Greetings blog aficionados. Frodo here for your reading pleasure.

Feel free to refer to me as Fatigued Frodo today. I have found that the latest heat wave we are having is causing this senior to feel completely and unequivocally hot and bothered. I walk around panting non-stop. And it does not help that the humidity is close to 100%, which not only makes me feel worse, but it also causes complete havoc with my hair. WHEN will the snow arrive so that I can relax and feel comfortable again?! As long as it is not wet snow.

No doubt you are reading this to hear an update about the FG. The lad certainly has all of us concerned, as he is quite ill. That being said, he appears stable. In physical health anyway. The boy has never been totally psychologically stable in my mind- his food aversion propensities have never been something I could understand. And his strange fixation with staring out at the lake is also odd, in my opinion . I have never been able to relate to his love of water.

But back to his current state of health. Two of his bodily functions – peeing and pooping are fine. And he drinks plenty – as he always has. Eating remains his biggest challenge- although the past three mornings he has joined in the blueberry distribution line – AND the morning treat of bread. I do note that he receives larger portions – but he could stand to gain a few pounds or twenty – so I won’t begrudge him that.

The day before yesterday, an old friend of the Warden’s-Jill- kindly dropped off some treats for the FG. It was a mixed bag of dehydrated delights – which included Capelin and chicken hearts. Well. The FG went mad for everything in that bag. The chicken hearts were like candy. And he ate the whole Capelin – we NEVER thought he would eat that – especially after the Warden tried the night before to feed him canned salmon – and he basically snubbed his nose at it! He wouldn’t TOUCH the salmon – but a small dehydrated fish and he was in heaven. Yesterday, the Warden had to go to the place where the stuff is made locally to check them out.

She came home with more fish and chicken hearts – AND dehydrated beef dog food which also contains veggies.

At supper time, she broke up two patties and added a bit of water. One thing she knows about the FG – he likes DRY food. Not mushy. She put down the bowl and walked away, trying not to watch. He ate 95% of the bowl. She also learned that the chicken hearts make good pill pockets. Voila – pills gone.

The nice lady at the store decided to give the Warden some samples of frozen raw food. I think she felt sorry for the FG, after she heard the story of his illness…

The Warden defrosted a pattie and it was gone before she blinked. So yesterday was a decent eating day.

The Imp went to one of his classes yesterday- which was very much needed as he has not been doing much training since the FG became ill. The Warden said he did reasonably well, given that he is out of practice. They need to get back into their training routine.

As if our lives have not been “exciting” enough, the weather people are keeping a close eye on approaching Hurricane Lee. They have been warning us of impending doom for over a week, however, the latest forecasts indicate that Lee may not be hitting our area of the province, and may be changing her name to a Cyclone or a post-tropical storm. No matter what – I detest the idea of more rain. My hair will be beyond repair.

That is the news from here. We thank you for the world-wide healing energy and prayers sent to the FG. He is holding his own – and right now – we’re happy with that. He’s never been one to follow “rules” and common practices- so in this case, we hope he doesn’t follow the projected path for his working diagnosis. Sometimes it pays to be the odd man out…

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

Howdy blogaroos. Squirmy here on what we hope will be a Marvelous Monday. It could very well turn out to be a Mundane Monday. But we’ll take that over a Miserable Monday any time.

The photos you see are of the Coyote rolling on SOMETHING which both of us found in the backyard. He started the roll-a-thon and I followed him. The Warden thinks it was bunny poo. We don’t care WHAT it was. It was just aromatic enough to roll in.

So it’s been a serious round of ups and downs the past two days. On Saturday, the Coyote was feeling extra good – he even ate DOG FOOD. We also had a good playing match and I let him win. At least that’s my story.

But yesterday- not so great. He didn’t want to eat much of anything except biscuits. And lamb lung. And dehydrated tripe. But a full meal? Nada. That being said, the roll-a-thon photo was taken yesterday. Go figure.

One minute the Warden is near tears, and the next she is walking around with a smile from ear to ear. At this point, he is drinking, peeing and pooping fine. He has moments when he seems 100% and then moments when he totally ignores the Warden and us. Mind you, that’s not ALL that different from his usual behavior.

