Just checking in

It has been hard to write lately as I do not like to sound gloomy or down and some days it is hard to find bright spots although I do stick by my philosophy that there always is one, at least some small blessing or gift that comes your way.

For now Belle is still with me although how much longer I cannot say. She gets four tramadols a day now to keep her calm and not hurting too much and that is the most the vet says she should have. When this stops controlling her distress, I will have to admit defeat but I have kept her with me for 90 days and some more than I thought I might in July. In between sleeping a great deal she still enjoys her treats and cadging bites when we have dinner--especially watermelon--all the dogs love watermelon!--and meat tidbits. We still go on at least a short and gentle walk most days and then 'yard walk' in the evening--which means Rojo and I get Belle to go with us around the fence on the half acre of our lot that is inside the chain link. Sometimes it is very slow but keeping her moving is important I think. I am sure she has some internal issues besides the arthritis--probably from the Prednisone and maybe the lupus affecting other organs etc. besides her long-term nose situation but I am not going to go into finding out what--she could not take surgery or much in the way of other treatments now and it would just prolong things for her which would be selfish of me. She will tell or show me when it is time. Meanwhile each day is a small gift but also sad.

I'm writing--turned in three stories during the past six weeks and working on some more to include a long-postponed Gwynn Morgan novel, the third of the Copper Stars Trilogy that fell to the back burner shortly after I lost Jim. He'd helped me with them and was an inspriation for them so it was hard to pick the threads up and continue but I want to do this now. I've withdrawn the other two from Mundania so I can reissue them with some minor revisions when the third one is done. Deirdre was born out of the writer's block that hit me after my Biggest fan and long term crit and brainstorming partner and tech advisor was gone. She's done well and I still enjoy that but want to get Gwynn's worok going again too. It has been long enough!

Fall is here--still mild but no longer blazing hot. Many beautiful sunsets and sunrises. I am up well before the sun most days and get to enjoy that lovely time of the day. The hummers seem to be gone; only bees on the feeders now. I have taken one down and will get the other soon, clean and pack them away until next season. But my roses are blooming very well--for only about 6 months they are doing fabulous! I did take pictures and will try to share them soon.

For now, hasta luego and bright blessings to one and all!