The sun came out briefly a few times yesterday...just enough to give false hope. The rest of the day it rained, sometimes as much as an inch in an hour. Since I couldn't be outside, the next best thing was to wash windows so I could see outside. The dog (and cat) pillow has become a bone of contention in the household. The inside kids have evidently worked out some sort of time-share program, and Pearl gets really pissy if someone wants to take cuts when it's her turn. The cats have their own bed, but this is bigger and fluffier, and Bess evidently doesn't have much say in this situation.
The rain let up somewhat along about sundown, and then I heard the chickens squawking in a panic. Given past history with my neighbor's dogs, that always starts my heart racing, and Bessie and I went out to see what started this ruckus. The sodden free-rangers came running to me, and Bess, nose to the ground, scouted the territory. Then she went under the barn and immediately the cause became clear. Clouds of pungent skunk perfume came wafting out, followed closely by Bessie Anne, who started rolling in the wet grass. It was close to the kids' bedtime anyhow, so I tucked everyone inside their respective rooms, and then went to prepare Bessie's bath while she had to sit, stinking and shivering, on the front porch. Up close and personal, skunk scent has an overpowering smell of garlic and chemicals, and it is very oily. Like poison oak, it clings to anything it touches, and I couldn't let Bess into the house without being on a leash. A vet, whose name I propose for sainthood, gave me the recipe for a magic solution to de-scent a dog. One gallon of warm water, eight ounces of hydrogen peroxide, and two-to-three tablespoons of Dawn dish soap. This works like magic; as soon as it's poured over the dog and worked into a lather, all smell is gone. A little Febreze took care of the residual perfume in the air. Of course, everything I was wearing had to go into the wash immediately because there's no way to lift a dog into the tub without getting skunked, too. One good thing...Bessie got the pillow to herself last evening.
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One thing about it...between the weather and the critters, you will never want for "blog-fodder!" And you are the FIRST person I have ever heard of who has the skunk remedy, as others say they try the tomato juice and it doesn't really work! Good job on getting the pillow all to yourself, Bessie Anne! And mom, are you going to buy one more pillow the next time you go to town??
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