In 5 days, Cole and I begin our drive to Canada. Packing began months ago. The spare bedroom was the staging area.
Cole seems unsure that it will all fit in the car. Since I'll be spending 6 days in Algonquin Provincial Park, all my food has to be prepared and packed in advance. "Failing to plan is planning to fail". A quote I adore.
Grinding and individually packaging my favorite coffees in tiny pill pouches. Four of those days, my friend and I will be canoeing and portaging. I will have the canoe to carry, plus my backpack and Cole's too. Anne-Marie said she was willing to tackle carrying her pack and the food barrel.
This is a file photo from The Portage Store to give you an idea of what a barrel looks like. This is the reason foods must be light weight! But, I refuse to subsist on MRE's or the overpriced and oversalted prepackaged camping foods. I spent the weekend cooking our own organic, low sodium grub. The last bit of Thai lentil pilaf is finishing up in the dehydrator right now.
Mashed sweet potatoes drying for the topping of the shepherd pies. Homemade beef jerky, refried beans, sausage and kale risotto and scrambled eggs from my hens. You can take the girl off the farm, but she'll find a way to take her produce with her!
I packed enough entrees and healthy snacks to add up to 3500 calories per day for the 4 day canoe trip. Not only will it be below freezing at night, requiring extra calories, but full days of paddling will burn tons of energy. All the food for the entire road trip has been vacuum packed. Frugal travel for when you're on a strict budget AND you'd rather go hungry than eat anything processed, with GMO's, or anything from a fast food joint, convenience store, restaurant... I think my parents would simply call this being fussy. I prefer the term ethical eater. I made it up, it sounds so much better! T minus 5 and counting, Canada brace yourself for the Redneck invasion!
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.
My fiefdom in Alabama consists of 100 acres. This year, I annexed 3 neighboring properties into my running territory. Illusions of grandeur have possessed me. More territory is needed. Introducing my new military campaign: the Northern Expansion into the Carolinas. Troops deploy from Camp Parker Plantation at 11:00 Friday morning.
Check out Sleeping Beauty's lip. In spite of having half the seats removed out of the car, it is still cramped quarters for us with the load of firewood.
This horde of Huns pack their own provisions... Rendezvous in Northern Georgia to test our new equipment.
Tank Commander Smith and Gunner Cole are mightily impressed with their British FV 432. Dear Santa, please, please leave me a tank under the tree.
Was the 4 hour drive, including scrimmages through Atlanta traffic, worth it? You bet. Anyone who has not driven 33,000 lbs of steel with a Rolls-Royce engine through a muddy obstacle course has not lived. Tank Town USA and Todd, the owner/instructor/tank importer extraordinaire, have not seen the last of me! Todd had been gracious enough to allow Cole to be his first canine student, but I'd been forewarned about a ladder to climb in order to mount the tank.
Marvel at the RQ-435: canine rappelling gear. One dog backpack harness with added butt straps clipped off to my hard frame backpack. A few days of practicing climbing up and down a conversion van ladder and we were set. Unnecessarily... as the tank sat two feet down in the mud, allowing me to simply lift Cole up onto the top.
Anyone missing a feather duster or brush? They were commandeered for the war effort. I spent a lot of time working the paper mache into shape! Yes, I'm 42 going on 12. Don't let life pass you by, get out there and grab it, or assault it. We press on into enemy territory and take Western North Carolina before nightfall. Yes, we are that good!
My blood pressure drops 10 points whenever I see my beloved Nantahala National Forest. Command Central is established here in Highlands.
From this fortified position, we plot our eastbound invasion... and paint ceilings (the real life reason why we're here). Saturday's campaign: to takeover Hampton Country Club, via Rock Mountain and Chimneytop.
Marvel now at the KD-87 personnel transporter.
Jinx, Chief of Communications with those radar ears, may have walked 30 minutes of the total 5 hours we surveyed the mountains. Given the option, he doesn't want to get out of his carrier (solid bottom, padded, with or without mesh top).
Success, the country club below us, at our mercy.
As an army marches on its stomach, we conclude the excursion in Cashiers, NC, assessing what fare this territory has to offer.
Treats from our favorite store, Woofgang Pet Store and a half pound of pork from the best BBQ house in the land, On The Side BBQ. Hostile takeovers can be tiring.
Radar O'Reilly slips off the seat and onto the floor on the way back to HQ. Sibling rivalry over who gets to sit on the throne.
Indeed, Dogs Rule, especially in my world (which now includes sections of Western North Carolina, thank you very much)
Exactly 4 months ago, Cole started physiotherapy at Auburn University Small Animal Clinic. 5 months ago, he'd undergone TPLO surgery to stabilize and resolve the torn CCL in his knee.
His first knee surgery performed at another clinic had failed (miserably) and I was determined that this one would be successful. First order of priority: rest.
Cage confinement for a month. Then he was released into the care of the physiotherapist three times a week. Liz Creamer is now Cole's favorite person on the whole planet... even if she makes him swim in the wave pool.
From this: 1 month into physiotherapy:
... see the atrophied right hinny? To this:
Symmetry and MUSCLES! I admit to spending an inordinate amount of time staring at his butt. It's the view I missed the most since his first surgery in December. He's back now!
