Jan reminded me that I have not told the Skipper story that I promised a week or so ago. It's not a pretty story, but one that should be told I suppose.
One afternoon, I hooked up the dogs and took them for a walk in the neighborhood. This was before the Great Heatwave of 2012 struck and we could still breathe out there. My furry charges were doing great, behaving well and keeping up a good pace with only an occasional delay for a bit of sniffing, piddling, and pooping.
We had made it halfway around the block to the wooded vacant lot at the corner of Stewart and Castlewood when all that changed. There at the edge of the woods, grooming himself with total abandon, was a juicy neighborhood cat. The sight was more than Skipper Lou Blue could endure with calm. Like magic, he was out of his harness, off his leash, chasing said kitty down the hill and into the woods.
I immediately let Sophie off her leash (my good dog Sophie does not run away), and into the woods we went to catch our wayward beastlet. Now these are dense woods with trees, bushes, vines, and all kinds of undergrowth. Which might be a good thing. If it had been clear sailing, I might have killed myself. As it was, I had plenty of things to grab on my way down the hill. I stumbled and flailed and scratched, and scraped myself, but I kept to my feet. Almost to the end.
As I hustled through the woods to try and catch my runaway pooch, grasping at tree limbs, bushes, and bird nests, I finally felt my balance going. I can only imagine the picture I must have presented as I twirled and pirouetted, trying to regain my footing and keep from falling, but in the end, it was fruitless. I went headfirst to the ground and skiddered along, finally coming to a stop with my head completely buried in dead leaves.
Spluttering, and brushing myself off, trying to decide how many bones I had broken, I sat up to find that I had two dogs checking out my condition as well. There was Sophie, calmly looking at me as if to ask, "Why do you do these things?" And on my other side was little ol' Skipper, panting and frisking about. The cat was chased; long live the cat.
Somehow I had managed to hold onto Skip's leash with his harness attached. But the boy was naked. Somewhere in the woods, he had dispensed with his collar. I grabbed him and sat there a long time, telling him what all horrible things I was going to do to him as soon as I could breathe again. He believed not a word of it, curled up in my lap until I could again get to my feet and carry the doggies home.
We have not been walking since. Right after, the heat hit; so I think if I should have to make one of those Skipper retrievals in this weather, I would not survive. Andy volunteered to look for his collar, and found it. The leash and harness that he left in the woods in front of our house on his previous cat chase remains in those woods.
Now, here are some photos from the outside of The Yellow House. We're ready for Independence Day--and some cool weather.
It has taken all morning to upload this post. Typepad is acting up again. Or maybe it's my computer or internet connection. But the only place I have trouble is on the blog, so I don't think so. Anyway. It's again all there. Let's see what happens when I try to publish. Things have been disappearing.
I'm also linking to Beverly's Pink Saturday.
This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.
On 06/30/2012, Dorothy said ...
Hi there, I found you over at Pink Saturday. I am always glad to find another Alabama blogger! Your photos and your front porch are just lovely! And I can relate to your doggie story! I also see a few books on your sidebar that I missed reading, have to order those!
Thanks for sharing,
Dorothy
On 06/30/2012, Joanne said ...
Maybe you need to trade Skipper in for a couple of chimpanzees. They might be easier to manage.
On 06/30/2012, Annette said ...
Susan I totally enjoy all aspects of your blog but especially the doggie "tails" and photos! However, I understand how you are sometimes not happy with Skipper -- such as this latest escapade!! Look for an entry from you each day when I'm at the computer. (And, I'm not a "fireball"; that was the name of one of our cats.) Annette
On 06/30/2012, Barbara Anne said ...
Thanks for the good laugh at the word picture you painted of this unwelcome escapade. You're an excellent writer, so where's the book? :)
Love your pretty front porch and the glorious flowers.
It's horridly and dangerously hot here, too, with 103*F yesterday, 104*F today. One of the most violent storms that wasn't a hurricane roared thru here at 11p last night with 60mph hot wind, incredible lightening and thunder, and it was just plain scary.
Thanks be to God for air conditioning and for shade.
Hugs!
On 06/30/2012, Jan said ...
Thanks for sharing another adventure with Skipper! He certainly keeps things jumping--mainly YOU, right?! So glad you weren't injured in the chase! Your front porch looks so inviting for the 4th!
On 06/30/2012, Nancy said ...
Susan, I'm so very glad you are alright, but I have to admit that I laughed until tears were rolling. That was largely due to the fact that I would have done the same thing, dropping the cane I use to pursue the wayward pup! The way you wrote this episode, I could see it as though in a short film clip. Thanks so much for sharing this episode of "Sophie Belle and Skipper Lou"...I can't wait for your next adventure, though I do hope it is just as funny, but maybe with a little less 'adventure' for you included. Big Hugs...
On 07/01/2012, Kai said ...
Oh, MERCY! All I can say is you must LOOOOVE that naughty doggy beyond imagination to deal with all his shenanigans! (Sweet Ms. Sophie, YOU must be horrified by your brother's naughtiness. You are such a well behaved girl!) LOL! And I have to confess that, while I was worried for YOU because you definitely don't need to be chasing & falling, I did indeed have to smile over that escapade! By the way, I suggest you rename him! Perhaps Houdini???? Love the pretties around your house!!! Also, love YOU!
On 07/01/2012, Thelma said ...
The whole time I was reading this post I kept thinking, "have I already read this post, it sounds so familiar". Nope it wasn't me it was Skipper! You could have just copied that earlier post and labeled it part two! Except that this time you found the leash!
Love the yellow house, all ready for the 4th!
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