I loaded the three dogs, mine and two borrowed ones, for the return trip to the cabin crack of dawn Friday morning. Hit a wrinkle at Winkleman! Despite assurances from the project management team, Route 77 was not open - rock fall during the night. This meant a tedious detour through Hayden and Superior to Globe - misery compounded by road works and truck traffic the whole way and 15 mph progress. Twenty-seven extra miles added an hour plus to the trip.
As usual the dogs tumbled out on arrival and headed for the ponds. I tentatively opened the door - when I had left previous week I had a meadowlark in residence. Bird was still kicking! hale and hearty surviving on a diet of spiders and the bird seed I left for it. I honestly think it was glad to see me - oh good, it chirped, music and activity has arrived. Long story and even longer extension pole to which I attached a trout net - I managed to net it and let it out the front door. Silly thing hung around the windows asking to come back in. It's a bird eat bird world out there.
I had also left a packed cooler on the kitchen counter - carried it outside, unopened and ready for the dump.
Hamish, the shorter and furrier dog careened into the house and along with him the distinct odor of rotting fish! Gross. I cornered him and half bathed him - not very successful as he escaped and went under a bed.
Saturday morning I hosted a valley wide HOA meeting and made scones. Since we have very limited dump hours here, as soon as the last person left I grabbed the offensive cooler and headed the five miles to the collection station - shouted "be good" to the dogs as I left. Got back to be greeted by Hamish and Cash who pointed accusing paws at Rana and lead me to the kitchen. Rana was doing her "if I wiggle enough she won't think it was me" dance across the room. The remaining scones and a stick of butter -all gone! No question it was Rana although her version had the other two putting her up to it. Apparently she didn't like the jam because that bowl was upright but still full on the floor.
Despite unlimited room to run up here, the dogs do not think they've been for a walk unless a human carries leashes and walks behind them. We started out on the walk routine and Cash hung back holding one front paw in the air. "Got a boo boo ", he implied. He let me feel it and nothing seemed out of place. A neighbor, a retired pediatric surgeon stopped by and he too felt the leg. "Nothing broken just give him an aspirin and if you have an ace wrap, bind it." Cash looks like a cow, is built like a bull moose and has bunny soft ears. At nine, he's the senior guy around. "OK old boy" I told him. "Let's wrap this up". He let me bandage the leg and then sat holding his leg up looking in puzzlement at my efforts at first aid. With a sigh he backed onto his bed and reclined like an oriental pasha waiting for me to feed him bon bons and sweet tea! In reality he got an extra biscuit and the water bowl within easy reach - lots of sympathy too during the course of the day. I also used old cupboard doors to make a ramp off the porch - awfully hard to lift a rear leg to pee and stand on one front and one back leg!
Early evening another neighbor stopped in to return a borrowed baking tray - she stood in the doorway and sniffed. "Do you have any Massengill douche" she asked. Personal question I thought and shook my head. "You need it. I'll be back" and she was gone in a flurry of dust and up-turned nose leaving dogs and I looking at one another. Their faces clearly said "we don't think you smell bad", and they moved in to reaffirm solidarity; no matter what the world thought of me, I was OK in their book. And to be extra helpful, Hamish showed me where he had hidden the remains of my check book.
Neighbor was back, thrust the douche at me. "Leave it on for five minutes and then a good hosing down will clear it up." I must have looked shocked- she paused, burst out laughing. "For the dog" she spluttered, "the one that stinks of rotten fish". Said dog did an immediate disappearing act.
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Life with dogs is never dull! I've used the douche to get rid of lingering skunk odor, it really works and it's easier to spray a dog than wrestle it under the shower to coat in tomato juice.
ReplyDeleteLibby and the dogs.