No one wants to face it, but there comes a time when our beloved pets reach the end of their lives. A pet that is dying of old age will show some signs that are common. They include failing hearing, smell, taste and a reduced appetite. As sad as this is to us, this is a natural process and we have no choice but to accept it.

Dying of old age can be thought of as a shutting down of a complex system. The shut down happens in stages, with different components going first. There are usually no dramatic occurrences, but rather a gradual succession of events that only become noticeable as they combine. It is believed that this specific pattern of systemic failure is designed in a way that causes the least amount of suffering as death encroaches.

As death approaches, changes on another level also occur. Emotional and spiritual changes can be observed in animals that can sense the end is near. As death draws very near, your dog may let out some whimpers or low howls. Though we may believe this to be signs of pain, it is most likely just the result of the mind shutting down and the final resources of energy being released. At this stage death is very close at hand.

When death is imminent, there are some signs that can be observed. The extremities will become cool to the touch as blood flow decreases. Changes in skin color are another indication of decreased blood flow. As the organs fail, toxins also begin to build up in the blood, causing it to become darker.

You will also notice changes in the sleeping pattern. Most likely the animal will spend increasing amounts of time asleep in their dog bed as their metabolism slows. Mental confusion will also be present so try to avoid waking the animal suddenly. Another sign of a failing body is the inability to control the bladder and bowels. Be prepared for this by placing plastic under the area where the animal normally sleeps.

As the lungs begin to fail, the animal will make gurgling noises. This is caused by fluid buildup in the lungs. The feeling of not being able to breathe may cause the dog to become highly agitated. Talk calmly to it to try to ease the anxiety. Panting is also common as the animal tries to supply more oxygen to failing organs.

At this point there is no way to stave off the impending death. The only thing you can do is be there to comfort your pet as they make the transition. At the very end it may seem that the animal is in another world. Depending on your spiritual beliefs, this is often seen as the point where the animal passes over to the next world. Regardless of what you believe, with death comes the relief from any suffering that your pet was experiencing.

If you are coping with the loss of a pet go here.

Once you have a swimming pool, the upkeep can be costly, yes that’s true, but knowing a little more about essential swimming pool supplies can go a long way to help you add value to your pool that will not be so costly in the end. When you have a pool, the water is what should concern you most, it has to be safe meaning it’s clean, it’s free from bacteria and all that. What you need above all is the right pool pump to make your pool’s operation smooth and the maintenance less of a hassle.

The water in your pool is exposed frequently to all sorts of dirt and debris and to maintain it you would want to do it with the less possible hassle as much as you can, what with your busy day at work plus your kids and loved ones to attend to manual labor is not an option. So if you want to get the job done properly, you will simply have to invest on pool supplies like a pool cleaner or pool pump that is ideal for your swimming pool.

Why is pool pump a vital pool supply to have? For the primary reason that this circulates the water in your pool and pushes it through your pool filter and thus cleaning and filtering your water in the process. Once the water comes out, it is fresh and sparkling like ever before making your favorite water sports and activities safe. With an efficient pump, your water also remains safe from insects and other living creatures that breed and survive in inert water.

Choosing the right pool pump can be tricky if you don’t know how so a little research can be beneficial like knowing the correct size of your water pump in relation to the size of your pool is important. What you would really need is a pool pump that has less energy cost yet still very efficient. Looking around and asking help from professionals will help you know the right pump to purchase that is just ideal for your swimming pool.

Ingredients

• Cake
• 1-½ cup Flour
• 3 Tablespoons Corn Starch
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 9 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 3 whole Large Eggs
• ½ cups Sour Cream, Room Temperature
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• _____
• Icing
• ½ pounds Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
• 2 sticks Unsalted Butter
• 1-½ pound Powdered Sugar, Sifted
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 pound Strawberries

Preparation Instructions

IMPORTANT: Be sure to use a cake pan that’s at least 2 inches deep! Before baking, the batter should not fill the pan more than halfway.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch.
Cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.

Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, or until no longer jiggly like my bottom. Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.

Stem strawberries and slice them in half from bottom to top. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries in two batches. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoons sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.

Make icing: combine cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until very light and fluffy.

Slice cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), pouring on all the juices. Place cake halves into the freezer for five minutes, just to make icing easier.

Remove from freezer. Use a little less than 1/3 of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top spreading evenly, then spread the remaining 1/3 cup around the sides.

Leave plain OR garnish with strawberry halves.

IMPORTANT: Cake is best when served slightly cool. The butter content in the icing will cause it to soften at room temperature. For best results, store in the fridge!

from Pioneer Woman, orginal recipe here.

Ain’t that the truth!

