Nat. Parks Are Open. Misty. Oh! Oh! Dodge 3500. Three's.

"The National Park Service has deployed incident management personnel from across the country to prepare for and respond to oil impacts along the Gulf Coast.

As oil continues to come onshore at Gulf Islands National Seashore and creeps closer to other national parks in Florida, Louisiana and Texas, National Park Service employees regularly based in these parks as well as those deployed as part of various incident teams are working to assess and clean up oil impacts and protect the park’s critical natural and cultural resources, including wildlife, birds, and historic structure and serve the visiting public.

All national parks in the Gulf coast region remain open to the public. To click on the map, and more info go to:
http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/oil-spill-response.htm

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Finally, yesterday, I was able to talk to Kenya about Misty's vet visit, as my neighbor had to take her, while I was busy with my brother and SIL.    She will have to have that damaged eye removed, and the other one has a cataract.  I already knew that she could only see light, so I make sure that I have lights on, or outside doors open, to guide her.   She can find her way around very well, and seems to remember my backyard layout from years ago. She wags her little tail when she goes down that paved walkway.

But her hearing is good, so she hears me when I call her or praise her for doing 'it' in the yard.  Neither she, nor Paco have had any accidents, and they are both the best behaved dogs I have had in my care since my Levi died. (2006)  She is so glad to see me when I return from anywhere, and so is Paco.  But Paco won't go outside for anyone but me, but still doesn't have any accidents.  Must have a bladder like Fort Knox!  They are fond of each other, too, so no friction there.  Even my scaredy-cat, Patches, will go near Misty, and they touch noses. Actually, Misty is good for Patches, Patches seems to sense that Misty can't see well, and stays close to her, as if she is worried about her.

But Misty's teeth, what few she has left, are absolutely rotting out of her head, and the vet says that is the most important thing, so that she doesn't get an infection.  He doesn't want to operate on her teeth and her eye at the same time.  They figure she is 13-15 years old.  She is spry, alert, walks well, has a good appetite, pees and poops fine, so I want her to be comfy, and happy for the last part of her life.

All this is from lack of veterinary care over the last 3 & 1/2 years since her "Daddy" Jim, died, and I am sure he was crying in his grave about the way she was mistreated.  I know I was very worried about her, and I am so glad that she is here.  I hope that Jim is happy to know that she is here, now. 
She used to have such long flowing lovely ears, almost like a show poodle, and now the hair is all cut off, not by me. They let her get so matted, and she was covered in cockle burrs.  I couldn't even get a clipper blade under the mats, so you couldn't see her face.
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Today:

Pamala called this morning.  The 'Check Engine' light came on in the new-to-them Dodge 3500, so they have to take it to be checked out in West Colombia before they can start on their trip.  So they might not be going through here today.  I will not only "keep the light on for them", but keep the teapot and kettle handy.   How many more delays are they going to have!!

Ray and I have been cleaning the paved walkway that goes into the back yard, of pine needles, etc.   There is a shelf unit there where I keep the different sprinklers, clean scoop-a-poo bags, etc., so we moved that, and cleaned under it, too.  We washed the shelf unit, and could see it really needed repainting.

Pamala and Nigel are taking a couple of my folding chairs for outside their rig.  Pamala can't use one with arms, due to her beam, and she makes jokes about it.  One needed repainting, so Ray did that.
Then he was called away to take a Mustang into town for the owner.  So Shay drove Ray's car, so they would have a ride back.  I found out that the Mustang was being taken in for a 'Check Engine' light problem, too.   I put Misty and Paco on leashes and walked them out front for a while, they liked that.

Ray called, his fan belt had broken in town, and he couldn't remember how to access his road service which is through his Verizon cell service.  So I looked up that info for him.  It was towed back here so we can fix it.  So then Ray painted the shelf unit.

My 'Check Engine' light has stayed off, so I hope that we have the last of our three auto troubles, for today.