It hadn’t snowed much since yesterday, so the shoveled path was clear. The other dogs were happy to see me and get fed, but Frodo was still in his house. I fished him out again, took him inside, and ended up stuffing him in a plastic kennel and leaving him in the house while I went to the hospital. The staff there is very friendly, and they have been really good to Elliot and his mom.
On my way out, I went to the bathroom. While I was in there, this little girl was in the stall next to me, humming and singing and swinging her feet. Her mom kept prodding her to finish up, but she was clearly running on her own time. I walked out of my stall a minute or so after her, and she looked up at me from her sink and said, “You’re in the wrong bathroom. You have to go to the boys’ bathroom.” Her mom said, “No, Ariel, that’s not right.” She mouthed, “Sorry,” to me before she left. I swear, is it me, or is it this place?
By the time I got back home from the hospital, it was dark and too late to call the vet. I took Frodo out and let him walk across the kitchen floor. He limped along on his poor foot but not as bad as before. His stench almost had a visible aura to it, so I stuck him in the kitchen sink and washed him up with shampoo. I rinsed several gallons of dirty water down the drain before he was even close to clean. He peed in the sink, so I figured we were good for the night on bathroom breaks. I wonder what breed or breeds were mixed in with Scottie. Beagle? Dachshund? Something short, anyway. He eyed me suspiciously as I cleaned out the kennel and lined it with an old towel, and when I tried to put him there later, he ran into the bedroom and curled up at the foot of my dad’s bed. Hmm. He was behaving so I left him out.
I thought about Ton-Ton, and I thought even more about Jodie. What would be non-lame enough of an excuse to call her?
February 5, 2013
Frodo woke up before me, peed in the kitchen, and crapped on the carpet in the living room. Ugh. What was I thinking?
I called the vet, and she said to give it a day or two and come in during walk-in hours if there wasn’t a huge improvement.
February 8, 2013
I check on Elliot at the hospital every day. He has not been more than shouting distance from his mom since the day she went in. I asked him if there was anyone to call, family, church? But he said, “Nope. I’m the only one she has left.”
I have been going to the library in the afternoons, and I see Jodie there a lot. She gave me her number in case I needed help, and I am trying hard to not read anything into her kindness. I mean, her dad was there when she gave me her number. It is hard, though, because she is so cute. She looks like one of those cowgirl calendar girls, you know, with the wholesome smile, like they just drank a glass of milk and helped a kid tie their shoelaces. Only, Jodie seems to have an edge to her. I think about her a lot. And I am starting to feel isolated and out of touch with my friends. I texted a few friends back in Seattle but only got one of them on the line for a few minutes. My phone kept cutting out. Did Dad feel this lonely?
Oh, Frodo is doing fine. Guess who has a new house pet? Yep, I took him in and the vet said it would be risky putting him back outside in this cold after having him inside for so long. He is a good dog, though. Hasn’t “made” in the house since that first night. Vet thinks he’s about seven. He was neutered when Dad took him in about three years ago. He likely has a bad sprain, so he just needs time.
February 9, 2013
I went into Boise, and Nate got me set up for the part time gig with his radio station. It will be pretty close to the same thing I’m doing for the non-profit. This is great! They found a house they liked, but it already had an offer on it. They may end up waiting for spring, when most people put houses on the market.
A website I worked on last year finally paid me for my services! I didn’t think they would ever pay, so it was a complete surprise. Perfect timing. Dad has enough food, good food, around here for about twenty years, but I am getting a little tired of jams and crackers. Everything else has to be thawed or cooked in the slow cooker. And I was getting low on gas money. Liv would kill me, but I bought three bags of Combos – one pizza, one cheddar, and one regular, whatever that means, when I picked up a few things at the store. I got a gargantuan Mountain Dew from the convenient store on the way home and then I passed out on the couch. I’m sure the two things aren’t related, though.
Also, I cannot stop thinking about Ton-Ton. Was there more to her than I remember? It is driving me crazy.
February 10, 2013
Elliot’s mom passed away this morning. I found him sitting on the curb of the
