AHS Manuevers ....with Dad....

It was clear an' dark an' a lil' cold.  It had rained all day, an' we all had been stuck inside.  The nite was just perfect...the kinda nite that you just know holds some kind of excitement an' all the nite time critters would be out.  Lexie an' I were not gonna be disappointed. 

"Hey!"......

"MOM...DAD!"....

(shoot...they're watchin' tv an' not payin' a bit of attention to me!)

"HEY!"....  <followed up by several loud paw slaps on the glass door>   

That got their attention!   Dad opened the door,  an' I gave him one quick "follow me, we've got a situation" bark an' just waited a moment to make sure he "got it".   Then as he grabbed mom's lite, I spun around an' took off into the nite.

Dad came out shinin' the lite across the yard....mom was behind him at the door, for once able to watch the action...she thought.  She asked him if he could see where I went.  He told her that obviously, he was given some kind of instruction as to what was goin' on, but her wasn't sure what it was.  An' he could see me in the far corner. 

After a few minutes, dad came back towards the house.  Mom asked him what happened, an' he said that I was doin' some serious patrollin' in the far corner, but he didn't see anythin'.  Then mom asked him where Lexie was.  (She was enjoyin' watchin' dad gettin' a chance to experience  typical nite time AHS manuevers).  Back he went out into the yard w/the lite.....mom was kinda snickerin'.   Again, he came back an' said that he thinks Lexie was on her way to the house, an' she should be comin' around the far side of the pond in a minute or two.

He was right!  She was on her way to the house. 

Mom was standin' on the patio as dad was gettin' ready to greet Lexie...an' tell her what a good girl she was.  Lexie was almost to dad when mom quietly informed him that Lexie had somethin' in her mouth.....an' it had a long tail!!

As soon as Lexie got close to dad, he grabbed her collar.  Mom told him that he had to pet her, so she wouldn't think she was in trouble.  Meanwhile, mom was tryin' to identify what was in her mouth w/out touchin' it.   She couldn't tell.....it was grey, had a long tail an' she thought it had little round ears.  All the while, Lexie was just standin' there....w/it in her mouth. 

Dad told mom to get his big grilling gloves...well, just the right hand one.  She got that an' a couple pieces of chicken.....by now, mom was havin' a hard time not laughin' outloud......she said bein' on the outside of one of these capers was a lot more fun........dad didn't think so.

Anyway, she gave dad the glove.....showed Lexie the chicken an' let her smell it.  Then she gave Lexie the "drop it" signal.  Lexie dropped the critter an' took the chicken.  Then mom showed her the other piece of chicken an' pointed to the door an' said go to the kitchen.  Now, we're still not sure what Lexie can hear...but we're beginnin' to think she can read lips...'cause she sure understands to go to the kitchen.   

Lexie went into the kitchen an' mom gave her some more chicken.....an' since I'm the head of AHS an' did everythin' I was s'posed to do as well as reportin' a successful mission....I got chicken, too.

While Lexie an' I were enjoyin' our rewards,  dad came back in the house w/mom's lite an' his one glove.  He said it was a baby possum....an' it was playin' possum, didn't seem "none the worse for wear"...just a lil' soggy, well maybe a lot soggy.  Lexie did have it in her mouth for quiet awhile, lol.    He put it in the bushes on the other side of our yard in the field.   Hope it learned it's lesson.

I just don't understand Lexie's facination w/wantin' to keep these critters.  Mom wants to know where are the other dozen or so littermates.  Guess our job tomorrow is lookin' for a den.....mom's already told us that she doesn't want anymore comin' into or near the house!!! 

Looks like AHS is gonna be busy.     

Who Says Possums Can't Learn?

Who says possum's can learn? It was obvious the one I had treed in the corner, last nite had.
Mom heard me yellin' at him an' came out w/her lite. I like to think she's comin' out to help instead of shuttin' me down. (She refuses to abide by our AHS contract at times). 

First, she shined her lite up in the corner to see what exactly I was dealin' with. Sure nuff, it was a possum up on the back fence just starin' at me....darin' me .....tauntin' me. Mom looked around w/her lite an' selected a long pole. That's her weapon of choice...a long stick or whatever...me?...I like it more up close an' personal, but whatever works. 

Then she got in the corner, shined her lite along that big pole at that possum, then took aim, ready to knock him right off that fence to the other side. But......

That possum musta recognized mom....the lite....or the pole...or all three....because he stood up an' took off down that fence towards Ginger's yard!

