Busy, busy, busy...

I'm back at home for a little while.... Lovey has been helping herself to my bowl of strawberry ice cream while I caught up with e-mails and checked the news. I haven't seen Banichi yet - I think he's hibernating in his closet hidey-hole; I'll roust him out in a bit, just to be sure he's OK. Silver and Smiley's Mom called me last night and told me that a neighbor nearby had sent her a warning that a mountain lion had been spotted in the neighborhood a block from her townhouse; I promised to block off the doggie door when I went to bed and to be careful walking and running the kids until she gets home Thursday afternoon. Smiley and Silver and I were out at 5 this morning - it was 57 degrees with 89% humidity - but we had a good 2 hour walk and run. I returned home and cooled off, having a blueberry waffle with raspberries on it for breakfast. Forty-five minutes after returning, I fed the dogs and then left to walk over to Rosie and Remy's house. Their walk went extremely well - Rosie barked twice at a golden retriever, and ignored 3 other dogs on leashes. After a quick run in Kathy and Jim's back yard, we returned to their house; just before reaching their walkway, a little girl fell off her bike in the road and began to cry, her mother let go of their puppy's leash and went to the girl. Of course, the puppy came right to me. We had very polite nosing all the way around three times, and the puppy was accepted. I grabbed the puppy's leash and walked her with Remy and Rosie over the the girl and her Mom... at which time, the puppy reared up and bit at Remy's neck. Remy, being the horrible, mean, vicious, aggressive dog that he is, took a step towards me and gave a small growl to make the pup back down. The puppy went down on her back, which made Remy feel good. The owner laughed and said that their older dog was setting limits with the puppy, also, and it was good to see her react the same with a new adult dog, too. Then I returned the red kids and came home... I need to feed my Hatchlings on Facebook before they all run away, and then I'll head back to Silver and Smiley's. I'll return home tomorrow afternoon, go and see Max in his play, and then be able to spend the night in my own bed..... Pure heaven!

This morning while out with both sets of dogs, I saw 18 mule deer, 2 skunks and 7 foxes, besides all the usual birds and squirrels. ... As of 9 this morning, more than 20,000 homes were still without power in the metro Denver area after Monday night's storm. ... And thanks in part to that storm, as well as more rain yesterday, the town of Deckers (due west of Castle Rock, but up in the mountains) is almost closed due to two different mudslides. Deckers is a small town that grew up along the T-shaped intersection of two roads. Highway 126 runs north and south, while Highway 67 runs east and west, and terminates at the T junction with 126. There is a mudslide closing the road on 126 north of Deckers; to the east of Deckers, 67 is closed by another mudslide. The only way into and out of town is along south 126 and through some very mountainous country.... Poor Deckers!! But at least they have some way to come and go! .... Ahh! Banichi has just wandered out and over to the food bowl. I need to give him some attention and love...