Days pass so quickly!  And not just days, but weeks and even months.

It never fails to amaze me how quickly Monday rolls around, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, etc.  This retirement thing is supposed to be ‘life in the slow lane’, but instead it seems to speed by faster than ever, like all those big semi’s that roar past me on the freeway.  Time passes now faster than when I was working.  Perhaps that is age related?  Or is it just that time flies when you’re having fun?

I’ll go with the second thought!

So here we are into our last week at The Scenic Road RV Park.  While here I’ve met Glenda,  with her Casita, Wendy, with her Casita and Rose, with her Casita.  Now as of yesterday, in the site right next to me sits Sharon, with her Casita!  All solo women with pets, and we are all gathering for the Fiberglass Rally that starts next week at Dome Rock.

Rose, though she was staying here at this park for 2 nights, actually lives in Parker.  Before she leaves, she invites me out to visit her.  I drive to her home and we have a nice visit while Joy and Shiloh play in her fenced yard.  She tells me that not to far from her is a place called The Desert Bar, which is a ‘must see’ when in this neck of the woods.  It’s only open on week ends from noon to 6pm.  She suggests we get together and go there on Sunday.  I bring Glenda and we head to Roses house to follow her.  I drive JR because I have the dogs with me.  Not far past her house we take a dirt road.  We travel maybe 6 or 7 miles on a terrible, rocky dirt road.  I’m feeling anxious because of all the tire problems I seem to be prone to.

This place is literally way out in the middle of nowhere!

Area of the desert near The Desert Bar

There are quite a few people there when we arrive and a live band is playing, mostly Country & Western music.  The seating is 98% outside and mostly covered.  Yay!  Dogs are allowed!  Shiloh comes in with me but Joy chooses to take a snooze in the truck.  Shiloh -behaves impeccably perfect!

I’m pleasantly surprised with the veggie wrap that I order, which turns out to be a tasty lunch.

Pictures from The Desert Bar, which includes a church-like steeple. ?

Clouds begin to roll in big time, and the already windy day is becoming even more windy. Time to go!  We bumpily-bump back to Hwy 95 and then to Rose’s home for a little while.  The sky is beginning to look ominous.  After a quickie stop at Walmart for Glenda, we high-tail it 35 miles back to Q.  We hit a dust storm on the way which reduces visibility to two cars ahead of me and two cars behind me.  The only other thing I can see is blowing dust and sand.  This is the worst dust I’ve ever driven in.

In Q there isn’t as much blowing…yet.  I drop off Glenda at her place in La Posa and head back to my own Little House.

Now backtracking at bit to Saturday….we visit the vet again in Blythe.  I am concerned about a mole on Joy’s face.  Recently it seems to have changed a bit.  “Changes in a wart or mole” is a reason for humans to visit a doctor, so I figure the same must be true for dogs.  However the changes seem to have been more pronounced a couple of weeks ago when I made the appointment.  I wonder if they were the the result of Joy scratching her face or rubbing it on the ground like she does when she rolls around.

The vet takes a brief look at the mole and pronounces it benign.  Very common he says, and not cancer.  Good to know, though I will always be watching it.

I also want to follow up on her cough.  It’s soooo much better, in fact back to like it used to be, only occurring when she gets excited, like when we are getting ready to go for a walk.  But, another symptom she has is a hoarse bark.  Researching on Google, I’ve begun to suspect a condition called laryngeal paralysis. The risk factors for it are older dogs, large dogs, Golden Retrievers, and dogs with hypothyroidism. Joy has ALL of the risk factors. The hoarse bark is one of the prime symptoms.  I want to discuss that with the vet.

The vet says that laryngeal paralysis is a strong possibility, but it can only be diagnosed with an exam during anesthesia.  There is no need to diagnose it since symptoms are mild and now that she is taking thyroid medication,  it may get better on it’s own.

It’s too early to do a blood test to see if her thyroid med dose is correct, so I make an appointment for that test on February 12, which will be a month after she started taking the medication.

While in Blythe, besides stopping at Albertsons, I take a drive out to Midland LTVA to see what it’s like.  It’s not far from town, which is nice, and it has a dump and trash containers.  It’s a future possibility.  While there I text Kerry, checking the AT&T cellular, and to find out if she wants to join me in a dog walk later in the day.  We’ve been walking together every other day or so and have become a bit of a ‘pack’ for the dogs.  We all enjoy each others company.  Shortly I hear back from her and she tells me she has moved to Blythe for the time being because of the upcoming weather predictions.  She isn’t feeling up to facing the dust and rain and wind on the BLM where she has been camping.  She’s staying at an RV park right on the Colorado River and she invites us to come for a visit and a swim, right now, since I’m conveniently in Blythe too.  (a dog swim to be more precise!)

At this RV Park (where I stayed last year as well) there is a peninsula of land where dogs are allowed off leash and there is plenty of water access.

Oh what a treat for the fur kids!  The water play and grass rolling goes on and on.  It’s so much fun to see them all having such a good time!  Kerry and I get our share of laughs and entertainment out of all this!

Three dogs wearing ‘river water’ fragrance.

Rolling in dry grass and getting it all stuck in your fur is a very important part of the routine.

Into the water they go, then they tear out, shake, and roll….over and over.  Finally we end up with three happy but tired and smelly pupsters.

I’m tired too, just watching them.

Fast forward to Monday morning….today.  We had heavy rain last night, with lightening and thunder.  This morning there is NO sign that it has rained at all, due to the huge winds, that have dried up all the water.  Even the ground looks as dry as always.  Was I dreaming in rained??    (no:-)

This cool morning I spend some time visiting with Sharon from the Casita next door to us.

We make a wine date for later!

This should be fun!