Hiking the Miller Canyon Loop; Minnie back at the vet

I had a busy morning. Got up just after sunrise to walk Gretchen and Sweetie for 1.5 miles around the hood. It was already in the mid 50s. Fed the pack, gave Minnie her meds, then met Ellen, Brenda and Jessa in lower Miller Canyon for the canyon loop. I hadn't done this loop since the day before Kevin died. I took the same two dogs. I  kept Gretchen on a long leash so that I wouldn't have to worry about her running off chasing deer or whatnot. Sweetie did fine off leash, following me quietly.

I felt tired, but with Gretchen pulling the entire time,  I had no recourse but to walk on ahead, and I had to stop several times for the gals to get caught up with me.

We hiked uphill on the Miller Creek trail, continued to the John Cooper trail and then turned east (right) on the unmarked trail I've been on many times for the full moon hikes. It was already 930 and getting warm and both dogs were showing thirst.

The hike took us a little over two hours. I felt beat in the end (because of the heat?) but stayed in the parking lot to wait for the gals to catch up with me. The dogs rested in the truck with the AC running.

I got home by 1130. Lesley had left me coffee but the box with the condiments got warm in the sun. I'll drink the coffee tomorrow morning.

I had to get ready for chore #2: get Minnie ready for her 215 appointment for blood work to renew her Vetmedin prescription. This means I also had to clean up. I actually washed my hair and showered with sun-heated water.

Getting Minnie ready didn't take me too long. I distracted all the dogs with a can each of dog food (price went up from 85 cents to $1.15) and was able to get Minnie into the truck with no issues.

I stopped at Culvers for a late lunch and a pup cup for Minnie, then got to the vet office at 210. Minnie weighed in at 40 kilos (88 pounds) which is a 19 pound drop in weight since late February. While she does need to lose weight, this much weight off in under two months is alarming.

Dr Moffett was my vet this time. She is my favorite  She actually felt around Minnie's tumor and felt inside her anus. The tumor is redder and leaking since Dr Bone looked at it in February, but she didn't prescribe anything besides an OTC stool softener. Her prognosis was the same as the previous two DVM: there isn't anything to be done because of Minnie's heart and age, but she also agreed that Minnie isn't ready to be euthanized. We just have to let this run its course. Will her heart kill her, or the tumor?

I left the animal clinic earlier than expected. Minnie's blood work was normal with no cancer symptoms. She rested in the back of the truck as I then drove to the city park where I was to meet Steve, who helped me drive my repaired Honda CR-V back home. As thanks for the favor, I treated him to dinner at High Heat. We each had a tall beer and a cheeseburger. Each meal was $18; even eating out is getting expensive.

Steve looked at the Ridgelines fuse box. My passenger side windows aren't working now. He tinkered on the truck in the parking lot, with Minnie tied to a pole outside the vehicle so she wouldn't bother Steve. Minnie is still a viable protector who is uneasy around strangers, but she does warm up to strangers. 

I kept Minnie in the truck for a few hours while I walked Gretchen and Sweetie, but she did eventually go inside the house, where she likes to sleep by the front door