Weekly update August 23-29

A good week. weather better, not as hot ... but lots of gnats and mosquitoes. No rain all week, so manage to get whole property mowed at the same time ... Banshee gets a bath at the SPCA dog wash, Corey and Banshee eat LOTS of pears, DB and Banshee tease Corey with pears, Snoopy eating better, little Mattie comes over several times, the Damcat getting very bold (I'm still concerned if he comes in with the whole pack of dogs they'll attack him and he wont be able to escape), DB and Banshee catch another couple of mice ... memories of Angel Ginger 'helping' me clip branches ... God is indeed good.

Monday: Didnt sleep well last night, up late, not very chipper this morning ... dogs, however, were bright eyed and bushy tailed ... good run, fed (Snoopy even ate her dry food) kenneled, went to work. After a long day, returned home, husband out mowing, dogs greet me at gate. I manage to bang the knee that I banged on my desk drawer earlier on the gate. Got to trailer, changed clothes, let Corey and Snoopy in, brushed Corey... then out to mow. Mattie comes over and has a great time teasing Corey .. she runs under him, then hides under a mower, then jumps out and runs under his nose ... then they all chase each other. Mow in back, by pear trees, Corey stations himself hopefully at a tree, give him a pear ... he crunches joyously ... then DB grabs his pear and runs off with it ... Corey, the most gentlemanly of dogs, never food guards or tries to take it back, just follows, barking piteously, until she drops it. this time he eats FAST. Husband reports that earlier in the day, all 4 dogs inside, the Damcat saunters in, right up to Banshee, who is chewing a Kong ... Banshee just stands there but then drops the Kong and glares at the Damcat ... who scoots back under the gate ... Getting dark, back to trailer, pick up food, Mattie joining us for supper, weaving around my feet (this is what is unnerving to me about little dogs) ... feed all, kennel.

Tuesday: Somewhat cooler today! Good morning run, all dogs very lively. Fed and kenneled, then put Frontline on them (I hate to do this, but am still nervous about ticks...) went to work, a meeting, then dentist, then back to work, then home ... husband has been sick with tummy problems ... had Corey and DB inside, Banshee and Snoopy out, said he'd had them all much of the day. Make husband some soup (well, open a can), let Banshee in, brush Corey, then take all out to mow ... actually quite pleasant out now, humidity is lower, and only in high 80's ... Mattie joins us, we go back by the pear trees, Corey standing guard at a tree, I give him a pear, then Banshee takes one off a tree, and Corey follows her around the whole property, \barking. This is as bad as the ball obsession ... And worse, DB and Banshee tease him, they'll swipe his pear and then tantalize him with it, always out of reach ... finally will give it to him. Finish up around nightfall, feed and kennel.

wednesday: Cool and cloudy ... morning run, fed and kenneled. Husband still sick. Went to work, sun out by time I get home. Corey and Db inside. husband reports dogs been in most of day, he'd let them in and out. Banshee and Snoopy outside with little Mattie. Let Corey and DB out, mow... husband joins me after awhile... DB and Banshee teasing Corey unmercifully with pears , DB has now decided they're good to eat. DB,Banshee,Snoopy and Mattie hunt for rats along the fence line ... and find a small one, DB kills it and ... eats it. Nightfall, fed and kenneled.

Thursday: Warm again, but not super hot ... maybe the worst of summer is over? Husband better, he and 2 workers go to other property, leaving me alone, morning run, fed and kenneled. Snoopy not eating dry food again.. go to work, return, Db greets me at gate, husband out on tractor ... get to trailer, Corey figures out I'm home and rushes to greet me with Banshee and Snoopy. Put up groceries, change, then husband comes in. Let Corey in alone, have to groom him (missed yesterday, he's a mess, sandspurs in feathers etc ... the other dogs line up by sliding glass door and watch me torture him... finally get him halfway decent, then go out and mow... it's almost all mowed at the same time! (no rain for a week...) DB and Banshee again teasing Corey with pears (they'll grab a pear then saunter in front of him, drop it, then when he reaches for it grab it back, until he starts barking mournfully) ... no little Mattie tonight. DB appears with another mouse ... which she brings to me, then eats. (When Banshee catches one, she just brinbgs it to me to dispose of... ) The dried green tripe I ordered arrives... mass excitiment! Feed and kennel at nightfall.

Friday: Pleasant, cool and cloudy ... morning run, feed and kennel, take DB to get nails clipped, return and go to work. Return, husband just leaving to go get lumber. Bring Corey in, brush him, then go outside, looks like it could rain! Get clippers and clip branches ... the dogs grabbing the branches from the pile, carrying them around, rolling on them... oh, this reminds me of one of Angel Ginger's last good days, when she so diligently 'helped' me by carrying off the branches I put in a neat pile and arranging them more artistically around ... I stop, and watch my 4 beautiful dogs ... and feel Angel Ginger's spirit nearby .... continue working til nightfall, Mattie comes over in time for supper ...feed and kennel.

Saturday: Weather is lovely, in 80's ... morning run, feed and kennel (Snoopy eating well), then take Banshee to ice cream shop in nearby town  for the SPCA dog wash (we got rained out 2 wks ago). not a huge turnout.Got through quickly, Banshee got her free ice cream treat (yum!) then went to Pet Smart to say hi to rescue folks there ... then back home. husband and workers still workinhg, DB greets me atr gate, Corey is laying in the shade watching husband, Snoopy is ...around. Kennel DB and Corey (have to kennel DB when Banshee has been on an outing and returns), then Banshee. Snoopy shows up, follows me to trailer. Grab a quick bite then go release dogs. Snoopy very interested in Banshee's 'fresh clean smell'... take all inside. Husband finishes work, we all take naps ... let dogs out, then back in, whoops, the gate was left open, Snoopy has trotted through the hall and is sitting at the washer watching the Damcat ... call Snoopy, latch gate ... the Damcat then saunteres into the kitchen, all 'puffed up' ... I can no longer keep him away from the dogs, so put him in bathroom. Brush Corey. Then let all out and mow. Mattie shows up, plays with Snoopy and Banshee, comes over for a treat, hangs out with all of us for awhile then takes off ... Nightfall, feed and kennel.

Sunday: Cool this AM, dogs burst out of pens and run like the wind (cooler weather is a blessing! if it weren't for the gnats and mosquitoes, it'd be heavenly... ) Brisk run, feed and kennel, go to church... return, dogs still kenneled, release, change clothes, put in a load of wash, then start to mow ... get mower stuck in this huge hidden hole, get husband to unstick me, he puts his back out; get him back into trailer, laying down. Continue mowing, it's heating up a bit and the breeze has dropped so gnats are bad, come back inside. All dogs in, Damcat keeps coming into kitchen, put him in bathroom, lunch, put in another load of wash, fold first load, nap. After finishing nap and second load of wash, go out to mow. Husband says his back is better and joins us. the whole property is basically mowed now (its always exciting when its all mowed at the same time) and I'm working on trimming around trees. decide to pick what good pears remain (I wanted to let them stay on the tree til end of September, but Banshee has now figured out how to get them (Corey is polite, he'll wait for me to give him one)... finish up fence line. Husband has to come in, he's managed to mess his back up really bad now... go in, brush Corey. Then back out again, it'd be really nice except for the gnats ... feed and kennel at nightfall.