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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">A few weeks ago, my dog Jasper met up
with his third skunk in three years. The occasion was noteworthy -- there
I was, rolling around on the couch with a semi-new beau. We must have been
giving off spores, because Jasper and a foster puppy were bouncing off the
walls, playing tag and leap frog and keep away with us as home base. They
were distracting us. Finally, a tad exasperated, I pulled open the French
doors, and pointed. "OUT!" They hurled themselves outside into the night,
expecting, no doubt, that my paramour and I would come with
them.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">Um. No. We would
not.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">Two minutes later, Allan and I were
cheerfully rolling around again, when Jasper appeared again at the French door,
flailing at it. </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">"NO!" I hollered, and returned
to my task.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">A minute went by. Jasper again
appears at the French door, scratches somewhat
desperately.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">"Jasper, NO!" I say. I can
maintain focus when I want to.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">Thirty seconds pass. Again the
dog at the French Door. He paws away, looks in pathetically.
I glance around the patio outside. There is no puppy in
sight.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">"Okay. How about I let Jasper
in, and leave the puppy outside?" I ask no one. Allan shrugs,
nods. He doesn't really care much about the canine
situation.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">I pull open the French
door.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">Eau de skunk wafts into the
room. It is palpable. It is all but visible -- like Pigpen in the
Peanuts cartoon.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">Jasper is miserable. Jasper
cannot raise his head or keep his eyes open. Jasper just wants me to make
it stop.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">And I am prepared to. I turn to
Allan. "Um, honey? Hold that thought? I need about ten
minutes."</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">"No problem -- " he grins, and sits up
and pour himself another glass of wine.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">I head back to the bathroom with
Jasper. A bottle of dishwashing liquid, a big box of baking soda, and a
bottle of hydrogen peroxide.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">Make a paste of the detergent and
baking soda. Paint it on -- expecially the point of contact, of
course. In this case (in every case, with Jasper) right between the eyes
and on the snout. Let it sit there a few minutes. Then add the
hydrogen peroxide -- it does not hurt the animal. It's an evil name for a
3% solution of a helpful remedy. Rinse the paste off, sorta,
with the HP. Then wash with shampoo (baby shampoo is best, tear free) and
rinse.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">Walla. no oh de skunk no
mo.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">This first time this happened with
Jasper, I had heard of the tomato juice remedy, and grabbed a big can of V8 from
the fridge and just poured it on Jasper's head. I'll never forget his
look as he raised his eyes woefully to me and telegraphed,</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"> "Why do you hate
me?"</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">It's spring. Time for
puppies. Skunks. Highly fragrant adventures of all
sorts.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">One of my top four favorite seasons of
the year. :-></FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">xox</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC">Sidda</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC"></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT
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