Yay: Ethel Improves!

I’m overjoyed —Ethel is much better. And thank God. I was so worried this morning at 3:00 am. She’d been vomiting everything she drank or ate since she came home, but there was a miraculous turn around this morning. I gave her some pureed Tuna and soon after she was up and about and even chasing string. Relief is a wonderful feeling.

The other reason I’m overjoyed is that I’ve got my tree coming — a stunning red Arbutus that’s dying of Blight but is still red and has tremendous shape. It’s on Jay’s land. He’s been cutting down the infected trees and limbs so I’m getting a small infected tree that he’s culling before it turns black.

I want to lightly oil and mount the tree in doors and near my loft. I hope the cats can use to climb and explore in my upper space.

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Saturday Dwight and I went into town to have breakfast. Afterwards he got my patio heater working. Then he went for a walk in the rain while the pets and I napped. Before he left, he was able to see a magnificent Pileated Woodpecker and a truly glorious Flicker at my feeders; now that they’re so much closer we got a great view of my visitors.

In the afternoon we went into the village to check out the thrift store and then came home and watched a couple of episodes of Grand Design. Then Dwight made dinner, we ate, we watched a movie and then we turned in (early).

This morning — a decent one, by the way — we met Jay, Kelly and Robin for breakfast. Then Dwight and I went with Robin’s to see her house. It’s just spectacular and ideally sized for one person. And she has a Springer Spaniel named Seven who’s to-die-for cute. I never left Seven alone.

Then we all went to Jay’s place where I saw the Arbutus Jay’s going to give me and Dwight saw Jay’s orchard and villa. And we were able to see my former pool table installed in his huge play room over the garage. But the best thing that happened at Jay’s, by far, was going into his garage and finding a Towhee trapped inside. I was able to catch it, calm it and release it; it was one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve had in ages — actually touching (to help) a frightened and trapped wild bird.

Then it was time to say goodbye to Dwight. Thank goodness I had Sheba, Fred and Ethel to console me when I got home. He had a great time though, so perhaps it will be easy to get him to come back.

Then it was Sunday night, my favourite night of the week to be at home. It was lovely to be cozy and warm on a bright cold night and see Ethel looking so much better.

I Ache for Ethel

Saturday morning and poor Ethel is not feeling very well. She purrs, bless her, but she’s not inclined to eat or drink this morning. I will be a doting father all day.

Sheba, on the other hand, slept excellently through the night, exhausted from Dwight’s attention. Dwight and Sheba fell instantly in love with each other. So there were no indoor pinecones this morning nor yesterday morning..

Taking Ethel in yesterday was horrid. I felt like an executioner. And I picked up Leon’s ashes. That, too, was terribly difficult because as much as I love Fred, Ethel and Sheba., I can still miss Leon terribly, terribly much.

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I love the drive along North Road from Buttercup to Silva Bay where the seaplane arrives. You go through forest, then farmland and then along the coast so you see three distinct evocative landscapes — this afternoon through torrents of rain.

Sheba and I went to fetch Dwight. He arrived on time and we came home for a quick tour and then went into the village for lunch. When we came home, I picked up poor Ethel and brought her home. She ate — a good sign.  

Dwight and I hot tubbed. He was, like everyone, very pleasantly surprised by how much he liked it. And then we went to meet Robin, Jay and Kelly for dinner in the pub at Surf Lodge. Jay called unexpectedly to invite us and we had a really fun time together.

Robin, Kelly’s long-time friend, is a treat. I am really glad I met her. She is coming over to teach me more about my water system. She is an old hand at it. I instantly liked her and she said: “We’re going to be thick, you and I.” I loved that.

We left Sheba at home and I cannot tell you how great it felt to come home. More than ever I love being home because it is not only a place but now it’s a place with pets who love me and whom I adore.

And Dwight even feels it. He’s used to constantly being on the go so he noticed the tranquility of this place — the island first, then my home — immediately and he keeps noticing it.

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Tuesday “Roy” is coming to check out the studio while I am in Vancouver. Darrell will look after him. He is a WETT installer who’ll return to install my new chimney. So that’s the final piece in place for the completion of the studio renovation.

