In which Miss Sadie acquires a faceful of quills, Windows Vista behaves badly, and great expense is incurred – but at least we get a new picture of the Day Park and we’re going to dinner with Michael Moore
I’ve been meaning to change the Torch Lake Views banner photo. Things have greened up a bit since I shot that moody winter evening. But on the way to getting the job done . . .
Tuesday night Miss Sadie had a run-in with a porcupine. After spending an adventurous time of it trying to remove the quills with a pair of pliers, we went to the vet, who was armed with enough anasthesia to put both of us under. Our bank account lightened by a week’s pay, we headed over to the Day Park to recuperate, stopping off at Sonny’s for a comforting ice cream cone. (Raspberry with chocolate chunks.) The sky was slate and the ground trembled as a big thunderstorm moved across the Bay, but we took some pictures anyway, and here’s my favorite:
This morning I fired up the laptop to make a nice spring banner, but Windows Vista chose today to get into a fight with the entire Internet. It took all day and several phone calls to my ISP’s support team to get me back online. So here. Look at this and be grateful you don’t have a grumpy terrier with quill holes in her face, a demanding spaniel who thinks entirely too much has been made of the terrier, and a cat who wishes they’d both go away. But don’t feel sorry for me. I’m going to dinner with Michael Moore and some friends. Quite a few friends, actually. Tell you about it later.
Torch Lake Views 
p.j. grath
May 14, 2008
Poor Sadie! I remember vividly the time our old Nikki had the porcupine experience. Tonight, after rain had swelled our usually tiny creek, Sarah discovered the joys of splashing upstream and downstream. We have a wet, muddy dog drying off on the front porch tonight. Look forward to hearing about your dinner….
Dad
May 16, 2008
Porcupine Quills? My dear daughter, you didn’t mention Old Yeller, the sweet stray that adopted us when we lived in Binnewater, NY. As I recall, he loved the food we left out for him so much that he became our watch dog. One night he came home with a face full of quills. The vet would not give us a break for this old stray, so we ponied up the fee and kept him on a leash after that. He used to curl up outdoors in the snow during the winter.
Leslie SMyers
May 17, 2008
Crikey Gerry – and there was I, feeling sorry for myself ’cause my youngest took his car apart and can’t quite get it back together again – so he is driving mine.
Your quill story, not to mention that computer problem, beats mine.
🙂
Gerry Sell
May 17, 2008
Oh my, Leslie! If the heir continues down that path you might have to send him over here to be apprenticed to Bruce Merrifield, Certified Mechanic. At least you’d get your car back . . . 🙂
Dad, I don’t remember Old Yeller’s quilling, but I surely do remember Grampa pulling them out of Bingo with a pair of pliers. (I tried that with Miss Sadie, but it was not a success.)
PJ, isn’t it wonderful to finally have some good soaking rain? It’s greening up wonderfully over on this side of the Bay, and I, too, have muddy dogs drying out.