Wishing to be out in the boat!!
I was trying to my re-arrange dry to wet clothing and of course I was no longer inconspicuous as I yelled loudly for her to stop. Too late. I marched over with a big frown yelling sternly. This made her want to get further from my wrath and the best hiding place was inside the families car. It took a lot of doing and apologizing, but I drug her out only for her to slip her collar and jump back in! I didn't bother telling them that she pees when she's scared. I hoped they didn't notice any drips. I was so so frustrated, and the family quite bewildered. I tried explaining that she'd come from the pound. I didn't tell them she'd come from the pound 9 months ago. Finally I picked her up and stuffed her kicking and scratching back into the back of my truck.
I was just thinking all the way out that maybe I'd made a big mistake and should find the first person to take her that said "oh what a cute dog", when she made the absolute stupidest move yet. Even stupider than killing the chicken, even dumber than jumping into a strange families car twice and dribbling, this was the grandaddy of them all. The silly thing decided as I was driving down the highway going about 50mph to jump out!! Yes she did! Time stopped and all my suspicions were confirmed. For a brief second, I was sure I was going to suffer the humiliation of being a "criminal owner" who, for lack of judgment, caused a puppy fatality. When the public outrage ended, at least she'd be gone and I would be dogless. I guess I'd have to live with it. No, whats this? She bounced off the pavement, flopped upside down once or twice and took off running. A kind elderly man slammed on his brakes wanting to tell me what happend but I'd seen it all, for the day anyway. The boys went running off to get her and Miss Libby, no worse for the wear rode home in the cab. I just don't know if I'm cracked up to be the owner of a dumb dog. Our german shepherd just never made these stupid moves - he thought most things through, most.
So this past weekend was Mud Bog weekend here in Bonners Ferry. Its supposed be a lot of fun except for all the drunken brawls. Our friends had come up for the hospital run that morning, as our children had a big score to settle with themselves. Who was fastest? Super Catman and Sweet Tooth Sweetie compete about EVERYTHING and we were all looking forward to seeing them duke out so to speak. Well it turned out to be a lot of fun. Super Catman won the 3k - the girls and I not too far behind. Art Dog came in 2nd on the 5k and Elasta Woman was hot on his tale!! Wow that woman can run!! After the run, and shopping, I made a big ol' Mexican style meal at my place. That afternoon, we had a "mud bog" of our own! We drove through crazy almost impassable places and even through deep natural mud bog!! I drove an old beater 4WD Toyota with Elasta Woman shotgun. The men were quite entertained seeing what we could do. Before it was all said and done the truck had mud every where - even splattered all over the roof! Even Miss Libby was speckled in mud. It was crazy fun!!
There is one more (among so many) that I HAVE to tell!! Its about the mysterious old mountain man who lives down the road. I just didn't know what to think of him. He walks early in the mornings and avoids people. He rarely waves. Once, when I was running, he ran off into the woods and held still like a statue, hiding until I'd gone by. Thin and tan, but wild long flowing hair and an overgrown looking, mysterious property........ My imagination could have gone wild... but I've been praying for the neighborhood and I wasn't about to let this man slip through. I'd determinded EVERYBODY gets something baked from me... EVERYBODY. I wrote him a nice note and sent a meal with the kids who had been embarking on a camping trip at the time. Though he'd been surprised to see them, particularly packing, he was nice to them and told them to send me "for starter plants", and so with that, yesterday, I met the mysterious mountain man....... The only thing he said on the phone was to "plan for some time" and time is a precious commodity, but, time I planned. The kids and I walked over there, up that overgrown path to his house. I went unarmed with anything but a baby and of course, Miss Libby. When we arrived, he was happy to see us. Gone was the stern look with his head down. He was a quite intelligent and charming man of 70. He took us all over his gardens and it turns out he is quite the horticulturist. He spent 15 years working in a tree nursery and has done miracles with trees that "can't be grown here" even a Sycammore tree. He has all kinds of exotic trees growing, as if he lives in a secret, magical land all his own. He believes in self sufficiency, and so he grows and cans and juices and does all kinds of amazing things. He told me right away that he was not a social person, and asked me to never take his picture, but said I could photograph his beautiful labors and that he would be pleased for me to ask him for advice anytime with gardening questions. He has thousands of flowers growing all over and picked me quite an amazing bouquet of them to take home along with sending me his own harvested seeds, cans of his juice, a box of little plant starts. I was overwhelmed by his generousity, knowledge and the vastness of years of planting and growing. He'd gardened and planted trees on this place for thirty years. Forever in my mind will be the memory of this precious soul with a stunning array of flowers holding them out to me and wishing me a "Happy Mothers Day".... Its amazing, just amazing what happens when you just make the effort to try to know somebody for who they are, instead of just taking what you see at face value. I'll leave you with that thought.
