Well Hell

It was a normal Monday and I had just finished feeding horses and watering my flowers when I stepped into the shower to start the rest of my day. The sprinkler system was running, just like every other morning. Mid rinse with my eyes closed and stuck somewhere in my own head and the need to complete the task at hand, I felt the warm water pouring down on me dwindle to a trickle and cease to exist all together. What the heck?? I stood there for a moment bewildered and gawking at the non-flowing shower head. I turned off the water supply and then turned it back on... nothing. What?? I waited a little longer with the valve off and then tried the water again. Success! I quickly started to rinse my hair. Thirty seconds later I was out of water once more.

It took three more on and off attempts to rinse clean with dwindling to non-existent water pressure. I got out of the shower and saw that even the garden sprinklers were struggling to spray. What on earth was happening? 

I quickly dressed and ran to the basement to shut off the sprinkler system. I stood there staring at the water heater, well's pressure tank and cluelessly called Handy Man. Water wells are not his area of expertise but we both agreed we better get someone out there right away to check it out. I made a quick call to the well guy, Ted, and made an appointment for the next day.

We had water the entire day. However, the water pressure seemed low. I wondered if the pressure tank was starting to give us some trouble. By the time Handy Man got home, the kids and finished dinner and had started to take their showers. I made sure the bathing beauty (aka my Brown Eyed Girl) knew she better make it a fast one since we weren't quite sure what had happened earlier in the day. Both kids commented that their shower felt very "soft" as the water pressure was definitely struggling. 

Handy Man and I were eating dinner and replaying the situation that had occurred earlier and I made the comment that maybe I should go fill up a water tank for the horses before bed time. Our horses are now on an automatic waterer at this house. They receive water on demand but there is only enough water in the reservoir for one horse to drink and then the float needs to refill the reservoir - kind of like a single toilet flush. It's wonderful, when it is working. I haven't had to use water tanks for years. No more standing for 15 minutes in the winter time filling tanks, draining hoses, dealing with tank heaters and frozen hoses or iced over tanks.

About the time we were agreeing that I should fill a tank, just to be safe, Mr Blue Eyes came rushing out of the bathroom and said, "Mom, I just went to the bathroom and there is no water in the sink!"

Crap!

Handy Man got up and checked the kitchen sink... dry.

Mr Blue Eyes ran to our bathroom, "Mom! your bathroom is out of water too!"

Yes honey, same water.

Quickly he sprinted to the basement and I hear, "Moooommmm! The basement is out of water too!"

YES honey, it's all the same water. It all comes from the same place. Trying my hardest not to direct my frustrations towards that cute kid trying to help access the problem at hand. 

While Handy Man started to trouble shoot, I ran next door to ask our neighbor if he wouldn't mind letting me borrow some water to fill a tank for the horses. He was more than happy to accommodate and actually volunteered to come over and try to help Handy Man trouble shoot the problem.

When it was determined that there really wasn't much we could do, our amazing neighbor offered to let us hook up to his well by connecting a hose from his spigot to the water hydrant in the barn and back-flowing water into our house. Say what?? I didn't even know that was possible. 

We connected some hoses.

Came in through the barn.
Thank goodness my hay doesn't come until next week.

Connected to the hydrant and what do you  know....

Sure enough! We had water for finishing dinner dishes and flushing toilets.

The next day the well guy, Ted, came out and after a quick assessment determined that our 24 year old well pump had shorted out and we were going to need to replace it. Dang... Worse news, he couldn't get to it for a week. Ohhhhh hell no! I convinced Ted to come out on Saturday morning before he had to attend a wedding. Still, that was a little over three more days living on our neighbors water.

I am telling you, city folks have no idea the struggles living on a well can be. 

Saturday finally arrived and Ted and his son pulled up in the truck needed to pull all that pipe and old pump out of the well.

Section by section, pieces of pipe were pulled out of the ground. 

It sure was something to watch. 

Eventually we came to the old well pump. 

I can honestly say that I have never seen a well pump in person. It wasn't quite what I expected. All I know is I never hope to see one come out of that hole again!

Ted and his son assembled the new pump and then reversed the order and started lowering the new pump down the well, slowly adding sections of pipe. 

Once the new pump was in place, they added some chlorine to shock the well for good measure against any bacteria that might have been able to sneak down. Then they fitted a pressure valve onto the well to measure the capacity of the new pump and make sure it wasn't a lemon.

