Well, this will not come as surprise to you, but I am once again running behind so we’re going to rush through this thing even if I have to beat it out of me. Hah.
The day before yesterday ended in what I had secretly expected. Yama (the crossbreed that was at the vet’s) turned out to have tumors all though her lungs. They showed me the X-ray and at a glance I could see at least eight plum-sized growths spread through both lungs. Added to that “little” problem the tumors had led to a practically unheard of disease, called…well, I only know the Spanish version…Osteopatía Hipertrófica. Apparently, this little beauty makes the bones start making to excess; thus explaining the deformation of Yama’s paws. Saw the X-rays of her paws too, and you could literally see ribbed-like new bone all over her paws.
So strange, all the problems we’re going through these days. Tumors are bursting all over the place, eye cataracts, more tumors, failing kidneys, livers and hearts, dammit. It is P.O.ing me and even the vet had to agree that we were going through a Mala Racha (a slump). Are we ever? Lost up to eight dogs in the past year alone. Okay, admittedly, a lot of them are getting on in age, seeing as several of them date back from the late ‘90s when we first started taking in dogs, but still, this is downright ridiculous.
But anyway, seeing as there was nothing they could do for Yama, and she was rapidly declining, due to a lack of appetite and bad arthritis, we decided not to drag the entire process on for her and had her put down peacefully with both big brother and me hovering over her, petting her face, letting her smell us until she passed on.
As is usual with this particular procedure, my blood was pumping through my veins the rest of the night, making me more than a little irritable through the wonderfully mind-numbing run that followed and the remainder of the evening, which was spent working on the book.
Which brings us to yesterday: Seeing as we really wanted to keep properly busy, yesterday involved me writing a bit in the morning while big brother went to town to get some tools and fence. I would have done more if the dogs hadn’t decided to use this particular morning to mess up the living room, and if our tenant didn’t decide, just when I was about to sit down, that she rather go inside where she could be kept warm by the stove.
Seeing as she could use the exercise, we took half an hour for the walk there, and it went pretty darn well, even though she was rather sore still from the first time. Had to laugh rather hard when she confided that she’d been afraid that I’d come up and that she’d then have to get up just when she was sitting so comfortably. Hah. Then, when I suggested leaving exercises for the day and take the wheelchair to get inside, she wanted to see how far she could make it. That’s the spirit.
While writing a page, I also prepared an early supper of veggie mac&cheese and then headed outside to start on the wonderful chore of hauling (I’m wondering if you’re guessing it already) Yes! Rocks! Yay. Hah.
But seriously, we hauled a friggin’ lot of rocks during the course of four hours, and seeing as we wanted to use it as a means of exercise to boot, the way down was done at normal pace, what with the heavy wheelbarrows, but the way up were done at a jog. Oh my God. You do feel the love of gravity after a few trips like that, I’ll admit. Jeez, gravity wanted to hug me face first, I tell ya. Hah.
Anyways…I managed the personal sum of twelve trips, which was like, yeah, awesome. *grunts like a jock* Hah. And afterwards…yes the day wasn’t through yet…we headed out to get another load of rocks at our usual jogging spot. Well, I was there, and so was the Rocky-ish hill, and well, I couldn’t resist. Went up…I tried the macadam, but seriously, it hurt my heel like mad…and then down without any problem whatsoever. I love that mountain. I am really out of breath afterwards, but when I then do the big parking lot afterwards, I barely break out a sweat so it is definitely worth it. I remember that two years ago, before I started doing the running thing, I could barely cross twenty yards without passing out. Hah.
So, yeah, I was a wee bit tired last night when we finally got home, stuffed back dinner and then flopped down behind the computer, but I hadn’t thought of the Yama debacle once throughout the day. Annoying though it might be, I had a wonderful ten minute nap during writing, which saw me through the last hour of the evening before it was time to head up to my cabin and retired.
Passed out for the night (about half an hour later than I’d intended) but then snoozed right through the night, which was definitely a plus too.
The muscles…well, joints, really. Imagine them screaming “nonononononononono” all the way through wake-up time, and every time I tried to do something through the course of the morning. Hah.
Today we worked on the fence again. Got it all up, dug the bottom in so the dogs can’t dig underneath it…or at least, I hope they can’t; it’s still debatable, really. So basically I dug up twenty yards of soil, killed my fingers on metal wires and then, since I was having so much “fun” in the rather chilly wind (during the day it was really bearable in the sun, but when dusk arrived it got really bad), I decided to get the younger sibs to join me in going up and down the mountain again with rocks. Hah.
We did a rather good load, really. Also piled the flat rocks, which, at some point need to be used for stairs into low little walls, and so we are slowly getting a tad organised up there beside the path that leads to the almost finished gate. Here are some pics by the way:
The pile. Isn't it grand? I'm guessing that there about thirty wheelbarrows of rocks here. Hah. Dax left, Amri right.
Well, these I just added because it looked so darn pretty when I walked past them. Fourth time this year that the vines are blooming.
So here's the old gate. It broke down several times during the course of the past ten years or so, and those green squares are from a multitude of patch jobs.
Inside shot of the new one. Solid wood, metal casing. Just needs another lick of paint and pins of the top, and then we're all done.
Full shot from the outside, with the wall and everything. I wish the shot had worked out better, but the stupid phone doesn't work all that well for this kind of thing.
Outside shot from just the gate. Looks rather solid, doesn't it. I'm thinking of adding a crest, or something.
Some visitors the other day. Dax (the tiny Beagle you see on the Pile picture) really got his knickers in a twist when they were looking at him. Hah.
Well, I’ve got some writing to do, so I might as well get to it.
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