Who is More Logical?

I have not included this information in Guinness’s blog, but here is the REAL story:

Sunday, July 20, 2008

We slept in this morning until 8:20. Guinny was closed in the den and was just fine. I took him out to go potty. At noon, we went out to lunch without taking him out again first. We were home at 2:00, and there was a yellow puddle on the kitchen floor. ?? :-0 Poor boy! I took him out and he peed.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

We had been outside all morning while I worked in the garden. Between 1:00 and 2:00, he asked to go potty. It was pouring rain outside, so I decided he didn’t need to go. The next time I walked past the kitchen, there was a huge lake – same place as on Sunday! So I called the vet to have a urine test. Grant picked up the equipment on the way home.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The vet’s office gave me a sterile bowl and a bottle for collection. Guinness stuck his face in the bowl before he ever went potty. :\ So, when he did go, I had to catch it with the little bottle. Thankfully, it is easy to wash hands! We immediately delivered it to the office, and I took him in to weigh him. He is 67 lbs., so he has gained .2 lbs. in the past 2 weeks! Yay!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

The urinalysis is normal except for a slightly elevated ph level.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Mid-day, we noticed that there was a small puddle in the kitchen – like he had marked a spot – the same spot.

Now today – Tuesday, July 29, 2008

This morning, I noted that the wallpaper near the floor where Guinness had peed was stained. I thought, oh – no…, he lifted his leg! Then I noted that there were stains under the window sill and on the sill. I closed the blinds and saw that the upper side of the blinds were water stained and warped. I called our condo neighbor who looks after construction/landscaping problems. He pronounced that the caulking on that window is useless. I told him that the eave above that window is too small to handle the amount of water coming off the roof and pours over the edge like Niagara Falls. Thus, it is pouring on the window, seeping through the deteriorated grouting, and ruining the interior decorating.

When Grant came home tonight, I showed him the stained wallpaper and warped blind. His response: “It wasn’t Guinness’s fault.”

“What?”

“It wasn’t Guinness’s fault.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You have been falsely accusing him. He never peed on the floor.”

I don’t know if this is good news or bad news…

Baby Bird

On the way to doggie park, Guinness ran to sniff the base of a tree. A baby bird fluttered from the ground behind the tree and across the path under another tree. Following right behind were the mommy and daddy Cardinals! I don’t think I have ever seen a baby Cardinal before! Very cute, of course. Guinness wanted to follow it, but I wouldn’t let him.

I didn't take this picture, but it does look like "our" baby.

Gardening

After a walk to the lakeside park, I worked on cleaning up the garden, and Guinness lounged in the grass. While pruning a redbud tree, I noted that there was a beautiful exoskeleton (technically an exuvia) on the trunk. Some time later, I went in the house and brought my camera out. A green creature was emerging from it! I had the privilege of watching a cicada emerge from its exuvia as a full-grown adult with wings! Cicadas and locusts go through Incomplete Metamorphosis: the eggs hatch into nymphs – a smaller version of the adult without wings. As the nymphs grow, they molt five times before they become an adult with wings. Isn't he beautiful?
Meanwhile, Guinness became bored and reverted to being a flower dog. This is what I saw when I turned and looked at him. The flower is in the Bird of Pardise family, so this potted plant was not cheap at an Ontario nursery!
Of course, when I approached him, he grabbed it and tore it to pieces.

Goodbye, Chautauqua

The symbol of Chautauqua Institution -- the Miller Bell Tower. We heard the bells on our walks.

Return to the Woods

Met a friend on the way.
Episcopal Church at the edge of the woods.
Ahhhh...
See the nature classroom on the other side of the creek?
Thunder Bridge
Hall of Philosophy amphitheater
Where Mommy took classes both weeks.

Babies!

This little ravine was only a few steps from our apartment. Do you see a large bird in the tree? It is a baby Cooper's Hawk!While on a Bird Walk Tuesday morning, I was introduced to 4 baby Cooper’s Hawks (only 3 seen here) in the little wooded ravine near our apartment. They probably are about 4 weeks old and were not flying very well Tuesday morning. By Tuesday afternoon, they were flying about half way up the height of the trees. Wednesday, they were in the tops of the trees. I walked through there numerous times to watch their progress. After they were high in the trees, I felt safe taking Guinness through the woods with me. He never saw them, though he may have heard them. It was awesome to watch them fly from branch to branch. We saw Purple Martins feeding their young. There are Purple Martin houses all along the lakeshore on the grounds.
A mother spider has exquisite musical taste. She built this home in the kiosk in front of the opera house.

Guinness Being Guinny

Even More Sights from our Walks

One of the oldest streets.





A sculpture garden

House Tour

Today was the annual Women’s Club House Tour, and “our” house was on tour, but not our apartment. However, a few people did come snooping on our patio, so I put a sign on the door – “Not on tour.”

Here in the entrance to our lower level apartment.
Our landlord creates metal sculptures. This is in the garden.

Found Woods

Grant left us yesterday and won’t be back until Wednesday. Today Guinny and I decided to explore the south end of the property. We found this!

With trails...
And a creek!

More Scenes from Walking

Dogs at Doggie Park!

We finally found some playmates at Doggie Park!

But Nicky, the goldlie doodle, kept the Wheaten Terrier and Guinness rolled on their backs being submissive.

Right at Home

Guinness is being a VERY good boy! I brought sheets to cover the sofa and duvet, because it would be difficult to keep him off the furniture while we are with him let alone when we are out. He has settled right in.

He is even sleeping on the sofa instead of in the double bed with us! Ü He is ignoring that he has his own bed on the floor.

Some of his medications ended today; the rest end tomorrow! Yay! And he is doing just fine.

Walks

This is basically a walking/biking campus though there are vehicles “on duty” such as tours and deliveries, cars for permanent residents, and for moving in or out. Among the throngs of walkers are many with dogs. Guinness, who does not like to heel strictly (meaning at my side with a loose leash), is learning from the other dogs to heel without having a taunt leash! We take at least two long walks around the grounds every day. We found a better way to reach Dog Park (though we have never seen a dog there) with a walk through the woods and a bridge.

Here is a sampling of the visual delights around this campus: