6:30 am

Morning air so crisp I can see the dogs' breaths. I toil, walk the loop by the creek twice, watch them both sniff every blade of grass.

A day of learning ahead...with a deadline thrown in.

It now seems the two morning appendages will be picked up Thursday morning, loaded up and whisked off. I will have to watch them drive away, knowing that when they turn at the corner, they are headed for the freeway and south to Texas. Not ideal, not ideal at all. I had planned to deliver them back by Wednesday evening so Thursday could come and go as a normal day. Steel yourself lady.