Category: Misfit Manor Diary

Like anyone who has dogs my worst nightmare has always been that one of my dogs gets out of the yard without me knowing it. In all the years I have had dogs this had never happened…until this summer.

We have a large heavy duty latch on our back gate…it is a pain to open and close but we installed it for safety for the dogs. The latch was old and getting too stiff for my hands so my husband replaced it. The new latch didn’t work properly. One of the dogs popped the gate open by jumping on it and all of my dogs got loose on the driveway. Thank goodness I was in eye shot on the property and saw them in the driveway.

We got them all corralled and back in to the yard and did head count. My sweet Spike was missing. Spike is old, deaf and never leaves mommy side. So we assumed he was in the house and not lost and immediately searched the house for him. Because he is deaf we can only find him by looking…we checked all of his favorite nappy spots…no Spike. It hit us like a ton of bricks…he is gone. We started looking all around our neighborhood…my husband in the car and me on foot. No Spike.

Spike is such a sweet and trusting dog he would walk up to anyone. We were terrified that someone nefarious picked him up on the road and took him home.

Needless to say I did not sleep that night. I drove around town all night in the hopes that I would somehow spot him. It was cold (below 32 that night) and I could not bear the thought of him being outside in the dark and cold alone.

We posted on Facebook as soon as we realized that Spike was missing and his picture was shared around town rapidly. Friends came over to help us look. But still no Spike.

But then…17 hours later a man called me…he had our Spike. Spike had made it across the creek, through several neighborhoods, through a large woods and across a huge farm…clear on the other side of town. He huddled up to the HVAC return vent on this man’s farm house to keep warm. Because Spike had been shared so much on Facebook he knew that someone was looking for him and got my phone number from our local shelter.

Bret and I immediately went to get him. Spike was relaxing and having a snack with this new friend when we got there. We were both so relieved and happy to see him but also looked at Spike and said “what were you thinking!?” Spike is so small…pretty much defenseless and a total mommy’s boy. I still can’t believe he wandered off.

Other than being cold and hungry and covered in burrs Spike was fine. He was pretty clingy for a few days.

Hands down that was one of the worse nights of my life. I am so grateful to everyone who shared Spike’s info on line and especially to the nice man who cared enough to help Spike get home.

I don’t really need any reminders that I need to cherish every minute I have with my dogs but this was one of those times when I wanted to just hold them all close and never let go.

Hug your babies…cherish every second!

Rescue On

Nancy & The Misfits

As I sit writing this update I have one dog on my lap, three dogs on beds on top my desk and a few curled up around me feet. I am literally surrounded!

Sometimes I get so caught up in the day to day of taking care of them, running businesses, keeping the property up…that my days seemingly fly by in a pleasant blur…and then something happens that makes it all grind to a halt.

I am with my dogs pretty much 24×7. I work out of the house and since COVID started I really don’t care to leave the property unless I have to. So when something isn’t quite right with one of the dogs I notice right away.

Allie was acting punky…for Allie that means quiet. She is a typical Yorkie…which means she barks a lot and loudly. If she isn’t barking something is wrong. Off to the vet she went…but I wasn’t expecting the news we got. Her blood work was terrible and indicated end stage renal failure.

I have been taking care of older dogs for so long that I know what renal failure means and that I probably don’t have much time left with them. My vet was not super optimistic but wanted to try flushing her kidney’s as best we could with fluid and putting her on a renal support diet. Within a few days she was back to her old self (barking loudly and often). Two weeks later we re-checked her blood work and while her kidney values are high they are more indicative of early stage renal disease. We have some time and for that I am grateful.

Taking care of so many older dogs has certainly taught me a lot…most importantly gratitude and staying in the moment.

Beginning and ending the day is a project with so many dogs. It takes time to get them all organized, fed, medicated, lasered, pottied, etc. Through that process/routine I start and end each day grateful that each one of them is here…grateful for each moment they are healthy and can enjoy Manor life.

I also simply just don’t have time to worry about too many things outside of the needs of our household…not simply because I am busy running around taking care of everything (which I enjoy) but because their ability to stay in the moment rubs off on me. When you live 24×7 with a house full of happy creatures who really don’t have any concerns…it can’t help but rub off. It’s just a happy place to be and I couldn’t wish for anything more.

Kentucky is having a pretty cold and wintery winter…much more so than the last few years. We are keeping busy with indoor gardening, house projects and working on our shop. We are looking forward to slightly warmer temps so we can get back to the park everyday.

Don’t forget to check out our Shop if you are planning a Pawty! We have added Pre-made Scrapbook Pages to our shop; we have new puppy pages, adoption pages, party pages and Memorial Pages. I put a slideshow of them below.

Wishing you a warm and healthy winter day!

Nancy & The Misfits

Yesterday was our first snow day of the season. We only get a few snow days here in Kentucky each winter so it’s a big deal for us to get outside to play in it. One of the best things about snow storms in KY is that the world really does stop for a snow storm here. When we lived in the Midwest life did not stop for snow sans the very rare snow day from school. Here every thing shuts down when it snows. We don’t have the infrastructure to deal with snow removal fast enough and most folks are not used to driving in snow…it’s a dangerous combination and the best thing to do is stay put. That means we get a snow day just like when we were kids…I love it!

This was Sophia’s first experience with snow and she loved it…well at least for a few minutes at a time. She loved running around outside but her feet would get cold so fast I would have to take her in the house to warm up. She would scream at the door though until I let her back out with the rest of us. This went on for a good while…my poor husband was working from home…not sure he appreciated her drama (lol).

Our newest Misfit, Sweet Paulie, had a blast playing outside too. Paulie mostly enjoys anything that involves following me around. She is truly one of the nicest dogs we have ever met. We are blessed to have her here and grateful that we have the tools and resources to keep her comfortable (she has the worst arthritis we have seen since our lab Sam so many years ago).

