Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Last week's adventure

What happens when an overage lady forgets her age and buys two puppies in her seventies?  Well, Miss Annie, there on the floor, at 2 1/2 yrs. now is quite well behaved.  She can be let out on her own, supervised but is quite trustworthy not to take off and run away (unless a deer appears and heaven help us then).  But Miss Meg (for nutmeg) seen here all legs and mischief on her mother's lap is another story at only 14 mos. of age.  Trying to train her to run free (with a large cookie dangling in front of her nose), I've been letting her out of the dog run to run free to the house.  It's about a thirty or forty foot distance.  We've been having considerable success with this new responsibility until last Sunday afternoon.  Trusting that the habit was ingrained enough to be trust-worthy, off she set for the house, leash-free.  She got as far as the side porch, which you can see next to the brick driveway and put the brakes on.  One look to the left and she was off, back-end powering her, the lure of the open spaces was too much for her.  Up the laneway she went, around the curve which put her out of sight and you can imagine, that even with ten acres, the laneway eventually ends at the gravel road.  There are now horses next door again and since we're all on long narrow ten acre lots, our frontage is only about 150 Ft. so we live on top of each other in a sense.  Conditioned from years of earlier stress in my life, the flight or fight syndrome was not easily forgotten by my body.  The adrenaline shot through it from top to bottom as I raced after Meg, frantically calling her name.  Around the bend, no sight of her and all I could think of was this puppy whom I love to bits, was gone.  Another thought occured as well:  there goes $2,500 worth of dog fur on the run.  Three or four minutes later, standing near the horse pasture, something side-swiped me on the leg and nearly knocked me over.  Guess who it was.  Back to the drawing board on freedom and recalls.  Meanwhile, I'm recovering from a week and a half of absolute pain from my ANS/PNS reaction (autonomic nervous system imbalance and too mjch sympathetic overstimulation).  This is what happens when I forget I'm as old as I am. 
Rosey

Sunday, September 15, 2013

more on men and tools

Imagine a windy day and I mean windy. Three men used to working with all types of tools . A flat pack garden shed. It belonged to DS1 who always thought BIG. The instructions were in English ,sort of. After 3 hours My DiL laws 1 , 2 and myself could't stand it any more. We left and went to a great coffee shop with lovely cakes and enjoyed ourselves. On returning we read the instructions.....DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PUT UP IN A WIND, need I say more!!Bee in, surprise, a windy NZ.