Nov 7- Nov 1`3

A tiring week, have to go out of town for a work related meeting Tues-Thursday, I really hate being 'dogless' for days ... sandspurs terrible, weather nice, one hard freeze ... little Mattie visits several times, Snoopy doing well at rehab ...


"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace." - Milan Kundera

Monday Nov. 7

Clear crisp morning run-walk, dogs in fine spirits ... flocks of black birds landing and taking off again, Corey chasing after them barking joyously ... go to work, return, its after dark (darn daylight savings time) dogs kenneled. Go outt with yogurt-essenses, then take Corey in and groom him, poor guy, sandspurs galore ...

Tues Nov. 8

Beautiful, warm (70's) sunny ... morning run-walk, then finish packing, then back out with dogs ... little Mattie shows up, goes on full tour of property, playing with Banshee and DB, running in circles, running under Corey, all having a marvelous time ... and I have to leave and go to a work related out of town three day meeting. Ugh. Kennel dogs, husband drives me to Saluda where I'm picked up by co-workers and whisked away .... the only animal related thing that happens in the next 2 days is I win an 'award' (picked by coworkers) as 'most likely to have an animal follow me home'...

Wed-Thursday Nov 9-10

Husband reports dogs are 'doing fine'. Return home after dark Thursday, dogs kenneled, but greet me with mad chorus of barking and yelping, get yogurt and essenses, go out to kennels, give essenses, rub Snoopys leg, give chewies, get a small bit of loving ...

Friday Nov.11

Cold! Am off for Veteran's Day (thank goodness cause I'm exhausted) Cold crisp morning,. morning run, dogs all excited ! Snoopy seems to be limping a bit when husband gets her out ... feed and kennel. Return in an hour, let all out, Snoopy on leash, walk a bit, then kennel her and run the others, then back to kennels, take all in for grooming ... poor  Corey has sandspurs everywhere, including (ouch) right near his penis sheath ... finally get him sandspur free and mats out. Brush DB, she has small cut on her tummy, doctor it. Banshee is fine, no mats, and she is growing in her undercoat for winter ... Snoopy I still cant get on table, so brush as best I can, then do a spot of muzzle training. Back out again, take all inside trailer. Lunch, read a bit, fall asleep. Up again, take all out for a bit. I had orginally planned to go to town and help with adoptions but my back is killing me. Husband finishes work, feed and kennel dogs,  little Mattie shows up for supper, then into town for chiro appointment, and picking up more lumber; stop by the pizza restaurant Sally's mom Nikki works at, since I havent seen Sally for 2 weeks now ... says she is doing well. Return home.

Saturday November 12

Another cold morning, hard freeze last night ... morning run, walk, feed and kennel, then take Snoopy to rehab, she is doing well, leg seems to be strengthening ... return home, change and go to church friend's funeral, then return, dogs all still kenneled as husband has had workers all day working on building ... let them out, walk Snoopy, then put her inside, take others for run ... much warmer now ... pick up some branches, get sandspurs out of DB's paws, go to shed and take Corey in, groom him, again ... these sandspurs are vicious ... return to trailer, take brief nap, Corey decides to get on top of me on couch, he is way too big for this ... then out again,   til nightfall.

Sunday November 13

Warmer today, morning run-walk, feed and kennel, go to church. Return, huisbandhas workers again, unkennel dogs, take Snoopy for walk then put her in trailer, take others for mid day run, put insulation on some pipes, then inside, fix lunch, do wash and other housework, hands killing me ... lay down to read, fall asleep, wake up to Corey licking my face and the other 3 sitting staring intently at me ... get up, take all out again ... Corey is limping, bad. Has sandspurs in back paw all jammed up in between his pads , ouch ... back inside, husband comes in and helps me extricate the sandspurs... decide to go for a van ride. Unfortunately, van is low on trans fluid, by the time I figure this out, find the fluid, and cant get hood to open, its getting dark. Oh well. Sit with dogs on porch, Mattie joins us, watch sun set, then feed and kennel.