“Hello Thomas. This is your Aunt Mildred. I just want to let you know that a young lady by the name of Jamie White was here looking for you. She said she’s a friend of Brad’s. I threw her off the trail a little to buy you some time. Please call us sometime dear. It’s the least you could do.”

“Good old Aunt Mildred,” Tom said to the phone as he put it down. “Always trying to put her own spin on things.”

Tom already knew that someone named Jamie was looking for him. He’d gotten three messages from her. “I suppose I should give her a call. It’s the least I could do.” Tom grinned to himself as he reached into his shirt pocket for the number.

Luckily, Jamie was at the farm which is the number she had left in her messages to Tom.

“Hello, this is Tom Humbolt. I’m returning a call from a Miss Jamie White.”

“Yes…that’s me. It’s so good of you to call me back.”

“I’ve been told you’re a friend of Brad’s. Is he all right?”

“Oh, yes…he’s fine. I know you must be terribly busy, Tom, but I was hoping we could meet in person.” Jamie was crossing her fingers and hoping that he would say yes.

“I have to report at noon tomorrow, so you would have to come here,” he said. “Where do you live?”

“I’m about two hours away. I can be there around 8:00 tomorrow morning.”

“Okay…there is a little cafe on the corner of 4th and Grove. It’s called Harvey’s. I’ll be there at 8:00. I’m assuming you aren’t bringing anyone with you.”

“No Tom…It’s just me coming. Thank you for agreeing to meet. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Jamie barely slept. She was nervous about how her conversation with Tom would go and also feeling a little guilty because she was involving herself in Brad’s life without his knowledge. She didn’t have to be at the clinic the next day, so no worries there.

***Katie and I have been working really hard. We exercise every day and practice standing for longer and longer periods of time. I knew it was time for her to begin taking steps, but I didn’t want to rush her.

“We only have one more week before I have my check-up at the research clinic,” Katie told Arf. “I want to be able to take six steps by then.”

***I barked an okay, but I didn’t understand what she meant. I know what six is… one, two, three, four, five, six. We do a lot of exercises to ten, but I didn’t know why she wanted to take six steps.

“I’ll tell you later why I have to…I mean have to take six steps before I go back to the hospital. I remember how we were trained to take steps. Do you Arf?”

***Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark, Bark…I did remember and there was no time like now to get started. We were at our usual flat spot away from the house and overlooking the garden. This time I got two walking sticks out of the pocket in the back of her chair and gave them to her. I also got two tennis balls  and worked to get them on the bottom of each stick. They’re to keep Katie from slipping if we hit a bad spot.

“Okay Arf. I will stand up and look both directions for a minute and then look forward and watch you. You will be walking backwards in front of me.”

***I walk backwards so that Katie keeps an even pace and doesn’t hurry. Her body might try to go faster than her feet and that wouldn’t be good. When she says she’s ready, I will put my paw up so she knows that I am too.

“We’ll go one step and then stand,” Katie said, “and then another step and stand, and then we’ll go another step…

***Bark, Bark

“Okay bossy Arf. We’ll only go two steps.”

Katie stood easily. She was strong. She and Arf had practiced her standing routine many times by now and Katie had become more confidant.

She had both walking sticks in position, Arf was carefully watching her from three feet ahead of her. 

At first she didn’t move and Arf began to think her fear had returned. If it looked like she might falter, he was ready.

Then she did it! She raised her right foot, and still looking directly at Arf, She stepped ahead exactly the right distance. She then brought her other foot forward and stood watching Arf. He could tell she was really concentrating and trying to remember all she had learned. 

Once she was in position again, she repeated the same sequence for the next step. When she had successfully walked forward two steps, Arf could see her knees begin to shake and he quickly pushed the wheelchair so that it was directly behind her. Arf thought she would fall into it, but she didn’t. She slowly lowered herself down onto the seat. Arf took each walking stick and with his paws and mouth, he folded each one and put them back into the pocket. He made sure to put the tennis balls back, too.

It wasn’t until they were on their way back to the house that Katie began to sob. She cried so hard, Arf was afraid she wouldn’t be able to breathe. She wrapped her arms around her friend and sobbed some more. Finally, she wipped her tears away and replaced them with a huge smile.

