Back to Solitude

Monday began well. Sheba was showing signs of improvement and there was no need for me to water anything in the yard. I had the entire day to myself to do some SPACE work, to read and to walk Her Highness. But our morning walk was with our friends. 

I took her out at 6:30 so that I could see the state of her stool, but that was a short walk and our walk with our friends was much longer. Although it was overcast and only 17°, it was lovely to walk in the fresh air and to see how welcome the rain was to everything growing in the forest.

When we got home, it wasn’t long until it was lunchtime. I had to give Sheba her penultimate dose of deworming medicine that she despises first, but then we had lunch—she remains on her bland diet, but today I start introducing her regular food.

After lunch, I read until the delivery truck arrived with a new chair that I assembled. Then Her Highness and I went for our afternoon walk while we were still confident there’d be no rain. When we were done, we came home, me to read until dinnertime, she to rest. Our evening was the usual.

This morning is overcast, slightly windy and wonderfully warm. It’s inspiring to be outside at 5:00 when I take Sheba out. I don’t walk with her, but I look around the yard amazed by the beauty of early morning on a warm Summer day. I could hardly wait to get into the spa.

Last night, I did all my SPACE homework, so I am free to spot water and read today. Yesterday, we had four walks. We’ll likely have several today as well. This morning was the second morning without any issues with Sheba’s problematic bowels. She seems better. I’ll know more when we walk later and I see how her stool looks.

Tomorrow we return to sunshine and heavy watering. Sigh. But I’ve enjoyed the break from watering very, very much. 

Rain & Steve Departs

I awoke to the delightful sound of falling rain yesterday morning. The joy I felt was slightly offset by the smell in the house created by Sheba’s deposit in the hallway. Once Steve was up, I was back on all fours cleaning the carpet with my wonderful steam cleaner. 

The rain wasn’t heavy, but it was ongoing. I continued all through the morning as Steve and I passed time on our computers as we awaited the time to depart for the ferry terminal. It was great to see my rain barrels filling up with fresh water. Showers are predicted for today, and rain is forecast for tomorrow. I’m going to love having several days off from watering the beds.

At 11:30 I took Steve to the ferry. On the way back, I stopped at Rollo Park to walk Her Highness. Then we came home and I started to read and then fell asleep. There was no rain in the afternoon. but it was dark and damp. I love rain in Summer! We all had dinner and I couldn’t decide on a movie, so Sheba and I went for a walk at 20:00. We went to Rollo Park where she is always willing to walk.

There was no one else there, and it felt like a different world in the dim light, and the dampness of the forest. I loved it. It was dead silent; there was no wind. As we walked I became conscious of feeling blessed to live here where we can walk off leash all over the island trails. 

I survived Steve’s visit. He is an obsessive attention seeker, and when he drinks he interrupts people and I wish he wouldn’t do that. I treasure the love of both my brothers. I believe Dwight is coming sometime soon. He’ll be coming on his bicycle. Steve is getting together with Dwight when he is in Vancouver.

One day, he was gone with the car for a long time. On another day, he kept napping, once for two hours. Sometimes we sat together, me on the computer, Steve on the phone. Also, we ate out for every meal. We have learned how to be together without causing me stress. It blows my mind I took the toilet apart and changed the gasket. How butch is that. New trick for this old dog, too.

Yesterday afternoon was all about recovery. I love Steve and I look forward to his visit every year. I feel blessed that he is in my life, but I was very happy to be alone again after he departed. We had a really good time. I shall treasure the memory of our first dinner together on the lawn at The Surf in the sunshine by the sea.

Today the sky is thick with dark clouds. It may be like this until Thursday, with each day possibly including rain showers. No watering! Yay! And this morning, there were no Sheba souvenirs in the house, probably partly because of our late-night walk and lots of markings leaving her urine deficient, and partly because she is getting better. I had reason for optimism when I saw the state of her stool this morning.

Today will be about walking and reading. It’s going to be a nice slow day at Pinecone Park for all of us.

