My visit with Pat, Oscar and Sally

SHE dropped me off in Millinocket last Wednesday.  The first thing that happened is that she and Pat disappeared for a while.  Turns out they went out to dinner.  Not only didn't they take me, but they didn't bring me anything back.  Oscar the cat was here.  He's ok, except I didn't like it when he went into the bathroom while she was using it and I got left outside.  I told him what for when they came out.  I think Oscar understood.  He knows that when I am there I am the boss.  Also I didn't like it when he tried to get HER to pat him.  I'm the only one who's supposed to get my tummy rubbed.  Oscar can sit on Pat's lap if he wants.

Pat took good care of me.  Sally came over to see me before SHE left for convention and I was so glad to see her.  Sally cooks me an egg when I come to visit.  Pat walked me down to Sally's house and I stayed there while Pat and her son went out to lunch.  I got my egg. Yummy.

I heard HER tell both Pat and Sally that I was on a diet and that they were not to give me treats.  What a bummer.  Nobody told the ladies at church on Sunday, though, so I got some nice dog biscuits from the people who sit across the aisle from Sally.  They remembered how much I like that.  Someone brought up the fact that I used to hide dog biscuits around the church just in case somebody forgot to bring some.  Sally laughed at the time the cloth over the altar was moving.  It was just me retrieving a biscuit at the Tuesday morning service.

We were both tired Sunday night when we got home and I didn't even feel like eating anything.  Maybe the diet is working.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Isabelle Sleeping on Pillow

She snapped this picture of me this morning.  We had a very busy weekend and I need my beauty rest.  First we drove to Millinocket to spend the night with Pat because SHE had to do "supply" for Nancy at Brownville Junction and Dover-Foxcroft.  Pat is getting forgetful, although she still likes to take me for walks.  She forgot to buy me some treats, so I had to eat some of Oscar's.  Oscar is Pat's cat.  We're friends now.  We greet each other by rubbing noses.  I don't chase him any more.  It's way too much work and he is much younger and can jump up high.

SHE decided we needed to spend another night at Pat's house, and they all went out to dinner, but I didn't get to go.  I sulked under the coffee table.  I have to guard the house, so I didn't sleep well.  Also it was hot until yesterday.  I did get some bacon for breakfast though, two pieces.  We stopped at some place in Bangor on our way home where SHE met with some people who are doing something called a search.  Then we drove home.  She is trying to get me to eat kibble again.  It's ok for a snack, but give me people food any day.  PLEASE.

Today it's nice and sunny and not too hot.  I really don't like hot.  Sometime SHE has to put a wet towel on my head and back when I pant a lot.  I'm not panting right now.

A Long Drive to the Northwoods

SHE took me to Millinocket to visit my friend Pat.  Pat is a bit forgetful, but she loves me a lot and I like going for walks with her.  I also got to spend an afternoon with Sally who cooked me an egg and let me lie on her nice cool grass.

SHE complained that black flies bit her, but they didn't bother me at all.  SHE and Pat were very sad because a good friend of theirs died.  The woman was a minister like SHE is, but I guess Congregational is a different kind of church.  The woman minister just loved Millinocket and planned to retire there with her husband.  I guess God had a different idea.  She was only in her early 60s.  We didn't know she had diabetes and had had polio as a girl, so I guess her body was not too strong.

SHE says Lyn's heart was a big as the country around Millinocket.  It was Lyn who knew who needed what in town, and she knew more about how to help abused women than just about anybody.  She also knew who to go to for money to help people.  SHE also says the town has no idea yet how much she will be missed.  I do remember that that Lyn always had a nice scritch for me, but she was a cat lady.  She was most proud of her Maine Coon Cat.  It was bigger than me.

A Note from Her:  I still haven't processed Lyn's death.  Whenever I went to Millinocket to see Pat, Lyn and Milton would be invited over for drinks and hors d'oeuvres and sometimes they joined us for dinner afterwards.  The conversations were far-ranging stimulating. She was truly my sister-in-Christ and I miss her.  She had completed the work for a D. Min. and would have received her degree the week after she died.  The seminary awarded it to her posthumously and had her hood encased in a display box.  Her classmates made sure there was an empty chair for Lyn at the ceremony. Part of the reason her memorial service was so long was the degree and hood were awarded a second time for her congregation to see.  I know it won't be the same for me to go up there.  Pat will miss her pastor very much too,

Prayer:
Gracious and Loving God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with Milton, and Pat and Lyn's congregation in their grief.  Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. (adapted from the BCP, 494)

Pat and Isabelle

Baxter Peak and the Knife Edge Trail on Maine's Mount Katahdin.  from Wikimedia Commons (Greg Neault)

My mommy and I drove to Millinocket which is north of here a long way near that mountain.  We stayed with one of my favorite people, Pat. Unfortunately Oscar the cat lives there now.  He and I have come to an agreement.  I won't chase him unless he asks.  We greet each other briefly by touching noses and then try to stay out of each other's way.  I got my own plate of Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, potatoes, squash, peas and stuffing with a bit of gravy)  I ate some of everything, but left most of the peas.  I only like fresh peas, thank you.

We stayed in the apartment so I wouldn't have to do stairs.  That's how I met Pat.  She rented us the apartment behind her kitchen when we moved to Millinocket.  Our house wasn't ready because the wife of the former priest was still living there.  The first weekend SHE had to go to Bangor because one of the people in her church hit a moose and was very sick.  I stayed with Pat in her part of the house and we became fast friends.  It took my mommy a lot longer to become friends.  Pat came with us on our last trip across the country.  We had so much fun.  Pat really liked seeing Teddy Roosevelt National Park and Glacier and Crater Lake and especially the Grand Canyon.  I liked having two beds to choose from at night and getting only people food.

Yesterday morning we left Millinocket very early.  It was still dark.  I recognized the doggie hospital when we got there and refused to come out of the car.  Alas, SHE is bigger than I am and finally managed to corner me and pick me up.  I showed her.  I peed on the floor of the hospital.  Then they took me inside.  I haven't seen my mommy since.  They put me to sleep and now I am very groggy.  They say I have to stay here three nights.  I want my mommy!!

UPDATE: (10 am)  I'm awake and able to walk around.  My doctor didn't think I could.  They don't know what a strong dog I really am. Now if they would only take this funny clear tube out of my leg.  They tell me it's so I won't hurt and they'll take it out tonight.  I hate being in a cage, but I need to sleep so that's all for now.