“We did it Arf,” she said. “I walked…and you taught me how. Lets go to the garden for a few minutes, Okay? I don’t want anyone to see that I’ve been crying,”

***Bark!!!

Back at the house, Grandma Helen and Miss Bessie were out on the porch in their rocking chairs and enjoying the beautiful day.

“Does it seem to you that Arf and Katie have been gone an awfully long time?” Miss Bessie asked.

“I was just thinking the same thing, Bessie. It’s a good thing we trust Arf. We don’t even know where they go off to. Do you think Arf is really going to be able to help Katie? I pray every night that I see a change in my granddaughter, but she doesn’t seem to want to get out of that wheelchair.”

Dina had brought a glass of ice tea out to the porch and was about to join Miss Bessie and Helen.

“I agree Helen. I’ve been told she doesn’t think she deserves to walk. I have to find a way to convince her that I didn’t leave because I was told she would never be able to walk. How do you make a child understand that sometimes adults do terrible things for what they think are the right reasons. I thought I was doing it because I loved Jack and my baby so much?”

“Indeed,” Helen said. “Indeed.” Then reached up and took her daughters hand in hers.

 

 

 

 

Things at the ranch seemed to be settling down…. Or were they? Using the methods she and Arf had learned at the research hospital, Katie was able to stand up…Only she didn’t want to tell anyone, yet. Jamie had found Brad’s brother, Tom…and she didn’t want to tell anyone, yet. With all this secrecy going on, to most in the household, things seemed to be up in the air, Which prompted Miss Bessie to stir things up a little.

“Does it seem strange to you that everyone but Jamie, who is still family to us of course, now live at the ranch?” Grandma Helen asked as she and Miss Bessie were having their usual early morning coffee in the kitchen.

“I like it,” Miss B. said. “I especially love that Dina is here and it appears she plans to stay. It must be wonderful for you to have your daughter close by.”

“I must be honest. I really don’t know how I feel about Dina. Are we all supposed to forgive her just like that? She has said very little to anyone but Steve and Katie and I don’t think either of them are that sure of her motives,” Helen said as she got up to pour another cup of coffee.

“You’re having three cups of coffee this morning, Helen? You’ll be a bundle of nerves by noon, and you’ll be cranky, too. You know how cranky you get.”

“I remember how cranky she gets when she has too much coffee,” Dina said as she walked into the kitchen. “Do you ladies mind if I join you?”

Though she really hated to leave, Miss Bessie decided it would be the right thing to do to let Helen and her daughter have some time alone.

“I believe I’ll take my leave and let you two visit,” she said. “I’m going to take my sketching pad and go out on the porch this morning and try to catch the morning dew sparkle as the sun rises over the hill.”

“I’ll join you in a bit,” Grandma Helen said. “I’ll catch the sun and the garden flowers in all of their glory. Like they look after the sun sunrises.”

Dina, suppressing a grin, poured herself a cup of coffee and joined Grandma Helen at the table. The two ladies continued their lightly veiled squabble a bit before Miss Bessie finally left.

“I tell you,” Helen said. “That old woman drives me to distraction sometimes. How are you settling in Dina and if I may be blunt, how long do you plan to stay?”

“Those are two very different questions,” Dina answered. “I feel my being here makes all of you feel uncomfortable and I can certainly understand that, but I also realize everyone needs time. It doesn’t matter anyway because my relationship with Katie is all that matters. I hope she will learn to accept that I am her mother and I’m not going anywhere. I’ve given my notice at my job and because I have so much vacation time, I won’t be going back. I’ve also put my little house on the market. I’m going to ask Brad if he will allow me to continue to stay at the ranch. I’ll insist on paying rent, of course. Do you have any other questions, Mother? I would be happy to answer them.”

“Just one,” Helen said as she got up to leave. “I thought we were close, Dina. I thought we had the kind of relationship that you want to build with Katie. Why couldn’t you tell me you were so sick and why didn’t I sense it? I guess that’s two questions isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Dina answered. “And again, they require two very different answers.”

