Thinning the Herd To Get Away

Last Friday Mindi and her family decided to go to California and meet up with Candi and her family to spend the 4th of July on the beach.  I have to say I was extremely sad as they drove away and I knew I was in charge of feeding and taking care of all the critters alone. We have two litters of puppies right now and with the temps over 100 degrees that means everything except the farm animals are in the house. I did have a friend come over a couple of times to help me but I was super stressed out the whole weekend. As I talked to someone I love and trust about my situation, he gave me some advice.  "Get rid of as many animals as you can and do something different. Get away for awhile and take a time out." So for the last three days I have been placing some of my animals. My sister took one of my dogs to replace one of hers that passed away a couple of months ago. A lady in my ward came and took some of my fish out of my pond and the baby turtles in my laundry room.  Then last night I delivered my cockatiels to a girl who rescues exotic birds.  I've been on the phone this morning trying to find a home for the ducks and Mindi has some people who want our giant tortoises.  It has been hard on me emotionally to part with my critters because they are my friends and I love them, but they do tie me down to my home and make it almost impossible to leave. I'm also missing my Dad and my trip to the White Mountains to eat fresh vegetables out of the garden he loved to plant. Sometimes the pain is so great when my mind turns to Kamber and my Dad who have already gone home to heaven. July is also the month Kamber was taken from us, so that's another struggle. I know I don't have the corner on problems and sadness. My cousin was in a motorcycle accident two weeks ago and has been in a coma in the hospital and another cousin in California has just been diagnosed with  Alzheimer's at the age of sixty, which is extremely sad for her family. Hopefully my decision to rehome some of my animals will make it easier to get away. Spencer wants me to go to Montana for a month as soon as I can. He is taking one of the puppies from my golden retriever litter, so maybe it will work out to take the dog to him and get out of the heat. Now that's something to look forward to.