Got up “early” at 10am, packed the rig, had lunch with dad and hit the road at the crack of 2pm or so. Tearing down is always wild and time-consuming when leaving the parental compound.

Plus, I just get a little sad when I have to go. Always happens.

Thank you to mom and dad for a great week of good meals, mellowing out on the couch and a good web connection for working.

Thanks to Bry for coming over late night to make that goddamned shirt once and for all. Phew. To Derek for bringing over a couple cold High Lifes. Always good to see ya. To Natalie and Madeline for dragging me out to a hearty dinner downtown. Natalie is gonna be a mom soon. Wow. Awesome. Madeline is a teacher to lucky 8th graders. What a gal.

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512. “Somewhwere north of Cincinnati.”

I drove all the way “down state” right to my Unca Terry’s house off 23 and M59 in Howell. Saw mom and Sarah and Unca Terry for about a half hour. Family. I wanted to stay to see Aunt Mary, but had to get on the road on down to Cincinnati to meet a little doggie.

- - - -

We called her “Rosie.” My friend Renee from Cincinnati found her in the local Cinci culture paper. Renee has a keen eye for rescue hounds. She found me a little Dapple mini Dachshund. 1-year-old. About 8lbs. Long hair. Cute as hell. Very sweet. I was heading back out west and decided to pass through Cinci to meet the little girl and see if she was one to be Gary’s new sister.

Maybe she’d be the one?

I met her at Renee’s pad, and, she was cute and meek and small and beautiful.

Gary seemed to do alright with her. Gary can be overwhelming. He did okay with Renee’s other pooches Bianca and Thelma fine too. Little Rosie and Gary were pretty cute together.

Was I gonna take her west with me? Hard to say.