Last things

The time is fast approaching when we will head out for our mission.  One week to go.  We are beginning to do some things for the last time - some only for the last time before we leave for two years  - and some for the actual last time.
   Yesterday, Keith (my brother-in-law-in-law) and I went out to the ranch where we have hunted pigs for the past 15 or so years.  We took rifles, but it was more a nostalgia trip than hunting.  We saw some deer and wished them well.  We walked through the woods along the bank of Baker Creek down to where Moss Creek joins it.  Then we turned up Moss Creek and followed the woods along its bank to the edge of the property, where we turned back towards the truck. 
   As we walked I said something about having a lot of adventures out there.  Keith said his strongest memory is the day we were trimming tree branches out of a shooting lane and his appendix burst.  We didn't know why he was feeling so bad so suddenly, but we dropped our tools and I persuaded him to go home.  There I suggested he go straight to the hospital.  He wasn't feeling any pain - only sick.  Later his doctor said that I saved his life by getting him back straight away.
   So then I reminded him of the day he tagged along as I harvested honey from my beehives in the heat of summer.  With Africanized bees in the area now I had to wear a full, canvas suit, and the heat got me.  When Keith came back to where I was working I was sitting down and had no strength to get the final 30 feet to the truck and water.  He got me water and got me home.
   So, Yes, we've had some adventures.  But more than that we have many pleasant memories of seeing riotous wild flowers, turtles, butterflies, foxes, bobcats, skunks, armadilloes, black panthers, raccoons, opossoms, beaver, snakes, lizards, salamanders, road runners, owls of all sizes, buzzards, hawks, crows, cardinals, huge Texas millipedes,and many, many other creatures.  We've removed a lot of feral hogs, which is why the owner wants us there, but we've mostly just enjoyed being out there.
  As we walked, I found that Keith was lagging behind.  In the past, he is almost always in front of me, because he wants to cover ground while I want to look at everything as we go.  But this time he had tired.  I doubt we walked as much as 2 miles.  Many times we have walked five or ten times that far and loved it.  The fact is that both of us are getting old enough to find a hobby more sedentary than hunting feral hogs.  So this visit to the ranch was truly the last time.
  In the past two weeks, Liz had the ward sisters come help her pack up all her china and serving pieces into boxes.  We packed clothes we want to keep but not take to Croatia into boxes, too, and I shrink-wrapped furniture we want to store.  Then I had the brothers come help me put it all away.  The things that aren't affected by heat went into the attic, and everything else went into a big pile in the garage.  When Josh comes, he'll be able to park a car on one side, but his other car will have to go out on the street.  So, now the only chairs we have in our living room are folding chairs.
  Liz has her suitcases packed, but I am holding out for the last day.  Our taxes are done except for a couple of 1099's that will come after we leave. 
This final week before we leave will be filled with many other "last things", and we are very happy about it.