He has a spreadsheet of what his medications are – and when he should take them. Problem is – some of the instructions include statements like “to be taken after 1/2 of breakfast is fed.” Well that’s all great – IF HE EATS breakfast. Then the whole flow chart goes sideways.

He left the hospital and the vet gave him enough medicine for one week. The Warden had to pick up more medication because he would run out today. He’s now restocked for a few weeks.

Giving him his pills is a bit of a challenge. He can detect t a teeny tiny pill from a glob of peanut butter on the roof of his mouth. And spit it out. So when he iis getting his pills, we PONs must be sequestered- because we are happy to eat ANYTHING he doesn’t want.

We’re taking things one day at a time. Overall, he is not worse and he appears stable. We become excited for any bits of improvement – like when he will eat a decent portion of his meal. Right now, the eating is the main challenge. He doesn’t refuse biscuits. And there are times he walks along and counter surfs. So his appetite is often evident. It’s all about finding his “flavor of the day.”

We thank you for you’re continued positive heeling thoughts and prayers. We truly believe they make a difference.

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

Howdy blogaroos. Squirmy here to give you an update on the Coyote.

He’s definitely holding his own. He prances along on short walks. Greets visitors with a happy wagging tail, RARELY turns down a biscuit or liver treat, and still thinks chicken is better than any dog food. His appetite changes throughout the day- he may not want breakfast, but he’ll eat that meal in the afternoon. Yesterday he wasn’t big on his chicken supper, but he ate several pieces of bread instead.

He takes his pills with peanut butter and so far has no problems taking them. He thankfully has had no episodes of vomiting. He’s drinking and peeing as usual/. Poo isn’t completely P3 (picture perfect poo) but it’s not a shooting waterfall. Sorry for the visual graphic – but dog people are poo experts.

He loves to lie on the deck in the sun- and explores a bit of the backyard.

He was given enough medication for one week. The Warden will call the vet today to get a month’s worth. Actually/ she is going to get the prescriptions because- surprise- she found out that the cost of the meds at the human pharmacy are less than half than at the vet. It’s kinda helpful when you’ve got 8 prescriptions.

We’ve got some very hot weather on the way, so the jet engine fans will be working in full force.

So we’re all doing OK. The photo is of the Coyote waiting for his chicken to be cooked the day before yesterday. Yesterday he wasn’t quite as excited about the leftovers from the day before. We think he likes his food freshly cooked. He IS, after all a Picky Picard!

Plus the Boss and I are going to soon weigh 20lbs more. In an effort to get some weight on the Coyote, LOTS of treats are being distributed throughout the day. And of course, we’re right there at the treat jar. I DID catch the Warden splitting biscuits between me and the Boss, while the Coyote gets a WHOLE one. I’m keeping my eye on that behavior.

Please keep those prayers and heeling wishes coming. They ARE working.

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

Monday began with an early morning call from the Animal Hospital. The doctor had some bad news. The Coyote did not appear to be peeing as much – so they felt his kidneys were shutting down. The Vet said he was lethargic and unhappy. She and the Warden felt it might be “time” to let him go…

The Warden’s best friend. Joanie happened to be in town, so the Warden contacted her and Joanie agreed to go with her. They arrived and wanted to ask the Vet some questions first. The Vet explained the severity and poor prognosis for Lyme nephritis. They talked about how lethargic he was and that he wasn’t peeing as much. The Warden asked to see him, before any final decision was made.

The Vet left and a technician brought him in. He walked in and instantly perked up when he saw the Warden and Joanie. In fact, he perked up so much that when the Vet came in her eyes opened wide. The Warden explained how stressed he was – and why he looked so poorly when alone. She asked the Vet if she could take him for a pee. She also asked the Vet to come along.

The Vet was mildly shocked when she saw him prance along. When the Warden asked him to pee, they got a large amount and the Vet exclaimed – “and it’s yellow!” They walked further along with the Coyote leading the pack and the Vet following with a bowl for pee collection. He went two more times.

The Warden did not feel it was time to say goodbye, and the Vet agreed. They said they would be anxious to see the results of the 4:00 PM blood test.

The Warden and Joanie sat waiting at home for the call. At 5:00PM they held their breaths for the news. The Vet reported that the bloodwork was not worse. It was not the same. It was marginally better. The Warden and Joanie nearly cried. They decided to do one more day of IV fluids and another blood test. And they would come after supper to take him for a walk, and try to feed him. He had eaten nothing the hospital gave him.

