Behind the Wall

Well, it looks like Hubby will have a new project this weekend. He is going to do something about our fence. It is time.

This morning Kiddo was out in our back yard, playing as usual, and I noticed his little squeals and giggles sounded really far away. It's not terribly alarming, as we have a pretty big back yard, and it kind of wraps around the back of the house and extends out to the right. We also have a separate yard area within it's own fence on the side of our house. So the giggles were faint and the dog collar jingling sounded really far away as well, so I went out to investigate. Kiddo and the dog were no where to be found. I called and the dog came running, but because of the layout of the yard I couldn't see where from. I thought maybe Kiddo had pushed the gate to the side yard open, so I walked back there to get him. He wasn't there.

There are moments in everyone's life where something happens, or you think something has happened, and your heart drops. You look around and what you see resembles that dizzying TV camera trick where the camera does a complete 360 around the actor, and the viewer gets a full scale view - it adds drama you know. Kiddo was not in the back yard. I spun around in TV fashion and took another look at everything, instantly thinking the worst - he got out and is running down the street.

See, when Kiddo gets out in front of our house, and he feels like there really isn't anyone paying attention, he will often bolt down the driveway and right down the street. Thankfully, we live on a sort of "L" shaped culdesac, thankfully it is not heavily traffic-ed, but the intersecting street is not to far away and definitely more of a thoroughfare. I didn't know how long he had been out. I could still hear his giggles, so he was near, but there was no telling which way he was going or who/what was with him.

And then, I saw it. The neighbor's dog was in my back yard. It had come through a one-slat-wide hole in the fence. The neighbors just moved in about a month ago and they actually have two dogs; this little terrier mix that is now in my yard and some gigantic, deep barking beast that I have never seen. They keep The Beast in the garage at night and it's barks are quite scary. Of course, being a Pit Bull owner, I know barks can be deceiving, but I was worried nonetheless. Pressing my face up to the dividing fence, I see Kiddo in their back yard.

Thank God.

Sort of.

See, he was back there with The Beast. And their rotten back fence to yet another neighbor's yard, and goodness only knows what else. And he was barefoot and wearing only a pajama top and a diaper. And I couldn't reach him. And the neighbors were not home. And since they moved in,

they

put

a

lock

on

their

gate!

Thankfully, thankfully, thankfully, even though The Beast was twice Kiddo's size, he was just as big of a baby. Sweet, sweet dog. Thankfully. Thankfully the little dog was just as sweet. Thankfully I was able to get my dog back in the house. But I couldn't get to my Kiddo. It's such a helpless feeling. I could see him and talk to him, but I couldn't get him to come back over to the fence, much less crawl back through that tiny, rusty-nail lined hole. I asked, I begged, I yelled, I offered ice cream and chocolate candy - nothing worked.

So, I went in the house and got a hammer. That rotten, nasty fence was coming down.

Surprisingly, the hammer was what enticed Kiddo back to the fence. Apparently hammers are better than chocolate right now, so as soon as I began ripping off boards, Kiddo walked up to where I was. The tricky part was keeping The Beast in his own yard. Big baby and lover-boy that he was, he kept trying to push through and come see me. So I stood there, knees bent toward the fence in a blocking position to hold back The Beast (all the while trying to be gentle because I don't want to make The Beast mad - you just never know) and tried to get Kiddo close enough to grab an arm so I could pick him up and weave him through the cross boards of the fence and bring him back to me.

One pulled out back and a couple of scratches later, my babe is in my arms! :)

Screaming and kicking.

Oh well, at least I have him now. He was entertained by nailing the boards back to the rotten fence, but soon enough was whining about going to play with the puppy dogs and trying to yank the boards off again.

Thankfully once he realized he wasn't getting back over there, he dropped it. I'm sure I'll be yelling at him about it again soon though.

But at least he won't be getting back through that tiny hole.

How did he do that anyway?!?
Until,
D :)