Just when I thought maybe somebody did something to keep those dogs at bay, two of them went traipsing by yesterday afternoon, and Tom saw them, too. They passed the kitchen window, walked down to the end of the clearing, then started barking their way down into the ditch very slowly. By the time Tom got down there, they were gone. I wish we had a gun! If dogs didn’t bark I wouldn’t give a shit any more than I do with cats roaming around our place, but these creatures that I wish never existed are too noisy to simply sit back and welcome along.

Tom is still working on the horses and is still sure he’ll get them to pay off enough to buy us a house but doesn’t know exactly when. He doesn’t think we’ll be here for more than a few years. I’m not sure what to think. I mean, we have to win our way out of here, or else we’ll be here forever as long as there are no problems with Jesse and we don’t go broke for some reason. This wouldn’t be the worst place to be stuck in, but I kind of miss not having to move my desk chair just to enter my closet. I miss being able to walk up to a full-size washer that’s always hooked up. I miss being able to walk up to a microwave that faces forward without having to reach into a corner to clean it.