Friday, October 22, 2010

SPIDERS, GHOSTS, & WITCHES

Turns out our new neighborhood is way more fun than I thought. We moved here at the first of July and for awhile I didn't see anyone out and about.............now that I think about it, I guess it was just too friggin' hot to be outside. But with Halloween around the corner you should see all the decorations..........lots of pumpkins of course but also some really cool, really large as in huge blow ups on the sides and roofs. One house has a spider theme and the house next door has a 25 foot Spiderman on the roof crawling over towards the spiders.
The first time we saw the spiders Zeke almost had a stroke........one was hanging in a tree near the street .........it's about the size of an umbrella............and Zeke spotted it as soon as we got to the end of our driveway............he got behind me and peeked around me at the spider. Gummie and Brogie were excited but not afraid.................they trotted over and said hello to the neighbors and the spiders and we went on our way.
Turned the corner and the first house on that street had ghosts everywhere..........all sizes...........hanging from anything and everything, fluttering in the breeze. I thought it was fabulous but the boys barely noticed it because right across the street was a 10foot black witch stirring her cauldron. I guess it's motion activated because as soon as we approached she threw her head back and let out a maniacal laugh ...............all three boys stopped immediately, put their noses on the ground, and crept closer and closer......well, two of them crept......you know who parked himself behind me again.
Neighbors tell me this is a very active place to be on Halloween night...........Gummie and Brogie are going to love it but I'm not so sure about Zeke.
e

Monday, October 11, 2010

THANK YOU

One year ago yesterday Steve, Gummie, and I piled into the car long before dawn and traveled to Lula, GA. It's a long haul but it was a happy day because that was the day we scooped up Brogie and Zeke and became the Carson Pack.
Just a few months before that Holly had saved Brogie's life. His owner was planning to put him down...........for no other reason except that he was old and no longer useful to her. Of course, Holly would have none of that and Brogie went to Lula.
As soon as we saw him we wanted him............Holly agreed but we had to wait a few months and during that time Brogie and Zeke became BFF's. Brogie got into Holly's heart and she couldn't split them up............so we got BOTH of them.
We have had a GREAT year!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Holly, first for saving Brogie and second for letting us be part of it all.
e

Sunday, October 10, 2010

SNICKERDOODLES

We were invited to an early in the season oyster roast this weekend and even though the oysters will be better in 4 or 5 weeks I couldn't wait to taste some salty, local goodness. Our host asked me to make his favorite cookie that I bake for him occasionally...........so I got the ingredients out of the pantry and put the butter out on the counter to soften.
I think Zeke was born with some sort of special smell sensors that focus on things like butter, sugar and eggs...........because if any of those ingredients are on my counter you will find him close.
The cookie is a variation on the old fashioned snickerdoodle.........the dough is rolled out and you add all the toppings then roll up like a jellyroll, refrigerate and slice and bake.......pretty simple. Zeke started drooling early on and got closer and closer.........the other two were sleeping together in one of the dog beds in the breakfast room. They could see us but weren't interested.
Whenever I bake cookies I give each dog a small cookie as soon as they cool........it didn't work out quite that way this time................ as I was putting the finished roll into a pan to refrigerate a chunk fell out of my hands onto the edge of the counter and then plopped onto the floor. From Zeke's vantage it must have seemed like the heavens had opened up and delivered a gift from the big man himself..............he got over that dough in a bulldog stance and scarfed up at least two inches of raw egg, sugar, cinnamon, buttery dough and crushed pecans in seconds. Gummie and Brogie hustled over but it was too late. They both looked at me with that wonderful cavalier look of love and hope. Zeke, on the other hand, for a brief moment was a Cheshire cat................. and he looked at them and at me as if to say........ I WIN !!!!
I took Gummie and Brogie outside and gave them a treat and that made them happy too..........but the real winner here is me!!!
e

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

EAR DROPS

Zeke has ear mites and I have some drops that I put in his ears each morning and again in the evening. Anytime I need to give one of the boys some kind of pill or drops I always finish with a little treat...........they LOVE those tiny liver treats. So yesterday when I put the first drops in Zeke's ears the other two ran to the pantry and waited. Zeke shook his head a few times and zipped over to take his place in line at the pantry door. The phone rang and I had to run upstairs to the office to talk with a client. 45 minutes later I went down to the kitchen for a cool drink and there they were..........still in line..............waiting patiently by the pantry door.
As soon as they saw me they stood up in unison and started wagging........they certainly know how to handle me........and I'm not telling how many treats they got!!!!!!!!!
Good times.
e

Sunday, October 3, 2010

DIVOT

A friend asked me to take care of her one year old cocker spaniel one day last week and I was glad to do it as I had no big plans for the day ........what's one more little spaniel, right? These friends are avid golfers and their dog is named Divot.........he is handsome.........he is sweet natured.......and he is a happy boy.
He arrived very early in the morning and my boys were still asleep and he was half asleep as well. They all greeted each other with the usual butt smelling etc........no problems. I started a load of laundry and went back upstairs to get dressed. All of a sudden I heard serious growling and dogs were running around.........I ran back down and found Divot trying to mount Montgomery and he was having none of that.
Turns out Divot is sexually confused.........he is neutered and has been since he was four months old. Somehow Divot didn't get the memo.
It scared Zeke and he hid under the bed but when Divot tried to mount Brogie he was in for a surprise............that ole boy came out with a growl that I've never heard before and Gummie actually charged Divot...............my precious Gummie and Brogie had Divot down on the floor .......I couldn't believe what I was seeing. In a way I was glad to see that they could stand up for themselves. That should have been the end of it but Divot has another problem............he is as dumb as a doorknob........... and wouldn't give it up. I finally put him in a bedroom and closed the door. I tried to let him out several times during the day but each time it ended when he went after one of the boys. When his mama picked him up and they went out the door all three of the boys came running over to me jumping up and wagging ............they were so glad to see him go.
I was too.
e