Safe and Sound in the Sand

Bella in Alex's sandbox.

Saturday, when Alex and I went to lock the dogs on the deck before going to see Happy Feet, we discovered that Twain and Bella were missing. Penny was there, mellow and not worried looking, but Mutt and Jeff were gone. We discovered a HUGE hole in the fenceline behind the shed, it looked like something dug in and then torn down some of the boards. And of course Bella and Twain took the opportunity to go on a Joy Ride.

This is something that usually only happens on my watch. Casey was sleeping in, trying to get over the cold he had, and I should have been paying more attention to them then I was. We have trained our dogs to alert us to any activity along the fencelines and to bark and guard. Twain being more seasoned then Bella, would normally stay in the yard. Bella, who is usually our scaredy cat, must have been tempted beyond habit to go through the fence. Twain, who is bonded to the girls left with her, a kind of Grey Ghost protector.

So poor Casey had to get up out of bed, and in a hurry, and climb over the fenceline and down into the greenbelt to find the dogs. Alex and I hopped in the car to take a drive through the neighborhood, and our neigbors went on a drive in the opposite direction helping us out. Casey ended up finding Twain and Bella about 10 houses down on the creekbed shoulder, playing with a pack of dogs in another yard. Twain, always happy to see his Dad came immediately, but Bella got confused and scared until she realized it was Casey. Alex and I were so happy to see Casey coming back to the houes through the brush with two leashs straining into the weeds, since the weeds are taller then the dogs right now.

We ended up spending the next hour fixing the fence, hobbling it together with odd boards, nails, chicken wire, and staples. We even piled brush on the backside of it and I blocked part of the area with an old Alex playset.

So in a effort to stay alert, like our dogs, I have been checking on them everytime they give the alarm bark, looking out the windows, and walking the yard multiple times a day with them. When I am in my craft room, I can see only part of the yard, but if Bella is in the Sandbox, or Penny is in the Fort, then I know all is well and safe.

Bland breakfast, so comforting.

This morning is grey, windy, and surprisingly warm. We are getting ready to have an Artic Blast come through the area, so I have to prep the yard and house today for the freezing temperatures. When the weather is like this, I just want to snuggle down and nest. So I made myself an ultra bland breakfast of scrambles with cheese, an English Muffin, and a pear. Coffee of course rounds out the meal, and my project on-table is there to remind to me hurry up and finish so I can get busy again.

I am starting to feel a Christmas "hang over". I just want all the decorations to be done, the cards ready to go out, and the presents mostly wrapped and ready to put under the tree. And of course I really want to get all the shipping presents out and on their way. So much to do.