TIKA IS BUMMED OUT. For some time now, prior to my arrival, she has had a sore on her right front paw which hasn't been able to heal because she keeps licking it. Of course most animals do this so there is nothing out of the ordinary there. The problem though, is that as a result, the sore remains. So yesterday after a trip to the vet, she is now sporting the infamous cone on her head, and THAT'S why she's bummed out. I guess it makes a fashion statement of some sort, but she doesn't think she needs it. Tika is such a good looking dog, how could a cone on her head ever improve her looks? She knows this, I know this, but obviously someone forgot to relate this to the vet. POOR TIKA. That is what I have been saying to her since she arrived home yesterday afternoon. Normally she spends the bulk of her time outdoors, and this makes sense, as she has such a thick coat of hair, she appreciates the cooler temperature outside.
However yesterday, she wanted to come in during the day, so I obliged. Because of the cone, she had trouble navigating from a to b and so I gently helped her along until she found a place in the hallway that she was happy with. And that's where she remained for a few hours, laying down on her side, with a look on her face that seemed to say, "What have I done to deserve this?"
Eventually, it was dinner time for her and I prepared her dish as I always do twice a day. I was curious to see how well she would be able to eat in her new condition, and things started out ok at first. I placed the bowl on the floor and her cone head enveloped it a moment later. I heard the munching of food, and it all seemed to be going well, but then Tika decided to crouch down, which is her preferred way to eat. The problem with that position though, was that the cone was now blocking her from getting her mouth in the bowl. There was only one solution, and a moment later I was down on my knees, holding up the bowl to her mouth, so that she could continue her meal. It's the closest I've ever come to sharing a meal with a dog, and it reminded me of the scene from a movie from a long time ago called "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" where the main character played by Nick Nolte is showing the upscale dog how to eat. Thankfully I didn't have to go to that extreme, as Tika has a very good appetite and she had the bowl licked clean in no time at all.
Later I was back in the house reading, and I could hear a different sound out on the back porch, a sound I hadn't heard before. When I checked, it was Tika trying to drink out of her water bowl, and she was trying to accomplish this from the same prone position as she was in when eating, and of course it wasn't working. So it was the dog sitter to the rescue again, to hold up the bowl to her mouth, so that she could have a good long drink before settling down for the night. One final duty before the evening was over was to apply a cream to the sore spot on her paw to help it heal. She seemed to be resigned to her fate, and didn't pull her paw away as I gently rubbed the cream into the sore.
Tomorrow, Tika will be moving to a new location so this will be the last time I get to take care of her. That fact makes me sad, but I am thankful that I have had the chance to be her care giver twice now. After I finish writing today's blog, I will be spending as much time as possible with Tika, because by lunch time tomorrow she will be gone. Life in some respects is just a series of hellos and goodbyes and even though it's difficult to say goodbye, I made up my mind years ago, due to the adventurous life that I have led which has resulted in me meeting more people (and animals) than I could have ever imagined if I had stayed in one place, that I would rather say hello and goodbye, than to have never said hello in the first place. This simple philosophy has helped ease some of the pain of all the goodbyes that have occurred along life's journey so far. The memory of Tika will be with me forever, and that makes me smile.
Moving right along. Late this coming Sunday I will be boarding another Greyhound bus for a trip to my next destination along the housesitting path. My destination? Grand Forks B.C. for the second time in a year. In fact I will be arriving there almost a year to the day of my prior trip. This time I will be at a new house, and I will be without internet or phone, so I am not sure how often I will be able to check my email and I may not get the opportunity to write a blog on February 28th or March 7th but if I can, I will. Last year on March 7th I was unable to write, because at the time I was flat on my back in a hospital in Trail BC waiting for my first leg operation. I'll do my best this year, to try and not get myself into the same predicament. Also, while I am in Grand Forks, I may be doing a short housesit at the same place I was last year, but that isn't confirmed yet. This would be an opportunity to go have a look at the hill I tumbled down, and that should bring back a few memories. I am looking forward to going back to Grand Forks for a variety of reasons, the main one being that it will be a chance to say thank you again to all the people there who helped me out last year while I was recovering from my broken leg.
And finally, here is a painting from the past which I came across the other day on the internet. I think it sums up the reaction I get from most people when they hear about some of the things that I speak about these days. That's me on the far right of the painting, speaking about the future.
A quote from my friend Guy McPherson seems appropriate here. "Knowing culture will lead us astray, we nonetheless invite scorn when we seek the truth beneath the cultural current of the main stream." (From "Walking Away From Empire")
For now though, I will remain as much as possible in the present moment, and enjoy the day with my cone-headed four-legged friend Tika.
The clouds are lifting somewhat, and it might be a good time to go for a walk with my cone-head bone-head and breathe in some fresh air and enjoy the day for what it holds in store. After all, every day is a precious gift.
Until next time then,
Happy Trails,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
Hello to Conehead and also to you, Paul. We received your clever card :)
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