almost as good for the soul

Like a buzzing bee, I can’t pass by a flower without deeply inhaling its scent, my nose an accidental bearer of pollen as it moves to the next petalled beauty. Do bees reel in delight at the feast for the senses as I do? Or are they merely mindless workers, intent on their task. I close my eyes and imagine hot buttered toast dripping with honey and pause in amazement at the bee’s sweet feat.

We’ve started Bella on the preznadone and the improvement has been marked. Her breathing is calmer and she has her old cheerful demeanour back. Her back legs are still weak from the terrible two days she spent. It’s been like a miracle. Our fingers are crossed that she’ll be with us for another few months, but the grim reality has been exposed… she’s an old dog and the future does not stretch out long for her. Sadly for Kabira, who is likely to follow her quickly as I’m sure her grief will be deep.

Perhaps I feel saddest for the dogs that will be left behind. They’ve been a close family, and even Spike, the little devil, is always with her when they are outside. The vet day, when Bella was doing so poorly, he lay beside her with his head resting on her - this is not a normal pose for him.

Yesterday I gave her a dose of the anti-anxiety drug and loaded the three dogs into the backseat of the truck for a ride. She was calm, more so than usual, with no panting, so we decided that she can come to the Titanium gathering.

I’ve been loading the camper, washing cupboards and closets as I go. On their trips outside today it has been difficult to pry them away from side of the truck. They suspect the upcoming camp!

“Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer.”
~Dean Koontz