While that test was being done, Ted installed the new control box for the pump.

He also made sure to test the old pressure tank. 

Ted had been out to look at the old pressure tank last summer as it had lost some air and wasn't working quite up to par. Well, wouldn't you know... we also needed a new pressure tank! Thank goodness Ted came prepared!

In with the new and out with the old.

A bit more than we anticipated, but at least Handy Man and I felt better knowing everything was new. Finally we could disconnect our neighbor's hose after five days. Handy Man and I both thought about what a disaster something like this would have been if we were still out at the little house on the prairie where the nearest neighbor was 35 acres away. That would have been a LOT of hose!

We made sure to give our wonderful neighbors a very nice "Thank You" gift! It truly was a wonderful gesture. 

New pump, new tank... bring on the rest of summer!

What Were We Thinking???

It has been fifteen years since I have had a puppy. Some will try to tell you that having a puppy is very similar to having a baby, or a toddler. There are some days that I disagree. Regardless, there was a reason Handy Man and I only had two kids...

We are sleep deprived. Like babies, puppies do not sleep through the night.

We are trying this whole crate training thing. The crate was set up out in the living room as Handy Man is such a light sleeper and he said that Boji used to wake him up all night long changing positions, wondering around the room and making little dog noises. He said he didn't sleep for 14 years. I think he was being mellow-dramatic; however, I was happy to make this compromise during the dog negotiation period.

First night:
11:00 pm crying. I got up, took Tucker out to go potty and put him back in his crate. There was a little crying but I laid down on the floor next to the crate and he slowly went back to sleep.
2:00 am crying. I got up, took Tucker out to go potty and put him back in his crate. There was a little crying but he slowly went back to sleep on his own.
5:00 am crying. I got up, took Tucker out to go potty and decided to just stay up as Handy Man's alarm would be going off soon. So tired! 

All in all, not too bad for our first night. Handy Man would disagree as apparently I only woke up to the really loud crying. He apparently was awake all night due to constant little cries and bumping of the crates metal frame.

Second night:
9:00 pm lots of crying. Tried tough love. 
10:00 pm lots of crying. Tried tough love. Must not engage.
11:00 pm lots of crying, howling and barking. Some return shouting, scolding and cussing. Take Tucker out to go potty.
11:30 pm all are sleeping.
12:15 am lots of crying, howling and barking. Handy Man and I are carrying the crate through the hallway, banging walls and doors, cussing, and maneuvering the crate in our bedroom.
12:30 am some crying. All fall asleep.
4:15 am crying. I got up, took Tucker out to go potty and decided to just stay up with Tucker in the living room as Handy Man is sure to kill us both when his alarm goes off.
5:30 am Tucker sleeps soundly. Handy Man secretly hates us and wants to move into an apartment.

Kids slept through the ENTIRE event. They were completely shocked not to see the crate in the living room in the morning.

We have new bedroom furniture and the living room is now adorned with an old familiar accessory. 

Babies and toddlers might get into everything, but puppy-proofing your house is on a whole different level. 

Tucker aka Jaws.

Don't let that sweet little face fool you. He is a one open door to a bedroom away from a disaster at any given moment. Nothing is safe in his wake. He takes no mercy. He spares no sock, nerf gun dart, flip-flop, or toy.

And on the third day..... there was a massacure.

I walked into my bedroom after making the kids their breakfast and noticed these tiny little pieces of flesh colored plastic all over my floor.

Oh crap, those are fingers. I think that's a forearm... 

Emergency! Emergency! We have a Barbie in need of a tourniquet!

I searched high and low in slight hysteria for the maimed Barbie. The bathroom, the closet, his crate, under the bed... she was not where to be found! Dear Lord don't let my Brown Eyed Girl find her this morning before I do!

I hurried the kids out the door and off to school. I returned and spent an hour looking for Barbie. I contemplated calling CSI. She was completely missing. Only her discarded appendages remained evidence of the gruesome occurrence.  

Three times I searched the house. I swear I was losing my mind! I mean where could he have hidden Barbie??? I asked him but he didn't answer me. He was exercising his Miranda Rights. 

I was completely positive that my Brown Eyed Girl knew nothing. What about Mr Blue Eyes? Had he stumbled upon the crime scene before I found it? He was the only other person in the house. I felt like I was in an life-like episode of CLUE only I knew it was Jaws (Tucker) in the master bedroom with his teeth. I just couldn't find the body! 

