Bo's Big Adventure

 Cujo here. Well, Mom took Bo to the vet. It took both Mom and Dad to put his harness on and then get him into his kennel. Mom said he was in rare form, being particularly difficult to deal with. We all watched and then Toni Louise thought it might be fun to jump up and try to get him out of Mom's grasp. We all joined in with barking. It was hilarious, I tell you. Toni was up on her hind legs, grabbing at him and he was using his toe nails to climb up on Mom's shoulders and over to Dad and back again. He had made up his mind he was not getting in the kennel.

Then Dad yelled at us dogs to "SHUT UP!!". We didn't. We aren't really afraid of him. Mom grabbed the fly swatter as Dad locked the door to the kennel. She held the fly swatter in the air and said "FLYSWATTER" in her no-nonsense voice. We all slinked back to our respective lounging places and got very quiet. As far as I know she has never actually swatted any of us dogs, but we have all witnessed her killing flies. I am glad I am not a fly!

As Mom was leaving, carrying young Bo in the kennel, I started to feel a bit sorry for him. I could smell his fear in that kennel. We usually go all together or in pairs to the vet and he was all alone. He came home a changed dog! 

He did stink of throw-up and Mom told Dad he had emptied his stomach on the way. Bo just got down out of Dad's arms and grabbed his favorite wooby and shook the daylights out of it. I tried to ask about his visit with the vet that I have not met yet, but he did not want to talk.

We all went outside with Mom, and Bo stayed quite close to her. He didn't try to chase his ball or jump up on our backs like he usually does. I was starting to worry! What did they do to him? He went down for a nap until Mom got our food ready. He ate every bite she gave him, but he didn't try to steal our bites. It was strange, this behavior from our old Bo.

Then he yelped when Mom touched his hind end. I heard her tell Dad that it must be his shot. They shot him?? I do not care for shots myself. Then Bo showed me his feet and whispered that they had cut his toe nails. He was really quite upset that this had happened. Wall-E felt the same way about his toe nails. Our old vet would give Wall-E a shot the minute we walked in. Mom said it was happy juice and Wall-E would stumble around until his turn. They would still have to put that thing on his mouth that Mom said was a muzzle because he hated it when someone messed with his feet.

Bo said he was already scared when he got there. He said a lady sprayed some stuff on his tail and legs to clean the vomit off and then Mom used a ton of paper towels to scoop all the vomit out of the kennel. Se said it was amazing amount of vomit from such a little dog. Bo weighed in at a hefty 11 lbs., by the way. Then he said the vet got down on the floor with him and tricked him into thinking she was nice before she shot him in the butt and then stuck a needle in him and stole his blood!

Okay, I have decided I am not going to go to see this new vet. No way! All that trickery! I will bite all of them, I tell you. Treat my little brother like that! I will show them who is the real boss. Well, it really isn't me, but I can trick them like they tricked Bo.

So, Bo is tired from his big adventure and Mom is working hard in the store. She told Dad everything had to be re-set on the peg fixtures, so he went outside. I think he was afraid she might ask for his help. She didn't, though. She told me that he had no sense of space and organization. I get that. Not to be mean, but he is sort of a slob. Okay, I did mean to be mean, but we all know how I feel about Dad!

I will be quite happy to see the end of this day.

I Am All She Needs!

Cujo here again. I have been eavesdropping as much as I can. Wall-E taught me that word and showed me how to do it. I just sit quietly by my mom and pretend to sleep. I hear everything they say. Last night Dad was talking about taking a trip! He wanted to leave Monday, but Mom said we couldn't because Bo has a vet appointment.

I hope they cut Bo's toe nails at the vet! They are sharp like needles. I heard Mom say he was getting a shot and that she needs to take some of his poop with her! WHY? Does she keep all of our poop in her car to take to the vet? Why would they want it? Do they makes dog sculptures out of dog poop? 

But, back to this trip they are talking about. I don't mind a nice trip. I sleep while we all ride. Toni likes to look out the window and Eddie does, too. Poor Wall-E was not a good traveler. Mom said he got dizzy with all of the world whizzing by out the window. Eddie informed me that he would not be sitting close to Bo in a moving vehicle. He tells me that Bo gets car sick and vomits! I will keep my distance, as well.

The strangest and most disturbing thing happened this morning. Us boy dogs get up with our mom every morning. We go outside and Mom makes her coffee. Then we come inside and settle down on the sofa with Mom. She gets on her lap top and drinks her coffee while Eddie and I snuggle close to her. Bo torments Martha, the boy cat, while this is going on. Martha has a lot of patience with Bo. They actually bite each other's ears and roll around making growly noises. Mom doesn't seem to mind that noise.

When Dad and Toni Louise get up and come into our space, things get LOUD. Toni barks, which makes us boy dogs bark. Dad yells for us to stop and Mom takes Toni and Bo outside. Then it gets peaceful again. Sort of. Dad looks scary to me and I bark at him. I can't seem to help myself. Mom will hold me close and tell me everything is alright, but I just can't stop until she lifts me and turns me around so I can't see Dad.