Mostly we are so grateful for our little corner of this world where we can enjoy our family in peace. I am fortunate to live a relatively sheltered and peaceful life. I work out of my house doing work that I love and spend the majority of my time taking care of these precious dogs. Still, everything these days feels heavier. 2022 feels like its starting out like a wet blanket on a cold night.

I think like most people…we are exhausted. We are exhausted of bad news, life constantly being canceled, difficulties in running our businesses and especially the political and cultural vitriol. It feels like we have become a society full of opinion (the lowest form of information) but completely lacking in empathy and solutions. I am not sure I have witnessed more demonizing of the “other” in our culture than we see now and its paired with a lack of empathy and a loss of ability to think critically and independently. It scares me. We are a society that has that has been prosperous, safe and secure because of our historic ability to work together, to come together and to show empathy, respect and patience in the face of both adversity and disagreement. It seems to be lost…and lost to a point of no return. It makes me incredibly sad…we are leaving such a toxic mess to future generations in so many ways.

If you haven’t watched the movie Don’t Look Up…I recommend it. At times I laughed…the writing is clever and it is my kind of humor…dry, very dry. But at the same time it was very disturbing. Humanity was too distracted to care about the meteor barreling at earth was it’s premise. We have a lot of “metaphorical meteors” barreling towards us…whether you want to focus on climate change or the break down of our culture…the movie reminded us that we (as a society) are our own worst enemy and have been tolerating corruption and incompetence in our politicians, institutions and journalists for far too long. Personal responsibility has been supplanted with entitlement. Institutions and group think have supplanted critical thinking and empathy.

I’m just a crazy dog lady and armchair philosopher…I have no grand solutions for such grand problems other than to live by the old adage that we each need to be the change we want to see in the world…no matter how small our sphere of influence is.

I leave you with this cute video of Sophia’s first moment of experiencing snow…she was precious.

Peace,

Nancy & The Misfits

It’s almost hard to believe that it’s Christmas time and another year is almost done. Bret and I had the nicest holiday season…it has been very festive but also peaceful. We hired professionals to decorate the outside of the Manor this year…this was a treat and something I have always wanted to do. The pros did a far better job than I could have and it allowed me more time to focus on festivities and caring for the dogs. If there is one lesson we are learning as we get older it’s that it makes sense to delegate some things out…we can’t do everything ourselves all of the time.

Bret and I have built our own traditions over the years and our favorite is Winter Solstice. We make yule/intention logs. We write our wishes, goals, intentions for the coming year on the logs and then wrap them in herbs, pine cones, holly and dried oranges. We make yummy snacks and have a big bonfire with our logs… sending our intentions for the year out to the universe. The dogs love this night…we roast them some beef over the fire and they get to play outside in the dark.

Definitely one of the highlights of the holiday was a surprise visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus to the Manor. Some friends of mine surprised the Misfits with a visit and home baked dog cookies.

Our Christmas morning was our usual tradition of making the dogs a big pancake breakfast…we give them their toys and then we watch A Christmas Story while we rest out stomachs. This year the weather is so nice we went to the park for most of the afternoon.

Our holidays are simple and private…Bret and I and spend our holidays at home with the Misfits. No gift pressue…no fancy meal pressure…our Christmas dinner tonite is burgers on the grill.

I put a gallery of the Misfits Christmas photos below. For some reason this year they all were super cooperative for pictures (not Heloise). I think these are some of the prettiest shots I have ever taken of some of them.

We end this year glad to have some time to rest…it’s been so busy and we need this time to re-charge. We are both grateful for all the blessings we have…especially the Misfits. We are looking to forward to another year of pawsitively fun times….and just think…spring is only 85 days away…we will be back in our gardens in no time!!!

Blessings to you and yours this holiday season,

Nancy & The Misfits

Ok so we were a few days late…but it’s never too late to Pawty at Misfit Manor. Sophia turned 6 months old at the end of November. Bret and I swore when we first brought her home (8 weeks old) that we would celebrate every little milestone she had…because frankly neither of us were confident in how far she would make it…every single day mattered to us. But here we are…she is 6 months old and doing fabulous.

I wanted to have Pawty pupcakes for her 6 month birthday despite my lack of baking skills. I was determined to work out a pupcake recipe for her on my own. I had a few recipe fails that Buster and Turnip were happy to eat! The best part of all of this is that Sophia is healthy enough to eat a pupcake. The first few months after she arrived were rough and we never would have considered feeding her a treat. What a blessing to be able to spoil her with pupcakes on her birthday!

Eventually I put together a pretty fool proof recipe for pupcakes and it was a hit for the Misfits…even Madison went crazy for them!

When it comes to cooking for the dogs I stick with simple and natural. Here is the simple recipe that I used:

Ingredients for Cupcakes:

2 cups of wheat flour

1/2 cup of oats

4 teaspoons of baking powder

1 cup of apple sauce (unsweetened)

1 cup of mashed bananas (you could substitute this for pumpkin, peanut butter, zucchini, even a lean meat or fish)

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

2 eggs

FROSTING: I use 1- 8 oz pack of cream cheese and 1/2 c. of peanut butter. Because I wanted the frosting to be pink I added 2 Tbsp of beet juice to the frosting to make it pink.

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to at least 350 degrees. This recipe will make 12 pupcakes. You can use cupcake papers…just remember to take them off before you serve them or the dogs will eat papers. Or you can spray the cupcake pan with spray oil.

Mix together all of your main ingredients. Like with human baking…I think it helps to having everything laid out at room temperature before you start. Put your mixed pupcake ingredients in your baking cupcake pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. You can use the ole toothpick test but I typically cut the top off one cake to check the doneness.

