Friday, March 22, 2019
It happened very quickly. On Wednesday morning Buddy was limping slightly on one of his front legs. This happened occasionally, but always would clear up after a few hours. He often ran around like crazy, barking at bicyclists or the mail person. I thought this was another time when he had strained a muscle.
I came home that afternoon and discovered him sitting next to the back gate. He could hardly walk, both front legs barely able to move. I brought him inside and watched over him. Coaxed him to eat a can of wet cat food and dribbled some water in his mouth. He occasionally moaned and panted.
By yesterday morning it was worse.
I called the vet and arranged to come in. Took him outside and he peed twice while lying down. He didn't seem to be in pain. I carried him into my car and took him to the vet. The nice vet discovered that his front legs were not responding- he apparently had no feeling in them. It was either something to do with his brain, a neurological condition, or possibly a tumor on his spine. In any case, there was nothing that could be done.
Buddy was otherwise in excellent health for a 15-year-old dog. The hardest thing to do is to say goodbye. Buddy was a mostly good dog, although lately he had chewed up a lot of the back gates. He barked every morning (once I counted 34 barks in a minute). He wanted to chase my cats. I guess those were the naughty things. He liked tummy rubs, treats (I spoiled him), sleeping on my couch, chasing his ball. He even put up with Ruby dancing around him. He especially liked Robert's dog when Robert stayed with me.
I called the vet and arranged to come in. Took him outside and he peed twice while lying down. He didn't seem to be in pain. I carried him into my car and took him to the vet. The nice vet discovered that his front legs were not responding- he apparently had no feeling in them. It was either something to do with his brain, a neurological condition, or possibly a tumor on his spine. In any case, there was nothing that could be done.
Buddy was otherwise in excellent health for a 15-year-old dog. The hardest thing to do is to say goodbye. Buddy was a mostly good dog, although lately he had chewed up a lot of the back gates. He barked every morning (once I counted 34 barks in a minute). He wanted to chase my cats. I guess those were the naughty things. He liked tummy rubs, treats (I spoiled him), sleeping on my couch, chasing his ball. He even put up with Ruby dancing around him. He especially liked Robert's dog when Robert stayed with me.
Buddies.
I will miss him a lot.
Thursday, March 21, 2019
It has rained a lot here, in the fall and the last two months. The desert erupts in life afterward, the wildflowers are plentiful.
I asked Matt to take me to see some flowers and we drove north to Picacho Peak.
Homer and Matt, St. Patrick's Day, so we wore green.
Most of my flower pictures did not turn out. I counted perhaps seven or eight varieties.
Saguaro and brittle bushes.
Lots of other people had the same idea, but we quickly found a parking spot. We wandered down the road and went up a trail.
Most of my flower pictures did not turn out. I counted perhaps seven or eight varieties.
Poppy.
Not as dramatic as the pictures I have seen of California, but still patches of color against the green.
Nice way to spend the morning. Got a little too much sun on the top of my head, so a small headache ensued. Lesson learned- carry water!
Thursday, March 14, 2019
There are not a lot of pictures of me as a child. I was the fifth baby and by then the parents were tired of taking pictures and there wasn't much money.
I'm probably about two-years-old in this photo. Sucking my thumb, something I did until I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. As a result, I ended up with very crooked teeth.
This is probably at the Bolling farm. One of the three pictures of all five of us. I'm in the center with Gerald and Lee to the left and Susan and Elizabeth to the right.
I'm probably about two-years-old in this photo. Sucking my thumb, something I did until I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. As a result, I ended up with very crooked teeth.
Here I am pulling tissues out of a box. Grandma F would talk about this one, how naughty I was.
Daisy was Grandpa F's dog (there was also a beagle named DeeDee because I wanted to call it Daisy too, but couldn't say that name correctly). Susan is combing Daisy, with Grandma F sitting in her chair next to the fireplace. Looks like I have a comb in my hand too.
I'm in some sort of stroller device. That's Uncle Fred on the left and brother Gerald in the background with Daisy. I do not know who the other dog is. This is in Grandpa and Grandma F's living room.
Difficult to see, but here I am playing in a sandy area. I'm probably about three here. Lots of toy trucks and trailers, none of which we still have today.
This is probably at the Bolling farm. One of the three pictures of all five of us. I'm in the center with Gerald and Lee to the left and Susan and Elizabeth to the right.
Here I am perched on Babe, our Shetland pony, with Elizabeth. I was very scared. Wasn't until I was about 12 or 13 that I became confident riding horses.
My early childhood, from what I remember, was a happy time. Things really didn't start to go downhill until I was about nine, when Grandma T sold that field that was supposed to go to my father and things started to change.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Spring weather, sometimes cold, sometimes warm. My house is pretty chilly, the fired adobe bricks absorb the cold and keep it for a while.
Ruby hasn't been fixed yet, and she is busy having her period. Good lord, what a mess. Blood everywhere. This morning my comforter looked like somehow had been murdered in bed.
Peach trees.
I've finished my two digs. So now I am inside the office writing reports. Everything is in a hurry.
Last Friday I saw a pair of young bobcats playing outside my window. I tried to take a picture, but they ran off too quickly. This afternoon, a bobcat wandered back and forth and I got to see it.
Ruby hasn't been fixed yet, and she is busy having her period. Good lord, what a mess. Blood everywhere. This morning my comforter looked like somehow had been murdered in bed.
Ruby loves playing with her ball.
Outside my back door the peach trees are blooming. Beautiful light and dark pink blossoms. I've seen a few bees, hopefully they will pollinate and I will get some peaches this summer.
I've finished my two digs. So now I am inside the office writing reports. Everything is in a hurry.
Last Friday I saw a pair of young bobcats playing outside my window. I tried to take a picture, but they ran off too quickly. This afternoon, a bobcat wandered back and forth and I got to see it.
Click on the picture, can you spot the bobcat?
Thinking about what to do the rest of the year. First thing, paying down the credit card bill. Maybe get the roof fixed (it leaks in my bedroom). The next few weekends, lots of things to do. Last Saturday I worked back stage for the Planned Parenthood fundraiser, although I wasn't particularly useful. This was after I had worked Living History at the museum all day long. Always good to keep busy.