Two steps ahead of me. All is right in the world again. Heart felt thanks to Liz for her dedication and expertise. Today, Cole was given a graduation party. Check out his Auburn University bandanna!
I imagine this is the face Cole will have on Friday morning when I tell him he's not going to his Spaw Day at Liz's place.
Some people just do their job, others put their hearts into it.
My dear friend Helene and I share the same birthday in October. Last year, we celebrated together, but this year, I'll be deep in the backwoods of Canada. And this year is special, it will be her 100th birthday. Compromise: a prequel to a party. On Sunday, I packed up a movable feast (and Cole) and we drove to Birmingham. Her grandson is a professional photographer and when I'm around him, I forget to take my camera out -- so, no pictures of our party, oops. But, here's one of Helene bottle feeding Morel, from last year.
As predicted, Helene had been cooking up a storm on her end and after unloading my cooler, she filled it right back up with her creations! I will not be going hungry this week. By the way, Helene, your banana bread is disappearing quickly! I'll need to log some more serious miles to burn off all these extra calories. Sunday morning, I ran 8 miles and Cole is now up to 4 miles! Yippee, he's making a (slow) comeback!
Thursday morning, I reach into the fig tree and grab not a fig, but this
Nice little shock for the old heart. Poor little fella was caught in the mesh. The mesh that is doing a poor job of excluding ravenous birds.
He was trying to lend a hand by ambushing a bird, but his efforts are not appreciated. This is the same snake that, literally, slipped through my hands months ago when he raided the bluebird nest in the eaves of the old farmhouse.
Mr. Rat Snake was very patient while I cut him free, although he slimed me that awful smelling musk. Thanks.
Being fairly big and stout, I decided he may pose a threat to Jinx, should Jinx lose his mind and try to attack him, this snake could constrict him quite nicely. Seeing as the snake lived in the farmhouse and the dogs have use of one room in it... Seeing as my neighbor, Francine, joked around about blowing up the house to get the snake out... Monsieur Snake went for a walkabout with Cole and I . We left him in the hollow of a tree, a tree known to have two squirrel nests in it. How evil of me. It bothered me to evict him. When you create a void, Mother Nature will fill it. I'd rather the next tenant not be a copperhead or rattler. I hope I didn't screw up. They say bad things happen in three's. Well, this week, it's multiple of three's. Both my credit cards have been cancelled now due to fraudulent activity. I hope they do get me my new cards before I leave for North Carolina next weekend. I hope all the reservations I made for my Canadian trip with those cards will not be affected. Thursday evening, I locked my keys in my car at a client's house. I haven't locked myself out of a car since 1989... Not wanting to spend the $125 I was quoted for locksmith services, I fiddled around with a coat hanger for 30 minutes before popping open the passenger door. Dr. Kjar stood behind me for moral support. He also made a great lookout man. We may not be speedy, but me and my fellow car thief ask if anyone knows where a Lamborghini is parked?
It appears that my rat terrier's prostate infection is of secondary importance to a more serious matter.
The consensus now is that Jinx has bladder cancer. My vet is beyond dedicated. He called me three times on Sunday. After each call, I fell to pieces, composed myself -- then he'd call again! Jinx may not be the adventurer Cole is, but Jinx is my snuggle-bunny. On Tuesday, Jinx was back at the clinic. A urine sample was sent for a second opinion to the university's diagnostic lab. Multiple nuclei cells and mitochondrial debris all in the sample pointing to something replicating at a fast rate. Considering the prostate is also involved, it doesn't look good. The pathologist indicated there was a slight chance the cells were not from malignant tumors, but it was more of a disclaimer than a ray of hope. To positively determine that it is indeed cancer, we would need a biopsy. I won't be having him cracked open like an egg, to confirm that he has something inoperable. The new regiment is to keep him on antibiotics for the prostate infection and he started on Piroxicam on Sunday. Piroxicam is used in humans as an anti-inflammatory, but it has been proven to have chemotherapeutic properties exclusively for bladder cancers in dogs. The up side is that it hardly has side effects. It will not put a cancer into remission, but it can stabilize it, affording up to 200 more days of life. Bummer, but that roughly equals over 3 years in human years... better than 0. I once read about the life of a German Shepherd, a veteran of the Appalachian Trail, who had terminal cancer. When his owner saw that the dog was nearing the stage where the bad times were going to be more frequent then the good times, he took a week off and went hiking with his dog. His vet met him on the last day at the trail head... When the time comes,I hope to be able to do something like that for Cole. Undoubtedly, he'll snafu that plan and end his days in a blaze of glory, leaping off a precipice or running into a tree while chasing a squirrel. Jinx would probably prefer a week in bed getting belly rubs. Instead, he's going canoeing.
He's not impressed with the new life preserver. I have too many important commitments to family to cancel my upcoming trip to Canada, so he's reluctantly gearing up for a trip abroad! From what I've researched about canine bladder cancer, the dogs are not in pain or distressed until the last moments when quite suddenly, the bladder is blocked and can't be voided. So, I'll be watching him like a hawk. Plan for the worst, yet make the most of every day. Hopefully, he'll take to traveling. I've altered a backpack to use like a baby carrier, complete with plywood bottom and bedding. 20 lb dog on my front, 60 lb pack on my back, canoe carried over my head and Cole tethered to my waist. My canoeing partner will surely enjoy a good laugh during the portages!