When I make frosting I always make sure my ingredients (cream cheese and peanut butter) are at room temperature before I mix them. I use my electric mixer to whisk it up so the frosting is as fluffy as possible. I add natural ingredients to color my frosting…you can use beet juice, blueberry juice, etc. I apply my frosting simply by cutting a tiny corner off of a ziploc bag and squeezing it on.

I garnished these cupcakes with the cake flavor dog bones I send out with orders from my Shop. I order these off Chewy. You could also use cupcake toppers…of which I sell a whole collection of adorable ones at my Shop!

Life at Misfit Manor is fragile. Most of the dogs here arrive either very senior or in very fragile health (or both) so we celebrate everything. The dogs bring so much love and joy into our lives and that is worth celebrating every single day!

Pawty On!

Nancy & The Misfits

Do you like the Pawty hats and Pupperccino cups in our pictures? Check out our Misfit Manor Pawty Shop to get your own personalized pawty gear! We also have a lot of great gifting items for dog lovers.

Check out our Misfit Manor Pinterest Page for tons of dog lover content and our Misfit Manor Facebook Page for shop deals and announcements. If you want to follow our crazy and beautiful life with the Misfits sign up to get our our blog updates via email. Want to support our Misfits? They have an Amazon Wish List and Sophia has a GoFundMe for her surgery bills.

A few weeks ago we welcomed a new Misfit. Her name is Paulie. She is a 10-12 year old Chiweenie. Paulie found herself in a rural Kentucky shelter in a pretty banged up state. We are not sure what happened to her but a fair guess is that she was side swiped by either a car or tractor. Her left side has obvious injuries…a crushed eye and she could not walk on her back left leg. Her skin was in line with what we typically see with most of our Misfits when they arrive…dried out and raw with a lot of missing hair.

Paulie’s skin is bouncing back nicely and her coat is slowing growing back in. I make my own dog shampoo and tailor what I put in to it for each dog. Paulie’s shampoo was heavy on the fresh aloe vera which helped heal up her most tender spots very quickly. I also add Probiotics and Salmon Oil to meals to help restore skin and coat health.

The best news is that her eye, despite being crushed, does not seem to bother her at all. She is deaf as well but that is not big deal around here (half of the Misfits are deaf). Her back leg, after several weeks of laser therapy, functions pretty normally now. She is unfortunately a very arthritic girl…her elbows and hips bow out pretty badly but she gets around just fine. With regular arthritis meds she seems pretty comfortable.

Paulie is sweet as can be and is a great addition to our family. I always marvel out how well (and quickly) new Misfits gel in to our family. Paulie is truly a perfect pet. She figured out right away where to potty. She is incredibly quiet…no barking at all really. She is really attached already and cries a bit if I walk away from her. I wonder…like I do with all of my Misfits…how did such a sweet little creature end up in such dire straits?

Paulie is the first dog since Rosie to make friends with Solstice. Solstice has zero interest in any of the other Misfits…except to slap them if they get in her personal space. Paulie hangs out where ever I am in the house…just like Rosie did…very relaxed and peaceful…Solstice seems to like the peaceful company.

Paulie loves our daily trip to the park. She doesn’t walk for too long…mostly rides in the stroller…but she acts like she was made for stroller rides. Some of the Misfits need to be harnessed in when I first take them out in the stroller because it is unfamiliar…not Paulie…she is cool as a cucumber and loves having a daily adventure that doesn’t require taxing her arthritic legs.

I am not sure how I get so lucky. The dogs that end up here are always such a good fit. It is not lost on me that we are very fortunate that all the Misfits get along so well. Whenever I bring a new Misfit home the others seem to rally around them…almost like they remember being the new kid on the block and being scared and uncertain…they go out of their way to make the newbie feel safe.

The weather here has been amazing…we always feel so blessed to be able to spend so much time outside this time of year. Park time, play yard time and evening bonfires make this one of the best times of the year. Memories of Minnesota and the long cold winters never fade and make life here seem so much sweeter.

I will leave you with this funny picture of Madison…she pulled her pony out while napping today… woke up with a hysterical case of bed head! She continues to do well…albeit she is one of the quirkiest and most nervous dogs I have ever met. We work hard to show her every day that she is safe and loved…I think she gets it a little more each day…some scars never heal though and she definitely carries the scars of a very rough life. I am so grateful each day that she is here with us.

Rescue on!

Nancy & The Misfits

Keep in touch with us by following our blog via email. You can follow our shop deals and new products on our Facebook Page or Pinterest Page. Visit our Misfit Manor Shop if you are planning a Pawty! Want to send the Misfits a gift…check out our Amazon Wish List! We also have a GoFundMe set up for Sophia’s surgery.

Last week we had to take Sophia Rose to see a surgeon in Louisville (about an hour from the Manor). It was supposed to rain so Bret decided he wanted to drive us there….and thank goodness he did. About half way there an alert went off in the car and the tire gauge on the dash showed we were losing pressure in one of our tires rapidly…on the freeway.

My husband is not a “panicker”…unlike me…he safely got us off the highway and to a gas station air pump before the tire was a total loss…re-inflated it and got us safely to a tire center. We were however now going to be hours late for our appointment with Sophia’s surgeon.

Bret was focused the whole time on getting the car fixed…I was completely annoyed and frustrated that we were going to miss her appointment…and Miss Sophia…well she had a blast all day. She flirted with the men in the tire station…she got to play outside…she looked spectacular in her pink fluffy coat and pearls…Bret took for a pupperccino…the entire day was nothing but an adventure to her. I guess deciding what kind of day it was going to be is all a manner of perspective…

We ended up making it the surgeon’s office…they squeezed us in even though we were 3 hours late. And even though the day seemed frustrating as it unfolded this is the truth of how the day turned out:

• Sophia’s surgeon was so pleased with how her personal department has developed and our ability to keep her free of infection that we are postponing her surgery another 3 months!
• We made it there and back safely!
• This first tire center we drove to didn’t have a tire for us…but they quickly put our spare on for us…for free!
• The second tire center had a tire for us and had room in their schedule to work on it right away…I’m guessing Sophia’s cuteness had something to do with that!
• Sophia had a blast and we enjoyed having a day alone with her!
• Sophia is healthy enough to eat a pupperccino…just a few months ago we would never have considered letting her have one!

