Well, it's been a LONG time since posting. Many things have transpired since then. The stock market crash has smashed our dreams of early retirement, we have a bold , fine, thoughtful new president, and I have acquired a border collie. Yes, a border collie. Yes, I've heard all of the admonishments about the
breed ; OCD, not good pets, hyper, etc. BUT this dog found us. In fact this dog lept from the back of a pickup truck to find us, literally. The story may need to be a bit shrouded in secrecy because the original 'owner' perhaps would like the dog back. BUT, I am not a dog stealer, no sirree!! I am a dog rescuer. Really!! I would pay the man dearly for this dog if I could find him. Fact is, this little guy was emaciated, terrified, trembling, and had peed on himself. Not a pretty picture. No.And a little stinky, but he was a farm dog.

We were in our family volvo with the large DOG cargo space in back where our two dogs, Walter and Ike were happily riding.We were on our way back to Austin from New Mexico.....in central Texas....mid afternoon. I noticed the truck in front of us had a border collie riding in the back standing on his hind legs with his front paws up on the edge of the pick up. He was trembling and seemingly very scared. I wondering why the driver/rancher didn't seem to notice or care. Humm. Next thing we saw was he suddenly leapt out of the truck and ran off through the oncoming traffic. Yikes! That's a motivated escape . Not being good at emotional restraint in times such as this, I scream to my spouse, "get the dog, get the dog, get the dog" while he is honking wildly at the white pick up truck still moving ahead. The driver/ 'owner' never looked back and we never saw the truck again. After I managed to get my spouse to pull over, I raced out of the car after the puppy ( tiny 27 lb guy). When I got to him he was huddled at a gas station convience type store, cowering by the entry. Poor baby actually wagged his tail when he saw me and sort of crawled submissively in my direction. He was uninjured. Hallelujah!! I scooped him up and put him in my lap not really thinking about anything except saving him from being hit or injured. He was shaking, covered in pee and straw, and seriously bony. He rode on my lap for the next two hours home. I managed to get him to quit shaking after an hour or so, and he started looking around...at cows, goats..I don't think he has ever officially ridden in a car before.