PONdini Part 2

Salutations blog readers. Frodo today to deliver your daily dose of “better-her-than-me.” Also known as the Circus review. And yes, I have QUITE the circus act to report on today. It seems that little oscillating sea creature with fur has truly decided to take on the role of PONdini – we have QUITE the magician and escape artist in our midst.

We have discussed the arrangements we have when Her Highness leaves us for any extended length of time: the Shark is placed in his ex pen – a 3 foot high heavy metal jail of sorts. It is not made of flimsy wire – but rather a heavy duty wire – which makes the 4 x 8’ enclosure rather difficult to transport around the house. So it was set up in the rec room downstairs. Yours truly is in isolation with the Shark because there is a gate at the bottom of the stairs which is bolted to the wall. That gate prohibits me from going upstairs. Try as I might (and trust me I have tried) I cannot open that enclosure. So I am subsequently stuck with the shark in the lower level of our home, while the Beatnik is in isolation upstairs. There is a gate at the top of the stairs, which is QUITE easy to move, yet as many times as I have shown the Beatnik how to move it, he refuses to do so. No sense of adventure in that boy. Unless the front door is left open….

But back to my story. Her Highness had errands to run on Saturday, so she supplied the Shark and I with Kongs, and left us in our respective cells. The gate on the Shark’s ex pen was SECURELY fastened. Here is the diagram of how we were left:

Her Highness did her shopping duties and was probably gone not longer than 90 minutes. Which is equivalent to six hours in canine time. She came in the house and prepared to quickly empty her groceries. The PON duet had begun- but it seemed one voice was “closer” than the other. She looked down the flight of stairs – and there on the landing was the Shark. Note the large orange “X” in the diagram. Her Highness opened the first gate and let the Shark up the stairs. She then went down to see where I was. Well of course I was where she left me! I couldn’t get through that gate at the bottom of the stairs. But HOW did the Shark do it? She came down and found the ex pen in the same location, with the door firmly latched. The latch on the stair gate was also secure. She stood there with her typical puzzled look seen after one of us canines has performed a “magic trick.” Like when she found this odd material on the dining room carpet and finally deducted that it was the “stem” from a banana – which Viktor had stolen – and eaten skin and all. Minus the stem. But I digress. She could NOT figure out HOW the Shark escaped the ex pen, and then HOW he scaled a 3 foot high gate. I don’t want to be one to tell tales, but frankly there is one logical word to explain how he ended up on the landing. I believe the word is “jumping.” I mean let’s face it, the lad didn’t fly, and I certainly didn’t lift him over.

So now the great dilemma. How to be SURE that he is secure and safe when she goes out. And the solution? Go into the garage. The graveyard for assorted dog paraphernalia- everything from grooming tables to toys, leashes and of course, crates.

So yesterday, amidst much moaning and groaning due to the removal of assorted other “things” in order to access the wire crates- she found a giant wire crate that should work to secure the lad. I mean it’s not like we don’t already HAVE a wire crate for him in the bedroom, but that would require moving it back and forth – as we aren’t allowed in the bedroom when she is gone. Some problem with eating pillowcases. Anyway, the new abode is set up in a lovely location in the dining room. Which makes yours truly happy – because I no longer have to be sequestered downstairs. I can be on the level where all the action is when groceries arrive. Oh happy day. And the Beatnik will not longer be left on his own. Not that I think he really minded….

The weather forecast which includes an impending hurricane the other day has now been downgraded to a post tropical storm. Tropical is hardly a word to describe Nova Scotia, but I’m no meteorologist. Although my predictive skills are quite good – if I refuse to go out, it is raining. And I can predict that with 100% accuracy. Better than some weather people I might point out.

We’ll see how the new enclosure works today while Her Highness runs errands. This could be interesting. And this time, Big Brother will be watching. Our new escape artist may finally be thwarted. We’ll see. He IS a PON after all.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up. Stay safe.