*****************

Brad was saddling up his horse when he saw Jamie’s Jeep coming up the drive. For some reason, seeing her brought a smile to his face. When she got out of the Jeep and started walking over to him, he noticed she was smiling, too. She was someone very special he thought. She was easy to be around and had the kind of integrity many people don’t posses. she wasn’t the kind to keep secrets and Brad liked that in a person.

“What brings you here this morning?” He asked. Have you been able to find anything out about Tom’s whereabouts?”

“I’m on my way to the clinic and I just had the urge to stop by and say hello…and no, I haven’t been able to locate him, yet. I’m sure something will turn up soon.”

***Jamie was holding a brand new frisbee and I wanted to run and get it from her so bad. I was down to my last good frisbee. I didn’t want to interrupt. I liked seeing Brad and Jamie smiling at each other, so I forced myself to stay put.

“Arf, here’s a new frisbee for you. I was able to find your favorite color,” Jamie said as she knelt down to ruffle the hair on Arf’s head. “If it’s okay with Brad, you can come to the clinic with me this morning. Annie will be there so it’s up to you if you want to bring your brand new frisbee. I know you work with Katie every day so I’ll have you back by noon.”

My brother, Billy sent me an article and I challenged myself to write a poem about it for the blog. It’s all about idioms.

Back in the day…..

June became the month for weddings and here’s the reason why. Folks took their yearly baths in May and smelled bad by July.

To extend the bride’s fresh scent she carried a bouquet. Thus began the custom most brides follow still today.

When things got oh so rank and May finally came around. They all took a bath, first the oldest then on down.

By the time the youngest got to bathe be it son or daughter. You just might lose the baby in the dirty old bath water.

Hence it’s said today though it’s pretty sad. When you throw something away, don’t throw the good out with the bad.

Lead cups were used to drink either ale or whiskey. The combination made the imbibers go way beyond being tipsy

If someone found them on the street, they thought they must be dead, but there was a chance they’d just passed out instead.

The family laid them out on the table for two days and sat around and ate and drank resulting in a phrase.

The afflicted might be dead or survive with a headache. The party that the family had was called “holding a wake.”

Once upon a time, bread was divided up by status. Workers ate the bottom, always burnt but sometimes gratis.

The family saved the top and ate the middle, because they knew they must. The guests ate the top and were called the “upper crust.”

The wealthy had something other than dirt make up their floor. The poor had only dirt, hence they were called, “dirt poor.”

In old small villages folks ran out of room to bury the dead. They dug up the coffins and took the bones to the bone-house instead.

They reused the graves where the bodies of the bones had been lying and what they saw was simply horrifying.

They found scratch marks on the inside in one of twenty-five. They realized they had been burying people still alive.

A string was tied to the corps’ wrist, led through the coffin and tied to a bell. If the bell rang that night they knew all was not well.

Someone had to stay in the graveyard listening for the bell to ring. You never could tell when some poor soul would pull that bell ringing string.

It was a long night if you get my drift. That’s why they called it the “graveyard shift.”

Now I’ll sit back and relax. I’ve written about the whole ball of wax.

Jamie didn’t know what to do. She had just learned from Brad’s aunt that his younger brother, Tom, is an aerial firefighter.

Mrs. Jones seemed to be very proud of the nephew she and her husband had raised from the age of twelve. Yet, the letters found in the attic sounded as if when Tom confessed to Mr. and Mrs. Jones that it was him who started the fire and not Brad, they had begun to resent Tom and maybe even mistreated him.

“Mistreat Tom?” Mrs. Jones said in disbelief. “Of course we didn’t mistreat him. It was Tom’s own guilt that drove him away from us. He began to misbehave and we laid down some rigid rules. It could have partially been a teenager’s rebellion, I suppose.” Mrs. Jones said as if the possibility had just occurred to her.

Jamie couldn’t decide what she should do with the information. Should she tell Brad and let him pursue a relationship with his brother, or should she go talk with Tom, first?

She finally decided she would talk with Tom before saying anything to Brad. Her intuition told her that it was not going to be easy for the brothers to rebuild a relationship. Brad had told everyone that he was the one who started the fire that had killed their parents and sister, and convinced Tom it would be better that way. Brad blamed himself for causing Tom the pain of living a lie. Who knows how Tom felt about Brad? It appeared that he finally couldn’t stand it any longer and told his aunt and uncle the truth. That couldn’t have been easy.