Because grocery stores were closed for the holiday, they went to a popular, long-standing food shop – The Chickenburger. Chickburgers at this place are essentially shredded chicken on a bun. They bought two and a plain burger as well.

The Coyote was happy to see them and pranced along on the walk. He had several good pees. BUT – do you think he would eat even ONE bite? Nope. No Chickenburger for him. But not for lack of trying on the part of the Warden and Joanie who pretended to eat the burgers with chewing sounds. He thought they made lousy actresses. After an hour long performance, they gave up. They drove the Coyote back to the hospital.

There they were told that although he was scheduled for one more day of treatment, they had no Vets to staff the place from 8AM to 1PM, so he needed to go to the referring clinic for his treatment. That clinic didn’t open until 10AM so Joanie and the Warden would have to entertain him between 8-10. it was too far to drive home and back so they had a plan.

This morning they picked him up and walked him on a small trail near the hospital. Hard to believe this – with his lack of eating- but he managed to have a good poo!

They took him to another lake and watched a paddler rowing quietly across the water. The Coyote rubbed his face in the grass.

All was great with the day- until they got to the clinic from which the Coyote had been referred. But they didn’t see the original Vet. They saw a new one….

Let’s just say this Vet’s message was VERY disappointing and extremely confusing. Thankfully the Warden had Joanie there – so she had someone who could confirm what was said. This Vet said she was extremely concerned about the Coyote- and she didn’t think the improvements in his bloodwork were at all significant. She asked the Warden what she wanted to do. The underlying message appeared to be: “Take him home and enjoy what time he has left.” She then announced that she had other patients to see and they could either wait until she had free time – or talk to her on the phone later.

The Warden and Joanie walked to the car completely shocked. And not knowing WHAT to do. The Coyote had been on fluids and multiple meds for 48 hours – and here they were left with nothing. No plan. No medications. No idea what to do.

After about 10 minutes of shock, they decided to go back in to see when the Vet might be available. The receptionist said a few minutes. They waited. And Mr Hyde came out. Dr Jekyll had left the building and a much different version of the same person came in. The Warden asked if they should not continue to treat the Lyme? “Of course they should,” said Sybil. “It would be unethical to not treat it!” The Warden explained that the first conversation left her feeling as if treatment was being completed. The Vet apologized and said she’s sometimes not clear in her explanations. Ya think?

After all of that , and a lengthy discussion, it was quickly agreed that the Coyote would be MUCH happier at home than in the hospital. They left with a bag of medications for one week. They would see how they worked.

When he arrived home, the Coyote was happy, but tired. Very tired. The Warden’s biggest worry was whether or not he would eat anything….

When he heard the treat bag open, he ran over to where we mops were already waiting. He gobbled down every one. When he smelled his chicken cooking, he came to sniff the stove. He ate over a lb of chicken and a handful of blueberries.

The Warden was cautious to feed him small portions at a time. He willingly took his many pills – with the aid of peanut butter.

So another up and down day in the adventures of the Coyote. He still, of course, has kidney problems. And he still has Lyme. But hopefully his arsenal of pills will keep things stable. And hopefully that stability will allow him to live his very best life for however much time he has. Going for walks. Standing on his rock. Barking at the dark. And being the best Zen dog in the household.

We’re glad he’s home. Really glad.

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

M

Howdy blogaroos. Squirmy here. Missing my primary playmate. I still have my primary hair styling client – but he’s not into wrestling and playing Humpty Dumpty.

Latest update: the Warden called the hospital yesterday at 4:30 AM because she suddenly woke up and was worried about him. The vet she spoke with was concerned because they were trying to collect his pee, and he wouldn’t pee. The Warden assured her he could pee but if someone was closely following him, he wouldn’t go. Sure enough – a few hours later they reported he was peeing just fine.

