Well yesterday, Friday, had a cool adventure for me. One of my
eye sockets was tearing a lot lately and Mike decided that I should go see Dr. Jim. So, Mike took what he calls a “Comfort Day” off from work and made an appointment for me to go yesterday. However, Mike was called for job interview yesterday so what should have been a fast run into town to see Dr. Jim, turned out to be an all-day event. Now, I really did not mind because I get to ride in the back of the truck in a nice comfortable travel crate, with a padded floor. Now, that is a lot better than riding in a dog truck to mushing sites.Moreover, I am going to visit Dr. Jim. Since no one told the rest of the dogs what was happening, Lakota and girls were curious as to where I was going when we left.
It was a nice day to be outside, so I did not feel bad that my buddies were going to be in the kennel all day. Now, Sky and Stormy are having a bit of a problem. I am not too sure what is causing the problem, but Sky has been picking on Stormy. Stormy is smaller than Sky so she does not fare too well. Stormy may be causing some of it because she likes to play jump at us and sometimes that does not go over well. Therefore, since I was going to be gone all day, Mike put Stormy into my kennel, which I share with her anyway. The other dogs were in the bigger kennel
Well it turns out that I have a small ulcer in my eye cavity that was causing all of the tearing. So, Dr. Jim gave me a local anesthetic and cleaned up the eye cavity. He also gave Mike and Mary some medication for them to put onto the artificial eye to help heal. Now, if you have been keeping track of my adventures, you will know that after I had my eye surgery I gave Mike and Mary a lot of trouble when they try to get my eye medication in. Well, at that time I was in a strange place which people I did not know. I really was not sure what they were doing. But now, after living with them for nearly 5 years, I know that they are only trying to help me heal. When Mike told me to sit, I sat so he could open my eyelids very gently so Mary could squirt the medication in it. I did not fight with them. In fact, the medicine felt pretty darn good. You know, sometimes these humans are really good at taking great care of us pooches.
I hope you like the pictures. Mike told me there are pictures of us
in the clinic and others taken outside by the trees. Well the tree shows had to wait until after the trees and I became “good friends.” Dr. Jane joined us and I believe that there is a picture of her with Dr. Jim and me.After the picture session and when Dr. Jim finished with my eye cavity, Mike might put me back into the truck and I head him and Mary talk about going to McDonald's for lunch. That made me very excited because I know that when they go to McDonald's I get freedom fries (Mike refuses to call them French fries!). There is only one thing I like better than McDonald's fries. Do you know what that is? Hamburgers! Now I would bet you thought frankfurters or hot dogs. Well at one-time you would be right, but my tastes have “grown up” and I love hamburgers. So, when Mary said she was going to throw in a hamburger with my fries because I was really good at Dr. Jim's clinic, I got really excited.
Unfortunately, it was not in the cards for me to have fries and a hamburger. It seems that the McDonald's that Mike and Mary always went to when they lived in Anchorage was closed for remodeling. Bummer!!
Mike and Mary had one more stop to make before we headed back to our home. They made that and before long, we were back on the road. Unless there are other dogs traveling with me, I tend is take naps when I travel in the back of trucks. I mean I cannot look out the window, can I? Therefore, there is really nothing to interest me. If Lakota was with me, we would talk and trade trails stories. However, he was back in the kennel, loafing in his is big doghouse, watching the world go by.
When we got home, the girls were all questions about where I went, what I did and what I ate. I smiled and told them nothing! It was my day with Mike and Mary. I visited my good friend Dr. Jim and met his associate Dr. Jane. For your information, Dr. Jim, is the doctor that made be pain-free, the same Dr. Jim that makes cameo appearances in our books and Christmas stories.
Well, that is about it for my adventure yesterday. As for Mike's interview, he said he felt he did well. He gave it his best shot so only time will tell. He told me it is a job that he would really like to and felt he could do well. He also would be able to help many people. All that is good for all those people who would benefit from them hire Mike. What interested me was that he told me he would be 6 miles and 20 minutes closer to home. You know what that means? We would get 20 extra minutes of the ear rubs each day!
Outside of yesterday's adventure, it has been somewhat quiet around here at the Howlin’ Rivers Home. The temperatures are in the high 30s which means that there is no more snow or very little of it. It is still a bit icy on the trails. If there is no ice then there is mud, rocks and dirt, which means poor trail conditions. As of right now, nobody knows where the Iditarod will restart. From what Lakota told me, Wasilla looks like “break up.” If that is true and we do not get a lot of snow shortly, the restart may be in Willow.
We have not heard much from Lt. Tony and his team in Iraq. I know he is very busy and I do hope that you will continue to send all those in the war zone your prayers and best wishes. Please do not forget the cards and notes. They do wonders for our military personnel who are a way from home.
Something smells very good. Wait a minute, it is time for chow. Smells like Mary is cooking up something special for us tonight. Now I know you would not what me to miss my chow time, would ya?
Take care
Rivers
