One of the many tough decisions that we had to make when we made the move to Maryland… was the decision to give away our family pets (Blackaby was Amanda’s black lab puppy who was just too “jumpy” and energetic for us… and Pistol Pete was a stray dog who wandered into our lives about a month after Chico was born while we lived on Oak Street in Bonham). Eddie and Heather Noga were gracious enough to take Blackaby back to their training kennel (Zion Kennels) and we were able to locate a good home for Pistol Pete through our neighbors. So we reluctantly ended our relationships with the little shitzu and the energetic black lab… and simplified our lives a bit for the lengthy drive, intense adjustment period to a new land, and the lease of our greystone. This period of petlessness was not intended to be an extended time… so we decided to get a pet for Ryland after he turned one.

On July twenty-fourth of two-thousand-and-seven (3 days after the BIG UNO) our family traveled to the PetsMart in Salisbury and rescued a 17-week-old calico kitten.

Out of all the kittens (at least 25-30) that were waiting to be rescued… we chose this little calico kitten because she was sitting to the side on the floor patiently and calmly observing all the other crazy kittens run in circles and freak out on one another. I went into the feline melee to rescue her and bring her out to meet Ryland. Amanda promptly named the kitten Landry (named after the great Tom Landry)… and we brought her home. Landry sits just as calmly with him as she did with those little kittens when Chico wants to try his best to pet her “softly”. He loves chasing her. Even today Ryland was in his room playing with his toys and “reading” his books by himself when he started to cry a little bit. I left the kitchen (where I was making an attempt at being a good husband by cooking dinner… snicker if you will… but those tacos were gooooood) to check on him. Just as I was about to walk into his room, Landry ran in ahead of me. Immediately Rylz stopped crying and said… “Yanhyeee”… and just like that Chico has a new best friend.

PRESS ON!!!

-Weav