Our Adventures With Retired Racing Greyhounds, Truly, Maggie and Walker



Friday, November 30, 2012

Someone Has Some Splainin' To Do

While cooking dinner, I realize I dropped a paper towel on the floor.  I'm busy and I think, "I need to pick it up before one of the dogs gets it." Then the oven timer starts beeping. I forget about the paper towel.

I finish preparing the meal and I call the family in to eat.

This is what I see on the dining room floor:
That's the now-shredded paper towel on the left and Squirm the Worm on the right.

This is what I see in the dining room door:


That's half of Walker's face at the top and half of Maggie's face at the bottom.

Neither is forthcoming with the facts.


Truly comes in to survey the scene. He says, "It wasn't me, Mom."

I believe him.

Now for the other two . . .

Thursday, November 29, 2012

New Member of the Family

ALERT
1. This post is not about greyhounds but
2. it is about something that makes me happy.  :)

Tim has been working really hard.  Full-time job, part-time teaching job, full-time student.  He's always been a motorcycle guy.  Last December, he said he'd found "the" bike of his dreams - a 2009 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic.

Since he had been good all year, this is what Santa brought him:


For some reason, I have always referred to motorcycles as "motor bikes."  I'm not allowed to do that anymore.  "She" was given a proper name.  Because the paint job is called "Rootbeer," she's now named "Candy."

The riding club members have asked me if I, too, will get a bike.  I don't think so.  But if I did, it would be one like our friend Mike's trike:
But this is what I'm holding out for:
I think my chances are pretty darn good.   :)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

A Great Break

It's been a very mild November in Middle Georgia - perfect for enjoying a week of holiday vacation with the family.

If you look closely at the sky in this photo, you can see lots of black birds flying around.  The cool thing is they aren't birds.  They're BATS!  Bats eating mosquitoes in my back yard!  We LOVE bats!
It was time for Walker to get his nails trimmed. The Dremel didn't work for the boy. The guillotene clippers didn't work either. They broke on the first nail. But I found these at PetSmart. 


So I called him in for his first sitting.  He's looking at me with a lot of trepidation.

He had to bow and yawn at me many, many times.


I saw a lot of red brindle rear end before he finally came in to lay on his pillow.
I am very pleased to say that the new clippers worked just fine.  All of his nails are trimmed and filed.  I so wanted to get a shot of his newly trimmed nails - but Walker really had quite enough of me that day.

The dogs spent a great deal of time outside since the weather was so nice.
 Truly even stayed in the yard longer than usual enjoying the sun.

In this shot, Maggie is just about to start a foot race with Walker.  They have become great pals in the last couple of weeks.

Here they are on the deck stairs together.  You can see how tall Walker is in this photo.  Maggie is not a small girl. 
She's an average-sized female but she looks tiny in comparison to him.

Walker and Maggie at the end of one of their daily races around the yard.

Maggie says she pretty tired after that run.  I didn't find out until later in the day that she got a
nice-sized cut on the bottom of her foot in one of those races - didn't slow her down, though.

Truly, Maggie and Walker usually stay with me in the kitchen if I'm cooking.  Fortunately, Maggie and Walker stay
out from under foot.  Truly lays right in the middle of the floor forcing me to set over or on him while I'm working. 

Walker likes to spend his kitchen-time standing by the fridge.

Truly in the front watching me.  Walker in the back watching the fridge door.

In doing my Thanksgiving shopping at the supermarket, I came across a can of EXTRA GREEN green beans.  What?  Really, EXTRA GREEN?  I bought a can just to see if they really were extra green, green beans.

Yes!  Yes, they were.  Now, my next question:  Why would you ever need EXTRA GREEN green beans?

Maggie and Truly loved having us home so they could get extra walks.  Walker doesn't enjoy leashes so he stays home.
 
And the cat, Paulie Walnuts.  Paulie is still -- just Paulie. 

Well, the break is over.  As I sit here comtemplating another day at the office tomorrow, I'm enjoying this last bit of holiday time with my family.  We're watching a new episode of one of our favorite TV shows.   Truly, Maggie and Paulie are watching. 

And so is our foster hound, Walker.  Hmmmmm . . . .


Friday, November 23, 2012

Research

I continue to research what others have written/found about idiopathic fear in greyhounds.  I can find a lot of information about what it is and what may cause spookiness, but I can't seem to find much about overcoming it.  I just know it can be done!  Walker is counting on it. 

We've been subscribers of Celebrating Greyhounds magazine since we adopted Truly in 2006. In reviewing the CG archives, I've found reference to the article, "Spooks" by Ann Smith in the Fall 1996 issue. Problem is - all back issues are sold out.

If you should just happen to know where I can get a copy, please let me know. Just leave a message in the "Comment" box. Please don't e-mail me because the e-mail address attached to this blog has been hacked and I can't access it.

I thank you and Walker does, too!