Travels With Picasso

Yesterday was Spiky’s last day. His seizures had stopped, but he was pacing 24 hours a day and began yipping with a strange sound. After many discussions and a consultation with the vet Spiky went to the vet for the last time. Today Don and Sandy will bury their little buddy here on the property he called home.

Sandy takes Spiky for a last walk along the road with Honey leading the way.

Here is Don and Sandy’s lovely estate in the Kettle Moraine Forest.

Jean and I did some sight seeing in Sheboygan in the afternoon. It’s a beautiful time of year as the leaves begin to turn color…a bit later each year. Lake Michigan, the midwest’s mini-ocean, was a pretty as a picture, so we took several.

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Late in the afternoon we met up with Steve Kreutz, my little brother from Big Brothers. We hadn’t seen each other since 1977 and assured ourselves that neither of us had changed a bit. Yeah, sure!

Steve has two grown kids and three grandchildren! It was great fun to remember things we did together way back then and to learn about what’s happening in our lives these days. I am very thankful that he took the initiative to find me after all these years.

We returned home in the evening to learn of Spiky’s passing. That called for some quiet talk in the living room with cups of hot cocoa before going to bed.

Paul

We’ve been with friends Sandy and Don in Greenbush the last couple of days. Lots of chatting and memories. Don and I fished together for many years. As a reminder of our adventures many fish trophies adorn the walls in their home. At least one 45 inch muskie was netted by me after an epic battle that is the subject of a story I tell when singing my song The Musky Bum. Of course we had to retell that story to compare our memories. Sandy keeps us nourished with great food. Monday evening it was roast chicken and vegetables. Yesterday we had a large meal at midday of cauliflower garbanzo curry.

Don Michels

Sandy Doing Some Gardening

They live on several acres in the midst of the kettle moraine surrounded by a beautiful mixed forest. The trees are changing color daily, but not yet near their peak. Birds fill the yard around their many feeders. We see two different woodpeckers, blue jays, hawks, and a variety of small birds. However, the stars of the show are turkeys. Two different families visit each day.

Their “Front Yard”

Don and I took a long drive yesterday afternoon around Sheboygan county to places I previously lived or visited. We ended up at a cheese factory where I bought some curds. Curds, jalapeno slices, and crescent rolls were our dinner. (With malbec wine.)

We share the house with four cats and two dogs. It has been a trying time. One of the dogs, Spiky, had a grand mal seizure at the same time we arrived on Monday and had several more in the next 16 hours. A trip to the vet provided some seizure medication, but he seems to have only partially recovered. This means little sleep for Don and Sandy the last two nights.

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This afternoon Jean and I are going into Sheboygan to get together with Steve, my little brother (Big Brothers of America) whom I haven’t seen since 1977.

Paul