July - August 2012

not sure why some photos have mom's name on it and others don't. she didn't put her name on them, they automatically appeared that way. 

Part: 1

Hello!

My last post ended with the celebration of my birthday... Did I tell you how much I love my birthday that I always try to make it last for a week or two? :) I do..

Tuesday, July 3rd I had to get my wheelchair adjusted, go through therapy monitor appointment before mom and I could go have some fun. I had the first week off from school for July 4th, so we were eager to get out of town. Appointment went good, and I am closer to getting all the repairs on my chair completed. Slow, slow process... I got the back of my chair put on, but it doesn't have my name, so I am still waiting for the name cover. I've got to have my name on my chair... I've had it for 16 years, I can't just all of a sudden not. :)

Since our weather has been chilly, mom decided to take me somewhere warm, with a pool to go swimming and where I can be outdoors, so we headed to Sequoia National Park after my appointment. We arrived at our hotel, got checked in and since it was windy, we decided to drive into the park and check things out. I was ready for a nice long walk, so we went on a trail through the forest of big trees. Driving back to the hotel that evening, we saw a bear off in the distance, heading up over the hill away from us, so we didn't try to stay long to watch it. Plus, mom and I were ready to get back to the hotel.

I had a very rough night that night sleeping. Mom thinks that the elevation, air, heat really got to me making it difficult for me to breath since I was in that weird breathing mode. The ENT said, "when my vocal cords get wet, they close up causing this noise". Well, when I make this noise, and if it gets bad enough, it makes me look like I am having a hard time breathing, but if mom puts O2 on me, it doesn't work no matter how much or how little. I just have to work through it and mom just keeps trying to re-position me as that sometimes helps. This time it didn't help, so it was just a matter of me riding through it and making mom think twice about staying another night.

We got up the next morning and checked out a few days early before heading into the park for a nice long stroll along the trail we went on last year when we saw the bear, but no bear this time. It was a chilly and quiet morning. The only sounds you heard were coming from nature and a person or two saying hello as we crossed their path.  

Afterwards, we headed to the visitors center where mom got me a book, I got my passport stamped, ate breakfast-lunch before heading out. They were also doing controlled burning in the park, so it was just good we left. 

Driving down into the San Joaquin smoggy valley, we got to thinking of Morro Bay.. Hmmmm... Mom said, "let's call Abby to see what the weather is like there". So mom did. Abby said, "nice, you guys should come". So we drove across the dusty valley, through the hills, and over the mountain to the coast... It was gorgeous when we got to Morro Bay. We got a hotel, rested for a bit, then headed out to Morro Rock to take a stroll and hang with the otters.

While we hung out with the Otters, a juvenile Brown Pelican landed just feet from me. I think it was wanting a friend, but kind of strange too since Pelicans are not that friendly. Mom was concern. Lots of people around too, but it didn't seem to mind.

We decided not to wait for the fireworks, so we went back to the hotel and I was asleep by 9pm.

Mom let me sleep in the next morning. Oh, I did great that night. Once I got up, we walked down and along the Embarcadero and out to "Otter town". I really enjoyed it. Later in the day after a super long walk, I hung out in the car laying on my sleeping bag watching Alvin and the Chipmunks on my ipad. I love doing that. 

The door is open with the ramp out so I can look out and mom can keep an eye on me while she sits outside. The sea guls always try to join me, but mom doesn't let them, so one or two always hang outside the door watching me. I think they think I have food for them, but I never do. They sure know how to beg though.

We spent a few days there, thoroughly enjoying our time and I did great! 

I did freak mom out one night. I was laying crosswise on the bed and at bedtime, mom put me into bed. Well, I basically threw a fit, but mom thought it was a cluster of seizures. She was almost in panic mode, ready to pack up to head home to go see Dr. Goldie the next morning, but mom soon came to realize that it was a temper tantrum. I didn't want in bed, I wanted to be put right back where I was watching TV. As soon as mom did, I calmed right down and was perfectly fine. Mom just shook her head in relief. About 45 minutes later, I was ready to get in bed, so mom put me to bed and off to sleep I went.

