It's a New Day! (And New Zanna Pix)

It’s been a wild and crazy week.

Getting Zanna acclimated has been more than we bargained for – she is too smart for her little spotted body and is into everything. She and Zack are bonding well. She learned how to jump on our bed in one day…Zoie learned the same thing at about 9 months. Zanna makes us laugh, and cry (in frustration!), she’s a snugglebug (but only on her terms!), and she HATES her crate. We caved in and let her sleep with us two nights and we’ve been paying the price for that mistake ever since. The girldog can howl and bark with the best of any grown dogs I’ve ever seen, for at least 1 ½ hours. But. We. Are. Holding. Firm.

Right.

Meanwhile, we are trying to switch Zack’s food to another type, as he has developed an allergy to Science Diet Lamb and Rice. Not fun. He won’t eat the replacement, and all of a sudden, LOVES Zanna’s food.

Last Monday night, Suzan came down from Lubbock to help us out. I was scheduled for a 7 a.m. colonoscopy on Tuesday, and we knew MLH was going to be out in the field, so Suzan played driver and helper. (All went well during the colonoscopy, and all looks good.) She’s so sweet to help us out, I’ll really be sad when she and John move permanently to Pennsylvania.

We helped with the XTO Energy-Halliburton Bustin’ Clay for United Way on Friday. As usual, it was a fun sporting clay shoot! The shoot raised $107,000 to help all the programs that United Way of Midland serves – that figure beats the prior 7 years! That was very emotional for me, since I helped start that shoot, came up with the name, everything, all those years ago. I’m so glad and blessed it’s come to this!

Elder Son came by with his girlfriend.







Younger Son came by and played some tunes...then, last night, called from the Dallas Guitar Center. (Translate: he found another guitar. He's become a guitar addict.)


That’s about it for last week. I’ll try to post more regularly starting this week!

One Down, Eight To Go - Lives, That Is...

MLH has been working in the field lately, which means he might or might not come home. As hot as it’s been, we needed to put another tarp over Zack and Zoie’s kennel. We purchased one, but it wasn’t the correct size. Bob and Cherie to the rescue! They found one at Freight Harbor, and purchased it. They came straight over to help put it on.

Bob: Do you have any zip ties? We can secure it with those.

Janie: Yes, I think so. Come with me into the garage.

Bob: Okay.

Sound: Meawwwrrrrrrr.

Janie: Oh, no. (I’m thinking I’m going to have about a million dead kitties in this garage.)

Bob: Sounds like you’ve definitely got a cat in here.

Janie: I don’t think anyone’s been in here in like 6-8 days. It's so hot in here. Oh, my Lord. God, I hope it makes it.

I kneel down, and at the back of one of our shelves, is a gray cat. I tentatively reach my hand out, and it licks my finger. I grab it, and it immediately curls up on my shoulder.

Bob: Cherie, get the dogs in the back yard and bring us some water.

Janie: Let’s take it in to the kitchen.

This poor little kitty is definitely starving and dehydrated. We just finished a 108 degree day. It’s 8 p.m. now, and this garage is hot, hot, hot. I can’t believe anything lived this long in such heat.

We fed it some tuna chopped up in water, and that cat goes to town. It eats a little bit, then decides to visit. It’s very friendly, and looks spotless. I can’t believe it’s alive. While we're discussing plans for the cat, it finishes the food. My friend Suzan, who’s in town for the night, decides the cat should be named Gracie or Grayson, depending on what sex it is. (We were unable to tell!)

Bob and Cherie took it home in a crate for the night, and brought it back in the morning so I could drop it off at the vet. We called SPCA, and Animal Control, and no reports of lost gray cats were filed.

Vet report came back healthy, and it’s a 7 month old female. She has a date with the vet this next Friday to be spayed. I think her name is Gracie, but ultimately, that’s up to Bob and Cherie.

I’m so glad Bob and Cherie decided the time was now to tarp the kennel…and that Gracie lived, and now has a good home.

Countdown to....Zoie!

Tomorrow morning will find me heading north to pick up the pups.

I believe that Zack's little sister will be named "Zoie" - once we decide which one to keep.

Yup, the hardest part will be for MLH to decide just which pup will be ours, and which will go to his brother's house. He's already going from picture to picture and saying, "This one. No, wait, this one." Any bets on both of these pups hanging out permanently with Zack upon our return? Lord, help me.

Okay...funny story...sort of.

Since it has turned cold, the mice in this town have turned housebound. And a couple have found their way into our house. (EEeeeeeeeek! I HATE mice.) So, MLH purchased some of those cool plastic mouse traps that work like a clothespin, are top of the line, more sanitary, you know, the whole drill.

I came in this afternoon, and MLH was home.

(Enter disclaimer: For those of you who have recently started reading my blog, I have something to tell you...Zack the Wonder Dog...talks. He has a funky sounding voice, though...it sometimes sounds like MLH on some major helium.)

Janie: Hey, y'all! How's it going??
MLH: Good.
Janie: Whatcha been doing? Did you catch any mice?
MLH: No.
Janie: No? So are we done with the mouse hunting thing? You got them all? Woohoo!

At this point, MLH has a funny look on his face - like the one little kids get when you've not heard the whole story...yet.

Zack: Mom, don't listen to Dad! It's just not true. I hate peanut butter.
Janie: What?
Zack: Dad's saying stuff about me. And I don't even like peanut butter. I don't!! And I don't care what he says.
Janie: Do what????

It seems that Zack the Wonder Dog has figured out how to spring the traps and is stealing the peanut butter.

No way am I going to be on the receiving end of a Zack kiss tonight.

No. Way. At. All.

Did I tell y'all I HATE MICE?