Thursdays with libby

Thursday is garbage and recycling pick up day in our neighbourhood.   Garbage trucks, big, white and shiny, storm the back alleys, hissing, beeping and rattling their busy way shaking bins full of  bottles, cans and garbage into the holds, rolling from one end of the neighbourhood to the other.  They hit our alley at 7 a.m. on the dot and they usually go up and down about three to four times until they are satisfied every bin is empty.

Libby the border collie who pretty much runs our house and keeps us all in order, hates these trucks with a passionate explosive fury.

So, on this very important day, we have a very important routine.  I’m told there are some dogs, fearful of whatever is out there, who hide under the bed, or under your arm, or under your desk and just quietly quiver until it's over.   

This is not Libby’s way.   When she hears the engines on those trucks, when she hears the unmistakable sound of those hissing air brakes, she explodes out of the basement in a white hot fury, bouncing off the doors and windows on her way to the back door, trying to get out and bite those big white trucks unless we take drastic measures. She wants to eat the tires and chew up the poor driver.

Obviously we can’t let that happen . 

 One time, she and I accidentally ran into the garbage truck on the street during an innocent morning walk.   In my defense, I thought they were gone.  The poor driver stopped his truck,  and said mournfully  out the open door “It’s OK Lady.  All the dogs hate me.”  I did try to apologize but he probably couldn’t hear me over Libby’s hysterical barking. 

Another time she cornered a stopped garbage truck in front of our house and ran circles around and around it, pinning it and the astounded driver in place until I caught her, and dragged her away.

So you see, we have a history with these garbage trucks .

  

 Now, every Thursday we get up very early, racing to get the kettle on, get the tea made, close the windows in the house tight to keep out any truck’s noise, put the television on downstairs to make cheerful noise,  get breakfast food in Libby’s bowl and treats in her treat ball to distract her, get the gate in place to keep her downstairs, and then we wait it out.  It usually takes about 45 minutes til the all clear and peace once more settles over the house.