December 20, 2004

December 20, 2004

Rainbow's End & Livingston, Texas

DAY 186

 

We have a new morning ritual. I get up and feed Teddy and Bo, then take Bo for a walk while Teddy goes back to sleep with Joanne. When I return with Bo, he jumps up on the bed, rushes over and licks Joanne in the face a few times, then turns to Teddy and licks him across the face for a few seconds. For the first week that we had Bo, this would inspire Teddy to jump off the bed and run away. Now it's evolved to a point where Teddy just closes his eyes tightly and flattens his ears while Bo licks his face vigorously for a few seconds. I guess our adjustment to Bo is proceeding well.

Today was another sunny, warm day. A lot of people were wearing shorts today. The weather is going to deteriorate over the next few days. We spent half the day at the C.A.R.E. Centre, taking a tour, meeting the staff, filling out forms, and getting a TB test. After a late lunch, we headed for the town of Livingston, about 6 miles away. It's about twice the size of Potosi, Missouri, with a population of about 5500, and a considerably more upscale town. On the way into town, we stopped at a small local vet clinic to make arrangements for vaccinations and neutering for Bo. So much for a "free" dog ! Bo gets castrated for Christmas. HA HA HA HA HA ! In town, we stopped at the Post Office to pick up our mail at General Delivery. We got a Christmas news letter card from Dwight and Jennifer in Vancouver, and a photo card from WorkCamper Julie, who had one of the photos I took of her at Trout Lodge's Teddy Bear Picnic as Mrs. Santa Claus made into a Christmas card. We had a large shopping trip at Wal-Mart, stocking up a bit on groceries and supplies, as well as buying some Christmas gifts, wrapping paper, and a little Christmas tree. We are participating in the Escapees Christmas gift exchange. We also bought gifts for Teddy and Bo.

Teddy and Bo have started to nap cuddled together on the sofa. Teddy always liked napping cuddled up to Nikki, and then Toby after Nikki was gone. It's great to see that these two are becoming good buddies.

Joanne went on a group Christmas carolling outing tonight, the second of three this week. Tonight the group went carolling at the C.A.R.E. Centre.

Once again I didn't quite do my research thoroughly enough. I had vowed to myself, and family, that I was going to put the few Christmas decorations that we kept, on a Saguaro Cactus, and e-mail a photo of me beside it. There's no Saguaro Cacti here. We're still too far east. We're going to have settle for a little, fragrant rosemary bush pruned into the shape of a Christmas tree < shrug >.

DSK