Bouffant Blonde

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Little Guy Wants To Surf "Mama! Mama! I want to learn how to surf." Little Guy skidded to a halt in front of his Mama. "Where did that come from, Little Guy," Mama asked. "You've never even seen anyone surf." "USA Today had a story on dogs in California that surf. And the dogs really like it. And they're good. I could be good too, Mama. I know I could. Please!" "Little Guy where would you learn to surf at," she asked. "We've got a pond," he said. Little Guy had obviously thought this through. "There are no waves on the pond, Little Guy. You've got to have waves if you're going to surf," Mama said. Little Guy thought about that. "I know! I'll get Granddaddy to make some waves. How hard can it be?" Little Guy smiled confidently. His Granddaddy could do anything. Mama shook her head. "I don't know, Little Guy. Waves would be pretty difficult to make on...

Little Guy Gets Left in the Shop Little Guy was not having a good morning. Granddaddy wouldn't let Little Guy and Sunshine out of the backyard. Sugar had a new calf. Blackie was grieving. And Granddaddy didn't think Little Guy or Sunshine should help. Little Guy disagreed but there was nothing he could do about it. Granddaddy had set up that awful electric fence around the backyard so digging out was not going to happen. Finally, Granddaddy relented. He had charged the car battery and then had to take the charger back to the shop. Oh boy! Little Guy and Sunshine got to go. It wasn't much of a trip but it sure beat the backyard. Sunshine stayed outside the shop door but Little Guy rushed inside and started sniffing around. Surely there was something he could hunt. It was a shop after all. Mama had it filled with stuff that Granddaddy calls junk. Mama calls it future money. Little stays out of that debate. Little Guy was moving around some boxes when all of a sudden the light...

Mama was not a happy camper. Little Guy knew this right away. He sat in the dining room and looked toward the Christmas Tree in the living room. Mama's glasses were perched on her nose and her hands were searching among the tree's branches. "It shouldn't be this hard to find a plug," Mama said. "You'd think they'd make it easy. It's supposed to be easy. Just plug in a few strands and the lights twinkle on." Mama searched a little more. Her head slipped under the branches. She sat back in frustration. "The top of the tree looks wonderful," Little Guy said in an effort to cheer her up. "You're right," she said. "But the bottom half has no working lights. I've got two things that need to plug in somewhere. There has to be somewhere to plug them in. But where? They didn't just disappear between last year and this year!" Mama's hands searched the tree trunk once again. She pulled her hands out and look...

Little Guy has been really busy. He thought he'd get a break after he'd helped gather all the pecans. Nope. He'd barely settled in for a nap when Grandaddy announced it was time to plant rye. "What?" Little Guy couldn't believe his ears. Grandaddy got into his truck and headed for town. Little Guy laid in the sun and pretended he hadn't heard a word about work. Grandaddy soon came home and let down the truck's tailgate. Little Guy's eyes widened when he saw all those bags of rye seed. "We have to plant all that seed," Little Guy asked Grandaddy. "Yes, we do," he answered. "The cows will enjoy it this winter. They get tired of just eating hay." "But we don't have to do it all today," Little Guy said hopefully. "Actually, we need to," Grandaddy said. "It's supposed to rain this weekend. The seed needs rain to grow and we don't know when the next rain will be." Little Guy sighed....

Mama and Grandaddy were sorting pecans and Little Guy wanted to help. It looked easy enough. He watched then go through each bucket, get all the trash out, pick out the bad pecans and save all the good pecans. He could do that. Mama sat on a short stool and began picking out leaves and other such things. It was just Little Guy's height so he hurried over to help. Some of that stuff looked really bad. Little Guy didn't want to touch it. He decided maybe he'd wait and help sort the bad pecans from the good pecans. Mama showed him a bad pecan. It was kind of narrow at the end and she easily pushed it in. Little Guy smelled. Yuck! He sure wouldn't want to eat that. Into the trash pile it went. Grandaddy was perched on a high stool. Little Guy couldn't reach that high. Sunshine could but she was taking a nap. Grandaddy weighed the pecans with his hands. Little Guy was impressed. The puppy doctor always made Little Guy get on a scale and stand really, really still. Then ...

