Surprise!

I do not feed the birds over the summer and usually pack the feeders away in the spring. This year, I was so busy with the renovation, the feeders remained outside.

With the cooler weather coming, I thought it was time to start filling the feeders again. You can imagine my surprise, when I opened this feeder and found a nest inside!

I said to Jeff, "How could a bird possibly get in there ??" Jeff responded, "What makes you think it was a bird ?"

I then realized Jeff was right, it was probably a field mouse who had built the nest. That really freaked me out. The feeder got a good scrubbing before it was filled and hung back up.

Could this unwelcome visitor be the reason why the hawk is sometimes seen on the deck staring at the feeder ?

Nice Rack

Jeff and I were having lunch in the kitchen when a buck wandered across the backyard, along the edge of the woods. "Wow", I said, "Look at that rack!"

I could not count the points on the deer's antlers, but knew this was the largest set I had ever seen on a deer in our yard. It was larger than the antlers which hang in some hunting lodges.

I thought of Jeff's friend, John, who bow hunts deer  in Wilton. I wondered if he would take up residence on our deck to get a chance at this beautiful buck. I hope that this majestic deer is able to survive hunting season.

Trees

We were on our morning walk with Cooper and Otis, when Cooper suddenly stopped and began to sniff the trunk of a tree. Coop raised his nose and stared up into the top of the tree.

I am not sure what Cooper smelled, perhaps a raccoon or opossum. It must have been very strong because Coop stood on his back legs, with his front resting against the tree and kept sniffing. Still not satisfied, Coop tried to climb the tree.

Unfortunately for Coop, he does not possess the tree climbing gene. We pulled a reluctant Coop off the tree, but it was obvious that he was frustrated.

What's next ?

Now that the dining room is painted, we need to have the hardwood floors refinished.

During my last visit to Country Curtains I saw some silk curtains which will look  beautiful in the dining room. Once the floor is stained and polished, I will purchase the drapes. I also need to order the chandelier.

We still need to stain the stair railing and paint all the balusters. This project may be put on hold as the changing leaves are a sign that fall is here and we need to complete the outdoor work before it gets too cold.

I give Jeff and I a BIG pat on the back. When the contractor left, I thought we will never get the downstairs painted. After weeks of working every night and most weekends, we now have most of the painting completed. Time for a vacation!

Happy Birthday Cooper!

Cooper has been with us for 2 years. He is now 9 years old !!

Life with Cooper is never dull and he always keeps me guessing. Coop can be aloof  one instant and wanting to snuggle the next.

Cooper is happiest outside on sunny days chasing the birds and butterflies which float overhead. Every morning Coop races out the door eager to greet a new day.  Cooper's shining eyes and wagging tail tell me that he knows he is loved and enjoying life.

Cooper is a good dog and we are lucky to have him in our pack. Cooper has changed dramatically from the scared, neurotic Golden we first brought home. Coop will always be a little crazy and slightly reserved, but that just makes the kisses he does give that much sweeter.

150

I read an article about a Dr and his wife who live in West Hills, NY (Long Island) and own a  $2+ million  home on 7 acres. This couple made the news because 150 starving and abused dogs were found abandoned in their sprawling mansion with no food or water.  Many dead dogs were  found within the home.

I was horrified to read this. I will never understand how people can be so incredibly cruel. What tremendous evil must live in their souls to starve helpless animals for sport.

After reading this, I gave Cooper a big hug and a kiss. Their story is Cooper's story. Left alone with no food or water, a life of starvation and abuse. I said a quick prayer that 150 people will come forward to adopt these dogs who desperately need love.

I told Coop that his birthday donation would be sent to the Huntington, NY Animal Shelter, which is now caring for all these dogs. Coop's wagging told told me he liked that idea.

Dining Room II

The dining room has now been painted!

I really like the Crisp Autumn Leaves color. I can't wait for fall and the chance to have dinner in the dining room with the fireplace blazing. It may be hard to tell from the photo, but the color is a mix of red and orange.

At one time, I would have been afraid of such a bold color. Jeff reminded me that when we sell, we will need to tone the color down. However, with the current market, we will be in Wilton for quite a while.

Goodbye Earl

There's maybe three or four days a year that I'm glad we moved from North Carolina to Connecticut.  Today is one of those days.

We lived through one direct hit hurricane when we lived in North Carolina and I can tell you that's one thing you only want to experience once.

How far we've come

When I was at the vet last week, there were 2 moments that made me realize just how much Cooper has changed in the time he has been with us.

While we were waiting to see the Dr, a woman approached Coop and said she had a much larger Golden waiting in her car. She stuck out her hand and Coop licked it. When she petted Coop, he happily thumped his tail.

