Trog and Other Animals: The Collapse

© irene waters 2014

© irene waters 2014

Our pet life settled into a routine whilst we were at the shop. The chickens produced eggs as did the geese. These I sold in the shop. Trog, the cat, lived on top of the computer whilst the dogs mainly waited for us to finish work so we could go for a walk, with only the occasional game outside. The geese, having had a second hatching of goslings, had taken to attacking them when they were outside so the dogs were a little wary.
We had an environcycle sewerage system at the store. It was a complicated system with blowers and fans and an alarm system in case of malfunction. A man came to check it every six months to ensure that it was functioning correctly and to add whatever chemicals were necessary. This fellow was petrified of the dogs so Roger accompanied him into the back yard whilst he did his work.
The next thing I know is that the fellow raced into the shop in a state of high agitation “Your husband needs you. I don’t think he is too well.” He said as he ran out the front door leaving me alone in the shop.

© irene waters 2014

© irene waters 2014

I raced out to find my husband with green bile oozing from his mouth collapsed on the back patio with both dogs lying by his side. I checked him out thinking he must have had a heart attack (he had a good pulse though a trifle rapid) or a stroke. I got him onto his side and when I was sure he was breathing okay I raced into the shop and locked the doors. This was the only occasion in our four-year tenure at the shop that we closed at a time we were supposed to be opened.
I called the ambulance and had the usual argument with the operator as to how the ambulance could find us and raced back to Roger. He was still as I had left him. I decided that I had better lock the dogs in our bedroom and leave our front door open for the ambulance when it arrived. The dogs were not at all happy at this strategy particularly when they heard the strange voices and the noises of equipment being brought in and out.
When the ambulance left with Roger on board I followed shortly afterwards having let the dogs out.
On my return from the hospital I found Jerry sitting outside our front door waiting for my return. He had been so stressed that he had jumped out the bedroom window destroying the flyscreen in the process. He had also demolished the side fence in his efforts to get to the place he’d last heard my voice. He stayed there as he knew this is where we would return to.

© irene waters 2014

© irene waters 2014

About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
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16 Responses to Trog and Other Animals: The Collapse

  1. Uncle Spike says:

    Wow, scary times, is he ok?

    Like

  2. Deb says:

    To be continued? I hope hubby was ok after that scare, or at least fixable

    Like

  3. I hope that everything did end in a good way.

    Like

  4. colinmathers says:

    Even though I know the ultimate ending, next instalment asap please. This is almost as good as 24 for leaving you wanting the next episode.

    Like

  5. Don’t keep us in suspense! How is your husband doing..or did? The ever faithful Jerry, he was clearly upset and determined to find you.

    Like

  6. As I am in the USA it was rather odd to see you posting on tomorrows date… till I realized you’re an Aussie. 🙂 Cool.

    You have very beautiful dogs. I used to have a king silver shepherd, but he got stolen.

    I hope your husband is OK… you have said he is “OK” in the comments, but for what it’s worth… I will probably pop back in tomorrow to find out what was wrong, if that’s alright.

    Like

    • Would love to have you visit again. I haven’t heard of a silver shepherd. That must have been heartbreaking to have him stolen.
      Yes thankfully my husband is okay .
      The time is strange. I struggle to get my head around who is before, and after us time wise. Cheers Irene

      Like

  7. Sherri says:

    Goodness…how scary and stressful this must have been. So sorry your hubby went through this, but glad to read here that he was ok…

    Like

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