Dogged Determination

Inspirational song: Looking Out My Back Door (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

Is it wrong that I spent way too much time this weekend being smug every time the neighbors' dogs barked? My pups spent the night in the hills again, and it was eerily quiet in my yard. But every so often, the other neighborhood dogs would lose their fool minds, and each time it happened, I thought, for once it isn't mine. I'm not sure that was supposed to make me feel superior, but it sort of did.

It was lovely not to open a single paint can today. I still have several rooms to paint, and a significant amount of touch up in the living room where we are changing electrical outlets and thermostats, but I needed a day where I wasn't expected to change the color of a single object. We have been in this house nearly four weeks, and this was the first day I felt like I had reached the point where I could just focus on cleaning and wasting time in front of the television. I did plenty of each, and it was relaxing and revigorating. While I stood over the sink, washing dishes, I stared at the place where the man chose to store the kiddie pool he uses for dog baths, and wondered whether other people find it as odd as I do. He wedged it in the choke cherry tree, and it looks like a giant lime lollipop. Hm. Maybe I have watched Willy Wonka too many times.

Tomorrow is Murray's big day. We drive him up to be seen at the clinic for the vet school at CSU. If there is any chance of putting him up on three or four legs, under his own power, this is how we will accomplish it. He saw a neurologist once when he first came to the states, but we postponed the MRI that was necessary to see what wasn't apparent from x-rays. I think we are going forward with it this time, so we should have answers once and for all. My hope is for physical therapy rather than surgery. I honestly believe he has a shot at this. He may have the potential to walk and gain bladder control, we shall see. I refuse to give up hope. Wish us luck.