Sometimes I smell the bodies before I get close enough to the water to see them. A couple of days ago, I came upon four in a walk that was barely a mile, one so emaciated it looked like a sea serpent. Sea lions are starving. Last year I saw quite a few pups and juveniles awaiting rescue. This year it's mostly bodies. Someone told me about the northern elephant seal pup that washed up yesterday. It was alive, she said, but didn't look good. This morning I came across the sign and the orange tape. Normally, elephant seals aren't this far south.
Also on this morning's walk, I saw a back hoe dig a big hole and mound up some sand. I guess this is how the dead ones are buried. It being Easter weekend and all, I suppose there's some concern about freaking out the tourists. Maybe we should put up signs marking all the spots where sea lions died. So people know and we can all freak out communally. There's a large sea lion colony in the islands. Maybe they'll survive this crisis.
As for life in Pillville, we have an assessment scheduled with a hospice nurse. Nothing has changed dramatically with my mom, but her slow motion slide inches downward. A walker instead of her cane. More pain. Less energy. But odd as it may sound, we're happy enough here in Pillville. Yesterday friends came by to drink champagne. They're all so pretty, my mom told me afterwards. She wanted to know if they all had husbands. No, I said, oversimplifying things quite a bit. I knew where the discussion was headed, so I changed the subject. I think if I hadn't, she would have told me once again I should have a husband--or at least a man in my life. I'd love to fall in love, but I don't think I'm ready. And I absolutely can't imagine how a man would fit into life here in Pillville. He'd have to be a saint. That's not exactly what I'm looking for.
"I'm no saint. I got papers to prove I ain't."-- fragment from one of Dan's songs.
So thanks for visiting and taking time to read about the dead and dying.
Here's a pure white dove for you. Peace.
4 comments:
Well, what is Good Friday for if not to talk about the dead and dying.
Hospice is a grand, good thing. Hopefully, it will mean more help for you and less worry about pills. I don't know. I don't know anything today but dead sea lions sounds horrible.
Drinking champagne sounds wonderful.
Sending love.
It's hard, watching the slide. Ms. Moon is right about hospice. They're very helpful, it frees you up just to be with your Mom.
So sad about the pups. It sort of feels like end times, seeing all the little bodies.
I really wish the animals weren't suffering the way they are.
Of course I wish things were gentler on you too. I hope hospice works out and that it brings some relief.
God, the sea lions. They've been seeing the skeletal ones down in Redondo, too, during Oliver's SUP class. They are all going to volunteer at the Marine Mammal Center to help out with this shit.
Despite this report, though, I giggled a little. I love your sense of humor.
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