For the Birds

I just want to start out by saying how exhausted Norman is from being a complete jerk of a dog today. He started out the early morning by going for a hike with me on the Barn Island Trail.  We decided to not do the 'loop' which ends up at the end of our road because our neighbor there has several roaming dogs that Norman immediately tries to pick a fight with.  Trying to avoid that scene, I opted to walk the trail 2 miles in one direction then double back.  May I say Sunday @ 7:30 am seems to be take your dog(s!) on the trail without a leash day.  I did not get the newsletter since I spent one hour fending off unleashed dogs from Norman.  One woman, as her dog was galloping at full speed toward us, yells 'he's ok, he is a puppy'...and I say 'he's not, he is dog aggressive' -  needless to say after holding Norman back with the strength of Hercules while he was snarling and she unable to catch her dog as he danced around Norman (no leash and none with her), I did give her a bit of flack about not even having a leash with her ( it was at that point my third unleashed dog encounter and I was exhausted). In the house with another dog Norman is fine.  On a leash, crazy.  

Despite the crazy dog, it was a spectacular weekend weather wise.  I saw egrets in the marsh, a hummingbird in our flowers and Irv and I saw two Baltimore Orioles in our backyard.  

Later in the day, we got to launch one boat then watch our septic system overflow.  Let me explain.  First, over a year ago Irv built a wood dinghy.  Beautiful small boat that until this weekend never saw water.  We brought it over to my parents where we got to give her a maiden voyage- yea!  She floats and no leaking!

She is light and fast and most important seaworthy!   Then we went home.  I was doing several washes since our washing machine in Princeton went bust when Irv saw sewage coming out of the overflow valves.  Ugh!   We had to call 'a guy' immediately.  Good news, it wasn't the cesspool failing.  Bad news, the pipe to the septic was clogged and is caving in.  More $$$$$.  There is nothing worse than septic problems.  They stink!

Tashtego's launch and Norman's Seafaring Adventure

"This past week was quite momentous for us.  First, Tashtego (Irv's beloved Bristol Skiff) finally saw water for the first time in over a year.  When we returned from England Irv got the good news that there was a slip available in a marina close to the Hippie House.

It is small, clean, has really nice owners and is the last marina on the Pawcatuck River as it opens into Little Narragansett Bay - a 5 minute drive from the house. Saturday we took a boat ride.  What a beautiful day.  It was good to see Irv 'back at the helm' - especially because it has been 12 months since he was in the hospital for his heart valve operation and that long since he has been on a boat.

Very exciting as this was also Norman's first time on a boat.  We are giving it a try.  Thank goodness we bought him a life vest as it served as a double restraint keeping him in the boat when a flock of swans came swimming by.  As a Pointer,  he loves his birds, rabbits, and wood chucks.  No rabbit is safe In our yard (poor things).  He is quite a birder!

He was mesmerized!  And he loved the ride! Note my restraining him.  He just wanted to push the envelope.  

As for the gardening, 35 bags of mulch later Irv and I finally weeded, mulched and planted (for now) the garden in front of the house.

 

Gardening is an act of faith and love.  I am looking forward to seeing how (or whether) it fills out like the gardens we saw in England.  

Footnote:  I should note that someone did take the Buddha statute on the trail (sad!) but we did get to meet the person who manages the Boy Scout camp who stopped  to introduce himself while we were gardening ( Fran, the Boy Scout man).  He gave us permission to walk on the camp grounds and all he wants in exchange is for us to  keep an eye on the place.  Deal!