Half way home

A few days late


Sandbar Lake PP (Monday Sept 8th) was a lovely park and still lake, another one nighter after the previous stay at a campground which we booked in error.  The previous day's two sites were close together and had the same names, we looked at the website for one but called the other one, big mistake, it wasn't great.  

We were glad to get to Sandbar Lake.  Not so glad to be woken by Jack singing at 0400 having decorated the trailer floor with output from both ends, including blood.  He was clearly not well.  The nearest 24hour emergency vets were 120km (in our direction of travel) so we woke one of them soon after 4.30am and he agreed to see us.  We ignored the one who used a 24x7 call centre, that was no help.  We left the trailer and got to the vet for about 0600, driving through thick fog the whole journey.  The vet was already there.    

Jack not impressed or happy
Not sure which charm school he went to (though we did wake him up in the early hours), he checked Jack
over, put him on a drip, did blood tests, injected anti-emetics and anti-biotics and the following day did x-rays and ultrasound.  Turns out Jack had a bad dose of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis.  He enjoyed a two night stay as a guest of the vet, who we greatly warmed to as the days went on, and he to us.  We had twice daily visits to walk him outside and check on progress.  

Having dropped Jack off at his 'hotel accommodation', we drove back to Sandbar Lake in daylight, disinfected the trailer and returned with it to Dryden having booked into a local campsite where the vet was based.  

A great site and they were really flexible on our length of stay.  It gave us a chance to have a dinner out, the first time without Jack since we started the trip on June 2nd.  Billed as fine dining, we decided it was a bit of an exaggeration, but enjoyable nonetheless.  

We picked  up Jack up two days after our night drive to Dryden and he was keen to get back in the truck.  

Birchlands RV Park, Dryden.  Very empty and quiet

To our surprise, given his propensity to exercise his vocal chords and sing to the assembled he had been the model patient.  To our further surprise having been force-fed soft-food with a syringe, he tucked into this same tinned food from his bowl as soon as we got him back 'home' so no need for us to syringe-feed him. The vet won a decent bottle of red for getting Jack back to near normal. He was very appreciative.

We stayed a further night at Dryden to get Jack resettled, though I'm not sure we needed to and resumed our westward journey on Friday.  Jack by this time, was getting stuck into his tinned dinners (very new to him) and looking as though he'd been shortchanged.   Never seen his food bowl licked so clean.

We are now booked through to the far side of Calgary and expect to be home by Friday 19th at the latest.  That's assuming the torrential rain we're currently enjoying doesn't have us bogged down when we come to leave in the morning.  

As we drive further west there is a definite change in the seasons.  The maples, balsam, oak and other trees are turning yellow and red, the prairie's cereals have been been harvested and only the maize is still to be brought in.  Some fields have already been prepared ready for next year's seed to go in.     

Retired fire truck at the 'dodgy' campground


Someone glad to be home

Fall colours

Old church with 'Norman' tower

🎵 "The long and winding road ...." ðŸŽµ

Old Barns



 

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2025 at 1:42 AM

    Oh my!!! So glad Jack made it thru his troubles!!! Kudos to you two and the vet for all the “paw holding”. May the rest of your trip in our “Big Sky Country” be interesting but uneventful! It is always nice to leave home but even better to get home❣️Looking forward to seeing your smiling faces. Hugz Dee (& Rick)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2025 at 5:16 AM

      That so nice, Dee, I honestly thought we’d lost him but the vet was super! We’ve certainly seen some big skies… gorgeous Canada! We look forward to seeing you two as well, can’t wait 💕 Fred

      Delete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2025 at 7:40 AM

    Likewise …so pleased Jack is better. Hope the rest of your way home is less stressful 🤞xx

    ReplyDelete

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