As my fellow beagle Snoopy once said, "Good writing is hard work." Sometimes it comes easily and news just rolls right off my tongue, other times I can barely get my paws to set on the keyboard and make it come alive.
My good friend Sport Bossdog passed away a year ago this morning, he was 86. He was born in Pryor, Oklahoma on May 12, 1999, one of a litter of about eight purebred Austrailian Sheperds. He met our family the day after the Fourth of July that year, they'd just moved to Morris, and Wesley could finally have a dog of his own. He was a playful puppy, flying around this way and that, sometimes kinda knocking people down in his excitement. He was devoted to his family, and always tried to keep them happy and safe, Mom's training served him well. As he grew up, he became friends with Taz and Ty Rae, Ty and Snowy Haworth, and Max Byars(of course, I was there, too, for some of the time, but this isn't the time for my story). He and Max were closer than I ever saw with another dog, they'd often dig through the fence to explore the other's yard(okay, I sometimes helped a little. Nope, a lot. But, I was young and carefree - What's that saying that's so popular lately, "YOLO"? Well, you do only live once). In wintertime, Sport would work, aside from his regular duties as a security gaurd, as a sled dog, pulling Wesley, Courtney and their friends down the pool-table sloped streets of town, a particular trick I remember was dumping the riders into the snowbanks of a ditch which always happened to be conveinently nearby whenever he wearied of his husky imitation. And one time when the family was visiting Grandpa, Sport came along and decided that he may as well do some work while he was there, he rounded up every single cow in the pasture and herded them up by the gate. He was pretty proud of himself over that one. He would help babysit Trevor and Amy, making sure nothing happened to them on his watch. He hated fireworks, his favorite TV show was "The Rockford Files". When Skeet came along he taught him how to lead, which was odd, since he didn't make friends or take a liking to people very often. Just the family, was about all the people, and Max, Jenny and I were the only dogs I know of. He had his faults, yes; but don't we all? A workaholic, he didn't have much need for attention, but he was devoted to those he loved, and tried to make their lives better.
Wesley...it's hard to believe he's going to college next month. Should he be shooting baskets in the backyard or something? Learning how to tell the news? Having conversations with me about stories that needed plotting, that girl at church he sort of likes, the backstage pass on what what happeneing with the homeschool group's musicals and skits? Babysitting my puppies, helping me name them, those sadder times when Mimi, Shadow, Rocky, Klipsey or Sport died. He was so scared before he went off to camp for the first time...I said, "If you can just force yourself to leave, by the time you're two hours into the trip you'll have the time of your life." And he did, too. All the things that've happened over the last year, he's had a lot of change, and he's never really been the kind who likes that. Wish I could tell ya what was going on with him...but we haven't really had a chance to talk lately, and my English isn't perfect(but then, neither is his Dog), and I'm not even sure he knows how he's doing, it's a little hard to say what's happening in life when you aren't even sure of it yourself. Kind of a happy/sad/nervous/excited swirl, I'd guess. Reflecting on all the moments that've gotten him here, both pleasant and unhappy, looking forward to the new chapter of life he's headed into, but not sure what to expect. "Never be afraid to put your unknown future in the hands of a known God", Corrie ten Boom said once, I'll need to remind him of that.
Courtney's been commuting to Weed Valley a couple times a day to help run Buttermilk's Dairy, and learning how to play the mandolin Wes got himself for graduation. I'm not much for instrumental music, but it seems like they're both getting the hang of it pretty well. She's counting the seconds until she leaves for church camp next week, hopefully she and her pals will have a great time.
Caleb and Trevor have been building forts and trapping rabbits and fishing at the lake whenever Mom lets them, Trevor sprained his ankle last week.
Amy's eyesight is improving, she got a new prescription for her glasses the other day. And she's just made leaps and bounds in talking - Whole sentences, and she knows her colors, and can even count some!! (Math never was my strong point.)
Dad's shoulder is recovering slowly from his surgery last month, but it's coming along. There just isn't much to read about in the newspapers during the summertime...nothing ever happens.
Copper Caynine isn't much liking this heat, she's always complaining about it. I agree, it's a pain, but there isn't really anything you can do about the weather, except sit quiet and wait for it to leave, so it'd be kinda nice if she could lower her volume.
Buttercup and Inigo Kidd are both doing well, playing outside often and taking naps under a shade tree. What grass is still alive is tall and flourishing, because all the lawn mowers are broken. The weed-eaters are either sidelined or out of string.
Mom's been planting a fall garden, we aren't allowed in the courtyard any more. And my favorite comfy chairs are in there...
The Olympics start Friday, July 27, at 6:30 p.m. on NBC, you can bet I'll be watching them all I can. It's too bad they're on only once every four years...they're so interesting!
The youth group is doing a study on Wednesday nights at Dex Cox's old place, they're discussing a set of sermons by some fella named David Platt, on "Angels, Demons and Spiritual Warfare". Interesting-seeming subject, but I'd prefer to discuss Shakespeare instead. He was one of those speakers at the Louisville Bible conference in April.
Wes and some friends went to see that new Spider-Man movie a couple weeks ago. I'd tell you how that went, but he already wrote about it on his blog, so you'll have to go there if you wanted to know.
That's about it for news here lately, except that the ticks are awful again this year, so in case I don't see ya, good morning, good afternoon, and good night!
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