This is Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle.  Some days when I wake up, well, I look out the window, and I have to ask myself a few questions.  First, why am I so handsome today…and second..where am I?

Well, the answer to the second question is that we are in Gila Bend, Arizona.  The answer to the first will never be known.

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We are taking it pretty slow headed back to that Florida place, but the good thing about being slow is that we get to see more sights and we get to enjoy the journey a bit more than we did the first time around. Or second.  Or third, or fourth, or fifth.  Have I mentioned before that this is our sixth time across the country?

When the road looks rough ahead
And you’re miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
You just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you’ve got a friend in me

Yesterday, we decided to rest from traveling a bit.  Deputy Digby was feeling pretty tired.

Some other folks might be
A little bit smarter than I am
Bigger and stronger too, maybe
But none of them will ever love you
The way I do

I decided that as long as Digby was napping inside, that I should work a bit on my tan.

As you can imagine, the gazing looks of passerby campers was overwhelming.  Just overwhelming. I know that it was not normal for them to see the most handsome dog in the world lounging in the buff by a picnic table in the middle of a campground in Gila Bend, Arizona.  But even with all of the adoration, I found myself lonely.  My Deputy was nowhere to be seen.  Actually, he could be seen on my dog bed in the RV air conditioning, but you know what I mean.  It was still lonely out there, and I felt myself seeking companionship.  And there he was.  Our raven.  Our raven that we found in Bodega Bay, California.  Our raven that is always ready to fly.  Our raven that likes any campground we visit, as long as there is a breeze.

The raven seemed to understand that he was needed, I think.  He provided just the right amount of shade. And he provided just the right amount of happy that I needed to cheer up with his flying wings, yet without being annoying. I was sure missing Digby.

In the desert, everyone needs a friend.  And as the raven kept flying, flying, flying away without going anywhere, he told me the story of a cactus he once knew.  And can you believe that this cactus lived in Arizona of all places?  Raven sure gets around.

The raven said that when his friend the cactus was born, the desert was too hot for him.  He said that all up and coming cacti grow by being shaded by other trees that they call nurse trees.  This particular cactus was a Saguaro Cactus, and he found it too hot to grow up properly.  He was afraid that he wouldn’t be let into the best cactus prickly universities or have the best life if he didn’t get some shade and some direction.  So a friend came along and said he could grow under him.  This friend loved him so very much that as the Saguaro Cactus grew up, he gave up everything he had…including his own life so that the Saguaro Cactus could be the best cactus he could be.  And thus was the cycle of life.

You’ve got a friend in me
You’ve got troubles, and I’ve got ’em too
There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you
We stick together and can see it through

I’m gonna tell you what.  The raven depressed the heck out of me with this story!  Yet, I got the raven’s point.  The raven was telling me that friends and family are worth more than anything in this world.  If we find people that love us…that truly love us and would give up anything for us, including their life, how special is that?  I was missing my Deputy Digby even more.  I love the raven, yes.  But no one compares with my Deputy.

Not one of us knows how long we have with each other.  The things that annoy me about Digby would surely be missed if he wasn’t around.  As we both get older, a little bit slower and a bit more tired, we get a lot more appreciative.  He’s my friend.

When life gets you down, and it will get you down, don’t forget the ones who are there for you.  Don’t forget that there are people that love you.  Don’t forget that you may have helped someone else to grow.  You may have provided them shade, a place to be their best.  We all need each other.  We all need to help each other.  We all need friends like I need my Deputy.

And as the years go by
Our friendship will never die
You’re gonna see it’s our destiny
You’ve got a friend in me

Digby and I may have traveled more miles than most dogs, visited more states than most dogs and probably visited more animal rescues than most dogs.  But our biggest accomplishment is that together, we found a friendship taller than a Saguaro Cactus in Arizona.

Deputy Digby is definitely big enough to give me some shade.  Did I say that out loud?

If you have a friend, thank them for being there.  If you are a friend that needs to help another friend, do it.  Because at some point in our lives, we will all need help, we will all need some shade to keep growing and living.

Tomorrow, we are headed to Organ Pipe National Monument now that Digby is feeling a little better, and then?  Wait and see!

-Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle

We want to thank the KOA in Gila Bend, Arizona! They have been so pawsome to us during our stay.  We sure needed a rest!

Seriously, when you have a dog park like this…how can you not love them?  Please stop by their Facebook page and tell them thank you for us! They were definitely a friend to us!

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