After a rough night for both of us, the day dawned. My rough night was because Kelli had a bad night. She had a bad night because she was reliving the day before.
I helped her change her dressing, the first time I saw how they patched her up. I have to say it wasn’t a bad job, a neat “L” shape with nine staples. The surrounding area was bruised and still painful, but carefully we removed the tape holding the gauze. A smear of antibacterial cream, then I placed the new patch over the wound.
I took a couple of pictures for Kelli to send off to the Humane Society to add to their report.
They later sent back a reply that categorised it as a 4/5 injury, where 6 is death, so pretty bad, but not fatal.
I had to buy some medical supplies, so I drove to the nearest pharmacy filling my basket with gauze, antibacterial cream and clear tape, as the dressings have to be change every day for the next ten days.
When I returned Kelli had started icing the cake that she made for Greer’s birthday bash at Kelli’s mum’s house later in the day.
The cake was supposed to be decorated in red hearts that had to be drawn by hand. Neither of us had ever done it, so I had a go first. My first attempt looked like a heart, but one that had been run over by a lorry. Kelli did a much better job although hers looked like teeth, but we agreed that hers was better.
Therefore the cake was covered in lots of little red teeth, but Greer didn’t mind, it still tasted good.
The day began by me letting the dogs out of the small bedroom and Milly out of the cage. They all ran out into the back garden to do their business.
We had our breakfast in the sun room with the three of them sitting around waiting for any scraps that fell on the ground.
Next was the walk around the block, stopping to talk with a couple who had built a huge geodome in their back garden.
Once we got back home again we took pictures of the latest dresser then drove up to Kelli’s mum to collect another to work on.
I could hear a commotion inside and rushed in to see what was happening.
Milly was being a bit annoying, she was trying to get Phoebe to play, but there was a lot of snarling and barking, this seemed to excite Milly even more, so we tried to intervene by getting Milly interested in some toys.
I then went out into the garage to start work on the new dresser whilst Kelli had to make a cake for Greer’s birthday party tomorrow.
Milly had destroyed a rush mat in the sunroom leaving bits all over the place. We scolded her and put her outside while I cleaned up the mess.
Milly was bouncing around barking, I had never seen her in this state, so I went outside to try to calm her down. She ran at me nipping and biting. I turned and walked away, normally this stops the aggression, but she continued. Then Kelli came out to try and help me, but Milly then attacked her. I managed to grab her collar pulling her to the ground, but not before she bit Kelli on the arm, just above the elbow.
Kelli ran inside to grab the leash and we somehow attached it to her collar. She then dragged Milly to the truck and we got her inside and slammed the door.
Kelli rushed back to the bathroom to look at the bite.
I heard a scream and hysterical crying coming from the room.
I ran in to see her sobbing at the sight of a large hole, about half an inch in diameter, and a flap of skin hanging free, it looked horrible.
In that moment Milly’s life with us was over, she was going back to the humane society as soon as I could, but first I had to get Kelli to the hospital.
We had noticed a change in her behaviour that day, her interactions with Phoebe were a little rougher, maybe frustrating her, and her barking at us, was totally out of character, we couldn’t have imagined it would end so violently.
Milly had been locked inside the truck, I had to restrain her, and get her into a cage.
I opened the door and grabbed the lease and quickly wrapping it around the passenger headrest. That held her long enough for me to place the cage in the back of the truck.
Now it was just a question of getting Milly into it.
Fortunately she had calmed down sufficiently for me to load her into the cage and lock it.
After I had taken Kelli into the emergency room and saw she was being attended to, I had to leave to get to the humane Society before it closed.
There were forms to fill out, and a lot of questions documenting what happened and the dog’s behaviour. Then the time came when the girl came out to the car to take Milly away.
As they walked back into the building, she did not look back, she just trotted alongside as if nothing had happened.
I was sad because, although we only had her for ten days I had become attached to her. She had fallen asleep laying across my lap, and I hoped she would become a happy member of our family.
I guess no one knows what happened in her early life, some hidden trigger waiting to be activated, her future lay in the hands of the humane society.
When I returned to the hospital, Kelli was lying on a bed in a treatment room. Her mum was with her, she needed someone that would give her support, as I wasn’t there.
A doctor was busy cleaning her wound. I sat the other side and didn’t see the detail, he was using a lot of big words that I couldn’t pronounce yet alone spell.
