DESTRUCTO DOG

Another tale on life with a terrible terrier! Poocharoo's cost of living with me is going up fast this year. Besides the usual costs you expect, she has added another catagory: destruction!! Last year it was two new screens in the back storm door plus we added a heavier aluminum grill to protect it. The pavers to keep her from undermining the foundation of the house was another expense. But this year she has outdone herself: two more screens and TWO grills!!



When she tore the guts out of the second grill and screen while trying to get in when thunder started (and there has been a lot of that this spring) I gave up and last Tuesday we went to Hastings to get a different door, one with the screen on top and the glass on the bottom. We found one we thought would work (I even asked if they could be switched around), tied it to the top of the car and brought it home, got out the tools needed, opened the box, took the trim from around the window and screen to change them around......only to discover that they couldn't be moved, they were glued in place! So we (I say we even though all I did was serve as an extra set of hands for holding screws, etc. while James did the actual work) put everything back together and in the box, taped it up good, tied it back on the car and went back to Hastings. Add a tank of gas to Pocheroo's bill. I told James he didn't have to go the second time since he had to work that night but thankfullly he didn't take me up on that. Being me, I was mildly(?) muttering about the extra trip and expense and James told me that wasn't doing any good and wouldn't change anything.

(Moral: don't grumble about troubles....it can get worse!)

We had to stop three times because something was coming loose in the strong cross wind. The last time was just a couple miles out of Hastings and we were just pulling back on the road when a big semi went by in the other direction and WHUMP!! the rope broke and the door went flying, landing on the corner of the box. It kind of got bent out of shape!

(Moral #2: Don't use an old rope, buy a new one, it's cheaper in the end.)

All the parts were there but not exactly in working order. We couldn't leave it lay by the side of the road so James tied the rope back together, tied the box back on the car and we went on to Menards. We took it in and asked if they would dispose of it for us. No credit since it was our fault. We then picked out and purchased another door after first making sure we could switch the screen and glass around. We also purchased a NEW rope. Thankfully I had the money from a short time job I tried but learned that my body just couldn't do that kind of labor anymore. By the time we got home it was late so James just untied it and moved it into the house and went to get some rest. The next day we (I did my extra hands bit again) got it hung and working. That night there was another storm and the door held even though Poocharoo left muddy paw prints on the bottom of the glass before I got downstairs to let her in. She can't reach the screen as it is over five feet from the porch floor. She can still make it rattle though by pounding on it with her front paws while standing on her hind feet, I heard it all the way upstairs.


She can still jump straight up a good four feet even though she is nine years old. The other day another bird made the mistake of trying to distract her by dive bombing while others raided her food dish. She caught it out of the air! This makes the fifth one since we have lived here. James saw her and said she looked kind of sheepish and was trying to bury it! She does keep me company and amused. I wonder what that dog will be up to next. She is currently trying to tunnel under the wire and pavers looking for a cool place to lay.


There is a strong wind today and the two wind chimes on the front porch that David bought for me are really singing to me (and the whole block)!

GOING BATTY

6-7-2011
James possibly wishes he didn't live so close to Mom, though I don"t know what I would have done without him this last year. Yesterday was no exception. He worked hard all day: putting a new (from the old kitchen counter top) desktop on my computer desk so I have more and better space to work in, put a new handle on my front screen door (the old one litterally broke in two!), installed a scanner that works, then did some work on some programs on the computer. I did get him to stop and eat. Before he headed for home he jokingly asked if there was anything else he could do for me and I said that I didn't think so. About 11 o'clock I thought I saw something move in the kitchen and went to investigate then put in a call to James and asked him if he could do one more thing for me and he said "Yes, what was it?" When I said there was a bird or bat flying around the downstairs he said "Get out of here!" To which I said that I hoped it would! He came over and of course it wasn't in evidence then. We flipped on lights and looked until he finally saw it resting and hiding on the wire tomato cage that my big vining philo(?) plant climbs on. When his hand got too close it took off, flitting this way and that throughout the downstairs while we laughed and tried to catch it. I didn't want to try and chase it out the front door for fear it would go upstairs (nightmare) and if we opened the back door Poocharoo would want to come and join the chase! We chased that bat for about a half hour and James finally caught it by fashioning a net out of a dish towel clothespinned to a wire coathanger! He ran for the door with it while I held it open. It didn't take it long to fly away! We had a good laugh before we said good night again. Another thrilling bit of nightlife in Kansas!