Today she was just about to turn me when HE PICKED ME UP! I was so indignant. I stiffened my entire body and did not stop growling and barking. He told me I was safe and that he loved me. DOES NOT! He loves Toni Louise the best and then Eddie and Bo. Remember, I know how to eavesdrop! I heard him tell Mom that I was annoying. Well, so is he. He makes baby talk to the others and I do not feel comfortable in his lap. I just want him to leave me alone and stay out of the house until bed time so I don't get my throat sore from all the barking.

He told Mom she had spoiled me. She said, "So?" I guess I am spoiled then if Mom says it is so. I don't mind it at all, if I am spoiled. Mom says I have to stop eating so much, she says I am getting too fat for my own good. So, now she measures my food and feeds me with a spoon. She feeds all of us with a spoon now. Toni Louise is a sloppy spoon eater and bits fall to the floor. If you are quick enough you can gobble them up. But you have to be fast to beat Bo! Us boy dogs have mastered the art of spoon feeding. If you hold your mouth open just right, Mom will tilt the spoon and all the delicious food will fall into your mouth. Toni tries to eat out of the spoon like it is a tiny bowl. I may have told you before that she chases her own tail, so I suppose this is the most we can expect from her.

The sun is finally shining again and Mom is seeding gardens and planting all the seeds she started in the window in the kitchen. Mom likes plants, she says they make her happy, that blooms are like little faces smiling at her. Okay, I guess, but she has me .... does she really need more?

 

I Don't Know

 Cujo here. My mom has a headache. She says it is pollen in the air. What is pollen? I don't know. I really miss Wall-E. I bet he knows what pollen is. She said it was in the air, so that is a clue. If I can find enough clues, I should be able to figure it out. I know that Spring is here.

I know that it is Spring because Mom mowed the yard where us dogs play. First she picked up all of our poop! Bo was amazed at that. He just turned one year old, so I suppose he doesn't remember last year when he was so little. He was so little that Mom would hold him in her shirt while she mowed! He is still a little guy, but he is too squirmy to hold still. He likes to run too much. My mom will kick his ball while she mows. He will chase it and move it so she can kick it again. He was just confused about her poop patrol. He asked Eddie what she was going to do with it. I think she throws it away, though I have never actually seen where she goes with it after she leaves our yard.

Another clue is that yellow stuff all over Eddie, Toni and Bo when they come in from playing. Is that pollen? And, if it is, where does it come from? My investigation continues. I just need to stay awake and listen when Mom is talking. I bet I will find more clues then. You may not know this, but my mom talks a lot.

She talks LOUD when she talks to Dad and sometimes she has to repeat what she says. He must have something wrong with his ears. Eddie had a yeast infection in one of his ears and Mom cleaned it with vinegar and water. Eddie's ear got better in no time! Mom still sniffs it from time to time and says it is good. Maybe she needs to sniff Dad's ears and pour some vinegar in them. I wonder if he has a yeast infection, too. What is yeast? I don't know, but it must be bad. It must smell, too, or why would Mom be sniffing Eddie's ears?

Dad says that Mom can smell EVERYTHING. Us dogs are good sniffers, too. Maybe she is part dog! Can people be part dog? I don't know that either. There are so many things I don't know. I have heard Mom say that wisdom comes with age and I am getting older every day, so I should have answers soon!

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

 

Unable to download the pictures I took, this leaves me with just my words to describe it to you. So, many years ago, after Oscar bit the child who came into our home, despite the signage warning about the dogs; I began to think of ways to separate the doors and keep the traffic coming in the correct door. The doors were quite literally side by side.

A knee wall was erected between the door and signage was made bigger. And a serious effort to keep the door locked was instituted. People continued to try to gain entry until I simply eliminated the door entirely. For some years now the half wall meant to keep the doors apart has been there. No use for it remained and I decided to take it down.

When my brain comes up with a wonderful idea, HeWho is afraid a job will fall to him is not usually on board. I don't know why, as I am perfectly able to take down walls! He was adamant about leaving the wall in place. Of course this acted as a catalyst for me. I took it as a challenge and was happily dismantling said wall when HeWho seems to think he is the boss of me, happened upon me and my project.

"You know you won't be able to get that whole wall down today, don't you? I am busy on another project and I can't help you." says the man who is mistaken about my abilities. I asked him if I had asked for his help and he said that I had not, then left quickly. By the time we had established that I was taking on the task of the wall and he left, I had already removed all the trim. I had a pry bar, a hammer and my drill and had no use for someone in my way offering unsolicited advice. 

The project that was going to take me several days (according to him) took me less than an hour. This does not mean that I was left to my own devices, as yet another man offered assistance and I snapped at him, asking if I looked like I needed help. Despite the fact that nails instead of screws had been used to construct this wall, I removed every element piece by piece and except for a couple of pieces of trim it can all be re-used. Did I mention that I knew what I was doing?

Now I am left with a big, welcoming opening that leads to the door. I was musing about the front of the building, lamenting that it was time to paint again, when I had an epiphany! All morning I had heard the sound of saws as the men were trimming weak limbs and cutting up fallen trees. It was like background music to my thoughts. I could have actually been talking to myself, as I do value good advice.

One of my challenges is trying to keep the gravel in the driveway and out of the building. The porch is concrete and easy enough to sweep everyday. I have door mats (plural) as well as the brushy mat to get mud off boots. They can't help but step on them before entering, but I am always looking for ways to have that gravel fall off the shoes before it comes inside. I had some pavers to step on as you came towards the opening, but they looked a little skimpy now that I had enlarged that opening.

