PATRICK NEEDS A BATH

It is 6:14 a.m. out and dark and 45.9 degrees. Had to close the windows upstairs last night and slept under the quilt--this after a week of 90 degree days. Earthdog is outside in the rain.

Reminds me of the days, long ago when I slept under an OD wool blanket at nite with the temperature of 80 degrees. We were cold because we were experiencing a 40 degree drop from the 120 degree days... Bright starry nights of long ago in the mysterious orient.

Went geocaching yesterday and Patrick endured a little more excitement that he's used to. He's a real tough little booger and used to bushwhacking thru stickers and tall grass and weeds, over and under logs, over rivers etc. He loves it.

But yesterday he may have gotten more than he is used to. We are quite comfortable navigating over small creeks and streams, which are usually only a couple of inches deep and with clear country water you can see the bottom.

But yesterday we were urban caching, bushwhacked across a field, and came to a stream only about two and a half feet wide. Patrick doesn't leap over stuff like this, he likes to get his paws wet.

So he plunged in, and sank head first into the murky water. All I could see was his dog butt, which quickly disappeared, so i tossed my handheld to my companion who was already across the ditch and prepared to somehow rescue the little idiot, when his head bobbed up, and he began dog paddling furiously, then madly clawing at the bank. I leaped the ditch, and grabbed him by the neck and pulled him straight up and out. He had a little look of panic and shame and help me on his dog face. (Speaking of Dog Face, he now has over 400 friends on into a deceptively deep run-off ditch that was about two feet deep. Since he only stands 12 inches at the withers, all I could see was his dog butt, which rapidly disappeared. I quickly pitched my hand-held to my companion who was already across the ditch, and prepared to somehow rescue this little idiot, when all of a sudden his head popped up, dog paddlingFacebook/Dogbook with requests coming in every day).

So on dry land, safe and sound, he did the doggy shake thing a number of times and the doggy dry myself by rubbing on the ground thing and was good to go except all wet and extremely smelly!

The above has been expertly edited by Blogger--see what I have to go thru??? Just does whatever it damned well pleases.

MORE LATER--GO GATORS
NINE DAYS TO LEXINGTON!!