It’s been many, many, years since I’ve been stationed San Diego. I’m sure I wouldn’t recognize the place now. Of course I can say that for Newport News too where your ride just came from.

I hope you were able to enjoy the holiday season (yeah I know, but within the constraints of active duty). Comparatively speaking, with respect to a normal year, the weather has been unseasonably mild around here. Even so, cold weather doesn’t seem to affect Molly’s recovery. For that matter, she is a tough little dog and doesn’t seem to react to anything short of extreme discomfort. She is coming along nicely.

Her hip has healed completely and she can support her full body weight now with that leg. She now navigates stairs easily. I let her run on her own now for short periods of time. I will gradually increase the time as she regains her strength. The tail amputation hasn’t healed completely yet, although the wound appears to be closing nicely around and encapsulating the bone fragment. This is important to preclude a need for additional invasive surgery. I think it will be completely healed in less than a week. I apply a topical antibiotic cream on the wound to ensure there will be no infection (as well as the normal twice a day antibiotic pill protocol with meals). This necessitates that I keep an e-collar (a plastic cone around her head) on her. She has developed an affinity for the taste of the cream and will lick it off as soon as I apply it if I don’t use it. It’s more of a nuisance to me than her and I can’t wait till I don’t have to use the darn thing anymore.

Anyway, it looks like we’re almost home. I see no reason why I will not have full use of her in the field next fall. It sure looks funny though having a setter with no tail. As an aside, I’ve been following the give and take with the RMA debate (albeit very casually) and somehow the word "excruciating" comes to mind.