Oh, What A Night!

    A couple of days ago I saw a cute hooded sweater on FB and when I tried to download the pattern...as instructed...my PC froze.  I finally gave up and
instead, decided to try and put the cable pattern into my regular hooded raglan cardigan.  I got the hood finished...didn't really like the way the design fit...and when I tried to start the body of the cardigan, couldn't get the front to line up with the design.  I let the project sit on the needles for a day and last night I ripped it all out, rolled up the yarn and CO again for the hood. I moved the design in a little more, used less stitches in the cable and finished the hood.  This time I had more than enough stitches (using both ends of the hood) for the neck of the cardigan so I had to decrease/gather the ends of the hood to get it to fit the neckband but it looks cute.  Now I was ready to start the body of the raglan but since it was almost midnight I decided to let it go until this morning and go to bed.
   Zoey, our beagle, was sitting on my bed looking out the window as I got ready for bed.  Fanny, the Australian cattle dog, was stretched out, half- asleep already.  Suddenly Zoey started growling...and then barking and baying!  She crawled under the curtain...to get a better view of what was out there(?)...and really started barking.  Now, the view from that bedroom window is of the wooden lot that use to be a horse pasture between our house and our neighbor's garage, the driveway and what's left of our neighbor's apple orchard.  His house is at the far rear of the scene.  Zoey was standing on the windowsill and barking to beat the band!  Fanny looked over her shoulder and growled and barked in sympathy...or agreement...a couple of times but Zoey was definitely in charge!   Jeff came in and asked Zoey what's was wrong but she just came out from under the curtain and kept barking.  Fanny actually stood up now to join in the barking.  Jeff looked out the window and couldn't see anything unusual so he went back to his computer in the other room.  Fanny eventually settled down again and Zoey kept barking.  I tried talking to her, praising her for being such a good watch dog, etc hoping she'd shut up.  After half an hour or so, Zoey came out from under the curtain and settled against me but still looking out the window.  She kept up with a low growl every now and then until she finally fell asleep.
   I finally fell asleep in time for Fanny to have an allergy attack.  It starts with her shaking her head...her ear itches...and then she starts rubbing her ear against a rough blanket or a chair.   I
got up and gave her a Benadryl and wiped her ear out with a baby wipe.  Jeff let both dogs out and when they came in, Fanny started running around barking and rubbing her head against furniture.  I wiped her ear again and put in some of her eardrops.  She kept barking and shaking her head.  This went on for another 30-45mins until the Benadryl and eardrops kicked in.  Zoey tried to comfort her and got barked at for her effort but still tried to get close.  This doesn't happen often and the vet says I should up the dose of Benadryl...50gms for a 90lb dog isn't enough...but even if I give her 2 pills it still takes 20-30 mins to take effect.  I'm better off...and so is Fanny...if I keep the ear clean and give her 1 Benadryl at bedtime.  Since she was asleep before I was I didn't give her one when I went to bed.  I hate doping up my dog but then, 50gms is a low dose and she isn't actually doped up.  
   The house finally got quiet around 2am.  The night before I hadn't slept well, waking up every couple of hours because my hands and knees ached...arthritis and the latest storm was blowing in.  Two night with little sleep and I slept until 11am today.  Totally unusual...but delightful.  Both dogs were asleep beside me when I woke up...to the aroma of Jeff's cooking.  Don't get much knitting done sleeping to almost noon, now do I?  Better get busy!