the reason I love jamaica plain

is that, when walking carver, an old hippie grandma will pull her mini van over, get out of the car, and give carver a reiki treatment on the street!

its been a tough couple of weeks. e and I have been seeing a shift in carver-sleeping a little longer, and more deeply, not wanting to walk much at all, panting with his lungs sounding full. we have been preparing for the last stage of carver's life. the congestion propted us to make an appointment with dr walker, which is tomorrow afternoon. I am afraid of what we might find tomorrow, but the truth will be better than this constant wondering.

so anyway, carver didn't walk to walk this morning-not even over to the tree for a pee. I came home early from work, put carver's jacket on him, and headed out into the yard. we did the usual laying around in the yard. once we got back out onto the street, carver bolted across over to the parking lot, then up the hill! having left the house without the leash, I attatched the lanyardy thing I keep my keys onto his harness, and we walked the loop of parkton. it was on the top of the street that we met the hippie lady. we also saw rory, carver's greyhound friend, and a couple of nice neighbors. it was a cheery surprise, and a delight to see carver having so much fun and full of beans!

looking toward the future, I did find a vet that makes house calls, and we have enchanged wonderful emails that are full of compassion and kindness. she is also affordable, which many of the home visit vets I first found were not. so I am relieved to have this option in place. I think tomorrow will be carver's last visit with dr. walker-(e's car broke down for good last week, and he is 45 minutes away-we had to rent a car to go tomorrow). unless there is an emergency, that we will try to take care of carver at home.