We Survived the Fourth

I wanted to let you know how Meadow and Leah fared over the holiday weekend. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday consisted of early morning exercise and just quick visits to the yard afterward. A few fireworks screamed in the background, but none too close to home, as both girls relieved themselves and then hurried back inside with worried expressions.

On Monday, we were not so lucky. Since we heard fireworks over our mugs of coffee, we didn’t even risk the morning play session, just quick stints to the yard for potty breaks throughout the day. In the evening before dinner, the fireworks were a bit louder and more frequent, and poor Meadow refused her dinner, which the other two appreciated when they were each permitted to take turns licking her bowl clean.

We kept the girls inside with DAP bandanas, AC’s blaring, and our through a Dog's Ear CD playing through the worst of the din, and Leah also received doses of melatonin and of Azmira Fear Remedy. Meadow did need to be escorted to her crate after she attempted to squeeze under the sofa, but once inside it, she curled up in a quiet ball and remained that way while Nick and I sat in the room and watched very loud movies to mask the fireworks. Leah spent most of the evening at my feet, or shadowing me to and from the bathroom. On their last trip to the yard for the night, both girls decided any important ‘business’ could wait until morning, while Toby was oblivious to the idea that the sky could fall at any moment.

We went to bed when it quieted, around one, and all three dogs slept soundly through the night. I'm happy to say, Meadow greeted the day with her typical wag and ate her breakfast without issue this morning – so things are back to normal. Thanks to a little Prozac, Meadow’s recovery time is amazingly fast.

And for those who are wondering about Toby and his odd behaviors, he has been fine. Perhaps he felt we had a few hundred dollars too much in our account last month, because he hasn’t thrown up, his nighttime pacing has dropped off substantially, and he has had no further episodes of irrational fear. The only thing that still plagues him is the occasional wrist knuckling, which I’m diligently watching.

Finally, with the Fourth behind me, my work should drop to a more ‘muse friendly’ level, and I plan to focus much of my writing energy on finishing that first draft of my novel before fall. I already have the entire project plotted, the ending drafted, a working synopsis, and an enticing query letter ready for when it’s complete. My goal is to spend the slower months editing and polishing it, before sending it out to a certain agent that I have in mind – who will be queried before all others. I have high hopes for this particular project, and I’ll let you know how it goes.