This morning I had an appointment with the mower repairman because both of mine had died while in use about a week ago, one in the lower pasture and one in the dog yard. He got the zero-turn started and we used that one to tow the other up to his truck where it was loaded up and carted away to his shop. That means I could mow again, but the grass was too wet and I had other plans anyway.
I loaded up Sherlock, Mitch, and Dodger and we drove out to western Albemarle, or maybe we in Nelson County, to meet a photographer. She took photos of all three dogs, individually, and their portraits will appear in a calendar of rescue dogs that she does each year. Mitch and Sherlock were fairly easy, both being very food motivated and at least partially civilized. The experience underscored how much work that Dodger needs, however. I had two leashes on him because I know if he ever got away he'd never come to me, or anyone. He was frightened of everything, including and perhaps especially, me. I've been keeping him in the house and just letting him out to the a/c yard. He goes out and comes back into his crate, and he plays with Bailey out there, but we haven't formed much of a bond yet.
We got back home early afternoon and I decided to spend some time out in Daneland. I've been keeping Sherlock and Mitch out there and they are fine, but I feel like I've been neglecting them. I also wanted to try Bailey and Dodger out there. I closed Daneland divider, keeping Sherlock and Mitch on the far end and then brought Bailey and Dodger out to the puppy side. Sherlock has a history of having a rather aggressive greeting style so I wanted everyone to get settled and acquainted through the dividing fence at first. When I opened the divider I let Mitch in first, and he was no problem. I was expecting Sherlock to charge at Dodger, but he barely even checked him out.
I busied myself picking up trash and toys so I could eventually mow out there, and picking up sticks and branches that had come down in recent storms. Then I finally decided to tackle a project that's been staring me in the face for quite some time. There are two A-frame structures that support an elevated platform. One of them had virtually collapsed. The dogs didn't mind, it made it easier for them to jump up onto the platform, but the whole thing just looks rather shiftless.
I learned to recognize, criticize, and be bothered by shiftlessness from my mother. The only reason I hadn't been bothered by this too much up to now was the fact and few people ever saw it and it really didn't matter to the dogs. But it was bothering me so I spent some time deconstructing and reconstructing one of the A-frames and replaced a board on the platform. It's not a model of engineering. It's not even decent homeowner quality carpentry, but at least it's no longer shiftless.
The good thing that I did wasn't the subpar carpentry project, it was spending time out there with those four dogs. It was good for all of them but especially for Dodger. They played, they ran, they chased each other all over out there while I was busy. I fed Dodger out there with Sherlock and Mitch this evening, but brought him back indoors later. He's crashed out in his crate in the kitchen. I just checked the camera in the puppy shed and Sherlock and Mitch are sleeping soundly too. Bailey is asleep on a bed in my office and I'm going to bed myself very soon. A good start to the weekend.
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