” I was thinking about making a comeback, until I pulled a muscle vacuuming.”
Some time last night it rained. The sides of the streets were still wet when I woke up. The air will be heavy with moisture today. 80˚will be the high. It was 70˚ just a little bit ago, but now is already 73˚. The heat is moving in fast.
Last night I heard a banging sound but no breaking sound so I ignored the bang. Later, on my way to the kitchen, I glanced into the living room and saw Nala chewing on a branch about three feet long. Around her were pieces of the branch she had already chewed off the big one. Henry was watching. The bang was the limb hitting the floor from the dog door. That was what amazed me. Nala had figured out how to bring a stick, a long stick, through the dog door. I threw the stick out but not far enough. I was in the kitchen when I saw the end of that branch appear through the dog door. I got to see Nala maneuver her branch through the door. She is a smart girl, annoying but smart. I wish she could learn to vacuum.
When I was a kid, my mother got a huge vacuum cleaner which was never easily moved. It caught on rugs, especially scatter rugs. The vacuum sucked up the tops and sides of the scatter rugs thus rendering itself immobile. My mother was determined to free her vacuum. She’d yank the vacuum cord while simultaneously stepping on the scatter rug until finally the vacuum was freed.
Much later, in a different house, my mother had a vacuum system installed. One of the main vacuum holes was in the living room. My mother was dog sitting Shauna, my first boxer. She decided to vacuum. Shauna hated vacuums. She always attacked mine. She’d whack it with her paws and try to eat it. My mother didn’t know. When Shauna went vacuum crazy, my mother tried to vacuum anyway. Shauna caught the vacuum cleaner. In retaliation, it ate Shauna’s tongue. My mother scrambled to turn off the machine and free Shauna’s tongue. At first, once freed, the tongue sort of just laid there. My mother checked it. The tongue appeared unharmed. Shauna was fine. My mother didn’t tell me for a long time.
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August 24, 2021 at 3:07 pm
Hi Kat,
I love your story about your mother’s vacuum system and your dog’s tongue. 🙂 A friend of mine had a puppy that used to like licking the electric socket. One day he heard a loud yelp from the dog as the AC current shocked and pushed the dog away from the socket. The dog never went near an electric socket again.
Every dog we ever had hated the vacuum cleaner. I think it’s a combination of the noise and the vibration on the floors. None of our
dogs were brave enough to attack the thing they just ran away and hid.
Today is a repeat of yesterday’s weather. I’m tempted to jump in the pool after work or maybe tomorrow when the temperature hits the century mark. At 98° the water might not be warm enough. 🙂
One of my coworkers told me he just got his 3rd. booster shot for Covid-19. His doctor said that he didn’t have to wait and could get it at anytime. He was off work for 44 days and was in the ICU on a ventilator for a couple of weeks last year with Covid. This was before the vaccines were available.
August 24, 2021 at 10:20 pm
Hi Bob,
The poor dog. I think I would have baby proofed the plugs. Sauna didn’t stop chasing the vacuum. She was the only dog who did.
No other dogs were bothered by the vacuum. Even Nala doesn’t mind it. She keeps an eye on it and follows me but doesn’t touch it.
It will be hot here tomorrow, a high of 86˚. Boston will be in the 90’s the next couple of days. It will then get a little bit cooler.
One of my friends too has gotten her third shot. She has medical issues which make it necessary she get an early shot. I will get one as soon as it is possible. I am not vaccine reluctant.
August 24, 2021 at 9:51 pm
Hi Kat,
Nala needs a job. She’s too smart. Maybe you can teach her to carry laundry bags to the cellar. 😀
It’s so wet and hot up here my cellar door has swelled shut. I have to kick it several times in strategic places to get it open. Same for closing it. I shaved some off with a hoof rasp so the door will close. It’s a little better. But then the clothes dryer stopped working. I hung my jeans up to dry on the overhead dog run. It’s so wet outside, they’ll probably take all week to dry. 🙂
Enjoy the day.
August 24, 2021 at 10:41 pm
Hi Caryn,
I like that laundry bag idea, but knowing Nala, she’d race out the back door and toss them all over the yard.
I stayed inside until just after five. By then it was less humid though still warm. I had outside uke practice. It was nice until it started to get dark and then the bugs appeared. I have a lesson tomorrow then nothing all next week.
My dirty clothes pile is starting to rival the heights of small trees. I have to push myself to get anything done. I am a sloth every day.
Take care!
August 26, 2021 at 12:01 pm
I laughed so much when I read about Shauna 🙂 🙂 🙂
Yes Nala is truly smart, most dogs never figure out how to bring long stick through a small hole. So far Alma leaves her stick on the stairs so that I can stumble on them instead 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
August 26, 2021 at 9:14 pm
Hi Christer,
I laugh about that story too. My poor mother was horrified. Shauna was perfectly fine.
I watched the second time she brought it in the door. I saw one end of the branch come through the door first then came Nala’s head and the rest of the stick. I do wish she weren’t so smart.
Have a great day!