Back to school - yay! Weather started improving, so mom was able to take me on afternoon and evening walks. It was nice to live somewhere again were we can walk. Trader Joe's is a common place we walk to so mom can pick up groceries. I like carrying my Mickey Mouse grocery bag - yep, I carry it with my left hand on the handle the whole way there (picture next post). It usually is too heavy for me to carry it back home, so I let my chair do that. 

Afterwards, I like to help mom out in the kitchen.

Mom left on a trip, and I stayed home with grandma. I had a fun time, but had a hard time with mom being gone. I really missed her, especially the first couple of nights. When mom flew home, I got to pick her up at the airport. I smiled so big when I saw mom, and as she talked to me, I smiled and giggled. It was so much fun to pick up mom at the airport. I hope I can do it next year when she goes on her trip. Mom had to cancel her Alaska trip this September since grandma can't watch me.

Mom camped on her trip, so the first night she had a visitor. After about 35 minutes, this raccoon finally got into the container which was supposedly raccoon proof. Photo taken with mom cell phone - bad quality in low light.  Mom and her friends realized the only raccoon proof container is one with a pad lock. :)

 Here are just a few photos that mom took on her trip. Mom is still going through her photos, so I will post more once she is done. 

mom saw this mink while on her early morning walk along the trail at the lighthouse. she was photographing whales, and this mink started hissing at her from behind, so mom turned around to find out what the non-stop noise was, and she saw this little fella. 

Members of L-pod along Henry Island heading north. 

Rosario Strait after the "greeting ceremony" of the first superpod since late spring. Superpod is when all three pods meet up. 

Evening, after the afternoon superpod gathering, these are a few members of L-pod heading towards Anacortes in Rosario Strait with Mt Baker in the background. The Orca out front was just a week or two old here (L-119). 

Mom said this was just amazing... No one has ever heard of a good-bye ceremony, but mom and a few other people think this is exactly what took place. L-pod (shown in this picture) grouped up like this and eventually were in a straight line over 30 minutes. They would all go under the surface and reappear on top together.  The other side (across from them - not shown) were J-pod and K-pod coming together, but not as structured as L-pod. Mega; L-41 (largest male) went up front of the group towards J's, K's and crossed the members that came forward from J's &  K's. More members from L-pod followed Mega and same with J's &  K's until they all; J's, K's crossed with the L's. There was no emotion, no excitement as you see in a greeting ceremony. Very intense. The J's and K's turned and headed north while the L's turned and headed south. It was as if the L's were saying good-bye to J's & K's. Mom said everyone on the boats (about 15 of them) were all silent, no one was on the radios, all you heard were a few engines for over a half hour. Most boats though had their engines turned off. The group mom was with followed the L's south and she said it seem like they were on a mission - they were just traveling at a rapid pace. Well, they were, they left the area for a couple of days. The J's, K's went north, but returned the following day.

Mom's favorite place to photograph the Orcas - off the Coal Docks just outside of downtown Vancouver, BC. 

Oh, mom got me a book; The Journey of Springer. It is based on a true story.  Mom saw Springer (Orca) last July on her kayak trip. Springer lost her mother (died), got separated from her pod, ended up in Puget Sound off of Seattle (250 miles away from her family), rescued by people who got her back to good health, then returned her to her family. Every year she returns to the area with her family.

Summer vacation started two days after mom got home. Ughhh.. What are we going to do for 5 1/2 weeks? And why is it that all other schools are starting mid to end August??? 

Thinking caps on...

To start, mom took me to get my hair done.

Then mom and I talked, and we decided to take a road trip to WA to visit our friends. We always have such a great time up there, we thought that would be perfect for our trip. This time, we would still basically go straight up, and then take a few days returning home. Mom let me choose what all I wanted to pack, but mom kept telling me I am packing way too much! I told her, but we are going to be gone for two weeks, variety of weather throughout the trip, I need to have MANY choices! So, mom let me pack two in a half bags, and she gets the third one. All packed up.  

Coming soon: Part 2... 

Hope you all are doing good, and enjoying your summer... :)

Love,

Kayla