We got back from town about a week ago and Nicky came back with us. We all had a great Easter!! On Easter morning Nicky, Dewey and me went on a hike all the way up to McDonald Lake. We were hopping to catch some trout but had little success. The only sign of life in the river was a trout that Nicky saw jump out of the water. Only Nicky saw it so Dewey and me aren't quit sure it wasn't just another one of her "many" fish stories. We were very hot, sweaty, tired and mostly hungry when we got back but mom made a excellent Easter dinner with ham, asparagus, mashed potatoes, rolls, and deviled eggs! I went to sleep early that day with a beautiful, adventurous day and delicious dinner in my thoughts.
The fire place is basically done Dewey and dad are just putting back up the boards on the back and making sure all the electrical cords are in the right places. Yesterday they put in the cement behind the fireplace to seal it into the wall.
On Sunday we went kayaking for Saylor's birthday. Nicky came with us in her own kayak and we all had a blast. The dogs followed us on the shore for a while but then they disappeared. When we got back they weren't at the dock to greet us. There was no sight of Niko or Coby till about 2-3 hours after we got back from kayaking. Guess what kept them from coming. Coby was the first one we saw, she came up to us with her head hanging low. When she looked up at us we saw that she had about 7 or 8 porcupine quills in her lip,gums, and chin. I took her collier and as Nicky and Saylor followed me up to the house Niko have up the board walk from the woods. At first we couldn't see if he had any or not but since Coby had some I had complete faith that Niko had quills to. I was right. He only had 3 though but since Niko is too strong for anyone hold him down while someone else takes out the quills he is always a challenge. We took them both of them up to the house and started with Coby. Dad rapped a towel around her eyes and legs and sat on her to hold her down. I held the leash on the other side of the closed door so she stay in one spot. Mom got the pliers and started taking the quills out and all the while Coby is howling, growling, and snapping at the pliers. There was one in her chin and when mom took it out it started bleeding but stopped when Coby drank some water. After that on in her chin it looked like we got them all out. So it was Niko's turn. The whole time we were working on Coby he was whining and pacing back and forth, knowing he was next. Right when we put him inside and dad started putting the towel around his eyes Niko started thrashing all about, yanking a pulling at the leash I was holding and howling at the top of his lungs! There was no way on earth we were going to take the quills out that way. He only had a total of 3 quills, 2 in his mouth and 1 in his chin which was barely hanging on. Niko ran out the door and went up into the woods behind our house. I didn't see him again till about 2 hours later, he was sitting in a bunch of bushes hiding from us. I got him and brought him home and just let him lay down in the living room. I am guessing that while he was gone he scratched out the quill on his chin which was just barely hanging on. Later that day I came up to him and started just scratching behind his ears and his neck and got Niko all relaxed. All the while I had the pliers behind my back and when he closed his eyes because it felt so good I grabbed the quill that was sticking out of his mouth and yanked at it hard. Niko jerked up and ran away from me but I think I got the whole thing out. Dad got the other one out during that evening. The next day I was checking Cobys mouth and I saw one more at the roof of her mouth. Mom got the pliers and I just stroked Cobys head then mom yanked the quill right out. And that was the end of that. A couple nights ago I had a dream that the dogs had gotten into the porcupine again and their faces were covered with quills. That was very unpleasant, I could even categorize that dream as a night mare.
Saylors birthday was on April 15. She turned six and she's proud of it. Saylor already had a party in town but that was just so all her friends could come because we weren't going to be able to be in town for her actual birthday. So this time it was for real. For her birthday cake she had a cheese cake and it tasted soooo good.
Here are some pictures....
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| Niko being a sweetie |
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| Frustrated she can't blow out the trick candles. |
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| Yummm |
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| This picture speaks for its self... |
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