Little Guy really wanted to watch the football game Saturday. Mama loves football. So do Gran and Grandaddy. He didn't want to stay outside with Sunshine. He wanted to watch the game. Mama finally said okay. Little Guy hurried inside and sat down in front of the television. This was going to be so much fun! "Roll Tide," Mama said. "Roll Tide," Little Guy echoed. Little Guy watched the player run really fast toward the ball and he kicked it as hard as he could. The ball floated through the air until a player from the other team grabbed it and started running. Little Guy watched in excitement. He loved to run with the ball. It was fun. Suddenly, Mama started yelling. "Get him! Get him!" Little Guy frowned. He didn't like it when Mama yelled. He gulped and told himself it was all right. She wasn't yelling at him. Little Guy tried hard not to get yelled at. In fact, he hardly ever got yelled at anymore. Only when he was chasing the calves or when M...

Once upon a time Sunshine was just a baby. Mama used to carry her everywhere. Sunshine isn't a baby anymore. She's so big Mama can't even lift her. One day when Sunshine was a baby, she and Miss Lady Bug went with Grandaddy and Mama out to the barn. Sunshine wanted to be a big girl, so she walked all by herself. Grandaddy wanted to put out fresh hay for the cows. Mama's job was to guard the gate as Grandaddy used the tractor to move rolls of hay from the fenced enclosure to the pasture. Miss Lady Bug was the suspervisor. There were no cows around when the operation started. Then the cows heard the tractor. They rushed from the Big Pasture to the pasture by the barn. They wanted the fresh hay. The cows scared Sunshine. They were so big and she was really, really small. She was afraid they would step on her. Mama called Sunshine but she was too afraid to come to her. Mama couldn't leave her post in front of the gate because the cows would go in and create havoc among ...

Miss Lady Bug died today. She was really old but still going strong. Maybe a little slower, but still running things. Those cows jumped whenever she opened her mouth. She was definitely in charge. Yesterday something happened to her. Her neck wouldn't straighten up and her walk was more like a stagger. Grandaddy thought it was her ear. Mama said it was her neck. This morning she could barely move. And she didn't want her breakfast. Miss Lady Bug loved breakfast. Sunshine ate it all and Miss Lady Bug didn't even care. Little Guy was so worried. Grandaddy helped her get into the car. Sunshine and Little Guy helped too. They gave Miss Lady Bug kisses. Mama and Gran rushed her to the hospital. There was nothing the doctors could do. They said it might have been a stroke. Or maybe a brain tumor. She was just so old. They didn't believe there was any hope that Miss Lady Bug would ever get better. Mama and Gran came back home alone. Sunshine and Little Guy met them with eager ...

Little Guy was so excited. A heifer had given birth to her first calf. Now she was a new mama and Little Guy had a new playmate. Oh, Boy!! Grandaddy had been keeping a close eye on the heifer. Then the neighbors called. In the pasture right next to their house, the heifer had laid down and was about to give birth. Grandaddy rushed out. He got there in time to see that mama and calf were fine. The neighbor was taking photos of the newborn with her camera phone. Then one of the other cows got jealous. She wanted attention too. So she came over and knocked the new mama and tried to take her calf. Grandaddy got really mad. He made the cow go away. The heifer was so scared. She got her new baby and away they went until they got to the fartherest corner of the pasture. Grandaddy tried to give the new mama some sweet feed. Cows always like sweet feed. She wanted no part of it or him. It hurt his feelings. He left the bucket with the feed anyway, climbed on his red buggy and went back to the h...

Little Guy listens to his Mama count over and over again. "One, two, three," she says. "One, two, three." It's the sound of Mama counting Little Guy, Sunshine and Miz Lady Bug. It makes Little Guy feel secure. Mama always knows where her babies are. He's her youngest baby and the smallest too! One day Grandaddy had a friend come to visit. The two men walked down to the pond. They walked over to the woods. They looked at the carport. They looked at the shop. Then it started to rain and the man left. Little Guy plopped down in front of his fan. He was tired. It was way too hot and humid to be traipsing all over everywhere listening to Grandaddy and his friend talk. Besides, it was almost time for lunch. He needed to rest up for that. Before too long Mama came out the backdoor carrying three pans. Little Guy knew they'd have something really good to eat in them and he was really, really hungry. Mama put his bowl down in his special place. "One," ...