Many dog owners want to purchase a dog bed as soon as they pick up their dog, however less put any serious consideration into the style of bed they should get.  While any bed will work for your dog, given that it is large enough, here are a few considerations that will make for the best selection.

Many things will need to be considered when buying a dog bed.  Price can be a factor as well, you will pay much more for an orthopedic foam mattress than you will for a normal bed, and bigger beds generally cost more than littler ones.  You can find beds ranging from $30 to $300 and more.

Before you go bed shopping, make certain to measure your dog, or if they are still young, anticipate their size when they are fully grown.  You can also get different beds as he gets older .  You can conclude your dogs grown size by his breed. It will be slightly harder if you own a mixed breed pet.  A larger bed can be made more comfy for a smaller pet by rolling up a towel and reducing the open space until the pet grows.

It wouldn’t make sense for a Toy Poodle to use a pet bed designed for a Great Dane.  Little dogs get very anxious in a small space and big pets tend to get claustrophobic in small spaces.  For a pet that truly wants to be secure, you can get a donut bed that has raised sides or even an enclosed bed that acts as a sort of den.  Pets are accustomed to staying in confined parts such as dog crates.  It is their unique spot and should be appreciated as such.  If your pet lays all over the house, you may want to think about buying a few to put here and there.

For inside/outside dogs, you will want a bed that has a cedar stuffing to eliminate the smells.  The majority of beds are available with an easily removed cover for washing weekly.  You can also get a bed that is water resistant that keeps smells gone.

Waterbeds and an orthopedic pet bed are available for older pets or dogs with joint and muscle issues.  Both supply loads of gentle support and get your dog up off the floorboards.  These beds are specialty items and understandably cost much more than a standard pad on the ground.

You can take your dog to your local pet supply to see if he can locate one he likes or the pet shop will probably let your dog try the beds.  Your pet will let you know what bed fits him perfectly.  Once you have an idea of what your pet wants, go online and comparison shop, the odds are good that you will locate the same bed for less.  Make sure to get a extra cover or two, so you can clean things as required.

Living room normally serves as the entrance of the entire house. This is where family members and guests entered. It is also a place in the house where most of activities are done whether it is playing some past time game, or doing some school works such as art projects. There are also times when gathering is held in the house that sometimes living room is used as a dining area. Clutters caused by the paper cuts, stains from coloring materials and spilling of foods and drinks are unavoidable. Floor, furniture, and decorations get dirty. It is somewhat a problem for a house owner on how to clean all the mess and make the living room back on its original feature. Cleaning materials are essential things in maintaining the cleanliness of the living room furniture.

Vacuum cleaner, mop, feather duster, and furniture polisher are kinds of cleaning materials effective for cleaning. Stain remover chemicals can also be used if needed. Furniture polisher must be appropriate for the materials of your furniture to avoid any damaged. Soft cloth is best to use when applying furniture polisher to avoid scratches. If you need to use stain remover chemicals, read first the instruction on what is the proper usage of the product and wear some protective gear to avoid any injury.

Living room furniture and decorations can make living room more inviting when it is clean and well-maintained. Clean living room is not just as comfortable to stay but can also give satisfaction from family and from people who visits your house. People won’t notice the how expensive your furniture is but when your living room is clean and comfortable, they can’t help noticing the beauty of your living room.

There is a scene from the movie “Food Inc.” that depicts a family buying food at a drive through supposedly because they can’t afford to buy “real food”.  The same family is later seen in a grocery complaining that they don’t have enough money to buy fresh food.  The question that comes to mind though is whether or not it is in fact cheaper to get ready meals at a fast food or to buy fresh food at a grocery or market and turn it into a meal.

The scenes in the movie that are meant to be touching and sad, end up looking merely poorly researched, because the truth is, there is no way a fast food meal is cheaper than “real food”.  A typical fast food meal for two consisting of burgers, fried and drinks goes for about $10.  At a grocery store, $10 would buy five pounds of potatoes, a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk a loaf of bread, bag of carrots, a pound of pasta, a jar of tomato sauce and a tub of peanut butter.

With these ingredients, you can make breakfast lunch and dinner for a family of four.  With the ingredients mentioned three meals could be prepared:  For breakfast, you’d have eggs milk and toast; for lunch, peanut butter sandwiches and baked potatoes and carrot sticks and for dinner spaghetti;  three nutritious square meals for the price of a single fastfood meal.  Don’t be deceived by any assertions that fastfood is cheaper, it quite simply isn’t.  People eat at fastfood restaurants for convenience, but in this day and age convenience is rarely worth the money you have to pay for it, especially considering the notoriously poor nutritional value now associated with fast food.