Heading South

Well, for openers, I (we) almost lost Dante the other day.

A fence crawler and an independent cuss when off the leash will go off on his own. That requires I keep a sharp eye on him and attempt to keep one step ahead. Increasingly it means when he is outside away from me he be on a leash!

So, he has found a couple of loop-holes to get out into the bigger world at our Baja home retreat. One I fixed. This was too easy for him. The three foot wall along the South side of the entry walk he figured where he could jump up, avoiding cactus spines and then jump, four feet or so down to the street where there are stairs that lead down to the surf.

Now, mind you, this is El Nino where the surf has, like last night, come high with a vengeance, washing away tons of sand and rocks or piling up tons of sand and rock (not to mention tons of plastic debris from microscopic to plastic bottles, styrofoam blocks, etc. . . . disgusting and scary) and doing so with a roar. At times this place is not restful as the surf roar is constant and troubling! TV news is full of roads and homes being eroded away. Fortunately our home is protected by deep concrete pilings and a thick and strong storm wall. Still . . . 

That loop hole I fixed, temporarily by piling up picnic benches such that he could not jump up on the wall. It seemed that it work.

The second one I thought I fixed by piling up firewood such that he would not scale. That hole in the yard has him crawling along the North side of the house, jumping over a short wall and going into the neighbors yard. Then, out through the iron bar protective barrier gate leading into the street, Calle Playa.

The gate bars are too far apart and Dante can easily squeeze through.

Mind you, again, he is probably just finding a discrete place to poop. When on walks he always (well, almost always) finds a place off the the side of paths or roads where he can poop such that his scat will not be scattered, by stepping on, or, whatever.

Regardless, That “fix” was not fixed and he found a way to get through this morning, during high tide and storm waves crashing.

While fixing my morning coffee I let him out, assuming he would stay close. 

Nope!

Something pulled me away so I went out to see if I could get him in. I called and he did not respond. Looking around I couldn’t find him. Images of him being swept out to sea surged through me.

I went to the outer wall and looked down onto the beach, which at that moment was revealing the beach as while the tide was high there was a ebb in the waves. 

“No, Dante run!”

Yep, there he was wet as a wet rag doll high-tailing it back to the stairs leading up away from the beach. He was sopping wet and running fast as he could with fear in his eyes.

He just went to have a discrete poop (my assumption) and got caught up in a big wave. Thank God I wasn’t on the beach when he got washed out or I might have tried to rescue him, in spite of all the warnings that dogs are good swimmers, much better than people.

So happy when he came squeezing through the “fixed” fire wood pile barrier wet and so happy to see me. It didn’t take him but a flash to squeeze through the front gate, over the fence and through the wood pile. (Needless to say I will create a “Dante proof” barrier.)

I quickly picked him up in a towel and took him into the shower, turned the hot water on and when it was warm enough plopped him under the spout and gave him a good scrubbing. He shiveringly accepted the flowing warm water and subsequent wipe down. 

Smelling burnt coffee I remembered I “stepped away” just for a moment to get Dante . Coffee was burnt and milk boiling creating a nice mess on the stove. Turned off the burners and went back to drying him off good and well. Then, stove clean-up.

He is now curled up on his bed. Shivers are over. Hopefully he has learned a lesson. I certainly have. Before he is allowed out on his own I will upgrade and Dante proof all exits!!!

It makes me wonder, when I hear about El Nino storms and rains, (the severity unheard of due to Global Warming and a warmer than common Pacific waters driving the storms) whether this is the best Winter for me to be traveling South. 

Where will I find warmth and sun, storm free and secure from storm damaged roads and homes? Where, this year, can I find a quiet and relaxing place to be on “sabbatical” and to turn my attention to my writing my autobiography (now 26 pages and 9100 words strong).

What about my friends and family? How are they all doing? Am I needed elsewhere, with my new role as an “Itinerate Helper”? Not just a shamanic psychotherapist but as a “fix-it” guy?

Well, today, Friday the 15th the storms this far south are not bad. At least for now.

So,

Dante and I will set off on the 20th. Head South and be in El Cardonal by the 5th of February. That will give us plenty of time to explore the areas, beaches and towns between here and there.