Rocky

Rocky, Rockyrockyrocky, Rachmaninoff. My sweet Hufflepuff of a dog, true of heart, even of temper, focused on his objective. You will be missed. 

He came to me with heartworm disease, and spent 30 long days confined to his crate during treatment. But he beat it, and became my constant companion.

I believe dogs have a strong work ethic and need to know they have a job. Rocky actually found two jobs: being with me, and foraging for food. His misspent youth as a stray had apparently led to a vow of never going hungry again, and he had a very broad definition of what could be food. A full stomach was what he wanted, and his foraging led to not only constant attacks on my kitchen garbage, but several near-death experiences involving socks, his own food supply, a knit hat swallowed whole (retrieved by the vet the way it went in, and I still wear it), and a mango pit that wedged into his intestine, requiring surgical removal. I won't add up the cumulative cost of his medical bills, but it was not trivial. He was christened "The Very Hungry Labrador" by my girl, and he had his very own tumblr blog celebrating his exploits. As his adventures in eating became more and more life threatening, I found them less amusing and the blog tapered off.

Being my companion was also a very strong motivator. He didn't need constant attention, he just wanted to be within reach. Just in case I wanted to pet him, or maybe give him a treat. When he could get on the couch, we would snuggle and share the space. Whatever room I was in, he wanted to be there, following and getting as close as he could. But for the last year, he couldn't manage the hop off the floor to the couch. 

In the garbage

He also loved walks together, so he could forage in the wild while keeping me company. After several incidents involving socks and dishcloths (how do those end up on the road?) I bought a cage muzzle for him, to save him from himself. I said to all the neighbors, "he's not vicious, he's voracious!". When the pandemic hit, I realized he was a pioneer in outdoor mask wearing, and he was cited as an example for several children.

The pandemic was good for Rocky. He loved having me around all the time. But over the last year, walks got shorter and shorter, and for the last three months, he didn't leave the yard. Rocky lost eyesight, hearing, and control over his back legs. He had a syndrome that affects old Labradors, that led to respiratory distress. Still, last month, I left the kitchen gate open and he was in the garbage in minutes. But when I got back from vacation this week, he was gasping. I quickly decided it was time.

I had gotten contact information for a couple of at-home veterinary services (that do euthanasia) a few months ago, when I saw the writing on the wall. They had a very quick response - they would have come the same day I called, but instead I scheduled it for the following (Friday) morning. I invited my girl and BIL to join me, and they came over early in the morning to be with us. In fact, my BIL made a special trip over the last evening to have more time to say goodbye. I was touched. 

We assembled on the dog bed outside in the back patio, site of many a long nap. Bixby, the little drama queen, was confined to his crate at the far end of the house because Bixby thinks everything is about him. Rocky's last meal was watermelon, peanut butter, and a can of cat food my girl brought him. He was hugged and petted as he went to sleep. My tears mostly waited until I was alone. That afternoon I had to explain to the eye doctor why my eyes were so red.

I'm so glad I have Bixby, because the house seems almost empty without my good big boy. They were not friends, but they tolerated each other and were company for each other. Now Bixby gets to follow me from room to room, and get pets with both hands, instead of one hand for each dog.

I miss him and I loved him. But there is an element of relief in what I feel now, and guilt for feeling the relief. He had lost control of his sphincter muscle and I've been cleaning dog poop constantly. (Big dogs, big poops, even when they start to lose appetite.) I have gates everywhere, and each trash basket is behind a fortress to protect it. The walls will start to come down. I've taken the huge crate out of my TV room, cleaned the rug, and rearranged the furniture. And, for the first time in years, I've put toilet paper in my bathroom on the spindle in the holder, rather than up and out of his reach. He loved to eat the paper like it was corn on the cob off the roll. So I had to hide it from him. The things we do for our beloved animals!

I'm sad, but I have no doubts I did the right thing.

Acadia

Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park. So very lovely!

There was an article today in The NY Times about how crowded the National Parks are. Apparently we were not the only people who decided to vacation domestically when foreign travel is still so uncertain. We are staying in a recently renovated classic motel on Main Street of Bar Harbor, the center of the crowds. I’ve been here twice before - once on the last family driving vacation we took the year my brother graduated from high school, and once for a few hours off a cruise ship going from Montreal to Boston. 

When I say the motel is a classic, I mean it is a long, two-story building set at a right angle to Main St., with room doors opening to the outside on both sides of the building and both levels. Office at the street end. Little outdoor splash pool.  I love the location, but had low expectations of the rooms, based on the 1950’s aspect of the outside. But it’s been recently renovated, and the interior, far from being mildewy, is stylish and functional. Nice big vanity in the bathroom to hold all my stuff, comfy sitting chair with footrest, enormous good bed, places to open suitcases that isn’t the bed. My travel friends booked it and did very well. I’m not thinking about the money!

We got reservations to drive up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain early in the morning, but not at sunrise. There were people there, but I wouldn’t describe it as crowded. We admired the view for a while, and returned to town for breakfast. We got used to a real breakfast in the Camden BnB, and there are cafes here to feed our habit.

