Waiting for Naddel

It was back to work on Monday, only I didn't have any work to do. Time was dragging on and we were all looking forward to the arrival of Naddel, Joerg's new German Shorthair Pointer. I had completed a chunk of my project and was awaiting further instructions. I have been working on samples that were collected a few years ago. After we made a plan, we realized that the samples I needed were never actually obtained. Post election violence a few years ago had suspended the project so only 30 of my 80 calves had blood samples taken at 6 and 11 weeks of age. Grrr. I was disappointed but there wasn't much we could do about it. So I am looking at those 30 calves now as the next step.

We went running as usual, and as I completed the hill I saw a little girl running down the road, crying her eyes out. People were looking at her wondering if they should do something, and I wasn't sure she would understand me if I talked to her. I followed her towards Judy, my running team captain, who thankfully stopped to help her. It turns out she was lost. Her family had moved the day before and she couldn't remember how to get home. She was only 5 years old! She had walked about a mile from school trying to find her way. The poor thing. Judy calmed her down, took her hand, and walked her back to school where her siblings were still in class.

I spent a lot of time with Basil, my dirty dalmation friend. One morning we found a small heard of loose goats by the cow barn. I tried to grab him but he saw them too and ran off towards them. Crap! He is going to kill a goat. But he just wanted to chase them, and even that was short lived when his energy burst ran out and his hip dysplasia kicked in. Whew. That afternoon I laid in the sun with Basil in the backyard, but it made no difference to my pasty whiteness. When I went inside, Basil wanted to follow me. He is supposed to stay outside all the time. But I was lonely and any dog who begs to be let up on the couch by wagging his paws in the air has been there before. So I moved over. I didn't think he would tell. And plus, it was pouring rain.

It rained so hard that night that Nancy called me to drive her car over to her office building and pick her up. Sure I said! I finally get to try driving on the wrong side of the road (on the right side of the car). I got it, found the lights and the windshield wipers, and headed off down the deserted speedbump-riddled ILRI road. This isn't so bad I thought to myself. Then I realized I was still on the right side of the road. Ha! And turning was really weird. I imagined other cars coming towards me and tried to figure out who would have the right of way. Luckily they were just imaginary. I made it back without damaging anything.

Joerg was very excited for his new puppy. We tried to keep busy but all anyone could think about was Naddel. We spent numerous shopping trips buying her food, toys, and commissioning a bed from a roadside carpenter. I made banana bread from the bananas grown just outside the door and Joerg taught me how to drink various liquors. Some were much better than others. Joerg found out which cafes he could bring Naddel to and made plans to stay home with her for the rest of his life.