I was all by myself today, so I puttered around the house until around 10...when I left to go run errands.
First stop was the gas station. I am picking up JAH-SHA-WAHHHHH from Camp Barnabas in the morning, and I wanted to have that all taken care of, since I have to leave at the crack-of-dawn.
Then, I went and picked up new bedding for Clark's room. I have just been feeling like he needs a change in there. His room has basically been the exact same since he started jr. high...and he's a college sophomore. I think it's time...don't you?
Next, I stopped by Sherwin-Williams for paint, for his walls...and lastly, I went to the grocery.
I thought I had left my ladder at Holly and Aaron-the-son-in-law's house, so I texted her to see if she would turn off her alarm, and let me go in and try to find it. She did...and it wasn't there. But what WAS there, was her little, furry, halfadog...staring up at me. I texted Holly to ask if I could bring him home with me for the afternoon...and she said, "yes," and you have never seen anything jump into a car so fast!
After I ate lunch, I started painting up in his room. I didn't get finished, but I am about half-way done with the first coat.
I had really planned on doing this while he was on his trip to Asia...but then Holly and Aaron bought a new house, and in my spare time, I helped them pack up stuff and move...and so I put Clark's room on the back-burner.
Depending on when Holly's baby decides to arrive, I might be able to get it all done before that! Because, I mean, after the baby is born...I'm pretty much not going to care about anything else for a WHILE. :)
After dinner, Marley wanted to go outside...and he was barking his little turkey head off out there. Jim has a built-up garden area on one side...and the dogs have been going nuts out there. I went out there to see what in the world was going on. I didn't get too close, in case it was a sneaky-snake...but I quickly realized whatever it is is UNDER the box.
I had told Aaron I would bring Marley home, and I could not get him to leave the garden. FINALLY, I got Maggie, our geriatric Black Lab, to follow me...and Marley followed, because he doesn't want to be left out of anything. Both dogs were hot messes...tongues hanging out, and nasty-dirty. Both dogs headed to the pool.
They aren't allowed in the pool, but they DRINK out of the pool.
I know.
It's crazy.
Actually, sometimes Marley will get in the pool IF Holly is in there swimming...and he will swim to her. But that's about all he will typically do.
Well, all of a sudden, Marley bailed off into the pool, and started swimming around. I walked to the stairs, and called for him to come that way...and he did. But then I heard a THUNK, and looked over...Maggie had fallen into the pool.
Actually, she started doing this last summer. On really hot days, she would walk over to the pool to get a drink, and then she would kind of roll her body into the pool, and look at Jim like, "uh-oh...look what I ACCIDENTALLY did." BECAUSE SHE KNOWS SHE'S NOT ALLOWED IN THE POOL. But this year, she isn't doing that. Her hip dysplasia is really bad...so bad that she can barely bend over to drink out of the water. It's so pitiful...but I don't know if she is "suffering" just yet. When she sees us, she wags her tail and seems happy. Seems wrong to "put her down" if she can still be happy.
Plus, I don't know what in the WORLD we are going to do with Joshua when that happens...because unless she dies in her sleep sometime soon, it's a decision that Jim will have to make...soon.
Anyway, Maggie got a drink, and then rolled herself into the pool...and then? Then she couldn't get out.
She tried to climb up the stairs, multiple times...but being that her front two legs are the only thing hoisting her body up...it was fruitless. She flopped back down into the pool each time. And then she kind of started floating away from the pool...her two front legs paddling for all they were worth...and the bottom half of her body just laying there.
Broke my heart.
I knew if she floated to the deep end, it was going to be really hard, even impossible, for me to get her out. So I did the only thing I knew to do...
I jumped in.
Clothes, shoes, and all.
And I dragged out that 90 lb wet dog...all by myself.
Fortunately, I had thrown my phone to the grass just before I jumped.
I stood Maggie up beside me, and she promptly shook off every bit of water she had on her body...onto ME. And then limped off to her mat.
I'm so happy I was there to fish her out...but it makes me wonder...what if? Because I'm home a lot, but I'm not home ALL THE TIME.
I hate the thought that we won't have her much longer. She is such a great dog. She really the best.dog.ever.
"Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:28
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