Weekly update August 2-8

A good week! Two days with rain (one for 7 hours), Corey goes to a Dog Assembly at an elememtary school, Snoopy eating well most days, Banshee and DB settling down inside, no one chasing the Damcat ... I still miss my Angel Ginger, especially at night when I watch the stars (Mars is getting brighter and brighter as August progresses) ... and when I took Corey to the Dog Assembly and thought of how very much Angel Ginger would have loved to be there, she loved children so much; one of my last memories of her was when we were returning from a chemo trip to Greenville and stopped at the little park in Saluda for her to potty, there were CHILDREN there! and sick as she was, her ears perked up, and she smiled and wanted nothing more in this life than to go play with the children... I picture her sometimes, on the other side, playing with all the child angels who were taken too soon from this earth ....

Monday: Still cloudy and somewhat cool! Morning run, fed and kenneled, Snoopy not eating again... and Corey doesnt eat all his food... but both are eagerly taking treats, running and seem to feel fine ... return from work, only 90 degrees! greeted inside by all 4 dogs ... all tumbling over each other in the narrow hall ... only one growl from Banshee who ends up underneath Snoopy ... they are improving, but this is just TOO small a space for all 4 of them... Damcat sitting on washer watching disdainfully 9which is fine, as long as he doesnt decide to saunter into the midst of them...) Husband goes into town to buy lumber, I start mowing, manage to slice my forefinger on the clipping catcher, way out back, have no bandaids, one kleenex, drip blood all the way back to the trailer, Dogs following, whining ... bandage finger, return to mowing til nightfall, feed and kennel 9with great difficulty, never knew how much I use my forefinger) ...

Tuesday: Well, we certainly did get rain... started at 630 AM, poured off and on til afternoon... managed to get the dogs out for a 10 minute 'run' in the drizzle around 10 AM and get them fed and re-kenneled before the deluge started again. I was going to do outreach in Edgefield today, didnt. At 1 PM, got Corey and took him to a Dog Assembly for school children in Aiken, he and his buddy Chase were representing Irish setters ... Corey rather damply and muddily ... friend Joann gave him a cool bIrish bandanna (matching Chase's) and we got a little Irish flag (which I have placed on Angel Ginger's ashes container)it was a nice event, though Corey was very revved up (no exercise) and apparently stressed, as he kept barking and wanting to leave ... he's the kinda guy who loves to come in and greet everybody ... and then wants to leave, doesn't see the point in hanging around and chitchatting. This wasn't really a good 'trial' for him, as he'd had NO exercise, but I doubt if he'll enjoy pet therapy work. Once we left, he lay down in the back seat and snoozed peacefully until we got hime, then jumped out of the car (stopped raining) cheerfully greeted the girls, then came inside and settled down to snooze some more. After a bit, husband and I went out to mow and re-till some of the areas we're trying to grow grass insead of weeds, Corey was in fine fettle, running and eating pears and playing with the girls. Nightfall, fed and kenneled, Snoopy eating fine today.

wednesday: Morning run, no workers today. Fed and kenneled, went to work, returned around 6, hot as blazes and humid. All dogs inside ... when I arrive home and all inside it is mass chaos at the dog gate across the hall ... finally got all calmed down, changed clothes, brushed Corey, then outside on porch until it cools down... a bit ... then mowed til dark. Feed and kennel, all is well.

Thursday: Morning run, down hill to back to check on progress of weed eating by cypress trees, husband and worker spreading manure on top of hill which of course distracts the dogs, ask them to please till it QUICK. Back to kennels, feed, Snoopy eating well, Corey's ears looking good... go to work, return around 630, DB and Banshee under porch, corey and Snoopy inside ... prepare food, sit on porch a few minutes, then kennel with tripe chewies as husband and I going to a newly forming Neighborhod watch meeting (someone down the road got robbed). Returned around 830, dark ... fed dogs. I  hate missing our evening run, it's the high point of my day...

Friday: Let all out for AM run, very lively (they didnt get a run last evening)... upon return to feed and kennel, Corey wont go in his pen. DB, Banshee and Snoopy acting normal. Feed them, Corey finally enters pen and eats but only half. Snoopy wont eat her dry food. Corey then pushes out of his pen when I go in to clean ears and just stands out in the yard, barking. Ignore him. Go in trailer, he follows, barking. Husband then going to bank, takes Corey with him. I leave and go to work. Husband calls and reports Corey is now fine. I guess it was the lack of exercise last night. Husband calls around 4, he was going to town for lumber and had kenneled the dogs and then locked himself (and keys) in the trailer. I leave work, arrive back around 430. Husband has decided to seed the tilled areas, all dogs out. Unlock door for him, then change and go outside ... a storm is brewing. Bring all dogs inside, it rains til about 730, then theres a break, was going to run dogs but still a drizzle so, feed and kennel. Snoopy wont eat (shes scared of storms.) Bad storm til after dark. Two days without an evening run...

Saturday: Cloudy and cool. When I wake up, husband has already let dogs out and is seeding. Join them, take dogs around property, back to pens. All act normal, but Snoopy again wont eat. Stays fairly cool (low 90s) all day, mow after it dries off. Take dogs inside, brush Corey and Banshee, wash DBs tail (covered in red mud), start doing wash ... husband gone into town to get lumber, decide to take a nap, put 2 dogs DB asnd Banshee outside to act as an 'alert' system (we've had robberies in our area, even in broad daylight, so I dont want us to look like no one is home including dogs... during my nap DB starts barking, the inside dogs Corey and Snoop join in and rush to the door so I open it and let them out, all 4 dogs race towards the front gate ... dont know if it was a potential intruder or not, there is a truck going down the road ... dogs return, vastly pleased with themselves. Decide to forego nap and mow some more. Husband returns, joins me, mow til nightfall, feed and kennel.

Sunday: A bit foggy but clears quickly, morning run, feed and kennel (Snoopy eating fine) then church.Nice service, blessing the new doors and other items. Return, dogs still kenneled! Husband had been working on sill plates and dogs harassing them. Let all out, nice breeze, mowed a bit up front then got too hot, all inside. Husband still out working on building. lay down and read, fall asleep on couch, wake up all cramped up, so move to bedroom with the Damcat. Husband comes in, now the dogs are all restless so let them out, DB and Banshee go scouting along the fence, Corey and Snoop come back inside. about 600 go out to mow again ... fairly pleasant, husband joins us. One of my favorite sights (which I can never capture on camera) is all 4 dogs, laying under a shade tree, beautifully disposed in the grass, watching me mow... they really are a lovely pack of dogs, white, yellow, black and red. Continue working til nightfall, then feed and kennel ... Snoopy gobbles up wet and dry food!