Beggars can't be choosers ...

This period is kicking. my. ass.

Yes, I wanted it to start this weekend so it'd be long gone by the time next weekend at the bed & breakfast arrives.

But damn. I didn't ask for the major cramps it brought with it.

Can't have my cake and eat it too, I suppose.

Even though this one's rough, I still managed to get a good bit done yesterday.

With the weather turning cooler as autumn approaches, I decided the tarp in front of Hoss's kennel could come down.

I had put it up to keep the sun out of his dog house (it hits it perfectly in the afternoon) and, hopefully, keep it cooler. And I think it worked - he laid behind his dog house a lot less this summer than last summer.

What I didn't take into account was that he was also quieter during the day and evening because he couldn't see out of his kennel while in his house. He had to get up and head to the gate area if he wanted to take a peek at the outside world.

Without the tarp? Yeah ... let the barkfest resume.

But the tarp is down and his kennel is cleaned out. And he got a much-needed bath with the hose and some oatmeal doggy shampoo. Which he also counts as play time.

I had given thought to bathing Pearl too (which she absolutely hates), but she's so old ... the poor thing couldn't even get up the couple of steps to our deck, choosing instead to just lay down next to it. And getting her out of her kennel to begin with took a good several minutes.

So I basically let her wander around as much as she wanted, which wasn't too long. She headed back to her kennel and dog house after about just 10 minutes of kennel freedom. I did leave her kennel door open in case she decided she wanted back out, but she seemed pretty content to just lay in the open doorway instead.

She's such an odd dog.

And I also gave Biscuit, our small indoor dog, a shower.

All before noon.

Take that, bitchy, crampy uterus!