We’ll skip the details but they did bloodwork later in the day and a different vet called at 5 PM with good news, bad news. His kidney values on three measures had come down a bit. BUT, because he is refusing to eat for them, he was having problems with a different value. The Vet suggested the addition of a drug called Mycophenolate – which the Warden would have to pick up at a drug store. They also thought when she picked it up, she could come in and try to feed him. The Warden said “great idea.” She raced to the store – bought lean ground beef and pork, ground turkey, plain hamburger and chicken. She raced back home, cooked everything up and dashed to the pharmacy where the prescription had been called in. There she encountered a pharmacist who clearly was waiting for her shift to be over. She sat behind her computer, barely looking up and mumbled “I’ll be with you in a minute.” She finally sauntered over and asked what the name was. The Warden said the prescription should have been faxed, and it was for her dog. The Pharmacist asked for the dog’s name – but surprise – it wasn’t in the computer. Because he has never had meds before. She asked for his date of birth, which the Warden had to check because her brain was fried. The Pharmacist said they had no record of him. The Warden repeated that the prescription should have been faxed in. The Pharmacist trudged over to the fax machine, looked at the paper, which by all accounts had been sitting there for close to an hour, and said “it will be an hour.” The Warden was downtrodden, but said “I’ll just sit bright here.” The Pharmacist went back to her computer. After about 15 minutes of the Warden’s nail biting, the Pharmacist asked if the dog had been on this drug before. The Warden explained what was wrong with him and why they desperately needed it. A few minutes later, the Pharmacist sauntered over to a shelf. She looked around and shouted “we don’t have it.” The Warden almost cried. She asked if the Pharmacist could check the computer and see if another Pharmacy in the chain might have it. The woman said “no – she didn’t have that info”, but she could call a few pharmacies. The Warden said that would be great. Back the Pharmacist went to her computer. She called one. No luck. Another customer arrived and she took care of them. She called another store and no luck. Took care of another customer. Keep in mind, the Warden didn’t have the prescription, so she couldn’t call herself. The Pharmacist called a third. Nope. She told the Warden she could go check a few herself. The Warden asked for the paper and dashed to the car. Meanwhile, all her fancy food was getting cold in the car.

She started calling Pharmacies and when a neighbor texted her to see how the Coyote was doing, she enlisted her help to make calls. Many pharmacies were closed because it was the Sunday night of a holiday weekend. That was just the beginning of the drug issue. To describe the subsequent search, the partial find (correct drug but different strength), the chats with a different Vet who wrote and faxed a different prescription for the same drug but a different strength, pills that could not be cut in half, another chat with a Vet and computer problems- would be a novel and well, what began as a call to pick up meds and bring food evolved into a four hour long chase.

The Warden finally arrived at the hospital to feed the Coyote after 9 PM. She came into the hospital with her bag of goodies. He wagged happily when they brought him into the room. They left him with the Warden and she sat on the floor giving him cuddles. He was squeaking and clearly wanting to leave the room. He does NOT like vet clinics. The Warden slowly pulled out her buffet of goodies. He looked at them, sniffed and said “no thanks.” They sat there for 20 minutes. And it was clear he was too stressed to eat. She rang the buzzer and asked if she could take him to the car and try there. They said “sure’. She made room in the back of the vehicle- pushing the crate out of the way and he jumped in. She sat with him in the back. She chatted with him and petted him – but he couldn’t relax. At one point he ate a few bites of chicken, but a car pulled up with another pet to go into the clinic and he stopped. She figured if she moved the car away from the clinic entrance, maybe he would settle. That was after a short walk where he peed lots.

She got him out of the vehicle, pulled the crate out, put him back in the vehicle, closed the hatch, took the crate inside and told the staff what she was doing. She drove him to a parking lot across the street. Mistake. With his supersonic hearing, he could still hear the assortment of dogs being brought in for porcupine encounter problems. She was sitting with him in the back with the hatch open with the buffet and a bowl of water from the clinic which she had managed to spill all over her and the driver’s seat while making the short drive across the street. She decided to close the hatch to drown out some of the noise HE was clearly hearing. After 10 minutes of him sitting there, her petting him, but him not eating, she decided to move the car even further from the clinic. Keep in mind this was Sunday night of a long weekend in an industrial park kind of location. Only problem, she couldn’t figure out how to open the hatch from inside. She had to unpretzel herself, crawl around the Coyote and escape a rear door. She drove deeper into the dark industrial park and found a spot far from the clinic. She encouraged the Coyote to relax, petting him and talking to him. He actually settled finally and eagerly took about 5-6 pieces of chicken when the clinic called and said he needed to return. She explained that he was in the process of eating – so they said to come back as soon as he was done. He must have been listening, because he stopped eating. And try as she might to gently offer food, he refused.

