Getting ready for the final game of the night last night that was going to tip-off at 9:55pm I had this idiotic brain flash of needing something to eat. I guess the fresh trout, steamed broccoli and carrots was just a memory by then. My brain cells kicked in and were moving so fast I knew I was down the path of no return and trouble.
After spending weeks of great eating, low carbs, fresh veggies, fresh fruit for the sweet tooth and chicken breasts, salmon or trout for meals ... I told Stella to watch the house "I'll be right back" ... and drove to the store minutes before it closed to get my meal for the 9:55pm start time of the UCLA game.
So you really want to know how ugly it was??
Frozen pizza, a Qt of Pepsi for $1, a 11.4 oz bag of M&M w/peanuts, and a Qt of Eddy's ice cream. Let's just keep the story there, only to add I did not get out of bed until 11am feeling sicker than s.....
NO, I didn't eat all of the ice cream and I didn't eat all of the M&M's but half the Pepsi was gone and with help from the hounds that terrible frozen pizza was gone.
Soooooo .... I decided on the late morning walk today that I would 'escort' Stella at least to just past the first turn. Once I get her past that point I have never seen her head for the neighbor's wooded area if left alone. Once I had her make the turn with Sadie I did not care if she came or not ... she could enjoy doing her own thing.
Maybe it was the warmer temps from from the start but Stella had 'a little hop in her step'. She cruised right along with us and very few times did I have to say 'come on'.
Sadie's instincts were in full speed ahead this morning. She was locked and loaded and was nothing but serious on this walk. Such a different personality from Stella's happy go lucky attitude. I like both of their personalities. Lots of humor.
I was pretty sure when I saw Stella's muzzle deep in the grass that she would not be moving. In fact I was pretty sure that on my way back that I would have to walk over to her and show her the 6' leash. Just showing it to her anymore will get her to move.
Sadie on the other hand had places to go. She got a lot of running in and she is headed to the far right corner of the field while Stella stayed behind. She is never a problem so I let her run.
I knew in this picture she had locked onto something very strong but didn't think she would run off.
As I turned to check on Stella I hear the sound of breaking twigs, loud movement through the wooded area behind me.
When I turned around Sadie was nowhere in view. When I called her, she came running up out of the valley in the wooded area, charging through the stems with thorns and sharp sticks. She ran all the way back to me, nudging my knee with her nose to let me know I needed to relax ... cool it.
Right before I clicked the shutter, Stella had raised her head and looked right at me ... then back down into the grass. That didn't bother me, she was enjoying what she was doing plus she wasn't by the neighbor's getting in trouble. On the show Dr. Jeff, the vet in Denver ... he said on Saturday that "dogs will eat anything" after he surgically removed a rock from a bulldog's stomach.
Sadie still focused on what is in her field this morning.
This gives you the actual view I see without the camera. She is pretty far away but as long as I can see her ... things are fine.
Sadie was ready to head back home. Although their breakfast kibble was really a 'brunch' kibble, I knew they would probably be expecting their lunch at noon. They will not win that discussion today. Lunch will be fed mid-afternoon today.
At this point in time I start my walk toward Stella ... while saying "Come on Stella". I said it as I walked toward her, over and over. The pictures will show just how well she obeys commands. No one ever said the bloodhound breed was obedient.
Notice her response as I said "Stella come on" a little louder ....
Again ... "Stella ???? .... S T E L L A ???? S T E L L A ?????
While standing right next to her !!
I had to pull the folded up leash out of my pocket for her to see and sniff to get her to move away and head back to the house with us.
Sadie was going to get as much running on this walk as possible, all the way to the yard.
Stella decided her slow walk would be good enough.
See some of those clumps of green grass ... more than tall enough to mow.
It never rained this morning but I was sure I was hearing thunder during the time I was trying to sleep this morning. We should be able to get another walk in today but most of those afternoon walks has Stella on the 25' retractable leash anymore. It would be nice to make a short drive in the Z4 today but with the chance of rain I'll hold off on that drive for a few more days.
Many, if not all, will find this amazing but that washer and dryer I spoke of in a reply on yesterday's blog post is an very very old Sears Kenmore 7 Series Model 110. My sister got that set as a wedding present in 1979 and it was used daily at times as the number of kids increased.
Even after all of that use, 16 years later she gave it "away" to me. I thought I'd use it for a couple of years and then buy a new set when something broke. Nothing ever broke, except for a heating element in the dryer 9 years ago. Here it is 22 years later after I started using it and I will probably have to replace a belt so the spin cycle will work correctly. That's only two repairs in 22 years that I have owned it.
I am sure they probably had some repairs to it during the 16 years they used it ... but no matter what, it had been working for 38 years with very little problems. That washer has cleaned a lot of Mexican blankets full of dog hair, dirty clothes from working outside in the summers and all of my winter jackets.
Now ... let me jump back on that diet wagon I was on ... I've learned my lesson.
This Monday is better than last Monday here in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.
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