The Best of Dogs

As many of you already have heard, our darling Baxter is no longer with us, having died on Friday morning. Although I was known to often say, Baxter was the perfect dog, I now prefer how Tom put it in a text to us on that fateful day. "He was the best of dogs." Oh yes he was.

Over the years I took quite a few photographs of Baxter and I guess what this post is meant to do is to show him at his best. Somewhat like a slideshow that is now common at funerals. There were many adorable shots of him, but maybe none so much as this one taken in 2008.

Something happened on Thursday afternoon that reminded me of an incident regarding my mother. I can still remember it as clear as if it happened yesterday, although it was more than 13 years ago. For months she'd been having a litany of vague symptoms that the doctors seemed to either ignore or not understand. One day at work I said to Dr. Quinn, something is really wrong with my mother. After describing her symptoms, he asked me if she still had her ovaries, the answer to which I did not know. He said, if she did that I should bring her to the hospital immediately. Calling her I learned that indeed she did still have them, left in place during her hysterectomy. I told her I'd be coming to pick her up right away to bring her to the emergency room. And so I did. When we arrived, because the hospital was small at the time and I knew most of the folks working in the ER, they treated her like family. Everyone said things like you look so great, either to imply that she was not sick or make her feel as if she weren't. Either way, it was a welcome diversion. The outcome of that fateful visit was learning that she had Stage 4 ovarian cancer and within six months she was gone.

Thursday I stayed home with Baxter, watching him like a hawk. After a rainy morning, the sun finally broke through the clouds, and I took him down to the park, hoping he would finally do his business. He was surprisingly lively, looking cute as a button. People noticed and one woman even asked me if he were a puppy? I told her he was 14, although actually he was closer to 15 years old which in dog years is very, very old. All day, after multiple attempts to have him go outside, he did not feel like doing so. We went to bed as usual, although of late we've been shutting our bedroom door to keep from roaming around at night. Several nights prior he'd woken us up from his pacing around the room which I am now learning is a sign he might have been in pain. I explained to the vet on Wednesday that the only way I know how to describe his behavior of late was that he was agitated.

Bruce always said he was giving us a "doggie smile" when he looked like this:

About two or three weeks ago, Bruce admitted to me that he was hoping that one morning we would wake up and find Baxter had passed away in his sleep. Not that he wanted that to happen of course, but in our hearts we knew he was a diminished dog with the tumor in his groin making his back foot go sideways, poor eyesight due to cataracts, as well as poor hearing. We would call him and he would never even turn his head towards us. Neither bladder, and more recently bowel control. In hind sight, just as it was with my Mom, the clues were there, we just needed to be able to read them better.

I've always loved this photo of Baxter, taken in 2010, for loads of reasons, one of which is Bruce's Mom's little Coke wagon is in the shot.

Although he was never much of a walker, even when younger, he wore that harness, morning, noon and night. When he did like to walk, he prefferred the curb, something that amused Jonathan to no end, so much so that he once took a video of him doing so.

Around midnight Thursday, Baxter woke Bruce up with his pacing around the room, so he began putting his clothes on to take him downstairs except he was too late. It was the final clue we needed to know that we were making the right decision to put him out of his misery. After Bruce cleaned him up, he curled up on his bed and never budged until around 9 on Friday morning and only then to lift his head, look around, and curl right back up. I had called the vet's office and at first they said to bring him in at 2:00 to which I agreed. We were hoping to just have it all over immediately. Lo and behold, she called back within about ten minutes saying they'd had a cancelation for 11. Better. Bruce picked him up wrapped in his blanket and just sat with him on the couch. Never did Baxter even try to get down for water, he just stayed snuggled in Bruce's arms.

For so many years, while Bruce traveled extensively, as soon as Bruce's car would pull up in the driveway, Baxter would be at the door barking to be let out to greet him.

He was quite the barker for most of his life, alerting us to everyone who even came near our home. Since we've been here he's rarely barked, preferring to sleep if I think about it. He'd also get into things, especially open luggage or laundry piles. I have no idea how we managed to get those cabinets painted without him grabbing every tool on the floor!

