ONE THIRTY A.M.: 63 DEGREES, DEWPOINT 62%, BAROMETER 29.74 AND FALLING--WIND 8MPH

Goooooooood morning!!!!
I cannot sleep so why should you? If I had your phone numbers, I would call you all. (I wouldn't:most of you have jobs and families and I would give you heart attacks at this hour and some of you have guns and know where I live.)

I took a nap earlier, sprawled on John's bed because my legs were starting to do their thing and sometimes...once in a great while, if I sleep on my prodigious belly for 20-40 minutes, it stops without taking the mediciation. And it did. But four hours of sleep is about my max most of the time, and I went to bed at 10:30 and now it is 1:30 and here I am. Add the naptime on, and I am up.

All alone with a freezer full of Halloween candy.

I have used this before but it is one of my favorite puppy photos. I have clue who it is but John believes it is Nigel, by the small white tip on his tail. Those puppies sure were cute, and a lot of work, and a lot of fun. And so photogenic.

This is me with Prince, the neighbor dog with whom I grew up. Did I have friends? Yes, of course--Prince. Who needed any other friends?
Did he let me get away with terrible things? Yes, of course, he was smart and knew I was a treasured  pet. Did he once, many years later, send a drunk off in short order when Prince and I were out walking? Ohhh, indeed he did. Do we wonder why I like dogs? No, I think not.

This is Mitchell, and probably the single most published photo I have ever taken. It has been in newspapers, contests, blogs, Christmas cards, etc etc. It is maybe the single best photo I have taken in my life. Ch. First Class Ensign M. Bonsai, TD. A true gentleman dog and perhaps the finest Basset I have ever owned. (There is always one.)

This is my friend McBeth and her dog Watson. McBeth is now DR McBeth DVM, but then she was still in school Watson, a Kees mix of some kind or perhaps all Kees, wandered onto the neighbor's yard and was shot in the elbow. It was a terrible wound, really awful. The U of Illinois fixed it up and Watson led a long and happy life with a slight limp and some arthritis later on. He was a fortunate dog.

McBeth is a wonderful Veterinarian, too.

(Watson is now ATB )

 

This is a semi-ghastly painting I did of two Percherons at the Percheron Congress in 2010 I think. The photo is much better, I assure you, but I tried. The horse on the right needs more chest showing, I believe.

You realize of course that I am simply killing time until I can figure out whether I can go back to sleep or not. Thank you for allowing me to do this...

This is my favorite mug in the whole world, and my friend Heidi gave it to me. I am going to have it buried with me.

Good night.

 

TIME OUT

Got up this morning feeling like. Nevermind what. And my lower intestinal tract seemed to agree.
I had a doctor's appointment that I canceled.
John had one that he went to.
Then I talked to Debbie Winchester (Actually I talked to her last night) and she had told me to try some Slippery Elm so I did, and then I began to feel better but not good.

So I took the camera and went out back and sat in the LifeSaver's Chair.

Which really is an extra tall director's chair that John put on a tree stump, overlooking our tiny fish pond.

All the dogs were out, including Nigel.
It was sunny and warm and I nearly fell asleep but the chair is a bit wobbly and about 4 feet off the ground so that didn't seem like a good idea.

Eventually, Nigel wandered over. This is how he travels. It is not good for his legs underneath but  nothing stays on and if I bandage it, It weeps and goos beneath the bandage. (Which comes off the moment he is inside and the leg is washed with betadine and dried and then sprinkled with PredF).

Conley joined us after a few moments, watching to see where his nemesis, Doc, is.

Doc, who has Nigel's towel that I use to help him in and out of the house, is across the yard pretending that he is not paying any attention to the other dogs, especially Conley, who he torments.

Nigel has found something green to munch. All my Bassets are like cows and I have often wondered about the futility of feeding very expensive, grain-free food when they practically mow the lawn for dessert.

The chief Predator remarks the movement of the prey.

The Prey is not totally without insight.

Dun dun dun dun (Hum "Jaws" here.)

