Slinko

 Slinko and I are back home.

We both slept in this morning.  It was a long day yesterday and it started about 3:00 a.m. when I woke up.  I went to bed very early the night before in preparation.

I quickly got Slinko into a trap, so he would be ready, by hand.  He was very cooperative, unlike most of the cats here, if they need a vet trip.  We hit the road by 4:45 a.m.  The road conditions going through the coast range became sketchy.  I had wondered if there would be snow.  There was.   

At first it was only alongside the road.  Then the closer to the coast and on the passes, the highest being just over 1600 feet, snow lightly covered the road.  I just slowed down and chugged along.   I'd get blinded when cars came from the other direction when a few of them would not dim their brights and now most cars have the blinding LEDs.  My lights looked so dim by comparison.

Anyhow, I did not have any problems at all.   I never slipped once.   Got to the coast and checked in Slinko.  Maybe that sounds easy.  It took a long while.  There were lots and lots of people also trying to get their pets seen as drop ins.  I had called Friday and they'd told me they'd see him as a drop in, even if they had to put him under to pull a tooth.   I knew it would be a wait.  Three hours and a half hours after arrival at the clinic Slinko was inside and there waiting more.  That's life.  I was just grateful he could be helped.  I've been a client at that clinic for close to ten years now.

Anyhow, I went off then and ate lunch, drive through, Panda Express. I was starved.  I'd not eaten since 4 the day before and now it was noon.  I took lunch to the park overlooking the Columbia River, in Hammond and just blankly stared out at the turbulent river.  It was a strong current passing me by headed to the ocean, no doubt fueled by the volumes of rain up river.

It poured much of the later day.  I bought new head light bulbs at an auto parts store and replaced them in the parking lot.   I realize part of the problem is they are not correctly aimed.  

I picked up Slinko around five.  He'd had FIVE teeth pulled.  I was astounded.   He'd had a dental just a year ago.   Well, you get old, like I say, things happen faster.

Home I slogged.   I had enough $$ left to get a cup of coffee for the trip back.   Through the mountains the snow on the road was gone.  I passed a snow plow chugging up one pass and thought if there was snow farther on, I could just wait for the plow.  Snow came down though, in soft blinding flurries, hitting my windshield like clouds clouds of cotton.  I wanted to stop somewhere, play in it, feel it hit my face, but I was very tired.

We got home a little after 8:00 p.m.