The Aftermath

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help- Psalms 121
Today, Nama and I headed north into the Ozarks to see where this trip would take us. But first we made a quick stop at an animal shelter to check out a dog that numerous people had forwarded me. Although he was a beautiful black dog, his mind was clearly elsewhere, and there was absolutely no connection; not a problem, as I would rather know it now than figure it out later.
We eventually arrived at Haw Creek Falls, a remote camping and day use area. Although Nama is still obviously a puppy, she responded so well to repeated call-backs that it never even occurred to me to put her on a leash. In many ways, she reminded me of Duff in her willingness to introduce herself to everyone that arrived like she was some sort of WilderMart greeter. We spent a few hours just soaking in the vibes, and I could feel the tightness in my chest lessen considerably; she did so well that, to be honest, the loss of MacDuff dissipated for a time. The girl definitely has potential.
On the way home, we stopped at the Hagarville Grocery and Deli for one of the absolute best sandwiches imaginable. I’m not one to get too fired up over a sandwich, but these culinary masterpieces are truly in a class by themselves. They are located on HWY 123 just north of Clarksville, AR, and well worth the effort to seek them out.
With her belly full, Nama refused to take her turn behind the wheel, choosing instead to spend the windshield time curled up in the passenger seat. Overall, the day was successful in determining Nama’s capability at developing into a worthy successor to the throne.
If you sense a bit of tightness in my writing, it’s because it’s there; I cant seem to control it. We had to eventually come home and I had to face the reality of the Casa del Whackos is now temporarily operating as the Casa del Lackos, at least for the time being.
When I found Charlie in her emaciated condition back in 2015, I also was recovering from a near-fatal motorcycle wreck that left me with a colostomy bag for a few months. She and I recovered together until many of her scars had healed and I had recovered to the point that I was able to have my plumbing reconnected, and then we proceeded onward from there. Maybe this is the spot on the map where Nama and I are currently at; I sure hope so, as she truly is an incredible little dog.
On another note, the wall calenders that we have been producing for the last nine years; considering recent events, I had decided not to do one for the coming year. Mom said this is a mistake, and that not continuing on the tradition would be a disservice to the memory of MacDuff. So while Mom is usually right, I had to consult with the Queen herself as to her willingness to give up the primary focus being on her this year, and she graciously gave her royal seal of approval.
What do you think? Should I move forward, or is it too soon? And how many are interested? I do have some great shots of MacDuff on the Colorado sidecar trips this spring; give me your thoughts in the comments below…
We be of one blood, ye and I