Down for the Count

Marcus:  Jan says I have been a good boy this past week.

Jan:

This past week has been very hard on all of us and I am proud of Marcus.  He has so wanted me to play with him for weeks and I just didn't have the energy, but I did try to walk him and Buddy every day possible.  (I walk Merci by herself if she wants to go.)

I wasn't going to do this post but Loulou's sweet mama is concerned that we haven't been posting.  It's easier to type this once so we told her we would try to do a post.  This has been a hard summer.  I have been sweating buckets, cutting the lawn with a grass whip, and tottering around in exhaustion.

Last Monday I tried out my new electric lawn mower with a 100' cord that should make my life easier.  Six hours later about 3/4 of the lawn was done.  (There were a lot of breaks in there where I collapsed in a chair on the porch or over the trash can near the side yard.)  Then I wobbled up the street with the two dogs. 

Tuesday evening I set out with Marcus and Buddy for a walk.  We made it as far as the public sidewalk next door. Without any warning I was yanked sideways and back with such force the chest pain was excruciating and I was  screaming.  My feet were flying and I almost fell over Marcus and one of the dogs from next door when they both stopped.  Some distance away the neighbor kids were playing basketball in the alley.  I screamed for them to get their dog on a leash and they just stared.. 

There was another hard yank in another direction and I was face down on the lawn, still screaming in pain.  Bless the woman driving by who saw it happening and stopped to help..  She was there right away, wrapped the leashes in one hand (I had a death grip on them) and told me the dogs were okay. (I wasn't thinking straight and neglected to get the name of the kind woman.)  I couldn't see anything but I could hear those kids approaching.  From beginning to end, there was no sound from any of the dogs except one low growl from Marcus - his "I'm in trouble" growl.  One second he was walking, then he was playing, then I was on the ground screaming and there were all those kids coming at him.  He is timid and I knew he was scared. 

I spent a long time face down on the lawn listening to the mouthy teenager who doesn't believe the leash law applies to her.  And when I was finally able to get up. things got worse.  She told me to GO HOME (complete with arm gestures) or WALK THE DOGS ACROSS THE STREET but to GET OFF HER PROPERTY (meaning the entire side of the road).  No remorse, no concern that her off leash dog caused the violent take down (not a fall) of someone. 

Injured or not, I still had to take care of the Funny Farmers.  By Saturday, I HAD to get out of the house so I set out with Buddy and Marcus on a slow walk.  Buddy stopped to poop.  I cleaned up after him. turned around and there was that dog racing onto the sidewalk at us.   She will not put it on a leash!  The fact the dog is friendly and wants to play isn't the point. I don't know if Animal Control has been in contact with the family yet.

So, things are not going well around here.  The Mousebreath interviews are postponed.  I don't know for how long.  We won't be posting to the blog either.  I am taking a break from everything to recuperate.

I wasn't joking about Marcus being a good boy.  I don't blame him for what happened, nor the other dog.  I blame the defiant teenager and her parents.  He was going stir crazy without his walks, so he was so happy they resumed.  Tonight - Monday- Marcus stopped on our walk to make friends with a man in a wheelchair who has had a stroke and was frustrated because he couldn't convey to me what he wanted to say, but he and Marcus communicated just fine.

The Screwball Marcus

Percy:  Remember when Jan stopped to meet someone who used to work at Martha Mill?  While they talked, Marcus stripped down to his collar with one leash attached.  To this day he swears the devil made him do it.

Buddy:  He was so proud of himself for getting out of his harness and one of two leashes.  He used to be such an escape artist until Jan started clipping his harness to his collar.

Percy:  It's been so hot and humid lately Marcus hasn't been getting into much mischief.  I kind of miss that.

Buddy:  You miss what?

Percy:  Oh, you're right.  What was I thinking?  It's so peaceful here when Marcus is passed out with the rest of us.

Buddy:  On the other paw, it has been kind of boring around here lately.  Except for those moments when Marcus races around screeching at everyone because he thinks he's going for a walk.

Percy:  Or Jan is taking out the trash.  Or cleaning the litter pans. I don't know where he got the idea he's the official trash escort.  It's not like Jan can't find her own way outside to the trash can.

Buddy:  Well, she does tend to get lost between the living room and kitchen a lot.

Percy:  Then I guess Marcus does have a purpose here.  We old furries can sleep while he snoopervises Jan.

Buddy:  So this week we are thankful for the screwball Marcus?

Percy:  I'm afraid so.


Note:  Sorry we have been missing for a while.  We will probably be around sporadically until we all feel better.


 We're joining the Thankful Thursday blog hop at Brian's Home.

A Bop on the Nose

Cyndi:  This is the scene from our back steps last Tuesday as the sun went down.  Wet, foggy, but so pretty.

Buddy:  Pretty?  You can say that because you didn't have to go out in it to pee.

Cyndi:  Speaking of pee, why did Marcus come home from your walk tonight smelling like poop?

Buddy:  That's an unusual story.  Are you sure you want to hear it?

Cyndi:  Of course!  I think.

Buddy:  You know how hyper Marcus is.  He's such a baby, he always has to have something in his mouth, so he kept chewing up all our leashes on our walks.  Jan finally broke him of it and he hasn't bothered my new leash for two or three months.  She was going to replace Merci's duct taped leash next.

Cyndi:  That isn't answering my question.

Buddy:  Actually it is.  You've read what Jan posted on our blog Saturday about Marcus and those two dogs that tried to start a fight.  (Rescued)  Marcus puts on a brave act but he's actually timid and insecure, which is why he's crated when Jan isn't here.  He was so hyped and nervous on our way home that he ground my leash between his teeth and now my leash has holes in it.

Cyndi:  I still don't see any connection.

Buddy:  Hang on.  I'm getting to the point.  Marcus has reverted to his leash chewing habit. On our walk tonight, she caught Marcus grinding new holes in my leash.  She didn't have an extra hand to stop him, so she bopped (oops, I thought bop meant a light tap) him on the nose with something soft - the bag of poop she was holding.  Guess what happened?

Cyndi:  Oh, no!

Buddy:  Yep, the bag broke.  Marcus looked down at the mess, then up at Jan and said, "I didn't make that mess. I'm not cleaning it up."

Cyndi:  So who did?

Buddy:  Jan, of course.  That's what we pay her to do.

Cyndi:  I didn't know we pay her.

Buddy:  We don't, not in cash, but we keep her busy and give her lots of stories to tell her friends.

Cyndi:  I don't think she's going to be telling her friends the poop bag story.

Buddy:  Neither do I.  That's why we're telling it for her.

I Have Leash

Marcus:  Nobody leaves here for a walk without me!  Seriously!

Jan was about to hitch us dogs up for a walk when the phone rang and she got distracted.  When she finally got off the phone, it was getting dark. The leashes were missing.  Guess where they were?

Yep, I'd moved them all into my Private Dining Car and was guarding them with my life!

Buddy grumbled and said he didn't want to go out into the cold night and Merci pretended she didn't hear Jan calling, so no one did leave for a walk without me.  In fact, I was the only one available to take Jan for a walk.

We had a lot of fun.  Or at least I did.  I'm not so sure about her, although she did say I behaved better than I usually do. 

I'm ready to go again, but Jan seems a little reluctant to go walking in the dark.  Guess she needs a pair of night goggles.  And a sense of adventure.

I have leash.  Would anyone like an escort?