Sheba Returns

One of the books I read in hospital was Cold Mountain by ___. I quite enjoyed it even though it challenged my prejudice against stories set in the American west. Here is a paragraph that resonated with me:

“Her view was that a world properly put together would yield inhabitants to suited to their lives in their assigned place that they would have neither need nor with to travel. No stagecoach or railway or steamship would be required; all such vehicles would sit idle. Folks would, out of utter contentment, choose to stay home since the failure to do so was patently the root of many ills, current and historic.”

That’d be me: Mr. Stay@Home.

I also enjoyed the novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo, by UBC Creative Writing Head, Stephen Galloway. And I really enjoyed Arthur and George by Julian Barnes—so much so, that now I’m reading The Sense of an Ending, his Booker Prize-winning novel. I’ve ordered six more books by him because I like his writing so much. Here’s a paragraph from Sensethat also resonated:

“I certainly believe we all suffer damage, one way or another. How could we not, except in a world of perfect parents, siblings, neighbours, companions? And then there is the question, on which so much depends, of how we react to the damage: whether we admit it or repressit, and how this affects our dealings with others. Some admit the damage, and try to mitigate it; some spent their lives trying to help others who are damaged; and then there are those whose main concern is to avoid further damage to themselves, at whatever cost. And those are the ones who are ruthless, and the ones to be careful of.”

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Tuesday was slow and easy. Sheba showed signs of improvement. I took her to the vet for reassurance and I’ve been giving her antibiotics. I did some watering and reading and ended the day very happily at Eoin and Francois’ house. I saw the pigs and ducks and played with their beautiful, wonderful doggies. And, as always, we ate splendidly. They are magical in the kitchen.

I’d taken the pigs some banana and watermelon. I adore their piggies, and their ducks have grown amazingly tall and quirky. I love them, too. And the doggies. And the food!!! Going to their house to eat is always the finest of dining. Oh my God! Thai currey with fish. I had such a great night with my friends.

Everywhere I went, I spoke very well. I speak better with those with whom I’ve always been able to speak, but I’m still mute or stutter with strangers. Still, it’s improvement. And I felt calm all day, not as I felt on Monday night when a kind of mania took me over.

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Today I hope to do some transplanting and to write to Dr. Shoja about my hospital experience as a person with psychogenic seizures. And I’ll start a new book. 

Sheba is much better. I bought some ground beef and I fry it up before adding her antibiotics that she can smell in every other bait food I tried. In the hamburger, it goes down quickly and entirely. It’s great to see her personality and gait return to normal. I’m glad because on these wondrous days, I want to go on long forest meanders and to do that, she must be in good shape.