Sadie Gets Irritable When Walks Are Canceled

It seems to happen more during the cold weather we are having compared to the extremely hot days in July or August. Before Sadie gets her first walk of the day or her second one after lunch, she gets irritated. She jumps up thinking we are going for a walk every time I get out of my chair or off the couch. She can't relax, until she has her walks. That could be a problem this afternoon and the next few days with the arctic push arriving later today.

So, she won the battle this morning and we finally got outside around 9:30am with a windchill of 10°. Winds were strong out of the NW, freezing the left side of my face and nose on the first half of the walk. It felt like the forecast was going to be correct with the arctic storm blowing into town sometime this afternoon and dropping our temps from 20° to 5°. Sadie trotted, Stella walked slowly.

The hounds enjoyed this morning's walk, each doing their own thing. It was a pleasant surprise that they walked side by side on the path toward home, then ran toward the house passing me by in the backyard. I would have never guessed that just at the point of the first turn.

I know, another weather update but that seems to be about all to write about lately. I did get to watch two football games last night while the hounds slept in their normal living room positions. I watched part of and taped a basketball game that I will watch after I post this. There is not much planned for the rest of the day, except staying warm.

When the hounds split up running in the back field and headed opposite directions I knew I was going to have to herd them back together on the way back home. There was no way I could leave them outside on their own. Stella was exploring the middle of the back part of the field. The wind was stronger and much colder out in the open.

Sadie had sprinted to the back right corner of the field then started tracking along the edge between the brush and the field. I wasn't even close to the back of the field yet and she was already there.

Stella was actually heading toward our return path ... she must have felt it was warmer than my iPhone weather app was telling me.

I have not heard nor seen the ATV since earlier in the week. I am always on the look-out for the sound or sight of it while we take our walk. Chris is pretty good about not getting close to us the few times I've seen him but it's always good to be safe when hounds and moving objects are involved.

I had to zoom to 200mm to get this close to Stella.

Plus Sadie was still pretty far behind me, where the 200mm zoom was also required. She would eventually start running toward me but not until she was ready to, not when I called her.

When I told them "let's go home" they both headed off in the general direction.

Sadie continued her exploration. I really think she would stay outside in all of this weather all day if I would let her. She is probably more of an outside dog rather than a house dog.

Stella might have been taking her time walking toward the house with Sadie up ahead of us but all of the sudden she decided it was warmer there than where we were. She took of trotting after Sadie.

It was about this time during the walk that I realized it was Saturday instead of Sunday. I've lost track of time all week. Neither hound waited for me this morning. They followed the path to the backyard and then ran to the house to wait on me.

It was an interesting read over on Ara's blog this morning. He has included some quotes from two of the major developers of Facebook. Take a look for some interesting thoughts about social media and how these two men feel they may have made a big mistake in making Facebook so huge.

That word 'programmed' reminded me how I was not going to turn on my computer this morning as I poured my first cup of coffee. I wasn't going to blog and take a day off from the computer world. It rarely happens and what I say when I go to bed the night before about doing that that never happens the next morning.

I guess winter is officially here ... not because of the weather ... but because Sadie and Stella are in a full out wrestling match inside the house. Sadie is on the offense ... Heidi?? She is wrapped in her sleeping bag sleeping of course.

I have hope. The weather app says a week from Monday the high temperature will be 40°.

Hibernating again in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Sadie's Walk This Morning

Feeling the wind from the NW this morning hitting the left side of my face during our walk, it feels like the forecast of single digit temps this afternoon may cancel any walks today. The windchill was 10° but I knew we had to walk this morning or Sadie would go insane ... jumping up thinking we were going for a walk every time I moved inside the house.

The Heat Wave Arrives

I wasn't tempted to trade my jeans for cargo shorts but it felt much warmer this morning at 19°. It will be short lived with possible snow this afternoon and the arctic weather blowing down from the NW to arrive in the morning. I felt we had a chance for a complete walk this morning for the first time in a few days. Both bloodhounds took off, confirming just how warm it felt.

Starting with the Holiday Bowl game in San Diego last night, my weekend of solid football games between College, the NFL and College basketball games have filled the schedule. Things are picking up around here with that news. I had to make a groceries shopping trip today if I was going to make it to Monday night.

Stella was showing no signs of being cold and jumped into the brush area full of thorny sticks. Yet she took off after Sadie once she saw her move to the front.

