Unfortunately, there are always going to be hiccups on any construction job. You are doing the right thing and checking it to make sure it is being done to your liking. I know it will look wonderful when it is finally all done. Too bad you can't cover the pond with some sheer fabric or fine netting to keep all the debris from getting into it.

Also, here are some websites about the invisible pet fence:

http://www.invisiblefence.com/

Items listed on Amazon:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Electr...

Well, another big whoops tonight. I do some online moderating and I was working in the office with all the dogs locked up with me so the guys could walk in and out with supplies. I even had the AC on, woo hoo! All of a sudden the thunder started and then water started pouring from the AC unit up on the wall. It was an incredible mess. I ran and got a big plastic tub and it helped but a lot of the water was just running down the wall onto the door and the floor. Then I got some beach towels to keep it from going into the living room. The dogs were freaking out, there was a waterfall inside, I was trying to work.... it was pretty chaotic. There were still workers upstairs so I got them into stuffing plastic bags on the AC compressor pipes. Eventually the rain slowed down and we got out the wet dry vac and cleaned up. I can still hear thunder though and I don't know if more rain is coming. I talked to the job boss and he said the AC guy was due here at 5pm to finish something. It was 5:30 when this all happened so they figure he didn't come because of the rain. tomorrow... tomorrow... tomorrow... you all know that mañana saying. I will leave the tub in place for the night and hope that todays rain is over.

You are doing exceptionally well in weathering both the literal and figurative storms that come your way.

pirl said:You are doing exceptionally well in weathering both the literal and figurative storms that come your way.

-- not that there's a whole lot of choice once you get involved in a remodeling project... I sympathize with the dogs freaking out, mine freak out at just about the smallest deviation from normal. And the unintentional indoor water features aren't so good, either -- we had ice dams on our roof this past winter that caused a couple of "waterfalls." Hang in there, it will all be worth it!

It's Jonna's attitude that I applaud. She didn't freak out despite trying to work, experiencing the sudden flooding, having the dogs freak out and dealing with the workers. She did what had to be done - the tub, the beach towels, preventing the flooding from going into the living room - all in minutes. I'd probably have made a drink, put it in a sippy cup and gone for a walk!

Me too, Arlene!!

I didn't want to go for a walk because of the downpour outside Luckily living in a stone and concrete tile house, flooding is not the huge disaster that it is in drywall and carpeting. You mop it up, or vacuum it up, and all is well. However, that's not to say that freaking out didn't occur to me. I just couldn't see where it would get me out of any of it so I just plowed on.

The dogs are already a wreck. They don't like the workers so we keep them locked up all day. Two of them don't like fireworks and it is the 2 week celebration of some saint for the two closest churches so there are rockets going off at all hours of the day and night. I think the dogs thought the waterfall was yet another torture I had devised for them. In fact, when it first started I thought it was just the rain pounding really hard outside until I looked over and all 4 dogs were sitting next to me, looking at me with such disgust.

Tomorrow is another day and hopefully all will be resolved. I'm keeping the tub handy though, just in case.

Poor dogs!

Jonna, I think you and the dogs are going to need a nice peaceful vacation once this is all over! Well, actually, you'll be able to have a nice peaceful rest on the roof, if the fireworks ever stop...

Ah, the rockets never stop here in the land of 'no event too small or obscure' that cohetes (shooting rockets) aren't needed. However, we are headed into the biggest season of rocket launching. After this 2 week holiday it is time to start the pre celebrations for Independence Day which is the 16th of Sept. From there several Saints will lead us to the big event, the day of the Virgen de Guadalupe who must really, really love rockets. Then, it is continuous through Christmas, New Years and 3 Kings in January.

Honestly though, the thunder every evening can drown out the rockets so the dogs just have to get over it. These are all Yucatecan dogs, they grew up here, none of them cared in the least about rockets or thunder until they got older. My boy started reacting to them when he was about 5 years old, his sister ignored him until she was about 10 years old and now they both get the shakes and tremors. I can't really help them, there is no escape and there is no way I can coddle them much about it. I am watching the younger 2 carefully to see if they are picking up the habit. Hopefully not.

Thundershirts, maybe?

Debra beat me to it, I was going to suggest trying Thundershirts, too -- not that I have any experience with them myself, but could be worth a try.

I know I'm not going to be moving there with my collies... they are impossible when the fireworks start (and we live far from any "official" fireworks displays, just a few, really, set off by people that live nearby -- and then pretty much just for the 4th of July). My vet has said to just ignore them, rather than trying to reassure them, etc. -- but it's kind of hard to ignore two 75 lb. dogs trying to get into your lap...

My parents' dog would hide under my mom's bed. She didn't seek any companionship, she just wanted to hide. There weren't many fireworks in their area but she was scared to death of thunderstorms.

Noise sensativity often gets worse with age. One of my dogs has to be on xanax for a good part of the summer. Helps him quite a bit

Yes Jennifer, clearly with my dogs it got worse with age. They showed no reactions when they were young. Both of them are over 11yo now and both are hard of hearing. I wonder if it comes in at a different decibel or something. I try not to pay attention to them when it happens, my feeling is that the more attention they get the more they will indulge. I let them stay inside and they usually just want to be next to one of us. Getting them to go outside to potty is the hardest part, just as I get them out there and they actually look like they are going to go, a big blast will go off and that's it. It's actually worse with thunder because I also usually have to convince my old girl to go out in the rain as well.

My mother was of the school that if you can still walk, you aren't bleeding, and your temperature is under 103° then you are not sick. I try to be more sympathetic than she but really I don't have a lot of patience with this kind of stuff.

I had several dogs like that. But my golden retriever never even woke up with fireworks or thunderstorms. However. seeing his own reflection in a mirror scared the bejesus out of him.

Karen

Karen - that is funny.

In a way it reminds me of this cartoon, which I love.

Good one, Arlene.