Life Eternal or Eternal Life

[Their singing] must surely be luring all the snakes and ringtail cats and kit foxes and coyotes and great horned owls toward the scene of their happiness.

What then?  A few of the little amphibians will continue their metamorphosis by way of the nerves and tissues of one of the higher animals, in which process the joy of the one becomes the contentment of the second.  Nothing is lost, except an indvidual consciousness here and there, a trivial perhaps even illusory phoenomenon.  The rest survive, mate, multiply, burrow, estivate, dream, and rise again.  The rains will come, the potholes shall be filled.  Again.  And again.  And again.

-- Edward Abbey "Desert Solitaire"
 

It's the Little Things

We picked up our mattress last night, forced it up the stairs in this 100 year old house built before people were size normal, and installed it on the new frame waiting in the bedroom.  I woke up feeling like I hadn't even laid down.  Shoulders not sore, no crick in my neck, and no stiff back when I tried to sit up.  Who knew?  I expect this won't last, but I'm going to truly focus on enjoying it while I can.

Also, box springs are for the birds.  I am convinced they ruin the quality of a good mattress.  Slatted frames are where it is at.

A Little Bit of Everything

Move complete.  Mostly.

Relocated to the big city (again) for a few years while building up a nest egg and pulling together a plan to get out into the country once and for all.  2016.  Here we go!

Major milestones:
The boy learned to ride a 2 wheel bicycle and for the first time has a neighbor boy his age to play with at any time.  After a long and somewhat stressful wait, he's also been accepted into one of the two schools we applied for.

This past couple weeks has been spent getting items unboxed and somewhat situated.  Being able to earn is a good thing, and now that this capability is back in place, focus shifted to the birds.  The chicks are now chickens and about 1 or 2 months from laying eggs.  With the summer heat settling in for the long haul it was time to get them out into a cooler run area.  C3 designed an 8x6 roofed enclosure which is now about 85% complete.  Roof panel fastening and the door built and hung and we're in business.  The chickens outside has replaced reading and television for the past few days.

Picked up a 6 month supply of pork from our friendly local farmer in there somewhere, as well.  It's been so busy the days and weeks are kinda' bluring, but we had chops last night and they were GOOD.  Only problem is I should have requested 3 chops per package instead of 2.  They really are that good.  Thanks Three Willows Farm!

The grill should be getting a fair workout over the next several months or until the snow flies, and I'm looking forward to having some time to relax and take part.  Moving to the metro area has it's downsides for sure, but also quite a few upsides; the most important of which are friends and family just a few minutes away.  Looking forward to visiting and having visitors a lot over the next 3 years...

...and also getting the bed set up so we can stop sleeping on a futon mattress!

Thank You

Dobrze
1999 - 2013

You taught me more than I had any right to learn from you.  You showed me how to be someone other than a stupid kid, despite the heat you often took for it.  You showed me what it meant to make the most of everything, what life is supposed to be about, and how an uncomfortable situation can turn with just a shift in perspective or a cold nose and warm ears looking for attention.

No more leashes or fences.  You have the wisdom of years, hips younger than the youngest puppy, and a world to explore.  I can't keep up with you, but don't slow down.  I have that last shared turn in the road firmly in my mind and I will follow and find you when the time comes; when my duties here are complete.  Being out in front, you make even this certainty something to look forward to.

Know you changed the world, Dobrze.  I'll be appreciating you and all you brought into my life for the rest of it.

Run.