We are still planning to move sometime in July. My daughter Jane looked at some possible rentals when she was in town yesterday. She found several with 2 or 3 bedrooms that will accept our pets. I'm not sure about the 14 chickens. We are going to fudge a little about the number of cats. We have cats in four colors so we are only going to declare four cats and never let anyone see more than one at a time in any one color. Or maybe we could dye them all alike. Jane did that once when she was going to college. She had a black cat and rescued two more that she dyed black. They actually came out a little purple, but she never got called on it.
Jane and I are hoping to find a place with a big yard so we can still have a garden. She looked at a house not far from the area my first husband bought a beer bar with the money we made on our house. It would be my last choice of a place to live. This house is a bungalow that has the usual kitchen and living room, two good-sized bedrooms, an office, a front porch and a small garage. The catch is that it has another house where the back yard should be. And the cost is at least $200 more than we can afford. We can't settle on a house for another month anyhow.
Jane is going to transplant what she has growing here into containers and move them with us. Her optimism is catching, and I feel better about the move, but I am going to miss the wide-open spaces out here something fierce. I'm hoping we can find a place on the outskirts of El Cajon where we have our credit union and do our monthly shopping now. Everything is a lot more expensive down there by the coast than out here, but Jane thinks she can earn more money. I hope so. I'll contribute all I can but I'm mostly a hindrance along for the ride.
Jane was amazed yesterday to see a lot of renovating of streets, water lines, sewer lines etc. being done in San Diego because San Diego is on the verge of bankruptcy like the rest of the state. All this work must be funded by federal stimulus money. The funding propositions on the ballot last week did not pass. Conditions are very bad for public employees right now. I am worried about my son and his wife who are both teachers in Los Angeles. He is nearing retirement age and I'm thinking they might make him retire early. We don't communicate much so I don't know how badly that would affect them. At least he has paid for his oldest son to finish at the University at Irvine. They have been wonderful parents.
Monday I am going to have to take my poor old dog Sherpa to the pound to be put down. She can't get up on all four feet without help. I have a sling I put around her belly to help her along. We could go on that way, but she suffers a lot of pain from her bad joints in spite of her being on food with chondroitan etc. And much of the time she seems confused and seems to forget why she wanted to get up on her feet in the first place. When I get her on her feet she veers off the wrong way and has to be turned around. She is lying on a soft dog blanket behind me now. I gave her a treat of some canned Pedigree a while ago and she ate it all with enjoyment. I guess I have fed her too well and she has put on weight so maybe I am to partly to blame for her condition.
I acquired Sherpa two and a half years ago from friends who had become homeless. For quite a while those two very large people slept in the cab of their 4-cyl Ford pickup. I had known them all for at least five years. Sherpa was too old and frail for such a life and was contented to live with me. I called Lia and she is going to meet me to go along while Sherpa is put to sleep. The pound gives a a tranquilizer shot first followed by a lethal shot that will end its life. Lia and I are going to be weeping all over each other. I always liked Sherpa and have come to love her for her gracious good behavior. She is a dead ringer for a wild coyote, except for the tail action and her genial demeanor. She has always been a good and wise girl. Lia and her husband had another dog about her size but younger. It was a brash dog that was always chasing my cats. He did himself in when he didn't know enough to back off from a rattlesnake and got bitten on the nose.
I wish I had a picture to show you of Jane's year old puppy Sasha. She sleeps on the overstuffed couch that has been covered with a thick khaki colored comforter. Right now she is lying on her back with her hind feet in the air pointing north, but her head is pointed south. Her front paws are folded down demurely. She gets into positions that would put a pretzel to shame, but she always looks enormously comfortable. I wish I could write a poem or a song about 'nothing looking more comfortable than a puppy on the couch'.
I drove down to the neighboring little town of Jacumba today and deposited our trashy garbage in the landlord's dumpster. Then I went to the library and picked up some books I had requested, and I also found some mail in our postal box back in Boulevard. The sky was full of great big thunderclouds. It rained somewhere but not on us. It is very, very dry. Some neighbors have rented a bulldozer and have cleared most of the growth for the 100 feet around houses that is advised. I hope we move before a wildfire comes our way.
