A Lot Going On

We have a lot going on that has been keeping us very busy. I’ve already told you about our new pets, and there’s no question about it, they have taken up a lot of our time as they adjust to living with us and we adjust to living with them. But it’s all been fun.

However, there’s more happening around here than just that. I have started my next book, Big Lake Assault, and in the last couple of days I’ve written over three chapters. It’s always fun for me to revisit that quirky little mountain town and all of the characters that live there. It feels like going home. Assuming your home is a cross between Twin Peaks and Mayberry.

Terry is starting to see some results from her garden. Yesterday she picked some zucchini, a summer squash, and kale. I’m still waiting for the strawberries and the pepperoni pizza plants to bloom.

Besides taking a short nap in my recliner in the middle of the day yesterday and waking up to Beebee sleeping on my stomach and Alli sitting with her head on the footrest of the recliner, sound asleep, Terry and I tackled another project.

I have never believed in tying dogs up outside. If I have a pet, it’s a member of the family and I want it in the house with us. However, I realize that there are times when that is not possible, or when we may have to leave the house for a while and don’t feel comfortable leaving the dog inside. So we went to Lowe’s and bought a 10’ by 10’ dog kennel kit, which we assembled yesterday.

It came in premade panels along with all of the assembly hardware. The six-foot-high kennel was easy to put together for just the two of us. It was basically a case of standing the panels up and using the supplied clamps to connect them together.

We put it just outside of the sliding glass door to our bedroom, where it will be shaded in the morning by a tree and in the afternoon by the house. We also plan to get a light-colored tarp to put over the top, both for more shade and to keep Alli from climbing or jumping out if she decides to try that.

Besides the clamps that came with the kit, we used a lot of outdoor-rated heavy-duty zip ties to reinforce everything. It may have been overkill but we figured it was worth the extra effort.

I wrote in the blog the other day that I bought a small children’s wading pool for Alli, which we put in one corner of the kennel. As you can see, she still has plenty of room. We won’t use the kennel often, but I don’t want my dog running around bothering the neighbors, getting into mischief, or worse yet, getting hit by a car.

After finishing that job, which took less than two hours, Terry took advantage of the sun being low in the sky to work in her garden a little bit while I watered the grass in the side yard and part of the backyard. Then when she was done in the garden, we turned the sprinklers on there because, as hot as it’s been, the plants definitely needed a drink.

Of course, Terry wasn’t done for the day. Not by a long shot. Back in the house, she made two loaves of delicious banana nut bread before making dinner. I always say she’s like the Energizer Bunny; she keeps going and going and going.

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

Thought For The Day – Some people won’t admit their faults, but I would if I had any.