Haircut

As I was standing in front of the mirror this morning, snipping away at my hair ..... I was taken back in time. I used to do the same thing when I was 18. A single mom who couldn't afford to pay attention, much less pay for a hair cut. I do it now because I am loathe to drive 25 miles and mask up for a hair cut.

Back in time, I still lived with my parents. I mention this because my mother had a shop next to their house where she plied her trade and cut hair. You may be wondering why I cut my own hair if my mother, trained in the art of hair cutting, could have done it for me. In answer to that I can only say that I preferred my own method. Of course she had cut my hair many times and those many times usually left me in tears. For the life of me, I was never able to understand how she kept clients. They would come in and sit in her chair and tell her what they wanted. Sometimes they brought pictures. 

Every single time, she would tell them that was NOT what they wanted at all, that she knew what they would look good with and proceed to give them the exact same haircut she gave everyone. Some times she would vary a bit, but in the end, the neck line was always the same. Every woman over the age of 30 needed short hair according to my mother. Long hair on old women (over 30, mind you) was bad. 

Add to that the obligatory permanent to achieve a mound of frizzy hair that could only be contained with hair curlers and several good coats of hair spray, and there you had the perfect look. She did just that to my hair at the tender age of 17 when I became a mother. I would cry every time I looked in the mirror and vow that her hands would never find their way to my head again. So, I would sneak out to her shop and using the tools she had, I styled my own hair, letting it grow longer and longer. Was my mother a bully of sorts? Why, yes, yes she was!

I kept my hair long well into my 40's, much to her dismay. By then I was immune to her telling me what to do and how to do it. Should she point out my many faults, I would give it right back to her and tell her where she fell short. Do I regret this? No, not really. The fact that I would challenge her didn't mean I didn't love her, but, as I told my Dad, as we stood next to her last viewing ... she was so hard to love.

When I started writing this, my intentions were going in a totally different direction. My mind was set on other things, but I guess my heart wasn't having it. I am at a total standstill in a book I have been writing about her. I have not been able to add a single word since my Dad died. When I started the project, the words seemed to flow. It is a work of fiction, based on her life as I knew it. Written in my interpretation of her voice. There are many stories that I know from growing up in her care and stories that she told me herself. There are just as many huge gaps in what I know about her. 

So many secrets she never revealed to me or my sister, some I doubt my Dad was privy to. Talking to her relatives and people she may have interacted with before she became my mother doesn't add much to the picture. I knew I would never try to publish the book until both her and my Daddy were gone. So, how ironic is it that I seem to not be able to continue?

I don't look like my mother and I have lived my entire life trying to not be my mother. I know that sounds harsh, but it is true. I loved Mother, but I also pitied her. She never realized the fullness of her life. My Dad was a wonderfully loyal man. When he remarried at age 75, when she had been gone for 5 years, he confided to me that he had never been so happy in his entire life. He followed that statement with, "Now, if your mother were still alive, you know I would always be with her."

There were many times in my life that I could not be around my mother for various reasons, mostly for my own mental well being. During those times, Daddy would take her side and choose not to be a part of my life. As painful as that could be, I had to admire his loyalty to his wife. After she died, he became a very important part of my life. Even knowing that his cancer was taking him, his death absolutely devastated me. I miss him every day.

And, yes, I cut my own hair. Rarely does that action hit me as profoundly as it did today!

 

No Dog Pickles!

 Cujo took over yesterday. He is such a smart little pig shaped boy! I fear that my new diet regimen may not be so good for him. While he loves the new food and patiently waits his turn for a bite and he gets only 1/2 cup a day, he seems to be ballooning! While my back was in the week long spasm, I could not lift him into the bed or onto the sofa. 

Every time HeWho would come to my rescue to hoist the fat dog next to me, Cujo would run from him and try to hide. He has been vigilant about his unhappiness with HeWho being in our presence. HeWho has employed the use of treats to lure Cujo into an area to pick him up. No more treats for the fat little dog!

