Monday, February 18, 2013

Happy Mooseday


Poor Foster.  He's had a restless night.  Bill let him out at 2:30 a.m. and had to coax him back in.  

I let him out at 3 a.m. and had to put my boots and jacket on to go outside and lure him back in.

Then, he wailed for about half an hour.

I decided, after hearing Debbie's story last week of being up for two hours while Todd had to be outside sniffing after something, that Foster could just cry.  He wasn't going back outside again.

Fortunately, he quit crying and I did grab a few winks.  

Later, he wanted out immediately when I flipped the coffee pot switch.  

Bill and I were blaming his unusual behavior on canine spring fever.  

Later, however, I discovered that the poor little guy had a tummy ache and he wanted to be outside to find some grass --spears are still pretty few and far between.

I think he's feeling better now, but I still can hear some strange gurgles from his stomach.

Once again, I've told him to quit eating so many of those horse apples.  Probably not good for little Aussie tummies.

Just like kids, though,  he doesn't listen.

Well, Foster asked to go outside again just a while ago.  Shortly after I turned him out, I could hear Kea barking her high-pitched, alarm bark.

I opened the bathroom window and could hear Kauble's dog barking, so I told Kea to be quiet and blamed her concerns on the neighbor dog.

"It must be spring fever mixed in with tummy aches," I said to Bill.

Then, Foster started in with his sharp, high-pitched "Yip, yip, yip." 

Both Bill and I went to the door to invite him back into the house just in time to see the object of their concern:  a big moose trotting through the woods just beyond the dog run. 

Foster wanted to go tell it off upclose and personal, but we told him he needed to be inside.  

Then,  Kea (the self-appointed critter guard dog) ran out to really tell it off, and when she was satisfied that the critter was far enough into the woods, she turned around and came back.

So, now,  I know that I need to put another item on Jim's check list on the kitchen island: monitor all moose sighting and yippings.  Keep dogs at bay. 

In between moose visits and a triplet visit later this morning, I'm making my lists and checking them twice.  

Lists are taped to the kitchen island for my brother to keep track of his daily chores while he watches the place.

Other lists keep going "bong" in my head.  


  • Don't forget the Nestle's chocolate marshmallow powder paks for your morning lattes.
  • Load up ten days' worth of glucosamine/chondroitan tabs to avoid stiff joints cuz you're gonna be sittin' a lot. 
  • Tell Jim where he can find paper towels cuz they get used a lot around here.
  • Batteries for the small camera; charger for the big camera, charger for the cell phone.


Yup, lots of last-minute stuff to think about today as we move into "road trip" mode.  Tonight I'll be taking a mini road trip to Spokane to pick up Jim who's coming in from Oregon on a late flight.

Which brings to mind:  don't forget the pillow and fleece blanket for nap time in the pickup cab!

We did double check on our baseball tickets yesterday.  Sure enough, they've got us listed for a couple of seats in Peoria on Monday afternoon when the Mariners take on the Angels. 

Other than the lists that help us get out of here and those that help Jim take on the role of Lovestead ranch manager for ten days, we're leaving everything else pretty open for the open road. 

Oh yeah, don't forget to throw in the chairs for those roadside banjo concerts.

My head is going "bong" so much this morning that I'd better just bring this to a close and follow the bongs to whatever items flashes next. 

Happy Monday.   Watch out for Moose.  They have spring fever just like the dogs. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

have a wonderful trip, marianne and bill!!!
rose marie