I love to use resources I already have access to, rather than buy something new. I have access to trees!! Too bad I don't have a sawmill. HeWho loves any equipment that makes noise. Chainsaws make a good bit of noise and if they had one on wheels that could be driven for a reasonable price, I am certain we would own one. I needed a whole bunch of the rounds cut in slabs to "pave" the entry way. 

In the past, I have asked HeWho likes chainsaws to cut some of these rounds for me. I was thinking of them all being the same thickness and well, that just doesn't happen when HeWho is in charge of the saw, I have no doubt he would have happily cut up some of the larger limbs and stumps for me, but I didn't want them all to be unlevel. It would be like walking on a tilt-a-whirl. He would try hard, and probably even manage to make some perfectly fine slabs for my idea, but would lose interest long before he had fulfilled my needs.

I asked Craig, instead. That very day he cut them! I moved all the pavers and raked the gravel away to reuse it to fill in. It is nicely settled now and as soon as they dry out I plan to treat them to a water seal. While we were laying the rounds, I mentioned that an arbor over the rounds would look good. That evolved into using some cedar trees on our property and it is also done!

All that is left is to hang some baskets of ferns and petunias, string up some lights and it will look very welcoming. I do have pictures waiting to download.

Too bad I can't show it to you. Yesterday I put up 500 mini lights and attached them to a timer. I  was inside when it finally got dark enough to trigger the timer. I had planned to go outside to look at it, but I didn't have to! The monitor in our house lit up like the sun was shining. Very impressive.

I added the last string of 100 mini lights this morning, then found more lights to wrap cedar posts with. There are already clear lights that define the roof line, thanks to my old friend, Kevin. I was thinking of him as I was weaving the lights through the small limbs in the top of my new rustic arbor. I wasn't the only one. His brother Alex came up on his golf cart and said he bet Kevin was watching me right then. Probably so, since they are so bright he will be able to see them from heaven. Missing my friend today.

Covered In Dogs

 As I sit here with my ever present coffee and read all your comments, let it be known that I am not looking forward to this day! The weather will be perfect for getting out in my gardens.

The phone call from my previous post was able to find us ... No, they do not read my blog, assuming they read anything with much comprehension. After assuring me that they were on their way they did not arrive until it was dark (the call was in the morning). The office was already closed, with 4 envelopes taped to the front door.

In the past I would stay open if I had that many reservations arriving late. Covid and no contact check-ins has taught me that I do not have to be present to direct campers to their sites. Hence the envelopes with camper names on them. Inside the envelope each camper will find a map with the route to their site hi-lighted. This system works well for the most part and leaves me closing on time and not stuck in the office waiting. Like I said, it is chilly in there this time of year after the sun goes down. 

This building did have central heating when we bought it, but the very old furnace died and since we only have to go into the office to grab the mail, or check someone in, I saw no reason to heat that much space not in constant use. Our living quarters are well heated with a small gas unit and the ever present roaring fire that will sometimes reach 90 degrees. At those times I am thankful to have the office to let some of that hot air escape.

But, back to my new campers. They would appear to be first time camper owners. I put them in a pull through site, away from other campers. I like to spread them out when I have space, giving each camper a little privacy. We saw them arrive on the monitor in our living space.  The man retrieved the envelope with no problem and I promptly put him out of my mind ....

The first call happened shortly after. Not them, but my faithful camp workers. They didn't have a hose for water. My workers came up to the office to get one for them. Problem solved? Not so much. The travel trailer was an older unit and the cord for power was, how to put this and be politically correct ... unique, involving an extension cord and some sort of cord that would appear to be from a dryer or stove. The camper has tires that need attention and lacks a license plate. Add all this to the fact that none of the three adults could back it up all points to them being "newbies".

They will be staying through this evening and leaving tomorrow. If I venture outside, I will no doubt be assaulted with many questions and I like my solitude in my garden!

My coffee is gone and Bo is sleeping on my lap. He is a sweet little guy when he is asleep. He will actually seek me out when he is sleepy, but will not succumb to being picked up and kissed soundly on his tiny head. It has to be his way, he has to initiate contact. He can wiggle and fight his way out of the strongest hold. He is strong for a little guy. Those little legs can pack a punch you won't soon forget. All the while he makes this noise that makes him sound like some sort of prehistoric wild animal. He no longer attempts to bite me, but he does use his teeth with HeWho insists on holding him down just to hear him make noise. I must stop now, as my sweet and gentle Eddie has nosed Bo off my lap to gain access to it for himself. I am covered in dogs!!

Twilight Zone

 As the days warm up, the phone rings more often. As usual, I end the day feeling like I am in an episode of the Twilight Zone. For those of you having no idea what I am referring to .... look it up.

I can't be the only one who gets the phone calls. If so, then I must be a magnet for the uninformed and those who long to ramble on and on. I am guilty of rambling on and on myself, but that is my one and only character flaw .... right?

Just now a man called to tell me he has a 24' camper, followed by a long pause. I finally said, "Okay." wondering what a good response is to a statement of fact. He then asked if I had sites big enough for him. I answered in the affirmative and then he hit me with an onslaught of questions. Do we have bathhouses (yes), do we have anything for children to do (playground), do we have fishing (a pond), does it have any fish in it (yes, we stock it), would he need a license to fish (no, private property) .... then, "Are you familiar with Hannibal?" Immediately I wanted to say, "Lector?". I didn't. Hannibal is a city  here in Missouri that I have never been to and am not familiar with and wondered what that had to do with camping here. 