Because of Tom’s schedule, Jamie realized it could be a while before she would be able arrange a meeting with him.

**************************

With Arf’s help, Katie got stronger every day. He was her best friend and the source of her motivation. He inspired her and made her believe that she could learn to walk.

Within a week of getting home from the hospital, Katie began to work with Arf. She tried hard to be patient. They had to start from the beginning and exercise hard and faithfully to build up Katie’s strength and stamina. Arf remembered all of the signals and commands. He also remembered how to prompt Katie and when to push her to do more and when to let her rest.

Katie insisted the two of them work alone and everyone in the household respected her wishes. She was scheduled to be checked for progress in six weeks. All they could do was pray and be supportive in other ways.

Arf really liked the pretty lady. He learned her name was Dina. She was sad at first, but as she settled in, some of the sadness seemed to go away.

Steve had gone back to work. He acted a lot happier, too. Maybe because Dina was there or maybe he was happy to be working again.

Dina was constantly keeping herself in check. She didn’t want to put any pressure on her daughter, who didn’t seem ready to accept that she was her mommy, so she tried to show her how much she cared in other, subtle ways. Dina realized the main thing she had to do in order to build trust was to stay at the ranch no matter how she felt about living there. If she left, Katie would never be convinced her mother wanted to be involved in her life, forever.

***********************

“Arf,…I’m really getting stronger aren’t I?” Katie asked one day when they were outside enjoying a picnic lunch that Miss Bessie had prepared for them.

***I was really interested in what was in the basket. Had Miss B remembered to pack a good bone? I could smell tuna fish sandwiches but I don’t like tuna fish.

Katie was sitting in her wheelchair enjoying the cool breeze. She was leaning forward to look in the basket to see if she could find a bone for me, when I sensed something. I picked the basket up by it’s handle and moved it to a flat spot a few feet from where we were. Then I pushed Katie’s chair over by the basket. My next move was to get the folding stick we always keep in the back pocket of the chair. When I brought it to Katie and then sat down directly in front of her, she shook her head.

“No, Arf, I can’t.” she said. I’m too afraid.”

**I didn’t move. Neither of us moved for a minute or two and then not knowing what else to do, I reached into the basket and came out with a little package of cookies.

I was hoping Katie would understand that she could have a treat if she just tried to stand.  She was right. She was getting stronger all the time. She had the walking stick to support one side and she knew that I would raise up and sit on my back legs. She could steady her other side by holding onto me. If she started to fall, she could put her arms around my neck and I would gently let her down into her chair. There was no way she could get hurt even if she slid to the ground.

Katie could do this, and we both knew it. She got a determined look on her face and asked, “Are you ready, Arf?”

I lifted my paw which was the signal that I was ready. Katie used the strength of her arms and with one hand she held onto the walking stick. She placed her other hand on my head. Looking straight ahead, she slowly began to raise herself up out of her wheelchair.

Katie could feel new strength in her legs. She was standing. She had stood once before, months ago, but she was weak then and hadn’t trained with Arf. She had immediately fallen back into the wheelchair.

This time was different. She lifted herself up with ease and stood with only a mild amount of shakiness. She wanted to stay there forever looking over the garden and the flowers. It seemed she could see so much farther than when she was sitting in the chair.

***I was so proud of my Katie. If dogs cried, I would have cried. When I knew the time was up, I gave the signal for her to lower herself back into the wheelchair.

“You can’t tell anyone, Arf,” Katie begged. “Not until I can walk, but I stood for a very long time didn’t I? Now reach into the basket and give me those cookies. I know for sure there’s a good bone in there, too.”

 

 

Since it’s getting close to Memorial day, I decided to post the poem I wrote honoring the women who gave their lives for our Country…

Just one pretty flower

by Mary Francis McNinch

“Put a flower on my grave.” That’s all she asked of me.

“Just one pretty flower that I’ll be sure to see.”

“She never had a chance,” they said. “She won’t make it through the night.”

“She might have won some battles, but she’ll lose this final fight.”

I tried to say, “I love you,” as I stood beside her bed.

She smiled her biggest smile, and this is what she said.

“You know I’ll never leave you, right? It’s really not that far.

