This is what happens when you're sitting in the garden after lunch and wondering, "What would it look like to take a photo through the bottom of my water glass?"
As you can see, I clearly did not have enough to do yesterday. I read an entire New Yorker and part of my current book, Edmund White's exploration of Paris called "The Flâneur." But otherwise I mostly just sat with the dog, who seems to be struggling a bit. I am taking her back to the vet today after all, to get her breathing evaluated and perhaps some medicine to help her breathe easier. Even though the vet said last week that her heart is OK, I'm convinced she's slowly developing heart failure -- she's occasionally coughing and breathing heavily, seems to be retaining some fluid, and doesn't want to move around much. I remember with our other old dog, Ruby, that we got some medicine to make the heart pump more strongly and that did her a world of good, so I'm hoping for the same for Olga.
It's astonishing to me now that we walked all the way through the neighborhood housing estate less than a month ago, because now I can barely get her to walk out the front door. I'm hoping I can get her to the vet without having to carry her. She's a lot of dog to carry.
In a stunningly unfortunate example of bad timing, Dave is leaving this morning for a conference in the USA. He'll be gone all week. We had a talk yesterday about Olga and the fact that I may have to make decisions if she worsens while he's gone, though I think it's unlikely things will get that desperate that quickly. (Knock on wood!) Anyway, he told me to do whatever I have to do.
Ugh.
On a brighter note, I went into town yesterday evening to meet up with some visiting friends, Alan and Greg, who I haven't seen in years. I went to high school with Alan, and aside from our 20th reunion in 2004, I haven't seen him much since graduation in 1984. And I went to college with his husband Greg, who I definitely haven't seen since 1987 or so. Greg and I were involved in the LGBTQ+ student group on campus. It's just a fluke that these two guys I knew independently of each other wound up getting married.
And now they have a 16-year-old son, Derek, who I met for the first time. We had a great dinner full of reminiscing at a Brazilian place in Chinatown -- yes, there's a Brazilian place in Chinatown, for some reason -- and we exchanged stories and memories and probably bored poor Derek to death.
As Sandy Denny sang, "Who knows where the time goes?"
Indeed, who knows where the time goes. It just does, Steve. If you dwell on it at any one time for too long it can frighten the s..t out of you. Best to just accept it - not that there is a choice. You know those timers? Sand. Oh dear. Even when still a young child it gave me the shivers to watch the flow of that sand. Relentless. And then it's done. The egg that is.
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Poor Olga....I hope that the vet can help her. What you need is one of those dog " pushchairs"
ReplyDeleteOld Welsh saying..
ReplyDelete"Hêd Amser, meddai...na....Erys Amser...Dyn a â " "Time flies, they say...no...Time Stays..it is Man who goes"
Things do feel as if they come around in ten or twenty year cycles. Good to catch up with friends.
Hope you can ease Olga's breathing. You know what is happening...but hopefully it can be gently x
Who knows where the time goes? It's forty seven years since Sandy Denny died.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture of the glass. Only a creative genius could think of such a thing...oh and you of course!
It's enlivening to catch up with old friends - their children learn to put up with it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Dexter before we had the vet come to the house to help Dexter "over the rainbow"...damn , that was sad. He had congestive heart failure - all of the symptoms of Olga's. - Shit-
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to see old friends and son who likely was not bored at all. I am jealous, i would love to have heard those tales!
It doesn't matter what the sexuality of parents are, parents will still bore their children to death. I enjoy following https://www.facebook.com/twodadsinlondon
ReplyDeleteThat's a great colourful street scene, and the glass view is so unique. Very imaginative!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that Olga is not doing so well. I hope you are not alone when the time comes.
The glass photo is a wonder. I’m glad you had nothing better to do. I wonder if you go tot a Brazilian neighborhood for Chinese food. My heart is with you and Dave, and Olga.
ReplyDeleteHope the vet can offer some relief, and that she finds her strength again soon
ReplyDeleteThat's great that you got to spend some time with some old friends. It is indeed a fluke that two guys you knew separately ended up together. I am sorry to read about Olga. I hope that she can make it to the vet okay. I cannot imagine carrying her!
ReplyDeleteCan the vet do a home visit? Or maybe a pet uber will be needed. I hope she gets some relief.
ReplyDeleteI'm sending best wishes for Olga. Having been there so many times with old dogs I know how hard it is. Let's hope the vet has a good idea.
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How serendipitous of Alan and Greg to end up together. It makes for very efficient visiting now when you can see them both together!
ReplyDeleteI’m glad school’s out for you and you can spend this time with Olga.
I hope things go well for Olga at the vet today. Ginger declined in the same way (suspected heart failure) and it seemed to come on suddenly and worsen quickly.
ReplyDeleteI hate that sweet Olga is having a hard time, but I know she's getting lots of love and the very best care. I hope the vet can make her more comfortable and give her some more good time.
Hugs to you both. Especially you, because this is a hard thing you're dealing with. xx
Olga gets all love and gets all love so I'm hoping all goes well at the vet.
ReplyDeleteI'm always stunned when I meet up with old friends after a few ... many? ... years and find their kids grown and in college when they were toddlers just the other day!
I'm glad Olga is going to the vet (and hope she can make the walk or most of it -- she is a lot to carry.) That would be tough, with Dave gone, if decisions have to be made so I'm thinking positive thoughts for helpful medications. A win-win for all. Your Chinatown photo is great. We only saw parts at night and I wondered what the lanterns would look like in a bright sky. Now I know (and lovely!) I'm glad you had a good catch-up.
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