Heat Wave, Canine Health Update, and Midweek Miscellany

We're in our first official heat wave of the season. It started Saturday, but it's been hot and humid for much longer. My new morning routine is similar to one of my old routines. I get up, drink some iced coffee, and then drive Lola down to Mathews Park. From there, we take the NRVT to Oyster Shell Park.

We really discovered Oyster Shell Park when we went to the Nice Festival there four years ago. I had thought the park consisted only of the playground at the base. There's a pathway across a bridge, then a loop. The upper loop is separated by a field and a line of trees from I-95; the lower loop is adjacent to the Norwalk River.

I don't like the traffic noise at Oyster Shell, but there are many things I do like. I can walk to Oyster Shell, though I usually don't. I like the breeze off the river--usually without mosquitoes. I like watching the rowers from the Norwalk Boat Club. I like the wildlife at Oyster Shell: groundhogs, rabbits, birds, the hawk. Today an odd-shaped bird on the water caught my eye. It appeared to be a sea gull wrestling with a fish. A moment later, a normal sea bird floated on the water.

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Lola is recovering. She lost 4 to 5 pounds due to her digestive problems. I have to say she looks good, but I feel bad that she had to suffer to do so. She had not been interested in eating. When I made her chicken and rice with WD prescription diet for digestive issues, she just picked out the chicken. On Sunday, I added chicken broth and she finally ate everything in her bowl. Lola's on medications and probiotics. She's not quite back to normal, but seems to be feeling better, and we're relieved.

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I went to the gym yesterday to put Jeff's and my memberships on hold. The gym reopened in June, but I'm not comfortable returning. I can only put our memberships on hold a month at a time, so we're good until September. I hope I'll feel comfortable enough to return then. I miss working out. I've gotten a little better about exercising at home, and I am walking a lot with Lola, but it's just not the same.

And so it goes.