A Great Day In The Tropics

As you can tell on the left photo, we were up bright and early for us ... before 7am. It was a good. Sadie did not wake me up last night at 3am like she had the past few nights. She also went back to sleep when I told her to because it was too early to get up.

Based on her actions, I can say she is back to her normal self. She must have had a little flu pass through her system. There was nothing out of the ordinary for Stella nor Heidi.

It felt strange to see the time in the upper right corner of my monitor telling me it wasn't 8am yet and I had finished all of my internet reading for the morning.

Overnight the "yellow weeds" increased in the field across the highway. They will be plowed under for soy beans or corn sometime in May. I guess not. A tractor with discs just pulled into that road and will probably plow the two fields today before it rains later this week.

That will change my plans of washing the Mini Cooper this afternoon since the air will be full of dust/dirt. I can hear him right now but can't find him through the lens ... I'll get some photos to post at the bottom.

Although it was nice outside around 8:30, I had to tell Stella that we were not going for a walk that early. It's just too wet for me. I don't enjoy walking with wet feet. You have to admit though, that is a pretty good face for trying to convince me that she wants something.

Heidi made her 2nd trip of the day outside a little after 10am. She was anxious to get outside but it wasn't because she wanted to go on the walk. She does look like she is gaining weight to me. It'd be nice if she could gain about half of the weight she lost by the end of the summer.

I only took this photo because I liked the way the yellow shined through all the green. I guess it's good I took the photo because they are plowing a little early this year.

Stella was pretty hot on this scent she had picked up. She flew right past Sadie and I. Once Sadie saw that she thought there must be something pretty important so off she went to catch up with Stella.

Sadie later found it that it was a false alarm ... no birds, no deer, just Stella fooling her into an early morning run. When I asked her "where's Heidi", she stopped and looked back toward the house. Who says that hounds don't understand what we are saying to them?

On the way back, Stella wandered over to the scene of last week's crime ... the deer. She seems to feel it is there somewhere, if she could only pick up the deer scent ... she would be off sprinting.

If only the hounds would talk, I would have a better idea what she is thinking right now.

I moved my tick count to a spreadsheet the other day. Then saved in on 'the cloud'. Last night while on my laptop, when I opened it to log in the latest count it gave me a choice which version to open because the system had not synchronized correctly. Of course somewhere in all of that, even the latest version was not the most recent. I had lost my accurate count!!!!

Since I am not washing the Mini Cooper until after they finish plowing the field ... I'll go in the "Time Machine" where my computer is backed up every hour and find the file from yesterday afternoon and bring it back to life.

I have had Apple computers since 2010 without any problems but I must admit that new Microsoft Surface is a pretty neat machine. Still it's almost as much as my MacBook Air was.

Ticks???  Well after this mornings walk I have yet to find a tick on either Sadie or Stella. That's an interesting change since it has not been quite 24 hours since I gave each their NexGard chew.

I just took these photos before posting. I'll take more later as he progresses cutting down my favorite weeds. I could hear him but couldn't find him ... then he came into view.

I was going crop all the signs out ofthe photos but decided to let the photo ride as it was. A few months ago, the rental property that was a couple of duplexes was sold and then redesigned as a child care ... definitely rural child care. I've noticed that business is good and it's welcome change to 'the hood'.

This next photo you will find interesting along with a very interesting story. One that I am still not sure what to do. I put those Yews in about 3-4 years ago. Before that nothing had been planted in front of the house. If fact when I moved in 1997, I found a brick sidewalk barely under the grass. It went from the driveway to the front steps.

I dug up all the bricks and used them different places around the house. I was told my septic tank was in front of the carport, about 10' from the house. So I always kept that location in my mind. Here is where it gets interesting and why that photo plays a part in this "puzzle".

Based on my research, a formula I found about usage, and confirmed by local sepetic businesses ... one person would use about 100 gallons per year. Based on the formula I would be good for ten years before I need to have the tank cleaned. I am at year 19 but have had no problems showing up.

One company even told me as a single person living in the house that even at 19 years, plus a septic system working as it should I would still be okay and may not need it cleaned at all. They suggested using RidX monthly, which I have always done.

There have been some recent possible symptoms ... then I'm not sure. I went through my folder of paperwork that came with the house and found a handwritten diagram and the phone number of my local plumber, who still does work for me on occasion.  He verified that the drawing was correct.

It's NOT in front of my carport ... my septic tank is in front of those yews ... actually part of the tank is UNDER those yews. Based on the measurements, the area the septic company would need to insert their hose is about 6" in front of that red landscaping brick. Meaning I would need to dig up some of that bed of bark and maybe even move one yew to get to the opening they need.

Since it is an older system, the drawing and plumber confirmed the tank is 3' underground ... not like 1-1/2' of today's systems.  

So do I start digging or let the system continue to work properly and don't have it cleaned?

No matter what that answer is ... it's a beautiful day in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

A War Against The Ticks

Well for someone that is a procrastinator, retired and lazy - but that was the plan ... a lot was accomplished today, as soon as I hit the publish key for this morning's post.

