These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Saturday, July 22, 2006

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!

15 comments:

  1. We've got something that died in our basement. or so the pest control guy thinks. Found a fly problem down there yesterday and when I called the pest control company we use they said that usually means something died down there, like a rodent. I think we can do without laundry until after he's been here on Wednesday!

    ReplyDelete
  2. traci - welcome, and rest assurred that I'll be back to visit you, too. I want to read more.

    sassy - since it is outside and isn't anywhere that is important (like a laundry room!!) I would just ignore it, but it is going to be really nasty when the heat returns. And when you walk out the back door, it's already noticable. I don't care to put the dogs on leashes and walk them that often and for as long as the stench will probably last with the heat up! grrr. Caroline and Laura asked me to wait until they get back around 4 so if I have a problem they can help. In fact, they offered to do it, but I will. Good neighbors! Good friends!

    jen - I'm not looking forward to it at all! If there were any other way . . . but since I'm learning to live alone, I have to deal with what comes my way! It's just part of "growing up," I suppose!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. When I have to do stuff like deal with mice and spiders and unclog drains and carry an air conditioner up to my 2nd floor apartment, it makes me really wish I had a guy to do those things! Oh well...It just makes us stronger women when we do them by ourselves I guess! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. ew....smelly things under the porch. see. that is why i live in a second floor apartment!

    ps your doggie is sooo cute!

    ReplyDelete
  5. jen - That's the thing. I have an overly protective man for 31 years, so many things I should have learned along the way I didn't. Oh, I know the basics, and I'm getting by, but this ain't the way to learn!! I'm so bent on establishing my independence that it isn't funny! I guess I'd say that considering our respective ages, you have more use for a man than I do! Oops! ;-))

    ReplyDelete
  6. m - yeah, smelly things stink!!! hee hee!! Thanks about my baby. She is a delightful companion!

    ReplyDelete
  7. LOL you could ask the neighbors to come help you out, LOL just kidding Caroline!! Ewwww, the heat isnt going to make the smell go away :( I would go get it for you if I lived closer! I have a stomach of steel! Good luck with everything. PS your baby is so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  8. one - Gee, I really, really wish you'd been here. It was ghastly! See my added note in the post for details. I've always had a strong stomach, but recently I've noticed it's less. Today finished it off, I think!! And thanks re: my baby!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Well, hope putting the dirt under the steps works, because the smell was just horrible. I am thankful that Lynilu didn't take me up on the offer to go down under the deck. Let's just hope the dirt works because with the temps going back up the smell coule get worse. Well, let Laura know if you need anymore help. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. P.S. As usual China is just so cute. Don't tell Mai Lin or Ali (since I told them other the same thing), but she is my favorite. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh dear. When I was a kid, we had a possum crawl under our porch, a very, very small crawl space. We paid a neighborhood kid a quarter to crawl under with a shovel and retrieve it. It was truly the grossest thing I can remember and that says a lot, growing up with two brothers.

    ReplyDelete
  12. caroline - I wouldn't put a friend thru that. I would call someone I didn't like first!! And your favoritism . . . no secret at our house. Ali told me that is why he barks at you and sophie so much. He will irritate you as much as possible until you like him first. I tried to explain the lack of logic, but he just got snippy with me.

    traci - that is a woman's responsibility, volunteering them for icky jobs!! I didn't smell anything this morning, but I will check several times before I believe it is fixed.

    nursepam - tee hee! Well, I didn't expect this to be part of growing out of being overprotected!! Wee dog is, indeed, a luv!

    ragged - I don't know about your neighborhood, but in mine these days kids don't do nuttin'. We have tried to hire them to help with lawn care or similar jobs in support of our own labor, and they don't last long at all. And don't come back. I can imagine their response to asking them to be my critter-gitter!! ;-) And about growing up with brothers. 2 were older (10 & 12 years older), and for the most part treated me like a princess . . . but Rus (6 yr older) used to hold me down and let spit a.l.m.o.s.t drip from his mouth to my face. Oh, and SOO much more. Maybe I'll make that one of the posts in the other blog.

    ReplyDelete
  13. if you have the time and the inclination, maybe you could find something at the hardware store which will absorb or neutralize the smell.

    remember the pink powder that they used to put on vomit? in grade school. do you know what i mean?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ugh I feel for you in having to do that.I would have just filled it in with dirt too. It's funny you didn't see anything though....

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh and most importantly the furbaby is DARLING. Such a sweet little face :)

    ReplyDelete

If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!