Coming home, the washboard road is as close to a drumroll as we’ll get. We are bleary-eyed and dog-tired. I have a class to lead in three hours. Jolene needs to zoom in her yard like an Indy car. Mister sweeps the farm for stray cats who might need to be barked at. And the … Read more
Road trips have a feeling of being unstuck anyway, but this trip to the land of my people was like slingshot time travel. Glancing at a cloud, a memory starts foggy. Wait for the shy, buried parts to emerge. But then all the memories explode straight at you. Both slow motion and at blinding speed. … Read more
Mister is barking in a steady rhythm. His metronome bark. Consider it a warning siren. He knows. There is a look Mister gets when I grab Jolene’s leash and give him a chewy. And there is a look he gets when I head out the back door with an armful of clothes. Mister knows a … Read more
Mister has a big all-day chewy and doesn’t even come out to wave goodbye. Mister would like you to know that he is a dog that knows things that are not visible. Don’t hurry back on my account, he says. Half of my heart stays with him. I would prefer to hide out on our … Read more
I got the clean go-to-town coat off the hook and Jolene started the truck dance. Mister had a look of worry with a dollop of dread on top. It’s his normal look. I told Jolene, not this time. The words fell flat; she was in utter disbelief. Mister nurses his disappointment, but Jolene doesn’t give … Read more
The week started with a needle in my forehead. You just knew it was going to improve. Then each day had hours of that kind of coolish-warm spring air. At our altitude, there’s nearly no oxygen, so it’s easy to remember to breathe it in. I had no extra work-work, so I spent time working … Read more
We’re on the road at 6:30 AM on a Sunday, and the first vehicle we passed was a horse trailer. I don’t recognize the driver, but I have been her, so I wave. Then I realized that sitting in a truck doesn’t make me look like we’re compatriots, but we are both off for similar … Read more
Mister would like you to know that we had a record two naps in one day. We were staying at the farm where Jolene was born. Call it Lamb Nation; nine newborns frolic in the field close to where we’re camped. Ignoring them, Mister appreciates the Rollin’ Rancho, our human-sized A-frame crate, as it offers … Read more
You know when you catch a toe and you have a little stumble and try to right yourself. Suddenly, you’re taking giant steps, hunched forward, ready to brace with your arms, trying to catch yourself before falling. So now you’re at a dead run, refusing to fall. It would’ve been easier to just fall. Finally, … Read more
I have a too-cute collection of plush dog toys Jolene thinks are silly and beneath her. I understand; I didn’t play with dolls when I was little. Most of my dogs don’t play ball either. They know it’s a game that always ends the same way. Where is the fun in that? Call it splitting … Read more