After regular morning chores we headed out to run some errands. First stop was the Giant / 76 fuel station on 4th Avenue where we dumped the truck camper's waste holding tanks in the station's free sani-dump. < sigh > AFTER waiting a very long time for a really obnoxious ( and fat ) fellow in a Class A motorhome to finish using the
sani-dump. From there we headed over to a car wash on 8th Street where we washed the truck and camper. We went to Burger King for a late lunch then over to Fry's to refill with diesel, then shop for groceries. By the time we returned home it was about 3 PM.
Joanne spent the rest of the afternoon getting caught up on laundering clothes. And sleeping bags ! Remember ... Sully had been sick during our San Felipe trip ! I made campfire starters. Old boy scout "recipe" using a cardboard egg carton, dryer lint, and melted paraffin wax. We took Bo for a walk around the dog park then headed to the regular Sunday late afternoon ice cream social.
After the ice cream social we sat around with Canadian friends ... and “dissed” Merkins. HA HA HA ! What fun !
Monday ; Sunny and hot.
This morning at 9 AM, by pre-arrangement, Wally the Jack Russell Terrier / Dachshund arrived for "day care" while his people went to Los Algodones, Mexico for the day. He was very easy to care for, and very compatible with Bo. He was with us until
mid-afternoon. Good dog, Wally ! He looked like a white version of Bo !
Joanne went grocery shopping with Eilene this morning. I watered plants and gardens.
I did some routine "after travel" work on Elsie the truck camper. After lunch Joanne and I removed Elsie from Lanoire the truck, leaving the camper in one of our two assigned spots in our RV park's storage area. Wally's people invited me over for a quick drink, as appreciation for caring for Wally today. I had refused their earlier offer of paying for a day of doggie day care. Joanne went to a "girls' night out" party in the backyard of a neighbour, complete with "campfire" in the back yard. It was supposed to be a water aerobics group party, but turned into a farewell party for Shirley, who is leaving the park tomorrow morning ... for the last time. Like Eilene, she is one of quite a few people who are making this their last year in the park. Lots of old people in a park like this ... lots of changes every year !
I removed the cover from, and started up the Arizona room's evaporative cooler a.k.a. swamp cooler a.k.a. hillbilly air conditioner, then went for a sunset bicycle ride. By the time I had returned the swamp cooler's water intake tubing had burst. DARN ! That's pretty much an annual event. That thin plastic tubing seems unable to survive the summer's heat. I suppose it would be prudent to plan to replace it every year before
I even start up the cooler. Joanne had supper at her "girls' party". After I had my supper of leftovers I did some February month end financial reconciliation work.
Tuesday ; Sunny and hot.
This morning I headed out by myself for part one of a day of errands. My first stop was a local RV dealer who wanted to buy my surplus set of fifth wheel hitch rails, but asked me to deliver them. Okay ... no problem. T'was a painless deal. He paid my asking price ... in cash. Next stop was RV Connection, a local RV parts dealer that I avoid as much as I possibly can. Because ... every time I shop there ... every time ... the service is atrociously bad ! And today was no exception !
I returned home for lunch. After lunch Joanne and I went to the Humane Society for our regular weekly shift of cat cuddling and dog walking. After the Humane Society was part two of the day of running errands. We drove across town to an upholstery shop that
I was hopeful would be able to remake our Arizona room vinyl wall panels. < sigh > The three previous shops that I have been to were not capable of doing so. Today's shop ... owned and operated by Mexicans ... greeted my queries with "of course we can do that" ! And then ... suggested that they repair and modify the existing panels instead of making new ones at much more cost. Seems somewhat typical for this region. Three "whitey" shops that can't get the job done, and a Mexican shop that can not only get the job done, but at much lower cost than expected, by repairing and modifying what already exists instead of starting over from scratch.
From the upholstery shop it was over to Harbor Freight for some needed guy stuff. WOO-HOO ... I love Harbor Freight. HA HA HA ! A very quick stop at Staples next door to Harbor Freight and then we headed home.
Wednesday ; Sunny and hot, temperature 31º C. / 88º F.
Since being ill a week ago Sully has been constipated, not the first time he's had this problem ! Today he had three tiny bowel movements, and was obviously suffering intestinal distress / cramps / spasms this evening. Poor Sully. Late in the evening I gave him an enema. That did not inspire any further bowel movement. And it did not seem to give him any relief or comfort. And then ... really late in the evening he began to leak a bit of blood out of his urinary tract. Poor Sully. Kidney and / or bowel failure ? Maybe the end really is near this time. At this moment ( 10:20 PM ) he is asleep on the sofa beside me, but I can see his abdomen is having spasms.
Today I did routine chores, made phone calls, and replaced the water intake tubing on the Arizona room's swamp cooler. We gave Bo a bath and trimmed his dew claws. Joanne went shopping for awhile this afternoon. I did an agility and an obedience session with Bo. Too hot for either, he thought.
Late in the afternoon we visited with friends and neighbours. Joanne did laundry. I went bicycling. We pampered Sully, although to little avail. Rather than comforting him, our attention just made him cranky. Poor baby just wants to be left alone. "HEY ... don't squirt warm water up my ass and then try to be my best friend !" HA HA HA !
