Under The Weather

No, not me. Bocephus. He is so sick, I am quite worried about him. Wednesday I came home from work, and when I went to pet him, the side of his face was wet. On closer inspection, it was blood! I looked at it, cleaned it and put antibiotic ointment on it. He couldn't sleep that night--kept digging at the sore on his face. So as soon as I got the girls off to school the next day, I called the vet and took him in. Long story short, he has a nasty ear infection that went into the skin on the side of his face! I had never heard of such a thing, and of course feel like a horrible pet parent for not catching it sooner. He seemed to do better on the antibiotics late Friday and early Saturday, but has now taken a turn for the worse. He is very lethargic, and just looks so sad. His breathing seems to be labored when he climbs the stairs or goes outside. I am going to call the vet first thing tomorrow, and take him back in.



Please say a little prayer for him that he will be well soon. It is so much like having a child sick--I would much rather it be me than him!

Hi! My names Bocephus. Wanna play fetch?

Shhhhhh! Don't tell Tucker he's a cat. He thinks he is a dog, and that's a fine thing to be!

This was taken of me to supposedly show me "caught in the act". But I was framed I tell you! I am not naming names, but someone put the Sunday paper on the floor to lure me into doing it. I don't remember putting it in my mouth--I just woke up and it was scattered all around.

This was me when I was but a wee little pup. Handsome little guy, wasn't I? I'm not conceited--facts are facts, and my mom tells me I am handsome every day! I must say, it seems to be a consensus of everyone we meet!

Dogs + Skunks = Nothing Good!

Bocephus and Christina vs. Pepe Le Pew

(Dogs 0 - Skunk 100 gabillion)

As I sit here typing, I have a headache from smelling--fumes. It was so hot Friday, I didn’t take the vegetable scraps out to the compost pile until after dark. The dogs always have to go with me to smell exactly what I am throwing away and make sure it isn’t anything they want. Christina is a Lab/Shepherd mix that takes her job of patrolling the parameters very seriously. Her biggest thrill in life is to chase squirrels. I am sure when she saw the intruder in the compost pile, she thought SQUIRREL, but then, she has never encountered a skunk before--until now that is! Pepe Le Pew (accent on the PEW), got her smack in the face. Bo was right behind her, and he got it more on his neck and side. I don’t think my blue flower garden will ever look--or smell the same. Pepe couldn’t exit fast enough, and at this point neither could the dogs. Chrissy went into a snorting and diving into the grass mode. The spray burning her eyes. I didn’t get hit, and it was making my eyes burn.
We called the vet, and he told us to flush their eyes with water, mineral oil, and contact solution. He said tomato juice doesn’t work very well, and to wash them with a hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, dishwashing liquid mix, let it sit for five minutes, and do it three times total. As soon as we put the solution on them, it fizzed up and drove the dogs crazy. They would take off like a streak of lightening, rolling and diving into the grass every so often. After five minutes we would grab one, hose it off, reapply, and grab the next. By the time we were through, the smell was less strong, but by no means gone. I have been washing, burning candles, and spraying room freshener all weekend. The dogs won’t go near the corner where they encountered little Pepe. I am rethinking my distain of compost containers.

Bo and Chrissy with Granddog Mojo in happier, less stinky times...

The rest of the pictures are what is blooming in my garden right now, even if it is looking a bit weary.

Wanted! Tomato Thief!

WANTED! TOMATO THIEF!

I have been watching my tomatoes for days now, waiting to pick at the most optimal moment. Watching as the beautiful round globes turned from green, to palest pink, and then rosier and rosier by each passing day. But someone else was watching in the garden. Watching me daily inspect all the plants, Biding his time. Waiting until he could stand it no more, reaching in, pulling out the reddest ripest tomato he could find. Thinking, I'm sure, she won't miss it, there are so many, she'll never notice it's gone. And at first, I don't. I am busy watering and pulling any weed that dare show it's head in my veg patch. But then, I notice, something is just not right--the tomato plant looks lopsided--almost like something is missing. It is! And that something is MY tomato! NOooooooooooooooooo! Not again! I'll get that thief if it's the last thing I do!