My Pablo is gone

He's hunting pheasants in South Dakota. He left about noon today (Sunday). That's kind of a switcharoo - Paul leaving me behind at home. I don't like this feeling!


The guy packed enough for a month away. My goodness what's he going to be doing there? He took 2 suitcases for 4 days.

He's meeting a college buddy and his friend in Sioux Falls today and then they're heading to Faulkton to stay in a house where they'll hunt from. It's a smaller than usual group this year.

The guys used to come to Iowa - to our place back in the day. When SW Iowa had lots of pheasants. Wet years and ice storms have taken care of the pheasant population around here. So the group went off to more populated pheasant pastures and I haven't gotten to see them in recent years. ;>(

Mike Huston was our best man at our wedding. Paul has known him since his freshman year at ISU. I've talked about his family - his parents Clark and Joyce are my role models. We camped at their place in Ridgeland, WI for some 15 years post college over the 4th of July until the kids got busy with activities.

Mike is a heck of a nice guy - he and wife Paula are veterinarians just outside LaCrosse, Wisconsin. His friend Ben has come along for the hunt for many years. They are bringing four dogs. Paul left Odie here.

Tom Sullivan another ISU buddy usually goes along on this trip. But we had a big shock last weekend when Paul heard that Tom and wife Allison are divorcing. So Tom isn't going on the trip. Sullivan Family Pet Clinic is under fire as they fight over their practice (they too are vets - their practice is in Johnston).

This has shaken Paul and me - one of those things you just don't think could happen. But what the hell do we know? We haven't been around Tom and Allison much for many years and know nothing of the state of their marriage. They were Catholic and married the same year we did - 1982. They have 2 daughters around our children's ages. They work very hard and suffered a financial setback with some investments. I'm so sad about it. The girls won't talk to Tom any more. He has begun a relationship with a long ago love. The divorce will be final soon. I've thought about it a great deal this past week. Sadly.

I'm now watching American Pickers - (Whaaa? No football? Dude - Paul isn't here...) I miss him.