Does anyone want to read an e-book from me?

I was going to chronicle my experiences building an aquaculture setup.
And touch on my downsizing my life!

the kids and planting seeds for the future!

A little over ten years ago, I was active in scouts, and a teaching assistant in the local grade school.  It was a real tough job.  I'd round up some 5 to 7 ounce paper cups, a fifteen bean soup mix, and some miracle gro potting soil.  Usually I'd get a dozen plastic spoons too.  After a few times, I'd figured out that 5 of the fifteen beans would not grow under this method.  I'd saved them the bother of finding this out the hard way.  I could shepherd a half dozen classes through growing their ten styles of beans.  I wish I'd known of aquaculture back then.  My mission was mainly esteem building.  Show them they could get some plants to grow.  Some of these kids were emboldened to go on to grow more things.  Two of them were recently arrested for growing something legal in Washington State, but illegal at the Federal level. 

Ruby!

Sean Sorrentino recently posted on the loss of his friend.

I figure I should tell the story of Ruby, while she's still alive and she's the only dog who was here when I had a family. 
Our Dog Copper had to be put down.  He only made a few years past ten.  My Rottweiler Chester was moping around and Dad practically ordered me to go get Chester a dog.  As Copper was a Cocker Spaniel, Dad thought we should get a Cocker as a replacement.  We went out in the country.  Really just a few miles down the road.  A family there had a litter of pups for sale.  The male was already sold.  I knew that it was going to be her.  She was colored just like a Rottweiler.  Yep I'm a racist, live with it!  I did bring her sisters to the van to check first, both of them were speckled pups.  Dad has a thing against that.  They swarmed all over my brother.  He is leery of dogs not ours.  Was.  The pup who became Ruby just lay at his feet and waited for him to respond.

-Fast Forward Ten Years-

Dad knew he wasn't much longer for this life.  He wanted me to put Ruby down when he died, and have them cremated together.  She had been his dog since she came home.  She loved the rest of us, but Dad was her favorite.  It was slightly cruel, but I told him no.  I wouldn't murder Ruby, just so he could have comfort now.  It's almost been a year, and Ruby's still going strong.  She has a fatty tumor on her back leg.  She needs to take care as she goes up the stairs.  I hope I will have the strength that Sean and his wife displayed when Ruby's time comes.  She's tough and loving, and I have to ask myself if I'll have what it takes to let her go before she feels too much pain.

I'll come back and polish this entry up a bit when I feel up to it.