When we went into the exam room, Dr Duffy spoke with me, before examining Coop. Coop did not like being ignored and went over to the vet and nudged his hand, until Dr Duffy bent down to pet him.

I do believe that Cooper's Golden personality is starting to shine.

Smart

Otis is smarter than I thought. On these hot, muggy days we close the windows and turn the air conditioning on. I did not see Otis downstairs and went to look for him.

Otis was not in the office or bedroom, he was stretched out on the guest bath tile floor. Not only is the tile cool, but Oti's head was directly under the air conditioning vent. Oti opened one eye, looked at me and immediately went back to sleep. It was obvious that Oti was not going to be leaving this cool spot anytime soon.

Dining Room Trim

The dining room ceiling, window trim, crown molding and baseboard have all been painted.

The eyeball spots are also installed.

A lot of people ask, how can you still be painting ? All I can say is that I think we are moving at a good pace, if you consider we only have some nights and weekends to work on this large project.

Another Vet Appointment

Cooper had his annual vet appointment.  I was the only person in the waiting area and thought this will be nice and quick. I should have known that fate had other plans. 20 minutes later a vet tech came out and took a blood sample from Coop. I was told Dr Duffy would be with me shortly.

5 minutes later, a girl came running in saying her dog had been hit by a car . Over the intercom the emergency call went out. I knew I would be waiting a long time. It turns out that the puppy had stepped on the window control, opened the window and jumped out. The driver did not realize this happened and ran over the dog.

After 40 more minutes, Coop and I met with Dr Duffy. The vet and the staff apologized for the wait. I said emergencies happen and if it was my dog, I would want him treated immediately (visions of Otis opening car windows were running thru my head). The puppy is going to be fine.

Cooper is a perfect 60.8 lbs. Dr Duffy said that Cooper seemed very healthy for a senior. I mentioned that Coop hesitates when he walks on very dark nights. Dr Duffy said that diminishing eyesight is a sign of old age, but Coop's retina are healthy.  Coop's thyroid is not enlarged and there are no signs of cancer. Dr Duffy said he will see us in one year.

Clean

While the Lexus was in for servicing, I had the car detailed. When I picked Lexi up, she was sparkling inside and out. The dirty floor mats had been shampooed and the leather gleamed.

Not bad for a 4 year old car, I thought. I keep getting letters from Lexus asking if I want to trade my car in. However, with only 22K miles, I think Lexi will be with  me for a long time.

Dining Room

After a week away from painting, we have started working on the dining room. I am hoping that this room will not be very difficult to paint. With any luck, we will be finished by Labor Day weekend.

Sun Shades

The new blinds for the office were finally delivered. The blinds are supposed to block the sun, but still allow you to see out.

I can't say if this really works, since we have not had a sunny day yet. I know Cooper will be disappointed to no longer see his shadow friends on days I work at home.

Zip Your Suitcase

We have written about how Otis loves to carry shoes and towels around the house. It seems that Oti does not limit his interest to our possessions.

When our guest was here, Oti went into her suitcase and decided that socks and pajamas were play toys. The next day, when the suitcase was closed, Oti  found her sneaker and proudly paraded it around the house.

If you are coming to visit, I suggest locking your suitcase.

Another Awesome Shot

The View From Behind

I was walking Cooper and Otis and realized that these dogs walk in very different ways.

Cooper prances with his tail held high and curling at the tip, like a giant plume. Coop is always looking up and around, ready to race after a bird or falling leaves. Coop walks at a fast pace, his eyes sparkle and you can tell that Coop is happy to be outside.

Otis walks with his tail down and nose to the ground. Otis constantly sniffs and walks at a much slower pace. Otis loves people and yet when we walk, his attitude changes. Otis is in "security" mode and will softly growl or whine to alert me of approaching people. Otis happily greets anyone who comes to our front door, so I am surprised by this. Our trainer said Oti  is a  Signaler and I think Otis feels it is his job to alert the pack to potential danger.

Nikon

Last year Jeff bought a Nikon digital camera to take on our Alaskan vacation. Jeff has been very happy with the camera, except for the fact that the battery stopped working and would not hold a charge.

Jeff finally contacted Nikon about the problem  and was instructed to mail the battery to their service department. One week later we received a new battery.

I was impressed by how easy Nikon's return process was.

Exhausted

We have hit the wall on painting. Both Jeff and I are sick of the endless prepping, trim, door and wall painting. Just the thought of picking up the paint brush again makes me want to cry.

I am tired of having paint in my hair. I am weary of washing paint off Otis and Cooper. Otis has white ears most days.

Thankfully we will be taking a break this weekend when our guests arrive.