Counting My Blessings

In the last red embers of sunset a bat darts and weaves as it feeds. The thinnest slice of the new moon shines on the palm trees. The Coqui begins his nightly song. We sit in silence. The dishes are done, the dogs have been fed.
Of all the things that have happened today, I am most pleased that today little Bonita touched me twice as I dozed in my chair. When her cold moist nose touched my big toe, I opened one eye to see her pull away. Luckily my foot didn't move because next her nose brushed my ankle. Such a small gesture must have taken big courage.
She is feeling much better, so I no longer catch her napping in the corner. Her coat is getting a red highlight to it. The pink socks are turning white. Her ears are raw from insect bites, but overall her condition is greatly improved. She lays no more than six inches from our chairs, but scoots away when we offer a hand for petting.
Blondie, her mother is lactating so it won't be long before the puppies come. I hope we're here to help her, but next week we'll be in San Juan for my animal control class. People have been telling me to have her spayed and the puppies aborted. They are probably right, but I just can't do it.
I have a feeling that we'll be bringing puppies back to Illinois in March. Perhaps I shouldn't get that far ahead of myself. Let's see what she has first.
Stormy showed up in the neighborhood shortly after we closed on our house four years ago. The next time we came back he was a fixture in the neighborhood. The neighbors set out food for the dogs. They all seem to love him. If only that were enough.