THE BEACH BOYS AND A NEW TOY...

Allen and I have been so 'dying dog' sick since New Years, we became like two catepillars in our cocoons called, "our beds" for weeks now...(and other than making a mad dash to the bathroom so many times a day and night it makes me dizzy just remembering it)... our activity limited to only doing what had to be done to sustain life and limb, follow the Doctors orders somewhat, feed the animals...and staring at the television like two brain dead people with eyes glazed over, not really 'getting it' but somehow relieved something was passing before our eyes, instead of our lives at that point...

...so with the reports of the ending of the RECORD BREAKING RAIN we've endured to help make things seem even more GLOOMY...we pryed ourselves from the house for a few short adventures in the past few days...just to see if we were going to be struck dead in the process. The good news is that I lost about ten pounds during the ordeal, but before you get excited about it, it didn't make a dent in my appearance...I am still a rolley polley...and it will take about nine times that ten pounds before a 'wow' will come from my lips...that is certain.

Whether I am up to that challenge of starvation and self denial...or not is anyone's guess at this point. I am still not very hungry so it is easy right now to just say no to all the fattening things I like...but let me get my health back...and resistence may go the same way as this flu...'away'.

I won't belabor the sick experience talk as so many have had this Flu, Sinus infection, Bronchitus, Pneumonia crud combination...(not a single part of the body worked right...and to top it off the severe dehydration with the cramps that come with it...legs arms chest back and even the gluteous maximus...) to go further into the details of it would bring back horrible memories for all who were struck with this awful thing.

The sun came out finally, and we could start moving toward recovery, finally!

In the meantime, our little girl puppy, Nicky took off with Joey and Lucky on an 'exploring' adventure off the ranch during our sick time, (and due to our neglect of them), and when the Boys returned, she didn't return with them, during one of the awful storms...and the creek was full and raging like a river...so after a full week and daily calls to the pound, we believe that Nicky is gone...for good.

I think she went somewhere they could get out of, and she couldn't...and when I try to think happy thoughts about it, I think someone stole her and now she has a new family loving her that couldn't afford to buy her so they stole her.

Otherwise I start 'tearing up' over the loss because it makes me so sad. One thing is certain, we will keep the boys (and get no other dogs), probably get them fixed, and definitely get them trained properly...along with us.

THE BOYS AT THE BEACH....

So, with a lot of guilt for our neglect of the Dogs needs during our sickness, we took them to the beach to romp and roam and they had a great time, but Joey would not come when we called him, so now we are scheduling a 'Training Class' for them and us, so they can learn how to behave properly, come when called and behave with good manners, without us "ruining them" first.

Jordan went with us and was a big help...with Lucky, and with running after Joey to get him when he went to 'bug' some little dogs on the beach who didn't want to 'play' with him...and the two little kids about one and two (reminded me of how Ean and Ben will be in another year) that were with them...he almost knocked over, twice!

However, our Boys found some other larger dogs once the little yappers were gone, and Mom and Dad had enough of the beach with the little ones and the dogs...and then they had the time of their lives OFF THE LEASH...frolicking like crazy.

One was a Great Dane puppy and another was a Lab-Boxer female mix that out smarted our Guys at every turn...of course the Great Dane Pup was twice their size already and merely had to 'glide' to put distance between her and Joey at will, but he gave it all he got to keep up with her and try to be the Alpha on the beach.

Nice try Joe, but just because you have been the Alpha around here due to Allen and I spoiling you rotten...that doesn't mean everyone in life is going to lay down for you...no matter how hard you try to convince them of it. Lucky was pretty well behaved overall...so I say that Lucky is my dog now, and Joey is Allens...ha ha.

THE NEW TOY -

The new Toy is a Manco Dingo Go Kart, 6 hp we got today from some folks who have 100 acres of land in the middle of Forestry Land out on Highway 34 on the Alsea River...it's almost new, and after we wrote the check for the Go Kart, and were driving out of their place...we saw a whole HERD OF ELK for the first time since we have been here...that was pretty thrilling to say the least. Those were some BIG hunks of meat on hooves for sure, especially the Bull.

So, now we have another fun vehicle for those who like to ride stuff around the ranch, only a lot lower than the ATVS so it will seem a lot faster I'm sure...can't wait til Allen and Will make the dirt track in the lower pasture...and I can't wait to go to Mt. Baber to try out the 27 miles of Trails on the ATV's and Trail Bikes when it opens back up soon either.

Jordan took a test ride on the Go Kart and gave it thumbs up on the 'fun' meter, so that was the final test to see if we would buy it or not...and it was our second adventure out of the house...except for Grocery Shopping and dinner at Wendys. I think I will get Faye Wednesday as I am feeling up to driving that long now...and she has a Doctors appointment in Corvalis that day...so hopefully, things will seem more normal...as less 'quiet' around here soon.

We thought about taking a Ride on the Motorcycle, but we are still to weak and still too prone to getting sick again to chance it, or big crowds of people. We got to the Doctor tomorrow, so hopefully all the 'sick' signs will be gone...and life can go on a bit more energetically...to say the least.

Being a 'slug' has never been high on the list of things I enjoy doing. lol

Want to come play with our new toy?

Let me know?!