Saturday, September 05, 2009

come again any day


Friday was a great day. Too great to let it pass without recording it.


I have mentioned several times that Jiggs's back legs seem to degenerate day by day.

Last week, his veterinarian decided to try an injected steroid treatment. One shot Friday a week ago. One shot yesterday.


Shot one did not seem to do much. But Jiggs was markedly better today.


We went for a walk in the afternoon. Most of his recent walks have been rather brief.


Today was a marathon. We walked along a good portion of the Melaque beach, and he insisted on walking in the surf.


The day we arrived in Melaque, we took the same walk. When he tried his first walk in the surf, it pulled his legs from under him and almost sucked him back into the next wave. He has generally avoided the surf line since then.


Not today. He headed straight for the surf edge, and walked the entire beach that way. Almost as if he needed to let everyone on the beach know he was back -- and he was ready. Not a dog or person escaped at least an attempt by Jiggs the Beach Greeter to say hello.


Was it the injection? Maybe.


But going and coming from Manzanillo, I had the air conditioner running. We also took an hour driving around Barra de Navidad looking at potential houses for rent.


In addition to his car-cooling, when we arrive home, the weather changed from clear to sprinkles. Whenever we get rain, the temperature seems to drop.


Whatever it was, he was in top form. Top form enough that he insisted on a late night walk.


Jiggs and I seem to have the same experience with weather in Melaque. This tropical heat is tough. My cousin, Danny, who has lived most of his adult life in tropical regions, warned me that heat can affect both body and mind.


And he is correct. I have been amazed how the heat almost makes me feel -- depressed is not the correct word -- maybe, oppressed. I wake up every morning feeling as if someone has been sitting on my chest.


But the moment the sky clouds over and the rain starts, I return to my usual bright and chipper personality -- where I am prosaically perfect in every way in this best of all possible worlds.


This sojourn by the sea has taught me one very important lesson about myself. I cannot adapt to every situation. But it has also taught me that I can change the circumstances.


As soon as I find a house for my winter stay in Melaque, I need to start looking where Jiggs and I are going to live in the highlands -- as we continue the adventure.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

so happy to hear that you and jiggs had such a great day on friday! sounds like it was a great one for a lot of us. thank you for the prayers for matt. we are so excited about his internship-nyc is a dream come true for him. we all love that city! now if i could only convince steve that we should go to the east coast for thanksgiving. it's been years since we've shared any holiday with family.

i have 2 more long walks, 10 today and 8 tomorrow, then we start winding down and getting some rest. i can hardly believe the 3 day is under a week away.

have a super weekend and i hope jiggs will continue to enjoy the surf.

teresa

Unknown said...

I love mountain living. Best of luck with the heat. We are having unusual warm weather in Tegu, with our temps topping in the 90s. Yesterday was horrible with high humidity. Tried to fix lunch for 150 kids, and I was beat by the heat.

Babs said...

It's in the difficult and unpleasant times that it seems we learn the most about ourselves. So, addit up as a "learning experience". We're all ready to receive you in the highlands. It's 51 here right now. I'm in socks and a heavy robe. I think I need to get the fall/winter clothes out. It MIGHT get into the 70's..and raining.

Anonymous said...

i really think it's the heat combined with the humidity that oppresses us so much. i lived for four years in death valley and three years in the everglades and the 'glades were much more oppressive to my mind and body.

you'll recall that there was a popular theory several years ago that the Civil War in the US would never have happened if the South had just had air-conditioning. cooler heads (literally) would have prevailed.

barb

canadiangrl said...

I am so glad to hear that both of you had a great day Steve! The highlands sounds like a good fit for both of you. May today be another too great of a day without recording! Take care.

GlorV1 said...

It's great to know Jiggs is doing better, unlike me who was feeling tired, sluggish and weak as of late, but better now too. He looks pretty good. A big hello to Jiggs. Have a great holiday weekend.

Larry Prater said...

I hate to keep repeating myself, but keep Morelos in mind. We are a three hour drive from Acapulco, and once or twice a year is enough of that. We are one hour from Mexico City, where all things good and bad are, wonderful theater and music and museums. And fifteen minutes from Cuernavaca, with great shopping and too much traffic and too many people. But it is good to be close to these things, but not in the midst of them. And the weather here is truly wonderful, never hot and never cold. Each day is wonderful. Our ten dogs and seven cats agree.

Anonymous said...

Moving to the highlands, eh, laddie?
You'd better be scouting around fur kilts then.

A. N. Moose

Steve Cotton said...

Teresa -- Today was not such a good day for Jiggs. I may have let him do too much. We will see what tomorrow brings. Tell your Steve from this Steve that Thanksgiving on the east coast sounds like a good idea.

Laurie -- I have lived in some hot climates, but nothing like this. Live and learn.

Babs -- 51 sounds delightful. That is t-shirt and shorts weather for me.

Gloria -- Sorry to hear you are under the weather. Jiggs joined you that way today. It was not a good day for him. I could not even interest him in a ride in the air-conditoned truck.

Larry -- Morelos is still in the mix. But Jennifer Rose has convinced me that I need to make a choice before too long.

A, Moose -- (My suggestion for your next appellation reduction.) These highlands make our little home town seem as cold as Nome. Well, usually.

BoBo's Mom said...

Thanks for sharing Jiggs' great day with us. I was in Manzanillo same time last year so I've experienced that heat. Imagine wearing a mink coat around all day...that's probably how he feels.

jennifer rose said...

Steve, SMA has your name on it. Emblazoned on a marquee, even.

Steve Cotton said...

BoBo's Mom -- Even though his coat is growing ut, it is a bit more like suede. But still hot. Today was really tough on him.

Jennifer Rose -- Is that what the "S" in "SMA" stands for? Steve?

Anonymous said...

I have no clue why you and Professor Jiggs continue to live where you have to endure such dreadful heat. You are in control of your life and I would just pack up and go somewhere where it is cooler. You will not have relief from the heat until mid November. By then the life will be sweated out of you both. You need cooler weather and more interaction with others. You aren't living you are merely surviving. Go for it!!

Steve Cotton said...

Anonymous -- Jiggs and I have a house-sitting obligation through mid-December. We will keep that commitment. In the interim, we are learning a lot about ourselves. And that is one of the joys of life.

Islagringo said...

San Cristobal de las Casas? A smaller town? Try Jalapa, Veracruz.

Steve Cotton said...

Islagringo -- For the moment, I want to audition the colonial towns that will make drives north a little easier.

Steve Cotton said...

Canadiangirl -- Sorry. I missed your post. Yes. The highlands do sound like a good match. We shall see.

Barb -- I also now understand why people are not in a rush to get things done around here.