She drove him back. She asked if he could come out today for 2 hours to go home and see if he would eat there. The receptionist said “no” – and the place was so busy, the Warden didn’t push the issue. She’ll talk to the Vet today. She left the chicken behind but she knows he won’t touch it. She headed home close to midnight.

So while he is showing improvement with treatment- he has to eat . We’re not sure what the next step will be.

Keep those healthy vibes coming…

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

Hello blog aficionados. Frodo here today. And for some reason, I have been assigned to be the bearer of unpleasant news. Regarding the FG. Or Coyote – depending on how long you have been reading our blog.

The news regarding his blood results was unfortunately not good. His kidney values are elevated. And on top of that, he tested positive for Lyme Disease.

We have been taking tick medication since the Imp arrived. And frankly, the Warden cannot recall the last time she took a tick off anyone – except herself. We DO discontinue our medication when the snow flies – but trying to figure out exactly how he contracted it is sadly too late. And even more sad is the prognosis for Lyme nephritis. …

Despite the totality unexpected dire prognosis, the Warden has always been a huge proponent of a four letter word- hope. The Coyote pranced into the Vet for his blood work and happily loaded up on liver treats and a hamburger when it was over. He came home and had a great wrestling session with the Imp – and enjoyed sunshine on the deck. He ran upstairs when he smelled his chicken being cooked- and gobbled down what he was given. So when the Vet called with the results and said he should be admitted to an overnight hospital for fluids and antibiotics, the Warden did not hesitate. Because she’s carrying around that “hope.”

She hated to leave him- and the poor Vet and every tech and assistant in the place had to deal with her runny eyes and nose- but she knows we must try to see if we can beat the odds. Like this guy:

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/news/20140630/dog-beats-odds-lyme-induced-kidney-disease

So PLEASE send powerful healing thoughts and prayers. We “mops” as he so lovingly calls us – need our Zen brother to regulate our PONdemonium. We’d even agree to not covet his meals. At least for a week.

Have a good one. Peace and paws up.

Hey blogaroos. Quick update. We have no news. The Coyote went to the Vet yesterday, but the the Vet and the Warden thought he should have a serious panel of bloodwork- and one requires that he fast. Instead of poking him yesterday and going back again today to be poked, they opted to wait until today.

His poop was good, but they want to repeat his urine sample. So back out she goes with the tin foil tray and rubber gloves today. She was remarkably successful yesterday.

He didn’t eat a lot yesterday- except liver biscuits and 1 1/2 chicken breasts. Forget the kibble. Even the tiny pea size bites he spits out. The Vet got to see his pickiness. She gave him a liver treat. He gobbled it down. She gave him several. He ate every one. Then she tried giving him a spoonful of canned dog food. He said “nope.” She put the liver treat in a bite sized ball of dog food. He just looked at her. She then tried to give him a plain one again. He gobbled it down. She just looked at the Warden and said “I see your challenge here.” No kidding.

So back he goes again. The fasting part will be no problem.

Please keep those healing vibes coming…

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

Hey blogaroos. Squirmy here. Just putting out a request for good thoughts and prayers.

As we all know, the Coyote has always been a very picky eater. And since the hot weather began, he has REALLY been picky. He eats – but about half of what he normally eats. The Warden initially began simply picking up his dish if he didn’t eat a meal – and then trying later. Sometimes he ate. Sometimes he said “nah.” All the time we PONs were drooling to finish his leftovers. Which we were rarely allowed to do. The Warden then began adding yummy toppers to his food. He would eat them for a day or two and then say “meh.” He was still eating blueberries and his favorite/ bread.

While Aunt Sue was here, he really doubled down on his pickiness. And he loves her- and she tried to encourage him. But no luck. And it was apparent he was losing weight…

This week, the Warden took him to the vet- and they did some X-rays. The Vet wondered if he might be having Irritable Bowel problems. She put him on a steroid and an appetite stimulant. Today he is going back for bloodwork and a thorough analysis of his pee. The Warden had taken a small sample when she went the first time. She wasn’t told to bring one, but figured it couldn’t hurt. Unfortunately, she thought of bringing it AFTER he had a big pee. And do you THINK she could get the pee machine to give her a sample when she tried to collect it with tin foil and rubber gloves? Nope. Every time she tried, he stopped. This is the guy who pees on every tree in the forest. Anyway the little bit she gathered was unremarkable- but she’ll get a bigger sample from his first pee of the day today. This is always fun to watch…

So send healing thoughts today. We’re all worried about the wild guy- who has been pretty sad looking the past few days. Let’s hope they can find out what’s going on with him….

