Paul’s blog

I’ve always known this day would come. At least odds were that it would with a dog’s lifespan being so much shorter than a man’s. And though I’ve seen her slow down and her health begin to fail and I knew her days were numbered, I am simply not prepared for her absence.

Everytime I get up to move, I expect to see her do the same only she’s gone. . I just cut up some peppers to pickle. I couldn’t touch a knife to a cutting board without HeyLeigh being right there waiting to sample whatever I was making.  Every creak and click in this old cedar home and metal roof fools me into thinking she’s walking through the house. When I get out of bed in the morning I cautiously put my feet to the floor making sure not to step on her. But she’s not there. I lack all desire to go for a walk through the mountains in the morning, something HeyLeigh and I did regularly. It just isn’t the same!

Frankly, nothing is the same! Yes, I understand that I am grieving. Grief isn’t exactly a stranger to me. But it’s been many years since I grieved and many years since I was truly alone.

So here I am! I’d always said that when HeyLeigh passed on I would take a trip abroad. Visit family in the Faroe Islands and perhaps Switzerland. The research, planning and preparation to make this trip just seems too much for me. Getting up to go to the mailbox it about the limit of my energy.

My last dog, Asti (a boxer) was as devoted a per as I’ve ever had. And she was 100% dependable. Ending her uncomfortable life was a difficult decision as well. But, I believe our domestic pets are our responsibility. When we can no longer give them reasonable quality of life changes must be made. In the case of aging a point is reached where the quality is gone. You can see the sadness in their eyes when they can’t fetch or go for a walk or even climb up stairs.

In HeyLeigh’s case, the desire was there. She just couldn’t do it any more. I didn’t mind carrying her up and down stairs as long as she was happy. When she reached the point where she was distressed both physically and emotionally and I could do nothing about it, it was time. In her case she went from old and decrepit but still smiling to complete distress in a matter of just a few days.

So, my day is now divided between researching travel abroad and finding another Border Collie/Blue Heeler mix puppy. I know I’ll get another puppy. I don’t think I could survive without a loyal companion. If I find a puppy, I will not be able to travel abroad. Without my HeyLeigh, I have no desire to travel.

Well, maybe tomorrow will be better.

Some of you know her simply as Dog. Others know her better as HeyLeigh.

I buried HeyLeigh yesterday.
Her health has been on a steady decline since the beginning of the year. The evening before we left Annapolis (Wednesday) she collapsed. I thought she’d died but she pulled it together for a couple more days. Yesterday morning she came out on the deck with me for coffee as usual. A short time later she couldn’t stand up and her breathing was labored.
HeyLeigh has been the only constant in my life for 15 years. She always had a sparkle in her eye and a wag to her tail.
I sat on the deck and held her for an hour then took her to the vet.
Moments before the vet came into the room I leaned down and spoke into her ear something I’ve told her countless times.
“It’s just you and me Kid. Just you and me.”
I will miss her.  I already do!

Some of you know that I usually get up early and enjoy my coffee outside while stargazing. This morning was no exception. The sky was clear and we had a new moon so conditions were as good as they get here in the mountains. 

As I was looking at the sky I was reminded of my younger years and the time I spent sleeping beneath the stars while sailing across oceans. Now those night skies were something to see. 

A was sitting outside this morning as I do every morning, enjoying my coffee and stargazing. One corner of the house has a security light which burns at half intensity through the night. I noticed a spider building a web beneath the light. I watched it work for quite some time. 

It was quite interesting. Up and down and then side to side in what was near perfect symmetry. How enterprising I thought, knowing that the web will be destroyed which the next rain storm or high wind and the spider will begin all over again. Then I wondered if it is purely nature and instinct shat guides the spider. Does the spider even think? Does it have thoughts like “maybe I should put the sofa over here”? Or is it simply a robot fulfilling a predestined function?

Well, we’re into the middle of February already. The dog and I did a short run down to Florida and the Gulf Coast.  You can see the details at www.ArtOnTheRun.info  .  I think that MOBI, the dog and I are ready to hit the road.

Next month I will test my ability to use MOBI (RV) to load all my stuff into and go do an outdoor art festival. It has been a goal to load everything necessary to do a show in or on the RV and still be able to comfortably live in it. I’ve been accepted to a show in Florida. This will be interesting and if I can pull it off, will open up lots of new possibilities for doing shows more than a day trip away from home.

Cheers

Well, we pretty much have another year in the bag. I suppose that as years go, 2015 was a pretty exciting year for me. 

• I made some serious financial transactions
• Spent 2 months on the road in Florida in the Winnebago Rialta
• Embarked on my Heartland RoadTour
• Totaled the Rialta outside Mesa Verde Colorado
• Purchased my 2008 Winnebago View in Grand Isle Vermont (named it MOBI)
• Decided to design an electronic device (first since the mid 80s)
• Made my first foray into solar electricity by adding solar to MOBI

HeyLeigh and I covered a lot of ground this year. She is slowing down and watching her grow old makes me feel my age some days. But like her, on occasion and when it is something I like to do, I feel like a teenager again. I guess that is part of growing old and I suppose that until I no longer can muster up this energy and frame of mind, I’ll keep on keeping on.

One amazing aspect of the year was spending more than a quarter of it on the road in the RV. I had planned on more than that but the wreck in Colorado curtailed the Heartland RoadTour. 

I am making plans now to resume the Heartland RoadTour, hopefully in 2016.

Well, that is it for 2015.

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,

and never thought upon;

The flames of Love extinguished,

and fully past and gone:

Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,

that loving Breast of thine;

That thou canst never once reflect

On old long syne.

I haven’t visited here for awhile. Let me catch you up a bit. 

A year ago I purchased a motorhome, a 2001 Winnebago Rialta. After a lot of research I chose it for its fuel efficiency, small footprint without sacrificing features and all around design. Being fully self contained while traveling appealed to me not unlike when I used to shove off on long voyages in the sail boats. 

I took some time and went through every part of it that I could, making certain it was road worthy. It was in great shape to start with so the things I did weren’t terribly difficult. Then I went on a trial voyage. We went to Florida for 2 months at the beginning of the year. Ha ha ha. I had become what I’d cursed for years. I was a SnowBird. 

It was a fun trip and extremely valuable in helping me figure out how much stuff I could carry and where to put it.   I learned that there was more than enough room for the dog and me. I also towed the Harley along on that trip. It was a lot of weight to pull but since we were in the flatlands, we did OK. I learned that it wouldn’t be a good idea to haul it up and down mountains or even take out on long trips as it really impacted the gas mileage.  

I returned home at the end of February and began making plans for an longer, open ended trip across the country. We departed the first of May and had a ball.  That is until that girl pulled out of a side road and nailed the RV. It was in no condition to continue the trip but was drive able enough to make it back home. 

The insurance company totaled it, gave me a fair settlement and I’m shopping for a new one. 

That’s it for now. 

Cheers.