Gustavo is back to normal. I actually didn’t think this would happen, I figured he’d have a new normal, which was perfectly fine with me. Having any bit of Gustavo back is still a miracle. But having him back to normal, unbelievable. Maybe a bit paranoid when he sees dogs appear across the park field, til her registers they’re just dogs. But he’s his happy self to meet new dogs, follow us around, and chase Banksy chasing her frisbee again.

It’s impossible to capture the level of dork that Banksy becomes at the pond. She was not too scared to swim a teensy, teensy bit yesterday. Gustavo puttered and Otterpop stood perfectly still most of the time we were there. Otterpop does weird things now, so she just stood still and looked to the far shore. She did have to stay on a leash, because with zero hearing the last thing I want is her to jump in the pond after a ball and start swimming and maybe forget where I am and I can’t call. Most of her things are on leashes now.

Oh, yeah, what else can Gustavo do? Walking in the woods too. On a leash. The littles, forever on leashes in there, anywhere a coyote might ever chance to be, and Banksy always close in. Gustavo and Otterpop were happy as clams to go back to the forest. I was surprised about Gustavo, almost didn’t bring him, but decided to just throw it out there. He was all, super! I was a little scared, and we haven’t been deep in yet, sticking close by the road. Banksy was paranoid, looking over her shoulder and sticking close, so she’s with me on this one. Baby steps.