Climbing Back in the Saddle

I live alone and usually work and travel solo.  My entire family lives over 1000 miles away, half my dearest friends are three states over... not complaining, but you remove one member of my inner fur-body circle and it makes a profound hole, lacuna, pit, you get the picture.

One week since the Roo passed. Amazing how 20 lbs tore my heart out with his absence.
A sincere thank you for all the kind emails and hugs... Every message made a difference.
Even the menagerie around here pitched in to cheer me up.

On Tuesday, I found Tommy curled up around Roo's grave.  Warmed the cockles of my pagan heart to know he wasn't alone.

Cole has been uncharacteristically affectionate and extraordinarily funny.
All I can say is that when my time comes, I'm heading straight for that Rainbow Bridge, my entire clan had better be there!
(Google Rainbow Bridge, I won't go into it here...).

The last week has been a blur, trying to tie up loose ends before leaving town.
Finally, on Saturday, our round bales were ready.

18 thousand pounders to sustain our herd for the Winter.

The new trailer in action.

A beautiful sight to behold.  Nobody goes hungry around here.
A not so beautiful sight:

Mr. Opossum harassing the chickens.  It took several tries before I could grab his tail and carry him to a more distant part of the farm.

Obviously, I need to put up a No Trespassing sign to ward off possums, snakes, voles...I love my wildlife, but I've been overrun this year!

One task that I will not be able to wrap up before my vacation: a tile demolition job.

I'd been warned that it was dreadful work -- it's the worst.  Let's just say that I'm putting ceramic tile removal on my F_____It List...rhymes with Bucket.