Little Guy loves to help. He trots happily beside his Granddaddy when they head to the garden or check fences. He sniffs weeds and brush for critters. He exercises baby calves. He is a very busy boy. The other day was no exception. Granddaddy planted watermelons on the bank by the house. Mama loves watermelons. Little Guy thinks they taste yucky. He much prefers cookies. The only problem with the watermelons is that they are really, really small. Mama cut five watermelons at one time. She and Gran and Granddaddy ate and ate. They didn't share with Little Guy, Sunshine and Miss Lady Bug because they don't like watermelon. Afterwards, Mama scooped the leftover watermelon from the rind and placed it into the refrigerator so they could eat it another day. She put the small watermelon rinds into a bucket and headed out to give them to the cows. The cows love watermelon almost as much as Mama. Little Guy rushed to help. He scooted through the gate and pranced happily toward the cows ...

Miss Lady Bug loves to eat. You'd never know it by looking at her trim figure. You'd probably think she watches what she eats. Nope. She eats pretty much whatever she wants. And probably a lot she doesn't want just to keep her brother and sister from enjoying it. Each of the dogs has their own special pan for meals. Miss Lady Bug has been known to try and eat the food in her pan and the food in her sister's pan. Sunshine just glares at her. Mama pushes Miss Lady Bug away and makes her eat from her own pan. Little Guy doesn't like anyone near his pan while he eats. He hasn't quite figured out how to eat and guard his food at the same time. He really doesn't like it when Gran comes near him when he eats. She used to tease him about eating his food. She never did but he hasn't forgotten. Little Guy knows Mama wouldn't let Gran eat his food but he doesn't want to take any chances. All three must share the Kibbles n' Bits bowl. Mama keeps plenty i...

Little Guy got up early Sunday morning and put on his very best collar. He smoothed down his fluffy hair and stood waiting patiently until Mama got up. Mama doesn't get up too early. She doesn't like mornings until she's had a cup of coffee. Little Guy waited until she'd finished her coffee. Little Guy wanted to go to church. He watched Mama get ready every Sunday morning, then she climbed into the car and off she went. Little Guy always had to stay home with his sisters. He didn't want to stay home anymore. He wanted to go to church. Little Guy told Mama he wanted to go to church and be a Christian. She looked down at him and smiled. "There's more to being a Christian than just going to church," she explained. "Teach me how to be a Christian," he pleaded. "I'm really smart. I can sit. And I can chase rabbits. And I help Granddaddy with the cows. I can learn how to be a Christian. Please, please,please." Mama gathered Little Guy...

Something is eating the cucumbers. I don't know what. I go out to gather them and something has taken little bites out of several of them. Every day. Could it be a rabbit? Maybe? I figured with three dogs, surely they could determine what's going on. I held up one of the ruined cucumbers and asked Little Guy who was eating it. He dutifully sniffed the bitten area. He shook his head. "Cucumbers are not good," he told me. "Whoever is eating those things is not really smart." He wrinkled his little nose. "And I don't care what Gran says," he added before walking away. Well, I figured, that was strike one. Surely his older, wiser sisters would have the answer. I called Sunshine over. She's a lab. Labs love to hunt. Surely she would know who's eating the cucumbers. She took a sniff and shook her head. "Probably a rabbit," she said. "I can't be sure. Those cucumbers are really foul smelling and that masks the smell of any c...

Little Guy loves to go to the garden with his grandaddy. He loves to go just about anywhere with his grandaddy. It's lots of fun. He can hunt and chase baby calves and slosh through the edge of the pond. Just guy stuff. But Little Guy is really, really afraid of the electric fence. The fence is supposed to keep the cows and calves from the vegetables in the garden. It also keeps Little Guy in the garden. He was really afraid when Grandaddy put a gate up at the garden entrace. What if it had an invisible electric fence? He couldn't be sure. He was so excited to go into the garden that he didn't think about that. But when it was time to leave, he was scared. Gran tried to coax him out. He just shook his little head. Grandaddy called and called. Little Guy frowned and backed up. Then Mama came out. She walked through the gate, bent down and hugged him close to her. "It's okay, Little Guy," she said. "We'll walk through the gate together. There's no e...