Later, we rode the bus to the visitor center, and did a hike from right there. Again, there were plenty of people there, but not in a way that made it unpleasant. The hike we did, on a “carriage road” (gravel road closed to cars but open to bicycles) included a section labeled family friendly for biking, and sure enough, there were kids who are never quiet. But they were out there! Yay!

The route took us up to a series of ponds, most likely formed by beaver dams along a stream. I am drawn to intimate landscapes, and there were wild flowers, blooming water lilies, ripe low bush blueberries, creepy dead trees that had been flooded out. Very nice!

The way we did the hike also included sections with considerable elevation gains and losses. All told, it was over six miles, and I was done in by the end. My knees did not like the steep downhill at the end, and I took tiny little slow penguin steps, but I got there. And, recovery was quick, I feel fine now the next morning. 

Today is forecast very rainy as the remnants of TS Elsa pass by. We plan to do more park bus riding, and if its just drizzling, maybe try some short hikes. There is more I want to do and see - especially hiking - but I will be ready to come home soon.

Another Day, Another Schooner

View of Camden from Mount Battie

Vacation in Maine continues to be delightful. Here in Camden, the weather has turned lovely, making up for lost time. We’ve had time to explore the fun little shops in town, admire the view from Mount Battie, explore the neighboring town of Rockland, and go on a short sail on a cute little historic schooner. 

My friends I’m traveling with have friends here. A young woman they have known all her life moved here permanently (from Manhattan) last year with her husband, and she now has a brand new, month-old, baby. Her parents, also from Manhattan, rented an AirBnB whole house for six weeks because of the baby. So there has been some visiting and socializing as well. 

Camden Harbor close up

There was a Fourth of July concert, moved to Monday because of the rain, in the Camden amphitheater, an outdoor grove by the harbor. Just a community thing, barefoot kids, sailor boys in sea boots and man buns, old folks like us, all dancing on the grass to well known tunes. 

So its all very chill. We’re walking - I’m getting 12,000+ steps a day - so I feel I deserve my daily ice cream in the afternoon and a beer or cocktail in the evening. I finished a book, but have several more stacked up on the kindle and not making a lot of progress on them. Which is good.

We had lobster rolls from a hot dog cart for lunch and pizza after the boat trip, so it’s not all big fancy food, but we’re definitely eating well!

Penobscot Bay from our boat ride

Today, on to Bar Harbor!

Maine Events

 

View from Botanical Gardens

Greetings from the great state of Maine! 

I drove up Friday to Boston - well, Newton - where I checked in to the hotel my friends from Michigan were staying. They had spent a few days there already, visiting other old friends. My drive was uneventful, though annoying. I had a smooth and fast journey from home to the George Washington Bridge, pretty much with cruise control set at 72 uninterrupted, even though it was raining the whole time. I filled the tank at the last stop on the New Jersey turnpike, and things deteriorated rapidly when I arrived in New York. 

Waze, my guidance app, decided to take me on a tour of scenic byways, bless its little algorithmic heart. I’ll never know what was happening on the main roads, but from arriving in New York to arriving in Newton, I never once could set cruise control, and I averaged close to 45 mph. Luckily, I had a good book playing, which kept me alert and engaged the whole time, but I was exhausted when I got to the hotel. 

The three of us set off Saturday (yesterday) morning for Maine in another downpour. But, I was able to foist off the driving to J., and we made decent time (even though I95 was closed due to a massive police manhunt). The rain slowed and then stopped, and we made our timed entry to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay.

The gardens were fabulous. We were there a total of three hours, including a short stop to eat sandwiches from their cafe. Besides spectacular display gardens, there are some new and very intriguing large sculptures of trolls, designed and installed by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, with the help of “hundreds” of volunteers. I’ve included several of the shots because each was different and they were all huge.

Run away!

Then on to Camden, another hour up the coast. I never would have known to come here without Alice’s blog, her very enthralling writing about how lovely this place is. It truly is amazing. Yes, it is a tourist town, but hey, I’m a tourist! 

My room.
In other news, I have a new phone
with a wide-angle lens!

We’re staying in a BnB (not AIRBnB), a great Victorian mansion with each room done up so nicely. I’m staying in the The Library, the only guest room on the first floor, with my own door out to the patio and gardens. I have a four-poster bed that I need a step-stool (provided) to get into, with the loveliest, softest sheets I’ve ever slept on. They must have had a huge renovation to convert to BnB because each room has its own facilities. For my room, that translates to three separate nooks for the toilet, shower, and washbasin (which is in the main room). It’s cold and rainy here - I have a gas fire and two lovely side chairs with a table set before it. Breakfast was served on tablecloth-covered nicely set individual tables, with the menu of the day freshly printed at each place. Today we had a yogurt and blueberry confit parfait followed by a potato cheese frittata. Yum! 

It’s very walkable into town, and so far it hasn’t been pouring when we wanted to do it. For dinner last night, at the harbor, we had reservations for 7:45 - the only time available - at Fresh & Co at the harbor. I had lobster risotto with peas and sweet corn - fabulous. Just now, for a late lunch, it was pouring, so we drove six miles up to the Lobster Pound (another Alice recommendation I think) for lobster rolls with a view of the Bay. Tonight, a brew pub with small plates. Maybe I’ll have room to eat again by then.

This is all fabulously expensive, but I keep telling myself, “at least it’s cheaper than Iceland!”.