The weekend before we started the trek south I had the opportunity to fly coast-to-coast from Massachusetts to Oregon to visit my mother, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, and my sister who… well, I won’t mention her age, but you can do the math. While there I also had the opportunity to enjoy some rare sunny weather on the Oregon coast and to go on a 3-hour mushroom tour with Tillamook Eco-Adventures. It was an exhausting trip, but well worth it.
My mother was in the hospital for several days just prior to my arrival, with fluid buildup around the heart, so naturally I was concerned about how she would be. Well, here is a photo I took just before I left:
Mom at 90
I thought she looked great. She was upbeat and got around pretty well, too, making it up the difficult stairs at my sister’s house for dinner on Friday. It was a very comforting visit with my wonderful mother.
The flight out was miserable. I had a stop in Phoenix and we encountered a maintenance delay there. I didn’t get to my hotel room until 3am and then had a problem getting the key card to work. I finally got to bed, but with my body clock all out of whack, I got only about 3 hours of deep sleep. The flight back, non-stop to Charlotte, was better. I think I got about 4 hours of sleep on that flight, which is a personal best for me.
On Friday my sister Lois and my brother-in-law Chris treated me to a short walk on the beach. The Oregon shore is always stunning, but seeing it in sunshine is a special treat.
Sunset on the Oregon coast
We took their 3 dogs with us. They always enjoy the beach walks, too. In the parking area I was a sign warning against picking up “tsunami debris.” Junk from the 2011 Japan tsunami has made it all the way to Oregon.
Tsunami debris warning
Dogs on the beach
Looking north along the beach
Just to prove I was there
On Saturday Chris and Lois treated me to a mushroom walk, which was more fun than it sounds. Again, the sun was shining, and the walk was colorful with the changing fall foliage. I learned a lot about mushrooms and even nibbled on one that was guaranteed to be safe.
Lois, Chris and me on the mushroom trail
Mushroom guy Brian with Lois and Chris
Sunday started with a wonderful breakfast at Pirate’s Cove Restaurant in Garibaldi, OR. The shrimp omelet was superb! It then transitioned into a sports viewing day. We channel-hopped between the Red Sox (game 4 of the World Series) and the Redskins (Chris is a Redskins fan – go figure).
Start of World Series Game 4
A happy Chris, before the Redskins collapsed
After the Redskins and before the Red Sox lost, I headed back to Portland for my flight. I drove a Chrysler 200 from Enterprise that cost me $68 for the weekend – a real bargain. I have to say that I really enjoyed driving it. It was smooth, responsive, had power to pass on the uphill stretches over the mountains and was very comfortable. I think it was the best rental car I have had in many years. Good job, Chrysler!
The Chrysler 200
It was great to see you, Mom. And great to see you looking so well. Lois and Chris – thanks for the hospitality, the walk and the mushroom tour. It is always a pleasure to visit you.
R.I.P. Cha-Cha
Cha-Cha, 2000-2013
Cha-Cha was born on the streets of San Juan in August, 2000, and for the first 4 months his grasp on life was tenuous. He was in a dog pound and was probably just a few days from execution when he was rescued by SATO who flew him north to the Sterling Animal Shelter in Sterling, Massachusetts. They cleaned him up, got him healthy, gave him his first shots and generally prepared him for adoption.
We met him there in January, 2001. He was sitting demurely in a corner pen, quietly watching us and looking very much like the homeless waif he was. It took me all of 2 seconds to look into his eyes and recognize the intelligence, gentleness and loyalty that lay within. “I want HIM” is what I told Jett and within an hour he was ours.
He was my dog from the beginning, just as Grace (who we also adopted that day) was Jett’s. He was playful and feisty in his puppyhood, but matured into a gentle and loving companion. “Cha-Cha” is short for “Muchacho” and he was, in his younger years, as mischievous as the name suggests.
Sharing the sofa with Dad
On the bunkhouse bed in the RV
He spent his first 5 years with us in Somerville, patrolling our small, fenced-in corner lot in an urban neighborhood, greeting passers-by and barking at other dogs. The next 7 years were spent in Medford, in a much larger house with a much larger yard which, in truth, we bought because the dogs needed more room to run around.
This past year, as you know, he traveled with us across the country. He visited 19 states and tasted the mist of the Pacific. He took a dip in Lake Havasu and rode the golf cart around the RV park in Aguanga, CA. Not bad for a homeless waif from Puerto Rico.
On the road, in the back seat of the truck
Wading in Lake Havasu
Riding the golf cart
The 19 states seen by Cha-Cha
For the first 11 years his health was nearly perfect. He and Grace used the yard in Medford well, racing around it, chasing each other (or, more specifically, Cha-Cha chasing Grace). They loved the yard. In the winter they would frolic in the snow and in the summer Cha-Cha would bask in the sun, either on the deck or in the shade along the fence.
His problems started about two years ago. Arthritis appeared and he could no longer jump up onto the bed. His developed dental problems and suffered through two oral surgeries, the second of which almost killed him. A large fatty growth appeared on his side. His eyes clouded and his sight became very limited. Even small exertions resulted in panting – a sure sign of congestive heart failure.
And his tail didn’t wag much anymore.
It became apparent that his teeth and his legs were constantly painful. Getting in and out of the RV became an ordeal. He started to limp and sometimes stumbled. It was painful for us to watch him try to stand up.
It was time.
He leaves the rest of his grieving pack: his adoptive parents and his stepsister who is wondering when her lifelong friend and companion will return.
Sorry, Grace, but he is not coming back. He is gone.
But not forgotten.