Yesterday my mother turned 99 years young. On the way to her home I stopped by the family burial plot. My father was laid to rest there 18 years ago. Standing at the foot of his grave I shot this picture. The school in the background is where I teach and the windows in the center on the second story look into my room where I am now typing this. How strange is that? We travel through life and five hundred feet away from my place of work, across the freeway is my father's grave. My mother told me they chose it for the view. She was referencing the water and Mount Rainier view. Who knew they would be able to see my school as well.

Meet Jack and Misty. Misty is a miniature Australian Shepherd puppy. Jack is one of her best friends and even Jack is starting to warm up to that irrepressible, in your face, play with me cause I'm so wonderful kid of a pup attitude.

Misty is our replacement Aussie to replace Sky. Sky was also a blue merle and died of cancer this past summer. Previous to Sky we boarded Zeke who was my son's dog, raised Max who was my mother's Aussie, and, of course, it all started with Tucker who was the first. However, Misty is not the only dog in the dog house.

When we acquired Misty there was a nine year old dog who was being picked on by the rest of the kennel dogs. He is a 75 pound Australian shepherd we call Dex. Dex is primarily an outside dog. He was matted and saturated with fleas, but today he is all cleaned up and loves his new home. Below is a photo of Dex and Misty together.