He finally finished the job by applying the staples to close the wound. It was then covered with a non sticking gauze, and he was finished.
Her mum was then taken out in a wheelchair, mainly because she didn’t know the way out.
This was confusing for the staff to wheeled out a visitor after she managed to walk in, but they did it with a smile.
Then it was our turn to get wheeled out, we sure monopolised the wheelchairs this night.
We then had to collect the prescription from a pharmacy on the north side, by which time we were hungry, so an order for a couple of burgers from New Holland was placed.
Getting back, and tucking into the food was the best part of the day.
It was a pleasant day for a walk with the dogs. The sky was clear and blue, and I didn’t need a hat. It’s quite different taking three dogs for a walk because they each want to go in different directions or, sniff the same tree. This creates a problem with the leashes, ending up in a kind of macrame. Poor Dhama, the oldest, usually trails behind, a zombie dog. I am sure that if she somehow slipped her collar, I wouldn’t know until we got home.
On route we had to stop at the corner store, and I had the fun of controlling the three beasts whilst Kelli went inside to get stuff. Milly was the only one who wined, the others just stood around not giving a jot.
We still give the new resident a calming medication which is hidden in a soft treat. It takes about one and a half hours to take effect, or so we think. Sometimes she resists, gnawing a sheep’s horn to keep awake. When she does succumb she snores like a docker.
Another no-show customer for our dresser. We should be getting used to this. Sometimes people do not realise how far they have to travel.
This time they lived in Rockford which was forty seven miles away. They asked us if we could deliver it for twenty dollars, what a sense of humour these people have.
We went to the beach for a change, it was Milly’s first time, and she loved it. We dare’t let her off the leash, but I ran along side of her, hoping to wear her out a bit, it didn’t do much for her but I’m sure I’ll sleep like a baby tonight.
We managed to get into the private area down at point west, an enclave of high end dwellings most of which are unoccupied during the winter. We didn’t even come across some old busybody reminding us that it was private. I think I would have gone for their throat rather than Milly.
We set the Christmas tree up at last. Better late than never. We had trouble deciding where it should go as there was an old watchmakers bench now occupying the usual place. As the room doesn’t have any free space along the walls, we’ve had to stick it in front of the furnace door.
I was working on the two desk pedestals preparing them to be painted, at least there is a buyer at the end of it.
Another shopping day, including a visit to a pet store to search out some chewing material, as an alternative to my hand.
Milly has her moments when she thinks she’s gnawing at a bone when in fact it’s me. As I prefer my blood to be on the inside we needed more things to occupy her mind.
Kelli had bought a ball throwing device, but we spent more time learning to use it, we’ve certainly learnt how to hit our fence.
We started on another dresser, sales have been slow again and we are having to reduce our prices just to get interest, but we managed to get a sale of the last piece, so we keep going.
I had an “old gits music” time because Kelli went off to do stuff on her own.
Milli was a bit of a pain this morning, not doing what she is told and annoying the two other dogs.
She was in her cage whilst Kelli was away and I was working in the garage.
I had taken the desk apart and was repairing and making the modification to the pedestals.
It was one of those days when there were bity things that had to be done with little end result.
Once Kelli was back we took the hounds for a walk, Milly continued her attitude problem when we tried to put her harness on, she was shaking her head and growling. There is a technique for putting it on, we’re just not learnt it yet.
Fortunately when she lifted her head, I was able to drop the harness over her nose and quickly clip it together before she had the chance to snap at me. On the walk she was perfect, although she is nosey, and is interested in everything and everyone.
when we got back I put on some dog relaxing music I found on YouTube, yes, there are loads of them. So with that playing we were able to work a bit more on the furniture.
When we finished and came back into the house Dhama and Phoebe were asleep on the couch with Milly nowhere to be found.
She had got back into her cage and fallen asleep, the first time she has done that.
Kelli had talked to the person at the humane society about the medication Milly was on to calm her down during the transition period. She advised us to raise the dose and see how that went.
Well that is what we did, and Milly spent the evening asleep on the couch next to me, she did not stir even when there was food under her nose.
The sleet that had fallen yesterday had frozen, across the road at Larry’s place someone had turned up to get a snow plough repaired.
I could hear the sound of ratcheting tools frantically working in the cold air.
Lots of truck drivers around with ploughs on the front, and many earn extra money cleaning roads and driveways.
These are definitely days that I do not want to work outside, unless fleece lined clothes are the order of the day.