He told me he had never heard of Montgomery City and didn't now how to find our park. This made me want to ask if he was familiar with a map or Siri. I didn't. I told him how to get here from the interstate, wondering if he would then ask how to get to the interstate. I am not Siri and I do know where Hannibal is and could give pretty general directions, I figured if he didn't know how to get to the interstate, he was on his own.

Now the really weird questions start. "Do you have business?" Huh? "I mean are you busy, like now or in the future? I told him I have spaces open that would fulfill his needs. "No, I mean like, say you have 100 people, how many would be there?" Gee, I don't know, how many have campers and how many per camper would there be and why do you need to know? I didn't say that, instead I told him that we have 75 sites and asked if he required more than one. "Oh, yeah that's what I mean. So, like how many people are there now?" Like, I do not take head counts everyday and watch the comings and goings of my tenants.

I asked if he was inquiring about being crowded and he was. He then asked the cost of a night's stay. When I answered he yelled at someone in the background, "This is it!" She asked about dogs and I told them we are pet friendly and there is a dog park, soliciting more yelling between the two of them, "I found it! This is it! I told you!"

I was holding the phone away from ear, it was loud, it was so loud that HeWho can't hear heard it. Then he asked IF THE POOL AS OPEN. It is a balmy 47 degrees out there with the high expected to be in the low 50's. 

The pool is not open, the pool will be open Memorial Day weekend just like all the municipal pools in this area. The water will be freezing cold, as it always is right after filling and children will jump in and turn blue while shivering and refuse to get out, maintaining that they are NOT cold.

They are on their way, right now. My big challenge will be to try to remove myself from the check-in desk and leave HeWho to handle them. My patience was already a thin line when I woke up and it is now stretched to capacity. I am not well, I tell you!

It won't work, he always escapes check-ins and he is busy cutting a 4' X 8' pegboard in half for me. That is another story for another day!

Bo and His Safe Place

 As Spring continues to try to insert herself into the landscape, I keep trying to get myself into motion to ready my office for the season to come. There is no heat in my office, save a small portable one that can barely take the edge off. 

While we have had a few warm days, it is still mostly chilly in the office. The only windows face south, so the sun never really gets to the windows, which are under the porch roof, until late afternoon, early evening. Just enough to blind me when the sun hits the chrome on a car in the parking lot. My toes are cold and my thumbs are complaining today.

I would much rather sit here with my sweet canines. Mr. BoJangles is curled up with his little head resting on Eddie's belly. Sleeping, he is a sweet boy. My daughter recently had DNA analysis on her dog, Gemma. Gemma is a sweet girl they adopted at a rescue. You only need to look at her to know her strong stocky body and distinct head to know that she is predominantly Pit Bull. Unlike Judge Judy (who hates Pit Bulls), I think there are no bad dogs, just bad dog owners.

That being said, it is true that some dogs are harder to train than others. I would wager a bet that Pit Bulls train a lot easier than a Dachshund. To say nothing of Bo. I told my daughter I didn't need DNA analysis to know that Bo is 60% demon! I thought my Oscar was stubborn, but Bo gives new meaning to training a dog.

Still not a cuddly creature, Bo tends to like to keep me on my toes. I took a picture just now, but neither Blogger or my phone want to connect. So annoying. Bo likes to run and jump into my bed (something that Eddie and Cujo are not able to do) at bedtime. After I lift my doxies up, he acts like he has never seen other dogs in his life. He runs all over the bed and pounces on them gleefully. Cujo growls and warns him to stop, while Eddie complains. Cujo will often follow up with a good nip. I suppose knowing that he will not be in the bed all night makes it bearable.

Toni Louise has a different state of mind. Toni considers the area between the pillows as her territory. She will relinquish it from time to time to let Cujo sprawl there next to me, but nobody else. Seems that Bo decided to take liberties in his exploration of the bed the other night and suddenly there was a growl, snarl and then Bo was crying out in pain. She bit him in the face! She didn't break the skin, but I am sure it hurt just the same on the bony part of is little head. He was still yelping when I finally pulled all the dogs out of my way to pick him up. He would not let me comfort him. No matter that I was talking to him in a soothing tone.

He kept pushing away from me and when he was able to flee my arms, he went straight into his kennel. I had barely been able to get a good look at his face to se if anything was bleeding or broken. He wanted no part of it and I kept getting up to check on him all night. He is very independent! Any one of the other three dogs would have loved the attention and stayed in my arms, but not Bo.

Bedtime is a ritual. I tell them that it is night night pee pee time and Toni Louise starts a frenzy of barking that thoroughly annoys HeWho is her master. This causes the other three dogs to join in and HeWho to yell at them and me to yell at him. Imagine, if you will, that warm fuzzy feeling when you are thinking about crawling into bed. Sitting in a room that is overheated from a fire, drowsy. Then all the barking and yelling. 

