Black Monday

I started this blog as a way to share my travel pictures and farm news with friends and family.  Building my own scrapbook was an added bonus.  My fear is to lose my memories, to be staring blankly at photos and not remembering the stories behind them.
This post is then for me.  To remind myself of the good fortune I have had to stumble upon a Jinx-a-Roo 9 year ago.

This past weekend in NC was to be a dress rehearsal for the camping trip in Canada in two weeks.  Dogs and gear passed with flying colors.

Jinx who previously had scorned hiking, really enjoyed himself, sniffing stuff, helping Cole tree squirrels.  It was magical to finally share my love of the outdoors with my little couch potato.

On Sunday, I took them for a short hike through the Highlands Botanical Gardens.  How can one get lost in a botanical garden?  #1, it takes skill.  #2, you must be following a pointer who goes off trail.  Cole follows the scent of other hikers, so half the time I don't pay attention to where we're going, I follow him.  He must have found a spur leading off the gardens property and we ended up on some hiking trail heading to the next county. 

 Two hours later, we found our way back, just before the thickest pea soup fog set in.  Luck, I'ze got it!

"I think we go this way".

"Beam me up, Scotty. Bunch of yahoos down here".

On Friday, Jinx's condition had begun to worsen.  He refused to drink water, only drinking milk.  Appetite tanked too.  I started him on anti-nausea medicine and hoped for the best. His playfulness never waned all weekend long.
From Friday 11 AM to Monday 9 AM, we were never apart. (except for the bit where Cole and I drove the tank, Roo slept in the car).
By Sunday morning, I knew that Jinx was at the tipping point.  I decided that his Monday morning re-check at the vet would become his last vet visit.  Jinx's vomiting had become more frequent.  He was being so picky about eating.  He shared my BBQ, my hamburger and accepted dried rolled up salmon skins from the owner of Woofgangs (no accounting for a dog's taste!), but he was giving half of it back up to me.
I vowed to be upbeat and not let either dog know that something fishy was going on.  And so we had the best weekend, our last rodeo as my vet put it.  
I lost it on the way home, 4 hours stuck in the car thinking, with only two snoring dogs to keep me company.  Driving through Atlanta at any time can be harrowing, that's why I prefer to drive back from NC late Sunday night.  I keep the car at 80 mph and in the far left lane.  Bawling one's eyes out adds, unnecessarily, to the danger.
We got home before midnight.  Jinx wanted to play tug of war with his hedgehog and 'rub-my-belly' until 2AM .  
The long drive to Opelika, Monday morning.

Squeaking all the way.

My vet agreed that it was indeed 'time'.  Jinx's BP was really low, we'd just begun the downward slide and I wasn't going to let him take that ride.
Instead of keeping my bed warm, he's now out my living room window.

This really sucks.

Jinx didn't play second fiddle to Cole, he was his own little dude, with a different personality.  He wasn't the adventurer, trouble-maker, diva like Cole.  He was my most affectionate snuggle-bunny, toy shredder expert, chatty little monkey, the one I counted on for hugs and kisses.  Cole is not a kisser.  I think the only reason he sleeps on my left side is out of jealousy because Jinx is always stuck to me like glue on my right.

I love and miss my little button eyes. Thanks for loving me so much little guy.