My cedar chest make-over is complete and I really, really like it. The top was deeply scratched from years of dog claws and I opted not to sand all those down completely. It definitely gives the top that “distressed” look. I have to redrill one of the drawer pull holes because I guess 2 1/2″ isn’t the same from here to China or from 1972 to 2024. Who knows but one of them is only held on by one screw.

My sample tile came in and I think I like it. My son says its too dark but, as they say, “it is what it is”. Twenty boxes are on order for delivery to the store in the next week or so. In the meantime, I’m debating whether I want to start painting on the two remaining walls or if I want to wait until after the floor is put down in the other area. Hmmm.

For the first time in a couple weeks I made it back into my sewing room. I found a luggage tag “in the hoop” embroidery design that I thought my granddaughter would like. I showed my daughter-in-law and her comment was “oh my goodness, that makes me feel old”. I like how it turned out.

I took our Dolly in to be spayed on Thursday. I’ve always had my dogs spayed before they were about six months old, but now, according to the American Kennel Club:

An increasing body of evidence shows that neutering (including spaying) male and female dogs can have adverse health effects such as an increased risk of certain joint disorders (hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and cranial cruciate ligament rupture) and cancer (lymphoma, mast cell tumor, hemangiosarcoma, and osteosarcoma) (and)…standard to giant-sized mixed breeds and numerous dog breeds studied, delaying neuter until after 11 or 23 months of age may decrease the risk of developing these joint disorders and cancers.

And according to the Frontiers in Veterinary Medicine website

In the Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherd Dogs, there was an increase in the incidence of one or more of the joint disorders with neutering in the first year in males and females to 2–4 times >3–5% incidence in intact dogs

Our first labrador, Lucy, died from Lymphoma when she was eight years old and our Molly suffered from elbow joint pain for most of her life so, we opted to wait on spaying Dolly.

She’s home now. The cone of shame only lasted until I got her into the house and it came off. I just have to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t bother her staples. I’m $1,000 poorer, but even though she generally isn’t around any intact male dogs, it’s better to be safe than sorry.