As Cujo told you I am still battling the skin rash and itching on Eddie and Toni Louise. The vet wants to take the dogs inside without me and I don't agree with this practice. How will they be able to ask questions. It would be like handing my baby to the pediatrician and then going out to wait while the doctor tried to determine the reason for the visit.

On Eddie's last visit the vet determined that he had a yeast infection in his ear. She told me it wasn't bad and to just use the over the counter ear wash and keep it clean. That is not working. As for his itching skin and the medicated shampoo, it no longer works either. So after some research, it came to my attention that most home remedies called for vinegar. Selsun Blue shampoo was suggested, too. With the old adage of "can't hurt, might help" I ordered the shampoo and carefully read the ingredients and determined that nothing in it was harmful unless ingested.

Eddie is a good boy and won't be trying to eat the shampoo. Mr. BoJangles would, he tries to eat everything. I bathed my Eddie and rinsed him with the suggested ratio of vinegar to water. No, he does not stink like vinegar! He was quite comfortable last night and didn't wake me scratching like I do when I have poison ivy.

Too bad my back would not hold out to bathe Toni Louise, as well. I treated his ear again this morning and it smells much better and he is not shaking his head today. I bathed Toni Louise this morning. I offered to let her master bathe his own dog, but it is better that I do it. He tends to use too much shampoo and then not rinse well enough. Another old adage? If you want something done right, do it yourself.

I cleaned Toni's ears, too. Just in case. I am pretty sure it is yeast, if the odor description can be trusted. Both dogs smell musty, well, not now, but after a few days. The description of the flaky skin and loss of fur, along with a leathery look to the skin. I hope my back holds up for the next few weeks, as they will need to be bathed 3 times a week for a while.

They have always been on grain free dog food. We even purchased some freeze dried raw food dogfood, hoping to kill the yeast by diet. The only thing left is dog treats. No more dog treats from the store. Peanut butter, sweet potatoes and fresh fruit will have to be sufficient. Although Cujo and Bo seem not to be affected at all, they will have to stick to the same diet as the other two. I have to be fair, you know. HeWho is bad about sharing sandwiches and crackers with them. I will employ the use of a yard stick to smack his hand for this offense!

Cujo was relieved to know that I had no plans for pickling my canines and then eating them! Where does that dog get his crazy ideas?

Pickled

 Cujo here. I am so happy to report that my mom is up and on her feet! She can walk around without stopping to say "ouch". I do not like it when she is in pain.

Yesterday I heard her say she has cabin fever! Oh no! Fevers are not good. I am confused, though. She doesn't feel like she has a fever and I would know! I am the first one to nestle close to her when she sits down and I sleep right next to her. If she had a fever I would know. Then there is the word "cabin". I know what a cabin is and we do not live in one. Dad says she just needs to get out of the house. It is snowing, so I suppose that would cool a fever down, but is she supposed to go find a cabin?

Is this what she means when she says "word play"? I miss my brother dog, Wall-E, at times like this. He once told me that Mom spoke in riddles. He was right.

Yesterday Mom felt good enough to give Eddie a bath. Eddie still suffers with itching. His ear has been bothering him, as well. Mom did some research on the computer and next thing we knew she was sniffing Eddie's ear and saying "yeast, he has a yeast infection in his ear". She read some more and then she told Eddie that she had a new shampoo to try on his itchy skin. But, first, she was back with a small bowl of something with cotton balls soaking in it. 

Before Eddie could escape he was in Mom's lap with his ear flapped back and she was rubbing away at the inside of his ear with one of those cotton balls. It smelled familiar, but I couldn't remember where I had smelled that smell before. She finished by putting drops of that stuff in Eddies ear and then she rubbed his ear and face and told him he could shake. He did and before he could jump to the floor she swooped him up and carried him to the bathroom. I heard the shower turn on.

I love a good bath myself. I was anticipating a nice warm bath. First Mom wets us down with really warm water. Legend has it that Emmy taught her that. Emmy did not like to be cold and so her water had to be extra warm, followed by a blow dryer, then Mom would wrap her in a blanket and hold her until she was nice and dry and warm. Eddie likes for Mom to hold him after his bath, too.

