On Board the Neuter Train

I had a blast the last week. I travelled with the Neuterscooter. First, I went to two Springfield clinics. Then, had half day off and travelled with the Neuterscooter to eastern Oregon for two more clinics.

The drive over was long and in the dark last Monday evening and night. There was packed snow on the ground in Pendleton. We got up early and I volunteered the day at the Pendleton clinic, which went smoothly. We finished late. That night, my knee and back went into painful spasms, preventing much rest, even though the motel bed was delightfully comfy. The next morning, we were off again, very early, to Milton Freewater for another clinic and another long productive day.

Wednesday night, however, I got a great night's sleep at the motel. My neice had stopped by the Milton Freewater clinic, bringing coffee for myself, the vet and other volunteers. My brother, clear down in Coquille, asked her to do that. It was so good to see her. She goes to school in Walla Walla. She'd just finished her last final and was headed home for the holidays. My brother was extremely impressed with the Neuterscooter when it visited North Bend. The service provided at an affordable rate is needed everywhere, throughout Oregon and beyond. People cheer when they hear the Neuterscooter is coming.

Thursday, I got to sleep a bit later in the morning. By 10:00 a.m., we were on the road back to Albany, and to Corvallis, where the vet and her partner are staying.

But, we stopped at Multnomah Falls. We were just going to view the falls from the second bridge up, then decided to climb the trail to the top of the falls, which is one mile, most of it straight up. It was exhilerating, to say the least, and fun.

We then headed back to Albany, where they dropped me off before heading to Corvallis. Today, Friday, we had another clinic in Springfield, which also went smoothly. I took down two more Hate Thy Neighbor kittens, both males, who had been kept in the caretaker's garage out there. But they were a mess. I was disappointed that he would let them get sick, wheezy and full of worms, when he even had worm meds and access to antibiotics. I guess he considers it normal now. Anyhow, I wormed both and have given both flea treatment and started them on antibiotics.

This morning, my car would not start. It has sat in the garage for four days without starting and it wouldn't start. I was supposed to be down at the clinic to volunteer again by 8:30. My neighbor came over, at my request, and jump started my car. My biggest problem was I could not get it out of park, even with the key on, and so the front could not be accessed from outside the garage, to jumpstart. Finally I called my brother and asked him what was I missing here, that I couldn't get it out of park when the car was dead. He told me to simultaneously put my foot on the brake. This was all it took. I rolled the car out into the driveway then, in neutral and my neighbor pulled up close enough to get the cables on it for a jump.

I need a new battery. Or the alternator belt is loose. I need to check that. You can't change those belts anymore yourself. Or even tighten them really. There's no space in these front wheel drives with the engine cross ways. It's nuts that you can't even change a cheap belt now yourself. Crazy. So I don't know if it will start in the morning, if it sits all night, or not. I was going to get a new battery today, but I never had the time.

I got back about 10:30 p.m. The next clinic and last clinic will be Monday in Corvallis at the Fairgrounds. Then the crew heads back to Indiana--home for them. I'll be sorry to see them go.

Oregon needs the Neuterscooter. There's just no affordable options in most areas for people to get their pets, strays and ferals fixed. The catch 22 is, as a person tries to save to get that one cat fixed, at the going rates in these parts, which can be hundreds of dollars, the cat breeds and the person then has more needing fixed and they can't keep up. The Neuterscooter provides an option for people and that is why the business is a lifesaver to so many. Too bad more vets don't take up that calling. They could make plenty of money doing it and be regarded as heroes to boot.

What a week. Sure, the days were extremely long and grueling sometimes, when my back would hurt. But it was an experience, I tell you, that I would not have missed!