The Bat in the Bathroom

I forgot to mention the wierdest experience of the day the other day. I noticed that the dogs were very interested in the Powder Room downstairs. I figured one of the cats was cornered in there so I went in to check. I looked around and saw something small and brown on the floor in the corner. Mind you, I had just gotten up and didn't have on my glasses so I really couldn't tell what it was. I ASSUMED it was a mouse or mole that the cats had drug in. So, I get a wad of toilet paper and go to pick it up and it raises it's little head and hisses at me. At that point I knew it wasn't a mouse! I got my glasses on and went back in and realized it was a little bitty bat. I don't know how it got in but I was pretty sure it was gonna go out! I got a clear plastic cup, some plastic wrap and some tongs. When I picked him up he was raising his head and hissing at me and I could see all these tiny little needle like teeth in his mouth and his funny little squished nose. The he started clicking (I assume that was his sonar kicking in : ) ) I got him in the cup and put the plastic wrap on top and proceeded to spend 30 minutes just watching him. It was kinda interesting really. Well, normally, I would have just thrown him in the yard like I do all gifts from cats, but I was afraid the cats would find him interesting and didn't want them to get bit, so I did the only humane thing I could think of.......Now Lizzy will understand why I had a flashback to 5th grade while doing this.....I flushed him down the toilet! Yes, you heard right. Not only did I flush him down, I flushed it three times! I wanted to make SURE that he was gone, cause Liz and I both know that sometimes living things that go down don't stay down! LOL Anyway, that was the adventure of the day. Just wish I knew how he got in the house!

Grammie has a very BAD day!

Okay, so first things first. Unfortunately, we had another fight between the two girls. This one was even worse (took me much longer and many more whacks with the pillows to break it up) and just about did poor Grammie in! One wound to the neck suffered by Serenbe (BTW, she is the one that starts these so I don't feel to bad for her) nothing for Cammie. Basically, it started out on my bed as play and next thing you know all hell broke loose. I have no idea what happened, but I know that Serenbe is the one that starts these things. Once I broke them up I put Serenbe in her kennel and tracked Cammie down. I did some serious physical control and verbal growling to both of them and basically ignored them for the rest of the day. They both pretty much found a place to hide for the day and were sad and tried their best to get back in my good graces. I figured why not let them stew in their own pots. So, I just didnt give them any attention. To finish this story, everyone seems to be okay....for now! I wish I could give Cammie a break. Maybe Dad would like to host her for a week! LOL

Ok, so then the rest of the day kinda sucked too. I had a meltdown and was pretty emotional the rest of the day and it was a pretty much wasted day. There were a couple of bright spots in the evening. I fixed hamburgers on the grill for me and the two boys and we had a great dinner with lots of 20 year old boy humor (Reid to Lorn as his burger is dripping "Lorn your burger is pissing on you") Trying to get them ready to move into an apartment this weekend. Yes the babies are finally leaving the nest! Yeehaw! Don't believe my enthusiasm. Since I have become a work widow, they have provided me with many moments of laughter (oh and of course frustration) and I will miss them both terribly. Just like I miss Liz. Even after 4 years I miss her just as much as the first time she moved away from home : (

The other bright spot came with a phone call from my soul sistah, KB. We talked for an hour and a half. Much of the conversation was fueled by her cosmopolitans and my wine. But then again, who cares! We reminisced about our kids and watching them grow up and how fun the cul de sac in EC was. We tried to figure out why our boys turned out so very different than our girls. We spoke of life changes and scary moments with our boys and how life has thrown us a few curves but it has only made our sistah love grow stronger. We talked about Liz growing up basically with three brothers and how she never once thought of herself as inferior physically to them. Liz, remember roller hockey in the cul de sac and being the only girl at Taylor's birthday parties? And here we are, almost 18 years since we all met and the two youngest boys who started kindergarten together and rode the bus together and did all boy things together are leaving to start a new chapter in their life together by getting this apartment. Things change and yet they still remain the same.

Thanks to anyone who bothered to read this. I needed a chance to talk!

NEVER A DULL MOMENT

So, for whatever reason the fight between Cammie and Serenbe happened, it seems to have settled things around the house. Cammie and Serenbe are big buddies now and Cammie even let Serenbe join her at her bowl for breakfast this morning. Who Knows!? They seem to have settled into a nice friendship now and all is well. Well, almost....Serenbe is headed to the Vet this afternoon. Seems she got bit in the eye the other day and it definitely needs to be looked at. Will update later.

A VERY WIERD DAY!

Well, at first I wasn't going to post about this, because I didn't want Liz to get upset and worry. However, when I thought about it, it is just another "adventure" when you have four dogs in one house....