I take the dogs out. I have to. The barking and yelling upsets Cujo and he will only go out if I am the one at the door. They rush back inside to find the gate between the bed and the living room open and their Mommy waiting with a dog towel to wipe their feet and lift them to bed. Toni and Bo and jump in and need only be captured for a paw wipe. They wait patiently for me to don my nightgown and brush my teeth, then I tell Bo it is time for his kennel. It might involve him running from side to side in my bed, then finally allowing me to pick him up and carry him to his bed. After the biting incident, I no longer have to persuade him to get in his bed. On bark from Toni Louise and he is off the bed and into his kennel/safe place. 

In case you might be wondering, Toni didn't get into trouble for biting him. I am pretty sure his instigated the event and got a good bite in before she let instinct take over.

Don't Forget The Name!

The past few days have been trying. Looks like Spring arrived over night and my energy level rose, as well. I was so happy to be outside with my hands in the gardens, raking and making beds ready for flowers to come. My daffodils are getting big and all the lilies have green shoots coming out of the ground. This is my happy place.

So, why am I in a tizzy? HeWho swills Diet Coke, despite being told about the sodium content over and over again. He has had three episodes of an extremely high blood pressure since his heart attack. Every time he does this, he will be so sick that for months following he will drink only ice water. He will start to feel so much better and things will be going along fine ....

Then, he will decide he feels so good, he can have a Diet Coke. From McDonald's, he will get one and then pour it into his stainless steel cup that holds 42 ounces. To him, that is ONE serving. He keeps that cup full all day long. I am none the wiser, thinking it is water. The 2 liter bottles will start to appear, cleverly hidden in his truck.

He had started bring iced coffee to me. I asked what he was doing at McDonalds, me knowing he did not just decide to bring me a treat. This started happening on a daily basis. I asked if he was partaking of the breakfast menu. He admitted that he was getting a biscuit, no sausage. He did mention that it cost the same with or without the sausage. Translation: he got the sausage biscuit and as a concession to having to tell me, he tossed the sausage and ate the biscuit. With the greasy residue from the sausage. 

Did not occur to me that he was also getting his cup filled until I happened to see some 2 liter bottles from his truck. One would think that after being so miserable and being told that Diet Coke is the absolute WORST thing he could pour down his throat, one would avoid it at all cost. Well, I for one would.

It has been long enough since his near fatal heart attack that I have been lax about routinely checking his blood pressure. I mean, I have enough sense to check mine if I feel bad. Monday came, as it always does and HeWho had big plans to go back to the Apple store and get my phone working once and for all. But he was dizzy and stumbling. Said he felt horrible before he planted himself in his old people chair to moan the day away. "Should I call the clinic?" asked his wife as a way of determining how bad he actually felt. A resounding "NO" made me think he just needed to sit a bit, but let's just check that blood pressure. It was 202/157. This was AFTER his had taken his morning pills. 

I told him to stay put, that I wanted to re-check in an hour. I went outside to start working on cleaning the porch to see if I might need to paint and get everything all ready for the plants to eventually go back outside. He escaped. He just has to busy and in the midst of all the doings around here. I finished cleaning one side of the porch - more on that later- then texted the escapee and told him to get his butt home so I could take his BP. He was somewhere in the park, but I was in no mood to hunt. My next text was going to say he had two options, he could get home, or I would call an ambulance to take him to the ER. 

He came back and it was still way up there. I called the clinic and told them he had to be seen with-in the hour and off we went. He was gong to drive, or so he thought, but I wasn't having that. Usually, they will only let the patient come inside to be seen. They let me go in with him. I had come prepared with my mask and had every intention of talking to them on the phone, since he would appear to be clueless about his drugs.

I was okay after the EKG was normal. I had taken a shower and dressed in comfy clothes just in case we were headed to the hospital. I say it was normal, as normal as it could be with his history. So, here we go again with his blood pressure and efforts to make him comply with is new diet.

Yesterday was a long day of running back and forth to get prescriptions and  trying to find something he would eat and drink. He was so sick that he didn't really eat anything until last night at bedtime when he announced that he was starving. All my suggestions were met with a face that indicated he wouldn't eat it.

Today the blood pressure is still too high, but he is feeling better. I know he feels better because he is annoying me. His BP is currently 153/91. Still too high (the 91), but at least the new prescription is kicking in. Seems like with every episode it takes a little longer to bring it down. Makes me want to smack him in the back of his head!

I won' hit him, I promise. He also has a pinched nerve in his neck that has made his right arm numb. Another pinched nerve in his lower back has his right leg failing him from time to time. Because he is taking blood thinners he can't take anti-inflammatory remedies.

I am somewhat frazzled. So much so that I took a reservation yesterday and forgot to get the most important piece of information. This is a task I do so much that I don't even have to think about it. I ask for the pertinent information and carefully write it all down, making sure I can read my own handwriting. Got the credit card info, the phone number, the date of arrival and departure and the type of site needed. Just forgot to get the name. Oops 😏!  

Tigers and Bravery

 Cujo here. If you might recall from my last post, I was telling you about my mom's mishaps of late. The drawing salve seems to have done the job, as her hands are bandaid free. The salve was to draw the splinters out. It must work pretty good. I still think it looks nasty, like yucky ear wax.

She should wear gloves, you know. I have heard Dad tell her this, but she says she forgets and once she gets started she doesn't stop until she is finished. She told Dad that her arthritis has been bothering her ever since that last prolonged cold spell of weather. 

