Burritos

Dunedin, Florida

Downtown

After we took Dee Dee for a walk this morning on the causeway, we hopped on our bikes and headed downtown. Our plan was to park our bikes downtown and walk back to Hammock Park and then back downtown. The motivation for the plan was to avoid the sun. I figured out that my baseball cap was overheating my brain on our causeway walks and giving me headaches, especially at night. I need the head covering because of my thinning hair and the sun. I finally put two and two together when I remembered wearing a baseball cap when walking at the Mebane Arts Center. In that climate controlled environment, my head would get hot from the exercise and give me head aches. I wore it then because my hair was wild.

The plan was a success. The walk was about 6 miles. The temperature was 79 degrees, and we were mostly in the shade. No cap; no headache.

Many businesses downtown had their gay pride flags out to celebrate June's Gay Pride month.

This morning's early morning walk was beautiful. Big, fluffy clouds against a dark blue sky.

Blur used to be a gay bar, but in recent years the owners sold the bar and it's no longer exclusively gay, but they haven't forgotten their roots. As gays have become more accepted in the larger community, there is not the same need for a bar just for gays. Last time we were at Blur, there were all sorts of people.

This is a mural-in-progress at HOB (House of Beer). When we drove by later, more dimension had been added. I'll add updates as the artist continues with the work.

We took a detour at Weaver Park and walked out on the pier.

     

This was a rare sunny patch on this morning's Pinellas Trail walk downtown.

And this was a shady spot. We took another detour into Hammock Park to use the facilities. Then we turned around and headed back downtown to our bikes. It was 82 degrees on this walk, just before noon. You can't tell it from these pictures, but there were lots of people out this morning on the trail. People of all ages, some walking, some running, some walking dogs, and many riding bikes of all configurations. It's easy to enjoy exercise when so many people are doing the same thing. It keeps the walk or bike ride interesting.

On the way, we passed this huge stand of mother-in-law plants.

John fixed a delicious bean and rice burrito for dinner.

I did some housework, including unstopping two bathroom sinks using baking soda and salt, warm vinegar, followed with hot water after 15 minutes. It worked. I also did some spot cleaning on the white rug from a Dee Dee upchuck. Why the white rug? John says, she chooses the rug so she won't lose her footing. While I was at it, I cleaned the dining room chairs.

Dee Dee continues to struggle with eating, but she's on track to consume 1 1/2 cans of food today, which is what she's been averaging--as long as I can convince her to have a half can snack after her last walk tonight. She should be eating 2 1/4.

I've discovered a new method for pill delivery, since she refuses to eat on her med schedule, and that was driving me crazy trying to give her her meds every 12 hours. I now crush up her pills and wrap them in these paper-thin slices of turkey meat, just a thumb-size piece because it has salt in it, a no-no for heart patients because it makes them retain fluids. I make a little burrito for her: crushed pills wrapped in turkey. The turkey must be really good because she doesn't expect a thing. She used to take her pills hidden whole inside a clump of wet dog food, but that doesn't work anymore. She even got wise to the turkey trick when I first tried it. She would eat the turkey and spit out the pills on the floor.

I'd say she's slowly going down, but not dramatically. We're going to call the vet tomorrow to get an emergency number in case we need one this weekend. (He has hours until noon on Saturday.) We're not sure of any other medical options to try as long as she's eating, walking, pooping and peeing, sleeping, and breathing without too much effort. She's still interested and alert and wagging her tail, but you can tell that she doesn't feel good.

7.5 miles walking

7 miles biking