Brenda's Photo Challenge: Bedtime

This was a challenge ~ on two levels:  the reality of my life and finding a subject!  I live by myself, there are no grandchildren and the adult children are out and about in the world and I work on average six days a week.  So decided to go with the critters who inhabit my household.  They are all in bed before I even realize it is  time to call it a day.  Sometimes that leaves a challenge of a different kind...where in the world am I suppose to sleep! :-)

Tye has a kennel.  But after a busy 12 hour day at doggie day care this lab/border collie mix always attempts to sack-out on on the Mom's bed first.  Perhaps he hopes I won't notice the large furry lump taking up most of the bed...

Aging coon hounds do three things, eat, sleep and sniff stuff.  Reb gets his own chair and everyone including me stays out of it!

Pip the Love Bird goes to bed at 8 PM and is up with all of Mother Nature's avian friends at 4 AM ~ who needs an alarm clock?

Then there are the visitors:  Sukie and Juneau.  Their Mom was the main course for a coyote and her pups when these little ones were about two weeks old.  These little feral friends are being "socialized".  But like all their feline kin,  socialized or not,  BEDTIME comes and they wake up!  At least for the time being I don't startle at strange sounds in the house....Suk and Juju are just having HS (hour of sleep) fun!!!

Brenda's Photo Challenge! Pets

The Old Man

     Trouble

the Dominatrix

Rebel (The Old Man) is a 12 year old Red Bone Coon Hound.  He is a Southern Gentleman who is the most gentle and tender companion in the world.  Trouble (Tye) is a nick name for the lab mix in the pack who is a forever two year old and always up to mischief. He is playful and loving but a more than a handful when he creates his own recreational fun.  He is my constant reminder of the value of exercise for dogs.  I have a treadmill now for Tye and WR.  :)  The Dominatrix (Coco) is a two year old rescue who loves her pack but thinks she is the alpha in all things (the 'everything I see is mine' syndrome). Don't be deceived by deer-in-the-headlights look.  She loves Mom but is a terror with other animals.  However, she makes exceptions for Tye as they seem to have become best of friends...for better or for worse.  They have perfected 'coursing' through the house without breaking anything ~ ah, the joy of small blessings!

Early morning error - hit reboot

Why did I do that? When I finally gave into exhaustion and went to bed last night I mistakenly set the alarm. What was I thinking on a Friday night? In my drowsy state of mind did I think it was Sunday night? What a cruel surprise to have the alarm sound at 4:45 A.M. It might as well have been screaming “hit the deck sailor” - to the sound of bugles. If I lived completely alone it would have been a simple matter – turn it off and go back to sleep. Alas, my dogs responded with immediate glee. The alarm means “BREAKFAST!” and they were instantly circling the bedroom door impatiently waiting for me to come to enough life to find slippers, glasses and cell phone (I’m on call 24/7, so the gadget is another constant companion). The canine companions vanish into the early morning darkness when I open the back door to the yard. I know I have minutes to feed my ancient cat buddy (20+ years of age). He is part Siamese so even now his cry is piercing and demanding “Feed me now – Feed me first!” I oblige him out of respect for his age and to make him shut up. I know I have only minutes to accomplish said feeding because the Red Bone Coon Hound will begin to bay at the closed back door. His old age (11 years) demand for nourishment is powerful and loud. I don’t want the neighbors to leave hate notes for me because I forgot what the day was. I’m quite sure the hound’s bay can be heard for miles in the early quiet of the morning. Dogs fed and kenneled. No playing after food – I don’t want to deal with bloat. I tip toe into the office. Why tiptoe? Salsa, the Jenday parrot, lives in the office. He needs 10 hours of sleep and he didn’t go to sleep until I did. A cranky Jenday puts a Red Bone Coon Hound to shame in the noise department. I’ve heard that the shrill, complaining cry has made grown men weep! I read email and blogs and catch up with the world - all the time wondering what am I doing up. There is a bit of poetry to catch up with and a To Do list that includes going back into the office late today. At 7 A.M. I free the dogs and send them to the back yard. They make a bee line for the fence to let the neighbor’s dogs know just what is what about territory. The cat has gone back to bed and I uncovered the parrot who is engaged with imitating the sound of the dishwasher. I think he is showing off to the wild birds perched outside office window. I will move the desert dust off furniture and kitchen tile, vacuum the floors and make the bed. I slip into the rhythm of the day. My plan for the remainder of the day - off to the gym – far earlier than I had originally planned. Perhaps the silver lining is that later today I can take a long nap and not feel a shred of guilt about that small indulgence.