I counted down the hours until the kids were off school. It was a Tuesday and I had to endure carpool pick-up and taking three girls to gymnastics an hour later before I could interrogate my only other possible eye witness. No sooner did the last door shut and I turned around in my seat, looked Mr. Blue Eyes in the eyes and asked, "Gotta question for you buddy. Did Tucker get one of Sis's Barbies this morning?"

A wave of shock came over his face and he said, "Yeah Mom. He got one of her mermaid Barbies. I knew that if she found her she would be super upset and cry before school. So, I stuck the Barbie in Dad's sock drawer really fast and took Tucker outside."

The sock drawer... never checked there. 

My heart spilled over in love for that blue-eyed boy. What a great brother. It's amazing how a simple act of dumping a Barbies body can make a mom so proud of her son.

As soon as we got home, I found the poor, poor soul laid to rest among a drawer of socks. 

I am sorry meeting Jaws did not end well for you my friend. 

Mr Blue Eyes reminded me she had like four other mermaid Barbies. We decided to let this be our little secret. She was wrapped in a plastic shopping bag and disposed of for the morning's trash. Miss Mermaid was never spoken of again.... 

Mobile babies and toddlers traumatize your pets. 

Everyone knows Miss Kitty is the most amazing cat in the entire world. It's a fact. Period. 

Miss Kitty has endured (with grace) both of our kids pulling on her tail, attempting to pick her up while squeezing the life out of her. Not so gentile petting. Eye poking. Hair pulling.

Our Brown Eyed Girl used to lay on top of her nearly crushing her with love. She was a saint with them.

She's put in her time. She deserves to live out the rest of her 5 lives in peace and quiet. 

So, so sorry Miss Kitty....  

Miss Kitty is excellent with dogs. She and Boji were great buds, often spotted curled up together in the yard. She openly greeted Tucker without prejudice... and he jumped on top of her. Finally someone his size that could be a play friend!!! 

Startled, but like the perfect little lady she is, Miss Kitty just turned her nose from him and tried to be the bigger person and walk away. You could see the wheels turning in that little yellow brain as Tucker took one gigantic leap towards Miss Kitty and grabbed her by the tail!

Miss Kitty turned in utter shock. How RUDE! She let out an uncharacteristic hiss and he let her go. Again she attempted to walk away from confrontation, but out of no where he pounced on top of her clobbering her to the ground. She wiggled from underneath him, hissing and batting him off of her. Yet, no claws. She truly is a saint! We jumped on his case shouting, "NO! Tucker! No bite. Leave it!"

Miss Kitty retired to the fence post, out of reach from fuzzy, yellow-headed devil puppies. She gave me a very disapproving look and I felt it burn in my soul. I know. I am sorry. Please forgive us???

A few weeks have passed and Tucker is starting to learn the ropes. He is sleeping though the night. He is starting to leave the kids' toys, socks and shoes alone. Though tissues and nerf gun darts are still one of his triggers for a relaps.

He is a perfect gentleman at the vets office.

He's a bit of a snacker with his food. Handy Man keeps trying to get him to eat all of his food in one sitting. 

We found an "old" bone in pantry... inside tears. He thought those were pretty neat treats. 

Right now Tucker thinks he is a lap dog. Like my kiddos who have outgrown snuggling on my lap, I will enjoy these moments as long as I can.

He really, really likes being a couch dog.

Like really, really likes!

He sometimes gets yelled at as we do NOT climb on the back of the couch!

Handy Man and our Brown Eyed Girl thinks he looks like a kitty-cat sitting up there. They encourage it and laugh and laugh. I am the mean mom that makes him get down. 

He has contemplated moving in on Handy Man's chair... 

And he would really like to be a bed dog but we aren't very excited about that one. Thankfully the bed is still too tall for him to get onto. I am sure it is only a matter of time!

Our routine has been shook up and spit out. We are sleep deprived. We now shut all of our bedroom doors. I have repeated the words "No Bite!" more than I would like to admit. 

But he's wiggling right into his place in our home and we love him!

Welcome Home Tucker

We got Tucker home and Handy Man was waiting for us!

So was a tiny bit of snow leftover from a storm that had passed though while we were in Houston. Tucker didn't quite know what to make of the cold white stuff.

Eventually, he started running around like crazy and Handy Man was throwing tiny snowballs in the air. This snow stuff was fun!

Tucker got a tour of his new yard.

