Good Luck, Jessie; Farewell, Buck

Today, I drove Jessie back down island where she will go back to the home of one of the directors of Broken Promises Rescue, where she stayed briefly when she first came into care. After a full discussion of her behaviours of the past few days, we decided that it is in everyone's best interest (and most especially in Jessie's best interest) for her to be in a place where she can be better assessed as her personality continues to reveal itself. There, the rescue has a relationship with their vet in case medications would be useful, familiarity with trainers and behaviourists, access to people who do T-Touch, and other resources to ensure that she can be given the best assessment and help available to make her adoption-ready.

I shall miss the muppet, but I also support the rescue's decision fully and I wish Jessie all the best.

Just as I was leaving to take Jessie back, I learned that my kind and generous neighbour, Buck, passed away yesterday. Buck was a retired senior, somewhere between my age and my mother's, who was diagnosed with cancer last year. Buck was a good friend and neighbour to me - from the day I arrived here, he welcomed me and we had many enjoyable conversations and shared much laughter over the back fence. In summer he often greeted me with hands full of warm tomatoes or young zucchini for my table, and he loved both dogs and birds as much as I do. He was a skilled craftsman whose hobby was making intricate wooden plaques, fun garden ornaments, birdhouses, and other treasures, many of which adorn his home and yard. He was a good man, and I was fortunate to have known him.