PRYING US OUT OF THE WILDERNESS....AND LOSING 'JOEY'...

STEVE & GENN ON THAT HARLEY HE
WAS NEVER GOING TO BUY....












WHERE ARE YOU JOEY????









PAT HARRIS & HIS ANGEL,
MICHELE...










MY GUY WATCHING THE OLD GEEZERS


AND ME AND MARY AFTER LONG TIME
NO SEE....







I don't have my 'Party Photos' from Genn Wheeler yet, so will post them in another Blog...but on Saturday night we went to McBaron's for a potluck, live music with the Wheeler Band...(Cross Town Rockers)...



...and to celebrate three Birthdays. Our Friend, Steve...our pal (and his wife) Genn, and Allen's partner, Pat Harris' main squeeze...Michele. Wendy and Will were able to go for a few hours...and that was cool too....and when Walt and Mary showed up it was just perfect!

It's always great to get out and enjoy live music and hang with the Pals...meet new people etc. but it's the 'getting us out' that has become the problem. Anyway...I'll post some photos when Genn sends some.

PAYBACKS are always fun, since Genn is always taking photos at these events...and Saturday night was no exception, I brought my camera for a little 'Ride' we enjoyed Sunday afternoon. I wanted to take some pictures of the ride and the scenery...as we need some good pictures for the publicity we need to set up for next years "Second Annual" "Adventure Run 4 Kids"...and this was a good time to do it. Guess who was the ONLY ONE complaining about Linda and her taking photos...YEP...it was Genn. lol

It's been sunny skys and beautiful weather all week...and folks need to take advantage of that when they can...so we met up with Pat and Michele, Steve and Genn, and Mary at Hogfather's and took the long Bay Front ride to Newport.

Mike, a pal of Pat's from California had just arrived before the Saturday Party the night before...so this is the first view he saw of the area...and for any that have driven that road...it's picture postcard beautiful. Unfortunately, his bike is in the shop...so he had to take his Van, which is not quite the same (believe me, I have done it in the Hummer...and it is NOT THE SAME AS RIDING THE BIKE...by a long shot.

The idea was that I was going to take them all to lunch or dinner or whatever for their 'Birthdays'...but we ended up at the "Bay Haven" where Steve told us they had a live band. Listen folks...these old "Geezers" were rockin some Charlie Daniels and it was hard not to start dancing the minute we walked in the door. Some old wharf character was playing the 'spoons', but he was damned good at it too, so we had a drink and sat down to enjoy the 'jam'.

Pretty soon, they were bringing in big trays of 'good smelling stuff' and putting them all over the tables...turned out that the 'Bay Haven' was throwing a surprise FREE DINNER for all it's patrons at that exact time...and these hungry people were there to enjoy it. So it was turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy and dressing and green beans and oh yeah...Pumpkin Pie...so we fed our faces...and soon it was time to head back to the ranch before the temperature started dropping and we suffered 'cold' on the ride home.

We had so much fun as it has been a long while since we rode the "Red Baron"....but the great weekend was about to end with a BIG THUD! We drove in and Joey was no where to been seen! He is not called the "Joseph, the Lord of Underfoot" for no reason on his papers...Allen left the bike at Hogfathers...and drove his pick-up home, and I was behind him in my car by about ten minutes or so since I drove Mike to Pat's before heading back to the ranch.

Anyway, the search was on...and it went on and on and on and no Joey. As dark fell, Allen and I felt like we had a 'child missing'...and I know that makes no sense at all since 'Joey' is a dog...but we are very attached to the little guy...and I started thinking of all the things that might have killed him...and the whole bit. As time went on, it seemed likely that 'something got him' as he is always...as we say...'underfoot'.

Allen was feeling really sick to his stomach so went to bed to 'take a nap' and I paid bills to keep from thinking of Joey...but it didn't work. Soon I was outside with the mag light calling for him and straining my ears to hear a whimper or a whine...but nothing. One thing about living in a place where you listen and hear nothing but a rolling creek...the silence can be deafening.

I was searching around but it was stupid because I never left the road...cause I was too 'scardy cat' thinking that if something 'got Joey' it might be able to 'get me too' since all I had was that Mag Light and it is pitch black. I did see some fawns grazing in our pastures, and the does of course...but no Joey. I called Wendy, who saw Joey last when she was on the far West mountain hiking with him...but when she heard the ATVs going, she assumed that Joey was with them...later Will heard Joey barking, but by the time he came down from the archery range he made up by the Gray Shop, there was no Joey.

Will and Wendy came over and went up by the 'Love Shack' on the far West mountain and she showed Will where she saw Joey last, and then Will came through the forest all the way home looking in the ponds and creeks and near the waterfall...but at the end of the search for the night...there was no luck. The only 'good thing' that happened last night was that little Emily stayed with me while Wendy and will searched...and wanted to snuggle and kept saying "I love you Grammie'...

Today I went to the pound on the chance that he wandered down the road and someone found him and turned him in...but they are closed on Mondays...so I'll go back tomorrow. All the way to Newport I was looking at the side of the road praying I wouldn't see some little brown body on the side of the road.

Tonight I visited with the former owner, "Jeff" and he told me that nothing had ever attacked his horses, or lambs or pigs or dogs or cats as long as he lived here the past twelve years and said he doubted anything got Joey since there is so much game. He also said that Bobcat's (Will saw one the other day) don't like the smell of dogs and will go the other way if they smell them.

He didn't think it was a Coyote either since they are noisy and anyone around would have probably heard Joey cry for help and then the Coyotes 'gloating' at their kill by howling...and he said the Cougars wouldn't be down here because they prefer their game and only come near civilization if they are starving...and he has only seen one on this property twice in twelve years although he walked all over it checking fences and clearing trails all year round and never even brought a gun with him. That was a relief, but where is Joey? Did he fall into something and couldn't get out?

Jeff also said that he might have gone to the Northwest corner of the property where Doc Brown lives (who happens to be a Vet) as he has a number of dogs as does everyone on the 'Fruitvale' Road which is West of Christiansen Road where we are. Anyway, another night is on us and it seems so strange to not see Joey sleeping on his big bed.

I am hoping he wandered off and is lost or playing with other dogs...and that he'll find his way home, or that someone found him and there will be a 'Found' in Wednesday's paper, or he's at the pound. It is also possible that someone 'stole' him since he is a purebred...and I would rather it be that than to ever find his bones down the road. At least then there is always 'hope' that he is alive and well.

I still get all teary eyed when I think about him (like all last night and all day today)...but it is less tonight than last night thankfully. We have to have dogs here in the country, but if we don't find Joey...we're going to get two dogs, although we worry that we won't like them as much as we do Joey...and maybe one of them will be smart enough to not wander off when on a hike with any of us.

So, it's not a happy time here right now, even though the whole weekend was a blast. I thought about our son Joe's Blog about his dog 'RIP' and how concerned Lindsay was before she realized he was joking about the whole thing...cause of OUR SON Joe's crazy sense of humor...and now this happens to us FOR REAL. Creepy.

Our 'hope' is still danging by a thread...but I know as each day passes, it will dim until we finally realize he is not coming back and we have to move on. Good byes have never been one of my 'strong suits'...and many tears will fall before we say our final good bye's to Joey I fear.