My husband and I got back from the convention and from visiting his parents last night. Then everything went down hill.

I had several dogs being picked up last night. As one of the clients and I are visiting, her pitbull jumps out of the window of her truck and beelines for my cats. Before I could do anything he had Gertie in his mouth. He’s shaking her and I’m running at him screaming at him to stop. I honestly thought he’d kill her before I could get across the yard. Of all the suprising things, when I got closer he seemed to notice me and it was just enough of a pause that Gertie got out of his grip and ran. He chased after her, but we were close enough by then to get him away before he could get her again. With him secured back in his vehicle, we went searching for Gertie. She had climbed up into the engine of our car to hide. We got her out and she was missing a great deal of hair around her middle, but she seemed to be in one piece and no major punctures that we could see. However, she was frightened and she started to pee on my husband who was holding her. So, he set her down. (I so wish he hadn’t). She walked off towards the back of the barn. I thought she just needed a chance to calm down, but that she would be ok once she had a chance to settle down again. Well, she walked to the back of the barn and disappeared. I haven’t seen her since.

I went out last night with canned cat food to see if I could coax her out of wherever she was hiding, but with no success. I haven’t seen or heard any signs of her. I was outside most of the morning and spent a quite a while searching through the tall weeds and looking in the alfalfa field behind the barn, but nothing. I went out this afternoon and weeded in the garden, because Gertie would always show up whenever you are in the garden. She seemed to think it was part of her job to help with the weeding. Maybe if we had hydroponic systems neither of us would have to weed, but I think we both enjoy it. Today she never came out to join me. Now I’m just worried to death that she was hurt internally more than we could see in our first glance, and that she might be out there suffering somewhere. I could just kick myself for not confining her right away instead of letting her go.

So, anyway, it’s a terrible way to start the week. I wish I could turn back time somehow. I’ll save the other problems that we came home to, for another post.