Toby-Times

"Water! You brought me to water! You are A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!"

Last month, my Toby, my doggie friend of 13+ years was called to active duty in heaven. Boy, did I feel jipped, ripped and tripped. 

I might be recovering from the fog that settles in your head when you lose your best friend... I'm not sure. I  know it shakes me every time.

And, no amount of mental preparation can mentally prepare us for having to shred through the emotions. The word WOW, might summarize it. And it does not seem right.

Wow. And grief. What shriveled little words in this case. And what can be said about my dog's special traits? I imagined I would cronicle some of the adventures we shared. At the very least, I should have been moved to write poetry.

The fact that my Toby walked beside me through my oh-so-fun 20s envokes a sense of having been raised by him. If I didn't know my own parents I might have guessed I was raised by a distant relative of wild wolves...anyhow. The past month plus some has been rough. It was liken to a country song; one where you poor me another glass of wiskey.

If my 'ol Toby were around to witness the tears I shed, he would somehow console me.

He would somehow communicate, " Aw. Don’t worry. Lets go for a walk. Okay, no walk? Well, then my eyebrows are together in concern for this pitiful look upon your face and the wet stuff, (again). I will sit here until you are ready for more water or rocks." And, I am pretty sure Toby is the only one who could console me.

It brings to mind some of the TIMES, the Toby-Times, in which he 'said' something to me.

Do you have any idea how great this feels when I roll around on it like this? Grass is the greatest.

I was. Gone. Chasing. Jack Rabbits. Need Water. Very Tired.

I can’t leave the rock alone. It is my rock and I love it.

You’re Home! You're Home! Happy Dance time.

I will gladly get rid of any of that high fat, high calorie, yummy people-food for you.

I'm always ready for more ____.
(rocks, water, skateboarding in the back of the truck...yup anything pretty much covers it.)

and ANYTHING to make you happy.

Tacos? Order mine with no lettuce.

FYI. I do tricks for treats.

I know it looks bad. But, I didn't mean to get arrested.

So, where do I ride? When do we load up?

Walk? Did somebody say walk? That's my department. How can I be of service? The door is over here.

You knew where to find me.

To love is to live.

(and my dog taught me that)

 Loves, HjB.

A little poof dust

"I want to do something fun this weekend." I told the girls at work. Yes-sir-ree. Some Thing Fun. But what?
 

Well, the hon has been trying to coerce me to stay on pavement until we get the second ride rolling. But, I was unsupervised on Friday, so I wore the boys out with errands and headed out.

I guess the plan had been rolling around in my mind for a month or two. I just kept squishing it down but, alas the dam broke and here I go. The road was good. There were a few spots I felt like I should pick up my speed because of the corduroy.

Weather was on the way, and so at the moment, it was all shades of purple and blue and gray and, Erie still. Calm and the light just right so you know, weather is a coming.

Moisture is on the way. And none too soon. The desert is so dry that even one crack open on the window made for a poof dust vacuum. Ahem, half the desert is on and in my car now. There's no alternative to the truth on this story, once I pick up my man.

I scooted out to the turn off with a few memories bouncing around in my brain and the radio playing background. Once the boys fell asleep I had to flip a bitch at the T&G RR bed, and head back through Tonopah and to my original destination about 20 minutes behind schedule. Goldfield.

Such a sweet quiet moment. Such sweet poof dust in my review mirror.

With the kids asleep it was one of those commutes to enjoy. "Life is a Highway" was playing on the radio and I was thinking about how its funny how this wild Nevadan girl can keep a theme song. And how, no matter what I do with my life there is always 300 miles a week involved. When your life is a highway it can get pretty boring behind the wheel. But, I wasn't bored. I was feeling great. Aw, Nevada.

In Goldfield, I picked up my man but missed a comment about the car. I just knew the Efen poof dust was going to give me away. What is, is. So I scooted over to the passenger seat and put my fingers to my lips and motioned toward the sleeping kids.... Never mind the radio is blaring country radio...

He must have been in a good mood because he never said a word, until we were leaving Goldfield behind and I spit it out. "I'm surprised you didn't say anything about the poof dust."

"Well, I was trying not to."

"Well, I had this hair brained idea. I didn't do it though."I rubbed the poof dust off my camera lens with my shirt and silently kicked myself for telling on myself. Honesty is the best policy right? I'm not sure on this. I knew it is only a matter of time before we dance this dance.

"Ahem. I have a sore throat." I said after he didn't ask any questions. It's as starved for moisture as the desert. So, I go back to listening to the radio and enjoying the scenery. The light on the desert before a weather movement is almost always gorgeous. Because there was hardly any wind I imagine the storm that comes in, won't be ferocious.

We are just about to the Alkali turn off, where my hair brained idea would have brought me out to the highway when he ffinally he puts it all together and asks, "Did you come over on the dirt road? Is that why you were late?"

"No. I only went as far as the railroad bed, and there wasn't any tracks on the turn off. And I am not really too sure about what ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE means. And then I thought I might get into trouble in the sand. And then trouble with you over getting myself into trouble. So I turned around."

"ALL-wheel drive means ALL-wheels-on-pavement, in this car." He answered.

"Next vehicle we buy will have four wheel drive." I shoot back. "And a stick shift." But, I can tell he isn't really upset and that this little dance we do over my tumble dance, ideas that almost always get me into the poof dust. 

And, I'm a little happier now, because although it was but a short trip to the T&G RR bed; It was enough.

Really. A little poof dust never hurt anything. Especially me.

And, I was pretty sure moisture was on the way.

Perfect.

Loves, HjB