Tragedy Averted!

Yikes! It's been a while since I've updated......I get ideas for blogs all the time but then I either start one and put it in drafts or forget about it all together. But this morning I don't have to go to work so I'm going to take a minute and tell you about the tragedy that was narrowly averted yesterday.

I came home from work a little later than usual and Tom was already here, shoveling the driveway from yet another little (~3 inches) snowfall. I went inside and put my stuff away and began the daily task of searching for the mail and newspaper and checking email and of course my Farm (on Facebook.......my virtual farm......my little addiction......see an earlier post for more...)

After a little while Tom came in and asked if I'd let the dogs in. Let the dogs in??? What??? I didn't let them out!!! It's not unusual for Murphy (45# black lab mix) to leave the yard. In fact we have an invisible fence here and Murph will often decide it is worth the pain of the shock to chase deer or explore. Cadi (100+# yellow lab), on the other hand, stays in the yard. So when Tom told me they weren't in the yard I was concerned and began calling for them and asking neighbors. After about 30 minutes Murph came running home.....dripping wet. She was soaked! By now I was really worried for Cadi. I knew she was in the water somewhere and since her knee surgery a few weeks ago, I knew she wouldn't be able to swim for long. Naturally Tom accused me of over reacting and calmly tried to follow tracks through the snow. COME ON!!! IT'S ALMOST DARK AND MY DOG IS IN THE WATER SOME WHERE!!!!

We all got in our cars and scoured the area. Thankfully we had a regular family posse out looking for her. Just then one of our daughters came over and when she'd been updated on the situation, ran down to the lake looking and spotted Cadi barely hanging on to the ice, completely submerged except for her head. She ran to a nearby house, hysterical and called Tom's cell and he drove/ran down and met her, grabbed a boat and went out on the ice after her. (I'm glad I didn't know this until after!) They were somehow able to drag her out of the water and off the ice. We figure that she was in the water about 45-60 minutes, so she was really weak and cold. They had to carry/drag her to the truck as she was too exhausted to walk. Tom gave her a warm bath and we fed her and she and Murph curled up together on their dog bed in the family room and slept all evening even though there were 6 grandkids here climbing all over them!!!

First thing on today's to-do list??? Put fresh batteries in their collars and maybe have Murph's turned up a little higher!!