My life, it seems, is all about head counts. One. Two. Three. Uh...three. Where is number three? Missing in action. I rushed out the door heading to church this morning. I am always running late. Or so it seems. Sunshine came immediately when called. Miss Lady Bug stumbled out from her napping spot in the laundry room. She gave me one of those indignant looks that says "What is your problem!?" My problem involved the prime sleeping spot in front of the garage fan. It was vacant. No Little Guy. That was not a good sign. See, I haven't had this problem lately. That's the benefit of triple-digit heat. The dogs don't wander off. They stay parked in front of fans or in the house. Cooler temperatures make them feel better about exploring. Without human restrictions and parental guidance. I asked Sunshine where her brother was. She gave me one of those looks that let me know she was not his keeper. Not today anyway. I had to bite my tongue to keep from reminding her t...

Ban all personal fireworks. That's right. No more roadside stands. No more backyard shows. Fireworks are dangerous. They can be a fire hazard in dry areas. And the sound of fireworks terrifies my dogs! Enough said. I knew as soon as I heard the fireworks start on the Fourth of July that I had to get the dogs inside. They were almost on top of one another at the back door. The first pop does that. Little Guy, by far the smallest of the three, was first in the door. Fear seems to heighten strength and he definitely muscled his way in. His sisters weren't far behind. I know what you're saying. Fireworks are beautiful and fun. My mother reminisces about "shooting fireworks" when she was a small girl. She's 75 now. She thinks I'm nuts. But even she can't argue at the trembling mass of dogs that cower in fear at the pops and whishes of fireworks in the sky. My father understands. If I'm not around, I can trust that he will always let the dogs in the hous...

Little Guy loves to help his Grandaddy. He thinks it's ever so much fun to run through the corn and look for rabbits. He bounds over the pea vines and races through the cucumber patch. There is just so very much to do in the garden this time of year. This week he's helping cut down the corn stalks so his Grandaddy can feed them to the cows. The cows really seemed to enjoy that corn that was left on the stalks. Grandaddy said what was left of the corn wasn't worth gathering or eating. Little Guy thought Grandaddy might be hiding something. He decided to sample said corn himself. So he grabbed up an ear and headed for the house. There he sank down in front of the garage fan. That's Little Guy's favorite spot outside. With the wind from the fan blowing his hair, he started taking the husk from the ear of corn. That took a while and made a mess. Then he tried to get the kernels of corn off. It was hard and took a lot of effort. The kernels were splotchy and he spent a l...

Sunshine is a lab. She loves to hunt. She loves to catch things that move. It really doesn't matter what. Of course with the weather near 100 degrees and the heat index even higher, she's abandoned much of that. Except when something just happens to cross her path. She really can't help herself. I knew something was up when she scrambled out from under the van (which she is really too big to be under) and raced across the yard. I hadn't seen her move that quickly in weeks. She's so laid-back that her usual mode of travel is slow and leisurely. She immediately started looking for something. Her nose was in high gear. I didn't know what she saw. I figured maybe a squirrel. She likes to go after squirrels. I know the squirrels get a good laugh as they jump from tree to tree without the dogs ever having a clue. Sunshine started trying to move some tin stacked next to the cattle trailer. Soon, Little Guy and Miss Lady Bug had joined the search. I tried to be helpful...

Little Guy loves to fish. He never really understood fishing until my oldest nephew visited when Little Guy was just a puppy. He'd obviously lived in the city before he came to us. He knew we had a pond. He loved to romp along the sides, splashing in the water. But he never understood that there are fish in the pond. Wow! He watched my nephew gather a reel and rod and other supplies. Then Little Guy happily followed him around to the dam. Both his sisters went along so it was a fun adventure. He sat right next to my nephew as he threw the line in. Then, oh my gosh, a fish came out! That was exciting! Little Guy danced all around and tried to get close to the fish. My nephew removed said fish from the hook and threw the fish back into the pond. Wait a minute, Little Guy said. Don't we get to play with the fish? I want to take the fish back to the house and show my mom. So Little Guy did what any puppy would do under those circumstances. He went into the water after the fish. He...