Friday, July 24, 2015

Friday Night Labs - Escape Artist

Abby travels back and forth from home to the little crash pad in the city where I work. It's a cozy little place with some  the furniture from the house I owned when I met my husband and little things that make me smile.

She has a dog walker at both homes, someone to let her in and out, and stay overnight with her if need be or have her stay with them.  She's pretty laid back and minds really well, including having to block her into a specific room  at the crash pad when the landlord sends someone by to change the furnace filter, check the smoke detector or replace a bulb in the high ceiling fixtures.
Barkley would have bounded over the chair.  Even a baby gate was no match for him. Abby just stays behind it with plenty of windows to spot when I come home, and goes to sleep.

Or so I thought.

There were two days in a row she was blocked in the living room with her toys and water bowl as a small repair was being made. When I came home the first day she was in her usual position - on the couch in the blocked living room,  half asleep and looking slightly bored.
If Mom really loved me she'd have one of those baby toys that goes over the crib with music and dangling bacon.

She does occasionally change positions.  Lat night when I went to take her out one last time before bed she was on sprawled out on her back with one leg straight UP in the air towards the ceiling  like John Travolta in Saturday Night ever.  Low light kept me from getting a photo but I cracked up.

On day two, I came home, but it was Friday, so she was reading the tabloids, looking less than happy about the most recent celebrity divorce.

But today, when I got home I talked to the dog walker to set up next weeks schedule.

She said "Abby was so cute, meeting me by the front door".

 I said "huh? No, she was blocked in the living room for the maintenance guy".

 L said " No, she must have jumped over the chair when you left for work."

AND jumped back and pretended to be asleep when I got home.

I'm on to you Abby.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I better go count my beers there's no telling what ELSE she was up to.  :-)

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Black and White Sunday

If I stare at it long enough, the bowl will magically refill.

This is a blog hop hosted by Nola and Sugar.

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Sepia Saturday - a Wedding

Mom's still doing the weird work hour thing, but I found a post to put up for Sepia Saturday.  It's her wedding picture, as she put Dad's ring on him.  It was taken with a friend's cell phone but it is her favorite picture from the day.This was in October 2 years ago. Mom and Dad were friends for a lot of years, the bestest of friends. Mom said he was so much younger than she (24 years) she knew they'd just be friends. But Dad thought otherwise. Dad's an engineer - he's smart like that.

They wore Victorian garb and told their friends in the wedding party to dress however they wanted. They had a bridesmaid in a kilt, some in Renaissance wear, and all sorts of fun things.The minister who married them is a retired  prison chaplain, married to a female pilot friend of Mom's. They got married at Mom's house and there was toasts and cake, followed by dinner at an English Brew Pub. It was a grand day, one where Barkley ran off with the pillow for the ring and they stayed that night in a haunted bed and breakfast that had a garage full of British Cars while their friends stayed with Barkley. They only honeymooned one night as they didn't want to leave Barkley, who was a senior dog.

I'm sorry I wasn't there, but I'm SO happy they love each other so much and are my Mom and Dad.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Cow Appreciation Day - Don't Say You Weren't Warned

Abby the Lab here while Mom is busy.  This week, on the 14th, was Cow Appreciation Day at Chick Fil a.  Mom LOVES Chick Fil a's food. She gets the grilled chicken sandwich or salad, fruit cup and a diet lemonade 2 or 3 days a week when she's working or the wrap with the flaxseed wrap and the oriental dressing followed by an ice cream cone or their diet soft serve/lemonade slushie thing.  It's on her way to work, no one at the drive up window has dreadlocks and face tackle and the food is pretty tasty.

But don't be fooled by those ever so  cute, friendly Chick Fil a cows.

Regular cows aren't like that.   I read in an article that you have more likelihood in the U.S. of being killed by a cow than struck and killed by lightning.

Yes - Cows.

Here's one disemboweling his latest victim.
Is there anything we can do about this danger?

-Cow locks required on all cows and cow pastures.
-The formation of organizations to keep the media informed of the danger, such as BADD (Bovines are Deadly, Dummy)
-Cow Owner Identification Cards (have it ready to show the law officer).
-N.C.R.A.: National Cow Registration Act requiring the registration and marking of all cows with non-removable serial numbers.

Perhaps not - but until there are better laws protecting people from cows, here are a few safety tips.

Yes, cows, seen in screen and print as a gentle lowly creature, the cow can easily turn into a grumpy mooing menace. Mom has lived on a farm, she KNOWS.

Think about it, you're doing a bit of pheasant hunting, crossing land you got permission to roam, having a wonderful time. The sky is balmy, the birds singing in the trees. Then up ahead, you head the yell of one of your companions. You run up ahead to find him scrambling up the tree as Mr. Bull tries to give him the "high five" with a horn.  You turn and run, but guess what. He's gaining, and you're next.

You might be surprised to know that few people know how to defend themselves from cow attack. Between 2003 and 2008, 108 people died from cattle-induced injuries across the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of cow-related fatalities were caused by blunt force trauma to the head or chest; with over a third of the victims working in enclosed spaces with cattle. Normally, the perpetual battle between man and bovine is one-sided (and involves steak sauce). But people who work around cattle have associated risks, and have to be aware of both the animal and their surroundings at all time. "Like what they say about dogs, they can smell fear," one local rancher said.

But you're thinking? I'm not a farmer, I don't have a ranch. Why should I worry about cow attack? Well I worry about running out of treats, of vacuum cleaner conventions, of having "fresh and minty breath" when I'm out on a date with my favorite wiener dog.  So for those that worry entirely too much about such things - ome cow safety tips.

