Christmas 2024

 Another cycle around the Sun is near to completion, so I thought I might catch you up on the happenings or rather nonhappening's here in the High Desert. In retrospect quite a lot of changes have taken place this year, yet my mental reaction to the year was mostly boredom. 

Brenda and I are still getting along better than anyone likely deserves. I have no complaints other than she seems to be totally committed to testing my willpower with goodies and tasty things that are laying around waiting for me to gobble them up.

We met my 1st cousin and his Lady at the Painted Desert again this year and had a great time. I got my knee replaced on the 5th of June, bought a new Brittany Puppy  on the 10th of June. Most of the summer was dedicated to healing, and raising a pup. 

I've had a lot of dogs over my lifetime. All were wonderful! Several were exceptional. This one stands out from all of them in the "cuteness" category. Her parents were "Field Trail dogs" and she has the motor to match. As a small pup she was always running, and mostly out of sight. She is highly intelligent and as manipulative as a "bar girl". She seems to think that I am the next best thing since "kitty box Nougats".  A four mile shock collar is imperative with her. Its not necessary to shock her, but its ability to call her back is its main feature. All of the pups in her litter were named after Star Wars characters. She is Leah. Probably not the right spelling, but it is what it is.

Our fly-in was the highlight of the year. We are dwindling down as we age out of flying, but the ones who come make it special. Leah got to go on her first flight due to refusing to let one of the guy's take off. At my suggestion he stuffed her in his other seat and took off. She only got excited when she saw the trucks on the Hwy.

                                                                 Nap time

After the fly in I took Brenda to the coast via Crater Lake again. We went to the Redwoods, and traveled up the Coast seeing the sights. We spent a few days camping at one of the regular fly-in friends. The thing that made the biggest impression on Brenda was how many Pine trees there are in Oregon. Coming from W.Va. where the dominate tree is a Hardwood, all the Pines were a bit of a shock to her. We lost fifth gear on the truck coming back about 50 miles from the coast. It was a bit slower driving in forth gear, but we made it back with no problems.

As you might be aware, I turned 80 this year. Something that I never considered would happen. I guess it made a bit bigger impression than I anticipated. I haven't been able to hunt since 2018, when the Rabbits starved to near extinction. During that time my left shoulder got to the point that I couldn't exercise or hardly put a coat on. I somehow decided that flying had lost it's edge. Primarily due to gasoline costing around five dollars a gallon. I did pretty well until the recuperation time to get my knee healed to the point that I could use it again. Then when I did get to where I could get around almost as well as before, the Rabbits were still non existent.

It seems that almost all of the people that were in my "circle" are gone. Most of us don't live to be 80 years old. I guess that I became a bit depressed. I didn't think so until yesterday. I was going to town for a couple of Veterans appointments. The Sun was just coming up, and as usual the Sunrises here in the High Desert are spectacular, I was thinking about the friends that have gone before me, and the ones that I still have. The tears were blurring my vision. Sorrow that they couldn't share the beauty with me and gratitude for the times that they did.   I thanked God for each and every one of you, and promised to do better.

Merry Christmas!