Day 53

It was a lovely day in the yard, fewer weeds and baby plants grabbing hold for their journey into my dinner. I put the tomatoes on the bales like last year. Peas are coming up. Today, after church, more weeds will fall. I have a heap along the new fence that will eventually become soil. I didn’t take time for a “Palm of my hand” writing. I promise to do so today. I’ll start with the Reddy memory as it popped up first.

Love my time outside
Muddy knees attest to care
Down to earth person

Palm of my hand

We are sitting in the car outside a lumber yard in Eureka. The kids are 7 and 5. Hollis is in the yard talking about his project. There are dogs barking somewhere close by. The children want to find the dogs so we get out and walk toward the sound. It is the pound. We walk down the fence and look at all the dogs. One dog attracts our attention. Fuzzy red, medium sized, quiet in the midst of the noise. The keeper comes out and asks if we are looking for a dog. I say No, the kids say Yes. We point out the red dog. “He has been on a merchant ship and Captain Pedderson can’t keep him any longer. The Captain is hoping a family will adopt him.” We do. He is called Reddy. At home we get used to having a dog and this dog is exceptionally well mannered. He doesn’t bark, stays out of walkways, goes under tables, answers to his name, sits, etc. The Captain has given us a wonderful dog. Hollie takes to him immediately and shows him that he can sleep on her bed. She tries not to move so he won’t jump down. He stays until she goes to sleep. Reddy was an intact male and we did have to have him neutered as he made a couple of amorous disappearances that troubled us. When Dave came into our lives, he brought Herbie. The two had a couple of fights that needed to be broken up with the hose and then they coexisted. In Klamath, after Herbie died, we found Charlotte. Reddy liked the puppy who often curled up between his paws. Reddy moved with us to Crescent City. He developed a liver problem and left a huge hole in all our lives. I cannot remember many times in my life when there was not a dog in the family. Reddy stands out because of how he came into our lives. He, and indeed, all our four leggers have been special.