Hard to believe but it's Day Twelve -12-

Eddie slept uneventfully up in the loft after coming inside with a little coaxing last night. My goal for the morning was to put Eddie on leash and make sure he is still nominally cool with it. As I started to make the fire the house began to fill up with smoke a sure sign that the screen at the top of the chimney was clogged. Niko came downstairs and was waiting by garage door to go out. I ignored him and proceeded with fire, coffee etc. I noticed Eddie peering out through the loft railing. The little fellow had taken the opportunity to try out Niko's Bed. It has a good vantage point for keeping an eye on the living room where I was still messing with the fire making and fruitless efforts to avoid having to climb up onto the roof and unclog the spark arrestor screen. I went up stairs and Eddie unhurriedly got off the bed.

I donned suitable clothing and the dogs and I went out onto the deck after sitting... Eddie didn't but Niko was very good. As Niko Eddie and I stood by the gate contemplating the other-side I began to pet Eddie which he didn't seem to mind. After touching his collar a few times I brought out the leash letting him sniff it. After tieing it onto his collar we proceeded out. I removed the leash at the end of the driveway and discovered that it is not all that tight afterall. As he and Niko began to scout for coyote sign I got the ladder out and rigged up the rope to climb up and clear the chimney screen. The extension ladder made a hug clanking and I spied Eddie watching the situation from a distance as Niko was still off into woods somewhere.

After out foxing gravity and steep roof pitch and with a clear chimney screen we all went for a short walk down the road. Snow is expected tonight. Mary from GoodDogRanch next door called from town and arranged to pick some much needed groceries from the local Organic food store in town. The morning was proceeding nicely aside from the technical glitches. I cleaned the back of the truck and dried things out a bit waiting for Mary and the expected groceries, which arrived in short order. Eddie came up and greeted Tilla and a good deal of happy milling about was had by all.

With more horrible clanking and generally very strange behavior I put way the ladder and ropes with Eddie watching from woods about 100 feet away. I suppose he was trying to convince himself that his new human buddy had not lost his marbles, or gone over to the Darkside. Anyway after having a bit of lunch which Eddie ate from his ruffled T. Wik plate with less trepidation than ever before. He sat down about 10 feet from his plate having left about 6 kibbles for his buddy Niko as a good will gesture. I have been feeding then the Origen Fish Kibble with plenty of water which readily slurps up. He is starting to get much more comfortable with the plate.
After lunch we walked over to the GoodDogRanch and returned the now empty cloth grocery bag and picked up Tilla who was very please to accompany us on the rest of our post morning trauma pack bonding walk. After a few rain drops I headed inside and Niko settled onto his spot on the deck with Eddie settled in by the base of a large tree up on the road about 100 feet way, where he has been for the hour it has taken me to tpe this. It will be interesting to see how he behaves as the wind and snow/rain develops into the afternoon.