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

Howdy blogaroos. Well project central has come to a grinding halt. Aunt Sue has gone home. No more triple dog walks. No more unsuspecting ricochet target. No more sneakers to steal. And no more two-person home projects. Things are pretty quiet here.

Aunt Sue and the Warden did lots of projects – all of which we supervised. And the Boss had his opinion on every one. All of them were pretty interesting. But probably one of my personal favorites was the capture and subsequent demise of Jiminy

It all began one evening after we completed our evening constitutionals. We came home and began to get ready to hunker down for the night. The Warden and Aunt Sue were in the living room – or should I say the Boss’ room, when the Warden heard a cricket noise. The screened kitchen window was open, so she figured the noisy bugger must be right under the window outside. She got up to check, and suddenly realized that the annoying chirp did not appear to be coming from outside. She called Aunt Sue to listen and of course we had to also come to provide our opinion. The two women agreed the sound was coming from under a cupboard. The Warden got a yardstick and Aunt Sue poked, prodded and swept it under the cupboard. The sound stopped. They figured they had squished the intruder. They went back to the living room.

Two minutes later, the chirping began again. This resulted in numerous Google searches about how to catch or get rid of a cricket. One source suggested vinegar and water- to put an end to the chorus. The Warden got a spray bottle and Aunt Sue doused the base of the cupboard. I watched with great interest, while the other guys just napped.

Silence. They figured Jiminy went to cricket heaven. Back they went into the living room.

A few minutes later, they heard something. Jiminy. But his shouting was much more subdued. They figured he might be on his last cricket legs. Silence.

The two women high-fived – they could get jobs as movers, plumbers and now pest control experts. All was right with the world.

For about 3 minutes. And then, Jiminy started shouting as loud as he initially did. The two women marched into the kitchen to see where the sound was coming from. This time – he was across the room – and under the stove. Or so the sound seemed. They doused the base of the stove with vinegar.

In the meantime, the Warden figured we boys should stay out of the action – in case things got really crazy. Mind you, I was the only one marching back and forth and participating in the action. Still – we ALL were placed in the bedroom while they planned the next line of attack. The Warden was in the living room, studying what kind of damage crickets can carry out if they infest your home, and Aunt Sue was sitting on a stool in the kitchen, staring at the stove. Suddenly she shouted “there he is- I have to get him before he goes back under.” The Warden grabbed the vacuum with the crevice tool- but Aunt Sue shouted “I need something bigger!” The Warden thought about the lawn mower for a second, but by that time brave Aunt Sue had grabbed a newspaper to smack Jiminy. She hit him and he jumped. And both women jumped. She smacked him again – and he again jumped. The third hit stunned him – just long enough for them to suck him up in the vacuum. Where they could see he was still alive in the canister. Meanwhile, the Boss started shouting that he wanted to know what was going on – and I joined in. The Coyote continued to nap.

We REALLY started shouting when we heard the Warden go out the front door. “Where are you going? Why can’t we come? Watch out for porcupines!” The Warden marched over to the compost bin and emptied the vacuum contents with Jiminy. May he rest in peace. Or compost.

Another project that the girls completed was the installation of a new screen for the patio door. Remember how we guys made our own dog door in the screen? Well the hole was not only big enough for us , but for an assortment of insects as well. Maybe that’s how Jiminy got in. So NOW, after much measuring, and great debates about exactly how the screen should placed in the doorway, we have one of those magnetic screens. As usual, we were sequestered during the actual construction, but once it was all up, the Warden was anxious to see if we could figure out how to use it. She sometimes underestimates our brilliance. All she had to do was call us from the other side and none of us had difficulty figuring out how to push our way through. She is so happy with the new addition- she threatened us with no treats if we attempt to pull at or swing on the screen. It’s been a few days – and so far so good. Mind you – we haven’t been sequestered out there alone with the screen…..