Cuddling Baxter in his blanket, Bruce and I walked the eight or so blocks to the office, stopping along the way to pray for strength for us and kindness from the vet, both of which happened. Not that I wasn't sobbing so much that I could not watch, but Bruce held onto him till it was over (very, very quickly), the vet was kind and something else happened that was so special that I think all of you who loved Baxter from afar will appreciate.

When I began doing the market all those years ago, several people suggested that we bring Baxter  to entice people into my tent. After all, he was hard to resist. Although that advice sounded good, in reality, Baxter barked at everyone who came near the tent. It was a failed experiment, however, we did get asked so many times if he was really a Yorkie because his ears were floppy rather than shaved and pointy. As some of you know he was Bill's dog for the first two years of his life so we went to the source. Why are his ears not pointy Bill? Turns out, although they tried to make them go up, his ears were destined to remain floppy, resisting all efforts to make them do otherwise. One thing that he could and would do over the years, is raise those floppy ears when he was happy, or excited.

Out of our eyesight the vet had inserted a catheter and a sedative, bringing him back into the room still wrapped in his blanket. He lay on his side and just before the final injection he raised his one ear as if to wave goodbye. Perhaps he was thanking us? We don't know, but to the end, "he was the best of dogs."

yours truly,

Gail

Oh Baxter, Our Baxter

Just when we thought things could not get any harder with Baxter, they have.

We've managed to live with the wetting inside the house using the trusty "elder dog wrap", or that's what Bruce calls it anyway. Now however, he's begun defecating in the house and it is not good. During Matt and Tom's visit, one day we were gone for a long time, so although we'd hoped he'd wait until we returned, he didn't. That we could understand, however, for several weeks now, when we take him outdoors he goes a smidgen, then, when we are gone, he goes a lot inside, more particularly on the nice big rugs that don't belong to us. Now what?

Well, next we decided to shut him in the bedroom where his bed is located, and that is why I went looking for an additional water bowl so he'd have one handy. At least, in there, the floors are wood. One day, I left without shutting the door and you can guess what happened. It gets worse. He looks so spiffy in the photo above because I took him to the groomer yesterday and doesn't he look cute as a button? In the afternoon, while talking to David about this subject, by golly, he walked over to the big rug and squatted so fast I could not stop him. This time, however, it was a bloody mess. I'm saying to David, I don't know what to do, however, once I hung up, I did know what to do. I called the vet and thankfully, if I could get there within the hour, they would see us. I brought samples, lest they did not believe me. I learned he's lost nearly a pound in the last two months, hidden, I suppose by all that hair they cut away. We are awaiting the specimen results, but I think I already know what is going on and it can't be good. Sorry for going on about this, but I thought you'd like to know.

In other news, we've had a sunrise my friends. Before dawn a few days ago, I thought there was a strong possibility upon seeing the sky look like this.

I was pretty excited seeing some color, other than gray in the sky, so I kept my eye on it. Sure enough:

And when the color was so intense that the reflections in the water were red, well, need I say more?

Should you have looked at the map in my last post, the mountain and buildings in the distance are in Burnaby. Michael J. Fox was from Burnaby in case you were wondering. :)

In yet more news, Matt was going crazy with my former computer set up so, at the last minute, he moved it onto the little table pictured. That was good, but there was still that metal ball thing behind it, and frankly, it looked a tad bit messy what with all the cords and such sitting on the ground. Brucer came up with a way to hide most of the cords, something he is very good at doing. As well, we moved the couch down, the metal ball thing is now my nightstand, and the former nightstand is now an end table. Got all that?

Ta da! New set up along with the eventual sunrise!


I'll be keeping my eye on this bed in the park that was planted about a month ago. Wonder what it will  look like in the next two months?

Speaking of Spring, I found this the other day.

Leslie sent me a newsy email that I was so happy to receive. She mentioned all of the things I have to look forward to in the months ahead and she is so right. A few things she didn't know about are the annual Cherry Blossom Festival (!!!), as well as the annual parade in Chinatown, celebrating the New Year. In a stroke of good fortune for me, it begins, literally, on the street below Bruce's office window!