With the holidays on Monday this year I have lost all track of time and what day it is. I glance at the upper right corner of my computer monitor to find out what day it is. Things are pretty slow this time of year as for things to blog about. Weather dictates a lot of time inside and there is nothing inside you want to read about I'm sure. As you can tell I am already having a hard time finding something to say.

Was that raised right rear leg a sign she was cold or just a piece of snow between her toes?

They picked up their pace when I told them I had to go buy groceries. When they hear that they always think the food I buy is for them. Then while I am brushing my teeth all of them go to the bedroom on their own because they know that is where they stay while I am gone. Even Stella has figured out that routine the short time she has been here. (30 months)

With most of the snow gone in the front yard you would think it would be no problem for Heidi to spend some time outside but that was not the case. She walked to the edge of the carport, looked and then walked around the Z4 back to the door.  She then decided she really did have to pee for the 2nd time today so she walked back in front of the Z4 and barely stepped into the yard. In a minutes time she was sprinting back to the door to be let inside.

Sorry for the lack of focus writing this post but if feels as if I am pretty distracted right now.

A nice day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Heidi Confirms Heat Wave

We had a stranger out in our yard today after lunch, but only for about 2 minutes before she sprinted back inside. Heidi made her first photo'd appearance in a few days, confirming to me the 21° was a major heat wave. I even felt warmer.

Stella Calls Off Morning Walk

By 8:30am it wasn't much warmer than yesterday morning but I had two bloodhounds with cabin fever and Sadie had been pacing inside the house every waking hour since yesterday. We didn't walk at all yesterday because the temperatures never increased enough. I decided we would try it this morning and I'd let the hounds decide if it was too cold or not. It was 10° and wind chill -2 with no wind.

For any readers already yelling at me through their monitor, it's okay. None of our walks are longer than 15 minutes and almost every walk is finished around the 10 minute mark. I believe it's 30 minutes minimum in this kind of weather for frostbite to set in. Plus I trusted the hounds enough for them to tell me when it was time to go back inside.

Sadie was thrilled that she was going be outside longer than just a few minutes to pee. Even Stella had moved way ahead of me ... so far so good. Yet I had a strong suspicion that we wouldn't get far today. The field was icy, slick for me when walking uphill. That -2° wind chill was stuck in my brain cells, possibly frozen there.

Stella was not only way ahead of me and Sadie ... she was trotting along the path.

This gives you a better idea just how far ahead she was of Sadie and I. Yet it was Sadie who had been wanting to get on with her walk since 8am yesterday morning. So this was a little surprising to me, that Stella was the one that was leading the walk and was in a hurry.

While I have written the past few days of our cold weather in 'the tropics' I know it's nothing compared to the 62" of snow in Pennsylvania or the -39° temps on the north border of Minnesota. Compared to those two places, we are having a mild winter for these 5-7 days. Once it gets back up into the mid 20's that will feel like a heat wave to us.

About the time we hit the first turn I was beginning to think the hounds were going to drag me through this half mile walk whether I wanted to come or not. That's Sadie on the right, with her nose down and high energy. Stella was in a slow trot.

Then ... I saw the sign it was too cold. Stella wanted to walk into that brush but hesitated just a moment and raised her left rear paw. Just about the time she tried to walk into the brush raised paw and all ... I yelled her name and said "let's go home".

That's all she needed to hear. She turned toward me immediately and slowly walked my way on the path. With Sadie running in front of her to lead the way, Stella and I walked slowly back home. She wasn't limping and was able to put that paw on the ground while she walked but it took time to get back to the yard.

When we were about to the yard, she had to check out one more thing in the field.

Sadie thought there was still a chance that we would go back outside to start the walk over again, but not this morning. By 1pm it is suppose to be up to 25° and we can walk then.

Once Stella saw me standing at the corner of the house, she was more than happy to move into a fast trot and didn't stop until she nudged the storm door with her nose, wanting to go inside.

I too had a little cabin fever yesterday. Tried to read different books but couldn't focus long enough to read. Nothing interested me on tv, and I didn't feel like watching any football games again last night. I haven't watch a bowl game yet mostly because I've had no interest in any of the teams or match-ups playing. Plus, I have finished my movie watching marathons.

I might be back later today with some afternoon photos. IF it gets to 25° from the 12° it is now, that will feel like a heat wave to me and Sadie ... we will have to get outside if that happens.

Thinking of Spring this morning in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.