Meet Gus - Surgery Today and Wooden Drapery Ring Christmas Ornaments

This is Gus.  He's about 11 years old.  We went to the humane society to find a kitten or cat, to play with our long time cat Mattie (oldest daughter's cat).  When we got there, I was busy looking at the cats, and my husband disappeared.  I found him in the dog section.  

We walked through, and every dog was barking except Gus.  That was his name at the humane society also.  He just sat in his cage and looked at us.  

I kept thinking, what did someone do to you? I really thought his ability to bark was not there.  He was so quiet and so calm.

Poor Gus, and another dog, had been left out and abandoned by someone.  They just moved out, left the dogs tied up outside, and left them there.  Horrible.

I once wrote on a topic for a Web site on family pets.  You can read the original story about our pets here: http://www.helium.com/items/1754966-our-pets-and-how-they-live-in-harmony.  I do need to update it, but you can read about how we ended up Gus.  

Gus is basically my son's dog.  They spend a lot of time together.  A few years ago my son was playing with his dog's lips and laughing, but felt a lump in his jaw.   Thankfully, for his play time with his dog, we had the lump removed.  Now, my son has found a lump on his leg, which he has been chewing on and biting off hair.  

Today, Gus is having surgery to remove the lump.  We don't know if it's cancerous yet or not.  Gus has been biting it too much to take a sample prior to the surgery.  The good news, is that he'll get his teeth cleaned today also.  That will keep him healthy.

Gus is very much like those dogs you see plopped on the front porch on a hot summer day.  He loves to bathe in the sun, and if we are lucky, we can get him to run around with the other dogs.  

Gus isn't a ball and fetch kind of dog, but once in a while he'll play tug-o-war with a rope, and the other dogs.

We think that Gus may have have been a hunting dog at one time, as he is the only dog (other than Sadie chasing birds) that can catch a gopher.  

We are praying today the Gus recovers quickly from this surgery today.  He's been a huge part of our life here.  He's made us laugh and he's taught the kids to love.

I finished the wooden ring Christmas ornaments.  The complete story is on my S.C.R.A.P. blog:  http://scrapreusedandrecycledartprojects.blogspot.com/2012/01/christmas-ornament-using-thrift-store.html

A close up of the quilled holly leaves and berries drying.

I'll admit, I wish I had more of these rings.  These were fun to make.  I am creating two more in pastel colored yarn and will post those when they are finished also. I was lucky to find these rings for $1.00.  I looked on ebay and other places and they sell for much more.

We woke up to frozen pipes in half of the house today.  Good thing we have water on hand (in jugs) to flush toilets.