This is why Eddie usually goes last, so Mom can wrap him up and hold him awhile. So why is Eddie first today? I decided to sit next to the gate to see if I could hear Mom talking to him. She always talks to us dogs. I heard her ask him if he liked the smell of the new shampoo and if it felt good. She told him what a good boy he was being and that this new shampoo could be rinsed right away and she wouldn't let him get cold. I heard her rinse him and then tell him to hold on so she could finish with a nice vinegar rinse .....

VINEGAR? That is the smell I smelled. She uses that to make pickles and salad dressing and I do not appreciate the taste or the smell! Is she trying to pickle Eddie? They EAT pickles! Oh no, oh no, oh no. This can't be happening. Will she try to pickle me, too? One time she was joking (I hope) with Dad and said that I was getting fatter and fatter and looked like a piglet. She said I was just the right size for roasting! Dad told her she was mean to say that about me. She hasn't tried to stick a rod through my mouth to my nether regions, though. You don't suppose she would want to pickle me first, do you?

When Mom came out with Eddie all wrapped in a towel, she sat down next to me. I tried to act like I had been sitting there on the couch the entire time. I wanted a nice warm bath, but I did not look forward to having a soak in Vinegar. She told us dogs that one bath was all her back would handle. 

I was so relieved! I am still worried about Eddie, but, better him than ME! I once heard Mom say it was a Dog Eat Dog world. I am not partaking of a BBQ that involves Eddie!

A Trip? Maybe.

 I am somewhat better.. Still not able to bend over and pick things up. Still have to walk very carefully. I did actually bend over yesterday. I had to, I was taking my meds and I dropped a pill. All I could think about was one of the dogs (most likely being BO) would discover it and eat it.

My mind went into over drive. I didn't know which pill had fallen to the floor. I had swallowed the rest right when I heard the lone pill hit the floor. I take a beta blocker and a blood pressure pill with a diuretic. Either would make Bo very sick and could prove to be fatal. So I spread my legs as far as I could and carefully leaned over as far as I could. Not far enough, as it turned out. I stretched forward and grabbed the pill while the pain grabbed me.

Turned out to be the low dose aspirin I take every morning along with all the other pills. I could have just left it there for HeWho to pick up and saved myself the pain. Couldn't risk it, though.

HeWho has been busy outside this week. He had 8 loads of gravel delivered and has spent endless hours pushing the rock around with the front end loader. You might recall that we were unable to get gravel last season. This would normally be a Spring chore, but opportunity presented itself and the weather has been mild, so why not?

I appreciate the alone time and would really appreciate it if I could move freely and get something done. Instead I am watching TV, reading, and dozing. Totally non-productive! Bored out of mind. I am thinking I will book a reservation for a short trip. I do not need to be 100% to sit in the co-pilot seat of the motor home and give advice to the driver. 

Staying in our own space should be safe enough. Dog walking will have to be up to HeWho. The only thing that gives me pause for thought is the steps into the motorhome. The thought of planting either foot and then  p u l l i n g  the rest of me to the next step sounds painful to me. I think I will go try it out before I commit to a reservation .....

Bo and the Peanut Butter Jar

 Cujo here. My mom was doing much better! She was walking almost normal again. Us dogs were so happy that she was better and back in charge of our feeding schedule. Dad is okay, but he lacks those special touches that only Mom provides.

Mom is changing our diets with some different food. It is made from raw foods, then freeze dried. Dad argues that it is crazy expensive, but Mom says it is worth it if it will help Eddie and Toni Louise stop itching. All I can tell you about this stuff is one thing ... it is delicious!! Mom says it smells fishy  when she rehydrates it (that means she has to add water). Well, it should smell like fish, it has salmon in it. Along with a bunch of other yummy things like carrots and sweet potatoes and beef and peas and kale. No grains. Mom says it should help me drop a few pounds. 

She told me that I am getting too heavy to be picked up! This cannot be true, I am a lap dog! It is my true calling in life, to sit in my Mom's lap! She even went so far as to tell me that any day now, my belly will drag the floor! It is almost as if she were trying to hurt my feelings! As long as she keeps giving me my share of the delicious dog food, I don't really care!

