Gustav

Last Monday was Labor Day. When I took the dogs out after their breakfast I noticed that Tsar seemed to be very interested in something in the grass near the holly. He loves to catch grasshoppers and cicadas, so I didn't pay much attention.When I called them all in, Tsar didn't come with the others. I went back to get him and found him rolling in the grass. If he caught a grasshopper, he would probably roll in his kill. Here he is covered with little bits of grass.



He came in and that was that, or so I thought. Later that afternoon I had the pups outside and Lola was checking out the same area that had interested Tsar. Then Tess ran over to look. Next they were both rolling. I thought I'd better check this out and started down the hill toward them. Suddenly Lola grabbed something off the ground and started to run with it. Tess, Bailey and Norma Jean were all in pursuit. Lola stopped, put down the unidentified object, they all looked at it, then she picked it up and pranced around the yard with her prize.

The next time she set it down I was close enough to get a glimpse. It looked like a dead cicada. I called the girls in and they all came with Lola carrying her prize. She planned to take the dead thing into the house, but in the garage I insisted she drop it. When she did, I couldn't tell what it was. I put the girls inside and called to Rob to come identify something. He just loves identifying dead things that the dogs find.

At first glance Rob thought it was a slug, but I didn't think a slug would hold up to a group of dogs rolling on it. He picked it up and it was a little lizard. We have a lot of these little blue tailed lizards that sun themselves on the deck or the rocks. The dogs love to chase them and Morgan has caught several. I usually get them away from her, but she swallowed one alive once. Apparently, Tsar caught this one and left it in the yard for the girls to find. Having been in the sun for several hours, it didn't smell very good to humans. The dogs thought it smelled great.



Tuesday morning Rob left on a business trip. He'd be gone all week. The remnants of Gustav arrived Tuesday evening. I felt my throat getting scratchy just about the time the rain started.When I went to bed I was shivering even though I was surrounded by four dogs. Wednesday morning my head pounded, my throat was so sore I could hardly swallow and I had fever and chills. Gustav was really bringing the rain down by that time and when I put on my rain jacket to take the dogs out, it soaked through.


I spent the day on the couch with unhappy damp dogs all around me. I only got up to do feedings and outings. I wore a winter jacket with a hood and boots to take my pals out. I'd like someone to explain why dogs that have been bred for centuries to jump off boats into cold water, who go crazy at the sight of a hose or sprinkler, who can't keep their feet out of their water bowl and sneak into the shower with us when they can, why do these same dogs refuse to go out in the rain. I dragged eleven dogs out the door into the marsh we call a yard. The rain was coming down very hard for many hours.


Thursday, along with all the other symptoms, I had no voice. Rob cut his trip short and came home to relieve me of doggy chores. He took over feedings and outings. Of course, the rain stopped a couple hours before he got here. I got to spend the whole day in bed with Samba on my feet. Rob made me tea and brought me flu meds. Today I can actually get around and eat a little. I still have a nasty cough that hurts my ribs, but I think I'll survive.

Our hearts go out to all who are being pounded by this string of hurricanes. We only received some heavy rain for a couple days, but we're happy to see Gustav leave.