How to tell a Gentle Cow from a Really Angry Cow.












See the difference?

Now, don’t get mixed up, non angry cows can still be dangerous in certain conditions. But it can be difficult to tell them apart. Color, however, is not a reliable identifying characteristic for either sex and the claws, which can rival that of Wolverine of the X-men, are difficult to see at a distance.


Precautions when camping in cow country. Now that you know to watch for a cow that's in a bad MOOd (pun intended). it’s time to learn what you can do to prevent an attack when camping out. Do not cook or store food in or near your tent, unless your tent is equipped with the latest in anti-cow technology. Do not sleep in the clothing you cook in and properly stow garbage, wash dishes and wipe down any tabletops. Hang food and anything with strong odors (toothpaste, bug repellent, haggus, etc.) out of the reach of cows, if possible. If no trees are available, store your food in airtight or specially designed cow-proof containers. Avoid taking odorous foods and keep food smells off your clothing, lest you be molested or mugged and have your wallet stolen by gangs of cows.

Hiking in Cow Country. You must avoid surprising the cow at close range. If the terrain makes it hard for them to see you as your approach, make lots of noise. Talk loudly, wear a bell, sing the Monty Python Lumberjack song. If spotted by a cow, try to get its attention while it is a good distance away. Help the cow to recognize that you are a human by talking to it in a normal voice, waving your arms. Try not and travel alone. In a group, cows will attack the weakest link. Try and hike with people much slower and fatter than yourself and if the cow rushes you, point at that obnoxious guy with short legs that complained the entire hike.

Watch for signs that cows are in the area. That can include rubs and scrapes, cow patties, unusual explosions and booby traps involving spikes. Identifying these clues may help to prevent an encounter.
If you Encounter a Cow. Remain calm and avoid sudden movements. Give the cow plenty of room, allowing it to continue its activities undisturbed. Every living thing has a zone of danger or personal space -- that is, the distance within which a cow feels threatened. If it changes its natural behavior (feeding, foraging or hay huffing) because of your presence, you are too close. If you push that limit, the cow may react aggressively in the form of a bluff charge, or even an outright attack. Cows are famous for the bluff charge and may run at you and suddenly stop or continue right at you. You never know, which it will be, they have a terrible poker face. If they charge and stop, try and stand still and slowly back away. If they continue, try and get something between you and the cow, trees, outbuildings, a chili cook-off. Then get away from the cow as quickly as you can.

If a confrontation is unavoidable. Kick, punch, yell, the welfare of the animal is not important if your life is at risk (and how much damage do you think you are going to do to a 1300 pound side of beef?)

Do not play dead. Unless you want a fresh steaming cow pile on your head.

Don't get cornered. Like politicians you elect, trust them and get used to how they work, but don't trust them so much that you ever turn your back on them. Avoid getting into a confined space with cows. A lot of farmers are killed when cows smashed them against the sides of gates, fences and barns.

Don't forget the little ones. A calf may be cute but don't forget its "protective and charging at you Mama" is not. When a cow gives birth she becomes another animal, one that a bottle of Midol, a backrub, and a glass of White Wine will NOT help improve the mood of.

Thanks for listening to our cow safety tips - Next week - the barn cat - ignoring you or plotting something involving mice and C4.
Hope you all had a smile and a nice evening - Mom's heading back to work but we'll have a post up Sunday. 

Abby Lab


Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Warning Signs Are Said to Defeat the Purpose of Natural Selection

But if your house has a particularly low entryway into the basement, they can be rather useful.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Hair of the dog

Mom - there was a lot of dancing and root beer at the square dance, and more dancing and MORE root beer.  I had a GREAT time but this morning I'm not feeling so good.
I hear bacon is good for a root beer hangover. In a breakfast burrito  - even better.
Or maybe just that ice pack.



Thursday, July 9, 2015

Live From the Blogville Rodeo

Howdy! It's "Abby Oakley" Cowgirl extradonaire and crack cowboy poopy pellet gun markswoman.
This is my target. (OK, it's Mom's from the LEO range).  But I managed to knock over a glass of iced tea with my tail!
 BE SURE TO SEE THE DOODS, MURPHY AND STANLEY FOR THE FULL EVENT SCHEDULE! 



There's the events and the sponsors listed on the poster if they are not linked  here.  I'm busy at the dance and Mom has to go back on duty, so we may not have everyone.  But I know, we will all, at some time tonight, take off our hats and say a little thank you with a toast to lovely Sasha at the Bridge.  We miss her dearly, and not simply for her wonderful catering at these events, but for her lovely heart and generous spirit.

We miss you Sasha.


For now, there's so much going on.  First over the Cattle Stampede:


Squirrel Roping!


Here's our brand.  Pie R Squared.  What other kind of brand could the geek cow have?

In addition to the cattle stampede, squirrel roping, pork chopping (wait - that's dinner) there's  all kind of things going on which I'll add here as they happen.

There's some wonderful cowboy poetry at:


There's Bull Riding happening at:


There's barrel racing going on over at:



But first my handsome date for the square dance - Frankie Furter (when asked for the best date for a cowboy square dance I was told to "Get a long little doggie").
Doesn't he look handsome in his Western gear with his mighty horse "Trusty Steve".

Dori's Backyard is hosting the Square Dance.  It's starting right now!  Stop in at:





Thank you Dory and family  for the wonderful photos!

All the bronco busting is posted  on Frankie and Ernie's blog so click here to see the great riding skills of my square dance partner and all of our friends here in Blogville.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Sunday Black and White

Who says a dog can't play leap frog?


This is a Blog HOP (hehehe) hosted by our friends Nola and Sugar.