Terrible Tuesday - Poor Lee

Last week was a stormy week. I did not give Lee her Xanax on Tuesday before I left for work. We thought she had done ok until later in the evening when I walked into the downstairs bathroom (aka her fortress of solitude) and discovered the fortress bed and some rags had been chewed up. While I sighed cleaning it up, I did tell her this was a level of destruction we could live with. 

She had her Xanax on Thursday, and still ripped up the rags I have put in the garbage (she took them out of the garbage). We still call it a win! 

Mischief Monday - A Stinky Wildlife Encounter

Those of you who follow us on other social media platforms know at least some of this story. Last Thursday, it has to be a Thursday because no good ever came from one, the Man got home from work. It was pouring rain. He took the dogs out like usual. He was putting Lee on tie out when he smelt skunk, saw Phod spitting out a bad taste and after a  quick scan he saw a little skunk standing next to the house.

The Man brought Lee back to the house before she saw it, changed out of his work clothes and then put Phod in the garage.

He took what little peroxide we had and started to clean him.  He then called me and asked me to stop and get all the peroxide.

I stopped at the local drug store. 20 minutes later, after several failed attempts to communicate what I wanted as the clerk didn't speak English and while my receptive French can be ok, by expressive is terrible, having to get an manager to override the system because there was a limit of peroxide due to a sale, I came out with enough to bath him 4 or 5 times. 

All the peroxide - 4 little bottles are needed for one bath

I then gave Phod his a full bath (in a combination of the yard and garage) with the peroxide, baking soda, dish soap mixture.

Lady I smell

He was fairly tolerant, but clearly not happy. We took it in small steps, I would do some washing, he would do some rubbing. In the garage I put down a blanket Lee had destroyed. Outside he rolled in the grass.

He then had to spend more time alone in the garage. I did a 3rd wash of his head, which is where he got sprayed and then decided while there is the faint fume of skunk, he could come in the house. We tried to keep him out of our bedroom, but there were fireworks and Lee needed out . . . . . . so he was allowed in, but not on the bed (which he usually doesn't want to sleep on but because he was stressed he did).

He has been very distressed since. I don't think he likes the smell.  We gave him another head washing and then a bath on Friday, and he will get something similar on Saturday (we have the stuff lol!). We also have a new rule, Phod is always on leash, at least until the yard has been swept for wildlife.

Moth balls have been put under the deck to ensure little skunk doesn't make it her home.

We have owned dogs for about 19 years and this was our first skunk spray, so I would say we are doing ok. Let's hope it is the last!

Nature Friday - Charlotte

If you visited my parents, you would assume this main entry was the front door, as it is off the road, and it is where you would park. However, in 1932 when the cottage was built by my great-grandparents, there was no road. The beach was the road. So the front of the cottage faced the beach. For 5 generations now, my family has called the beach the front and the road the back and confused visitors.  

Since the back door leads to the driveway, the road, the back lot etc. it is the door we use the most. Every time I went out that door, I walked through a spider web. They like to build across the ramp. Sometimes the web was 1 step out the door and sometimes it was toward the end of the ramp. I never knew where it would be.  When I walked out, I tried to remember to hold my arm up and out, so the web wouldn't break on my face.

One morning, the web was to the side of the ramp, meaning I didn't have to walk through it to go out. It was nice to not have to destroy the spider's web. I did feel bad every time it happened. 

Thanks to Rosy and the Boyz for hosting Nature Friday and allowing us to share different things from our natural world!

Phoddy and The Big Guy

On Tuesday, I wrote that Phod is really a Lady's boy. While he is very attached to me, there is another human he is just as attached to. He LOVES my dad aka the Big Guy. I captured a few pictures of them together. 

Wordless Wednesday - Phod Doing What He Loves

Happy 7th Gotcha Day Phod!

The picture of Phod from the rescue

Lady's new favourite picture of him (shared last week, but he looks so happy!)

Seven Fun Facts About Phod:

1. He is a farty dog and they make our eyes water.

2. He gets really scared when the power goes out.

3. To get people to pet him he stands beside them and leans in.

4. He takes his time picking which Precious to take out today and always counts them when he has to put one away. 

5. He is a Lady's boy (he loves the Man, but he loves his Lady).

6. He is quiet and unassuming, sort of the opposite of his namesake. 

7. Most nights as soon as I go to brush my teeth he runs to the bed and gets in my space. He smiles when I tell him he has to move! He knows he is being funny. (Note: he doesn't sleep on the bed, he prefers the floor or a dog bed). 

Mischief Monday - Lee at the Beach

We arrived home last Thursday after a long day in the car. Lady says we get the A+ traveller awards.
We had so much fun at the cottage that we are going to share more adventures from there with you this week.

While everyone knows Phod is a water dog, people may not know that Hailey is not really. She did wade in the water more than she usually does (maybe because there is just no beach!)

Her very favourite thing to do is bite the waves. 

  Here she is playing in the water.





Nothing is better after getting wet than a good roll in the dirt. I am sure Grammie appreciated wet, sandy dog in her house!