Another Saturday

It's hard to believe another week has flown by. It's also hard to believe I can lay out a blatant cliche right off the bat. Look, there's another one!

Evan was admitted Monday morning for his chemo. He was released Wednesday morning. I saw him very little, but I do know that he was not feeling well all week; still he mustered up the energy to go north last night with Ned to set out some bear bait (I was sleeping when they got home). This morning they left at 4:00 to let Josie and Amos do some tracking. They'll probably be home early afternoon.

Josie and Amos are Leopard Cur hounds that Evan bought a year ago in Missouri. Before they were part of his dog family, there was Daisy. She is a little Beagle/Spaniel mix who is a bit on the skittish side, but lovable. Daisy started out as a house dog, but her absolute refusal to follow the bathroom rules -- after two years of second chances -- made her an outside dog. Long before Daisy was Rufus, our good old Beagle mutt who trained us well and lived the life he saw fit: running free when he pleased, chasing rabbits as the opportunity arose, and sleeping on Evan's bed whenever he liked. He was a good old dog, albeit a smelly one. Rufus died last February, which made Daisy top dog. She's taken that to heart and trained the hounds accordingly. Much to her dismay, Daisy is not included in the bear tracking adventures. She's up and ready, but while Amos and Josie jump into the dog box, she is left behind. And she cries. Loudly. The truck pulls out of the yard and Daisy howls at the pain of being the only one left behind. At 4:00 a.m.

These bear chasing days leave everyone exhausted. Josie, Amos, Evan and Ned all come home ready for a long nap. Their early departure leaves me groggy for the rest of the day. The only one who is perky and ready for some fun is Daisy. Oh, and Paul, who has the ability to sleep through it all.