Snake!

There is a Black Snake living in or around the barn. Look out crickets and beetles! His mouth is too small to handle much else.

Spa Day

Because of the twins surgeries we were laying low for the weekend, plus it was pretty darn hot with the accompaniment of high humidity. We decided that mostly everybody needs a bath! He had previously upgraded the water heater in the LQ trailer to work on dual fuel: propane and electric. This increases the heating capacity, so not only is the first bath hot, so is the second. We started with the pre-bath shampoo – manes and tails – of Sprite and Lil Fred. Traditionally Lil Fred has been horrific at bath time. For someone that weighs around 200 lbs. he can be quick and dangerous. He rears and plunges, spins and dives. This time he actually took it like a man! Sprite is always resigned to the fact that this is going to happen, just deal. April also got a bath and let the shedding begin in earnest! W0W – looks like the stuffing has been knocked out of her.

Cut, Cut - It's a Wrap!

Today both Irene and Max went to the vet's, to get neutered. Two birds with one stone, two babies with one knife, something like that. Glad it's done with. We're looking forward to our holiday weekend, but spending it babysitting the two of them. The Infirmary is in full swing.

Holiday Weekend on the Horizon

No food after 10pm for Max or Irene. I think the best plan will be to feed her at 9:55 and hit the sack. I feed her right before I go to bed and she sleeps all night, sometimes the alarm wakes her. I recommend that to anyone that says cats are Nocturnal and will keep you up all night. Cats are not chinchillas, you can change their life patterns. Food is the key.

Emergency!!

We have a puppy: An out-of-control Muttly Mutt of a puppy. He is now approximately 6 months old. He desperately needs to be neutered. He might not think so, but he does. It's not an option; it's been scheduled but can't get here fast enough. We also have a cat, Irene, who is over two years old but is also not neutered. Coincidentally she will be spayed the exact same day as Max! They’ll be twins! On Wednesday morning, at 5:33 precisely, Irene jumped into the window that is above our headboard. We are sleeping. Max jumps onto the bed to chase her into the window. He uses Tom’s face as part of his launch pad. This is not a good thing. Tom says, “I think he cut my lip.” Famous last words, right? He goes into the bathroom and says, “I’m going to need stitches,” What? “And a wash cloth.” Seriously? So I take the very bad puppy outside, feed the horses, by then he’s got most of the blood cleaned up from the wall, mirror and sink, his clothes on and the wash cloth against his face. I drive to the Emergency Room. He’s processed fairly quickly, we’re both asked if we feel like passing out. Do we look that pale? I text my mom to call me with my cell number – it is 6:45. She calls back fairly quickly. She also asks if I’m going to call his mother. Really? Why? She doesn’t think dogs belong in the house, let alone in the bedroom. We’re not even going there. I drive back home to get the horses out of the barn, back to the hospital where I run into a co-worker in the parking lot. We both say at the same time, “what are you doing here?” It’s 7:30 a.m. In the end he got 4 dissolvable, one stitch to repair the torn muscle, and 18 stitches on the outside. It looks great! We go to the pharmacy to fill the prescription for Penicillin and SPF 60+ and Neosporin Ointment. After he takes a nice nap we go to the grocery to buy foods that are low in salt and easily chewed. He’s to drink everything, including coffee, with a straw.

Monday he’s scheduled to have the stitches out. That’s pretty quick, right?

Mother's Day *WARNING - GRAPHIC IMAGE*

I believe there is a good reason I'm not a mother. Mostly because I would not make a good mother. **************** WARNING - GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION & PHOTOS **************** As you might remember WE HAVE A PUPPY. On Sunday we went over to the old house to finish up a couple things, this and that, before listing the house for rent again. On the car ride over Max threw up. He does that mostly every time he gets a car ride. He loves car rides. He managed to miss mostly the tools piled up in the rear of the car, leaving a nice pile of barely-chewed dog kibble. In the puke-pile was a little bit of his shredded tennis ball and a white plastic-looking round object.

Of course Tom has to dig the round object out of the pile and it uncoiled in his hand, immediately dropped it on to the drive way and it writhed there for a short minute. Ugh - round worm! I wanted to mow the grass but it was instantly evident that the mower was not right. He flipped it over and discovered that the blade was bent, disfigured. Argh! A trip to the BigOrangeBox was eminent. He decided he would go to the BigPetStore, too, and get wormer for Max. Why didn't we do that a month or two ago? We are dreadfully bad parents! After we got home he gave Max two pills. This knocked him out pretty good. I know it was a long day for Max anyway, but having this strong medication going through him was rough, too.

In the morning the dead worms were anxious to leave the host. Grosser than gross. We are bad parents!

Saturday Ride

We planned to go riding on Saturday, if the weather cooperated. It did, such a beautiful day but lots of the trails were wet, standing water, sloppy. We went anyway.

We know our way around the park pretty well. We had previously spent lots of time being lost, arguing about being lost, getting turned around and found again. All of that is in the past. Our friends wanted to pay their respects to the O'Neils, buried on a hillside on the other side of the river, plus go to the tavern at the other end. They also wanted to use their new GPS. This could be a long ride. Weather was delightful, KC was on his best behavior, and we have a wonderful ride in the park.