Thursday ; SULLY DIED TODAY
With a little help ... at the age of 18½ ... he died in my arms, hearing my voice.
Sunny and hot today. I cooked "hard boiled" ( baked ) "scrambled in the shell" eggs in the Sun Oven this morning. Afterwards Joanne baked a chocolate cake, then this afternoon she cooked "Arroz con pollo", a Mexican seasoned rice and chicken casserole recipe.
This morning I received troubling news by e-mail from my sister about her husband’s health.
Joanne awoke very early this morning and almost immediately realized Sully was dying. As soon as it was possible I phoned the veterinarian to make an appointment for euthanasia. We spent the morning trying to make Sully comfortable, minimizing his distress to the extent that we could, and doing all that we could to reassure him of how much we loved him.
After lunch we headed for Arizona West Veterinary Clinic. At the intersection of Avenue 3E and East County 14th Street, I began to make a left turn then realized that East County 14th Street was blocked due to construction, with a police car blocking the intersection. Having already started the left turn, I turned the wheel to the right and made a somewhat question mark shaped ( ? ) u-turn across the intersection. The police car immediately gave chase. < sigh > I stopped, the officer approached, chastised me for the illegal u-turn across the intersection, and asked for my documents. I gave them to him, and asked him to take into consideration that we had a dying cat that was due at the veterinarian in five minutes. The veterinarian that was just beyond the intersection that he had just been blocking, inspiring my illegal u-turn. He took my documents to his cruiser and returned in just a minute or so. He "warned" me about the u-turn manoeuver and sent us on our way.
With compassionate assistance Sully died at 2:45 PM.
< pausing to cry >
From the vet clinic I drove back to the blocked intersection to thank the Yuma City police officer for not delaying us. He expressed his condolences.
We drove to Interstate 8 and headed west across the Colorado River into California, turning south at the Quechan Casino on the road that leads to the border crossing into Los Algodones, Mexico. Just before the border crossing we turned into the desert lands of the Quechan Indian Reservation and found our way to the secluded pet cemetery.
We buried Sully in a simple grave, slightly shaded by a Palo Verde tree, resting on his favourite Sobakawa pillow with a can of Trader Joe’s tuna cat food beside him.
Godspeed, Sully ! Rest in peace !
Friday ; Sunny and hot.
We miss Sully. We are profoundly aware of his absence. My grief hangs heavy on me.
Late this morning Joanne went out with her water aerobics group to Historic Downtown Yuma for lunch at an Italian restaurant. I moped and puttered around with routine chores. This afternoon I began taking inventory of medications ; what's in the trailer, what's in the camper, what's at home in Keremeos, what do I need to buy in Mexico before we leave, etc. AND ... I moped.
Mid-afternoon we headed to the clubhouse for the first annual new leaseholders' introduction social. And almost before it began I realized how truly shitty I felt and how much I did not want to be there. After I needlessly snapped at a hard of hearing neighbour, Joanne gently suggested that maybe I should return home. I took a deep breath and knew she was right. I should have realized before going that I was in no mood for socializing.
Late in the afternoon our SKP BC Okanagan Chapter 33 friends Barry and Jackie stopped by for a brief visit on their way to boondock for a few nights at nearby Cocopah Casino. They invited us to join them for lunch on Sunday at the Cocopah Casino.
We walked with Bo around the dog park. I went cycling at dusk. After supper we watched a great musical documentary on PBS of Paul McCartney with Diana Krall ( from Nanaimo, British Columbia ) recording the album Kisses On The Bottom at Capital Records in Hollywood.
And then I moped some more !
< sigh > I hope I'm finished moping !
Saturday ; Sunny and very hot at 93 F / 34 C.
This morning we did some spring cleaning chores. This afternoon we went out with our friend Eilene. She wanted to treat us to lunch at The Garden Cafe in Historic Downtown Yuma. Thank you very much for lunch, Eilene.
From downtown we drove across the Colorado River into California, then headed north towards Bard and the date farming area. We didn't go to the date farming area, instead we headed towards Picacho Peak State Park. When the road crossed one of the Colorado River irrigation canals Eilene instructed me to turn left into the desert. We slowly drove about eight miles along a dirt trail through the desert to an area where people have been writing their names on the desert floor using rocks since ... ! We saw names with dates going back to 1970 ! Eilene will not be returning to Yuma any more and she wanted to show this area to us before she leaves soon. Thank you, Eilene.
We wanted to write our names on the desert floor ... BUT ... it was 93 degrees ... and sunny ! UHHHHH ... not today ! It will have to be a project for next winter, on a much cooler day than this. We returned to the highway, then returned to Bard and the date farms to have date shakes. We arrived at Imperial Date Gardens at 4:30 PM. WHAT ? Closed at 4 PM on Saturday ? ! ? HMPH ! ! !
I found out today that our friend Carol Mae, who is in Florida this winter, lost her dog this week. Our condolences, Carol Mae. Rest in peace, Dulce.
DSK
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