For Tommie

I know this really doesn't have much to do with dogs, but it has to do with life (and does it count that my Grandfather bred Chesapeake Bay Retrievers?).  Years and years ago my Grandfather rescued a family and a farm from a tax foreclosure.  Our family became intertwined with the family that owned the farm, and the land became known as Baldi to us.  Almost all of the grandchildren has a tale to tell about roaming the fields, woods, and streams of Baldi.

My cousin, Tom, left his heart at Baldi.  Baldi eventually became part of the City of Tacoma's watershed, and we sold the farm before eminent domain.  We've left several of our family's ashes up there...it's part of our heart and soul.

That's the thing about land and place and memories.  I think of places I played with Murphy, that we left our hearts and souls.  The same with Sage, Annie, and now Willa.  Tommie understood this.  He understood leaving your heart and soul in a place.

And Tommie understood the healing power of dogs.  We talked a lot about dogs, and he wanted, in the end, a lab.  I regret not taking the girls to see him...perhaps a tail wag, a lick, a nuzzle would have been great comfort.

I can see Tommie, now, walking the fields at Baldi with a lab.

Murphy's Day.