its role prior to my return. When handing the reins back to the Core Team, the team expressed appreciation for the Core Team's efforts and for each member of the team, as well as gratitude for being able to help with the flood relief efforts. Should they need our skills once again further down the road, we're all game.

Although our role in complete, there is still work to be done. I have yet to catch up on all the news and developments on Basecamp and see if there's anything remaining loose ends that I must take care of. As well, there are countless opportunities cropping up in which we as a team can band together - with each other and with others - to make a difference.

A Look at Pet Stairs and Ramps

Pet Gear Pet Stairs

Last year, I bought these Pet Gear Easy Steps for Maestro. There were a couple of other models and brands that I looked at. This won over the competition because of its sturdy construction.

Alley-oop!

The carpet on the stairs is removable so you can toss the carpet into the wash.

When Maestro was diagnosed with IVDD and arthritis, one of the first things the vet told me was, "No stairs". Going up isn't the problem, going down is. The impact of descending, with all your weight bearing down is hard on the joints - whether you are furry or furless!

My brother discovered the Snoozer Scalloped Pet Ramp:

This Snoozer Scaloped Stairs

The scalloped stairs make it a hybrid between stairs and ramps. They are made of sturdy foam.It took Maestro a while to get used to them, but now he has no challenges. Sometimes, he even sits in the middle!

Alternative Pet Stairs and Ramps

Dog Ramps and Stairs on Amazon

Building Community in a Virtual Environment

When I participated in Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir last year, one of the fringe benefits was that I became part of this bustling and caring online community. You can read more about my VC3 experience here. It's an amazing group. Everyone is eager to cheer you on - whether it you are preparing for a performance or job interview, surgery or pregnancy. My fellow VCers are usually the first to "Like" a Facebook status by another VCer.

Things get pretty exciting leading up to a Virtual Choir submission deadline. As Eric Whitacre has said on more than one occasion, singers are procrastinators. That final week leading up to the submission deadline was just nuts.

Last year, we crashed the server when the last minute submissions skyrocketed. Not only that, helpful singers wound up in "Facebook Jail" for posting too much in the VC groups on Facebook.

This year, a forum was added to Eric's website, which eased the strain on the Facebook group. As the deadline approached the Ohana Thread was created in the EW forums. Many of those who landed in FB Jail last year were official moderators this year, volunteering their time to help a complete stranger with their submission.

On the eve of the VC4 deadline, June 9th, a few of us got a message from one of our VC friends: "If you can help out, log into the Forums. The mods have gone to bed and there are a lot of people who need help." Although it made for a long night, going into the wee hours of the morning of D-Day, it was great troubleshooting in a Google Hangout with VC friends from British Columbia, New Orleans, California and London, UK.

As Virtual Choir members counted down to the June 10 VC4 submission deadline, several wound up either trolling the Facebook groups (the website kept going up and down), joining a global Google Hangout, or both. Right up to the last second, members were helping others with their submissions, giving moral support and virtual high-fives.

I passed the deadline in one of the global hangouts while trying to help someone with her submission (she managed to get one video submitted). Shortly after the deadline passed, our group decided to celebrate by singing VC4 - "Fly". With singers from Singapore, USA, Canada, Puerto Rico and Austria, the time lag made singing in sync difficult. However, the opportunity to sing together, in real-time, was a truly magical, communal experience.