Sandy and Arny's Backyard Again

 

Here is a picture of the Backyard of Sister Sandy and BIL Arny's home from 2020.  It has not changed, except that we are here so early that the tree is just not blooming, ready to put out leaves in the next few days after it dumps a lot of yellow crap all over our clean motorhome.   Oh ya, that's right...we could not get it clean due to Easter...so let it crap all that yellow pollen. 

Indy felt 'RIGHT AT HOME' with our return.  She greeted Jack, the next door neighbor's dog, first, then her cousin Parker (Patti's dog), and of course, Arny, Sandy and Patti.  Later in the garage, she greeted Joe and Ed, the next door neighbors, owner of Jack.  She did not bark at any of them, all the dogs got along great, and it is as if we never left!

Went by to see mom around 5.  She was down at dinner.  I told her I would be back around 10 am, and again around 4 pm tomorrow.  She has gotten off her eating schedule, and my first goal is to try and get her back on it again.  A number of folks commented to her how nice her hair was (Sandy cut her hair a day or two ago) and how nice it was to see her again (she had been taken her meals in her room the past week or two.)

She knew exactly who I was, and after dinner she drove her Hoveround right to her apartment, although as we got close she had a small delay in recognizing which door was hers.  It really sucks to get old...and we talked about that.  Overall I found her in fairly good spirits, she knew me and others in the dinner room, and after 10 minutes or so after to committing to meeting her at 10 am, she was able to repeat the time to me.  Can only hope she will be ready when I get there tomorrow.

Our drive today was fairly easy with only about a dozen crazy people weaving in and out of traffic.  One very dark blue two door car was followed very close by a CHP car, which turned its lights on him shortly after they passed us.  However, we did not see them for another 10 miles where the officer was busy giving him a ticket.  Yes, we are limited to 55 mph, but the speed limit was at 65...this guy was going around 80.  At that speed and that distance, the CHP had its lights on the guy for about 10 minutes.  Surprised he (CHP) did not have other CHP cars surrounding him and locking him up.  But oh ya, we are in California...where you can loot, break windows, toss Molotov Cocktails at vehicles and endanger people in the street, and business establishments and have it all be deemed a peaceful protest with no arrests.

March Update - Finally Got My Camera Out

 

When I got my camera out, I found just a few pictures of our trip home still on the camera SD Card.  Here is Indy in the Motorhome looking at herself in the mirror.  This is the same type of behavior she still shows with the mirrors in the condo...but she does not interact with her reflective image nearly as much now as she did at first.  When I toss her ball or chew stick for her to fetch, she will watch the mirror to see if dad really threw it or not...she is a smart little dog for sure.  A few times I have seen her just looking at herself in the mirror...

Three weeks ago I grabbed my camera, got Indy, and we went over to the dog park.  Problem, no dogs there.  Waited about ten minutes and decided to tour the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks, which are only a half mile away from the dog park.  Indy was fascinated with all the activity there (which is about 60% of what a normal Tuesday Winter Day is on the Docks in pre-Covid terms). 

As you can see, it was a nice, very nice, pre-Spring day at the docks.

Just off the main drag of the Sponge Docks is a side street where 5 Branches Brewery is located...this is where Marcia's son John works.  This brand new Brewery opened just as COVID was hitting last year.  However, they did takeout, added some food so they could sell beer-to-go, and made it through the worst of it all.  They won a silver medal at the 34th Annual Great American Beer Festival, and they also took home awards for “Very Small Brewing Company of the Year” and the “Very Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year.”  

"IF" you ever make it to Tarpon Springs, park your car at the Dog Park on Live Oak Street, just east of North Pinellas Ave (also known as Alt 19), walk to the Sponge Docks, and if you wish, you can catch one of these electric trolley cars which, for $5, you can ride all day long.  From Tarpon Springs it will take you through Palm Harbor, Dunedin, to Clearwater, including Clearwater Beach.

Just be sure to spend some time at the Tarpon Sponge Docks, and be sure to buy a REAL Gulf Natural Sponge...it will be the last sponge you will ever need in your lifetime as long as you rinse it out after each use...they really do last forever.

Back to the Dog Park and low and behold, still no dogs.  The white arrow is the bench that I normally sit on while Indy (Skruffy and Bubba before) would play.

Finally Nilla arrived and her and Indy played and played and played.  I got so busy talking with Nilla's mom and dad that I did not get very many pictures.  Indy plays with other dogs so well, I am happy for that.

 

I did get a few pictures of her looking at a dog in the large dog park, and he inspecting various parts of the dog park.  Unlike Skruffy, Indy never barks at the other dogs...for that we are very happy with that.  Indy and I returned to the Dog Park a few times since then, and this past Sunday we hit the jack pot with nine dogs there...boy, did she have fun...but I did not take my camera to capture it.

Today I took Indy over to our local Library, which we can nearly see from our backyard.  Here is the large pond that is between the Library and the street.  Indy, on leash, can wander around and enjoy the smells...enjoy the birds (although today they were lacking), and just get away from the boring backyard smells that she in inundated with daily.