Yesterday I was in the kitchen and Cammie, Harley and Serenbe were playing in the den. All was well. The usual play growling and jumping around and chasing going on. All of a sudden, it escalated and next thing I know it sounds like the hounds of Hell had been released. I don't think I have ever really heard a dog fight before. Let me tell you that you will have no doubt when it goes from play to fight by the sounds coming from the dogs. I ran to the den to find Cammie and Serenbe locked in a fight. I was so surprised, I just stood there for a minute until I heard the yelps of someone getting hurt. I yelled at them and screamed and neither of these did a thing. I finally picked up the pillows in the den and started throwing them at the dogs. This didn't help either. I decided to use the pillows as weapons and started hitting both dogs over the head. Even this took several times to get them apart. I now understand the concept of hosing down fighting dogs with a water hose! When I finally got them apart I dealt with Serenbe first and threw her on her back and dominated her and caused her some pain and growled at her. By this time, Cammie was sulking in the corner. Serenbe had blood in her mouth, which scared me to death, so I took her to my room and locked her in there. I checked Cammie for injuries but didn't find anything other than wet spots, but she was licking her leg and I let her settle down. You should have felt their hearts. They were beating out of their chests at this point. SO WAS MINE! I checked on Serenbe and she had a small flesh wound to the neck and ear. Nothing bad. Washed her up and tried to figure out where the blood in her mouth was from. I think she bit her tongue. I left her in the room. I came back to Cammie and did find a tiny nick on her leg, but it wasn't even bleeding. After everyone settled down, I made Cammie and Serenbe lie down with me on the bed. Serenbe went to Cammie and tried to lick her. They were both pretty wiped out by then, so I just layed down with them for a while. TODAY, everything is back to normal. Or maybe it is even different. They seem to have made some adjustment in their relationship. Cammie and Serenbe were eating out of the same bowl this morning and they were both running around quietly licking each other and seeming to say "I'm Sorry". Let's just hope that this incident was the last! Grammie's ticker can't handle shit like this no mo!

Cammie's New Personality

Funny thing happened in the last two days. Don't know whether to attribute it to the haircut or just getting settled in. Cammie kinda "found" herself yesterday. By that, I mean that she has suddenly become more playful and seems to be having a better time with everyone. Of course, she is still obsessed with the cats and it is very hard to water my plants without her "help" and I know she misses being able to get out and about and go on adventures with Liz, but overall it is going well. I love her to death and she is a very sweet girl. I hate to admit it, but four dogs is not much different than two and at times is even better as they keep each other well occupied and play together all day so everyone is more than willing to go to bed at night. Last night I didn't even latch the door to Cammie's crate but she still stayed in it all night!

Cammie gets a Haircut!

Okay, so the day finally arrived. My friend Tameka came over and we decided it was time to get rid of Cammie's hair. For her sake and because every day she was shedding ginormous hunks of hair on the floor and Grammie was getting kinda tired of picking it up. She was pretty good. Only took us a couple of hours, what with breaks to let her chill and breaks to cool down the clippers and smoke breaks for the beauticians! The pictures tell the story of the day......What do you think? Did we do okay?

Grammie took some pictures of Cammie and her running buddies last night when everyone was finally settled down.

Cammie has been here for 6 days now. The adjustment is still taking place, but every day is better. She is sleeping in a crate so she won't wander around waking people up and is having a bit of a hard time being on Grammie's enforced diet. Sometimes I catch her in the laundry room lying next to her food bowl. I take it as a hint.

Cammie has lots of playmates. Harley, the 2 1/2 year old Golden Doodle; Serenbe the 2 year old Irish Jack and Bear the 2 year old Rotty/Shepherd mix. So far everyone gets along. No agression issues. Serenbe was glad to see Cammie, as the testosterone was getting a little thick around here! They hit it off immediately. Cammie's favorite past time, beside eating, is sleeping on the hardwood floor next to the ac vent. Cammie is scheduled for a summer cut this weekend. Grammie is actually going to do it herself. Pictures will only be posted if it goes well :)

Cammie and Grammies First Adventures

Ok, so Grammie is suppose to pick Cammie up in Ellijay after her long trip from Colorado. Well, anyone who knows Grammie knows that things are never as simple as first laid out. The Ellijay trip turned into a trip to Ducktown, TN. Who the heck names their town Ducktown anyway? So, of course Grammie's GPS was not "exactly"accurate; she lost phone and Onstar service during the time she was "misdirected" and it was pouring down rain and getting dark! Anyway, after about an extra hour of traveling to a place unknown I finally found Cammie! Cammie was very happy to see me, although I am pretty sure that when she got in the car, she was like "Oh no, now where!"

So, Cammie came to Grammie's house and tried to get settled in. Not an easy thing considering she had three other dogs and four cats waiting for her arrival. After a long episode of butt sniffing by everyone (not Grammie, mind you) everyone seemed to be happy with each other.

Cammie's biggest problem is wanting to eat everyone's food and barking. She barks at the squirrels, the kids next door, the sound of footsteps, doorbells on the tv, etc. We are working on it. She is a bit antsy sleeping at night. Grammie noticed that she kept going up the stairs looking for the last room she and Liz slept in. She is now sleeping in a kennel and doing much better. Grammie has put her on a diet, as she is a tad "chunky". Since she can find food any and everywhere, we will see how that goes!

Check in tomorrow!