YORKSHIRE TO BOSTON

POST # 53


The morning dawned crisp and clear, and the baby boneheads, aka Jackson and Peach were somewhat shocked when I let them out the door this morning. A very quick scout around the back yard with just enough time for a morning pee and then they were anxious to come back in to the warmth of the house. They had kibble on their little minds. Ah, the simple life of the dog, sleep, pee, eat, go for a walk every now and again and receive some love and affection and they are happy with their lot in life. They understand the idea of simplicity and what is important to be happy. As I write these words they are now curled back up in their little dog beds, back in dreamsville again, probably looking forward to their next walk, or treat, or pat on the head.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR VANCOUVER FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 16, 2012
RAIN, WINDY, LOW 3, HIGH 6

WEATHER FORECAST FOR YUMA ARIZONA FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 16, 2012
SUNNY, LOW 11 HIGH 19

Comparing the above two weather forecasts it is easy to see which one looks more inviting. Fortunately for Paul the housesitter, I will have the opportunity to experience both of them on the same day. You see, on Sunday, I will be flying to Yuma for my next housesit assignment. I head out on an early morning flight to Phoenix, and after a short layover there, I will continue on to Yuma.

This will be the first time since having my accident back in March that I will be subjected to the airport security scanners, and I am curious to say the least as to what kinds of alarms will be triggered by all the new metal in my right leg. Two metal plates and twenty screws will not get through undetected I suspect. I am planning to take some documentation along with me from the hospital in case I need any proof of the legitimacy of my noisy leg. The surgeon who performed my operation told me that the only thing I would have to do would be to show the security people the enormous scar that I now have on my leg, and that should be all the proof required to back up my story. Well I guess this Sunday I'll be able to finally test out that theory. I am not too concerned about it here in Vancouver, but it might be a whole other story when I have to check in for my flight to Yuma from Phoenix. Time will tell, and if nothing else, it will be both an adventure and an education.

Yuma is probably the last place I would have ever thought that I would be going to do a housesit, however as a result of my Dawson City contacts, I have the opportunity to go on this new adventure and go to a place I have never been before. I will be down sizing in the dog department, going from two here to one there, a dog named Watson. He is another small dog, a Boston Terrier, so I am staying in Terrier Territory, from Yorkshire to Boston for the next couple of months and I am sure that I will have some Watson stories to tell as time goes by in Yuma.

So with only today and tomorrow left here in Vancouver I have a few things to get done before I go, but I will try and spend as much of my remaining hours with my buddies Jackson and Peach. Over the years that I have been housesitting here, we have become good mates, and I will be a little sad to say goodbye to them tomorrow night. I can already picture the scene. I will leave out the back door and as I walk to the back gate to leave the yard, they will be standing at the window in the door, looking in my direction, with that look of "why are you leaving us, what did we do wrong to deserve this?" For a moment or two I will linger at the back gate and stare back at their little faces and say goodbye. If I linger too long, I will only want to come right back to the house to see them one more time. So with a final look into their eyes, I will unlatch the gate, and head on my way to the skytrain station for my journey to the airport.

It will be the start of a new adventure and I will look forward to it, like I have all of the adventures in the past. After all, what else is a thoughtful wanderer like me to do, but enjoy my wanderings? And with this new adventure there will most certainly be new things to be thoughtful about.

Happy trails,

Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer