To the Dog Park

Well, the cold weather finally broke and we're being teased into believing that spring is just around the corner.  However, what is hidden from our sight is that there are still two wicked bad snowstorms and one doozy of an ice storm waiting around that bend for us.  But as Wisconsinites, we take advantage of the good weather when it arrives and get out there while we can.  I believe my grandpa called it "making hay while the sun was shining."


Since everybody is home today, I asked Scott if he wanted to help me take The Lodge Five to the dog park.  He declined after discovering a bout of stomach flu so I took Kiera instead.


Everybody in the car.  Everybody leashed up. Off we went.


When I arrived at the park, I parked the car about halfway down the parking lot, my usual spot.  I attempted to get out without anyfurrybody sneaking out behind me.  That was not to be today. 


Kringle Carlos slipped out behind my...er...behind and down to the pavement.  I tried to stomp on his eight foot rope leash but missed.  For a little guy, he moves fast.


In no time at all, he was across the parking lot and out the driveway.  A guy was coming in his pick-up truck and slowed down to a stop when he saw me running and flailing at him.  I managed to get the dog picked up and carried him back to the car to get everybody else.


Once inside it became the usual free-for-all .  Five dogs, five separate directions.  After a quick call, everybody was back going the same direction. 


I was afraid Siddy might be a little overwhelmed when we got in so I kept him on the leash a while.  Once he started pulling, gagging and coughing, I knew we were going to be ok.


All of the dogs did really well, as usual, at the dog park.  Carter is the most wonderful animal.  He gets along well with everyone, dogs and people, big and small.  He was always running and playing with somebody new.  Though I have to say that half the time, he wasn't with me at all. 


We had to stop a lot to manage puppy and his people curiosity and the people who wanted to meet him, and Carter just kept moving.  Eventually he realized that we weren't around and came back looking for us.


Somewhere around the end of the first lap, I bumped into a lady who was holding Kringle Carlos' jacket.  It was a sunny morning so I left the empty jacket on the fence with my leashes when I passed by.


Toni (http://anoptiontoconsider.blogspot.com/) and her two boys came to the dog park too and we all hung out and played ball together.  On what I thought might be our last trip around, we walked past a knot of bundled up people and their dogs.  All of the sudden, one of the men called out to his dog to follow him.

"Axel!"

Axel?  Did that guy just say Axel??  I whipped my head around and saw ten black dogs.  Sheesh, which one is Axe?  Where are Anne and Dave?

Hey, there they are.  Now, where was my buddy Axe?

Not to be outdone by his owner, I tentatively called his name too.  Axel!  Axe?  Hey buddy, it that you?

Over he came as fast as he could through the deep snow.  Wow, he looks amazing Anne and Dave.  Thank you for loving our boy.  His heels are healed and his coat, which, on the first day I met him, came off in my hand in chunks, his coat was so thick and beautiful.  It was actually a little wavy too. 

Kiera had gotten tired and cold (read bored) and went back to the car.  Little did I know that she had started it.  I don't care that she did.  If she had only turned it off when she came out to see Axe.

After one more lap and half carrying, mostly cajoling puppy into coming with me, we decided to head for home.  One, two, three, four and five dogs in the car.  Kiera in the car. Shelly in the car.  Turn the key and click.click.click.click.click goes the engine.

Oh, dear.  Kiera never turned the car off.  Now, the battery...was dead.  I've killed the battery in this car more times than I can tell you about and you would think I would know how to hook up cables to get everything moving again.  Yeah, no.

I put the car in neutral and rolled it back to effectively block the driveway/parking lot of the big dog area at the dog park.  Hey, I don't mess around.  If I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right the first time.

I opened my hood and Toni moved her car to give mine a jump.  So there we stood.  Looking at our engines.  Yup, that's the inside of the car alright.  I've only been shown like 100 times how to jump a car but do you think I would remember how?  Nah.  There's always a guy around to show us how to fix that.

Anne & Dave, Desmo and Axe came out as we were standing there looking like girls looking at car engines.  I know how to check the oil and where to add windshield fluid but that's the extent of my knowledge.  Dave got volunteered to get my car rolling again and Toni backed her car out and let Dave roll in.

So, very patiently, and using small words, Dave showed both Anne and me how to jump start a car.  I appreciate it but I'll probably forget by the next time one of the kids (or me) kills the battery.  Sorry Dave.  Though, Anne had a great idea that she was going to do a search on the internet how to jump a car.  She was going to print off the directions and keep them in the glove box.  I said she should staple to the inside of the hood.  Now, we're talking.

(Thanks again Dave!  It was great to see you and Anne and your fur-babies!  Axe looks awesome!)

Happy to report, we got everything started again and we made it home in one piece.

The Lodge Five have each been sleeping quite soundly since.  Except when Siddy came over and wanted to lay on my lap for mama time.  He's now laying on the couch with his head on the arm and his feet are kicking me.  Te'a and Kringle Carlos are laying next on the couch, head to head and snoring.  Carter is curled up in the doggie blanket on the floor.  Mocha is asleep in the chair on the other side of the room.

Aaah, a tired dog is a good dog.

Thank you for thinking rescue.  Thanks for reading about our boys. 

Have a great weekend!!