Salt Water Baths

Priscinda

We all trooped off to the Salamander Pond after stopping at Priscinda's house to pick her up. Now you know Witches are afraid of water, it melts them into puddles just like melting ice cubes, so we have to be careful that nogarD doesn't spray her when he comes up snorting water. Dragons love to snort don't they? they snort either fire or water...I wonder if there is a steam-snorting dragon somewhere?

Anyway, the seven of us headed past all the ripe blackberry vines that make the air smell so sweet...Margaret and Hurley picked a few and ate them....down the dusty, dry road. The ground is actually cracked open, like little earthquakes have happened everywhere....the grass is bleached white and crispy crackling dry.

The pond level was a shock! We walked to the edge of the pond through dried mud where there used to be water...! We called to nogarD and up he came all gooey and spitting mud!  Oh poor nogarD...what are we to do?

I have a plan! We made a paw circle and I bounced my idea off the Gang. We are going to find a kids plastic swimming pool and fill it with sea water. We must test if nogarD can adjust to salt water...if he can, we can get the pond filled up quickly. Tansy asked where we could get a wading pool on Saturna? Good question. We will try the Free Store.  A long walk in the hot sun brought us to the free store...but NO POOL there. What now? Dusty said how about a bathtub Robbie, your house is by the ocean?  He is so smart that dog. We will take nogarD home with us.

We have a bit of a problem....nogarD does not walk very well. He is built for swimming not dry land and my house is a medium distance away....not long and not short. Margaret bless her heart, said she would carry him (he is not much bigger than Tansy) and she picked up the poor muddy creature. Priscinda wanted to help but he is just too moist for her to have him near her. Hurley and Red kept a watch out for adult humans on the trail, I don't think they are ready to see a Dragon and a Witch at the same time.

Luckily, Mom was busy when we got to my house ....we crept quietly downstairs and put nogarD in the bath tub. Then we got DOD's window-washing bucket and we formed a chain down to the ocean. Me, Tansy, Hurley, Dusty, Priscinda (with rubber gloves on) and Margaret. Red kept watch for Mom and DOD. We hauled heavy bucket after heavy bucket until the bath tub was almost full. We even caught a few minnows and a starfish. nogarD was hesitant at first and a little leery...but as the tub filled up he got more confident and found that he could float...he splashed and snorted and went crazy!  Uh Oh..... Mom yelled from upstairs 'Robbie, is that you'? Then she came clomping downstairs to see what on earth was making all the noise!!!!

It was no use we were trapped. A Dragon, a Witch, Three dogs... a Rooster... and Margaret looking like a Kentucky Minstrel (she hadn't had a chance to wipe off all the mud)!  Mom Screamed!