The Boys

I have several boys in my life. Let me tell you about them.

Squirt is a little red eared slider. He has issues...not sure if Seymour tried to eat him or if it is bacterial. He has extremely damaged peripheral scutes. Mild bleeding. He has been moved into the house where it is temperature and moisture regulated. Damage has not worsened. I hope he pulls out of this. He is active and eating well.

Diesel is my big boy. Very big boy. He likes to hang out with me. Today, he followed me around the round pen while I poop scooped. When I was done, I lunged him very lightly. He trotted around the 60' pen 3 times each direction. Just enough to know that he is still a bit lame on his foot and that his four foot tenderness is still there. He's always been a tenderfoot. Big baby. He loved the attention, though. Cued perfectly, even with cooler temps. Love that boy.

Blue is my kitty man. He always liked coming in the house. Since it has gotten cool he is almost always inside. He should've been born a dog. He follows me everywhere. He even goes out and follows me when I walk the dogs. Comes back in when I go in. Feeds the horses with me. Watches just outside the round pen as I lunge Bec. Crazy cat. And he has stolen Bitsy's spot on the recliner. Just as well...she hasn't been able to get up there for a few days. I will have to make a decision soon. I've been saying that for over a year. All I know for sure is that it isn't quite time, yet. She has a wonderfully plush blankie to sleep on right now.

Scruffy is my challenge. He hugs. He sits in my lap every time I sit down- including now. He is the sweetest little thing. Around here, 20 pounds is little. Here's the thing. He's a pisser. He doesn't mark the house. He unloads his full bladder on the wall. Once while I'm at school. Quite often, once again when I leave him to take care of the horses. Why not take him with me when I go out? He runs off. He doesn't respond to his name. He chases cats. He loves to get under the house...comes out brown instead of white. He gets out of his harness when chained up. Why don't I crate him? He pisses on the crate and gets the wall AND himself wet. He's bad. Bad to the bone. We are making progress. He hasn't pooped on the floor lately. Any given day you can find me outside walking Scruffy ten times telling him what a good dog he is...potty goes outside. Soon, I will have to let him go loose and trust that he comes back without getting run over. Scary.

Man, I wish I had a fenced yard. I have lots to look forward to. I should have that wish by Spring Break. And a house...if they ever get started. All of the supplies are there, everything except the workers. Framers will start soon. Last Monday was the day...still waiting not so patiently.

I am blessed to have the boys and girls in my life. All 13 of them. I am insane. I admit it.

What next?

The concrete work on the house got postponed until next week. Rain in the forecast for the first time in months. All it takes is a bundle of moolah and time put into a project for the rain to come and scare us away. Who knows? Maybe it will miss us and the pastures with crumble into dust while my house goes up in record time. Maybe we will get it and rejuvenate the grass while making a mess of my house. Win-win.

I came home today ready for my holiday tomorrow. Scruffy made it through his neuter just fine and came home sore but a better man. And Dad was on the phone...my Grandmother is in acute renal failure. I have a bad feeling about this. My life is blessed and faith will get me through this one- either way it goes.

The Latest

Scruffy ran after a lady last Saturday night. Just ran off. I found him Sunday unable to walk with puncture wounds all over his front legs. He is healing nicely. Most were just direct punctures. One spot has an ugly rip but is healing without infection. He let me clean the wound sites without a complaint.

Scruffy has had his first vet appointment. He is strongly heartworm positive. The vet recommends giving him some time to settle and learn the routine before we treat. He's a very active dog and must stay confined after treatment. We'll schedule something after the first of the year. His snip, snip is scheduled for this Tuesday. Don't tell. It's a secret. He's really beginning to like it here and I wouldn't want him to change his mind :)

And now for the biggest news. Becca, the Queen of All Chunky Monkies, has all of the symptoms of Equine Metabolic Syndrome. The diet and exercise has not been successful. She has lost gas but not real weight. She is limited most of the day to the round pen. Grass is in short supply due to drought. She is on Low-Carb feed. We exercise 4-5 times a week.

Now we exercise 30 minutes a day. Last night, I tried lunging in the dark. It was a good night to start- nearly full moon. She was disturbed a bit at first but settled down and cued well after a few minutes. It is very important that I can lunge at night since I don't get home until near dark most days. I really needed one more thing to do every day.

The house has forms with plumbing and rebar ready to pour concrete. The house is going to progress very fast, now. It is a good thing. I check on the place after work every day. Then, I come home and walk Scruffy on a leash. Lunge and feed or feed and lunge- depending on how late it is. After dark, I come in and finish work for the paying job. And after that, I work on the online course I am taking for GT certification. Usually, I get up with animals twice a night. It is no wonder that I slept most of today instead of working on the class. I hope things settle down soon. I'm too tired to ride. I'm too tired to socialize. But, I do have a wonderfully blessed life. I try to post regularly but it has been difficult. Until next time....

Where's Devra?

She's staying busy. The house construction started this week. In the meantime, grass needed to be mowed. Curtains needed to be hung...strangers on the property. Brush piles needed burning, weeds needed spraying, concrete chunks moved. My parents have been here for over a week. They have been working like dogs every day while I go to work.

Speaking of work....I've been doing alot of that, too. Things just haven't been normal since Ike. And I'm taking an online course. I did manage to squeeze in a fishing trip. Had a blast.

Becca is still on grass restrictions. She is much happier, though. She spends nights in the round pen but does get out during the day. I have jumped on her bareback a few times to exercise her. She is doing quite well. Still hurts to extend her front legs out much. No canter. Priss is cranky- from the mosquitoes or the arthritis, I don't know. Could be either. Diesel scraped his leg. Minor scrape all the way down one leg. On what, I have no idea. He can hurt himself on nothing. He's still lame on that hoof that he sliced way back when. Some improvement, though. It's not like I have time to ride. Just groom and spray them down with the skeeter repellent. I get plenty of hugs. That will never be scarce.

Now for the big news. Two months ago someone dumped a dog nearby. He has been running with the other dumpees that live two doors down. My neighbor has been feeding them leftovers. Last week, she broke down and bought flea meds and real dogfood. I cannot get involved without getting myself in trouble....

Mom caved. She no longer threatened my life if I took in Scruffy. She went so far as to tell me that I could consider keeping him if Bitsy were to pass away. A friend and I bathed him on Thursday. We had to do it in the bathtub so he wouldn't get chills. And then we had to wait for him to dry. And then, he liked the house so well he spent the night. He's housebroken. Someone loved him, just not enough to keep him.

Friday, he was nowhere to be found. He was all Dad talked about. Where's that Scruffy dog? He's such a good dog. I was very concerned. After I went to bed Spooky started barking. Scruffy was outside. He spent the night again. Today, Mom told her sister that I got a new dog. The neighbors are paying for all of his start-up costs. All I have to do is agree. He's going in next week for his preliminary work. Snip, snip to come. The other dogs like him. They all share the bed. They play around in the house. I can't pass this one up. Bitsy is doing fine. I can't believe that I have 4 dogs. In the house. The inn is full. Four dogs, four cats, three horses, and two turtles. I have surpassed the crazy animal lady designation. I'm nuts. He's a neat dog. The name stuck. Gretchen is no longer the scruffy dog. He's got her beat.

Meet Scruffy.