Look through all the darkness. Give my name to one bright star.”

“It never did make sense,” they’ll say. “She had little ones to rear.”

“Nothing much that she could do.” I know that’s what you’ll hear.

I said, “What you did mattered,” and she held my trembling hand.

She saw her Country struggle and she had to take a stand.

There are those who disagree. It’s their right to think that way.

They might not survive tomorrow, but they’ll live free today.

“Tell the kids I love them. Show them my picture now and then.

Tell them where I’m going, but don’t tell them where I’ve been.

I hope the evil can be stopped and we keep our flag unfurled.

“I gave you all my love,” she said. “My life I gave the world.”

The last time she closed her eyes, I knew what she would see…

Whatever love looks like ..to those who fought to keep us free.

“Put a flower on my grave.” That’s all she asked of me.

“Just one pretty flower that I’ll be sure to see.”

After dinner, Brad and Jamie escaped to the library to discuss their plan to locate Tom. It had become increasingly important to Brad to find his younger brother.

After the fire took the lives of their parents and sister, Tom had gone to live with his aunt and uncle. He was only twelve when everything took place. Brad had been sixteen. He chose to go out on his own and no one felt compelled to stop him. He ended up doing what he loved. He worked on a horse ranch and spent the next four years learning the business while finishing high school and getting a couple of years of college under his belt.

“It shouldn’t be that difficult to find your aunt and uncle,” Jamie said. “Did they have any children of their own?”

“None. I realize now that they thought they had to take Tom in because Aunt Mildred was my mother’s sister and there really was no one else.”

“My heart breaks for Tom,” Jamie said. “Do you remember anything in the letters that gave a clue as to where any of the three of them are now?”

“No…” Brad walked over to a wall filled with books. “These were all here when I bought this house,” he said. “I’ve been here almost fifteen years and I’ve never spent any time in this room. It’s kind of nice in here isn’t it?”

Jamie knew Brad well enough now to know he was done talking about his family. At least for tonight. I will have to be the one to take the bull by the horns and find Tom, she thought. 

Dina went to the hospital with Steve every day, and after spending time with his daughter, Steve came back to the waiting room shaking his head.

Each day, Katie begged to see Arf, but didn’t show an interest in seeing her mother.

On the sixth day, Steve and Dina had a meeting with Doctor Simpson. “I think we’re going to send Katie home,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’re not like the research hospital and we can’t allow dogs to visit patients, but we have to let her be with…is it Arf? I would stick close by if I were you, Dina. Katie will eventually come around. Maybe Arf will help bridge the gap.”

***Katie came home!!! She doesn’t look too good. She must have really missed me. I get to stay with her all of the time…day and night. I won’t be able to help Mark with the horses or Jamie with the chickens, because Katie is what matters and she needs me.

*************

Mildred and Jack Jones were relaxing in the living room of their home in a very exquisite retirement community when there was a knock at the door. “Who could that be?” Were you expecting someone, Jack?”

When she opened the door, an attractive young woman was standing there.

“Hello Mrs. Jones,” she said. “I must apologize for not calling first, but when I discovered where you live, I felt an urgency to meet you. I’m a friend of Brad Humbolt, Tom’s brother. May I come in?”

Mrs. Jones stepped aside and motioned for Jamie to come in.

“If you’re looking for Tom,” she said. “I know exactly where he is.”

 

***Jamie and Brad talked for a while, but I didn’t really pay attention. We had to get to the vet clinic. Jamie can’t be late or the animals will suffer. I don’t know what suffer means, but I don’t think it sounds like something I’d like to do. Sometimes I want to be with my own kind for one day. It’s not that I don’t love my family, because I do, but they can be pretty high maintenance. I’m ready for Katie to come home. I hope she still loves me as much as I love her. I want us to work on all the things we learned that will help her to walk. That’s the important thing in my life. All the other things I do are just busy work.

Well, here we go. I heard Jamie and Brad say they had a plan. I don’t know what a plan is, but I’m happy we get to head for the clinic.

***************************

When Dina got to the hospital, she went directly to the waiting room where she and Steve had agreed to meet. He said he would wait until she got there before going to see Katie. She hoped she had gotten there soon enough. Katie shouldn’t have to wait to see her daddy. She should have told Steve to go on alone if she wasn’t there by the time the doctor had given them the okay.