That day that looked so promising with the glorious sunrise seemed like a good day to take a walk, and walk I did, heading east on the seawall,

I just kept on going...

making my way to the Science Center on Main Street. Note the Expo Skytrain on the elevated tracks. Same one we took on Saturday in case you did not read that post.

I have no idea what the significance of stacked cars on a pedestal is, except that it looks pretty cool, eh?

I just threw that "eh" in there for fun. How's that? It's a typical Canadian phrase.

One end of Main Street heads straight into Chinatown, some streets I'd yet to explore. So many little shops that look like this:

Before I leave this place, I may just know more about here than where I really live! Anyway, here, there is much bemoaning the closing of neighborhood restaurants, such as the bbq place pictured below.

Further, I took this shot because it shows yet another tension in the city. Gentrification coming to Chinatown. They just voted down a developer who has tried THREE times to get a permit for a tower, or what we call a high rise.

It is my understanding that the Chinatown here is the largest one in the world outside of China itself. The streets are mighty colorful.

Chop Suey? I didn't think that was for real, although we sure thought so when we were kids!

Because I was in the neighborhood I popped by the park that sits adjacent to the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden. The park is free, the gardens are not, although during February I intend to visit the gardens while they are decorated for Chinese New Year. Lanterns are already hanging..

I am always happy to come across plants that we had in our own yard, in this instance, the Nandina bushes that graced our exterior doors, and here they are in Vancouver, covered with wonderful red berries.

Did you notice the blank sky? No rain, but no sun either.  Most days this week have had some rain, but with my wonderful new umbrella from London, I am all set. Isn't it the greatest? No color in the sky, but over my head, I am in a world of color.

I saw this while at the park, and while I hope it is true of Baxter, I won't be surprised if it is not.

The vet gave us an antibiotic in case of infection and I boiled a chicken breast and rice for him, however, he's not eaten a thing today and has mostly been sleeping. It sure is hard to know what to do but one thing we've decided is there will be no extraordinary measures to keep him going. No pain is our motto.

In spite of the fact that it was raining when I walked the five blocks to the vet with Baxter in my arms, once we got home, there was a sunset. Two colorful skies in one week!

yours truly,

Gail

The Sky

After our friend, Karen Howard, moved to the North Carolina mountains, she said one of the things she missed the most about living in Florida was the fluffy, white clouds, ever present throughout the year. Now I have a better understanding of how she felt.

There is no escaping the sky when you are living this high off of the ground with abundant glass. Because our high rise was the first to be built in this area of downtown, there are few impediments to the view. From what I've gathered, views are both highly prized, and highly protected here. And what is there to see? Having lived here for more than five months now, I've learned that there is a lot to see. Whereas in the summer months, your eyes are drawn to the activity on the water below, in the winter, it is all about sky watching. Will it rain? Will there be fog? Will that yellow circle on my phone, indicating a sunny day, really happen? If so, will there actually be a sunrise or sunset? What about the moon and stars? Will I ever see them again? Of course I will, but not very often this time of year.

Let's take a look at what the sky has looked like for the last few days as I travel about the city. Bruce was gone most of last week, leaving me looking for things to do. I believe it was Thursday that there was a break in the weather and I took the Canada Line to Richmond. Fabricana, baby! When there is a little blue in the sky, I have to get out to keep my sanity! Having said that, I'm actually doing much better than I expected, but I will say it is a heck of a lot easier to get around when it is dry. I can't get enough of seeing the mountains wherever I go. The fog--not nearly so much.

If I happen to be looking in the right direction, every evening, around dusk, I could photograph the multitude of crows flying east towards Burnaby to roost.

This is but a small sample. How many do this nightly? Here's how many!

Friday was as wet as it gets, however, on Saturday, although dreary, for the most part, the rain held off. After Bruce caught up with his email, and I did the laundry, we had a little adventure. While not very pretty, it was at least very interesting. Before we go any further, in order for the adventure to make sense, let us look at the map of Metro Vancouver again, albeit a wrinkled version from my backpack.