Perspective is everything…what started out feeling like a “sh*t show” really was a great day and everyone we encountered all day was helpful. Best of all Sophia continues to grow and get healthier each day!

The surgeon gave us an estimate of $3500.00 for Sophia’s surgery. We have already raised $1200 for it. Sophia has a GoFundMe to try to raise more. The goal of Sophia’s surgery will be to create separation between her vagina and her anus…she currently does not have the back side of the vulva and no where near enough separation. As you can imagine this makes her vulnerable to infection. The surgeon is confident he can improve this situation quite a bit for her. Other than this specific situation (and not having a tail) Sophia is a completely healthy little girl.

As soon as we returned home from the day’s adventure Miss Sophia went right back to playing with Buster…I think he missed her! We are so grateful that Buster is so good with all the littles here.

We are getting ready for Winter Solstice and Christmas at the Manor. It is definitely one of the best times of the year!

Don’t forget to keep in touch with us…you can follow our Misfit Manor Pinterest Page for tons of dog lover and pawty content….our Misfit Manor Facebook Page for shop deals and updates and sign up to follow our blog via email. All of our ornaments are on sale at our Shop for the next 10 days so don’t miss out!

Signing off with a grateful heart!

Nancy & The Misfits

Everyone needs a roof over their head…including us. Misfit Manor is a super cool collection of buildings…that are also pretty old. Our roof on the main house was especially old…and it has been leaking in different spots over the years. We have been patching it as we go but we have known for a while that we were going to have to replace it. Honestly…who wants to spend money on a roof? It may be necessary but it isn’t fun…at least I kept telling my husband that every time he brought up that we need to replace the roof.

This past winter during an ice storm the roof started a leak in my bedroom…drip, drip, drip. My husband was right…we had to get this done.

Every time something like this comes up…a huge vet bill or a frighteningly large expense for the property I have to work really hard at remaining calm and handing it over. For some reason the universe always has Bret and my backs…everything always works out…we just have to be patient. In this case it was a letter and check from my Great Aunt Yvonne’s estate lawyer. My incredible Aunt left us enough money to re-roof the entire property…reading the letter literally took my breath for a moment. All I could do when I read it was sit in silence and stare at it. I called my husband and said “you are not going to believe this…but we just got a roof in the mail”. I have to wonder…is my Aunt Yvonne watching….does she know what an amazing thing she has done for us? Can she feel my grateful heart right now? It is incredibly humbling when someone does something so generous and unexpected…there really are not appropriate words for it…humble is the best I can do.

Bret and I plan to age out at the Manor with our Misfits. We do not like the word “retire” or the traditional view of what it has meant in American culture. We have our own view of what “retiring” means and long ago decided we needed to be intentional about striking a balance between work and play at every age. To us “ageing out” means continuing to do all the things we love until we drop and we want to do it here. We love our work and we love our dogs and our gardens…we love this ridiculous old home we call Misfit Manor and we don’t plan to leave it just because we are getting older. With our inheritance we were able to buy the Lifetime Shingles for the buildings and we had all the flat roofs (there are 4 of them) completely torn off and rebuilt. We will never have to do this again in our lifetime and it feels really good. Thank you Aunt Yvonne.

I only met my Aunt Yvonne twice in my life. Once when I was really little and I don’t remember much of the visit with her. Then again when I was in my late 30’s I went to visit her in Fall River, MA. By that time she lived in an apartment/Assisted Living building. She insisted that we have a meal in the dining room of her building. She walked us around to every table in the dining room to introduce her family to all of her friends there. Clearly getting a visit was meaningful to her and I was humbled to be called her family. I was always told that I looked a lot like her and acted like her. She was a pistol…very witty, very smart and driven and she lived life on her own terms long before women were “allowed” to live life on their own terms. She had no reason to leave anything to me in her will…but she did. The only way I can say thank you now is to say it out loud and hope she can hear it. I hope she can feel my grateful heart. I am not sure if my Aunt liked dogs but she gave my dogs a roof over their heads…literally. I don’t know if she would understand the life I live with my Misfits…but I am certain she would be thrilled that I am doing life my own way.

Signing off with a grateful and humble heart,

Nancy & The Misfits

P.S. Don’t forget to visit our Misfit Manor Shop for holiday gifting items for pet lovers! If you want to help support the Misfits they have an Amazon Wish List and a GoFundMe.

We have a mole…a very determined mole…destroying our yard. I am always amazed when creatures like this think it is a good idea to camp out in our back yard. Seriously…does it consider the pack of dogs who want to kill it when it chooses our yard? The mole is literally making tunnels and hills all over. And the Misfits are determined to get him. Between the mole tunnels and the dogs digging more holes to get him…our entire back yard looks like swiss cheese!

Honestly, Bret and I go back and forth between laughing over the situation…our yard is trashed and looks completely ridiculous…and being frustrated…how are we going to fix this?

Maddie digs holes so deep her head fits entirely down in them. Even sweet Sophia, now weighing in at 4 lbs 15 oz. has joined in on the digging…who knew such a tiny dog could dig so fast!

Buster dug and de-grassed an entire corner in a manner of minutes. This mole is smart and fast though…he always gets away. We are going to have look in to some humane ways to encourage him to move on.