I loaded the hounds up and headed for our vet the next town over. They told me over the phone they were sold out of Sereto Collar but highly recommended NexGard. Plus they had a deal going on ... really an unbelievable deal.

BTW ... if I didn't have hounds, my next favorite breed is the Bulldog. They didn't have pictures of Bloodhounds nor Bassets on their product cover but they did have a Bulldog.

What was the deal?  I bought two each of the Heartgard and for a once per year deal ... I got two FREE doses of NexGard. That will give me a month to see if it works well enough to determine if I buy more in this heavily infested tick environment. I walked out with a payment of $18.90 and was expecting at least over $50 when I drove over.

I then sat down for a little Mahjong Deluxe, the best 99 cents I've ever spent. Each of the 4 sections have around 40 different games +/- a couple. I'm trying to get all ~160 of them completed in less than 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Today, after many months of trying, a few of those holding me up were done in less than 3 minutes and 20 seconds with one of them played under 2 minutes. I still have 3 of them that is over 4 minutes.

I was so motivated I guess after those two things happened ... free tick prevention and good games of Mahjong ... I attacked my dishes, finished those and then one of my favorite things, seriously, vacuuming. So during the commercials tonight while watching the Reds/Mets game I'll finish th dusting part of housework and call it a day.

After sleeping most of the afternoon, Sadie and Stella wanted to go outside early this evening but would not leave the yard ... yes, that is their new message to me that they want to go on a walk or they won't move.

Heidi wasn't enthused about going on any walk, let along getting off the couch, until her paws hit the field ... then she was off on a fast trot as I tried to unhook her leash. She led the group most of the way from start to finish.

Heavy gnat activity again tonight - even Heidi and Sadie were bothered by them.

They still had time to check out any scent traffic as they walked.

Heidi thinks she hears a gnat but isn't sure ... she imagines them next to her tail.  I think the skin color is looking pretty good today. I don't want to put on a lot of photos of her skin areas until there is time for the Wounded Warrior Ointment to work. So far I am happy with what I have seen.

While walking along the back of the field along the fence line before making the final turn home, Stella decided the walk tonight was a little too boring for her - she would rather play ... Sadie is not a multi-tasker so she was not to interested in playing while in the middle of her walk. Stella got the message.

Sadie joined up with Heidi and the four of us head back to the house at a pace that was slower than slow. Anytime I tried to pass Heidi, she would trot to stay in front of me - then slow down. All that room to walk and they wanted to walk on the path in front of me ... if I stopped they stopped.

I don't expect alarming results with NexGard. It will take a couple of days before the chemicals get into their systems. I've never been a fan of these chemicals in my hounds but the ticks are so bad this year I decided those chemicals were better than the alternative with the possible diseases they could get without the meds.

Windows are open, a cool breeze and a baseball game on tv ... a great night here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Sadie's Back To Normal

If I am writing this post now, it's pretty obvious the hounds and I have not hit the road yet to hunt down some tick prevention weapons as planned. The ticks are the worse I've ever seen in the 19 years I've lived here next to this field.

Sadie is just a firm stool away from being back to normal. Everything else was a was a good for her this morning. Great appetite, she was doing her normal 'hopping' in excitement before being fed ... but she did take her time for the 2nd day in a row when eating. I'll have to check the inside of her mouth and see if there is something there that is the cause for her decreased eating speed.

Heidi had 3 doses of the Wounded Warrior Ointment yesterday but I left it off right before she when to bed last night. She curls up when she sleeps and all of that irritated skin is not exposed to the air. First thing this morning her skin looked good, natural color, no redness, no chewed spots. Two hours later, a couple of chewed spots and all of her skin that she hides when sleeping, was red and irritated.

Consequently she turned down the offer to go on a walk this morning, even with my suggested leash tug. When the bloodhounds didn't move away from the house when we went outside I knew they were letting me know it was time for the walk, no matter how wet the field was. It was wet. With Sadie's stare down, I knew she was feeling good again.

Both of them went into their immediate tracking mode. I could tell by the way Sadie had her tail curled upward and her head buried in the ground while she walked that she was feeling normal again. Oh, she did wake me up to go outside at 3:30am again, but she was back in 5 minutes.

Stella found something so interesting during the first part of the walk that Sadie and I had made the first right turn before Stella even showed up. I turned around at the right time to catch her running to catch up with us.

The focus of the walk for both of them this morning was tracking scents, more than running. That is Stella with her head buried in the gully. Then Sadie found something that led her in all kinds of different directions. It was good to see her back to her normal self.

They both made it back home safe and sound, with little excitement but a walk they always enjoy. Now we are off for some generic vet recommended tablets for Sadie's diarrhea and some tick prevention.

Before making the 25 mile trip to PetSmart for the Seresto Collars, I called the 3 local vets ... all the vets carry that collar and all are sold out of that collar. It must be good stuff. 2 of the 3 vets recommended I use NexGard.

Of coarse I had to see the differences for myself so that led me to the internet to read product labels, customer reviews, and where it's in stock. It took hours. After all of that I am still not sure which direction to go. About the time I chose, there pops up a negative review that makes me 2nd guess my decision.