Steve: Day Four

Blood! It broke my heart to see so much of it in very little stool. (Isn’t this fascinating reading?!) I’d followed her outside to watch her. It was 5:00. I walked the entire yard looking for traces of more stool and found nothing, so I got busy watering. When I’d finished over half of the beds, shrubs and trees, I came inside and found what I’d been looking for in the hallway. 

Thank goodness for my steam carpet cleaner! Once Steve was up, I got it out and soon all traces of unmentionables were gone. I had a break from watering, chatting with Steve while he obsessed about the weather, and then I went back to watering even though rain is predicted later today and tonight. (I have no confidence in the forecast when rain is predicted.)

Steve, Sheba and I went into the village to go to the farmers’ market, and then we went shopping at Nester’s for supplies to make the Spanish gazpacho soup we’re taking to Eoin and François’ place where we’re having dinner. When we got home, we had lunch and then Steve took the car to go exploring, but he didn’t last long. He was back in about an hour and he went to bed and slept for two hours.

While he slept, I took the guest bathroom toilet apart. It’s something I have never done before, but there was a problem with it running all the time. The plug inside was not working and needed replacing. I was very worried that I would not be able to get everything back together without leaking. However, I did it!

When Steve got up, he busied himself making the soup, while I took Sheba, who is still mighty sick, walking. Soon, it was time to go to E&F’s place for dinner. And man-oh-man, did they make a wonderful dinner. They julienned a shitload of veggies and wonderfully spiced and cooked tuna, chicken and beef, and we made ourselves rice paper rollups for dinner. Oh my God, it was delicious. My two wonderful friends are amazing cooks!

François, left, Eoin, centre.

We came home and immediately went to bed. This morning, another canine accident in the hallway, so I was steam cleaning again this morning. Soon, I’ll be taking Steve to the ferry. He’s catching a bus in Nanaimo to go to Victoria where he’ll meet his partner, Tim, for a stay there and then they go to Vancouver for the Pride celebration.

Steve: Day Three

Friday flew by. I was up early to water before Steve got up. I also had a spa, and I took Her Highness for a short walk prior to his emergence from his room. I was hoping to see the state of her stool, but she didn’t seem to need to void all day. That can happen after days of diarrhea. I hope to see a sample today that suggests improvement in her digestion.

When Steve got up, he had enough time to load up on coffee before it was time for us to join my friends and their dogs for our Friday morning forest walk. We went for a good long walk, so Steve had lots of time to talk to my friends. When we were finished, we came home to feed the pets their lunch and then Steve and I went to The Surf for lunch on the lawn. It was heavenly to sit and relax.

When we came home, I took to chores around the house and yard while Steve took the car to go exploring, but he didn’t last long. He came home feeling tired despite his long sleep on Thursday night. He went to bed and I did some reading, but once he was back on his feet, Sheba and I went to walk the Elder Cedar trail while he lay in the sunshine on the recliner.

I fed all the pets their dinner and then Steve, Sheba and I went to the food truck in Silva Bay for dinner on a spectacular night. It was very quiet. There was a small crowd also there for dinner, but with so many picnic tables up, we enjoyed privacy while we ate. Then we came home for a movie and to retire early. Last night, comfortable in bed with Sheba beside me, I finished reading my book before turning out the lights.

Today, we go to the farmers’ market, and tonight we go to Eoin and François’ place for dinner. Again, no dishes! It’s Steve’s last day here. Tomorrow, I take him to the ferry and he takes the bus to Victoria to meet his partner, Tim, in Victoria where they will visit our friends Don and Fernando and then they go to Vancouver for a visit with many friends from his days of living with me so long ago.

We had the entire lawn to ourselves at lunch yesterday. You can
barely see me but you might see my yellow hoodie on my chair. 
We were back at The Surf for lunch.

Bullrushes grow alongside the beach in front of
The Surf. We walked the beach after lunch.

Chickory grows alongside the road by The Surf.

My favourite weed is Queen Anne's Lace.

 A glorious mess of colour at The Surf: Chickory, 
wild Sweet Peas, Queen Anne's Lace and Dandilions.

Himself with his addiction.

 STeve, and ahead of him are the rest of our dog
walking group on yesterday's walk.