I could dwell on my loss or I could honor Tess’ memory by giving the opportunities to another.  It would be harder to stay in the darkness with the life affirming joy and energy of a young dog present.  So I began searching the web for stockdog breeders, intent on finding another Aussie.  After a very deliberate search, I contacted Rita Love at Cowboy Love Aussies in Oklahoma.   Rita had puppies with fabulous pedigrees available.  After an exchange of pictures and information, Shannon and I settled on a red and white male puppy and made arrangements with Rita.
    Delighted at the thought of a new dog in my life, I reflected on when my new puppy would be available to come live with us.  It would be early April – and we have since settled on April 11. The little tyke was born on February 11, the day after my chance encounter near the football stadium.  I now saw the red and white Aussie that had crossed my path as a harbinger.  Then I contemplated how Tess had been the 11th puppy in a litter of 11.  The omens were too rich.  Nature moves in mysterious, often brutal ways.  Bart had been born at the time that Miles began showing the effects of cancer.  Tess was born the same weekend that we had brought home a rescue dog whom, after much painful contemplation, we decided was not right for us and needed to be returned (but not before we elected to pay to have her spayed and for other health issues to be addressed).  The connections between my dogs seem too great to be mere coincidence.
    Soon I will begin another journey with a dog that Shannon and I named Reddy For Fun (aka Reddy).  We settled on the name because I have never had an Aussie dog yet that when I looked at him or her and quizzed, “You ready?” didn’t give me a look that said, “Hell yeah!”