The yard drama aside, Manor life never seems to slow down. There has been a bit of construction/renovation work going on, we have a new Misfit (more on that later) and the needs of the Misfits and my businesses keep me busy around the clock.

Miss Sophia is growing like a weed…though still a tiny little thing. The best news is that her challenges with pooping have all but disappeared…she poops like a rock star now….a great relief because the vet suspected some of her issues were internal nerve/colon issues. Clearly her colon issues have resolved themselves as she has grown. We are also managing to keep her infection free despite having no separation between her anus and her vagina…this is no small feet…the medical management of keeping her infection free requires constant hygiene care. I take her urine in every couple weeks to test for white blood cells to make sure we are staying ahead of any percolating infections. Tomorrow we head to Louisville for another consultation with her surgeon. We are trying to put off surgery as long as we can (hopefully until she is full grown). The surgery will create separation between her vagina and anus. Sophia is such an incredible blessing to our lives. She has become Trudy’s wrestling and snuggling buddy. None of the other Misfits will play with Trudy (Trudy is a little crazy and she freaks the other dogs out). But Sophia loves Trudy’s brand of crazy and its a beautiful thing to see Trudy wrestle and play like a normal dog.

Like everyone else…we are certainly noticing the impact of inflation and product shortages here at the Manor. Items I purchase to run my shop have been out of stock for months…not even available for back order. I have had to be creative and flexible to figure out different ways to do things for now. I also keep really close tabs on our vet bills, pet food costs, meds & supplements, etc. And they are going up fast. We have also started seeing supply issues…particularly for certain kinds of food and piddle pads. We order a lot of our items through Chewy…this month’s piddle pad order was half what we normally get…out of stocks. When you have a bunch of senior dogs…piddle pads are not luxury…they are a necessity. Since Covid lockdowns in 2020 we have stayed stocked up on just about everything we use here so we are very grateful to be ahead of out of stocks for now. I am fortunate that I do very little driving so rising gas prices are not a big hit for us but like everyone else it is unsettling to see prices for food and every day items go up so fast.

Don’t forget about us this holiday season if you are shopping for dog loving friends and family. Our Misfit Manor Shop has ornaments and wall decor that make perfect gifts for dog lovers. You can also support the Misfits with a gift from their Amazon Wish List and their GoFundMe for vet bills.

Signing off on this beautiful fall evening in Kentucky,

Nancy & The Misfits

Little Miss Madison has definitely changed since she arrived here but she also definitely lives life here on her own terms. We don’t know anything about her life before coming to the Manor other than she was surrendered to an rural KY shelter because she was “just too old to take care of anymore”…honestly I don’t want to know what her life was like. We can guess…because she is not socialized to animals or humans that she was breeder and most likely spent her life alone in a cage. Some dogs bounce back from a life like that…some don’t. In Madison’s case she will probably never be normal. She is the most nervous dog I have ever met. She is afraid of everyone and everything. But Madison has definitely changed since she arrived…she eats great without getting sick (she was chronically stomach sick for the first few weeks). Our go to tool when we get a dog with major digestive issues is probiotics. They may take a bit of time to work but creating a healthy gut flora for the dogs makes everything better for them…not just their stomachs (their skin especially improves) and its been a game changer for Madison. We love watching her chow down…she knows our meal schedule and comes and finds me if I am even a few minutes late with dinner.

Madison eats like a little piggy now. And she can enjoy things like treats and chews without getting sick. She still does not drink from a water bowl. I even tried using a water bottle (like you would put in a hampster cage) to see if she would drink from that…no go. To get enough fluid in her every day I make her meals in to a soup and serve it on a plate with a deep enough edge. It’s unconventional but it works.

Definitely one of the most exciting changes has been her improved mobility and lack of pain/discomfort. Madison clearly was uncomfortable (back and hips) and she moved sooo slow…turtles move faster than she did. But in just a few months she moves at a pretty good clip and instead of having to ride in the stroller for her whole walk she trots around on her own. Park time is her favorite time! We used a typical basket of tools to get Madison feeling better…supplements, laser therapy and vibration therapy.

Hands down Madison’s favorite things to do are nap and watch me work. She has beds in my office and my studio…she is either sound asleep or staring at me. If I move…she moves. She likes to sleep in a sling on my chest while I paint…I haven’t had a dog do that since my Luna.

One of our biggest concerns for her was her nerves and anxiety…I have never met such a nervous dog. We started her on Solloquin right after she arrived. I have used this supplement a lot over the years and have had decent success with it. It has really helped Madison and unlike pharmaceuticals it does not have side effects. Like any natural remedy it takes a while to show its impact (usually 4-6 weeks).

It took weeks for Madison to lay on a dog bed here. Trust me there are dog beds literally everywhere in my house…she would only lay on the floor. It is like she didn’t realize that the beds were for her too. It’s odd how much this bothered Bret and I…thinking about this tiny little sweet thing not having basic comforts for most of her life…heartbreaking.

She still does not crave any physical touch. She will snuggle with me in bed or on my recliner and loves to get her back and belly scratched but she is not a dog that will initiate any human contact. When she snuggles with me she does this goofy thing where she rubs her head really fast on my stomach and then her whole body relaxes on me and she let’s out a sigh…it is so cute…I have no clue what it means but it is so sweet and melts me every time.

Every body has things they do in life that genuinely make them happy…not things that make you laugh…or entertain you…or even make you feel safe and secure…but moments that remind you that life is simple and full of love…it does not have to be grand, fancy or noticed by anyone to be fulfilling and amazing. For me…it is simple things like watching Madison sleep peacefully in a warm bed at my feet that genuinely make me happy. I don’t know if Madison remembers the hellish life she must have lived before…I hope she doesn’t…but she is incredibly content now to just be who she is and enjoy the life we can give her.

