Drew came home

I went to the cottage on Lake Huron last week, because big water always soothes me. My plan was to sit on the beach and cry as necessary, and I followed it for a day. Then Gayle pointed out that I'd been grieving for William all summer, and I'm not getting any younger . . . and she had made a lot of phone calls to locate a Border Collie for me to meet.

So we drove to the Traverse City area, found the sheep farm, and I met him. And that was that. Yes, I fell for him.  

Drew is an unusual Border Collie in two ways: he prefers hanging out with people over moving sheep around, and he is actually laid-back. Well, in Border Collie terms, he is. Not desirable characteristics for a working stock dog, but great ones for a companion!

It took him about 24 hours to decide that I belong to him. His favorite place to sleep is beside my bed, and the first couple of nights he had to wake me up to pet him two or three times, just to be sure that location was all right. His favorite daytime place is under my desk, where he can put his head on my legs while I work online. He likes to read with me, as long as I keep one hand on him. Sometimes he noses my second hand onto his head as well. This makes for some difficulty turning pages, but I can't say that I really object!

We are going to have lots of fun.

farewell my William

William is crossing the Rainbow Bridge tomorrow. I’ll miss him terribly, but it is time. To keep him here longer would be selfish of me and painful for him.

He’s one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever known. He had some abandonment issues from his early life, and he hated to be left alone. We had to arrange errand times so that he wouldn’t be too hot in the car. People liked to stop by our parked car and talk to him through the window, especially children.

He thought every new person or animal he met was a new friend. He was so shocked when Mama Raccoon, who had come onto our back porch, didn’t want him to play with her kits! He was wagging his tail and giving his play bow, so why was she growling?

He was such a back-seat driver. I suspect an automobile accident led to his time as a stray. He preferred to stand with his head between the two front seats, giving me his opinion on the traffic, the road conditions, and everything I did. He didn’t really like freeway driving. He preferred the Blue Ridge Parkway – 35 mph and stopping at every overlook.

He always thought that one day he would actually catch a squirrel. They enjoyed his frenzy enough to perch on the fence, lashing their tails and chittering at him while he ran and barked on the ground. He tried to climb the trees to get to them, and he always believed that one day he’d do it. Failure did not discourage him!

He was astonishingly attuned to emotion. I always laughed when he chased his tail, because he looked so silly. About two revolutions and he’d be staggering like a drunken sailor. On my darkest days, he would plant himself in front of me, give a bark, and grab for his tail. It always cheered me up.

I will miss him so.

lucky me

Oh, I am jealous and grouchy this morning. Marcy left for China. Gayle is leaving for Utah. Sue is leaving for the UP. I had my fun in the spring, but somehow that doesn't stop me from wanting it again now!

Grumpy old me. Here's the thing about having good friends, though. When I whined about the lack of adventures, Sue said, "Why don't you come to the UP with me? The cabin has a second bedroom," and Gayle said, "Here's the key to the cottage. Why don't you go up for a few days? The freezer is full of food. Go enjoy the beach."

Lucky, lucky me.

the kid's book

The kid has published his first book!  I'm so proud of him!  Here he is outside a bookstore in Philadelphia, where he's having his very first book talk and signing.

You can see it Amazon if you want. It's available in both paperback and Kindle.

I'm just thrilled!

William's birthday

The William is 17 today! Well, ok, the day is arbitrary - but working from the vet's estimate when he was found, he's now 17.

He doesn't see or hear quite as well as he did, and he doesn't move as fast, but he still has plenty of joie de vivre! Just last month he went on an adventure. He was staying with his Other Mother while I flew to Florida to drive a car back for Son #2. One day, he was in the back yard with her when Husband came out of the house.

H: Where's William?
OM: He's around here somewhere . . .
Both: William? William!!

He was not in the back yard. He realized both the front and back garage doors were open, wove his way through the bicycle herd (Yes, herd. Twelve bikes for two people is a herd.), and trotted off to enjoy the world. H found him about four blocks away, where he'd stopped to play with a young woman out washing her car.

He was tired when he got back!

Blue Ridge

I love the Blue Ridge Parkway. There's something about mountains that soothes my soul. An hour on the Parkway and I feel drugged with beauty.

This trip, I'm driving the southern section, from Cherokee north to Asheville. I'll have to come back again, of course, since I'll only be staying in Asheville for a night, so I won't be seeing much of the town.

This is a beautiful time to drive -- but, of course, when isn't a beautiful time? What I like right now are the sharp changes between elevations. Off the mountain, the world is spring heading into summer. On the mountain, the spring is just beginning.

At lower elevations, it's that "surprise!" green of trees that are just leafing out.

Higher, it's early spring wildflowers.






 All beautiful, but there's something about the change as the road rises and falls that is especially captivating.


Wild rhododendron are everywhere on the mountain. None of them are in bloom yet, and at higher elevations, I don't see any buds. Off the mountain they're blossoming everywhere, but up here, you have to wait longer. June, I'm told. One day I'll come back for that.

This stretch of the Parkway has high elevations and sharp curves -- and lots of sheer rock along the road. It shines wet in the sun. I can't tell whether there is actually a tiny spring somewhere or the rock is wet from the heavy mists that covered the road earlier in the morning. Lichen and mosses are growing happily in the crevices.




I could stay on this mountain a long, long time. Oh, if only I could!

in the neighborhood

Gayle's neighborhood has the most interesting mix of residents!  This pair of sandhill cranes brings their chicks to the door to say hello. They come really close, too!

They're taller than they look at a distance -- the biggest one is almost as tall as I am. It came right up and made the most beautiful, soft, liquid cluck right at me. Pretty sure it was suggesting Rice Chex (we're told those are safe for the cranes to eat).

They didn't stay long, but I sure enjoyed the visit!

old bus

When I was about 10, I read a newspaper article about a guy who fitted out an old bus and followed autumn every year, from Canada down to the Gulf.

That sounded like the best plan I'd ever heard. I wanted one so bad!  Drew out floor plans to scale and everything.

At one point, I needed to know the dimensions of a twin bed and asked all the grownups in the house at the moment. My favorite aunt laughed and fetched the Sears Roebuck catalog, and we looked up the measurements. Later she said to my mother, "The things you have to know to keep up with this kid!"

Well, I may not have a bus . . . but I have Kit, and I'll head for the Southwest this winter.