August 1 - October 31, 2017, Chama and Aztec NM and Apache Junction AZ

We traveled back to Chama on July 31^st and were ready to start work again on August 1^st.  It will take us a few days to get back into getting up early and working again.  We didn’t do a lot in August except work and enjoy the wildlife and surrounding mountains.    We especially enjoyed the hummingbirds that visited our feeders.

And the chipmunks

We also enjoyed watching the deer – especially this doe and her fawn that visited almost every day.

Rex had a great time getting together with others in the park who like to play and sing.  They were able to play together a few times this fall and we all enjoyed listening to these talented neighbors.

We had the body shop in Chama repaint the hood on the Jeep and it makes the Jeep look a lot nicer and newer.    In August we also enjoyed another great dinner for all the train docents at the home of Bob and Holly Ross. 

In September we enjoyed a visit from our friend, Teri.  Teri is getting ready to join Bill in Hawaii where he has started a new job.  We were sorry to miss seeing Bill before he left but enjoyed our visit with Teri.  We had a very good hamburger and drinks at The Brew House in Chama.

The last guests left the park on October 9^th and we had an end of the season staff dinner.   The next few days were spent getting the park ready to close for the winter and getting ready to leave.  We enjoyed working in the park this summer and getting to know the owners better.  We are looking forward to helping out again next year.

We had a very hard and sad September and October as we lost Camille in September and 6 weeks later we lost Cody. 

Cody had an eye infection and we had to take him to Pagosa Springs to the veterinarian.   When we returned home we found that Camille could not use her back legs and was in a lot of pain.  We loaded her up and took her on a very painful trip to the vet in Pagosa Springs where she diagnosed her with a compressed disc.  We were given a muscle relaxer and told it would ease up in a few days.  Our trip back to Chama was just a painful for Camille even though she had taken the muscle relaxer.  We got her home and settled into her bed and she passed away about 30 minutes later.  The veterinarian said that the stress of her back injury was probably too much for her. 

Cody really missed Camille and did not adjust well to being an only dog.  He cried and howled when we left him alone and we realized that he had never been alone – Camille had been with him his whole life.  He was also kind of lethargic and not as active as he normally was.  Everyone kept telling us that he missed Camille but would get better in a few weeks.  He didn’t get better and just before we left Chama he stopped eating his food.  He would still eat any biscuits and treats offered so we thought he would be ok until we got back to Arizona.  We made an appointment with our vet in Apache Junction for the day after we were to return.  The day before we left Chama he was worse so we made an appointment with a veterinarian in Aztec, NM where we were stopping to visit Nancy’s aunt and uncle.  He was diagnosed with liver cancer and he had a tremendous amount of fluid built up in his body.   We all decided it was best to make him as comfortable as possible until we got back to Arizona and our veterinarian there could look at him.  He was given Prednisone to help with the fluid buildup and that helped for a couple of days.  We arrived in Apache Junction on Monday afternoon and took Cody to our vet on Tuesday.  She confirmed that there was nothing we could do for Cody except more Prednisone to try to ease the fluid buildup.  We knew that he was suffering and this would not help much so we made the heart wrenching decision to end his pain. 

Our sweet Camille was 14 ½ years old and dear Cody boy was 12.  They both lived good and happy lives.  They traveled all over the United States and western Canada with us and were always ready for our next adventure.  We know that they are together again beyond the Rainbow Bridge running and playing together.

THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

Steve and Diane Bodofsky - Inspired by a Norse legend

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,

Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.

Where the friends of man and woman do run,

When their time on earth is over and done.

For here, between this world and the next,

Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.

On this golden land, they wait and they play,

Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,

For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.

Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,

Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They romp through the grass, without even a care,

Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.

All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,

Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.

For just at that instant, their eyes have met;

Together again, both person and pet.

So the run to each other, these fiends from long past,

The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,

Has turned into joy once more in each heart.

They embrace with a love that will last forever,

And then, side-by-side they cross over….together.

"Till We Meet Again"

The day you wagged into my life

We bonded from the start.

You brought happiness to all my years

And love into my heart.

There is no other like you –

You were beautifully unique.

And my heart breaks to not have you here

Every minute of every week.

Even in your absence,

There is hope my friend.

On that rainbow bridge we’ll meet

To love and play again.

WE MISS YOU BOTH EVERY DAY!

We had as good a visit as possible with Nancy’s Uncle Lonnie and Aunt Roylene in Aztec but it was hard with Cody being sick and our knowledge that he was dying.  We enjoyed visiting and playing cards with them for a few days before heading to AZ.

October 17-31, 2017, Apache Junction, AZ

It is good to be back home but is hot and our house is very quiet and empty without our two sweet dogs.   Rex has started back with handyman work and has a lot of park models to wash – he is certainly keeping busy.  Nancy is back doing water aerobics and playing bocce ball.  This year she has started playing Bunco, which is a lot of fun.  We are both continuing with our Tai Chi class at Golden Sun RV and Rex is teaching the Tai Chi class here in Meridian Manor.