Cross-Border Stress!

We had a tense weekend after DOD lost his tooth on Friday evening. It didn't hurt or anything but he was embarrassed with his gap-tooth smile and it didn't help that it was Halloween weekend and lots of people were trying to look just like him! When he smiled they all waved back and gave him the 'thumbs-up' sign.

So they went to a Dentist on the other side of the border today in Nogales, Mexico. Mom checked them all out and they looked just fine...lots of positive reviews etc...and she chose the best one. I wasn't happy that Me and Lacey had to stay home.....I mean we have all heard about how dangerous it is in Mexico and to think of those two heading off without MY protection made me feel quite ill.

It didn't make me feel any better when I heard Mom tell DOD to leave a door unlocked in case they didn't make it home early and she had to phone Frances and Cathy to let Me and Lacey out! I think she was scared they would not get back alive!

Me and Lacey paced back and forth while they were gone. We ran around and savaged our toys...ate all our stash of treats...checked Mom's crochet stash and re-arranged it... and I peed on the upstairs carpet to warn off any and all predators that this was not a burglar friendly home.

We were rather surprised when they arrived home after only three hours...one of which they had spent having lunch at Wisdom's Cafe in Tumacacori.  They had NOT been abducted OR kidnapped OR shot... DOD's tooth  was back in his mouth and it looked just great. They did NOT bring treats.

I ask you, wouldn't you have been just as worried as Me and Lacey? Is this any way to treat your fur kids?

Anyway, I think they were impressed with the evidence of our concern.

AZ Nights

I have noticed that things happen here after dark. All seems quiet during the day and I get the feeling that it is a safe and calm place...and then...in the middle of the night all hell breaks loose!

Take last night for instance....the Coyote gang went crazy! What started as a normal Coyote party turned into bash of epic proportions. A roaming alien Fox Gang crashed the party and they all went at it tooth and nail....literally!  There was so much squealing and yelping and carrying on that Me and Lacey thought all the Banshees in Arizona were after us. Then I think the Javelina Gang big guns showed up. Javelina teeth are on the outside you know and they are BIG and SHARP.....the big guys threw themselves at the FOX and Coyote party- animals and the noise got louder and louder with grunts and snorts added to the other noises and a few curse words thrown in. It was a full-blown riot!

DOD woke up and went out onto the balcony to check out what was happening. He said they were probably high on Peyote juice or something. Me and Lacey cautioned him in case any of them were high enough to fly in through the windows...but he said they were all on the ground having a Donnybrook (I think that is an animal RAVE). The fight went on for a long time and then all went dead quiet and we were able to settle down and go back to sleep.

Where was Mom you ask? Well she slept through it!  She said she hears worse than that almost every night in our bedroom and she is immune!  Ha Ha Ha. I will ignore that remark.

It sure make a few Raccoons and Otters seem pretty tame! I will keep you posted

Snakes and Close Shaves

You know how Mom is always going on about rattlesnakes and how we have to be so careful here. Well two nights ago when I looked out of the door there was a rattlesnake! I'm not kidding!

DOD said to just leave it and it might go away....Mom said 'don't be silly, we have to get rid of it'. So then they had one of their discussions about who was going to sweep it away....DOD would not let Mom do it...so he put on his cowboy boots and got the broom.

I think the poor thing was half frozen because it did not put up much of a fight and DOD whisked it over the bank. Well of course now I am watched every minute .....even for my private things...I can't take much more of this torture!

It turns out that people are not supposed to deal with snakes, they are supposed to phone the fire department and the firefighters will come and capture them and take them to a safer place. So now we know in case we get another visitor.

On another almost equally as terrifying note...I got shipped off to the groomers. I mean I look better and that is good....I smell better too...but I don't think a mature dog should have to put up with the indignities! She even shaved my you-know-what.

I made a new friend named Alfie. He is a good sort...not mature and sophisticated like Me...but I tell him about my Island and he likes my stories. Alfie has never seen an Otter or had the pleasure of a roll....I think he would like to visit me next year.

For those of you who care, Lacey is doing well. She had a sore leg....pulled a muscle trying to execute some intricate dance step...I think she was trying to Twerk....but she is okay now. 

Bye for now friends. Send me notes telling me about YOU!

Period of Adjustment

You know it is hard to write about day-to-day life here in Tubac. Yes, I hear Coyotes howling and yes, I smell Javelina pooh but that is hardly the stuff that Blogs are made of.
The weather is HOT. Everyone here says it is cool... but man they don't know from cool...I need a pool or a shower of some kind.
Mom will not let us off our leashes. She says Rattlesnakes are lurking. Let me tell you, as a Mature Dog this pees me off. I need freedom....
I get dirty faster than at home....too much dust. So that means more baths...arggh.
We are not allowed in the car 'cos they have a law here about dogs being left in a car....and Mom won't leave us outside in case a Coyote jumps the fence.
I am not a complaining dog but you can see that life here is not quite what I want or need...sigh.
On the plus side ..I love the sun and the people are so friendly. Everyone knows Me and Lacey and they stop us and tell us how cute we are. I sit outside most of the day and even until it is almost dark.
I think I am going through a period of adjustment...when I am here, I want to be there...and when I am there I want to be here!
Is this normal

Day 4

We are at the Best Western in Kingman AZ.

