AN OLD LOST DOG

POST # 412

"Help me, I'm lost."

Yesterday, as Mary was looking out the window, she saw this old dog wandering down the road.  She called me over to have a look.  The dog was on its own, and as we continued to watch it walk/limp its way down the road, sniffing as it went, we both thought that it would be a good idea to try and catch it.

I headed out the front door and made my way towards it, calling and whistling as I walked in order to get its attention.  The dog just ignored me, and judging by its age, perhaps it couldn't even hear me.

Eventually I caught up to it, and fortunately it had a collar that I could grab onto. ( I guess that my experience as the local dog catcher back in Dawson City, Yukon, helped me on this occasion). The dog seemed happy to have me there, and as soon as I pulled out a piece of kibble from my pocket,  I had a new best friend.  I continued to dole out the kibble and within a few minutes we were safely back on Mary's front porch.  Now what?

It was obvious to the both of us that it was quite old, and it was certainly a mystery as to how it had ended up here.  We provided it with a bowl of kibble and some water, both of which disappeared quite rapidly.   The poor thing sure appreciated this simple meal.  As I continued to sit on the front porch with the dog, Mary made a few calls,  and soon the local police arrived to collect our recently found friend, and take it to the local Humane Society.  They promised us that they would return and let us know what they had found out.

Some time later, they were true to their word, and returned to report that the owner ( a senior lady) who at the current time is in the hospital, had arranged to have some relatives take care of her dog.  For whatever reason, the dog escaped from their place and ended up here.  We both wondered if it may have been trying to find its way home, as the owner apparently lives somewhere around here.

In any event, as of yesterday this old dog was safe and sound at the Humane Society.  This morning I wanted to do a follow up call to find out its current status.  The good news is that the Humane Society has been in contact with the people who were caring for the dog, and they were going to be picking it up sometime today.  I found out on the call that the dog's name is Wiley.  We were both happy to hear that he will be home soon.

A random act of kindness, turns into a happy ending.  We could all use more random acts of kindness these days.

Dora-dog wondering just what the heck is going on.

grateful for every breath,

Paul

The Thoughtful Wanderer

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE, A BORDER UPDATE, AND SUMMER HAS BEGUN

POST # 411

Not too far from here, there is a business called Snow Goose Produce.
http://www.snowgooseproducemarket.com/index.html

 In addition to all of the fine fruits and vegetables on offer, they have a dedicated section that sells these very large ice-cream cones, a photo of which can be viewed at the linked website. The one featured above is Death by Chocolate.  When Mary took this photo,  I was already well into consuming this yummy treat.  That gives you an idea of just how large these ice-cream cones are when they are handed to you across the counter.  There is no need to go back for seconds, unless your last name is McPherson.

The ice-cream section at Snow Goose has been closed for quite some time now, and there is no prize for guessing the reason why.  But they're back in business,  at least for the time being so we thought we should take advantage of that fact.

As far as the border crossing, the update is that it will now remain closed until at least July 21st, which now makes me wonder as that date approaches, will the authorities revise it once again?  If this keeps up, pretty soon I will be saying Zee instead of Zed, and I will have to drop the "u" from some of my favourite words.

Finally, it is officially summer now.  It happened yesterday, due to the extra day this year.  Perhaps there will be another opportunity to enjoy Death by Chocolate, before the summer ends.

grateful for every breath,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

THE QUARANTINE ACT

POST # 410

According to the latest report that I have read, in one week's time, the US/CANADA border crossing could be re-opened.  Emphasis on the word, could.

I do find it somewhat curious, that the land border remains closed, and yet I can board an airplane and fly back.  I would have thought that it should be all or nothing, but I guess the Canadian government and I choose to differ on this topic.

In any event,  the Canadian government now has in place some legislation called the "Quarantine Act" and I have provided a link below.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html

Violation of any of the clauses in the act can result in fines starting at a mere $750,000 and up to 6 months in prison or both.  And it gets worse than that, if you can believe it.

What hasn't been revealed yet is if/when the border is finally open, does that then mean that the mandatory 14 day self-isolation clause will still remain in effect, or does it go by the wayside?

At some point in the not too distant future, I need to get back to Canada to take care of some personal affairs.  Whether or not I will be able to do that without going through the quarantine is still in question.

So, what to do? Well, I will continue to appreciate the fact that I have this present moment to enjoy, and right now I still have Mary and Dora-dog to share some of those moments with.  What happens in one week's time will be known by the time I sit down to write my next blog post.

As I write these words, Dora-dog is giving me "the look" which tells me that it's either time to take her for a walk, or play chase-the-bone in the backyard.  Both options are a joy, and once again the four-legged is teaching the two-legged what is really important.

grateful for every breath,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer

MY FAITHFUL GARDENING ASSISTANT

POST #409

Thankfully, there are plenty of gardening projects to keep me occupied during my time here in Washington.  I do love digging around in the dirt, and every once in a while, Dora-dog takes a moment out of her busy day to come by and offer some moral support.  She drops everything (read, her bone), and comes over to have a look at what I am up to.  I happened to be sorting weeds and grass from dirt the other day.  It was the perfect spot for her to camp out for a while, and watch me work.  My faithful gardening assistant.

I'm still not certain as to when the Canada/US border crossing will re-open, but in the meantime, and as long as the weather is favourable, the weeds in the garden will continue to grow, and I will continue to be employed.

Today, we drove to Anacortes to pick up a few items, and while there, we went over to the local dog park.  It had been closed for the longest time, and now that things are re-opening, the dog park was a very busy place.  There were about a dozen dogs there when we arrived, and Dora-dog could barely hold back her excitement.  Once we walked through the gates, she was in doggy heaven.  It was great to be there, and share in her joy.  Sometimes it's the simple things that can provide the most joy, and spending time with her in a dog park, certainly fits the bill.

Back home, there is a new pile of dirt/grass/weeds to dry out and separate, and so I must finish this short post, put on my gardening clothes, head out the door while the sun is still shining, and continue my work.  With any luck, my faithful gardening assistant will come outside with me, to once again help me in my quest to keep the weeds at bay.

grateful for every breath,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer