Yesterday was not the kind of day I would have chosen, but I chose to deal with it with a positive attitude and with the determination to make it a great day despite a worried and heavy heart.

This morning appears and feels brighter but that could be my cockeyed optimism. The season is adjusting toward the autumn months and though I seldom complain about weather, I do prefer the late spring and summer months. The high school buses are now arriving about fifteen minutes later than in previous years, now belching out the students at around 7:15 AM. Yesterday afternoon, the buses also departed closer to 3:20 PM rather than just past 3:10 PM. Although the bus schedules do not affect me, they do become a part of my routine, even if from a distance.

Yesterday, what should have been a more celebratory setting at The Haasienda, was clamped with an emotional cloud due to concerns with Erma’s health. Her fourth Gotcha Day was spent with me attending her while she anxiously paced, panted, and moved in circles. Only when I laid on my study floor with my arm around her or my hand on her did she calm her anxiety. Still, her tail wagged when I spoke to her and she did eat her kibble and drank a healthy amount of water. By 8:30 PM, Thursday evening, she had ceased pacing and panting and laid down in the hall in her usual place.

Last night at midnight, I let Erma and The Sisters out to potty. Erma seemed to treat it more as a game than a necessity. I had to coax her down the steps, of which she seemed unsure, and she went to the yard to complete her business. As I again coaxed her, she seemed hesitant to return up the steps, but treated it more as a game, her tail wagging furiously. Finally, I lifted her up the steps and thought she moved in circles a number of times, she came inside and returned to her bed.

Throughout the night, I checked on Erma, mostly to see if her respirations continued. I was relieved each time I saw the rise and fall of her abdomen. Several times I joined her on the floor for some shared loving.

Since my London Boys have Wifi-free Friday (though Joshua does cheat) we did not Zoom and I allowed myself to sleep another forty-five minutes, rising from my bed at 7:30 AM. The other three rose to the occasion of our morning ritual of pets, hugs, kisses, and “I love yous,” but Erma remained poised, Sphynx-like; generally, she’s in the middle of all the loving and then positions herself so she is the first to leave the gate for breakfast. This morning, Chief, Bailey, and Harrigan rushed to their food. Erma remained in her bed. I asked if she wanted to eat and received a tail-wagging response. With more difficulty than yesterday or these past four years, she carefully and slowly rose, walked to the kitchen, and aimed her nose at the bowl. A few times she attempted to move away from her bowl but I encouraged her to eat, and she did. Upon eating her food, she moved to the water bowl and drank a healthy amount of water.

After the other three had completed their morning potty business in the yard, Erma moved down the steps upon my command and pottied. Upon her return to the deck steps, she seemed hesitant to come back up but she did. She has already visited me once to show her love and is now laying a few feet away from me in her normal spot on the deck.

While there is improvement there is still some concern. I am pleased to see she is more alert, eating, drinking water, and wagging that precious tail.

8:30 AM is my designated writing time this morning and since I had devoted time to Erma on Thursday, I am hoping to accomplish much this day.

Make it a great day!

PHOTO & VIDEO OF ERMA.