During my long life with my master’s family, I never missed my daily walk, except only twice when I was ill. While I mainly go to Saddle River County Park, Lookout from Palisade Parkway and Tall Mountain Park off Exit 4 of Palisade Parkway, they take me to different places once in a while such as, Liberty Park, Branch Brook Park, Van Courtland Park and Central Park. Although Liberty Park is a very popular place, it is quieter on the northern side where the ferry port to Liberty Island is located. After heavy snow, there are practically no people around, which is the reason why you find me there with the snow shoes on. [May 30 Tuesday] Went to Saddle River Park in the afternoon, after dropping my mistress off the West Field shopping center. My master parked his car at the northern parking lot of Dunker Hook and led me through the shades of trees to the usual back path along the river. We walked further up north towards the fall and I went into the river water twice. Then, we walked back down south on the same path and back to the car. After the walk, I became hungry and ate all pieces of frank steak in my lunch box during the drive back to the shopping center. For dinner, I ate half a bowl of frank steak cutouts and a few pieces of Alpo fancy snap treats.
[May 31 Wednesday] We went to exactly the same place as yesterday. Unlike yesterday, my mistress was with us today. I stayed in the river sitting down in the water for a long time as she took pictures of a Canadian geese family with four children swimming in the river. At first, the geese parents shouted alarms as I went into the river but, they swam together closer to me after a while, realizing that I would do no harm to them. It was so comfortable sitting down in the water that I fell asleep a few times nodding my head. Before leaving home for a walk, I had already eaten about one third bowl of frank steak cutouts. My master brought the two thirds of it in my lunch box and I ate them all after the walk in the car. For dinner, I ate a bowl full of boiled chicken my mistress cocked and her daughter tore up in small pieces for me. [Description of Coty’s condition May 31 Wednesday:] Although his general condition has not changed much, eating, walking and dipping into water, there is one concern. He seems to be scratching his tumor more frequently. He never does this when he is with us. But so many times a day when he is alone, we catch him doing this. We are afraid he may be feeling pains when he is left alone. While we like to keep him with us for as many days as possible, we do not wish to leave him in extreme pains for long. As we increasingly catch him scratching his tumors towards the evening, we feel it may be the time. However, when he pleads for a walk next morning and acts and eats joyfully, we feel it is not the time yet. Right now, we are torn between what we feel in the morning and in the evening.