Something Smells in Denmark, er, LyniluLand!

There's something dead under my deck. Seriously. When I take the dogs out, they all three run to a place that is open and poke their noses under, sniffing like crazy. They've done this for a couple days, but I didn't think too much about it. Then yesterday afternoon ... I have begun smelling something myself. And it's dead. I'm guessing I am going to have to crawl under the deck and find ... IT. And I'm not sure what IT is. I DON'T WANNA DO THIS!!!!! The trouble is this ... it has cooled off for a few days (thank goodness!!), but next week we are headed right back up into the 100s. Whatever is there is really gonna smell bad by then. ratzer fratzers.

On a nicer note, here is a picture of China I took the other evening. I was fixing their dinner, and she was waiting so patiently. When I saw this pose, I just almost lost it. Awwwww! Stretched on her belly, with her little paws crossed, watching me intently. I told her to stay there, and to my delight she did while I went around the corner to get the camera. Since then, I've noticed that she is doing this every meal time! She used to just stand and eye me hungrily as if to say, "Hurry up with the food! I'm so hungry I could eat your foot!" And she just might do that! I know she is hungry a lot of the time, but I've trying to cut her portions, slowly so her system isn't shocked. She is my little roly-poly, fer sher!

This girl has the sweetest disposition I've encountered in a dog. She is very unassuming, doesn't push her way around, and just loves any petting she might come by, although she won't demand it as Ali does. The only time she gets assertive is when Said Bad Boy Dog gets frisky and pretends that he is the Alpha dog in the house, bumping against her or strutting too close; at that time she gives him "what for"!!! She turns directly toward him, rolls those doggie lips back, gives him 3-4 growling barks, and he backs down really fast! She usually trots off with her tail wagging, and I can almost hear her chuckling!!

Well, I had better get busy and prepare to crawl into the black hole. I'm dreading this. I know there are a million spiders (I'm not afraid of them but I respect what they might to in defense of their quiet territory). There are snakes in the yard (garden snakes, but I have an intense fear of snakes), and what's to say they aren't under the deck, too. It's going to be really dirty, as I'm sure the neighborhood stray cats use it as their litter box. mutter, mutter, mutter. If you don't hear from me by Monday, send the Under The Deck Rescue Team out to my house. Tell them to follow the smell. By then, it might be me!!!

Good weekend, everyone!!

PS added 7:50 PM - here's a quick update on the stench: Caroline came over to support me. She offered to go under the deck for me, but I declined. As she walked over here, I met her out in the yard and told her that the smell had gotten very strong and the flies were everywhere. She stepped up on the deck, started toward the open area where I planned to go down, turned on her toes and marched right back off the deck with a horrified look on her face!! She suggested a mask of some kind when I had to keep trying to stir up the nerve to go in. I couldn't find one, but I found a bandana, moistened it and tied it around my nose and mouth. It did help some. Long story short ... I found nothing. I couldn't see a carcass of any kind, but gawd, was it awful down there! I noticed that there was a hollowed out area under the concrete steps, and this was the area the seem to be of interest to my 3 fuzzy kids. I took a shovel and filled it in as best I could. We continued around the deck looking under with a flashlight, but found nothing. I've noticed that the smell seems to be much less, so I guessing something crawled in there and died. If the smell continues or gets worse, I will (1) take some dirt from the garden and fill the hole fully, and/or (2) call for some real help, a critter-gitter of some kind. Back in the house, I showered immediately, but my appetite was shot. After a couple hours I had some pancakes and an egg.

You know, if I have too many more adventures in this house . . . . Well, I don't want to even think about it!!! I must be living wrong!!! If so, I'm missing the good part of it, for sure!