First of all I needed to dump the old bag of poop into the garbage. Easy enough, except the garbage can is on the other side of the fence and the fence is too high for me to reach the bag over without either ripping it on the wire or tossing it over and risking having it break open when it hits the cement. So I went to unlock one of the gates but could not find the key or else it isn't working.
Meantime the boys and Maddie were screaming at each other through the fence. I got that settled down. Then the cloud of mosquitoes, horseflies and flies descended on me and I am serious about it literally being a cloud, mostly squitoes. I sprayed the bejesus out of myself even taking off my glasses and doing part of my forehead and under my chin, the back of my neck, my head, etc.
While I was doing this the dogs started fence fighting again. I got that stopped, went in and got the keys to the garage, carried the bag of dog shit through the garage to the garbage can.
Maddie started barking and the boys went off again so I got everyone shut up and began picking up. (Maddie's people are home, they just leave her out.)
I finally got started picking up poop in the yard and was attacked again, sprayed myself again, started over. I had spent about 3 minutes picking up in silence when the meter reader appeared in the yard behind us, setting off the dogs on THAT street, Maddie, and mine.This time I sent them in the house. So I knew the meter reader was around but he was on the next street. I continued picking up. I knew John had gotten up because I could smell coffee.
Five minutes into this, the dogs went ballistic along with Maddie and Angel across the street, Coco next door and the two labs kitty corner. Meter reader. He needed into the yard.
Ok the gates are locked shut and I cannot open them. I have him come through the garage. John is shutting windows. MReader has to walk past the big window in the back which is about a foot & a half from the floor, and there are 4 dogs screaming and foaming and leaning on the window as he passes it, to his horror--and the biggest one only has three legs, probably lost that leg going through a window to eat a meter reader....
I get him out of there but the dogs are going to keep it up until they have been out and know he is gone. As he goes in front he is intercepted by Maddie who goes apeshit and this causes all of my dogs to rush to the front window and onto the couch to make sure the MReader is not breaking in the front. By now the guy looks as if he might be about to cry.
I let the dogs out the back to prove to them the guy is gone and Coco is out on the other side of the house (She is a very sweet GSD) and of course, the barking starts again, the dogs are wired, stoked and ready to roar at anything. I bring them in and they rush the front window and begin barking because Maddie is standing in our yard. I yell at Maddie, who leaves, and throw my dogs into crates until they can get themselves under control.
(Yes, I went back out, threw out the dog poop, locked the garage door.)
It is now 8 in the morning. I am ready for the day to be over.