She was crying!! My first impulse was to bite him for making her cry! I have no idea what he could have done, but I was ready to defend her if needed. But, when Dad asked her why she was crying, she laughed at him, so I guessed he didn't do whatever it was. She told him she had gotten Tiger Balm in her eye.

WHAT?? Did she say TIGER? I know about tigers. Toni and Bo like to watch the Animal Planet and I do not recommend watching this. It is about animals killing smaller animals and eating them. Tigers are scary fast and strong. They have huge claws and big sharp teeth. I have no idea what a Balm is, maybe it is a baby tiger? I don't even want to know. I want absolutely nothing to do with this Tiger Balm she speaks of.

It must be small, because, how else would it get in her eye? Dad even wondered about this. "How did you manage to get Tiger Balm in your eye?" he asked. I was listening, as I wanted to know this myself. She told Dad she was rubbing it in on her thumb joint and then she had something in her eye (a cat hair, she thought) and used her finger to try to get it out. Then he asked why she didn't wash her hands before she did that. She told him she did, but that it was still there and now it was making her eye tear and feel mentholated.

Mentholated? I wish Wall-E was here so I could ask him about this word. He warned me that there would be times like this and that I would just have to keep listening and try to figure it out. This must mean that this balm is not an animal like a tiger. Maybe the balm comes from the tiger. Maybe if I knew what mentholated was I could solve this mystery.

I am willing to try to figure this out ... as long as no real tigers are involved! I don't know if I have ever shared this with you, but I am not really as brave as you would think I am. I put up a good front. I can bark loud and I have a mean growl, but when I do this, I am usually in my mom's arms. I know she would never let anyone hurt me, she loves me. This is why I can be mean to Dad. He would never hurt me either. My mom would never allow that!

When I was a tiny puppy, there were lots and lots of puppies and dog moms. We were in cages and after our dog moms stopped feeding us, we had to fight for our food. I lived there until some people came and took all of us dogs away. Then we were put in different cages and people would come and look at us. Sometimes they would pick one of us to adopt.

A man adopted me. He drove a truck and thought I would like to ride with him. I like to ride alright, but I do not like men. It was men who took care of all the dog moms and puppies. Those men were not nice, they were mean to all of the dogs and puppies.

So, this man who adopted me was not happy with me and he gave me away to the family that told my mom they didn't want me because I had a defect. I found out what the defect was after my mom started taking care of me. It was a hernia and Mom had it fixed. My mom takes very good care of me and I don't have to fight for my food. I don't have to fight tigers, either!

All I really have to do is behave, but even when I don't my mom still loves me. I think it might be time for lots of hugs and kisses from my mom and I must go!

Bandaids

Cujo here. My mom has been suffering a series of calamities these past few days. As you all know, I am always listening to her and I pick up on a lot of things. I notice things. 

Like all the band aids adorning her hand when she was mindlessly petting me while reading her emails. Well, as best she could with Bo leaping all around us. I have learned to tuck myself as close to Mom as I can get, and as far back into the sofa, sometimes halfway under the cushion. This way I can avoid being jumped on.

Eddie ends up taking the brunt of Bo's enthusiasm for life. But, back to the band aids ... Seems that Mom was grating carrots for a new recipe she found and accidentally grated her pinkie finger. She was quite proud of the fact that she avoided getting blood on the food. Actually, I need to say that Dad was not a fan of the new recipe.

She encountered more injuries to the same hand when she demolished a wall. It was an outside wall that created a barrier between the door to the office and the old front door to our home. Once upon a time (I hear this should be the beginning when one is reciting a legend), our living quarters were bigger and we had an actual living room with a lot more places to sit. It had a door right next to the door that went into the office. I wasn't around then, but Wall-E told me the story. It was also before Wall-E came to live here. Oscar told him about it. There were four dogs here at the time. Sarge, the collie and Louise, the Saint Bernard were still here; along with Oscar  and Emmy (Mom calls them her awards, but that is another story).

Gavin, Wall-E's boy was staying with his Gramma and Papa (Mom and Dad, in case you were wondering) while his mom was taking a vacation. He was just a little guy, I am told. It was Memorial Day weekend and Mom was so busy checking in campers. Dad was busy doing what he called putting out fires (and I thought Mom spoke in riddles). Gavin was with him most of the afternoon and evening, as he was using the 4 wheeler to get around. I am told that little (and big) boys are quite content to just sit on the 4 wheeler and pretend to drive. 

The sky was getting dark and Gavin was getting tired, so, of course, Dad brought Gavin to Mom. He was tired and whining and didn't want to sit behind the check in desk with his Gramma, who didn't have the freedom to wheel around the park. The boy was up past his bedtime! Mom was checking in some campers when she heard a scream and then saw all of her dogs running loose out the front of the building. Gavin was open mouth crying and Mom was trying to gather her dogs back inside. 

Dad had not locked the door to the private side when he brought Gavin in. After the dogs were caught, Mom asked Gavin if he had opened the door. This made Gavin cry louder and suddenly four children ran in saying that Oscar had bitten a little girl. Oscar was quite proud of himself! As Wall-E told me, the little girl came inside his territory, where he was minding his own business, protecting Gavin and she slapped at him when he growled and told her to leave, so he bit her.