When Mom makes the food, she uses warm water. So when us dogs see her at the water dispenser getting a cup of water and then putting  in the microwave we know what she is up to! She always says what she is doing out loud when Dad is close by. She confided to me that she is hoping her words will imprint on his brain in case he needs to do the feeding. I wish her luck with that, but I have watched him closely and should probably tell her that she is wasting her breath, as he is not paying attention.

After she stirs the water in the bowl of dogfood, she tells us we have to wait until the food soaks up all the water. We still have our old dog food in our bowl all the time like before. She says these changes must be done in steps. This is why she spoon feeds us.

When we see that special blue bowl we all gather round her and wait until she calls out our name. Then she will bring the spoon to our mouths and we will gobble up the food. If Bo hits the spoon and knocks all the food onto the floor so he can eat it, he misses a turn and gets scolded. One time I snatched the spoon out of her hand. I got scolded and the food went to the floor and Toni Louise grabbed it. Mom says I was being greedy. We have the routine down now, even Bo waits his turn.

Speaking of Bo, he gave us all a scare today. The peanut butter jar was empty and Toni Louise was chomping at the bits to have her special treat. Bo stole it and ran outside with it. Toni went out and chased him for awhile, then they came in. The jar was in the yard. Mom told Toni to bring it inside, but she didn't.

We all went outside and watched Bo outrun Toni with the edge of the jar in his mouth. It was great fun. Toni got so annoyed at him and Eddie and I were just happy to be outside without Bo jumping at us. Bo is always excited to play outside, but his idea of playing is to leap out and grab us to then roll around in the grass or snow (as the case may be). I do not enjoy these encounters. It is cold and my hair is short. Eddie feels much the same, even if he has long hair. Toni Louise will play awhile, but when she is done, she is done. She will nip Bo, so there is no misunderstanding.

Bo likes to go out more than the rest of us dogs. Usually one of us will go with him to make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble. Sometimes, Martha, the boy cat will accompany him. Martha will play awhile, but he can always jump to the top of the fence and Bo can't compete with that. Today, Bo was outside alone.

Dad asked where he was and went outside to see what he was up to. Dad found him laying on the ground, not moving with his head stuck in the peanut butter jar! He ran inside and told Mom to hold Bo while he cut the bottom off the jar so that he could breath. When Dad started cutting, Bo started moving. Mom talked soft to Bo while Dad kept cutting chunks of the plastic jar away. They finally got his head free and all of us dogs were so relieved! I didn't even know I liked Bo, but I was worried when I saw his predicament.

Mom tried to smother Bo with kisses and cuddle him, but he jumped down and started running around like nothing had happened. Mom calls Bo a little devil. Toni Louise is mourning the loss of her special treat. Mom says that Dad can no longer give the jar to Toni Louise.

Then it happened. Mom was using the vacuum and cleaning after she dismantled a pallet. She said she had plans to make something out of the wood. So, since she was cleaning up the mess she made, she went on to vacuum the entire house. She came out to empty the cannister a couple of times and she put a different attachment on and she was cleaning the baseboards, bending over and walking along. Us dogs were settling in for a nap when she stood up and yelped. Yep, she yelped like a dog. Us dogs looked up at her and she said that her back hurt.

And, just like that, in the blink of an eye, Mom is back on the sofa with all of us dogs. I confess that I might be happy about this!

High Hopes

 I had high hopes for this new year. Too high, I suppose, given the shenanigans that make news. But that isn't the only disappointment. Health matters seem to be coming faster that I am willing to deal with.

Of course, I have no choice in the matter. I finally solved the nausea problem after taking my pills in the morning. Just have to put some food in the stomach first. I am not a breakfast person. All I want is black coffee. Now I have to eat a piece of toast or fruit before I swallow my daily allowance of blood pressure maintaining, heart strengthening, cholesterols lowering concoction of prescription drugs and supplements. Eggs make me gag first thing of the day. Oatmeal is my choice when the weather is chilly.

