Regroup (intransitive verb): to reorganize (as after a setback) for renewed activity
It’s been more than a month since I wrote a blog post. Some things have been going on. The kind of things that we don’t always talk about, at least not in this society. It’s made it hard to figure out an approach to my next post. As such, this will be a mish-mash of random entries. Feel free to skip anything that doesn’t appeal to you.
After my last post, I am delighted (and relieved) to report that “Presence” has been accepted into the Fall Watercolor Society of Oregon Exhibition.
I am so relieved.
Balancing the Woofs came out. Yeah!
I have started writing book 4 in the Canine Accounting Capers.
The stand-alone book I have been working on for the last six months is in the background, marinating.
Dogs, cats, and other critters are doing fine.
I’m struggling through a depression cycle. The doctor asked me to try a new medication, with the typical result… everything gets worse. I’ve stopped the medication, and things are looking very slightly up, but I’m always startled how easy it is to slip back into a rather existential point of view.
My adulting points have been thoroughly consumed over the last month(s) by “health care” issues.
I’ve been pretty lucky to this point in my life. I’ve never really had bad health insurance. I’ve had a variety of bad health care experiences, but adding large amounts of money to that has opened up a whole new hell.
Right now, I’m on track to spend over $20,000 this year on “health insurance”. I’ve been to the doctor’s office once, urgent care once, and had two specialist appointments. I pay over $1400 out of pocket for one of my medications (90 day supply). Under advice of doctor, I ordered the last refill from a place in Canada. It’s coming from Hungary. Sure, this will work out.
My neighbor is calling dog control. Again.
Last night I returned from a shift at the Pacific Artists’ Co-Op Gallery to find a warning notice from dog control about my barking dog (Key).
As I’m not sure I’ve chronicled this saga, let me try to simply it. Key has… issues. Specifically, separation anxiety and demand barking. When I am at home and with my dog (now dogs), things are relatively quiet. Around breakfast/dinner time there is some barking because, apparently, I am a frustrating human when I don’t feed at the exact moment Key feels I should.
When I am not at home, Key is a complete barking lunatic. I hate this aspect of him. I’ve read articles, watched videos, tried products… the whole nine yards. Key is a hard nut to crack. The combination of working/herding type
The most “success” has been with a citronella bark collar. When he barks, the collar senses it and sends out a puff of citronella which he finds startling and obnoxious. The mere sight of this collar is enough to convince him to tone it down (literally). The main problem with this is that it makes him useless in nosework for about a month after a blast.
When I lived in Kaiser, I had a neighbor who complained about Key’s barking. A very fair complaint that I did my best to address. Luckily, I worked from home most days during the time I lived there. Key stayed in the garage (not the yard) when I was gone.
Upon my move to the coast, there was a period where Key got access to the garage and the yard. Then, my neighbor marched over and very directly told me that my dog barked “all day” when I was gone and that he “missed me.” Around that time, a couple other neighbors hinted the same thing.
Though I was far from pleased with the imperious attitude, I appreciated the directness of my neighbor. I changed things up and Key stayed in the garage when I wasn’t home.
Then, that wasn’t enough. Dog control came by and said there had been complaints. So, I moved Key into a kennel, in the house, with the windows closed. I tried to hire a neighborhood gal to let him out on the days when I worked, but she kept “forgetting”. So, that relationship ended.
Then for a year things seemed to settle down. I left my job, meaning I was home more hours. I still had to leave occasionally, but Key seemed okay in the house.
Another year passed with only a few incidents. My direct neighbor does not like my dog (or any other) and isn’t hesitant to point out ANY issue. And another neighbor is suffering with some mental health issues that are occasionally directed at me and/or my dog. As long as I live near these two, I’ll always be on edge.
Then yesterday, when I came home from the gallery, there was a “WARNING TO DOG OWNER” on my door. I was hereby notified we may be in violation of ORS 609.095 Dog as Public Nuisance.
This led to a two-hour, vitriolic rant. A friend was good enough to listen to this spewing and eventually convince me to not act on my revenge plans (at least in the short term).
Which leaves me calmer and saner (for now), but unsure what to do.
Here’s the deal.
- I own an obnoxious dog.
- I have done everything I know how to do to limit his barking.
- I think this has resurfaced again because, now that I have Dottie, both dogs are in the garage (not the house) while I’m gone.
- The garage echoes.
It’s completely fair to say my neighbors didn’t sign up for this.
And it’s completely fair to say I didn’t sign up for their nonsense. The hours of leaf blowing. The public screaming matches. The unkempt yards.
Where does that leave us?
I’ll work to find a way to keep Key quieter. To try to keep the peace.
But it really burns me that I don’t really have any socially acceptable means to say, “Hey, here’s what I’m doing. Do have other suggestions? Would you like to help?” No. The only thing I can do is to just comply.
And the next time they are feeling powerless and something I do annoys them… I guess I’ll see dog control again.
Next week, Sandra Pearce and I will begin painting for the 5th Annual Coastal Plein Air Art & Wine Festival. It’s one of my favorite periods of the year.
Last but not least, I have decided to leave the Pacific Artists’ Co-Op Gallery at the end of the quarter. The items above, plus a few other things I don’t want to get into, have made it apparent that I need to get into a quieter space for a while. Maybe I’ll come back, maybe I won’t. It’s a hard decision that’s been percolating for a while.
Here’s hoping things will lighten up soon.