Mom was fast, though...an' caught him off balance an' over the fence he went into the field.
It was so excitin' when he took off....I jumped up to add support....trouble was...the possum was off balance, mom had that long pole.....I knocked into her... the possum fell over the fence...an' well,....mom managed to not fall by kinda leanin' on me.....

Anyways, I did a quick double check, that the threat was over...an' mom was ok.....she gave me a quick pat, leaned her pole against that tree back there (for next time)...an' we went to the house. 

Where was Lexie? Well, she was providin' support behind us...an' double checkin' behind the greenhouse, tryin' to see if there was another way to get to that possum since me an' mom an' that lil' tree pretty much took up all the room in that corner. When we got to the house, though....Lexie was already waitin' in the kitchen for our reward, lol

It's a Quandary....

She shoulda known that daytime run around the yard after Lexie was a fluke. She shoulda' known that Lexie havin' a "treasure" most likely happens at nitetime...the middle of the nitetime.

Like right smack dab in the middle.

I came inside to try an' report...but mom thought I was just bein' friendly. She petted me, rubbed my ear flaps, gave me a big hug.....I soaked it all up (hey, why not?). Then she went to call Lexie in.

Lexie was on her lil' porch, & mom knocked on the lil' door flap. Lexie knows that's her signal to come inside. First, Lexie turned around an' poked her head inside, Then when mom opened the big door, Lexie hopped down, grabbed up somethin' in her mouth an' proceeded to come inside.

I was standin' next to mom, w/my superior "I tried to tell you, mom....an' I tried to tell you, Lexie"....look an' attitude. Just waitin' to see how this was gonna play out.

There was Lexie standin' in front of the door, there was mom (an' me) standin' in the now partially opened door blockin' the way inside.

Now, Lexie can't really hear...but she sure seemed to when mom looked her in the face an' asked, "What do you have in your mouth?". (It was kinda obvious, when we saw her pick somethin' up an' her cheeks were stickin' out like a chipmunk).

Lexie backed up......mom took a step forward....Lexie walked off to the side of the patio ready to start her evasive nite time yard manuevers. I was just watchin' the action.

All of a sudden, mom stepped back to the doorway...then announced she was goin' into the kitchen. "What?"....Lexie an' I were both taken by surprise.

Leavin' the door open, mom really did go into the kitchen. Heck I followed her right away, this might mean some chicken or somethin'. Within seconds, Lexie was inside, too. She came inside, dropped somethin' off on the rug in the livin' room an' was right there beside me in the kitchen in front of mom. Mom gave us both a big cookie, an' we ran back to the livin'room to our beds to eat 'em.

Mom followed us w/a huge wad of papertowels in her hand to pick up Lexie's latest treasure. It was, she thinks, another birdie.....

Lexie must have found another nest that got blown down or somethin' had gotten this birdie an' dropped it in the yard sometime earlier in the week. Sadly, it wasn't alive...but I guess Lexie thought it was like the possums, an' she wanted to keep it until it was ok. An' she wanted to keep it safely in the house, that's why she had it by the backdoor an' her lil' porch, to bring it in the house for safety.

Mom had to dispose of it...an' after eatin' her cookie, Lexie ran back outside to look for it.....in fact, this mornin'....she was out lookin' for it again.

Mom has been tryin' to reassure Lexie that she was a good girl. But the quandary is that mom really doesn't want her bringin' stuff in the house....dead or alive. But she really doesn't want to do nitetime chases around the yard, either....

.

Me? I don't care one way or the other......I'm scorin' either way!

Spring Time is finally here.....

Today was the perfect spring day. The sun was shinin', the weather w/just a touch of cool. The squirrels were out, an' that's why me an' Lexie were out there yellin' at 'em.

Mom came out to see what we were up to, an' I ran over to make sure she was ok (she was sleepin' almost all day 'cause she wasn't feelin' well)...then led her to where them squirrels were.

Lexie was right there at that big palm tree by her pond keepin' watch. I joined her an' let out a really loud warnin'....it musta' worked 'cause one of them squirrels ran down a palm frond an' then jumped across to a tree branch an' was makin' a break for the roof by way of the trees.

Leavin' mom by the palm tree, we ran around the pond to try an' head him off. By that time, dad came out to see what all the ruckus was. He an' mom watched for a bit...them mom made the statement that a whole bunch of them palm fronds that were killed by the winter needed to go, since they were all brown an' hangin' down.

So, right in the middle of our grand squirrel chase, mom's supervisin' dad, while he's cuttin' down them fronds. She was helpin' by stackin' 'em. An' since the squirrel had managed to jump to the roof an' escape, Lexie an' I were inspectin' their work an' the nearby flower beds.

