Wnter? Really?
We MAY be heading back for a dose of winter, although I must admit that I remain skeptical. The temperatures have certainly dropped again and I've felt the need to wear warmer clothes and eat soup. Still, we've been fooled before this year so I'm remaining guarded.
We're all really concerned that we're headed for a major drought this year. And, unless we get a lot of rain and snow in the next two months, I have no reason to doubt that assessment. Also, predictions are for this to be one of the hottest years on record. Frankly, I could do without that as I did not enjoy the 3 weeks of massive heat that we had last summer. With 2 dogs that will need walking no matter what the weather, that is going to be a challenge. I think that as Maggie gets older, we will really not be able to take her out at all during the hottest part of the day. I was seriously worried about her health several times last summer.
Speaking of the dogs, we had a little adventure last night. Our friend Hazel, who lives just on the edge of the village, invited us over for drinks with her and her son Jason who is visiting from Paris.
Hazel has 3 dogs (Tarquin, Horace and Rab) who are all considerably smaller than either of my 2, and she also has a lovely, large, enclosed garden. So, despite the size differential of the assorted hounds, she told us to bring Maggie and the Shmoo along with us.
At first, it was a bit hairy, as Tarquin and Shmoo were growling at each other a bit. But I'm pleased to say that after a few minutes of calming exercises with Shmoo, we were finally able to let everyone free to roam and enjoy themselves. The humans went inside and the dogs stayed out.
There were several attempts by Shmoo and Maggie to break in through the terrace doors, but they realized we were still there and went exploring. We checked on them several times and everyone came running when I whistled, no one appeared the worse for wear, and all seemed to be well.
I did a last check and went back inside for a final chat, then about 5 minutes later we decided we'd best get home to feed the hungry creatures. JM and I went outside and I blew my handy dandy whistle. Maggie came, Tarquin came but no Shmoo. By now, it was pitch black outside and Hazel had no outside lighting. After calling for a few seconds I realized that I heard crying somewhere in the darkness. JM heard it too and we were convinced that was Shmoo.
Even though Hazel's garden is enclosed, her property is right on the main road (although down an embankment) and that can have some pretty fast traffic at times. I had horrible visions of Shmoo lying bleeding on the road. Hazel found a couple of flashlights and Jason and I went around towards the back of the property. As we got closer, the sounds of Shmoo crying got louder.
Jason found him: he had managed somehow to jump into Hazel's above-ground swimming pool! I still have no idea HOW he did this, as it is a good 4 feet tall with no terrace or platform around it. There is a hill behind it, but that would have been a prodigious jump. With the fact that it had a tarp over it, so what he was standing on was soft and gave him no foothold, and also because the sides are just straight up and down, there was no way that the poor boy could actually get out. Luckily, the only water in it was what had collected on the tarp, so I don't think he risked drowning, but it was terrifying for all of us. Jason was able to pull him out, Hazel got some towels and we dried him off.
Unfortunately, the water smelled disgusting from the rotting leaves and god knows what else that had collected on the tarp. So poor Shmoo was subjected to yet one more indignity and dragged against his will into the bath.
Our lesson for the evening: we are right to not want to leave the dogs unsupervised in an outdoor area. We were lucky that no one was hurt, but I just don't think my nerves can take that kind of thing again!
Ciao for now.
Randy
We're all really concerned that we're headed for a major drought this year. And, unless we get a lot of rain and snow in the next two months, I have no reason to doubt that assessment. Also, predictions are for this to be one of the hottest years on record. Frankly, I could do without that as I did not enjoy the 3 weeks of massive heat that we had last summer. With 2 dogs that will need walking no matter what the weather, that is going to be a challenge. I think that as Maggie gets older, we will really not be able to take her out at all during the hottest part of the day. I was seriously worried about her health several times last summer.
Speaking of the dogs, we had a little adventure last night. Our friend Hazel, who lives just on the edge of the village, invited us over for drinks with her and her son Jason who is visiting from Paris.
Hazel has 3 dogs (Tarquin, Horace and Rab) who are all considerably smaller than either of my 2, and she also has a lovely, large, enclosed garden. So, despite the size differential of the assorted hounds, she told us to bring Maggie and the Shmoo along with us.
At first, it was a bit hairy, as Tarquin and Shmoo were growling at each other a bit. But I'm pleased to say that after a few minutes of calming exercises with Shmoo, we were finally able to let everyone free to roam and enjoy themselves. The humans went inside and the dogs stayed out.
There were several attempts by Shmoo and Maggie to break in through the terrace doors, but they realized we were still there and went exploring. We checked on them several times and everyone came running when I whistled, no one appeared the worse for wear, and all seemed to be well.
I did a last check and went back inside for a final chat, then about 5 minutes later we decided we'd best get home to feed the hungry creatures. JM and I went outside and I blew my handy dandy whistle. Maggie came, Tarquin came but no Shmoo. By now, it was pitch black outside and Hazel had no outside lighting. After calling for a few seconds I realized that I heard crying somewhere in the darkness. JM heard it too and we were convinced that was Shmoo.
Even though Hazel's garden is enclosed, her property is right on the main road (although down an embankment) and that can have some pretty fast traffic at times. I had horrible visions of Shmoo lying bleeding on the road. Hazel found a couple of flashlights and Jason and I went around towards the back of the property. As we got closer, the sounds of Shmoo crying got louder.
Jason found him: he had managed somehow to jump into Hazel's above-ground swimming pool! I still have no idea HOW he did this, as it is a good 4 feet tall with no terrace or platform around it. There is a hill behind it, but that would have been a prodigious jump. With the fact that it had a tarp over it, so what he was standing on was soft and gave him no foothold, and also because the sides are just straight up and down, there was no way that the poor boy could actually get out. Luckily, the only water in it was what had collected on the tarp, so I don't think he risked drowning, but it was terrifying for all of us. Jason was able to pull him out, Hazel got some towels and we dried him off.
Unfortunately, the water smelled disgusting from the rotting leaves and god knows what else that had collected on the tarp. So poor Shmoo was subjected to yet one more indignity and dragged against his will into the bath.
Our lesson for the evening: we are right to not want to leave the dogs unsupervised in an outdoor area. We were lucky that no one was hurt, but I just don't think my nerves can take that kind of thing again!
Ciao for now.
Randy
Labels: dog adventures, weather, winter
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