Anyway, Aunt Sue sadly left yesterday- and the Coyote doubled down on his ongoing hunger strike. If anything in his environment changes, we have determined it sets off a total eating protest. More significant than his usual picky behavior. He did it when Aunt Sue arrived (even though he adores her). Now don’t misunderstand- he DID eat – IF his meal included scrambled egg as a topper. OR Italian meatballs crumbled up in tiny pieces in his meal. And he didn’t turn down bread or blueberries. We’ll see how today goes – now that things are back to boring normal. Keep your paws crossed that he gets back in his usual routine- or he’ll be paying a visit to the Vet. And we know how much he enjoys that!

After Aunt Sue left yesterday, I went to an obedience heeling Workshop. The Warden said that I was positively slightly above mediocre. Things are looking up.

OK. That’s the updates from here. Enjoy this last week of August!

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

Howdy blogaroos! We’ve been on a blog hiatus for a few days while the Warden and Aunt Sue are keeping busy with a variety of home projects. The chief supervisor- the Boss- is loosing his voice from continually shouting out instructions. All while I try desperately to be right in the middle of everything they do – which usually results in me being sequestered in another room. True- I do tend to steal work supplies like rubber gloves and rags, but my intent is purely helpful. I want to be sure they are fully stocked – so I do movable inventory.

The first project began unintentionally- when the Warden mentioned that she wanted to “rearrange” some furniture. But we’re not talking about moving a chair and a pillow. We’re talking about moving rec room furniture up stairs and moving living room furniture down stairs. After much Googling, a call for an exorbitant quote from movers, several YouTube videos and lots of measuring, they opted to move the pieces out one door, drag them on a tarp on the lawn around the house, and a game of limbo carrying the massive sofas through the front door and through the hallway door. The process went on for what seemed like hours – while the three of us were sequestered in the bedroom. The Boss shouted out instructions non-stop. I joined in occasionally, but he was definitely the project foreman. The Coyote rolled his eyes and slept.

Thankfully, the Warden likes the new arrangement in the DFZ – and the Boss approves. He checked out the placement of every piece of furniture and promptly squeezed himself behind and half under the loveseat right next to the wall. He likes to pretend he is hiding – as if no one sees the giant fluff. I try to get in the DFZ and if I manage to bust my way through while the gate is momentarily open, I do a few loops around the coffee table and quickly look for something to steal, like a pillow. It’s my little “game” – catch me if you can. I’m pretty quick.

Another project involved replacing a bathroom faucet and sink. Really. Again we were sequestered out of the work zone – because neither of them have plumbing experience- so this was serious business. Still, the Boss knows a bit about plumbing, so again he shouted out directions. “Put that washer on the right way. Connect the water lines. I’m hungry. I want a snack. Put the drain pipe in. Do you need any silicone? It’s getting close to supper. Is that water I hear running? I’m hungry. Hurry up. Is anything leaking? Come on- I’m STARVING.”

Yes, after multiple YouTube videos, and after both of them memorized the instruction booklets in all 5 languages, they actually did it!

Just like after the first project, there was much high-fiving and dancing. We got celebratory biscuits.

Meanwhile, the lawn hasn’t been mowed in a week – so you can’t see us when we go out there. Just kidding – but you KNOW how obsessive the Warden is about mowing. Mind you, we have had several rainy days, so that hasn’t been great to mow. The Warden better do a good swoop before she begins- not only searching for the odd dog poo – but more importantly, the many dog toys hidden in the grass. We know that mowers can chop a perfectly good Nylabone in two.

Yesterday was the Warden’s birthday- so we sang Happy Birthday and begged futilely for cake. We got biscuits instead. Go wild, go crazy. Mind you, we didn’t get her a gift- I said it’s in the mail. I kept running to the door and barking like a delivery guy was there. I thought that was a good ploy.

We’ve had lots of good walks- all three of us together. Aunt Sue walks the Boss and the Coyote and I walk the Warden. We have to be careful at night – despite the fact that we are outfitted like glow worms. It’s not traffic we need to avoid – it’s porcupines! We’ve spotted several on our evening walks. Good thing those women are super strong enough to hold us – after all their project work. Aunt Sue says she’ll try any project – but she draws the line at porcupine quill removal.

OK. Time to see what we’re into today!

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