Hark! Below! The first BoD story!! These stories will periodically appear to share some of the goings-on at the Tom Home – and to serve as a reminder that every household has tidbits.
BoD? He’s our recently adopted 18 month-or-so dachshund. The story’s title? “Caught the First Time”.
Ron and I arrived home from a gathering at the Polks’ the first Wednesday we belonged to BoD. BoD was missing. We had put him into the fenced-in area without realizing the gate was open. BoD had run off. “Oh nooo,” we thought. We called and called and this long little doggie who has our heartstrings didn’t appear. Ron eventually walked around the corner in our backyard – and there, under the oak tree, was BoD. He was sitting inside the live trap I set up for feral cats!!! BoD had gone about 200 of his little steps and was caught – the first time he ran off.
BoD’s only consequence (besides cold feet) was the probability of a tummy ache. The trap was baited with old chicken scraps.
May 3, 2001
Some white a few inches off the ground broke through the darkness as I strained to determine what BoD saw. “A goose! BoD’s barking at a goose on the ground in the middle of the night!”
No such luck. When the light of Ron’s flashlight struck the object, I shrieked! “A skunk!”
After midnight last Thursday night, we were shouting in the backyard. “Leave it!” “Stop!” “Stay!” “No!” … We went on & on, our voices surely carrying throughout Mountain City with the string of obedience class commands. “Sit!” “Beg!” We even offered, “Treat!”. All to no avail. Over and over.
BoD chased the skunk. Then they faced one another BoD barked and the skunk lifted his tail. The skunk ran at BoD. Ron tried to get close enough to grab BoD without getting sprayed. BoD dodged Ron and went after the skunk. Over and over and over. The stench in the air became more and more pungent.
Ron was sprayed, but not by the skunk. When I pulled out the water hose and sprayed hoping to divert BoD … the spray hit Ron. More hollering pierced the night.
Some neighbors would know for sure how long this continued. I think surely thirty minutes. Eventually BoD tired a bit and Ron grabbed him.
The last time I saw Ron hold his arms out to me at full length with a squiggly little stinker was when our girls were in diapers.
With “I’ll do the recipe and be right back!” and Ron urging me, “HURRY!”, I ran to the bathroom and tore open the medicine cabinet. There in large print on the brown bottle I read, SKUNK DEODERIZER.” 1 bottle hydrogen peroxide. 1cup baking soda. 2 teaspoons dishwashing detergent. Mix together and immediately pour on affected area, working it in. Leave on a few minutes and rinse. Repeat, as necessary.
Back outside, we doused BoD with the concoction and tried to keep him from flinging it all over us. After some time, I held BoD out to Ron asking if he still stunk.
“Oh, I don’t know if he was sprayed.”
“WHAT?!”
March 1, 2005
What’s happening at your house? What have you seen or heard? Please send tidbits. ptom5678@gmail.com (subject: Tidbits) or 512.268.5678 Thanks! Love, Pauline
