There Be Puppies in Texas...

I had had my hands full with three dogs again, two of them being puppies that pee everywhere. Thank goodness for a full grown dog who knows how to get outside quick!  

The routine in the morning was for me to open up the back door and the outside garage back door. Lizzy would wait by the puppies crate as I opened their crate, then I would tell her to take them outside! And she did, on the double, without hesitation! I think I only had one accident while they learned what outside meant. 

At first as soon as Han's little feet hit the concrete on the patio he peed, Ugh! I had to get him to understand that he had to go on grass to which he then thought carpet in the house was grass. Noooo! Then he decided that he had to poop on the patio, Noooo again!

The purchased puppy pads were placed about the kitchen. It was a 50/50 proposition for sure as half the time they were peed on and half the time chewed up by you know who! 

Lizzie was not warming up to the puppies very well. She really didn't bite them but would bare her teeth and snarl. Once in a while she would get a nip in to let them know she didn't like them crawling all over her as they would mob her while playing in the back yard. Most of the time she would ignore them. 

It was time to leave for Texas and the 4th of July weekend. I had the car loaded and was putting puppies in the car, the final thing to do. This was a Friday, Christie was already in Texas, as she arrived on Thursday. I was going to go down Thursday, but needed one more adjustment from my Chiropractor. Lizzy was in the car, Han was in the car and as I was carrying Chewie out to the car, I stepped out the back door and my shoe caught the carpet and twisted sideways causing me to fall backwards.  I reached backwards with my right arm trying to catch a shelf, hyperextending my shoulder. I twisted my lower back landing on my right (bad) side. Sent the puppy flying and he landed next to the car, scurrying underneath. I had to lay there for a few minutes before trying to move, assessing my injuries. Any broken bones...no. Now to try and get up. That is my biggest problem, getting up. Ever since having artificial knees you can't get on them as they hurt like hell! I looked around and realized I had moved the dryer in front of the back door during the fall, not good. I scooched over to the back door and grabbed the door handle and pulled myself up to a position to where I could get one leg up under myself and get up on one knee then up to the other knee then stand up. Whew! I knew the drive ahead was not going to be a fun one now as I was starting to hurt.  I went into the house and took two Tylenol, went back out to the garage and recovered Chewie and got him into his crate. I finished locking up the house and proceeded toward Texas. Light sabers ready!

My trip had already been long, as I had been dealing with a medical problem on this little journey that I had an appointment for on the following Tuesday. It was hot and having to stop for any amount of time was not fun. Dogs, however do have to take potty breaks, especially puppies.  I was warned not to let them take breaks in public areas, so we would have to take breaks in the off beaten areas. Thankfully they were quick about it. 

You never know what you will find out on the highway. As I am traveling at 75mph as I spy a large purple sack on the side of the road. I say to myself "Nah, it cant be".  What do I do? Yep you guessed it. I went to the next exit got off, went back to the following exit and then went back to the large purple sack. 50 lbs. of Red Onions! Where they were located, I was actually taking my very life in my hands, I was parked on a bridge. I put on my emergency blinkers and went for it.  I had to drag them back to my car, unload about 5 lbs. into the floorboard of the car before I could find enough sacking to grab and lift the sucker up into the front seat of the car. Then I had to walk to the front of my car and wait for a break in the truck line to get my door open and in the car.  Boy those truckers don't give you an inch! But I got my onions! 

I arrived at the house and the kids were all excited to see the puppies. Especially Maggie. She just loves dogs. One of the first things Christie and I did after we unloaded the car was to go to Walmart and get a portable dog pen. This way we could set up a pen inside the house for the pups. Then Christie would have a place to coral Chewie at home.   

I was not feeling well enough to go to Jefferson to watch the fireworks, besides I didn't want the local fireworks to upset the pups, so I stayed home and kept them company. The rest of the family went and enjoyed the festivities. I watched season 2 of The Handmaids Tale on Hulu. 

Some of J's great photography shots of fireworks

Miss Maggie all decked out for the 4th

We noticed blood in Han's stool and had to take him to our Vet in Texas and found out that he had Hookworm, Roundworm, and Tapeworm. Poor baby! So both of the puppies were de-wormed again. At this Vet visit Han weighed 20 lbs. and Chewie 18 lbs. Shows how fast they are growing. 

Han waiting for results

Christie left with Lizzy and Chewie to go back to Kansas City on Thursday as she had a class to teach on Friday. I left on Saturday with Andy and Han. I had put Han in the front seat...big mistake. He chewed through the audio cable and the power cable to Andy's DVD player. So into the crate he went for the ride home. 

Maggie loved on the puppies so much that I know she will miss them. She calls them both Chewie.

Maggie Loving on Han

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