The Loss of a Beloved Friend

On March 11, 2001, a boy was born.  He was white and liver colored.  He had a brown nose.  He was also a Jack Russell terrier, whom we called a Jack Russell Terror at times.  We got him in May and he preceded to make us form to his needs.  

Energetic and fun.  He was a friend and a kid.

He was responsible for the deaths of many, many rodents, large and small, and at least one bird.

He and Gypsy, whom we got in 2003, were a great pair.  They had many adventures together.

He had a place on his mom's lap at all times, until Chloe came home.

But there were benefits to having a small person in the house.

 He still got to go on vacation.  And we learned that both Chloe and Toby shared an indescribable love of the beach.

He was a good camp dog.  And he learned to get along with Chloe.

Chloe had gotten into the habit of getting up with him on Saturday mornings and she would get him a treat.  He actually liked her.  You could tell.

 Recently, he had slowed down.  He was not well.  Last Sunday he basically stopped eating and drinking...and more worryingly, moving. He was not able to walk more than a few feet and by Monday was not even doing that.  We faced the plane fact that he wasn't going to make it and he appeared to be in pain now.  We said goodbye to our friend and we took him to the vet.  We stood a pathetic weeping bunch and watched as his pain went away.  Ours persisted.

May you run on the fields of Forever, my friend, with light in your eyes and joy in your heart, No rodent will escape you, no bird is too fast.  May the wind cool your fiery spirit and keep the smile on your face.  We love you!

Good Golly

life sure gets busy.  Especially with a five-year-old.  Well, now she's five-and-a-half.  We had to do the grown-up thing and sign her up for kindergarten.  I still can't believe we're parents, and now we have to do that grown-up thing and be parents of a school-age child?  This is crazy.  This week we actually went and signed her up for duel-language.  Spanish and English taught concurrently.  It's a great program.  And, if we're being honest, it might be the only thing that gives the teachers a fighting chance with this kid!  She is uber-intelligent and incredibly social.  If we unleashed THAT on a normal kindergarten room, who knows what kind of trouble could happen!

I celebrated my birthday at the end of March.  It was a quiet affair where we found ourselves at an air museum.  I know.  Surprise!  I wish we had more air museums closer.  Instead we have McAllister...here in Yakima.  They try.  The closest things they have to an actual fighter is the canopy from a T-33, and let me tell you: that's a trainer.  Oh, the also have one of the main gear from a B-1.  I don't even know how they got that.  They recently built an addition to house the Yakima Clipper...a glider built in the late 20s by Charlie himself.  It almost beat the world record for time aloft...but then the wind died. and so did hopes for a world record.  So, yeah.  We'll have THAT...but still nothing from WWII.  So, for my aircraft fix I still have to travel to Western Washington.  And for an F-105 I'll have to go to Spokane and HOPE they'll allow me on base to drool at their Thud.  Not even sure they let people on base for that.

Still.  Spring is here and the temperatures are turning up...not that it's much different from February this year...warm temperatures have been a theme lately.  I think the whole "Global Warming" thing might be a fact, no matter what people say.  Still, if we can get enough water this year, it should be a boon for my plants.

Chloe is all girl...she likes princesses and brides and dolls and flowers...and brides.

I guess that's all I have time for today...happy SPRING!!