Zoey-the Watch Dog

     Zoey must have pulled watch-dog duty last night...3rd shift, too!  She was restless after supper wanting to go out but didn't go very far...not even off the stairs a couple of times...while Fanny took herself for a walk around the garage.  Zoey was mainly interested in a patch of driveway between the car and the steps...but there wasn't anything there I could see and Fanny didn't seem interested in the area.
   Around 11pm something ran past the big window in the parlor.  It was pretty windy and I couldn't see what because it was pitch black out there. There aren't any security lights on that side of the house.  Zoey got up on my mom's ceder chest and tried to look out the window (that's why there are nose prints on the glass) but that didn't satisfy her.  I asked Jeff why we never installed motion lights on that side of the house and he agreed we should.  (If we will, remains to be seen, but I think we should!)  She asked to be let out a couple of more times but when it started to rain that put a stop to that (she must be related to the witch from Oz...if she gets wet. she thinks she'll melt!)
   By 2am we (Fanny, Zoey and me) were comfortably settled in my bed.  Fanny claimed the bottom...a great footwarmer, with Zoey under the covers next to me.  I'm balanced on the edge of the mattress...I had more room in my bed at Brockport and that was a cot.  Anyway, Zoey suddenly climbs out from under the covers and dives under the curtain...more nose prints on a window...growling ferociously.  She kept that up for about 10 mins before starting to bark loudly...and jumping back away from the window and out from under the curtain!  She kept growling and backing up, going under the curtain and jumping back away from the glass for about half an hour.  Fanny rolled over and growled importantly at her ('shut up, kid' maybe?) but Zoey kept it up.  Fanny wasn't interested enough to get up and look, she just rolled over onto her good ear so she couldn't hear the noise so much.  (Like most dogs of her color (white), breed (Australian Cattle dogs) and size (large), Fanny has lost the hearing almost completely in her left ear and partially in her right.  I think she finds it convenient...she 'can't' hear when called unless she wants to.  But she still hears the words Treat or Peanutbutter clearly and comes a running!)
   I tried petting Zoey and talking to her...Fanny growled a couple of times at me so I switched to whispering...telling her that the critters outside didn't have humans to give them a bowl of food and had to hunt for their supper.  Told her they were our neighbors and she had to get use to them.  Since I couldn't see who was out there I don't know if I was talking about deer, turkey, fox, coyote or the mountain lion/bobcat. (I'm pretty sure it wasn't the bear...too early in the season for it!) There wasn't a bloody scrap pile this morning so I'm betting on the turkey rooting for grubs in the leaves.  I think the coyote or bobcat would have been more vocal about killing a turkey or deer...and may have invited the rest of the pack to join in a late night snack. (More of the joys of country living.)
   Like most 3-rd shifters, Zoey is still sacked out this morning. It must have 

been a tough night for her.  But you've got to admit, she's definitely got a tough life.