After another very thorough bath and flea combing, Tucker got a tour of the living room and was given some new toys.

We have decided to crate train Tucker and after a busy morning at his new home it was time for a nap. 

I swiftly worked on sanitizing everything we took with us to Texas. Hot water washing everything! I began puppy proofing the living room, kitchen, closing bedroom doors, putting up baby gates... Handy Man reminded the kids and I that this was our dog and that we would be responsible for his training, care, letting him outside, his messes... everything. Handy Man was going to be completely hands-off. It wasn't his idea to get a puppy. Our dog. Hands-off, got it?

Just to be clear, this is what hands-off looks like:

Meet Tucker

It's amazing how much something can creep inside your soul and truly change you as a person. Losing Boji last year was really hard on me. Harder than I thought it would or should have been considering he was "just a dog." But obviously, he wasn't just a dog. His loss surprisingly impacted me in more ways than I ever could have imagined. Those first few nights home alone were restless without that guarded security blanket we've known for so long - sure he was deaf and pretty much night blind at the end, but still. Comfort is a mysterious illusion sometimes.

I really, really missed by barn buddy.

We all missed the routine and rhythm his life brought to our home.

Surprisingly, I didn't realize that my ability to find a quiet moment to sit down and write about our crazy, windy life would be impacted in the way that it was. We had so many great memories from last year, but I just never found the ambition to sit down and share them. It's been a long time since that has crept into my self.

I am feeling motivated again.
If not for the sake of true motivation, for the sake of the entertaining humor our new addition is bringing into our lives and worth documenting!

Y'all, Meet Tucker!

Over the last year, many of our wonderful friends and family have sent me links and photos of beautiful dogs needing new home and brand new litters of puppies for sale. I looked at them all. Researched new breed options. Nothing moved me or tugged in that special part of my heart.

Then one morning, I opened up my Facebook page over my coffee, oatmeal and egg white breakfast routine and saw a picture posted by an old Arabian Horse Youth parent and I was memorized.

This momma's face caught my breath. Her eyes tugged at my heart and I "felt" Boji. I felt that same draw that I had for him. I just knew it. I had to have one of these puppies. I was ready!

I knew the kids were ready. Especially, Mr Blue Eyes because he is a dog person after all. The trick was convincing Handy Man...

I immediately text him her picture. His reply, "Oh Boy!"

There is a part of me that always new I would stick with the Labrador breed if we got another dog. Their temperament is a great fit for our family and the things we like to do. Secretly, I messaged my friend Ms. Beth and asked her about the puppies. Just in case. A few days later, she sent me some pictures...

This little guy had a black dot on his ear. (foreshadowing)

The puppies weighed heavily on my mind. It seemed like everyone around me was getting a new puppy or having puppy litters. One night while the kids were at Grandma's, I found an opportunity to bring up the topic of getting a new dog to Handy Man. Typically he shuts me down with the first hint of dog or puppy, but that night he was a little more receptive. We talked about the pro's and con's and when he finally asked me, "So what would you name him?" I knew we were in!!!

Handy Man admitted that he wanted to stick with a Lab. Ms. Beth's momma dog, Raven, had a multi-colored litter, but ultimately, Handy Man said the Yellows have always been his favorite. And a male, he wanted a yellow male with a dark nose.

30 seconds later I was messaging Ms. Beth for an even tempered, yellow male with a dark nose!

She had just the pup in mind. A very sweet, even tempered, love bug, with a tiny black mismark spot on his right year.

We hadn't fully committed, but she would periodically send me puppy updates.

As he grew a little bigger, I couldn't help but admire what a handsome guy he was growing into. Boy, he sure did look a LOT like our Boji Man!

The time finally came when we needed to commit and then figure out how we were going to bring this pup home. Unfortunately, Ms. Beth lives just outside of Houston. I looked at the calendar and plane ticket options and decided I would fly down to Houston, get a rental car, pick up the puppy, get back on the plane with him as carry-on and fly home, all in the same day. That was the plan anyways. 

I bought my ticket and then called customer service to reserve traveling with a puppy on the return flight. The woman I spoke to asked me a few questions including age and breed of the puppy I would be traveling with. When I told her he was a Lab and would be almost 10 weeks she sucked in a deep breath and said, "Hmmm. Are you sure he is going to fit in an approved pet carrier and fit under the seat?"

Ummmm he's a puppy??? "Yes. Why?"

