Desert Rash

             Tonio had a good day...in school, at least...

         I spent the morning in Jenny Rienstra's class helping out wherever she needed me...I put up some new pictures on her bulletin board and she told me to be sure to look for Tonio's, commenting on how creative and artistic he is.  I told her, he gets all of that from Kimmy - we both agreed that we wished we were more creative and I told her how I'm even paint challenged when it comes to painting rooms (like the baminis bathroom I just had to re-do!).  She said she hates all of the taping and cutting in - I told her how Kim never taped anything!! She free handed ceilings, around mirrors, fixtures - everything, with her steady hand, making it look like a professional had done their due diligence and taped off the area...
        It was nice to be in class with him - he got all of his work done again today, three days in a row!  I also got to spend some time in Casey Rudzena's class.  Autumn does a nice job interacting, contributing and Casey brings out the best in her students.  I graded a bunch of papers, and Autumn always does well (and I don't even have to 'fix' her answers!).

       The evening was cool...88 degrees, you might say it was chilly.  So, we decided to take Bella for a walk around the outer perimeter of our neighborhood along the desert.  We spotted some large, white birds flying a little ways off in the distance - I said I bet they are headed for the cattle pond that fills up just southeast of our development each monsoon.  Cody wanted to walk down there and see.  It has been several years since we last attempted that.

       The last three times, ended in disaster,  well, it didn't go well.

       First of all, you have to slip through a barbed wire fence to get to the 'path' to the pond.  We were nearly there, one time when, suddenly, the herd of cattle that grazes there decided to head for the pond, too!  It was pretty startling - I think they were just as surprised to see us, as we were them - and we beat a hasty retreat, our pups, Cajun and Zona protesting the whole way, wanting to just make friends with the cows.

        Next time, we successfully navigated the barbed wire, avoided cattle, only to come across a random ranch hand out fixing the fence we had just climbed through.  He was none too friendly - I bet he was headed to the Cactus Moon that night - so we left.  And he put his rifle back down once we were through the barbed wire fence.

        The next time, and last time, I was out in front with Zona and Cody, moving quickly towards our elusive destination, when, from about 10 yards behind us, Kim told us to freeze.  I do not know how she saw the rattler, or, more precisely, how I did not see the rattler, that was about two feet to my right, coiled beneath a scrawny creosote...we gingerly back tracked as it began to rattle irritatedly.

           So, tonight, when Cody asked, my first instinct was 'no'.  But, it was a beautiful night and I thought it would be a rare chance to see the pond (Tonio has never seen it) and maybe see the big white birds, too.  We headed down the trail towards the barbed wire fence...

          ...when a big, old yeller, style hound bounded out of the tall brush.  It eagerly sniffed Bella, who doesn't know she's a dog and was offended, trying to move out of the way.  As I grabbed for the leash, the stray became angry, lunging at Bella who took flight, dragging poor Tonio across the Afghanistan like terrain for a few feet before I was able to grab him by the heels and tell him to let go of the leash (he's got a little 'desert rash' on his wrists and knees).  Meanwhile, Cody began chasing her down - I yelled at him to stop chasing Bella and she would stop too.  He did.  And she did.  Thank God.

          I gathered the bambini in a huddle, made sure everyone was OK, relax Tonio and explain that panicking wouldn't help us, we had to stay cool and stick together - the stray nosily trying to get into the conversation - and told them we were going to walk calmly the way we usual go on our walks and ignore the dog.  It worked.  As the dog left, Tonio said 'maybe we should have looked at the dog's collar to call it's owner.'  I told him 'I'm not calling the owner of any dog that just dragged my boy through the desert.'  'I think Mama would have tried to find his owner.'  he told me.  ' I think Mama would have been pretty mad at that dog for hurting her boy and said it could find it's own way home.'  He agreed!

          We just don't get why people buy dogs to be outdoor pets.  All along our path, we hear the same dogs barking, night after night...where's the enjoyment in that?

          The rest of the walk went well, although, I decided to stick to the original path we typically enjoy - I felt the stray dog was a sign that we should stay out of the deep desert and not temp fate.  We  played a little soccer with a good sized rock on the way back, which really excited Bella as she'd race from between the bambini trying to intercept the rock!

       

          It was a gorgeous night...

       

                         Ahhhh....soothing, which is nice, as this weekend presents all sorts of curve balls...

                           Love,

                                Dave

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