Ever since I heard the name of a city called Coquitlam, I've wanted to go there because I just love saying that name. Rather than use the car, let's take the Sky Train, shall we? "Anything for you honey", was his reply. Bruce was all in as long as we took the Canada Line to Waterfront Station, rather than walking there. Sold! From Waterfront Station, we took the Expo Line, which on the map is shown in dark blue. Because the scenery was all brand new, I was delighted to take it all around the curve until it hooks up with the Millennium Line, picture in yellow, where we changed trains to continue traveling East.

Now that is what you call a leaden sky! The bridge crosses the Fraser River which we've talked about before. Basically most of the blue you see in the above map that isn't the ocean! Our destination:

That is one way to spell it, and here's another.

Here's a simple history of the area that is brief, but fascinating. Who knew that the British feared that what we now call British Columbia might join the United States rather than Canada? I can imagine that this area is quite pretty when there is a little contrast to be had.

Mountains!! They are everywhere. Bruce is cavalier about the mountains, whereas I cannot get enough of them. We took a bathroom break in the nearby mall, roamed around looking at both the people and the shops. I will say there was a crazy long line waiting at the McDonalds counter. And the Apple store, that was packed too. Maybe you find the layers of fog interesting?

Can you believe that gloomy sky? One of Bruce's colleagues asked him how I was doing with the gloom and he responded, "surprisingly well for a Florida gal." He did NOT mean that I like it because I'd be lying if I said I did, however, I do kind of like that you never know what the sky will be like from one day to the next.

On the Millennium Line, there is a cool little seat that I snagged for a short part of our journey back into the city. While there is no driver on the Skytrain, there is a little alcove where the driver's seat would traditionally be located.

At Commercial and Broadway we changed trains, after walking across the street on an elevated walkway, back to the Expo Line. As we were coming into the station I said to Bruce....I think I see a tiny bit of a sunset. I did not see that coming!

Apparently Commercial Drive is a cool place to explore so that may be next on my agenda when the weather is better.

I've got my fingers crossed that the forecast of ten straight rain days will not come to fruition. We decided to walk home, getting off at the Chinatown/Stadium exit, because the temperature was mild. I so love this little alleyway.

It wasn't long after we arrived home that fog, once again, began rolling in.

See what I mean....the sky provides endless entertainment in every direction.

Sunday was meant to live up to its' name...Sunny! There was great anticipation, however,  it began super foggy, cleared up as fast as it came on, and well we did get some sun. Enough that this photographer and model took to Granville street for a photo shoot.

Returning to the condo it was light filled, that is until Bruce closed some of the blinds while I was taking Baxter downstairs. Within about twenty minutes, we were in a fog white-out once again and the remainder of the day was drab as can be. One thing in our favor is the temperatures have been what they call mild, hovering around the low 40's most every day. I'm glad because it doesn't take nearly as long to get dressed before going out! There seems to be a huge difference between the 30's and 40's, something I'm all for. While this is not my most glamorous post during our stay here in Vancouver, in the future, I'll be glad that I have the full picture of our experience.

Will the dreary skies once again lead to snow? Only time will tell.

yours truly,

Gail

Worth Every Single Step

It couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes after clicking on the publish space for my last post, that there was a drastic change in the weather. Blue!! There was some blue in the sky! Praise the Lord!

Not a whole lot, but it seemed that it definitely would mean some hours without rain. Actually, I keep going on about the rain, however, there are days when it rains relatively hard, while others, it only sprinkles from morning until night, it is the dullness in the sky that really gets to you.

With the temperature in the low 40's, not as many layers are needed, so I put on what I thought would work, along with those walking shoes Bruce bought me, with my backpack full of extra clothing should I need it, and began walking along Beach towards Stanley Park. I remember the first day I walked there and was so pleased with my progress, although my feet hurt like mad. Mostly my feet don't hurt anymore, making me ever so grateful. Noticing it was windy alongside the water, I crossed over to the other side of the street to be more comfortable as I kept up the pace, heading to Lost Lagoon. Remember when last I posted a photo of the frozen water? Not anymore.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. As I made my way into the park, I was struck by something most of normally take for granted and that was shadows on this trunk, albeit a huge tree trunk.

With no sunshine for days on end, shadows are non-existent, lending such a flat feeling to everything. So, I was thrilled with some shadows. Could it get any better?  Why yes it could. Reflections!

