Day: January 22, 2014

This is Gauge, actually 12 Gauge is his full name. Count the back toes. 6 on each paw, he has extra dew claws,  he is half Pyrenees. The animal shelter only told us he was part Australian Shepherd. I think it is only a small part.   I suspected he was of big heritage when  my 12 week old sized puppy only had 4 teeth, and had to gum his food until he grew a full set. Then those extra dew claws, gave my vet and myself the clue that he was a Pyrenees

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Gauge grew into our suspicions, in ways other than just size. He hoarded treasures as a pup, he is protective of his domain/ and herd (people and cats and other dogs, horses) in a passive aggressive way. His domain goes as far as he can go, he respects fences IF they are there. Gauge possesses his herd, by sitting on us, laying his paw on us ( a hint to pet). Gauge does not like intruders, of the animal kind.  He is ok with other people, as long as he can keep an eye on them. But animals, birds, dogs passing by, packrats, rabbits, he does not like them on his house, in his trees, under his piles of junk, running across his ten acres.  He will lay in wait for the morning dove to dare to light on the roof top, then bark for an hour until she flies away, he convinced it is because he accomplished his duties. He will spend days ripping through the trashed fence panels to get to the pack rat he heard scurrying underneath. He allowed a neighbors dog to spend the day with us, until she dared walk into his pen, and rubbed against me for a pet, then all hell broke loose.

A few months ago Gauge was barking and barking and barking and barking at a 7 ft piece of PVC pipe laying in the field. it had been laying beside the well house. I thought the wind must have really been bad for it to have ‘flown’ out there. I hollered at Guage to ‘Shut UP’.  He did, for 5 minutes. I decided he had a packrat trapped. There really are not any other critters around here, with the overabundance of coyotes, hawks and the drought. I walked out in the field to investigate and stop the barking.  My idea was to pick up the pipe and dump out the rat, and Gauge would catch it in one gulp (he has done this as I flipped up wood stacks for him) This worked perfectly, except a cottontail fell out instead of a packrat. Packrats, he can eat but not bunnies. I screamed at Gauge to drop it, and he just bit harder, the rabbit squealed. I screamed again. Gauge turned and ran away from me, to go eat in peace. I hollered my apologies to the rabbit and went in the house, mortified.   I will flip my car before I hit a rabbit in the road. This day, I served one to be eaten alive by a giant canine. 

Day before yesterday, Gauge started barking at the PVC ,in the morning.I wondered if it was a packrat or a rabbit. We could be getting rabbits now that we got a bit of rain. In the evening when I fed, I had to call Gauge up from the pipe, where he had been peering in all day. I figured the critter would bolt out as soon as it sensed the enemy leaving. It didn’t.  Just before dark, I notice Gauge back at the pipe, peering in. He had not forgotten his mission. He wasn’t hungry, just had to get rid of the intruder. Stupid rabbit, or rat it should have ran when it had it’s chance!  Yesterday morning, I saw Gauge had drug the pipe about 100 yards, and was peering in it still. I can’t believe the critter is still in it, Gauge must be keeping a 24 hour watch, he is obsessed. At noon  Gauge is still with the pipe, picking up the end of it and dragging it in circles, kind of comical, and smart of him, he will shake it out, since I won’t. I forget about the rabbit or pack rat and Gauge, till feeding time, and again I have to call him from the pipe. Surely the thing will run out now.  At midnight last night, I realize it has not, Gauge is barking as he as been all day previous.  

This morning I look out and Gauge is asleep at the end of the pipe, which has moved another 50 feet at least .  He won’t come when I call him. The other two dogs run to him and try to convince him to come play. He can’t , he is focused, he has lost focus on his real purpose, he is obsessed with this pipe and it’s content, nothing else. He has chewed the end of the pipe trying to get his prey 

I decide to go and end this.  I am going to look first to see if bunny or rat. I am thinking of where to dump if  it is a rabbit. To not be an accessory to murder again. I then think how rude/mean/ it is to Gauge who has been so diligent to watch and wait.  I get to the pipe and try to look in, Gauge literally pushes me away. He is totally obsessed, controlled by the thing in the pipe, he can’t see me as his master anymore. I tell him to back away, he won’t obey. I go to the other end as he pokes his nose in the end I just tried, I catch a glimpse of the bunny ear silhouette before Gauge comes and shoves his nose in this end. I realize now I will be helping Gauge, by removing this obsession. I run to the other end stick the camera in and snap

