Didn't I have enough on my plate without this? I addressed this question to the ceiling since that's as high as I wanted it to get. Dogs get fleas every day so why should mine be the exception? And should I bother God with how inconvenienced I feel by these pesky black bugs? I would like to know if they serve any good purpose.

Gus and Jay-Jay got baths early today, and not the normal "quickies." No, today's baths left the shampoo on for 10 minutes just like my neighbor had said his groomer does. (Any shampoo will kill fleas if left on the dog for 10 minutes.) The dogs didn't seem to mind since I was scrubbing and rubbing them the whole time. They're not used to such intense one-on-one with Mama.

Baths were followed by their favorite treat - hot dogs, but these were spiked with Centinel (for fleas and heart worms). Then they were leashed and kept in the kitchen while I stripped beds, vacuumed, and sprayed Demize. I've washed 7 loads of laundry today - mostly sheets and bed covers - and have about 3 more to do. Then I can vacuum and treat the laundry room.

I hate these little boogers, and will do whatever I have to do to get rid of them. Jeanette told me she's had a real problem with them, even called in the pest control people to spray her house. I was the one who gave Gus and Jay-Jay the run of the farm, so I really shouldn't be surprised that they found fleas or did the fleas find them? I should have bathed them last Monday as soon as we got back home. I've heard that "country fleas" are harder to get rid of than "city fleas" and I feel sure these are from the country.

Art's dogs have staged a hunger strike. Their food bowls are full of the same food Art left for them yesterday morning. He said not to worry about it. Each one of them has enough fat to survive several days without a bite of food. I went over this afternoon following the thunderstorm and Sophie sat in my lap and licked my face, trying her best to persuade me not to leave. I wish his dogs and mine could get along, I would have just brought them over here with me, but they don't so it's best they stay in their own house.

And I'm sure they don't want what mine have had.