Portia is fading

My little chihuahua Portia is 16 and a half years old. She has dementia and sometimes has trouble remembering even me. Despite her outrageously increased appetite she is fading away to a skeleton loosely draped in skin. After a series of possible strokes she seems to have trouble eating, Richo suggested I feed her with a teaspoon so three times a day I hand feed my ancient baby, since Portia and I embarked on this mealtime ritual she has put on weight. She is still thin but improving. This week she has had some pretty horrible nights, I am surprised each morning she is still with us. Her annual checkups and vaccinations with our vet indicate she has the 'heart of a puppy' I think that little heart is beating longer than her other organs would like. I spent a whole morning this week agonising over whether to take her for her final car trip to the vets. Richo questioned if I was trying so hard for her sake or mine. I keep maintaining that unless she is in pain I will keep her comfortable, trouble is, she can't tell me if she is in pain and just when I think it's time, she rallies. She can hardly walk very far but every time there something new she makes a beeline for it. I unravelled the vacuum cord, she headed into the middle of it and got stuck. She walked off the edge of the lawn and fell into the garden, instead of walking back out she just stood there, awaiting rescue. I need some sleep, her turns are scary, sometimes she has a gagging sound in her throat, other times she drinks water until she vomits, she isn't diabetic, she seems to have lost her manners regarding her toilet training, she has forgotten all of her favourite words. She has failed so fast it's hard to accept. These turns involve her tongue going ever so slightly blue, twitching, throwing her front left leg up when she walks, like a goose step, but the most frightening is the look on her face, momentarily her eyes go into a diamond shape with a high point in the centre of her upper eyelid which makes her whites of her eyes visible above the iris. She doesn't seem to see anything during these episodes which range from a few seconds to several minutes. I wish I knew  what was happening. I know if I take her to the vet, he will tell me something I don't want to hear.  How on earth will I know when she has had enough. If my love for her would keep her alive she would live forever, unfortunately it doesn't work that way. I guess little Portie and I are in for another long night. I can only hug her and reasure her, comfort her and try and help her recover from these horrible episodes.

Here she is running with the other girls when she turned 16 and now in 6 short months, she has lost all of her vim and vigour 

Woopie dinner at the Seaview Hotel woolgoolga

So there was a power outage for most of the day today. We were trying to get some work done and most of our jobs required power.  Couldn't even make a coffee so we decided to go for a drive instead. There is a little town called Woolgoolga or , Woopie as the locals call it, which has recently been bypassed by the highway. We took a turn in there because it has a nice beach and a great headland where you can whale watch. Instead of a takeaway we decided to give the pub called the Seaview Bistro, on the hill a go. It was a gorgeous day, bright sun but not too hot and the car park was full for a midweek lunchtime and the outdoor verandah was also busy so we popped in to check it out. The place was sparkling, the staff were really friendly. We opted for a chicken schnitzel, peppercorn sauce, with chips and salad. It was ample, fresh, fast and tasty. $7.50 and they have a revolving menu. I think it's different everyday, anyway we enjoyed it, could've had a rump steak instead but we saw this meal being served and it looked good so opted for it. So if you happen to be travelling through Woolgoolga on the NSW North Coast you can't go wrong with this meal for great value, freshness, cleanliness, relaxed comfortable atmosphere, friendly helpful staff, good off street parking and although there is no ocean view there are plenty of green trees about and mountain views too. There is a significant Indian population in the town and one day a week there is an Indian meal on the menu.

For a little town off the highway this is just one of the treasures to be enjoyed. 

Little Mouse is two

We celebrated Little Mouses 2nd Birthday today. Adorned with a Frozen necklace, Minnie Mouse ears and frock and a ukulele. The duck Quacker from the Seattle Duck was a real hit. We twirled and danced and oohed and aahed  and spent a jolly time asisting with the dolls house construction.

Before filling it with zoo animals, teddies, Australian and African native animals, but the inclusion of the naked barbie dolls gave it a Playboy mansion aura as they sat leisurely at the dining table with the candelabra or tangled their ample legs around the standard lamp post pole dancing style. 

A morning at the beach to play in the winter sunshine followed by A play in the park this evening with some coloured torches with friends was topped off by the populating of the dolls house and delicious meal of fried rice, eggplant tofu curry , warm potato salad, crudités and miso soup. All our favourites before we collapsed exhausted into bed to dream some dreams about our wonderful adventures today. If our third birthday is half as exciting it will be a grand day.