Jan 2-7: Van finally dies

Week starts out very cold and windy .... ends up sunny in 70's ... very strange weather for January! Mower works off and on during week, van is OK early week but transmission messes up on weekend, almost stranging us ... DOCAD fitting in well, stay inside the 2 cold nights but have to stay in bathroom with the Damcat (who isnt tremendously pleased to be  babysitting all night) as they are TOO lively at night ... Banshee goes to NH for pet therapy, Snoopy doing really well at rehab now, Corey's hiney healing  but he is being really obnoxious towards the DOCAD ... county council meeting on new animal shelter, vote in favor ... monitoring this mess is going to be a full time job, I fear ...little Mattie visits several times ... a busy week!


Monday January 2

Cool and clear, very windy all day, temps struggle into high 40's... brrr. Didnt sleep well last night, stomach bothering me, but OK today. Husband better too. Morning run-walk husband and Snoopy follow us all way down hill ... , windy ... feed and kennel, then feed DOCAD and clean their room, let them out for awhile. Washing dogs' crate pads today, start wash, then go to get dogs for run, Corey starts barking at DOCAD's porch door, husband comes out on porch and throws water at him ... leave Snoopy inside with husband and the Damcat, continue run (mower working)... stay out for about an hour, Corey still wet and now dirty, let him chew sticks in the woods awhile and he's finally calmer ... back to shed, crate them. Go inside, print out info on shelter for neighbor, meet her at gate, then back to shed, groom Corey, Banshee and DB. Husband going into town to doctor, brings Snoopy to shed also. Back to trailer, let DOCAD in for a bit, continue washing-drying crate pads, then let dogs out, walk around as much as I can stand, then put them in van, go to store, van running OK, return late afternoon, was planning to take dogs inside til suppertime but when let them out of van, they go nuts, DB leading the pack, sniffing and barking and carrying on in 'intruder alert' mode ...  cannot see anything amiss in any outbuildings, but cannot get them calmed so kennel them with chewies, go inside, fix food, put last of crate pads in dryer, go and let them out again, same thing, this time full tilt towards front gates, loud barking, Snoopy trying to follow (and pulling me) ... they finally calm down, and I feed and kennel them. Have NO idea what is wrong, maybe its the wind (which makes ME feel like I'm going crazy too) ..back to trailer, dark now let DOCAD in, husband returns, he and worker putting plants in greenhouse and heaters in pump house (supposed to go to 15 tonight) workers wife sent me some soup and cornbread! Let DOCAD stay inside tonight, in bathroom with the Damcat which they all enjoy (though I miss the Damcat in bed).. DOCAD are too rambunctious in the night. (they think the bed is a trampoline and jump up trying to catch the light pull on the fan)

Tuesday January 3

Oh boy, its cold, and WINDY ... about a 30 mph wind this morning. Mower wont crank. Walk dogs, very miserable (me, not them), feed and kennel. Let DOCAD inside, clean their room, go to food bank ... return, DOCAD inside, let dogs out for brief run, still horrible wind ... then load them up and go into town for pet therapy at nursing home for Banshee. Others get very brief walk, its really too miserable to be out in this ... return home, put DOCAD in bathroom, let dogs inside while fix their food and print out materials for council meeting on animal shelter, then feed and kennel, change clothes, go to meeting. Husband and friends join me there, Council voted 4-1 in favor of building and operating a new animal shelter. Although I am encouraged by the fact that Aiken SPCA will be a 'partner' in this venture (offering help with adoptions, spay-neuter clinics), and by the fact that the operating budget has been increased from $36,000 to $50,000, I still have concerns about kennel space and staffing. Return home, still windy and very cold, temps plummeting, put extra blankets in dog kennels, let DOCAD stay inside tonight.

Wed Jan.4

Very very cold. Husband got up around 5 AM and put dogs in heated shed in their crates. Water frozen solid this morning, mower wont crank, my foot is giving me a new weird problem (hurts on top) and can hardly walk. Limp around, at least it isnt windy, though its about 18 degrees. Get fresh water for dogs, let them run, feed and kennel, temps up to 25 now. Go to work. Return after dark, DOCAD still inside. Husband has let dogs in several times, put DOCAD in bathroom. Let them stay inside again tonight

Thursday Jan 5

Not as cold as anticipated in the night. Let kittens out, then feed and put in their room, unkennel dogs, mower wont crank, so walk dogs, foot better today thank heavens. Feed and kennel, go to work, long day but at least warmer, in 50's! Return home after dark. The Damcat is beginning to get tired of the DOCAD, he hides in the closet, and he lets them push him away from food, so feed him separate and put DOCAD in their rooom

Friday Jan 6

Warmer today thank goodness. Morning walk, mower still wont crank. Husband gone into town. Give dogs a nice long walk, feed and kennel, groom them. Snoopy walking really well until gets sandspurs .. first in front paw, then in back.Feed DOCAD, let them inside. Skat is getting really chubby, Skit is more the slim sleek type, like Damcat. Take them to vet for 2d set of shots. Go to work, then chiro, return after dark, dogs kenneled, let DOCAD in.

Saturday January 7

Mid winter heat wave continues, temps in 70's. Husband let DOCAD in, I made mistake of trying to put them in room while I fix dogs morning chow, Skat promptly ran up a tree, very difficult getting them back in .... husband then goes into town. Let dogs out, walk Snoopy, halfway down hill she is taking her AM poop and it starts raining ... not hard enough to get damp, back up the hill, feed and kennel. Get ready to go into town, husband returns, workers arrive, someone is working on mower today thank heavens ... load dogs into van, go for Smoopy's rehab, she is doing fantastic today! Does all the exercises, adds new ones, very happy about it all. Bring Corey in and weigh him, he's at 81.9. Leave rehab, going to Pet Smart ... when the van transmission starts slipping and sliding ... oh, no ... turn around, head home, and make it, thank God. Whole day now in shambles, didnt get to library, didnt get to store, arrgh. On the bright side, my back feels pretty good. Unload dogs, kennel them briefly, while fix husband lunch, put kittens in bathroom, then let DB, Banshee, Corey out, mower now fixed, take them for run, then swing by kennels, get Snoopy and go back to trailer, inside for awhile, husband finishes work, comes in and takes nap with the cats. Out again with the 3, then Snoopy for walk, little Mattie shows up to visit, all glad to see her...feed and kennel. Let DOCAD stay in until late, then put them out in their room.

Sunday Jan.8

Still unseasonably warm, very misty this morning, bring DOCAD in, morning run-walk, mower working ... dogs appearing and disappearing in the mist, Snoopy spots a rabbit ... feed and kennel, go to church. Return, DOCAD still inside, let them out briefly, then putback in, let dogs out, walk all around property, then to the shed to groom. Corey's hiney healing nicely, his ears looking good. Take dogs for brief walk then inside trailer (DOCAD in bathroom), nap time. Do wash. Then evening run , husband walks Snoopy, a bit of mowing, DB and Banshee fence run with horses, little Mattie shows up in time for supper. Feed and kennel, back to trailer, DOCAD napping with the Damcat. They wake up and begin terrorizing us, sitting on keynoard and swatting monitor screen, climbing UP my leg, leaping thru the air and landing on .. husbands foot, OUCH ... that did it, put them in their porch room for the night.