So, all of a sudden, out of the blue, my digestive system decided to reject all food and liquids. After three days of that, sipping Gingerale seemed to be the only thing I could do. I lost 6 lbs.  Any weight loss is a cause for celebration as far as I am concerned, but I do not recommend this method.

Recovered from that malady which came with dizziness that never quite disappeared, I was happily enchanted with my new computer and the construction of my new kitchen island. I drew up my plans complete with measurements and presented it to HeWho is quite certain my use of the chop saw will result in me losing a limb.

Will wonders never cease? He actually understood my rendering and the why of the differing lengths of wood. As encouraging as that seems, he did not make a mad rush to the saw to cut the frame. He did make a special trip to a lumber yard to get supplies. Not enough, as it turned out. I expected as much, but he did start cutting and assembling, then looking at me expectantly, as if I could make those 2X2's grow. This was followed with a query about what I had done with all the screws.

That sat there for 2 days. I awoke Saturday morning and put my feet on the floor and lifted my doxies down for the trip to outside. Before I managed to release Mr. BoJangles from his kennel, my mind noted that my left heel was painful and tingling. I stood up and a pain shot up the back of my foot all the way to my brain! To my credit I did not scream and wake the master. I hobbled to the back door and released the hounds. 

I stood there a moment with all of my weight on my right foot as I pondered my dilemma. I knew it was going to hurt to make my way to a place to seat myself. Despite that, I NEEDED my coffee. I stopped at the coffee maker and made my cup of coffee, then sloshed my way to the sofa. Eased down and lifted the offending foot to inspect it. Nothing. No swelling, no bruising, just pain. And that tingling sensation in my heel. 

I figured that I had slept with it in an awkward position. I do have animals bedded down with me and they will move around in the night. I will sleep in whatever space is left. The dogs have their preferred spots and usually stay put. But, Martha, the giant boy cat will insinuate himself in the spot he wants. Doesn't matter if it happens to be occupied. He will push whatever blocks his way until he has what he wants. Once established he becomes an immoveable object. 

You would think I could push him with one leg or even both legs. You would be wrong.  Martha is a big boy and he is a stubborn one, too. Even if I get up and out of the bed to pick him up, he will dig his claws into the covers and hold on for dear life. This is why I thought my foot problem was his fault.

Thinking it would go away as the day went on, I finished my coffee and tried to stand up to let the dogs in. I didn't scream, but I did make some noise. No, it did not bring HeWho was sleeping to my aid. He didn't hear me, but Toni Louise did and she rushed from her slumber to see what was the matter. She stood at the gate separating us and with her paws atop it twisted her head this way and that way, making gutteral sounds in her throat. I swear I think she can talk. She ran to he bed to try to rouse her master as the boy dogs were carrying on at the back door. I finally had to call HeWho can't hear me on his cell to ask for help.

That was Saturday, still not able to walk comfortably today. I googled my symptoms and am confidant in my diagnosis. Tendonitis. I mashed and probed thoroughly. I know that I would have to have an X-ray to confirm this. Do I want to go to a hospital for this? No, I do not. I am certain there is no broken bone to deal with, having broken a bone in this same foot four other times. Even if it was broken, the treatment would be the same. I have all that I need right here, even crutches. Pain relievers might be forthcoming, but maybe not. 

Besides, it only hurts when I stand on it. First thing in the morning is the absolute worst. Then as the day progresses, I am able to navigate more easily. The last time I broke this foot, I employed my son's skate board to move around. You can sit on it and scoot around, you can even place a bowl of soup on it and crawl behind it to push your lunch to a desired location. Alas, no skate board to grab here.

Yesterday, I showered. The problem with showering is that step over the side of the tub. Has me wondering why we didn't install grab bars when we redid the bathroom. After trial and error, I finally managed to get myself in the tub without falling. Still dizzy, I was worried about my balance. If I fell, even 6 lbs. lighter, the man with only 2/3 of a heart would not be able to get me out of the tub. I wonder if he would even try to cover me up before he called for help. I was very very careful and enjoyed my shower. Afterwards I was exhausted. 