On most Saturday nights I watch PBS, but they are having another fundraiser going on. I already give as much as I can. I usually don't like these special programs, but tonight they have a special about big bands of the 30s and 40s so I may watch that.
Enough rambling! As the San Fernando Valley girls always say - I hope you all had a nice day.
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Comments: 21
Oh I hate to move. I hope you find a real nice place. PBS fundrasers are such a drag, though I never tire of "Alone in the Wilderness" about Dick Preneky ( spelling is off I know) who built the cabin in the Alaska WIlderness and lived there until he was in his 80s
I enjoyed reading this about your up coming move.
I really am sorry that you have to put your dog down. That never easy nor pleasant.
You really have a lot to do. Moving is not fun at all. I am sorry to hear that you will have your dog put down. I know it is painful and you have to have it done. Good luck
I am sorry you have to move from your wide open spaces. Hopefully, you both will get a home just as nice. And all of your cats, color coordinated,lol will be with you.
I am sorry about your dog, Sherba. It is always so hard to lose such a good friend..
Good Luck on your move, let us know!
I am so sorry to hear about Sherpa
Sure hope you find the perfect place and that the move is relatively painless (and permanent!)
I'm glad to read this, Ruth. Sounds like there are some possibilities. I hope it's a good neighborhood, that's so important. How long have you and jane lived out in the open spaces? Times might have changed in towns. If it were me, I'd want the smallest town I could find. But that's me, I'm a small town girl at heart. Funny that I like Twin Falls with 10,000 then but I do. My last was 6,000 but very little shopping and I hate to have to travel to shop. This is a regional shopping center so we have way more shopping than our size warrants and I am used to this already.
Poor Sherpa has earned her rest but you'll miss her. It's nice your friend is coming to say goodbye.
Keep us all in the loop about your move. thinking good thoughts for the perfect place at a price you can afford.
I remember when you got her. Sorry she has to go but you are a loving owner to let her go.
Seems like you just moved, hope all goes well.
Dear Ruth - I'm trying to catch up with you and realized that I'm two posts behind - forgive me - I'm quite busy on this end - working on a range gate today - had to prime it and tomorrow paint it silver -
I am glad you may have found a place and mention you have four cats - dont' worry about that - most never check. More later - I am truly sorry about Sherpa - you gave her many beautiful moments and now her time has come. I know how sad you'll be but you did all you could...I'll be thinking of you and Sherpa. Salud
Hi Mariane -No we haven't found a place yet. We have to wait until July until we can look seriously because we won't have the down payment until then.
Sandy and all - Sherpa's former owner, Lia told me tonight that she hasn't the heart to go with me to put our mutual dog down. She is a cab driver and I thought she could guide me to the pound because I always get lost in that part of town. I guess I'll have to weep alone. Sherpa is so still on the dog bed behind me I wouldn't be surprised if she died naturally in the night. It would be better that way. But I doubt it will happen. I found out that Sherpa had one litter of puppies when she was very young and she is now about 16 years old. We will miss so much. She has always been such a good sweet dog.