Every night at bedtime we have a whole routine to get everyone ready for bed…it takes a good 30 minutes for me to get everyone pottied, medicated, lasered…and finally in their designated sleeping position. Everyone has a spot…my own bed is surrounded by co-sleepers so we all can sleep together…I crawl in last. That last look at them before I fall asleep is the best moment of each day. I was put here to take care of these precious souls and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

On the journey,

Nancy & The Misfits

P.S. Don’t forget our Misfit Manor Shop if you are planning a Pawty or looking for great gifting ideas for the holidays. If you want to support the Misfits we have both a GoFundMe for Sophia’s surgery and an Amazon Wish List.

The loss of Rosie is something that I have not been able to write about for months. We had to say our final good bye to Rosie on June 8th. The wound of losing her feels as raw today as it did that day. Every time we lose a Misfit my heart is broken but this time is different. This time I feel a level of grief I have never experienced before. My grief is intense and relentless.

She was only 4 years old…she deserved so much more time…she deserved so much more than the broken little body she was given. Her neurologist said she was a genetic tragedy…no explanation and no fix for her broken little body. Everything abut her life was so unfair.

When we first brought Rosie home the biggest challenge was getting her to eat. She did not want to eat. Bret and I both felt that it was the first time we took in a dog that simply didn’t have a desire to live anymore. We had done a session with a pet psychic with her which revealed a lot about how she felt physically but also that she didn’t believe anyone wanted her. She did not believe that Bret and I were going to keep her. We worked so hard to change her mind and win her over. Eventually we did win her over…and for 3 years I was rarely away from her and when I was it only for a few hours to run errands.

Taking care of Rosie has been one of the best experiences of my life…she was so sweet and beautiful and was up for just about anything as long as we were together. In hindsight it was so much work to care for her…she needed me 24/7…the last few weeks I was up most nights several times a night with her…but it never felt like work or a bother. I loved every minute of caring for her and I feel completely lost without her even after all of this time.

I will never forget her huge brown eyes…the noise she made when she tried to bark (so precious)…the way she would slap my cell phone out of my hand (she hated competing with the phone for my attention)…how crazy she went for a pupperccino. Despite all of her physical challenges she was happy and my constant companion…always smiling at me…always staring at me!

Her death is the thief that has stolen my joy. I don’t even know where to start trying to figure out how to heal from this anymore. I look at the rest of my Misfits and almost feel guilty for not being the same person with the same heart anymore. I go through the motions each day taking care of them but I’m doing it with a broken heart…the joy is gone for now.

I hope that Rosie found Betty and Millie on the other side. I hope somehow she can see me and that she knows how badly I miss her. I cannot wait for the day I see her and all the rest of my Misfits who have passed again.

Hug your babies…every single day matters.

Nancy & The Misfits

If there is one thing we never pass up on opportunity to do around here it’s pawty! Sophia Rose turned 3 months old last week. There was no way we weren’t going to celebrate.

Unfortunately because of her health issues there was no cake or treats at her pawty…just a few licks from a pupperccino…but she still had fun and this little girl clearly loves being the center of attention.

We intend to celebrate every mile stone with this little girl…no matter how small. While she looks like a perfectly healthy little girl she has some pretty serious health concerns. Things have definitely improved more and more and she grows but it is feeling inevitable that she is going to face surgery on her personal department once she is full grown.

But Bret and I reluctantly admitted that the first few weeks we had her we were both uncertain she would make it this far. Gratitude doesn’t cover it when we think about how much she has improved.

Sophia will see a specialist in Louisville on the 20th for the first time. All paws crossed that we will get some encouraging news. I have very mixed emotions about such a small dog going through major surgery. In the meantime, we are enjoying every minute of showing her how awesome Manor life is. She gets more rambunctious and bigger every day! This picture on the left shows how leggy she is getting…it appears she is getting more of the Chihuahua traits than the Shitzu.

Our sweet Madison continues to settle in to Manor life…albeit very slowly. She has started letting Sophia Rose snuggle with her…definitely a nice step. She also is laying on beds regularly now…when she first arrived she only laid down on the floor…she just did not get that the beds were for her. She continues to eat really good and I have her on a natural supplement for anxiety that seems to be working. She is definitely less stressed when I pick her up.

Summer is definitely winding in Kentucky. While I will be sad to shut our pool down the fall season is definitely one of my favorite times of year. I enjoy putting my gardens to bed for the winter, bonfires, apple cider and taking a lot of long cool walks with the dogs. Snoopy takes advantage of every minute he can get outside…he literally never tires out!

Blessings from our pack to yours!

Nancy & The Misfits

Don’t forget to check out our Pawty Store if you are planning a party for your dog! We have hats, favors, banners…everything you need to plan a pawfect day.

Say hello to our newest Misfit…Madison! Madison arrived about a week ago. I know nothing about her past. What I do know is that she is very old, completely deaf, does not see well and definitely has some arthritis issues. She is gentle and sweet and very, very quiet.

Madison seems to be what I would call “a-social”. She is not anti-social per se, nor is she aggressive in anyway. She has not however been socialized to people or other animals. She just doesn’t know what to do with any of us. She does not want to be touched by any of us and while she wants to be in the general vicinity of the rest of us….not too close. She definitely has found a use for me…back scratches….she loves back scratches…other than that though…no touching.

Madison loves to be outside and I have been taking her to the park with Foxy and Spike every morning. She is a really slow walker so she mostly rides in the stroller.

The only time her tail seems to wag is when she is outside. Madison also does not make any noise…not a peep. She has not barked once since arriving.

If I had to take a guess at what her life was before coming here I would guess that she was solely a breeder and most likely lived her life in a cage/crate with little interaction with any humans or animals.