Then a niggling in the back of my mind started to come to life. Vicodin! Yes, I had some Vicodin left from my root canal! I hobbled to the kitchen and found it where I had left it. Three tablets looked up at me when I opened the bottle. That is six doses for me, as I will break them in half! I swallowed 1/2 a tablet and waited for blessed relief. In about 20 minutes, I was up and walking. I needed to fill our pill takers and decided to take the opportunity to get that done.

All my cabinets are high, I am low to the ground and rely on a step ladder. Usually not a problem, but anything requiring me to put all my weight on the sick foot was not going to happen. HeWho was tinkering with the island to be (he bought more wood and screws) and had to be put into action to get the bin of pills down to my level. I was happily counting pills and filling each compartment for the next two weeks. Sudden nausea and dizziness hit me and I felt like I would die if I didn't sit down. I turned wrong and my back seized! 

Ended up in bed. With the dachshunds to comfort me. I lay perfectly still to relax my muscles. Fortunately, I had already put a casserole in the oven for dinner. I dozed a little until the dogs became restless and I smelled food. I got myself up and hobbled out to see that HeWho was eating. He fixed a plate for me and we ate dinner. I had been worried that he might try to finish my pill counting, but he didn't. He didn't finish the island construction either, very little progress was made. In honor of me resting he didn't want to make noise.

Today, Well, today is better than yesterday. I have managed to stay off the foot a much as possible. I have applied arthritis type creams to it and it is wrapped in an ace bandage. I did get two loads of laundry done and put away. Dinner is cooking and the island remains undone. He cut two boards short. Only 1/2 ", but still won't work. The temperature is great for being outside and he is out removing limbs and trees that came down in the last storm. 

Blessed silence surrounds me. I am thinking I will go cut the boards the correct length and screw them together so that the frame can be finished. All that will be left to do is assemble it and put the bead board on that was already here from another project. Just need the nail gun to be brought inside. Paint is already here, too. Maybe I will be done when he is done with his chainsaw activities!

Clarifion, Not A Scam

I posted about a scam late last year. HeWho had ordered some rather spendy electronic devices that bragged about eliminating dust. https://kampgroundkapers.blogspot.com/2020/12/its-scam.html you can find that story here.

We received 5 cloth baggies of activated charcoal from the company and that is when I called foul on them for a bait and switch deal. Well, lo and behold, just the other day a package arrived with not 5, but 10 of the advertised product! HeWho looked back at his orders and he did actually order 10, as they were cheaper by volume. Still not inexpensive.

I went about the task of plugging them in. Every day, HeWho would wonder if they were working. I suggested that he get the vacuum out and do a thorough cleaning of our abode and then we would be more able to judge the efficiency of the product. Yeah, that didn't happen. But, I cleaned and dusted my coffee area that is next to the fridge and has a wall (load bearing) that I was forbidden to knock down between that space and the kitchen. 

They seem to be working! Now, if only I could muster the energy to do a proper cleaning of my entire living space... I should get on that. It is not that big. But when I get started I tend to stop and start thinking and will end up painting the ceiling. Then the walls will look bad and then I will want to drag the rugs outside and beat them. You see that this is a springtime activity and far be it from me to mess with seasons!

No Man Is An Island

I am writing this on my new computer! I am happy to report that it was 45% off with free shipping. I finally tired of fighting with my old one. I was on the phone with my son as he told me what to do to try to be able to download pictures. It didn't work.

So, I said, "guess I will just have to get a new one" and went to the Dell site and discovered the sale! I was giddy with happiness. I do love a good sale!

You might recall that I got a dishwasher for Christmas. I watched the UPS guy struggling with the box as he unloaded it. I even saw it fall against the truck. Then the giver of great gifts muscled it inside and cleverly hid the lettering of the box, but not the illustration. Upon opening the box, we discovered that it was damaged. 