As it turned out, Doctor Simpson suggested Steve go in by himself first, anyway. He said Katie might not be ready for the excitement of seeing her mother so soon after major surgery. It might be wiser to have Steve tell Katie that her mother would like to see her and gauge how she reacts. Too much stress was not something Katie needed right now. On the other hand, it might be more stressful for her not to see her mommy.

“I understand Doctor Simpson,” Dina said. “I understand completely and the last thing I want to do is upset Katie.”

The doctor turned to leave, but he had something else to say.

“I should tell you that when Katie was hovering between sleep and consciousness, she talked about you in a very loving way. She kept saying she knew her mommy loved her, and she loved her daddy, too.”

It was as if all the blood drained out of Dina’s body. She felt every bit of the pain she had caused her little girl. Her baby needed a mother and Dina had not been there. Her husband, her mother, even her sister, Steph had paid a huge price. She hadn’t even given them a chance to be involved in her decision to go to a hospice facility.

“Dina, are you okay?” Steve asked. “You look like you need to sit down. Will you be all right? I’m going in to see Katie now.”

“I’m fine, Steve. Please, go be with Katie. I think I just need something to eat. I’ll walk down to the cafeteria and get a little something to bring back here. I’ll wait as long as you need me to. Promise me you won’t rush your visit.”

It was almost noon when Steve came back to the waiting room.

“They’re giving her some lunch and then they’ll check her incision and do some blood work. Dr. Simpson is still concerned about infection. I hate to say this, but I think she’ll probably sleep for the remainder of the day.”

Steve didn’t wait for Dina to respond or ask questions.

“Why don’t we drive to your house and you can pick up whatever you’ll need for the next few days. Since you don’t have a car, it will be easier for you to stay at the ranch instead having to ride the bus. I’ll bring you to the hospital every day until Katie can come home. Can you get the time off work? I know you’ve been working at the hospice.”

“I called them this morning. I have a lot of vacation time and there aren’t that many patients there, currently. I have all the time I need.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do!” Steve pulled the truck around and within minutes they were headed toward the little town he and Arf had been to the day they found Dina.

“I’ll do whatever you suggest. If you think I should stay at the ranch for a few days,” Dina said not too convincingly, “Then I will, but Steve…please tell me how our daughter is doing. I know she’s got a lot of mending to do physically, but how is she doing mentally?”

“If you’re asking me if we discussed you, I’ll tell you we did. Let me see if I can put what I sense into words. I’m not a psychiatrist, but from what she said, I get the feeling Katie is afraid. She believes that you come and talk to her when she’s sleeping. She feels like she knows you, and she doesn’t want the real you to be different from the imagined you.”

“I get it,” Dina said. “I’m afraid, too. What if I can’t live up to myself?”

“You can and you will,” Steve assured her. “There is one other thing. Katie talks like she is able to walk during those imagined visits.”

Steve knew that was a lot for Dina to absorb. They rode in silence for a while.
“Having a relationship with Katie is really important to you isn’t it Dina?”

“You have no idea, Steve. I’ll take whatever she’s willing to give and I will give whatever she’s willing to take.”

***Everyone returned to the ranch that night. Even Jamie came for dinner. I was supposed to go home with her again, later. We all expected to see Miss B and Grandma Helen cooking a huge dinner, but Grandma Helen met us at the door and said Miss Bessie was all upset because Miss Alice had kicked her out of the kitchen. Alice said it was HER kitchen and she was going to do the cooking. I hate to complain, but Alice never remembers to give me one of the good bones. It hadn’t been a good day for old Arf. I lost a frisbee to that female at the vet clinic, too.

The next morning, Dina was up and ready to go by 5:00 o’clock. Brad had given her the keys to Steve’s truck after making sure it had plenty of gas. He had also pulled it up to the front of the house and like men do, he gave her some pointers on how to drive it.

Both Brad and Jamie had offered to go with her, but having no idea what the day would bring, she thanked them, but declined.

She was on her way out the door when she noticed there was a light on in the kitchen. Thinking she could grab a cup of coffee to take with her, she walked in only to find Helen sitting at the table with a cup of her own. Too late to change her course, Dina walked in and headed straight for the coffee pot.

