He Deserves Some Credit

Tomorrow will be one week since I posted this about how Pellet is cage free.

This week both Norm and I have been impressed about how he [Pellet] continued to go to this spot when we say "cage" or just for fun or to seek some peace and quiet (also known as sanity away from Crazy Cali) which is what he used to do when the cage was physically there.

These pictures have been taken throughout the week - at different times of day.


Here he was taking time out away from Cali's harassment



He stands on it and barks...


I think it's so funny when he does this - he brings toys to his "area" and Cali can't do much about it - she is learning to respect the space.

He deserves some credit - there are some functioning brain cells in that little egg-headed brain of his.

He's Moving on Up

Today we took Pellet's cage out of the picture (the plastic tray/liner had 2 cracks and he was not liking his cage anymore). So we left the carpet mat from underneath the cage... He seems to like it:



Cali is not sure what to think about it... we are in the process of teaching her that when he's in his "spot" because it's no longer his "cage", although when you say the magic word "cage" he does go and stand on the rug... quite funny. We are in the process of teaching her that she needs to leave him alone when he's in his "spot".




So 4 years into his life and Pellet is now cage free... I guess this means we are going to have to get it together and put our hearts, minds and patience into teaching him manners since we no longer have the cage to tuck him away when he is trying to eat our food off the table [while we eat]... or desperately pawing visitors that won't pet him...

Cali Has a Malady

Cali is going on pee #58 in the past hour and 15 minutes (no exaggeration, 58 is the number of times we have actually seen her pee). It all started last night - well, this morning I guess - when Norm found that she had had an accident in the kitchen.

Then this morning she was being weird - she didn't want to eat, she didn't want to play. She slowly finished her breakfast and off I went to work and left them in their houses as usual.

This afternoon I got home and the house smelled horrible. I walked around sniffing every possible corner and surface ... it's not the laundry room... definitely not my room... or bathroom... surprisingly not the kitchen trash... or sink (all the normal stinky places).

Let Pellet out - he doesn't smell. Let Cali out - oh boy, not only did she smell, she was wet.

So off we went outside to give her a bath, and hose down her cage and toy (thankfully it's summer and a lovely 97 degrees). Once bath time was over I started to realize that she would walk around the yard and pee. Then walk to the other side of the trees and pee. Then to the side of the house and you get the picture.

Called the vet - he is almost 100% certain it's a urinary track infection. Guess where we'll be bright and early tomorrow morning?

Pellet and Cali Got Out

[they are back, safe and sound, don't worry... don't really expect me to be blogging if they were still MIA...]

We have been teaching the dogs to stay outside (by not opening the door to let them in the second they knock on it). This afternoon I let them out back (as normal) and I went in the bedroom to cut up old shirts (for rags) while Norm was on the computer.

Suddenly I realize that they are awfully quiet. Then in a split second I think "what if they have gotten out?" (a daily fear of mine... I am constantly double checking the gates around the yard whenever I go in or out them).

In about 45 seconds I:
Look out the bedroom window - no dogs
Run to the back door - no dogs
Run to the kitchen window - no dogs
Jump up on the kitchen counter to look out the kitchen window - gate is WIDE OPEN.

Mini Freak Out Session: Love Love Love! They have gotten out! Hurry!

[in my head: what if they've been run over by a car? what if they are in the lake? what if someone took them? I am about to run out on the hot pavement bare footed, I need my yard shoes]

As I run around the house like a crazy person, Norm walks out the front door... calls them and they came running out of the woods.

Their footsteps on the living room floor were the end to my running around like a crazy person.

Were they gone 5 minutes? Were they gone 30? Who knows... all I know is that they are worn out at the moment (and I am drinking a cold glass of wine).

Another Rainy Night in Georgia

Guess what - it's raining and storming! ... again. And with the rain and storm comes craziness behavior on behalf of Pellet. I do have to announce that Norm and I finally decided to get serious about Pellet's craziness during thunderstorms and have made a commitment to teach him to chill out. With that said... there has been a whole lot of "HUSH" and "QUIET" and "SHHHHH" around tonight.

Historically, when we have bad weather Pellet goes in the guest bathroom and chills out as seen here. Tonight he definitely surprised us when he helped himself to the bathtub in our bathroom:

Of course Cali couldn't miss out on the goofing around


Yes, Cali is walking underneath him to the other side of the tub...


I love this picture... it pretty much wraps up our lives.


And this one... this picture makes me laugh!

Screen Door

Tonight Norm and I went out to dinner to a local pizza restaurant and we sat outside (as we usually do when it's not raining and we are dining out anytime between March and October). To our surprise there happen to be a guy by the name of Scott playing his acoustic guitar.

He did some covers and some original songs. One of the songs he sang/played was about Georgia and all the things that are dear to the deep south. One of the lines mentions something about the sound of a screen door slam.

This stuck with me - the sound of a screen door slamming is so particular - to me is almost freeing and goes hand in hand with the inexplicable feelings. I happen to have grown up - although it was in Peru and not Georgia - with the sound of a screen door slam.

One day I will have a screen door in my house... and it will slam... and I will smile.