RESCUE ME!

I knew it the moment we walked out the door.  I could smell it.  Someone was here, right here, right by my house!   This way, this way, Mom....noooo, you're pulling me the wrong way.  Here comes a car!  The lady in the car is talking to Mom.  Dad is here, too. 

Hey, you guys, there he is!   He's right here!   Hello!  Are you lost?  What's up?  Mom is acting weird.  Another car is here and the door is open.  Hey, they want you to get in the......why are you running?  Mom hands my leash over to Dad. 

Dad takes me inside and gets some bits of chicken out of the fridge.  I'd like some chicken.
Then we go back outside.  Mom is running around with a lady  now and they are both yelling "Bandit!"  Mom is yelling "Come here!"  I know what THAT means.  So I start yelling, too!  Come here, Bandit!  I'm over here!  Dad gives the chicken bits to Mom.  I'd like some chicken.

Over here, Bandit!  Let's rub noses again!  I think Bandit was tired because he finally sat down when Mom told him to.  Mom kept talking to him and so did I.  Then the other lady came up behind him and slipped a leash over his head.  Then Mom gave Bandit a piece of chicken.  I'd like some chicken......

Then the lady and Mom walked Bandit home.  He lives just around the corner!  Dad and I watched.  Whew!  Bandit went inside.  Safe home again.

We were going out for his regular walk, but Harry was hot on the trail of a scent.  As a car drew up, I recognized the local dog walking lady.  She was looking for a neighbor's dog, Bandit, who had slipped out of his collar and was running all over the place.  By happenstance, I knew that Bandit was a Border Collie and I had a pretty good idea of where he lived.  We were all concerned that he would run outside of the community where some large tractor trailer trucks are often around.

At the same time, Bandit himself appeared and approached Harry.  They rubbed noses.  I reached for his collar, but he didn't have one on.  Then Bandit took off again.

I told my husband to go inside and get some grilled chicken bits I knew we had on hand.  Perhaps I could bribe Bandit with that.  The dog walking lady removed her belt to use as an ad hoc leash.  I used my "command" voice to tell Bandit to come and to sit.  He did, at last, but I think it was out of sheer exhaustion.  I continued to keep his attention with Harry's help while the dog walker snuck up behind him and quickly slipped the belt over his head.  Then Bandit walked like a perfect angel back to his house, just a couple of blocks away.  Harry watched as Bandit was returned safely to his home.
Success!

Sweaty Pants!

Oh, boy.  Mom got home from that place she goes to.  She goes there a lot and stays there a long time.  I miss her and I wait for her to come home.  Finally!  Yay!  She always comes back and takes a shower.  I wait for her on the bed.  Hmmmm.  Something smells good!   Oh, boy!   There's a pile on the end of the bed.  Smelly good stuff.  Let's see.......they're ALL so tempting!  Hmmm,  hmmmm, I'll take these pants.  Ah, chewy!  Yum.  Nom, nom, nom.

Huh?  What's the matter?  Mom?  Why "Oh, no?"  What'd I do? 

Harry is a wonderful boy, sweet and docile.  But, like all of us, he isn't perfect.  I couldn't get mad because it was my fault.  In fact, I had to fight the urge to laugh, since he looked so absolutely delighted.  I left my sweaty gym clothes on the cedar chest at the end of the bed while I showered.  There he was, noshing away, having a good old time!  My gym pants were shredded!   And......it wasn't the first time.  I've lost a few items of clothing that way.  So I have to train myself to put my gym gear into the washer immediately. 

If I could only get him to be as interested in his toys as he is in sweaty pants.

Izz okay, baby, I still love you.

It was a dark and stormy night....

It started right after my suppertime.   LOUD thunder and scary flashes of light.  I went to the spot where Dad sleeps on the bed and I tried to curl up real tiny and make myself as small as I could.   Even though I didn't want it to happen, my insides were shaking.   Mom came in and snuggled with me.  She tried to help the shaking stop.  I think the thunder scared her, too, because sometimes she held me REALLY tight.  Dad came in and pet me, too.  Mom even brought me a bone,  my favorite, all chickeny and chewy, but I was too scared to eat it.  So she snuggled me some more.

It stopped for awhile and I ate my bone.  I went out into the big room with Mom and Dad, too.  But all night long there was more thunder.  Sometimes I slept next to Mom.  She helps me feel safe.

Guess what?  Today was "No Monsters Day" again!  And my morning walk was nice!  The sun came out.  There was no more thunder.  So we all went on a big, big walk.  I went somewhere I never went before.  There was a big pond with ducks and a big white bird.  It was real pretty.  Then I met another new friend!  Her name is Snow!  Haha.  She is all white and fluffy, like snow!  Now I have lots of friends in the neighborhood.  

I hope the thunder doesn't come around again!


Harry had a difficult evening.  The thunder was fierce, the lightning was severe and the power went out for a little while!  He was restless through the night, alternating between his own bed and ours.  But with the morning came quiet and sunshine.  He seems to sense the one quiet day of the week and loves to walk, so this time we went outside of the boundaries of our community and visited a large pond.  There were mallards and two egrets silently gliding and standing by the edge of the water.

On our way home we met a woman with an American Eskimo dog named "Snow."  She was friendly (the ladies like Harry) and they had a good time meeting one another.