As I was coming into the park, I checked the heron nests, high up in quite a few bare trees, and there was no activity. Doing a quick count/estimate, I'd say there are at least 50 (!) nests, so in time it will really be something. At any rate, when I got to the pond adjacent to Lost Lagoon, I did find one Great Blue Heron who was, perhaps, as interested in me, as I was in him.

Because I was right near Second Beach, I thought to myself, perhaps you can walk to Third Beach today. What was stopping me? My own nervousness about the distance, that's what!

Setting the record straight, I don't claim to be any champion walker, because I am not. Our time here, however, has, by both necessity and desire, turned me into a better walker than I was six months ago.  Thinking about it, I can't remember walking hardly anywhere in Orlando. Sure, I rode my bicycle, but walking, not often. Setting aside my trepidation, I walked over to the sea wall, and immediately the wind hit me me, and I saw waves in the water, a very unusual sight.

Turning my head and body in the direction I would be walking to get to Third Beach, oh my goodness, those waves and water were really something. Not terribly long ago I'd read somewhere how logs wash up on the shore, and now I was seeing it for myself.

For obvious reasons, this got me energized to keep going. Especially when this happened!

This section of the seawall is not nearly as wide as down where we live, using the red line to separate the walkers from the cyclist, it is generally strictly adhered to, however, that morning it was not happening as the crashing waves were dumping so much water in the pedestrian lane. Cyclist here are pretty hard core, you kind of take your life in your hand walking in their lane! Another fellow was taking photographs, pictured in the green jacket, and I did the same, walking on the thin strip of available grass.

All manner of seaweed and ocean matter could be seen in the mad waves.

Can you imagine how excited I was? Another awesome natural phenomenon happening during a walk in Stanley Park! I've been there in the fog, the rain, with snow on the ground, and now this? Thrilling, to say the least. As you probably can imagine, I chatted up most anyone who seemed willing. One woman told me she'd not seen it like this for at least a year, another said, if you think this is good, wait until you get around the bend. I soaked it all in. No pun intended, although occasionally my jeans got wet from the wildness of it all. The wind was so crazy, whipping up the waves even out in the open water.

Where I was walking was all brand new to me and when I finally stopped, and you'll see that shortly, I thought to myself, you've been here for more than five months and are just seeing this? Of course in the early days I simply could not have walked this far, what with my sore feet and all. So that tree sitting alone intrigued me, what could that be all about? The lanes are narrow here so I was scrunched up against the inside of the bike lane. This cyclist looks like she's having a blast.

I'll tell you what is around that bend...Third Beach!

I did not have my map with me, but I was so thrilled with what I was seeing, I kept going, passing Third Beach and back on the seawall, where one side looked like this:

while the other side looked like this:

I don't know about you, but I find it fascinating as all get out that those Boston Ferns were untouched by the December snowstorm.  Around one more bend and my mind was blown....incredible, or at least it is to me! I'm thinking this must be a bit of an alcove here as the wind and waves died down considerably, but not entirely.

I had NO idea this topography existed before Tuesday! Now can you see why I was kicking myself for not visiting sooner, can't you? More excitement around the next curve...

I'm finally, and you are too, seeing Siwash Rock for the first time. A Vancouver landmark that I'd only heard about, rather than seen. Apparently, it is due for a name change which is detailed in this article. I have to say, it is strangely mesmerizing in person.  For a bit of a size comparison, I took this, although with the lens I had on my camera, I could not include the whole rock.

Having satisfied that curiosity, I turned back around, made my way up a hill and onto a path that parallels the sea wall where I enjoyed seeing the waves breaking from a different vantage point.

I neglected to mention my visit to Stanley Park with the glorious autumn leaves that I showed in another post back in late October. This is the exact place I photographed then, and it sure looks different now.

Precisely why I am enjoying this year so much.

To be honest with you, I pretty much trudged home the last half mile. I did not set out to walk more than six miles, but it was indeed worth every single step. I hope you agree.

yours truly,

Gail

p.s. I neglected to mention one of my fellow walkers said the craziness was due to a combination of being windy and high tide. As if you care, right?