'Plop'

While I was at school this morning, Kevin was working on the sediment ponds. Frankie had followed him up there. She's become quite bold so we really have to watch her. At the top of our property, where the river flows through the aqueduct system, there are 3 tiered sediment ponds, each lower then the previous, creating small waterfalls. The waterfalls are only about 2 feet high, but the pressure of the water flowing over is considerable. Any light weight object (or animal) can easily be swept over (imagine a miniature scale Niagara Falls). Well, Kevin had easily jumped over to the other side to quickly have a look at something and Frankie no doubt decided to follow. All Kevin heard was a very quiet 'plop'. He looked around, couldn't see Frankie anywhere, looked in the ponds, still didn't see anything. He shouted out her name then started whistling, which usually gets her attention and brings her back. After about 10 seconds... 10 very LONG seconds, Frankie finally emerged from the undercurrent. Apparently, her eyes were like saucers, full of fear... and her short legs were paddling for dear life as she gasped for air. The sides of the pond were too steep for her to climb out on her own, so Kevin instinctively reached out, grabbed her collar and scooped her out. I bathe her on a regular basis in warm water, but Frankie's head has never been submerged (certainly not to my knowledge). This water experience was no doubt extremely cold and scary for her. She was not happy, happy, happy! We're wondering if this is just one of those lessons she had to learn. She's pretty precocious and can be quite stubborn, so my gut feeling says this may not be the last misadventure for our dear Frankie. If her misadventures don't do her in, they may very well do us in! Kevin was beside himself.

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