Otherwise ... it's perfect weather in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana today.

The Ticks Beat Sadie Today

Something didn't seem right with Sadie right from the time she was eating breakfast. What normally takes her less than a minute for her to finish eating her food, took almost ten minutes. We had to wait for her to finish before we went outside ... usually she is waiting for everyone else to finish and the first to run outside.

I thought it was part of that indigestion she has been having. No symptoms of bloat, but some diarrhea. There had not been a change in her food so I figured she had eaten something from the field that didn't agree with her.

Mid-morning I cooked some rice, mixed it with cottage cheese to give Sadie. That usually works for diarrhea problems. She didn't care for the rice but ate it. Stella in the mean time was going crazy trying to get to Sadie's food bowl to help herself.

So all three hounds slept most of the morning, low energy but that was something I had seen before. A little after noon I thought we'd take a walk. As we got to the edge of the field/yard, Heidi turned around and walked back to the house ... I guess that meant she wasn't interested today. 

Sadie looked normal but didn't act normal. I felt around her stomach area to see if she would yelp or show any signs of discomfort, she didn't. So on we for an after lunch walk.

 Stella was all over the place with her nose and none of the usual spots. Sadie did a lot of slow walking and standing ... something is wrong. On the way back both hounds walked behind me almost all the way home ... until Sadie saw Heidi next to the house. She was sitting looking at us just barely over the tall field grass.

She had been enjoying the sunshine while we were gone. Sadie and Stella ran toward her to check to see who was in 'their yard' ... they have short memories at times. After all ID'd themselves it was time to return inside for some afternoon siesta's.

While they slept, I got online to do some reading at PedMD. I needed to find out if Sadie was showing any symptoms of intestinal blockage. She wasn't. She did get up in the middle of the night last night. I let her out on her own and she always comes back to the door when she is finished. She did that but I have no idea what she did or if she was successful. 

She was acting different though and that concerned me. Such as sleeping in areas that she never sleeps in, moving from different spots, never quite comfortable. She came to the door while I sat at the kitchen table to go out. I went to the computer room and looked out the window to see what she was doing.

It was strange to say the least. She walked over to the very south part of the field, walked slowly in a circle as if she was looking for something and a little disoriented. Then the shock of all shocks, walked to the edge of the yard and laid down. She never lays down by herself and only does that when chewing sticks or being with Stella.

I snuck out of the house quietly to get a photo before she would get up. I thought she would come running if she saw me.

She didn't move. I moved my chair out to sit down and zoomed in on her to take a photo ... she still didn't move ... that isn't the normal Sadie.

Stella came outside later and barely got to Sadie when she turned around and headed for the opposite side of the yard. Sadie never moved.

I moved the camera back and forth taking photos of each ... Sadie looks normal but she never acts that way outside. She is always hunting something, cruising the field ... I mean I have never seen her do this in the 8 years I've had her.

Finally Sadie sits up ... but doesn't walk anywhere. I decided it was time to go out and see what was up. So I sat the camera down and walked out to see what was wrong. As I am petting her upper neck talking to her, I feel something under her collar ... a tick that had been there long enough to fill itself with blood!!  I went inside to get my "ticked off" tool ... but that is not all I found ... as I took off the tick that was full, I found 4 more ticks under that one on the same spot. ... No wonder she was acting strange.

I normally check the inside and outside of their ears and then run my hands along the tops and sides of them and can usually feel if they have a tick somewhere. But I rarely if ever check under their collar. I will from now on.

As I get up to go back inside to clean off the tool and throw away the ticks ... she gets up and follows me to my chair. I left her outside as I went inside. When I came back out in a few short minutes she had ran out to the field, hopefully to relieve herself ... she has been having problems doing that ... then she came trotting to the house with her tail up ... normal Sadie is back.

The tick story doesn't end there though. By this time both hounds decide they want to take early evening walk. It's after 7:30 pm. Sadie doesn't look like it but she was wagging her tail before and after the camera went 'click'.

Stella heads for her favorite spot in the far corner of the field.

Sadie is not running anywhere but spending most of her time walking next to me. We are both fighting off the first gnats of the season.

After we finish the walk, we get back inside and I am for sure going to check under their collars for any ticks .... what do I find????

On the left side of Sadie's collar, not quite under it, but just on the edge of it is another tick filled with blood and 3 more in the same spot under it. So that was a total of NINE ticks that were attached to her either under or at the edge of her collar. They may have been there from our late walk last night ... I have no way of knowing.

What about the Seresto Collar I mentioned? Why aren't the hounds wearing those today? Three different Walmarts in a 30 mile radius are sold out of that collar until May 2. I am making a morning trip with the hounds to PetSmart tomorrow to pick up a couple of those collars.

The reason I no longer use the pills and liquids for fleas and ticks ... they have never worked that well for me. All bought at the vet office, their recommended brand ... but none of them have worked.

Just now looking out at the window at Sadie ... she has her "bounce" back in her step as she moves around the yard and field. She looks normal again.

It's been a quiet but strange day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.