October Last

[lavendertook]

We finally got full sunshine today, and the buds on the trees are starting to open, so it finally feels like the first day of spring. That helps. We're definitely 2 weeks behind on spring now, after winter coming over a month early, so it's been quite a slog this year.

The vet was supposed to call me today about a question I had concerning Saki's medicine dosage, and never did. This definitely isn't working out. I feel so let down by every end of the medical establishment at this point. Infrastructure? Just not working here. Surprised? No. I lost my dad to surgery and poor aftercare, so am familiar with this tune.

As I have a lot of hunting among reviews to do yet, and yelp.com hasn't worked out too well for me, I was wondering if any of you have used Angie's List and found it helpful? Have you found any other review source for veterinary, medical, and dental providers useful that you could suggest?










Contrasting colors back by popular demand.





















One great Blue Heron has been living on the lake since I came to this town 19 years ago. I don't know if this is the same one I've seen every year, but it just may be. I call hir Dinosaur and greet hir with this name whenever we meet. Another Great Blue visited with hir a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't seen the second one since, though ze might be around.

Comments

[spiralsheep]

Talking of contrast colours, my locality has achieved daffodil flowers at last... albeit somewhat downtrodden and reluctant. YELLOW!

Herons are fabulous creatures. I've always understood why they've been so easily mythologised.

[lavendertook]

I"m glad you have achieved daffodil. (-: It's a start . . .

is Spring on schedule for your area, (Worscestershire, right?) or is it 2 weeks behind like ours is?

[spiralsheep]

I was looking at my March flower photos from 2010 and the coltsfoot in them isn't even growing stems yet.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spiralsheep/4516073768/ [YELLOW!]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spiralsheep/4516073752/

Here it is again in April... as a fully blown seedhead!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spiralsheep/5695945608/

The primroses, otoh, don't seem to care and have carried on regardless of the weather.

I SHALL BE A PRIMROSE ON THE PRIMROSE PATH!!1!! ;-)

[lavendertook]

Thank you for the links. Now I'm read up on coltsfoot aka butterbur--always a hobbity connection to be ferreted out! (-;

[spiralsheep]

Ha, I don't know it as butterbur (although many common names are interchangeable, especially for plants that share visual or medicinal characteristics):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Butterbur

But, yes, hobbits would love coltsfoot cos you can dry it in sticks and eat it like liquorice or add it to tobacco for flavour (and medicinal purposes, obv! /hobbity excuse).

[grey_wonderer]

Lovely photos! I adore the ones of the path through the trees!

Sorry about your vet woes. Here, one have one vet and one vet only. Fortunately I like him but when he is out of town or when the vet is closed, I am an hour away from any really good medical treatment for my cats. There is a vet 30 minutes from here but he isn't very good so it's an hour's drive or nothing and when I go somewhere other than my regular vet, I always feel like I'm starting over because I have to explain the history of which ever cat I bring in.
My one experience with Angie's list wasn't successful but that was because the information I needed was there. I was looking for a review or some feedback for a local doctor, but they didn't have anything about him.

[lavendertook]

Thank you, bb!

I'm sorry you have ot go so far for a good vet. *hugs*

Thanks for your experience on Angie's List.

[easterlily41482]

Oh honey, I wish you lived closer to me. I would introduce you to the vet my Ginger goes to. *hugs*

[lavendertook]

Thank you, bb! *hugs you*

[addie71.livejournal.com]

We finally had some spring like weather the past couple of days, but it's going to cool off again after today and we may even have snow on Tuesday. *sighs*

I hope you find someone that you're comfortable with soon. It's such a shame the vet you just found won't be coming back. *hugs*

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

You guys have had it so bad this winter up in Michigan. It's bad for us, and I know that's only a fraction of what you're dealing with. My heart goes out to you on it. *hugs you*

Thank you. There is the associate vet I met there who I did like and I will schedule with him for our next visit--I'm just so worried he will let us down, after dealing with the senior vet and seeing how he handles things, and losing the other senior vet who I did like. I just need to hold out hope that Dr F will be as good to work with as he seemed when I took Brigit to him. Everything's just been so hard.

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

I do love your lake walking path so much. If I lived there, I'd practically live on that trail! :) Beautiful pics as usual. Here we finally have gotten spring the last few days. Yay!

That is so disappointing and frustrating, regarding Saki's vet! :( I've never used Angie's List myself, but I think my mom has with some success. The vet I go to is by word of mouth and I've been happy with him so far, although we haven't been too sorely tested yet either so there's that...but even when Helo had the bleeding under his chin last summer and my fear that he had flea infestation, he had it sorted out right away, so that's why I started going there. It's too bad you don't know a lot of people with cats in your area to ask them where they go...

[shirebound]

The buds are budding! *beams*

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

Oh honey, I hope you get help immediately for Saki. *hugs*

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

Thank you, sweetie. I'm so worried about her, and that we've just made one mistake after another with her treatment. *clings*