I run to the other end as Guage is running to steal my place again, I catch a glimpse of the cotton tail and flash another picture.  Gauge pulls his head out of the opposite end, blinking from the flash. HA

Knowing a nasty sneaky rat will not run out on my arm, I pick up the pipe. The 3 dogs are now dancing around, sure I am going to treat them as I did before.  I take it to the fence and drop one end over and shake. Nothing comes out.  I pound a bit. Nothing. I then think ,it has been a couple of days, maybe it is dead and bloated in there.  I shake a bit harder, I hear a scratching of nails, it’s hanging on for dear life.. It does not know that bright light now means freedom , it has been so long seeing the face of death in that light.  Finally I shake hard enough and it can’t hang on, it drops from the pipe.  I thought it would dart off. It did not. It  sits there wet and dirty from it’s own urine (fear). Barely moving. Not laying in shock, just sitting, and creeping, smelling fresh air. Gauge is on the other side of the fence, still obsessed, ready to pounce. The rabbit is just feet away, I could reach through the fence and touch it. Instead I run for my camera, that I left behind when I picked up the pipe.  By the time I turn it on and it digitizes, the bunny is becoming aware he is free, and starts to hop some, slowly.

  Objects appear further and dryer than they actually are.

The more the rabbit moves the more aggressive Gauge becomes, he runs the fence, throws dirt and leaps around.  I wonder if he will decide he is capable of jumping the fence (he actually can if he wanted to). The rabbit gains speed and sense as Gauge’s frenzy grows, the rabbit disappears in the brush, and Gauge stares at attention for a few minutes.

I and the other two dogs pick up the pipe and move towards the house.  By the time I reach the well house, and prop the pipe up there, hopefully so another rabbit won’t take up refuge there, Gauge has joined us. All the dogs smell the fear seeping out of the pipe still. Gauge sniffs, I tell him to leave it.I start towards the water trough, the two female dogs run ahead to show me they need me to fill it, Gauge starts to walk beside me, leaning on me. He hasn’t been paying attention to me in days, I realize, and he does too.  I bend to turn on the water, he leans on me.  He is relaxing, he has forgotten his obsession, he reaches out to his master, lays his paw on me to pet him. I do. I take a picture of him as he looks into my face. I see the wound on his nose from his focusing on the wrong thing. Focusing on his want, and not his need. Forgetting his purpose.

I have been praying for job position that Keith put in for within his company.  It is  bigger, more powerful, more responsibility, more bucks,(but maybe relocation or lots of travel at least),  it would be above those that are now above him.  For him to have that position would solve a lot of problems for he and his colleagues. The job he has now is itself, great, it is great pay, good hours, good benefits, exactly what he(we) have prayed for, for years, it provides all we need. There are some problems, it could be better, and my prayer was for the better. I have prayed and prayed for the ‘bad’ to go away, that this higher position be Keith’s so he could MAKE the bad go away for himself.  He recently got notice that he would not be chosen for that position.  He was fine with it, said the company does not promote up that many steps, ever, even if he is qualified. I was disappointed, mostly with God for not answering my prayer. I had prayed, believing, knowing He would give me/we what we wanted. No one would be hurt by this, more than likely people would be helped, Keith really really is qualified and knows the way to resolve the problems….But instead God, just let it go, did not give it to Keith.Yesterday I was disappointed.  I had diligently prayed for this.

Today  I read in Mark 11 of  Jesus killing the fig tree, then explaining to the disciples whatever they ask for with faith, they will have, even if it be moving mountains. I read the same in Mathew a week ago. A week ago I was obsessed to get what I wanted, I have not been paying attention to my Master, I just saw my want.  This morning, I knew my ‘want’ was not given to me, (us) I read of moving mountains, again, it means something different today.  I prayed and cried, because my faith obviously is not enough. I quit looking at my want, and looked back to my Master. What is in the way? Mark 11:25 If you have anything against anyone, forgive him…. Mark 9:23 If your can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.   The job, the position may still be a possibility for Keith, yet what he has now is all we need. God is answering prayers to get rid of the ‘bad’, just not my way.  Mountains will move, fig trees will die.  I have been Gauge, obsessed with MY want, and forgetting all my needs supplied by my master.  I have been the rabbit, clinging for dear life, covered in my own filth, not seeing freedom is mine if I just let go.

I am forever amazed at how close and active God is in my life, always.  Yet I still cry out “Lord I believe; help my unbelief!”Mark 9:24