Kelli had a doctors appointment this morning, so first we had to lure Milly into the cage, this was before her walk, so she is still pretty lively.
Eventually, with the aid of a couple of treats we did it, then it was off to Plato’s. Did I mention that, yes Kelli was delving even deeper into her closet and found more clothes she didn’t need. It’s like finding a new seam of gold, you have to chip away for a while, then it’s revealed. Not that the closet ever looks empty, what remains has a chance to breathe again, and you can hear the sigh.
Typical Kelli, she waited until the very last minute to leave Plato’s, giving herself ten minutes to get to Zeeland. However that was not taking into account the two cars in front of her trying to join the main traffic. These two vehicles had nowhere to go, there was no movement even when there was obviously gaps in the traffic.
With the clock now ticking down a few blasts on the horn signalled her frustration. In most of my driving life the number of times I’ve had to use the horn could be counted on one hand, but here, our vehicle may need a horn service.
Anyway we were a few minutes late for her appointment, now for some bone clicking.
The table was being collected today, but first we had to drive to Grandville to collect a desk.
With a bit of luck this will already be sold to a lady who has already bought two dressers that we are holding until March 2024.
This will be converted into two side tables, a favourite with the marketplace.
The place was a large warehouse filled with all kinds of stuff. There were already three desks that were spoken for, so we were fortunate to get one.
Once we were back I just had to wax the table top for a final time, making it really smooth and shiny.
The customer was excited to see the finished product results.
I was happy with the response, it became a labour of love, but I was glad to see it go.
Then it was dog walking day, and although it was sleeting we dressed appropriately and proceeded around our normal route.
Milly requires a lot of exercise to drain that energy she has as a one and a half year old puppy.
There was then an appointment at Kelli’s mum for ice cream at four, but we should have been there at three, so everyone else had left. Not to worry, I had a bowl of vanilla and chocolate that I savoured.
Afterwards we had to climb the stairs to rooms that are no longer used other than storage to search out Christmas decorations.
There were carrier bags full of stuff for different seasons, something that is common here.
But nothing was organised, Kelli’s old bedroom was filled with, in my opinion, junk, and things needed to be stored more appropriately.
Well we found a few things and carried them downstairs.
Getting back home, we let Milly out of the cages, of course she just wanted to play. Not the best time because we had to make dinner, and eventually sit and eat it.
So there was unwanted activity for a while, until she got worn out, then she sat next to Kelli and fell asleep snoring loudly.
We are continually revising our routine, to find the best way of controlling her energetic nature.
Peanut butter in a cone can give us a good thirty minutes of peace and quiet, and boy that is welcomed.
So we failed at fostering, It was bound to happen, having two dogs in the house for so long made the decision for us.
Therefore we decided to adopt her.
I was certain that was going to happen one day, I just didn’t think it would happen so soon.
Fortunately the humane society were have a pre Christmas clear out, so instead of having to pay 175 dollars we only paid 50, but there was the cage and other dog paraphernalia to consider.
We were given all this gear when we collected our cherub, now we had to return them.
The process was quick, a document to sign and that was that, she was ours.
This whole situation has caused us to hide all shoes, and anything that Milly, her new name, can get her teeth into.
Nothing is safe at the moment, including body parts. One of the things she loves to do is chew madly at her toys, often inches away from my delicate area, I just sit there hoping that she keeps focused on what’s she’s doing.
After all the excitement, we finished off our latest creation, taking it outside to take pictures.
I also finished the top to the coffee table, after five coats of polyurethane it looks super, and ready to be refitted to the base.
Wow they come around fast, another weekend looming.
With another day of shredding toys ahead, I have changed the pre breakfast routine.
Now when the hounds are let out to do their functions I have to go out and chase Amelia around the garden to use up some of the pent up energy, if not she’s into everything.
We have a morning walk trying to keep control of the three bitches who all have a direction they want to go, except Dharma who trails behind.
On route we encountered three individuals walking their hound. They looked new to the job as the leash was new, and they obviously were inexperienced as we approached their dog reacted to ours, as expected. At this point, one of women dug into the bag she was carrying and pulled out a small bag of ice and throw it to the ground. This was supposed to subdue the animal but instead scared it. This was really abusing the dog, and Kelli called them out on it. Of course they didn’t like it and shouted back but by then we were way past, and often in those situations you think of things to say afterwards, but we will keep an eye out for them again.
Another Lifetime to go 