Despite the fact that she is old I am holding out hope that she will eventually come to appreciate human touch and take advantage of the all of the perks of living here. If not, that is ok. We love her just as she is. I am so glad she landed here for whatever time she has left. Every one of these dogs that lands here is a blessing to my life and I cherish every day I get to take care of them.

Peace, love and rescue,

Nancy & The Misfits

If 2021 has been anything…it has been a fabulous year for gardening in Kentucky. Everything from the roses to the tomatoes have had a spectacular year here.

Not only has the weather been incredible for growing but the typical pests we see here in our gardens have been non existent this year.

Because of the Misfits I don’t leave the Manor very often. I run out for quick errands and occasionally to meet a friend for a quick lunch or dinner. The gardens are a big part of how I decompress, entertain myself and get a little variety from being a non-stop dog mom.

Gardening is not something I had time for in the past. Only since I retired to Kentucky 7 years ago have I had the time to start appreciating playing the in the dirt. I have learned a lot and made a lot of gardening mistakes but it does get better every year as I learn more and more. I consider myself an “accidental green thumb”.

Roses have been my biggest learning curve. Not knowing any better I put in a ton of roses when I first moved here. I had no clue to how to do pest control, prune, prepare for winter, etc. But I am slowly figuring it out. My roses have become my babies and I am obsessed with taking pictures of them.

I have also become obsessed with using accent pieces and lights in the garden. I have a new mindset when I am out thrifting and flea marketing…”everything has potential as a planter”! I have made planters this year from an old bicycle, an old peddle cart, bird cages, metal baskets and more. The types of lighting you can get for outdoor gardening now are incredible. I am using solar, battery powered, electric strands, torches…I have lights every where so the Misfits and I can enjoy the night in our gardens! There is nothing more wonderful than relaxing out in the yard with a big glass of tea while the fire flies light up the landscape!

I am also learning a lot of tricks/tips for making gardening more affordable. This past winter I overwintered my geraniums. I didn’t even know you could do that but here I am this year with monster geraniums. This geranium pictured on the left is a single plant that I overwintered from the previous year. I am not sure I will be able to find the space to overwinter this one again unless I cut it way back.

I also did my first growing from seed indoors this past winter and learned to propagate from cuttings and did a lot of splitting of perennials this year as well. This was my first experience with gladiolas and dahlias too…dahlias have become my favorite flower!

For the last 7 years it has been difficult to convince me to leave the Manor because of the dogs…now I don’t want to leave the gardens either! I am already looking forward to new plans for the gardens for next spring. Fall bulbs will go in soon…I have a lot of annual bulbs and tubers I need to dig up and a box of seeds I will be starting inside this year.

I saw an Audrey Hepburn quote recently; “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”. I never would have thought much of that quote in the past but now I love it. It is not just to believe in tomorrow….it is to look forward tomorrow and see it’s possibilities. The best part of each day is my early morning walk around my gardens with a cup of coffee to see what surprises and beautiful things nature has in store for the day.

I am fortunate that I get to live a life where I can be consumed with the things that make my soul sing; dogs and gardening. I wouldn’t trade either of these for all of the money in the world.

From our pack to yours…wishing you end of summer blessings.

Nancy & The Misfits

About a month a go I received a phone call about an 8 week old puppy (Chihuahua and Shitzu mix) that had some health issues and needed a place to go. Puppies are not the typical addition to the Manor family but it is something that we have talked about ever since Petunia passed away last February. Though we had passed on several other inquiries on puppies when I received the call about this little girl my inner bell knew right away that she was meant to be here.

A few days later Bret and I went to pick her up. Bret laughed when he saw her; “that’s not a dog… it’s a hampster”! She was so small…barely over 1 lb. We named her Sophia Rose in honor of our beloved Rosie.

Sophia Rose has some serious health issues. Some of her very important parts are not developed properly. The least of her issues is that she does not have a tail…just a nub. The more serious is that her vagina and anus are too close together and both are not fully developed. Her vagina is misplaced. She does not have a full vulva so when she poops bacteria and debris go right in to her vagina.

When we first brought her home she was having chronic diarrhea and the task of keeping her clean and infection free seemed overwhelming. Once we got her on a course of antibiotics though the situation improved a lot. Unfortunately, as her stool normalized in firmness, we quickly realized that she doesn’t have strong enough sphincter muscles to get her poops out alone. Honestly, there is nothing worse than a constipated puppy. She cries from the pain of trying to poop. The first week or so of figuring this out was heart breaking.

I have touched more poo in the last month than any normal person ever should in trying to help this poor girl take care of business. Over the last month we have found a system to keep things working as best as we can for her. She is on a stool softener (a lot of it), she eats liquified food and I use warm water and warm towels to help her get her first poo out in the morning. For the most part, with the exception of her first poo in the morning, things are going much more smoothly now. Our vet suspects there are issues with her colon not functioning properly that cause her stool to harden over night…making that first little piece of poo so very difficult for her.

Other than the issues I described she is a happy, rambunctious and very loving puppy. She will see a specialist on the 20th of this month in Louisville. Our vets do not believe she will have a quality life unless she has reconstructive surgery on her vulva and anus. I am still hopeful that as she grows the entire situation will improve a lot and perhaps surgery won’t be necessary. We will do whatever the experts recommend though. Regardless, she will require extra care and hygiene management her whole life. She is worth every moment of care though. She has brought so much joy to this house already.

The other Misfits have welcomed Sophia Rose warmly. She is incredibly rambunctious and they are incredibly tolerant…especially Buster. She brings a renewed energy to the house and has lifted all of our spirits.

Each time we bring a new Misfit home I am reminded how blessed I am to be able to live this life. Sophia Rose deserves the best and I am so blessed to be in a position to take care of her. When I took her in to the vet for first appointment the vet chuckled when he walked in the room and saw her…chuckling at me not her…I am not sure he quite gets me and my passion for working with dogs with challenges…”where do you find these dogs” he said…I responded…”I don’t…they find me.”