I confess, I would do the same thing even if I had not been protecting a little boy. I do not care for little people, I want to bite them all. Mom says this is a personality flaw of mine. Really? I don't see it that way.

At that time, there were signs posted that said "DO NOT ENTER" PRIVATE" and "BEWARE OF DOG". My Mom is a big believer of signs, you know. The little girl came in the store and her parents came with her. Mom apologized profusely (my new word!) and assured them that Oscar had all of his shots. She was cleaning the little girls knee where Oscar had done a magnificent biting job and she asked the little girl who had let her into the house. She told Mom that she had opened the door herself and gone in. 

Wall-E says Oscar was never so proud of Mom, when she said to the little girl, "Oh, honey I am so sorry my dog bit you, but he was doing his job. He was protecting his space and my grandson." The little girls father got really mad at Mom!! He told Mom that she should have the dog removed and maybe put down (This does not mean that Mom would call Oscar mean names, it means that she would have him killed!!!). Mom told the man that this was not going to happen. She showed the man all the signage and he told her his little girl did not know how to read. This man did not know my mom very well! She asked the man why his little girl was left to her own devices, unsupervised and wondered out loud where he was when she got hurt. He didn't have an answer for that, other than to say he thought the campground was safe. "Safe for who?" asked Mom. She went on to tell the man that a child, so little should be supervised. She could have fallen into the pool or been abducted by some ne'er do well, had he not noticed the close proximity to the interstate. What if she went into the men's bathroom, not being able to read the words on the doors? Never mind the boy frog and the girl frog adorning the doors.

This is how she came to think that we needed something to divide the front porch into public and private sides. A few years later she closed off the front door to our home and built another wall to take the living room away and make more retail space.

The divider needed to come down, or so Mom said. This caused Dad to sigh deeply and tell her it was not a priority. I suppose she decided it was and yesterday she took it down. Dad was surprised when he came in at the end of the day, the divider was gone! The pieces removed carefully by Mom. Mom told us dogs that if Dad had taken the wall down, it would just need to be burned. She did it so carefully that all the components can be re-used. My Mom is amazing, I tell you! 

But, she did get lots of splinters in her hand. She said she was putting "drawing salve" on them to make them easier to remove. If she says so, but that stuff looked like the ear wax she dug out of Eddie's ear when it was infected. You don't suppose she saved it, do you?

    

Can You Spell ...

I have discovered that a restless night results in a day with minimal activity on my part. Yesterday was such a day. The sun was shining and it was a lovely day. A bit chilly, but nice enough to be outside.

I tried to get some stuff done. I swept the front porch and was exhausted from my efforts. I had big plans to bathe the dogs and do some garden beds before cooking dinner. Instead I had a nap of sorts. Couldn't fall asleep, but I did lay down with my short legged dogs. I left HeWho with Bo and Toni Louise ... Toni could care less where I am when he is around. Bo, on the other hand began whining for me. Not loud, but I could hear him so I got up.

Bo was so happy to have me with him. He went out, then settled on my shoulders for a nap. I managed to cook a meal and the rest of the evening was just waiting for bedtime. I was in bed by 9 and slept pretty well last night.

I have already cleaned the kitchen and planted some seeds inside, made the bed and cleaned the bathroom. Now I am acting as a bed/playground for Mr. BoJangles as he climbs all over me. From my shoulders to my toes he climbs and sniffs. Stopping from time to time to watch the words appear on the screen. I have finally trained him to not walk on the keyboard. Wish I could train him not to give my lips a taste. I have trained my self to keep my mouth closed tightly when he is around to keep his tongue from exploring. His whiskers tickle my cheek as he watches me type. He is getting settled and soon he will fall asleep and I can gently move his little self to nestle among his siblings.

I know I could simply get up and go about my business, but I like the sweet warm weight of his slumbering body draped over my shoulder. Like having a sleeping baby on me. So peaceful. Until my neck cramps, that is.

In my down time I have been searching for property with a view of the mountains. My email alerts me every day with sites to check out. My RV remains stationary, waiting for the elusive part that has been on order for far too long, but I will have a nice list of contenders to see by the time we will be mobile.

Tennessee or South Carolina is our goal. Both have higher elevations and some interesting options for us to check out. Trulia has been sending the email alerts and I have noticed a trend in the descriptions. I amuse myself by correcting the grammar and spelling. I just looked at a home with a "mettle" roof on a "quite" street. Who proof reads this stuff?

Some of the properties I have looked at have structures on them, some are just land ready for development. I tend to lean towards the ones with living quarters already existing, since that means the utilities are there already. The ones with questionable buildings in disrepair are actually lower priced than raw land. Mobile homes seem to be the preferred structures, so I then have to check out the surrounding area for a look at the neighborhood and the crime in that area. As you can imagine, this eliminates quite a few offerings.

I wouldn't mind a fixer-upper. We can live in the motor home indefinitely. I just want a piece of dirt that I can garden. We can put a pole barn up to shelter the RV and a fence for my dogs and go from there. Mr. BoJangles is now dead weight, fully asleep and I can ease him down. 

I can keep my mouth closed, but my nose has suffered exploration and I am off to wash my face and head out to address the back yard and ready it to be mowed in the near future.

