The Dog Days of Spring

I watch entirely too much TV when it is readily available.

I did install the dog door today. Dinah and Alice are old hands paws at it and adapted immediately. 

Bess was dubious. She pawed at it tentatively, sat down and whimpered. With much coaxing (verbal and gustatory) and a hand to hold open the flap she went through, but it took most of the day for her to finally come through on her own. The last straw was seeing KJ tossing the ball for Dinah in the backyard. Whatever it takes...

 

A constructive day

KJ now has most of a new back decklet and stairs, the first step to making the dog door a reality. I ran out of screws, and still need to trim the side and figure out the railing.  With some coaxing (bacon treats) the dogs were persuaded that this was an acceptable way of getting into the backyard. Bess promptly ate my carpenters pencil. It's a good thing for her she's so adorable. 

Construction with dogs is a balancing act. 

Throw the ball

drill some holes

throw the ball

set some screws

shut them in the house 

cut some wood

with the borrowed circular saw

(I knew I should have brought mine)

at least I have my drill

I can't imagine life

even on the road

without a cordless drill

In Search of Coolth

Today I installed two new ceiling fans for KJ, 

replacing the old tired ones. 

Air moves!

We took the three hellhounds 

to the dog park.

Now one of them is sick

all over the floor.

*sigh*

Tomorrow we depart to claim the trailer!

3am, 4am, 5am Bark

These three dogs

raising cain in a stunted chorus

at the smell of garbage

next door

Ancient Alice Walker Hound in tenor bay

the deep bass thunder

of doe-eyed Dinah, the yellow labasaurus

against whom the alto wiggle and whine of Bess

contend in vain

only missing 

the yapping soprano of a rabid lapdog

nipping at my ribs

no, I do not miss her

Five states in one day, Part 4: Mississippi

thrills of the day:

a tulip tree in bloom
at the welcome center
green everywhere
little purple flowers in the grass
bugs on the headlights and windscreen
my first mosquito bites
(this thrill will wear off soon...)

the rest areas say
24 hr Security Provided
or
No Security Provided
I've never seen this
up North.

a few hours in Jackson
with my cousin

her funky bottle tree

and her menagerie:

Mocha

Fuzzy

Grace the demon cat

Cocoa

and on to Baton Rouge

Five states in one day, Part 3: Tennessee

Friendly pups and bamboo

in Fuller St. Park near Memphis
2 silent hounds with
liquid eyes
warm tongues
wagging butts
wreathing around our legs
as we dig lunch out of the bin
swathed in blue tarp
and camo tie-downs.
Some rethinking needed here.

Things we still need or need to move:
Sanitizer in glove box (for bare feet in car)
Pillbox for digestive enzymes in belt pouch
Umbrellas
Maglite (old one leaked)
Knob for monopod
Iron on patch for vest
Sm paint brushes
Acrylic retarder
Water bottles
Rubber/leather mallet