Wishing you peace and happiness from Misfit Manor,

Nancy & The Misfits

So there have been a few really nice things about turning 50 this year. The first is that I have cemented my position in the “I’m too old to get worked up about anything club”. One of the blessings of getting older is I just don’t get worked up about other people’s opinions and expectations anymore. I am content to just do me…and let the universe work everything else out. The second great thing about turning 50 is that my husband bought me and the Misfits this sweet new Jeep!

I have been wanting a vehicle that I could take the dogs out in (that is more fun than my boring Honda) for a long time. The Jeep was a pawfect fit for us.

We had a sun rider top installed so it has a super easy flip down that I can handle by myself. I set up the inside with big comfy and safe car seats for the Misfits and added extra harnesses that attach to the Jeep seats themselves so each dog is harnessed in to both the car set and to the actual Jeep seat.

The dogs and I are having so much fun going for sunny weather rides. We stop for Dairy Queen plain cheeseburgers and pupperccinos at Starbucks. We cruise to the park for play time. We run errands that we really don’t need to run just so we can cruise in the Jeep. I have never had this much fun with a car and the dogs are having a blast.

I ordered doggles for all of them. I will admit that it is hard to get some of them to keep them on. They look so darn cute and I don’t worry so much about them sticking their heads out the window to enjoy the wind when they wear their doggles.

I was made to live the life I have here with the Misfits. It is not always easy…but it is worth every ounce of effort, time and resource I put in to it. This has been one of the best summers we have ever had. The jeep is definitely part of it and this is the first time in my life that I have had a car that wasn’t practical or sensible but rather just for fun for me and the Misfits! I feel so spoiled.

Here is a photo gallery of some of the Jeep memories that we made this summer. I hope you are enjoying your summer too. Don’t forget about us if you are planning a party for your dog! Visit our Misfit Manor Shop for all of your pawty planning needs!

Summer time is definitely our favorite time of year and the dog pool is our favorite part of Kentucky summers. There is so much to do here and being outside with the Misfits is the top of our list every day!

Early in the season Bret put up a sturdier pool than we had last year and it’s been a great blessing this hot summer. The pool is small but it’s a nice respite for us after we have been out working in the gardens in the sun.

We found some great infant pool floaties that work great for the dogs. They love floating around with us in the afternoons. No matter how busy my day is I try to take at least 30 minutes in the afternoon to pour a big glass of tea, turn on some music and relax in the pool with my girls.

A couple years ago we purchased a dog bone shaped pool for the dogs and had a deck built around it. Unfortunately it was really hard to keep clean without a pump and filter so we didn’t get to use it as often as we wanted. It was way to heavy to lift for emptying and cleaning!

This year we created a pump system that runs through a fire hydrant.

It was actually really easy to set up (says the person who stood there and watched her husband do it).

I ordered a really small pool pump from Intex and used some extra pool tubing and clamps we had from a previous pool. Bret ran the tubing under the deck and up the fire hydrant. We had to drill the fire hydrant (and fasten it down to the deck). We also had to drill a hole in the actual dog pool to run the water intake…a little scary to drill the hole in the pool but we managed to get the size exactly right for the intake valve.

So far it has been really easy to keep it clean without using chlorine. I have a small portable pool vacuum that I use to keep the bottom clean and I change the pool filter every week.

The dogs love it and it provides a summer long solution for them to cool off after walks and play.

So many memories have been made in the yard this year with the Misfits. We are so blessed to live this life with such special pets. Don’t forget to check out our Misfit Manor Shop if you are planning a summer pawty!

Pawty On!

Nancy & The Misfits

There are some things we experience in life that while they may completely capture us for a while and are wonderful they are passing and don’t hold our attention for terribly long. And there are some things in this life that never get old…they never stop being full of wonder. For me, spring is one of those things that will never get old. It will always awaken a sense of awe and appreciation.

Spring in Kentucky is nothing short of magical; not just in its beauty but in its screaming reminder that all life is a cycle. Life renews in different forms and out of the darkest part of the year comes the most amazing beauty. Here it is not just the beauty of the landscape…but the sight of the foals in the all the pastures on our gorgeous rolling country side that take your breath away. I can’t stop smiling when I drive around and see the foals and their mommas.

I am fortunate that I have the ability to spend so much time outside (walking dogs) and the freedom in my schedule to do a lot of gardening on the manor. This year we have done major expansions of the gardens and getting them installed and planted has consumed every seemingly spare moment of my time. Spring in Kentucky this year has been unusually cold…and despite worrying ceaselessly about my plants…the cold seems to be beneficial for spring blooms as this has been one of the most beautiful springs since I moved here…everything…from flowering trees and the tulips to the roses has been spectacular this year.

Every year spring feels like a hopeful time…this year though I think we all of needed an extra dash of hope. We deserved the beauty of this spring. The stress of COVID lockdowns lasting for so long has made life seem heavier and slower….mother nature definitely delivered us the antidote we all needed as we emerge from lockdown life.

The Misfits have enjoyed spring…they especially enjoy how much time we are all spending outside while I prepare and plant gardens…not a day goes by that I don’t appreciate how blessed I am to live a life where I can be at home with them and still manage to work and take care of us all…

Their favorite things to do while I work…nap, play and sunbathe…and nothing makes me happier than to see them rest peacefully…

So many exciting things have been happening on the manor this year; our new additions of Spike and Foxy, we have a sweet new ride (more on that later) and a lot of renovations and garden expansions. I am gratefully exhausted each and every day for everything I have with them here.

I hope you are enjoying spring and literally taking the time to smell the roses this year…we all need it.

Rescue On!

Nancy & The Misfits