Category: Sparky (Page 13 of 18)

Recreation of actual event.

Sparky is a courteous dog.  He can wander anywhere he wants, but he acts as if the bathroom doesn’t exist.  Even if he’s dying to tell me something, if I’m in the bathroom, he goes somewhere else and tries to look busy.

Storms make Sparky active and agitated, but he says he’s not afraid.  He just wants to be near me in case I need his help.  It started to rain, so I was done moving firewood into the wood shed.   When I came in, I took a shower.

Sparky came by to hang out.  He tried to be casual about it.  “So, you think I can drive the quad tomorrow?  Were there any mice in the wood pile?  Why are you standing in house rain when there is outside rain?  Are you sure this is safe?  I’ll just wait here.”

Sparky is ready to join the KISS Army.

Sparky is doing better today.  When he chased a rabbit, he forgot to limp, so I think he will be fine.

Sparky is on the injured reserve list.

Today seemed like a good day for a Moose Run.  That’s where Mr. Moose is tethered to a Traxxas Maxx RC car.  Sparky chases Mr. Moose as I relax on the deck.  After a couple of laps, Sparky broke off pursuit and was limping.

There are no ticks, thorns, abrasions or other signs of injury on his front left leg or paw.  He doesn’t wince if I move his leg.  He mostly limps, but can put weight on it.

As expected, Sparky doesn’t seem to mind.  He’d prefer to resume normal activities with limping left to his discretion.  He will be on limited activity, and we’ll see how he is tomorrow.  That’s what I’d do for myself, so that seems fair.

I figure that dogs are susceptible to most of the same injuries as people, with allowances for their different anatomy.  A pulled muscle seems most likely.

Alum Creek State Park is 15 minutes away from IKEA in Columbus.  My travel trailer is a toyhauler, so has a loading ramp.  I took advantage of that happy coincidence to buy a new couch.  I bought my last couch at the Pittsburgh IKEA when I moved into Dover Farms apartments.  That was after my first year teaching at Normandy, so 27 years ago.  Time flies.

When I sold my Cleveland Heights house, I sold all my furniture.  That house was built in 1930, and had many vintage accoutrements.  The modern oak furniture would have been too bulky and massive for a contemporary apartment.  Dover Farms was a nice, modern apartment complex, so I wanted my furniture to be compatible.  IKEA was a revelation. 

I brought most of my furniture to this house, and supplemented with more from IKEA.  Buying furniture is a tedious chore, but going to IKEA is fun.  I know that no part of my house will ever look like those display rooms at IKEA, but I can’t help trying.

Because Sparky has a bohemian disregard for modesty, the image was censored for propriety.  Sparky doesn’t agree.  That’s just how he likes to watch TV, and people should accept him for who he is.

What do people have against Monday mornings?  The sun is shining, my coffee is hot and Sparky has Mr. Moose right where he wants him.

Sparky is distracted by some promising news.  Chipmunks have been spotted operating near the house.

Sparky is mortified that I’m telling this story.

Ticks are bad this year.  Sparky is treated with Frontline Plus, but that kills ticks after they bite and, hopefully, before any pathogens are transmitted.  I prefer to get any ticks before they bite Sparky or me, so I watch for any signs.

Sparky had a bath today, which he doesn’t enjoy, so I wanted to give him some extra quality time.  When we sit on the floor watching TV, Sparky likes to snuggle up.  We were nice and comfy when Sparky set to licking his undercarriage.  Not that unusual, but he had to stand up to squirm around so he could really get in there.  That seemed rather vulgar for a gentleman like Sparky.

I got him to lay down, then I rolled him over.  I didn’t see anything at first, then I found a tick on the end of his dick.  Seeing a wretched little tick, with those pointy barbed legs, crawling around on his little soft pink spot, made me shiver.

Sparky wasn’t sure what I was playing at, but when I removed the tick, he was relieved.  The photo above is from shortly afterward.  No need for a photo of the tick in action.  That mental image will haunt me.

When I was in the hospital recently, my brother and sister-in-law had Sparky.  My brother texted pictures and video of Sparky so I didn’t worry about him. 

Having a dog is a wonderful thing.  I’m okay alone, but having a dog is better.

That night when I first took ill, Sparky laid in his living room bed, half-asleep, but ready to move.  He dreams when he is really out, and sprawls on his bed.  He didn’t know what was wrong with me, and didn’t know how to help.

My brother reported that Sparky was fine, but was getting too old to chase after Mr. Moose.  I knew that Sparky was worried about me.

When my brother brought me home, he offered to go fetch Sparky, and bring him to my house.  I thought it would be better if I drove out to pick Sparky up.  He loves a car ride and that would be the easiest way to let him know everything was fine.  When I got to his house, Sparky gave me the whole, Youtube, soldier returning home treatment.  Nobody has ever been that happy to see me.

Once we were home, Sparky was happier than ever.  He likes to lay on my belly as I watch TV.  That’s the photo above.  He did have trouble sleeping.  When Sparky sleeps, he usually dreams of chasing ducks and makes low woof-woof noises.  That night, the ducks were chasing him and he was making whiny noises.  It took him a couple of days to get over it.  Since then, Sparky takes more pleasure in the little things.  He smiles a lot now.

That’s why it is so good to have a dog.  I’ve got friends and family, and they have helped out plenty.  Nobody was in a funk the entire time I was gone.  And, I didn’t worry about how anyone else was handling my absence.  I don’t know what Sparky was actually thinking, and he won’t say.  I do know that he is happiest when I’m around, and he is counting on me.  That’s a good feeling.