“I filled a travel mug for you,” Helen said. “Do you still drink your coffee black?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Have a safe trip,” Helen said as she rose to leave. “Please let us know how Katie is doing and give her my love.”

“Of course,” Dina answered.

Everyone in the household calls Helen, grandma, but she’s not my grandmother, Dina thought. She’s my mother. A woman who has spent the last seven years caring for her granddaughter, Katie, after I walked out on them all without explanation.

After being diagnosed with a rare blood disease, Dina had been told she would die soon and didn’t want to burden her family with that emotional upheaval in addition to giving Katie the care she needed. They had been told Katie’s paralysis was permanent. She would never walk.

But Dina didn’t die. She lived less than two hundred miles away and worked in the hospice facility she had gone to when she had been so close to death.

A short time later, when Brad walked into the kitchen, Miss Bessie was in there cooking up a big breakfast.

“Good grief, lady. Are you cooking again? You spent all day yesterday in here and poor Jamie had to spend the day cleaning up after you.”

“Did Jamie complain? Is that why she left right after you all got home last night?”

“No, of course not. She’s a country girl, now. She had to get back to her farm and take care of her chickens and milk the cow. She also said something about weeding that garden of yours.”  What Miss B didn’t see is that Brad had a teasing grin on his face as he poured himself some coffee and opened the newspaper.

“Oh yes, the garden. I miss my garden. Oh well, Jamie’s back is younger than mine. My back just can’t handle pulling weeds anymore. That’s why Helen and I have taken up painting and a few other new hobbies.”

“Like cooking massive amounts of food?” Brad stole a piece of bacon and walked out of the kitchen. He also had chores to do.

Jamie was up early, too. She wanted to complete her morning chores and do some detective work before heading to the veterinary clinic where she was doing her internship. She had regretted starting the internship early, but then, she hadn’t anticipated so many life changing events would take place. Besides, she enjoyed working at the clinic.

***I got to come to the farm with Jamie. I guess she really needs my help, too. This should probably be more than a one-dog family, but I like staying busy…especially when my Katie isn’t here. I sure hope we go to the veterinary clinic, today. They let me go there with Jamie. The only condition is that I can’t bark. There’s getting to be fewer and fewer places where a dog can bark out loud these days. There is a female dog there that likes to steal my frisbee from me. I’ve lost two really good frisbees that way. I don’t know if I should take one, today. I’m getting low on good frisbees.

Jamie and Arf were just finishing up their chores when they saw Brad pull in. Luckily, they had some time before heading for the clinic, because Jamie had some questions for Brad.

“Good morning,” he said. “I thought I would stop by and let you know that we heard from Steve already this morning. Katie had a good night and she seems to be resting comfortably this morning. He also said Dina got there safely and they were waiting for the doctor to make his morning rounds.”

“That is such good news,”Jamie said. “We all have so much to be thankful for. Isn’t that good news about Katie, Arf? Poor guy, he’s been trying so hard to figure out when he can and can’t bark.”

“He’ll get to bark enough when Katie gets well. A lot of his training includes barking commands.”

“We have about thirty-minutes before we have to head out, Brad. Come on in for some coffee. I want to talk about Tom. Do you know where your aunt and uncle are living now?”

 

To help assuage her nervousness, Miss Bessie had cooked all day. By the time Arf and Mark came in from getting the horses into the coral and barn, there was barely room on the counters or the table. Jamie was busy washing dishes.

The ground was white with hail, but the wind had calmed down and the downpour was now a gentle rain.

Grandma Helen, Brad, Dina, and Steve were still in the waiting room of the hospital where Katie was having her surgery. They still didn’t know if her appendix had burst and if that was the case, had infection set in.

“I finally got through to the ranch,” Brad said. “Arf and Mark were able to get all but two of the horses to safety. Miss Bessie had dinner ready, so they were going to eat before going in search of the two they missed. It sounds like Arf outdid himself again.”

Steve wasn’t listening. He was pacing. Dina was staring out a window.

“I can’t believe we haven’t heard anything about Katie. Have you checked with the nurses station, Steve?”

“None of has checked in the last thirty minutes,” Dina said.