This was followed by submitting the claim to Amazon and repackaging the dented machine. A new one arrived and the return authorization awaits pick-up. No damage on the new machine. It now sits inconveniently adjacent to the kitchen area. Partially blocking access to the fridge.

Have I used it yet? No. I have decided that I won't use it until I get the "island" built to slide it into. I already have an island of sorts. I put a 30" X 30" top on a small rolling cart. It provides very little storage space. So, in the wee hours of the morning it came to me that an appliance that is only 24" deep and 18" wide would fit nicely in that space. But, does one want to view the back end of the appliance? Not really.

But … if I build some sort of frame that would hold that "top" I made out of reclaimed wood and closed it in, I could roll the appliance into the "island" when not in use. Still awake, I pondered all the extra space under that 30" top. Why not use the extra 12" on the side to hold my cookie sheets or cutting boards? And, lets not forget that 6" on the back. I could easily put a hinged door on the back side that could hold the trash bag holder thing and have a hidden trash can.

With this in mind and knowing that HeWho would be happy to go out and buy the supplies necessary for the build, the actual build could take years to accomplish. I know how HeWho procrastinates operates. So, I refuse to use the dishwasher until the build has been done. He is itching to load the little dishwasher (I shudder at the thought) and hook that bad boy up and hit the start button. If I deny him that particular pleasure, then maybe, just maybe I will get my island.

He reads this, so my devious behavior isn't a secret. He will go one way or the other. He will help me build my island, or he will try to wait me out. I laugh at that particular challenge, because I already know I will win!

Last Will And Testament

Feeling almost human again. Good news is that I lost 6 lbs. last week!! Bad news is that I was just dehydrated. I felt like I do after surgery and can't get enough water to drink. Slowly, very slowly I drank water, then gingerale for a couple of days. Then the next day I ate the most delicious salad ever!! It was a salad from Walmart and more than enough for 2 people, but I devoured the entire thing.

I waited awhile to see if that salad would stay where I put it. It did. Still weak and tired, but thank the good Lord I feel better!

Good thing, because, as soon as I was up and eating, HeWho got whatever it was. Of course, he would claim to be sick with whatever ailment befell me, even if that ailment was for ladies only. He really was sick, although not as sick as I was and the duration was shorter. Sick or not, he got no break from Cujo who seems to have developed an intense dislike for him.

Every time HeWho leaves the house or comes into the house, Cujo goes into attack mode. Cujo has never liked men, but most especially a man with a hat. Add a big coat and the dog wants to bite him. Viscous sounding snarls and barks from my little guy triggers barking from the rest of the pack. They have no idea why they are barking other than in support of their brother.

So, while I was sick and up all night at the peak of my ailment, I began to wonder if I should make a will. Forget about any thing of monetary value I might have. The kids can pillage all they want and fight over it if it suits them. No, my last will and testament would be about the welfare of my dogs. Yes, I know I have a cat, too. Martha, the boy cat can fend for himself if the need should arise.

As I was bent double in pain, thinking death would be a relief, I was worried about my dogs. Who would take care of my dogs? Would they be split up and then miss each other so much they would whither and die? Would they be miserable without the attention they have become accustomed to?

Of course they would. Would HeWho remember to feed them and water them and take them out more than once a day? Who knows? Sick as I was, I still had the presence of mind to make sure they were taken care of. I even made sure to count out pills for HeWho can't seem to take care of himself without me. Will I need to put HeWho's care in my will, too?

In the middle of the night I managed to write the instructions for filling his pill takers and tucking it into the bin of prescription bottles. I thought about waking him to have him help me write my will and witness it. 

I decided I would have to split up my dogs. My doxies love each other and would be miserable apart. Eddie is the only one Cujo would miss. But, Cujo doesn't like other people, especially men. Eddie loves everyone and he is easy. Still, it would be a hard sell to either of my daughters. That leaves Toni Louise, a goofy escape artist and Bo, still a puppy and so cute, even if he is demon possessed at times. 

In the end, even though I know that my sweet son would take all my dogs if I asked, I decided that I will have to live on to take care of my canines. Not to mention HeWho. Who would take care of him?