The Prey glares dangerously.

 

 

 

Yeah oh well...

WHAT WE FOUND

This is Doc with MomPerson helping.
Lass night me an Conley went out. We caught a monster.
It hiss.
It hab sharp points an teef.
It hidin only not very good.
MomPerson say it a kiddin. Kitten.

Then we fine more.
Two more.
All ofem wooda fit in my food dish. MomPerson made we come in an I don't no no more than whut I just tole youse. I wented to the kitchen an ate da papr towls.
Thenk Yew
Doc


Mom says: I spent from 2 until 5:30 this morning outside in my jammies an slippers with a flesh FLASHlight  (I have been around these dogs too much). trying to catch feral kittens. I wish their Mother ( who has been looking for them off and on all day) had just kept them at home. I was happier not knowing they existed.
I caught two (no I did not touch them. I have scars from "friendly" cats at work, never mind a terrified feral kitten.) and this morning I took them to the Animal Hospital.

I emailed Dr C to thank him for taking in the kittens and to warn them again that these are feral kittens and probably will need a lot of patience and skill.

He wrote back thanking me for sending them "Satan's kittens" so I gather my estimate of their lack of social skills was pretty accurate.
By the way I threw two whole sardines in there with them...

QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT MY DOGS

1. What are your pet peeves?

 

Here are some, arranged nicely into a collage. Each one is a Pet Peeve on one day or another. The black dog is a separate Pet Peeve.

2.Why do dogs eat grass?
Because they can, and because just before she released him into Life, Mother Nature said "And if you REALLY want to make them crazy, eat grass."

3. Is that a wiener dog?
(Asked, clearly, about the Bassets)
No: they are Bratwursts. See how much heavier and thicker they are than weinies?

4. Where is he from?(I know what is being asked.)
Mars. And you?

5.What good are they? (Again, asked of Bassets)
Housekeeping. They clean counters, kitchen floors, high chairs, babies, and bury dirty clothing so it doesn't have to be washed.

6. What does HE do? (Not asked of the Bassets)
Anything I teach him to do.

7. Why do you have dogs?

BECAUSE THEY AREN'T PEOPLE.

DISCUSSION WITH DOGS

You! All of you! I hate you all! You are horrible, nasty, disobedient dogs, every one of you! And Ori-- you on the other side of the fence, you are NO BETTER!!
I let you out and try to unload groceries and you all start screaming at each other through the fence.
Nigel drags himself frantically through the mud to get to the fence.
I cannot go right out because Conley is in the house and there are groceries on the counter, well within reach.

It is Nigel I want in. BEFORE he hits the mud dragging his rear!!
I fly out the door forgetting about
WHOOOOOPS
my knee.

 

I have a towel and I reach Nigel when he is half-way to the fence and manage to get him in.

By the time I get back out Katie has called Ori in and even tho it is quieter I am not appeased.

GETINTHEHOUSE!!

 

I bellow. I brandish my cane. I have never touched them with it but the fact that it extends my arm by a good 4 feet and that I can suddenly grow this appendage clearly alarms them.

 

OBOY THE DOG IN BACK IS OUT!!!

 

You horrible, terrible, loud-mouthed, canines! You never listen! You could be out here ALL day but nooooooooo, you barkbarkbarkbark and Ori barksbarksbarks and altho the neighbors have not complained it is only because I get you in so fast..

 

I get up in the morning and let you out, go to the bathroom and

 

BARKBARKBARKBARKBARKBARKBARK

at what?A squirrel!!! And what time is it? 4? 5? Maybe 6 in the morning?

 

 

AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHH!

 

You are horrible, awful animals. I am never having another dog. Never ever. Chinchillas. Hamsters. African Violets....

 

I mean..I mean... You are all so...

 

So so so......You're just I mean really, you are...

How can I stand it another day? You all are such such such

I mean if you'd just....

Oh nevermind. Come get a cookie my good and handsome boys!!