Oh Ruth, I feel so bad for you for having to put Sherpa down, I remember when you kept her for those people, I guess we have been reading each other's things for that long now. I hope you find a good place to live, I am worried a bit about myself, and Mark, because Billy is going to go to California sometime this summer, and will help me a bit finacially until Mark gets his SSD, b ut that could take some time, and I'm not sure we could last that long without it here. I sure would miss the comfort of this place and the convenience of everything here, but if Billy goes, we can look into a place for seniors, Mark is 58, and they are just a very bit cheaper and give you heat and hot water. I will miss my dishwasher, I don't think they have them, and I have bad dermatitus on my hands if I put them in water for any lenght of time, well I guess that is not the worst thing that could happen to me. I hope they take cats, lol, just like you, I won't go without them. Yesterday I heard a commotion in the morning, and a sheriff was here and workers were putting some poor young woman' s things on the side walk and parking spaces, and the complex men were putting it in their red pickups and taking it away, I don't know what happened, I have never met her, perhaps they lost their job or something, like Mark, happening a lot. We are managing here, difficult living with a child you haven't lived with for 37 years, but doing my best to keep myself in check. He is immune suppressed so can't do garbage stuff, and washes his hands everytime he touches anything, but he is still alive because of that, and Billy is germaphobic, so he can't touch garbage either, good thing I know how to tie a bag shut so they can carry it out, because I can't lift very much, and my balance is starting to stink, lol. I haven't been on Gather all that much, my life is not how I want it to be, so not writing a lot about it, maybe soon things will Change, I will miss Billy so much when he leaves me, he has been with me now for seven years, but he has to start a live of his own, Take care of yourself Ruth, love you, Elsie
that's a life of his own, lol
Oh Ruth Sherpa is such a good friend isnt there a way?
Thanks for the update Ruth. I've been wondering how you made out trying to find a place to live. I'm sorry about Sherpa, but it is the kind thing to do. When we accept the love and protection and company of our animals, we also become responsible for their comfort and Sherpa is due for a long rest in the realm of her ancestors.
In San Diego while I was rental house hunting, I was finding 3 to 4 houses for sale or in foreclosure on every street. But then there were all those new water, cable, electric lines going in everywhere and lots of new blacktop being laid (all this making me detour and making finding specific addresses even harder.) We could get into a house this weekend for about $1500 rent plus $500 deposit. Supposedly one can get into a rent to own house for that (sounds scary). I feel more confident in my optimism now that I have done a serious look. I think we will end up with choices for our $2000. We really have at least 6 old pets who need putting down but just cannot do that heart break and all the upheaval of a move. Hearts are important too. We will get around to it after we adjust to the new place. As far as the garden goes, the marigolds are going strong in the garden here and will be blooming by the time we leave. I will transplant all the corn/beans/squash and some of the marigolds. Hopefully we can move July 1. In town, I qualify for Kaiser but they will not cover me out here. In town, we have fast internet available. In town, I can get a good second job or make the one I now have a second job but basically I will have choices in jobs for better pay. My medical transcription field is not hurting and I have been doing this since the early 90s. I can always go back to being a secretary too and have done that since 1965 basically and even know real Gregg shorthand - not that anyone uses it anymore with all the dictation/transcription methods available these days. Well here I go to disappear into my transcription world for another couple weeks. I do miss gather but just have not had any time left with trying to up our income for this move. C U all.
"She gets into positions that would put a pretzel to shame" - love this image.
So sorry to hear about Sherpa, Ruth. It is never easy to take one in, but it is very kind, I think, to accept when the time comes and put the dog's feelings and condition first.
Hello Ruth,
I'm glad you are finding some places that suitable for your move. I pray the perfect one will pop up and you'll be able to put that worry to rest. What a hoot, dying all the cats the same color. I can just picture trying to do this to my cats. I'd need those gloves like hawk handlers wear. I'm so sorry you are about to lose the companionship of your dear Sherba. I know all to well how this goes. You know it's for the best but that doesn't lessen the sorrow any. Best wishes on the move.
I am praying for Sherpa to go naturally as Henry and Charley both did - what a blessing that they died naturally - I am sending you thoughts, Ruth and Sherpa. Salud
I'm sorry to hear the news about Sherpa, Ruth. You gave her a good situation when you rescued her. Give yourself credit for the love you shared with her. It sounds like you have a better outlook on the coming move. I have to believe things will work out for the very best for you. Thinking of you.
You've have so many changes ... you are in my prayers. I'm sorry about Sherpa, you have written so beautifully of her -- you have given her good love and life.
Two days after I wrote this have given me hope for Sherpa for a brief time, but tonight I'm thinking I may have to put her down anyway. I wish so much she would die naturally during the next night or two. I guess I should put a time limit on it, if she isn't really better by Thursday I'll drive back to town with her and have her put to sleep.