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Today: Who knows: Dwight has an agenda but Todd and Amy and Robin have all said they want to come by and meet Fred, Ethel and Sheba. I’m certain Dwight will want to end the day in the hot tub before dinner and a movie. I’m looking forward to more chocolate cake. And I plan to dote on Ethel.

Yesterday it rained quite hard for a few minutes when we were in the hot tub. And it was cold outside. It was really wonderful to be so warm and outdoors in such nasty weather.

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If moving here was a smart move — and it was — getting Fred, Sheba and Ethel was a Nobel–level smart thing to do. They disburse in the house and so it feels like whenever I move to a new location I encounter one of them and I’m compelled to worship whomever it is I’ve encountered.

It’s almost odd to think I ‘bought’ all this love. Sheba in particular: There’s something particularly powerful about a relationship with a dog. It’s a true partnership because she comes everywhere with me. However, I was glad to try leaving her alone for the first time last night.

Dwight and I left her here when we went to Surf Lodge — which, by the way, we had a hell of a time finding. We were really late but perhaps only on Gabriola can you have two streets with the same name.

Dwight Day

It’s Dwight arrival day. I’m so excited about that. But first I have to go through this agony of having to keep Ethel unfed whilst feeding Sheba and Fred. I hate it. I’ve been dreading today since I got my kitties. It’s spaying day for Ethel. She’s being very good but I have another four-and-a-half hours to go before I take her in.

That’s the good and the bad; the ugly is the weather.

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Rising at four am Thursday was fine thanks to ten hours of glorious sleep that began at six-thirty Wednesday night. I’d been exhausted from all the physical work and so much interrupted sleep; turning in bed is torture due to the pain in my neck/back.

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I’m glad I understand how my water system works. I thought: I’ve driven a car all these many years without ever having to understand its engine, why learn how the water system works? But I was wrong. I have increased confidence in my ability to live and manage my life here. I feel far more secure understanding how I get water.

After I had my muesli for breakfast yesterday — okay, okay, it was chocolate cake — I did all my laundry. And knowing that the water would be quickly and automatically replaced positively thrilled me. …Well not quite thrilled me — now there’s another problem. Another switch needs replacing because of the nature of my compressor. Rod has to come back a fifth time. And on it goes….

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At eleven-thirty, I had a meeting with Mitch of the local Arts Council at Mad Rona’s Café. Just before I was to go, I decided to shower and when I went into my bedroom I found my bed had been massively shit and urinated upon. Thank God I have water! I had to strip off all the sheets, the mattress guard and the cotton surrounding my memory foam mattress topper and do a serious laundry.

I knew why. I went to the cupboard where the litter box is and sure enough, it was closed. They had somehow closed it and could not get in to use their box.

Fred: “So, Ethel. Where should we take our dumps?”

Ethel: “Follow me.”

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The meeting with Mitch was super. He’s a charming man and it was my first time to Rona’s, a local institution. It’s a fabulous place. It’s super nice, comfortable and big with lots of comfortable chairs and garage-style doors that open in summer. And when I looked around, almost everyone was my age except the staff and Mitch.

Mitch is the person in charge of special events at the local Arts Council and I’m going to help him with writing and editing and I’m going to help Michelle, the AD, brainstorm fundraising. I told her about the self-portrait show we did for Artropolis and she loved that idea as a route to community involvement and mild fundraising.

Darrell the Great finished the window exterior and began installing insulation in the ceiling. Now we turn the heat on. Today he’ll add the vapor barrier (a plastic sheet) and then he’ll start on the Pine planking. The studio isn’t going to be a terribly pretty place; it’s a workplace. But I believe in the end that it will feel cozy once I get some decorations up and the new furniture comes. It will certainly be clean and warm: Yesterday I bought the wood stove that’ll go in a corner.

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I got another magazine from The Stuttering Foundation and a pattern is emerging. I always cry when I read it. It’s partly a good cry from experiencing a strong and positive “I’m not alone” feeling, and it’s partly sadness to have so severe an affliction.

Many stutterers are episodic; I’m not. Sometimes people like me are referred to as exquisite stutterers, sometimes as stutterers in the hundred percentile. I do everything ‘in extremis,’ so it doesn’t surprise me.

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But today is Dwight day. He arrives not too long after I take Ethel to the Vet’s.