My Toes Are Wet

We had a mini tornado here at the kampground yesterday. A scary event for everyone present for the event. It came up suddenly while we sat talking and coffee grew cold in our cups. The wind was blowing warm air around and the sun was shining ....... when we heard a rumble and then giant rain drops fell.

My friends ran to their golf cart and hurried to their site. I watched the wind and rain change directions and listened to eerie whistling through the eaves, as I watched my privacy fence fall flat to the ground! The posts snapped off at the ground like toothpicks. I yelled to He Who was abed without his hearing aids. I told him the fence was gone. "No, it's not." As if announcing this could make it so.

Earlier this year we purchased two "sheds" at Mennards. Tubular steel frame and a heavy duty tarp covering. One for my golf cart and push mower and garden stuff and one for the over priced mower belonging to He Who Mows. Side by side they sat securely anchored to the ground, a fence behind them and another building on the west side. Two wind breaks. I watched in horror as one of them was ripped out of the ground and began a tumbling journey across an open field. The part of my fence still standing blocked my view, but it came to rest on site 37, stopped from hitting the RV by the sycamore tree I planted several years ago.

All things considered, we were lucky. The property damage can be fixed and no one was hurt. Except me. The wind was still very strong all day. I ventured out to see the damage and start the clean up. I picked up the lid to a big plastic bin and the wind grabbed and twisted my arm back. I felt the pop in my shoulder. My left shoulder, the same shoulder that I injured pulling the wheelbarrow while driving the golf cart. Brought tears to my eyes and sent me inside.

But, that is not what has my toes wet this morning. not having the fence presents a problem. I can no longer open the back door and let the canine contingent out to take care of business while I go about mine. Yesterday was a nightmare. Trying to handle four dogs on leads had me outside trying to construct a barrier that would temporarily serve as a "fence". Unable to lift the one fence panel that was not connected to the rest of the east side of the fence that fell flat, I dragged a steel door (don't ask, I am married to Fred Sanford) and secured it to the edge of the steel building destined to be my carport. That took up a good bit of space and I determined that my dogs could not get over it, it is 4' wide. I then stacked some storage bins full of Halloween and Christmas decor. I found a tallish piece of wood and some 2X4's and various other Fred Sanford things, like a non-working compressor on wheels to help hold the door up.

It is lovely, this make-shift fence I created, all the while crying from the pain in my shoulder. Lest you may be wondering, He Who Tows was absent from the premises, assisting motorists instead of his wife (bitter ...... I am not bitter ..... okay, maybe, just a bit). I go into the house to gather the dogs and take them out. The dachshunds have choke chains on. Not because they are hard to control, but because they look so darn cute on them. Toni Louise has proven herself to be hard to control and she does not like wearing anything. I finally caught her and installed a harness to herself and clipped a lead on. Same with Wall-E, the wonder dog. The dachshunds dutifully followed me to the back door, despite being tangled in Toni's lead. Before I even made it out the door, Wall-E had managed to escape the harness and Toni had wound her self around my legs and was choking Cujo.

I decide to take them out two at a time. I chose the dutiful dachshunds and had to lift them over my make-shift fence. I then returned to find that Toni Louise had tied herself to the chair legs. I untangled her and took her out in my arms and deposited her within the confines of my creation. Another trip inside to find Wall-E Houdini cowering under the table next to his master's chair. My shoulder was on fire, but I knelt and none too gently coaxed him out. Not bothering to even try to re-harness him, I simply carried him out just in time to find Toni Louise scaling the "wall" of her confinement. Suffice it to say, my efforts at a "fence" were not truly appreciated.

That was yesterday. I dosed myself with Ibuprofen and applied smelly ointment to the shoulder before going to bed. He Who is rarely here when I need him instructed me to awaken him when morning came and he would take the canines out for their morning ritual .........

I heard his phone and saw the light from the bathroom invade the early morning darkness of my cozy lair. I pretend to be still sleeping. I carefully move to see if the shoulder is still being less than cooperative. It is. I sleep until 7:00. I feel the thump of Toni Louise's tail like a drummer. Cujo's wet nose is nuzzling my neck. Wall-E is on the floor, his newly clipped nails tap-tapping a rhythm to accompany Toni's drum beat as Oscar stretches and yawns loudly.

He Who offered to escort the dogs is missing in action and it is up to me. I carefully maneuver a position that will allow me to dismount my high, high bed. My feet find the sandals I wore yesterday and I slipped some cut-off sweats over my hips and tucked in my nightgown. I pulled a sweatshirt over my head and hurried to gather my leads. Once again the dachshunds were with the program. Toni still wore yesterday's harness. I grabbed a collar and after some tricky convincing, got Wall-E ready.

I head for the back door and the semi-privacy of my back yard. The dead bolt is stuck. I try all my tricks. I shove my good shoulder to the door and turn the deadbolt. Still stuck. All my efforts fail. So, still holding the 4 leads of the dogs and their full bladders I head to the front door and find that Houdini is following me, but he has once again, pulled his skinny head out of the contraption I had tightened and carefully locked him in.

I make him STAY, while I take the other three into the cold wet grass. Toni continues to wind herself around my legs and tangle the other two in her web. The boys relieve themselves and Toni keeps leaping in the air, turning in circles, winding her lead around anything close by. Watching the oldest and youngest pee reminds me that I want to go, too! Toni has other ideas as I try to drag her along to the front door. She looks at me indignantly as she lowers her hind quarters to the ground and leisurely empties her bladder.

I finally get back inside to the warmth of the building to find a puddle on the floor. Wall-E. I step around it and race to the bathroom with my full bladder and wet toes.

Breakfast time. I usually prepare the dog food while the dogs are outside in the fenced yard conveniently accessed via the backdoor. I can take care of my morning needs and get doggie breakfast ready, as well as making coffee in relative peace with the canines in their very own yard. Not today. The coffee maker tripped the breaker and was not ready after I fed the livestock. I fixed that problem and watched as the magic elixir dripping ever so slowly into the carafe. I poured a cup as soon as I thought there was at least 6 ounces in the pot. So very strong and bitter. I really can't say which is bothering me more ....... the shoulder or the wet toes.