“I’ll go now,” Grandma Helen offered. “Wait! is that the doctor coming?”

Dr. Simpson looked exhausted as he walked into the waiting room.

“Katie is a strong little girl,” he said. “I was more than a little worried about the outcome today, but it appears your prayers have been answered. I believe that with a lot of care, Katie will mend.”

Dina burst into tears. “Excuse me,” she said quietly. “I need to go to the chapel.”

“I’ll go with you.” Brad could sense that Dina really felt alone and afraid. “We’ll be back, soon, Steve. Helen would you like to come with us?”

“Thank you, Brad, but I think I’ll stay with Steve and listen to what the doctor has to say.”

“Doctor Simpson, when can I see my little girl?” Steve asked.

“She is going to be pretty groggy throughout the night. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? You’ve got some tough days ahead of you.”

Steve had some time to think while he and Helen waited for Dina and Brad to return from the hospital chapel. By the time they got back, he had made a decision. He would stay the night at the hospital in case Katie woke up. He hoped that Brad would agree that Dina should stay at the ranch tonight rather than take a bus to where she lived. He also hoped Dina wouldn’t object to him being the one to stay. She could drive Steve’s truck to the hospital the next day, so they would have a vehicle. By the time Katie was fully awake, both her mommy and daddy would be there with her.  What happened beyond that, would remain to be seen.

***I decided I really like being a ranch dog. I like horses better than Miss Bessie’s chickens and I haven’t seen one skunk since I’ve been here. Mark and I found those other two horses in no time. Mark only told me to quit being bossy to them twice. They were getting spooked.

Brad, Grandma Helen, and that nice lady got home last night. Steve and Katie weren’t with them which kind of worries me, but on the other hand. Everyone seemed happy, so it couldn’t be too bad. They must have taken her to a place that doesn’t like dogs.

I miss my Katie like crazy, but I’ve been cleaning up around here. I get a good bone every time I turn around. Nobody seems to know who’s in charge of those really good bones so they all give them to me. I’m in dog heaven.

Come home, Katie. Come home Katie. Come home, Katie…

Miss Bessie showed Dina to one of the many empty bedrooms and gave her a fresh nightgown and robe to wear.

Never shy about involving herself in someone else’s business, Miss Bessie asked Dina if she and Helen had had a chance to talk things out.

“No,” Dina said. “I don’t expect forgiveness from her or anyone else. I only hope my baby can see how much I love her. I hope she’ll let me help her get well. I can live without being forgiven.”

“Kip! I’m going to the cottage.”

“Oh Kip, if you need me, I’ll be at the cottage.”

“Come on over! I’ll be in my cottage.”

My friend, Pat, said I should call my she shed something simple, like Cottage, so I’m trying it out.

Here are a few more pictures. I’m having fun playing around right now. Everything is subject to change.

I’m still looking for a footstool and an end table

I found some wire things that I thought would do nicely to hang my hat collection on. I hung one here because I don’t want to hang anything on the walls until I know for sure where I want them to go.

Some of you will no doubt recognize things you have given me. I’m really excited that I’ll now have a place to display my collections. I’ll have to put the water tower photos all of you collected for me in an album.

Bonnie Blue was the first story I put on the blog. Remember Dakotah’s princess doll? Here she is!

I need to keep my eye out for an Arf doll. I did make a book of  Arf and Annie, pictures.

I don’t have the Connie’s Story doll. There is one, but she belongs to Mari Jackson.

Ellie/Essie was going to be my “E” but I never put the book together.

Welcome to Beastertown

We are the shining crown

Of rabbit cities everywhere. None other can quite compare.

We treat others with respect and go beyond what they expect.

When it rains, we see the sun, and rainbows surround everyone.

Promises are never broken, and unkind words are never spoken.

When you speak, we will hear. We’ll make your worries disappear.

The Beasterhop has much to do, and many families to answer to.

He’s the Mayor of our growing town..The city with the shining crown.

Beastertown, a children’s story, will be the first book I write in my cottage.

The pictures below are for Kip’s sister who hasn’t seen the before and after pictures of the ceiling.

Pardon my excitement. I’ve never done anything like this before.

Arf will be back tomorrow.