All of a sudden, mom's radar went off an' she zeroed in on Lexie, who was clear on the other side of one of the flower beds. Mom says somethin' to the effect of ,"what does she have in her mouth?!". Dad & I stop an' look at Lexie....Lexie all of a sudden starts walkin' off in the opposite direction kinda fast. (her mom radar musta been workin', since she can't "hear").

That immediately put the rest of us on high alert.....mom hadn't been sure Lexie had anythin', until she saw that "walk".

I went over to see n' sniff where she had been, mom an' dad went to try to head her off an' retrieve whatever that was in her mouth.

After several ins an' outs an' across the yard, mom finally got close enough to see a "wing" hangin' outa Lexie's mouth. The chase was on! In an' around the flower beds, they all went.....they almost had her trapped by between the pond an' the big grapefruit tree, but Lexie faked them out by steppin' into the pond...then jumpin' out at the last minute an' racin' down the other side.

Dad finally grabbed her on the garden path....an' pried her mouth open to get her to drop that birdie. He took the birdie while mom grabbed her collar an' got her headed toward the house.

Just as me, mom an' Lexie got to the backdoor, Lexie backed completely outa her collar an' took off back out in the yard, w/mom chasin' behind her.

Lexie didn't go far...in fact she was sniffin' around the flower bed by the patio...then just as mom got there, Lexie took off an' ran into the house. This time, mom closed the big door an' even Lexie's lil' door. Then looked at Lexie.

Yep....Lexie had a lil' birdie foot stickin' outa her mouth. By now, mom wasn't in shock anymore....an' remembered that this wasn't her first rodeo. She walked past Lexie (whose cheeks were kinda puffed out like a hamster).....I followed mom (not my first rodeo, either)

Into the kitchen we went....mom got one of the big smoky elk sausages, broke it in half...gave me half...then walked back an' let Lexie smell the other half. Then she motioned Lexie to follow her to the kitchen to get it. Lexie dropped that birdie on the rug an' was at her bowl before mom.

Mom dropped the sausage into Lexie's bowl....an' another piece in mine (yeah, I scored for bein' the good one...an workin' it). Armed w/half a dozen papertowels, mom went an' picked up the birdie an' took it out to dad. He had found the nest that the wind had blown down an' put the lil' birdie in it an' then took it to the back an' put it up high in the oak tree.

Lexie is remarkable in that she has a very "soft mouth"....those birdies were just a lil' wet...an' kinda traumatized..but not hurt by bein' carried around in her mouth. I don't get it....I think she just wants to keep 'em...like lil' live toys or somethin'. Mom doesn't get it either...but she sure wishes she wouldn't bring 'em in the house an' she's thankful Lexie isn't into reptiles or bugs.

Monday mornin' ......

Eh......it's Monday....we got up super early w/dad....so, besides it bein' Monday....we've got another excuse for sleepin' in.......oh, an' we can always use the time change thingee....it's not really as late as mom thinks....it's only 9am really...not 10am......







Besides...if Lexie's takin' the mornin' off.....so, am I!!!!!

You gotta know when to call it.......

Last nite was ...well, different....first mom spilled a whole bunch of oil down herself when she was in the kitchen. So, she ended up spendin’ dinner an’ the rest of the evenin’ in her jammies. She said the oil part was messy...but she had to admit it was comfy sittin’ on the couch watchin’ tv in her jammies. An’ she wasn’t gonna have to take much time gettin’ ready for bed........ha ha ha...oh what plans she makes.
After dad went to bed an’ mom cleaned up the kitchen, she let us out for our “last call”. She was busy on the c’mputer answerin’ messages, when Lexie burst into the livin’ room all excited. She grabbed her stuffed puppy on the way as she ran up to mom all wiggly. Then she was givin’ that puppy a furious death shake & makin’ all kinds of noises. Mom was laughin’ an’ thought Lexie wanted to play. She got up an’ moved toward Lexie, thinkin’ she was gonna grab the puppy an’ throw it to her..but noooo, Lexie gave it some more shakes, then dropped it....gave herself a spin an’ barked at mom. Then did a couple of hops an’ ran up to mom an’ grabbed her arm. She tried to tug her toward the door. Finally, mom got the message an’ followed. 

