Paradise ponders...

Paradise ponders...  I've been working out in my new office in our shed, wiring up network connections and power.  Today I got one 30 amp circuit wired up, terminating in a two-gang duplex outlet box (the blue box in the photo at right).  This will power four 12 outlet power strips like the one that's visible in that same photo.  Two of those power strips are wired up now.  I'm pretty sure I'll be able to finish all the power strips and the second 30 amp circuit tomorrow.  Worst case it will take me part of Friday.

Yesterday Debbie made us a delicious late lunch: BLTs.  But these were no ordinary BLTs, no siree.  The bacon was Daley's applewood-smoked bacon.  The tomatoes were ripe, delicious Utah tomatoes – grown in a hot house, but excellent nonetheless.  The lettuce was crisp.  There were three slices of smoked gouda cheese.  The roll was fresh from Macey's bakery, a green onion and asiago cheese thing of wonder.  And then we had Duke's mayonnaise on it.  Best BLT evah!  Added bonus: the house smelled great for hours afterwards.

This evening we went for a drive out toward Ant Flats, in the FJ Cruiser with Mike and Race riding in back.  At first we didn't see very much wildlife – not even a single deer on the way in.  Then near where we turned around, we saw a golden eagle hunting up on a ridge to our east.  We stopped at a fishing spot that was unoccupied, and let the dogs out.  Race jumped into the stream with great joy, chasing down a stick (Debbie got video; I'll post it once I've got it).  When they jumped back into the FJ, we were almost overwhelmed by the perfume of wet dog :)  Then on the way back home we (finally!) saw several deer, about a dozen all together, in three groups.  The dogs were very happy :)

Koa, RIP...

Koa, RIP...  It's been a tough week for the animals at our house.  First we lost Mo'i this past Friday.  Then today when we took Koa in for a recheck after his surgery last month, we discovered that his tumor was growing very quickly, and worse, had spread to his internal organs.  Our vet (Dr. Russell) thought it was likely he was in pain and unlikely that he'd survive long no matter what we did – so we made the decision to say goodbye to him today.  Once again, this was not a surprise – after his original diagnosis and surgery, we knew his chances weren't good even for the near term.  It was still hard.

There is one thing that has made this awful decision a bit easier for us since we moved up here.  Unlike any other veterinarian we've ever had (including several we called friends), Dr. Andrea Russell here has been willing to give us direct answers to tough questions around these end-of-life decisions.  If you ask her for advice, you'll get it.  If you ask her what she'd do, she'll tell you.  Such a simple thing, it sounds like – and yet it's something no other vet has ever been willing to provide.  I can imagine some people might find that blunt, and perhaps a bit unfeeling – but we think it's the most helpful thing she could do in such a difficult and emotional situation...