Well, Shiner is finally home. Talk about a million dollar dog. He looks pretty worse for the wear. But bless his heart he gets around very well for just 3 legs. He's lost a lot of weight. He's acutally in a crate in our bedroom now. Fence for the other hounds is just about complete - they're still chained up. Long day - more tomorrow.

Yep, Shiner is a tripod now. We checked with the vet this am and he is doing well and should come home Mon. I don't even want to think about the bill. One more reason they are being fenced in. Can't afford any more accidents.
Dad knew if some solution didn't contain the dogs, that I was going to kill them or they would come up missing. Lady had been doing fine and then she had a change of heart. 4 chickens (including Elvis) were missing for most of the day. Gradually all crept out of the woods except a black one. Based on the amount of black feathers, I felt pretty sure she was mortally wounded. Scarlet has deformed feathers on her chest, but is doing well. Surprised the hell out of me. Based on her wound, I didn't give her much of a chance.
As soon as Dad's back calms down, he will build the dog fence. I'm looking forward to a little piece of mind.

Well, Shiner took a turn for the worse and developed an overwheming infection and he was already on the most potent antibiotics. They amputated his leg today. Dr Bradshaw said the leg was just full of necrotic tissue and based on what he found, amputation was definitely the best decision. It all goes well, he should come home Monday.
Since Lady killed one of the chickens and Happy did his best to try( Scarlet is clucking away), all dogs are tied and corralled. As soon as the rain clears, Dad will put an electric fence around the back yard. Roaming days are finally over.
Mom L is doing well. The nursing home is agreeing with her. We probably should have made the decison earlier. She's getting more exercise than she has gotten in years. She wheels of over the place. She is more interested in socializing than visiting with us.
It's rained most to the day. Thankfully - it was so needed.
Dad's back is really bothering him. He overdid it several days ago. He is taking it easy.

Shiner seems to be out to the woods, but will stay at the vet for the weekend at least. Scarlet is still clucking around, hopefully antibiotics will do there job. Karma caught up with Happy. He came home with his paw split. So he is now cleaned up, pressure dressing applied and loaded with oral antibiotics -- and oh yes, chained up.
Latest Mom L saga. Yesterday, when we visited, she was without glasses. Today she had glasses, just not hers. While we were sitting in her room, an aide came in with a pair of her shoes. It seems that yesterday, this aid discovered Mom on another hall and asleep in someone else's bed. Apparently, she does a lot of traveing in her wheelchair. No telling where she left her glasses and whose she's wearing.
While we were sitting there, she starting talking about her daughter. Dad said he didn't remember any sister. She said Oh yes, I adopted a daughter and raised her as my own. I said, Mom I believe you are thinking about your granddaughter H......... You had 2 boys. She looked very surprised and said that she had 2 or 3 daughters. I said, Mom I beliieve you are remembering your 3 granddaughters, you had 2 sons, no daughters. A mind is a terrible thing to lose. That's the most she's said in a week - ususally she just looks vacant, but she's hell on wheels and is at least getting some exercise as she tours the halls. Next thing you know they'll find her in bed with a man.
Mama's memory continues to fail her and her pain level seems to be increasing. More complaints in her mid to lower back. Today she was helping me shuck the corn and was having difficulty remembering to put the shucks in the trash and not back in the corn. I heard about 3 stories at least three times while we were shucking the corn.
I put 13 pints of corn in the freezer today - many thanks to dear neighbors who have a huge corn field. Dad and I looked cute picking it (he did good for a city boy). Broke in my $$$$$$$cowboy boots - they have rattlesnakes in their cornfield. One killed their Jack Russell terrier this year. Fortunately, we didn't see or hear a thing. Dad had his pistol and machete; I'd already asked him if he really thought he could hit a snake with a pistol and didn't we need a hoe. I was well armed with my Swiss Army Knife.

Answer to Mouse - As of last evening all chickens were accounted for. Blondie came back from woods and the wounded girl was alive and limping around. I scrounged around and found some Clavamox drops that I keep for cats, reconstituted it and figured she weighed between 2-3 pounds. Between Dad and I we got O.2cc down her beak. I haven't been out to the henhouse yet, but will update you as soon as possible. If she looks viable, I will continue to give her antibiotics twice daily. If it looks like she is on a downward spiral, I will not let her suffer further. I'm such a wimp, can't do the usual "wring the chicken neck" thing. I'll put her in a plastic bag and then put her in the freezer. That's the most humane way I can think of. That's was what cat breeders do with kittens who are fading/stuggling and won't make it.

Diego continues to be such a joy. We have started to give him sweet feed treat/supplement in the evening. As I walk out to the fence, I've been saying "where's my Deigo", he brays and runs full speed to the house, braying the whole way. So rotten. The neighbor who we bought him from is looking for an adult Jenny for us. Last Sunday he told us he thinks he has found a Jennie that has been bred. Hopefully that will come thru. If not we will probably get some goats, so he will have a friend until we can find a suitable mate.

Hopefully we will get some good news about Shiner today.

Mom L has figured out how to "walk" in her wheelchair and is apparently navigating up and down the halls. They keep her out of bed as much as possible and I guess she figured she could move around. When we went yesterday, she wasn't in her room, or up at nurses station. They were playing games in the large dining room. Today was "Do You Want to be a Millinaire". They were really doing a great job of putting on the show. Mom sat there and was enthralled - didn't even know/care that we were there. So knowing our place, we left.

Well, we had a fun Labor Day weekend. D&T came up. Monday we went to the "Bottoms" for prime rib.
Shiner's not doing well. His leg looked swollen and we took him back in. The vet kept him. He has an abscess. They've reopened him twice now and now there is old blood they may have to take out. The have him on another stronger antibiotics. We should know more tomorrow.

Mama accidentally let Happy our while the chickens were out. I just happened to go outside and all three dogs were at the chicken house. One of the yellow chickens was missing and a red one looks mortally wounded. Happy ripped her chest open. I dosed her up with Clavomox drops that I had on hand. The yellow one had escaped to the woods and has since returned. Happy is on very thin ice. I'm having evil thoughts of tying him in Diego's pasture and letting Diego stomp him to death or Dad said he was going to hide his bullets. I still have mine-- and the gun. Happy is now chained while the chickens are out. Lady has been hiding all day.

We are now getting 5-7 eggs a day. All the eggs are brown. Some lighter than others. The hens all seem to have a favorite nest and I've seen 2 hens in one nest before. We put golf balls in the other nests to trick them into laying in other nests. Elvis' status is safe for now. He is doing well by his hens. You should have seen him go after D&T's little dog -- I guess 3 dogs at one time were a bit much for him.

I hope to got the gem/gold mines soon. We'll plan it on one of your days off. I think its fun.