Lexie gave mom one last look as she bolted out her lil’ door. Mom opened the backdoor an’ stepped out w/her lite. She barely had time to catch a glimpse of what direction Lexie took off to, but the sounds of me in the back corner....an’ then Lexie joinin’ in gave her a clue. We were in the farthest corner of the yard.........an’ obviously had a situation. (not sure what mom’s first clue was....Lexie did everythin’ except right it out for her what was goin’ on).

So.....mom comes traipsin’ out int he dark in her jammies w/her lite. (She’s convinced one day one of the neighbors is gonna set up a nite time camera an’ film her an’ send it into some crazy video show one day). 

She found us just where she thought she would. At that back corner....at the same tree....probably w/that same ol’ possum that has been tauntin’ us for weeks. We were stymied....he was up on that branch right over our 8 foot fence...no way for us to get at him. We were sure mom would find a way.
First, she found a long piece of pipe an’ tried to shoo an’ then push him off the limb on the other side of the fence into the field. It was a good plan....she was able to get him to the other end of the branch, but he kept grabbin’ her pole an’ had a deathlike grip on the branch. The plan wasn’ workin’....she’s not 8 foot tall an’ really couldn’t get her pole at the right angle to do much shooin’ or pushin’ really.
Her next brilliant plan was to just go get her big clippers an’ cut the branch off, lettin’ it an’ the possum fall over the other side of the fence into the field. (She was a lil’ ticked that she had to work to get her pipe away from the possum w/out him comin’ too). 

So, off she went across the yard to her greenhouse to get her clippers....in her jammies...in the middle of the nite. I stayed watch on the possum an’ Lexie escorted mom....who was doin’ quiet a bit of mutterin’ at this point. 

Back w/the clippers, mom set her lite upside down an’ wedged it so it’d shine up at the branch. The possum had inched a lil’ closer to the fence...guess he wanted to see what she was gonna do next. I gave him a stern warnin’ not to come any closer. Then mom took them clippers & with her arms outstreatched, the clipper blades on the branch, the lite shinin’ up, the possum watchin’....me an’ Lexie holdin’ our breath actually hopin’ that possum would fall on our side of the fence...she started cuttin’...
...
Then stopped.

The clipper blades were stuck in the branch...she couldn’t get ‘em out....she couldn’t get a strong enough grip to get ‘em to cut thru the branch....they were just hangin’ there over her head. There we stood.....mom, me, Lexie an’ the possum lookin’ at a pair of long red clipper handles hangin’ from a lil’ oak branch. 

There comes a time that you’ve just gotta know when to call it a draw...not a defeat...just not a win.......mom looked at us..an’ told us we did a great job..an’ “how about some cookies for a reward...everybody to the kitchen!”. Lexie an’ I agreed, an’ we raced to the kitchen. There’ll be other opportunities to get that possum...but he won’t be able to escape on that branch, again. When dad got home from work the next mornin’....mom told him she had a job for him...first to get her clippers outa’ a tree....an’ to take a chainsaw an’ cut a big limb. He didn’t even ask why those clippers were danglin’ like that....or why she needed that limb cut.....maybe he don’t want to know, lol.

The Squeaky Wheel doesn't always get the Grease.....

Mom an' dad had spaghetti for dinner, an' me an' Lexie waited......that's our thing...we wait until they're finished to even hope for any leftovers. An' mom knows that spaghetti is our very very favortist thing!! So, after they finished, we waited by our bowls, knowin' mom would be sure to give us some. 

Sure, nuff....she did. We each got a scoop of spaghetti an' even a lil' piece of that garlic toast. It was awesome! We loved it!

Afterwards, I went an' laid down on my bed on the other side of dad. Lexie did some snoopin' in the kitchen an' then went an laid down on the couch, on the other side of dad.

After about a minute...guess she was mullin' thin's over...Lexie started complainin', demandin', downright insistin'....she discovered there was lots more spaghetti durin' her lil' snoopin' session....an' it was right there in that big pot on the stove. She was MAD! I listened for a bit...then tried to chime in that she was right...an' then tried to tell her that mom wasn't gonna give us anymore. But Lexie wouldn't listen..she stood up on the couch an' just got louder....dad started laughin'....I, again, tried to tell her that mom even said that was all we were gettin'....mom was just shakin' her head an' told dad that she sure was glad that she wasn't in the middle of all that barkin'.

Oh....an' btw....we didn't get anymore spaghetti, either. Just goes to show Lexie that thin's are back to normal, an' she doesn't always get her way. 

An' I'm not gonna tell her that mom slipped me a lil' bit of her cookie for tryin' to calm Lexie down...an' for bein' the "good one". ha ha ha