Hi Everett, Marshal had a tough second day in the crate. It is still raining, so our morning walk was abbreviated simply because I didn't want to risk him slipping. Odd, you say, worrying about a dog slipping on a wet sidewalk/road/grassy yard, etc? Remember, this is the same young pup who, while standing still on a hardwood floor, can suddenly send both front legs in opposite directions, greeting the wooden surface with his face in the blink of an eye. I think his coordination is catching up with his lanky frame, but yes, I was worried about slippage, so our walk was very short.
The pups ate, then all of them reluctantly retired to their respective crates, and I left them for the day. I went to the farm, to help my sister Nina collect more of her harvest, and do general chores. The photo above is four kinds of beans, and just a few raspberries. We collected over a quart of berries, with full branches holding on to more that will be ripe for picking in just a few hours. We also filled two (three?) 5 gallon buckets with yellow squash, acorn squash, and one full bucket of pickle cucumbers. The pumpkins are not yet ready for picking, but I took lots of photos of those too--here is one with Dixie donating her head to put the pumpkin in the right scale:
These pumpkins are white, or yellow(?), at maturity...Dixie however will be white for life. Such a cute little lab! She just turned a year old, so she wasn't at the farm last time you were there Eve.
So Nin and I only picked for a few hours, then did some other outdoor things before it started raining again. We headed inside, then out on errands. We went to a neighbor's farm to drop off the overgrown cucumbers for the pigs, who love the extra-large veggies. I didn't take any photos of the pigs devouring the tasty treats, but here is a Jersey x short horn steer, who I HAD to photograph, given his coloring:
Isn't he awesome!! I have virtually no experience with cows of any kind, ESPECIALLY a brindle cow! But I digress. While we were at this farm, it really started to rain in earnest, so we made our way back to Nina's place. She packed a nice meal for me and I left for the long drive home.
When I arrived at the house, Marshal was clearly ready for some play time. During the day he managed to get through the bottom tray in his crate, pulling up the rug underneath and appeared to methodically unravel each strand of the Berber as far as possible. We went out for our evening spin--yet again in the rain, so again for a shorter hike. Once again inside and toweled off, back into his crate he went, while I made dinner. He ate quietly (he doesn't inhale his dinner like you and Paisle, so I am hopeful we'll keep him at a good weight during this inactive time), but as soon as I removed his bowl and shut the crate door in his face, the protests started. Two rooms away and in the shower, I could still hear him alternating between ear piercing screeches (did Paisle teach him that?) and grown up barking. The volume varied but the message was clear: I WANT OUT!
I gave him one of the full marrow bones, about 7 inches long, fully frozen, complete with small amounts of grisle still attached. I left the kitchen again, to go get dressed, but the bribe did not work--as soon as I was out of sight the crying started again. So here I sit, in his line of vision but not actually IN the kitchen, wondering how we are going to get through the night.
Marshal is now in Paisle's condo--if anyone remembers why I put the smallest dog in the largest crate please let me know--and it easily takes up half the kitchen floor. Reaching either side of the stove is a stretch, while the oven door and both cupboards on each side of it are inaccessible. But, the good news is he can stand, stretch, lay on his side fully extended, and sit without his head touching his barred ceiling. What a small consolation, for such an unhappy dog.
Some folks on the forum to which I belong have sent to me links of rehabilitation clinics in the area. One of them is right next door to where we went to see your oncologist at the U! (for any new readers, Everett lost her cancer battle earlier this year) I still owe Michelle the last photos of your tumor--I started to burn the CD for her but just could not bring myself to look at those awful, awful photos another time, and put it away. If the rehab clinic has the time and space to see Marshal tomorrow--I hope he can swim at their facility at least a few times a week if not daily--then I'll finish the CD for Michelle and drop it off for her. Well, in reality, as soon as the clinic can see Marshal, I will bring the CD with all the photos of your tumor to her, or anyone in Oncology.
It's time for bed. Marshal has barely dented the large bone, but he has hours ahead of him to make progress...I hope he makes it through the night without crying. Tomorrow is a work day and I don't want to spend part of tonight on the floor with him in the kitchen, like I did last night. Come to think of it, now that he is in the condo, I bet there is room in there for me too, should it come to that....
Here's hoping everyone sleeps well (and through) tonight.
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