And How Was Your Day?

   For my little pooch not so good. But then I guess I wouldn't be looking so great if I'd just had nine teeth pulled and a mass taken out from under my eyelid-but it is obvious that a normally cute happy dog has the ability to turn pitiful into a new art form.

  But before you start accusing me of being a really bad doggie mom,("How could you let his teeth get so infected? Were you feeding him a diet of Kool Aid and Jolly Ranchers?") No-he had his teeth X-rayed and cleaned nine months ago.  This was supposed to be routine, a recheck on a molar that looked a bit suspicious. It turned into a dental fiasco. And a checkbook fiasco as well. $869.  Seems dog teeth cost as much as human teeth to maintain. The eye blob was rubbing against his cornea so that had to go too.

  The great cone was attached to him due to the fact that the small dog size still allowed him to paw at his eye sutures. So now we have the opportunity to receive radio transmissions from distant planets. I'm not sure he will know what to do if he hears any. He doesn't know what to do when I tell him "Sit," much less if I ask if he is learning anything about string theory or the truth of the cosmos.

  Meanwhile the puppy doesn't know what to make of this new appendage. She feels threatened apparently, as she has been barking at the cone of shame since I brought him home. This supersizing now requires me to hand feed him if I don't take it off for every meal since his nose isn't long enough to hit the food dish with it on. It has to stay on for two weeks until his next re-check. It's going to be a fun two weeks.

  Then there's the back yard. I live downhill from my neighbors so the back yard has always taken on water like a leaky garbage scow, but this year has been special. I'm not sure if there has been more rain than normal, my tree roots have shifted, or someone behind me rearranged their landscaping so the water all rolls into my yard, (I saw that happen once. Some nitwit did massive berms and earthworks to block street noise and totally drowned the next door neighbor's beautiful yard. It's a good thing the state bought both those homes to put a highway through or Mr. Bermworks might have died young once his neighbor got hold of him. The state pays well for homes, by the way.) 

  So my yard is resembling  a lagoon making it no good for my dogs to run off excess energy. The puppy doesn't mind so much, but cleaning up a sopping wet muddy dog isn't my idea of how to spend an evening. Thus far I haven't observed any crocs or alligators rising from the murky depths, but it is only a question of time. If I get up tomorrow morning and there are ducks out back that's it. I'm slapping a sign in the front yard that advertises "Waterfront Property" and sell the sucker.  I've no time or patience for maintaining boats or sea walls.

 Meanwhile in the living room I'm experiencing a plague. Just like Ramsesses II, I have offended some one's God(s). Granted, not a hard thing for me to do. So far no blood, boils, or frogs, but I do have flies I believe the great Pharaoh had a similar affliction. I came home the other day and my front window was crawling with them. So every night this week I have been pulling out the sweeper and the hunt is on. Fortunately they congregate in one or two windows and seem to be quite sluggish, so are easily dispensed with. The puppy and one of the cats get into the act doing their share of fly killing. It's the least they can do. I let them live here rent free.

  The lawn which had shown no interest in a spring awakening decided that yesterday was the time, and now has blossomed into such a sorry state that I will be required to mow it. But if I am lucky it will rain again tomorrow. I suppose if it gets so long it hides the house I will have to find someone with a bush-hog, but for now I can manage. Maybe.

  It has become very quiet around here. The little dog is sleeping off his drugs. The puppy is back in the swimming hole. I hope I have dry towels.