What a start we had this morning. First of all I HATE continental breakfast! I am not a muffin and cream cheese sort of dog. Lacey will of course eat anything!

Then we went out....OMD it was -2C. Do you know what it is like to have to look macho for all the girl dogs at the motel on a morning like that?? Mature dogs worry about the shrink factor too, you know! Anyway, I think I pulled off the macho look with my usual withit-ness. And then we hit the road.

Well it did start to warm up a bit after a while...but then the wind picked up.

Mom insisted we stop at a wild-life refuge area so we could have a decent walk. Sometimes I think she is clueless! She wouldn't listen to DOD ...no, she dragged us off and left him at the car (one of their little tiffs) but when we heard a grunting sort of noise in the bushes let me tell you she ran like hell! DOD was on his way ...bringing the car around to rescue us and we jumped in before Me and Lacey became some animals brunch! I ask you..do I need this?

So by now the wind was really howling. Wind warnings posted all over the highway. Trucks not allowed to travel at Hoover Dam.

We pulled into the Welcome Centre at Boulder City all ready for a walk in the wind when a truck pulled up with TWO pitbulls in the back....AND ...the owner let them out of the truck without a leash!  Mom freaked and had to race again to save us...we hadn't even peed!

Anyway, as I mentioned we are in Kingman AZ. The wind is still howling. I have a bit of an upset stomach from all the excitement. Mom is drinking white wine and DOD is reading his Kindle. Things are back to normal.

Tomorrow...yes oh yes...we should be at home in Tubac!

Day 3

We are safely in the Best Western in Eureka, Nevada. It is COLD only 7C. Mom is drinking wine (she is back to a plastic cup thank heavens...I do have standards) and DOD is reading his Kindle and making moaning noises over the state of the world.

We had a good night in Baker City and a very good breakfast. Lots of dogs staying at the Inn...none of them had ever heard of Saturna or Tubac. I find that odd as the two places are at the center of the Universe.

Today we drove through snow and hail and wind....unfortunately Me and Lacey had to make a pit stop in the worst of the howling wind and snow.... but so did DOD!  In my opinion the family that pees together outdoors is a more bonded family....Mom declined, what a wuss! She had to suffer for two more hours!

I managed to be better behaved today and earned a 'good dog'...Lacey is still the star though as she never makes a sound.

Tomorrow we will be in Arizona! My friends tell me it is warm there...if they are tricking me they will be sorry when I bite them!

Day 2

Here we are at the Best western Inn in Baker City. Mom is drinking wine out of a paper cup and DOD is reading his paper and watching American news. Is a paper wine cup less than a plastic cup? I do hope we are not going down hill!

This morning we were all up at 5.00am...I know, I know...it was difficult.. but I felt someone had to get them going early. Anyway, the weather was Biblical ....It was pouring...teeming...drenching..tipping. We could hardly see. I wondered about the Ark and the animals chosen...do you think Me and Lacey qualify as a two-by-two couple? And how about Mom and DOD would they be allowed on the Ark being past child-bearing age and all. It was very upsetting to me.

The border was not too bad ..considering. The fellow did not want to see all of My certificates....but he did want to know how Mom and DOD were going to support themselves in Tubac!!!  Really!  So DOD said they had pensions and relied on government to send cheques  every month!! Not! This was not a good time to be mentioning these Government things....I had to intervene and say that I \Me\ Lacey would find a way to make sure they did not starve and no matter what, that we would make sure they got home to Saturna.

Then we drove until the weather cleared up although it stayed very cold.

I have taken to singing on the back seat...Mom says I am whining but she has always had a tin ear!

Tomorrow we head for Eureka, Nevada. In the meantime DOD brought us Prime Rib for an after dinner treat. Life is good. 

Day 1

Well I started off in a good mood this morning. I was all packed and ready to go...and then I heard Mom tell DOD I smelled and looked awful and that the Immigration people would probably deny me entry! Of course He bought it and threw me into the shower! I mean cleanliness or lack of it is not a condition of entry....why the heck doesn't he check the facts!

So everybody came to say goodbye and then WE went to say goodbye to other people....Dear Dog I was exhausted (and still a bit damp).

It started to rain.

It got colder.

Mom and DOD hustled upstairs on the Ferry and left Me and Lacey cold and starving to death on the car deck. Of course they left a few cookies and some snacks to tempt us but I told Lacey not to fall for their trap! They were impressed and gave HER all the credit.

So we got off the Ferry and it was worse than when we got on. I think Summer has been abducted by terrorists and Winter rules! Tomorrow the forecast is not much better all the way to Baker City.

We finally got dinner and actually it was pretty good. Left over stew and lamb meatballs....I am more relaxed after dinner.

Mom is having a glass of wine in a plastic cup...DOD is reading the paper....Our beds are made up...things are not  bad in my world. .

More tomorrow.