Today there were only two birds...normally we see six to eight, and there have been a few times that there have been twenty or more.

Unfortunately there are a number of indigent and homeless people in the area.  I have seen six or seven people on the far side of the pond at one time, and noticed that many of them are the same people I see out along Highway 19 asking for food and money to survive on.  It is too bad that poverty exists, but it is also too bad that able bodied people are not working, while businesses along US-19 have "help wanted" signs in their windows.  (The bottom picture is the same guy laying on the grass walking with a friend headed for home). In another few months many of these people will not be out due to the Oppressive Heat and Humidity of Summer.  

Got this picture from sister Patti a few weeks ago.  They opened mom's assisted living facility up to where residents can go out, but visitors can not come in.  A week ago or so they lifted the visitor restrictions, so now, with appointment, up to two people at a time can visit as long as the visit is in her room.  So they can go out...but they can't go to a restaurant because those are still shut down...but she can go over to Sandy's for Liver and Onions, which I think is where Patti was taking her since Parker is on mom's lap.  Slowly but surely things are headed back to normal...and the "new normal" will be an ancient nightmare.

Don't She Look Cute?

 

Thought I would do a short post about Indy's recovery.  About 2 hours after I published the last blog, her 'Recovery Suit' came, and I put it on her.  It only took a few minutes and she was already feeling better.  Her whole attitude changed.

She has been sleeping a lot, but also getting more and more active each few hours when she wakes up.  

Late last night she started watching TV again, and today her TV watching was nearly back to normal when she had her eyes open.  She is also having fun with her chew sticks, prancing around the place, stopping, chewing, prancing again.  We normally toss them and she brings them back to us, but we are trying to keep her running and jumping to a minimum.  This coming Thursday I take her back to the Vet for a quick follow-up exam and we will learn when we can take her out of her suit.

Note: on her rear the blue flaps that are on the red pad are Velcro, and you peel it back, exposing her rear area for her potty breaks.  

Patti sent this photo of mom holding Patti's dog Parker.  I am not sure where they were going, but I do know that on Saturday night Arny, Sandy, Patti and Mom went to Felipes Mexican Restaurant, one of Sandy and Arny's favorite local restaurants.  It was the first time they had been 'in' the restaurant for a few years due to Arny's mom and of course, COVID...they have had some takeout a few times though.  It is nice that mom can 'escape' the facility now to enjoy a meal out...wish we were there to take her.

PS: "Don't she look cute?"  Referring to mom of course, but you all thought I meant Indy...shame on you.

Made it to Sacramento

We had a decent nights sleep, despite having the AC on until 2 am, then having to turn it back on at 4 am because Bubba was panting.  At 4:30 Marcia woke up, I told her I reset the alarm clock on my phone to 5:30 since it was very dark still at 4:30.  Since we have traveled each and every day, I don't think the "time changes" had totally set in on our systems yet...so 4:30 is really 7:30 to our minds and bodies.  At 5:15 I see a bit of light coming through our windows, and up we were, and we pulled out of the park at 6:00 sharp.

From Bakersfield you have two choices...go up US-99, or go over to I-5 and go up...both go through Sacramento, but from where we were, I-5 was 10 miles longer.  In a car, I would have gone I-5...but in a RV pulling a car with a 55 mph speed limit in California, I decided to stay with US-99.  Sailed through Bakersfield, and cruised along towards Fresno, and I see the GPS icon which essentially says, "You have a delay ahead".  Pushing that icon and I find out it is a wreck, 7 miles ahead, and it would be a 30 minute delay....NUTS!

Sure enough, traffic was at a crawl...and then at a stop.  However, within 20 minutes it was all over.  A wreck?  Maybe...it was gone when we went by, but we did see a fire truck putting a foam along side the road, so there was something.

The rest of the trip was non-eventful, other than the stretches of construction, bumpy roads especially near Atwater, and traffic was just fine going all the way through to my sister's house.  We pulled in right at 12:35, and by 2 pm we were settled in.  Bubba was/is one happy camper!

It is ALWAYS nice to be back in our home away from home, sitting on the concrete pad in Sandy and Arny's backyard, 30 amps, water, and way to dump our tanks with the use of our Blue Boy Tote, and enjoy family.  It was so nice to see mom doing so well, and being "SAFE" in her new normal at Sandy and Arny's house.  Even Patti came by for a short visit with her little dog Parker.

It was exactly six months today that we lost little Skruffy.  Just a few months ago Patti lost one of her dogs, Charlie.  More importantly, seven months ago, on Thanksgiving, Dad passed.  For the most part the grieving is done with...the memories are fond, full of love, and miss them all so very much.

Today it was 100 in Citrus Heights, just north of Sacramento.  Despite the heat, the Sacramento Area normally gets a sea breeze every night and cools down into the 60's, and the predictions are a few hot days, cool nights, and in the 80's by Sunday...typically weather for June in Sacramento.