I got out of here yesterday because I was missing my boy so I met Karen and her co-worker and friend Keith for lunch. Keith and his wife share their home with several dogs so he was perfect company. When I got home there was a message from the vet -- Lloyd's ashes were ready to be picked up.

Needless to sate it was a sad and sentimental trip. When I returned home some peaches we had on the porch had been assaulted by a varmint. This never would have happened when Lloyd was around. He took his duties seriously and protected our home and property from unwelcome incursions. I realized that all of the work Lloyd did will soon be for naught if we don't get someone here to carry on as our emmisary to the natural world. Lloyd never killed anything but he made it clear just who was running the show around here. He was taken very seriously. As a result we never so much as lost one bud from our garden to wildlife. Lloyd took great pride in doing such a fine job and we took great pride in him. It would be disrespectful not to carry on his work/ Therefore I'll be spending the next few days meeting a cross-section of canines in hopes of finding a new representative to communicate, in very certain terms, with our friends, the woodland creatures. As ever, Lloyd has made things easy on us. He has given us a clear reason to move forward, and so we shall.

If and when I can steal a few moments I will continue my own work on this page. In the interim, I appreciite your patience and promise it shall be rewarded.