I was then informed that the dimensions for the carrier are 10"x14"x18" and that the puppy must be able to stand freely and turn around in the carrier on his own or we could be denied boarding. I still had the woman reserve our spot and immediately called Ms. Beth to let her know I got my ticket and mentioned the conversation.

Beth ran outside and measured the puppy for me. She came back and said, "Ummm. I think we have a problem. He's 7 weeks now and is already 11" tall at the shoulder, and 18" long. He's going to do a lot of growing in the next three weeks. I think we need a plan B."

I immediately called and cancelled my ticket and rental car.

Operation Bring Puppy Home!
Plan B:
Road Trip!!!

1 rental car
2 iPads
2 early 2000's portable DVD players
1 speeding ticket
1 hotel stay in Clarendon, TX
3 states
86508263501 cups of coffee
16 hours in the car....

We arrived at Ms. Beth's house and the doggies were waiting for us!

We entered the back yard and Tucker slumped away and hid under the table from the kids. That wasn't quite what we had envisioned... Then, he went and sat by the gate and just pouted. My first impression of Tucker was that of a sulking and depressed little fellow. Oh man. Did we drive all the way down here for a dud dog? Crap!! Ms. Beth must have seen the worry on my face. She let us know that the last of the siblings had left about 20 minutes before we had gotten there and poor Tucker was kind of lost looking for them. He had been sitting at the gate waiting for them to return. Awe. Poor little dude.

The kids met the old ladies and Tucker's momma, Raven.

The kids were eyeballing Ms. Beth's swimming pool. Before they could ask, Ms. Beth told them they better grab their suits and jump on in! It was a great reward after 16 hours in a car!

While Ms. Beth, Shannon and I caught up on life, Mr Blue Eyes worked patiently on making friends.

Ms. Beth graciously let us spend the night at her beautiful home. The next morning after breakfast, it was a quick bath, many thank you's and we were back on the road home!

Thank goodness we had such a cute distraction. I am not sure I could have convinced them to get back in a vehicle so quickly otherwise.

They were pretty excited to get Tucker home to meet Handy Man.

About 3 hours in and just as many stops, my Brown Eyed Girl announced to the car, "Oh my gosh! Tucker has bugs!"

Bugs??? What Bugs???

As I glanced over my shoulder, I saw a single black speck migrate from Tucker's nose up into his forehead.

Ohhhh eMMMMM Gawwwd he has fleas......

Thank goodness it was a rental car hahaha 

We drove 13 hours on Saturday, most of the day in the pouring rain. We made way too many stops for our normal road trips. The rain made potty stops interesting as I followed the kids and Tucker with umbrellas. At 11:30 pm we pulled into Hays, KS and found a hotel that would allow pets. I hauled our necessities up to the second level room. The kids were spent and all I wanted was a pillow and bed for a few hours of shut eye.

Tucker had other plans. He was finally free. The hotel room became a race track and he started grabbing everyone's flip flops and jackets. Chaos ensued. Frantically, the kids and I started putting all of our belongings on top of the desk, dressers and chairs. When everything was out of reach, Tucker started barking in joy at his new found freedom. Oh my lanta! We are going to get kicked out of this hotel at midnight. I cannot drive any longer. I just knew I was going to have to sleep in the car with this flea infested monster we had decided get. What was I thinking?!?!

I shuffled both kids into one bed. I made Tucker a bed on the floor and prayed the dark room would cause him to quiet down. Nope. More barking and now he was trying to eat the electrical cords for the TV and lamps. Hail Mary full of grace....

I grabbed the yellow demon child, held him firmly against me in the bed and in a stern voice told him, "Go nigh-night!" A little resistance at first and with a heavy sigh Tucker curled up next to me and gave in to sleep. Thank God!

A few hours later, Tucker changed positions and came up near my chest, softly laid against me and rested his tiny head at my collar bone. For a split second my heart filled with snuggly love. It was quickly replaced with visions of tiny fleas leaping from Tucker's fur into my hear and my whole head began to itch. I appreciate you snuggling Tuk, but I just can't. I gently pushed him away from my face. 

We only had about 4 hours left of our drive. Still dark, I woke the kids up about 4:30 am and scooched them out the door. A quick Starbucks and we were on our way once again.

Because I had stopped 15 years ago with Boji Man, the kids and I pulled off for a quick memory maker.

Welcome to Colorado Tucker.
Welcome to our family!