MOVING RIGHT ALONG

Leaving the Gallery today I put Doc into his crate in the Van and notice...
no
no it cannot be.
Yes it is.
No it cannot be.
Is that?
Ohhhhh................
yessssssssssssss.
snow in his black black coat.....

Little tics of it fading as rapidly as they appear.
He is unaware of the effect this has on his handler, the sinking feeling, the dread, the internalizing of SNOW.

True to form he is ecstatic about the weather. The only good thing about cold weather and Belgians is that they need another Belgian to be snow-babies in, and I have only one. That leaves....me.

 

How far away can this be? What will happen to my goldfish? I notice this morning the water is sludgier than usual, the fish not very responsive.  Will they die or make it through? I look out my front window and it is yes it is yes it is snowing. Not a lot but those big wet flakes that herald the start of the snow season. These will melt. Right away.We may even have wonderful warm weather.

 

But the writing is on the wall.

Scrabbled in black charcoal, wavery, written by an elder hand:

 

here we go again...........bwwaaaahahahhahaha

 

LEAVE IT TO ME

Leave it to me to look for news on television at 6 in the morning and instead find a program about dog breeding. Well it was a Smithsonian presentation so of course early morning routines ground to a halt while I watched. Doc watched part of it. He tends to watch commercials because I think they are more apt to have jerky movement in them, which catches his herder's eye.

 

Like squirrels do.

And stray cats across the street. Someone moved out and left their little calico kitty who now has had at least two litters, and the Village, our wonderful, on-top-of-it Village, our Tell-Them-Nothing Village, says feral cats are------------are you ready?

 

WILDLIFE!!!

 

And therefore out of Animal Control's jurisdiction.

Is that amazing, or what?

 

You want to know what's feral in this Village? Well I cannot put it in print. Admittedly there are bigger problems than feral cats but maybe if they started small...nevermind. Sorry.

 

 

Doc and I are going for a walk in awhile, while I still can move. The later in the day it gets the stiffer I become, until by 8pm I am like the tinman without oil.

Also the temp is dropping precipitously. It was pleasant at 6 when I let the beasts out, and it is now 45.

 

Alas, these days of sleeping in the hot sun, are gone..........

 

SUNDAY

A while ago John put in a small, kidney-shaped fish pond where we had had one before. We bought a little solar-powered pump, I got some plants from a friend of mine, and threw 10 (I do not think there were 10. I think there were only 7) goldfish.

 

If you are wondering why the solar panel is in a cage...

 

That's why.

The pump only works on sunny days. It doesn't store power so that on cruddy days like this morning, there's no pump.

Well so anyway, the dogs loved the pond and were fascinated with the fish. The pond is a plastic shell, pre-formed, about 2ft deep at one end and about a foot deep where the ledge is.

And then it occurred to me as I watched the dogs creep closed and closer to the edge of the water, that of four I have only 2 dogs I KNOW could get out of the pond if they fell (or jumped) in. Doc, with his long legs, and Conley, with his short but strong legs  and back.
Llewis could not possibly have enough drive in his rear to get out, and clearly, paralyzed, Nigel would drown right away.

So we put up a fence.

And now it's almost winter and is the pond deep enough to keep the fish alive?

We shall see...

 

BACK AGAIN

We grow in size but other things remain the same. Whatever kind of creature this was at one time (I think a cheetah) it is now without one leg which is kicking around the house while the rest is outside.

Doc has grown to love his walkies, even though we cover the same ground each time.

I have had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee and minor surgery on a toe on my right foot and therefore am able only to hobble for short distances. Walkies are short and sweet.

Today is Saturday, October 19, 2013.
I am driving to OHare Marriott to meet with Val Brewer from Hawaii and am very excited to meet her. I have been up since about 3:30, made extra dog food for John, and started dog laundry. I have my clean clothes laid out and the Garmin set. I will give myself an extra few minutes to get totally lost....

Earlier this week I went downtown and met MaryAnn Thomas for breakfast and a wonderful chat. I was so thrilled to meet her. I had heard so much about her from our mutual friend, Debbie Winchester.