Well, we made it through Day 23. Over 800 items went out the door and down the road. Those items that didn’t go directly to the trash barrel or directly into the hands of someone else went yesterday to Goodwill. A round of applause please!
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Color enhancement by iOS.
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It was January 3, 2014, when we settled on the ranch — a year of many changes and adjustments, but a very good year all told.
The new year greeted us with jonquils, frost, a fairy ring (look it up), and purple mountains.
Cousin Erik and his wife Åsa helped us send off the old year with a visit right after Christmas. They only stayed 24 hours but promised to stay longer next time.
Our friend Victor officiated.
Hosts Nancy and Greg made their home very festive for the occasion.
Victor wore Arlin’s wedding officiant stole, and the vows were made with the inkle band.
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We just yesterday completed Day 20 with a total accumulation among the three of us of 630 items. The photo does not include the items that went directly into the hands of others or those that went directly into the trash. Pretty impressive nonetheless!
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We said farewell to Willy yesterday. He was 16 or 17 years old (we’ve never been sure). He died peacefully on our bed around 11:00 am. He’d been losing weight and getting a bit unsteady for a couple of weeks, but he didn’t seem unhappy. Then he stopped eating, and after a few days of increasing immobility he fell asleep for good.
Fritz and Chester both knew something was wrong. Fritz, who always regarded Willy as his buddy (and occasional playmate), often lay down with Willy to keep him company during his final hours.
We buried Willy, along with Callix’s ashes, in the little fenced-in area that we’ve always referred to as the country cemetery.
We sent Callix on his journey back to the universal energy on December 9th. He was eating less, losing weight again, and falling a little too often. He was ready; I was not really. He was 10 years, 8 months old, and we had spent 4 1/2 of those years together. He had traveled the country coast to coast with me, always eager to see new places and give a hearty enthusiastic crotch greeting to new friends and old. I am so glad we had this past year here in the country. He loved it, loved playing chase with Chester and Fritz, loved sunning himself with Kai on the patio, and was happy to lay under the kitchen table waiting for someone, anyone, to drop something, anything.
He was stuffed with cheese and love and then he slept. He was my silly, goofy, love puppy.
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Dragonfly Ranch 