Passwords

 You may recall the gift I received for Christmas. Yes, the dishwasher. I am still not sure of the button sequence to start it, so HeWho is in charge of dragging the machine across the floor and hooking it up to water and power. I load it, add the detergent, and unload it when it is done and shove it back in it's rightful place. I found that the liquid detergent works much better. I still have dishes to wash by hand, but it does make my work load lighter (said begrudgingly).

I could always do what my mother did when she wanted to get rid of an appliance for a new one, or decided she wasn't going to use one. She wanted a new refrigerator one time, so she would turn the temperature down to let the food spoil, then turn it back up before presenting her evidence to my Dad. He would help her toss all the food and say he was gong to go get her a new one and she would baulk at that and say that maybe the power had gone out overnight and she would "try" it again. On the third "try", she agreed to get a new one.

She could have saved all that time and energy and the cost of all that wasted food and just asked for a new appliance. My Daddy never denied her anything. He bought her a dishwasher in the last home they had. He installed it and carefully read all the instructions on the use and care of this new machine before making a file for it and putting everything pertaining to that machine in the file drawer. That was just how he was. The first time she was going to load it, he offered a few helpful suggestions .... after all their years together, you would think he would know better. She dropped what she was doing and walked out of the kitchen saying that he could load it himself FROM NOW ON. He did. It had become his task.

You would think I might have learned this tactic and followed her example. The very thought of HeWho loading my dishwasher all helter-skelter scares me. It would be hard not to re-do it every time. He has no concept of space and would either cram everything in too tight, or under load it. With just the two of us, we only run the machine every second or third day. 

I have a new phone. HeWho purchased it and called me twice for passcodes and such. I can make and receive calls and text, but every other function of the phone has me locked out because I can't remember my Apple password. I have never known my Apple password. Ever. Why is this, you may be wondering. Why would I forget this important information? I cannot forget what I never knew!

HeWho programmed my old phone. If you received a call from my phone the caller ID had his name on it.  The ID is my email address, but HeWho is not good at password making. I always make my passwords mean something to me. So that I can remember them. He makes passwords with random letters, numbers and symbols and is hard put to remember them. The private wi-fi here has a password and we can't use it ... because HE CAN'T REMEMBER IT!

After several attempts to change the password, I gave up. The phone tells me that the password cannot be changed because it has already been changed too many times. Um, not by me. Because I would know what the password was if I had changed it.

I am unhappy about this. I was in the middle of a book and that book will go back to the library today. I can't even get on that site to renew it. I handed the new phone to him this morning and he has now gone back to the store to enlist the help of the experts there. I am left here to my own devices of entertaining myself. 

All in All, A Good Day

Yesterday was quiet. The sun was shining and all was well in my world. I finally got all the Christmas stuff packed up and put away. Washed some clothes and piddled around with some signs and made some cupcakes to share. As is my habit, the phone was on my person throughout the day.

It did not occur to me until evening was upon me and I tried to text HeWho was somewhere outside that the phone had been really quiet. So quiet that not one call had interrupted my day. Hmmm. This cannot be right. I looked at my phone and noted that my text had not been delivered. Well, this is a fine how-do-you-do! As much as I had enjoyed not having my train of thought disturbed, this is when people make reservations for summer. This is, after all, a business. My business, at that, and now I am wondering how many reservations I had missed.

Today, HeWho likes to sleep late was up, bright eyed and not bushy tailed. Dressed in his heavy flannel shirt and too big flannel lined jeans and his work boots, I asked where he was going. I pick up on signals, just like my canine buddies who were all watching with ears up. "I have to go get your phone fixed!" He really loves errands, my HeWho!

It was my cell phone that was the problem. The store line is forwarded to it, leaving me with only one phone to attach to my person. We unforwarded the business line and it immediately began ringing. I retrieved the email and answered all the messages that had been sent in lieu of calling. 

We really depend on our cell phones, don't we? Like a life line to the world outside our tiny surroundings. HeWho does everything on his phone. I don't have social media on mine. It would drive me quite mad if everything was constantly dinging like his. What I do have on my phone is audio books. I like to have something to listen to when I am doing chores, being alone with myself.

So, he said he was getting a new phone for me. It is unspoken that I know he will also be getting a new phone. He has been itching to do so for awhile, but his wife told him NO. My reasoning being that the old phone worked just fine and we did not NEED new phones. This must have come as a pleasant surprise for him, my phone not receiving calls. The perfect excuse to drive over 70 miles just to get a phone for me! Only makes sense to get two new phones for the price of one trip!

I am less happy. I don't like new things so much. I will find myself calling my children to navigate new things. The upside of that is having an excuse to call them. 

A the end of the day (yesterday, that is), I had a good day. I found the car keys! I misplaced them over a week ago. Made HeWho frantically search for them. We have a spare, so I was not too concerned about them. They had to be here, I did have to drive the car here before losing them, didn't I? Every day HeWho would inquire about my alleged search. I kept telling him they would just show up one day and they did yesterday. They were in a pile of garland and lights I had grabbed up  my way inside and laid on the table in the store until I could get to putting them up. The only search on my part had been to check all my sweater and coat pockets and cleaning out my purse. I knew they were here somewhere, while HeWho asked how many places I had gone to on my outing ..... causing me to once again explain that I had to use them to get the vehicle here. I think he checked outside around the car and the path I took into the house. I told him they would turn up! My glasses did as well, but they were only missing for a day. Yes, it was a good day.