Is there an Echo in here?

Yesterday started like any other around here. I got up and before I got my first taste of coffee I had walked 6 dogs, cleaned the chicken pen, cleaned the litter box and fed all 6 dogs, the cat and her kittens and the 3 ladies. Well this is where the day went horribly wrong. While I was drinking my coffee and watching the humidity level rise by 3 degree increments, I looked over and saw Dash stretched out on the floor and panting heavily. Poor fella, he HAD to be so hot already with that heavy fur coat. We brush him at least once a week if not more, but his thick undercoat was relentless and never seemed to stop growing. That's when it hit me that Dash too, could be groomed. It wasn't as if he needed all that fur to begin with. For the most part he lives in a climate controlled environment. Yes... I was going to shear Dash. Who would have thought he was white under all that fur!!! OMG!! Steve says he now looks like he's wearing long underwear. All I know is there was a crap load of fur on the patio that I had to clean up and Dash is cooler. I gave him a really good bath afterwards, so now, he not only doesn't shed while walking, but he also smells good. While I was doing this , Steve was finishing a window frame in the stairwell. We have TWO windows left and we're done with all 15. YAY!!! I'll get the glazing on this one done today and then painted and back in. A slow slow process, but all the windows look so good and they all work!!! At 10am we left for Marlo Heights where we were to Meet with our daughter Cathy so we could pick up our grandson JR who will be staying the week with us. Had lunch at Taco Hell, said our goodbyes and headed off to the GW Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA. I had never been to the memorial. Steve had once, but it was many years ago. OK... It was like 94 degrees outside... we got there to discover the parking lot FULL and the place swarming with 100 5 yr old Ballerinas and their snooty northern va families, all of which were carrying flowers. ACCCCCKKKKK!!!!! Even JR was afraid and he likes girls!! Fortunately none of them were in the part of the building that required a real reason to be there. We walked about for an hour and discovered wwe had missed the 1:30 tour and didn't want to wait for the 3pm tour, so we took pics and left. Oh wait... I forgot to tell you the reason we went. Steve's grandfather, Herbert Sherry was a mason as his his dad. Well, his grandfather has his name on a plaque inside the building. Truthfully, I thought it would be larger than 5 mil by 10 centimeters. There's still a dispute as to whether or not the pilgrimage there was worth it. Steve wanted to wait for the 3pm tour, but I promised him we would go back and sometime in the next year, not the next ten.

JR was playing around at the entrance. I guess that's old town behind him. Alexandria has always been a place I either drove through or avoided all together, so I don't know it that well.

On our way home, we had a small detour. A lady on Craigslist was giving away ALL her dogs because of some impending divorce. Yeah right lady... blame your failures on your husband, that's how it's been done historically and although most of the world knows the truth, we men would rather agree than have to keep listening.

Anyhow, I went to meet and pick up the hairless crested that she advertised as a Lhasa/crested mix.

2.5 yr old Echo. Not spayed, no shots and OMF'nG.... she had fleas.

A Hairless Dog with fleas. No wonder she didn't invite me in but came outside with the dog.

I fear her home is full of dogs and filthy.

I got her to fill out the release form and told her I would also take the 7yr old Mini Schnauzer.

So she went back in and came out with Muffin.

She told me she had recently clipped Muffin, because she needed grooming, but that she really didn't know how to groom, so THIS is what she looks like.

ABSOLUTELY covered with fleas. I bathed her immediately after getting home. UGH!!

Poor girlie, she had flea farms on her belly.

I got them both clean and bathed and medicated for fleas n ticks.

I also groomed Miss Echo!!

In the middle of all this, I received a phone call from a guy who adopted Kip, one of Maggies pups. Apparently a yr and a half later, he's decided that he can't spend anymore money on therapy and training for the dog. Kip has been diagnosed as some sort of serious anxiety case by some "leading" dog trainer. WHATEVER!!

He informed me that if he couldn't find a suitable home for Kip he would have to put him down.

I asked him to give me a week to reduce my numbers here and I would take him. If he truly is a lost cause, then I will put him down, since I was here when he entered this world.

I get Kip next monday. Wish me LOTS of luck!!

Last night was a little tiresome, because JR decided he wanted to sleep in the basement with us, which meant pumping up his inflatable sleeping bag (took forever) and arranging him a spot on the floor that wouldn't have a dog on it when I brought them down.

Finally I decided that only Dash Roux and Moses would go down. The remaining 5 dogs would sleep in the Dining/Dog room overnight.

Around 1am it was decided for me that I would sleep on the sofa, because that's where I fell after walking some nervous doggies who woke me up. 5:30 am.... I release the 5 little hounds outside. I went back downstairs, turned off the alarm that hadn't yet sounded, brought Dash, Roux n Moses back upstairs after a quick morning walk and then all the doggies back in for breakfast.

6:30 am Woke Steve up, fixed his breakfast, got him out the door to work by 7am.

Now all has fallen peaceful yet again.

Eight wonderful doggies all resting quietly around my feet. Well, all but Moses who won't dare allow another dog to touch his highness.

Here's one side of the room with

Emma, Echo, Dash n Moses

Here's the other side of the room with

Moses, Roux, Nemo, Ping and Muffin.

It's going on 8am. Time to take all the doggies back outside and get started on my day.

I've got a window to finish and then JR and I are gonna start building the chicken coop up in the back yard.

It'll be nice to finally have them there instead of the back patio.

I love my chickens, but I could do without the chicken poop smell wafting in the house.

Not sure if I've posted this pic already, but here it is again.

The kittens are three weeks old now and I saw one of them use the litter box yesterday... YAY!!

Such beautiful little furballs. They Love human hands... I made sure of that!

I hope I can find good homes for them all.

Have a wonderful day everyone.... I know I will!!!