August 13, 2008 – Izzy and I found Marion in the hallway outside her room,  talking to her friend Lois. It is always a pleasure to see Marion light up when she realizes Izzy is there.
   I am struggling now to describe the bond between these two, and also between Marion and me. We have simply connected, on some level beyond my easy grasp. I accept it, rather than explain it, and am grateful for it. Time seems suspended during these visits, perhaps because it is so precious.
  When I saw Marion, I said, “hey, let’s go for a ride. Let’s go outside.” She seemed confused at first, then a nurse helped us outside and into a shaded patio outside the Alzheimer’s wing. Marion was at ease, in the light, Izzy curled up at her feet, and when she could, she would reach down and touch him. We spent a wonderful hour or so together, and I have learned a lot about talking with Marion, and we talked about her farm and mine, and when she listens,  she nods and smiles and she loves hearing the story of Izzy, over and over again, of how he was on the farm, and I found him, and we found each other.
  The people we visit in hospice often need to be touched, and Izzy does this, and I held Marion’s hand a bit and took some photos, which I will post tonight and through tomorrow. We talked about goats – “they are awful smart” – and she was curious about donkeys, and Elvis, my 3,000 lb steer. And she told me she loves poetry, and I told her I would start bringing poems.
  We talked easily, and clearly, and she told me there were some difficult days for her. Izzy has opened a channel, and it is deep and clear. She has a great sense of mischief and irony, and tells the funniest stories, in her own rich language.
  It was wonderful, sitting on that patio, yakking so easily, understanding one another so well. Marion misses things, Marion misses nothing. These photos speak for themselves and I have a score I would like to put up, but I will put up about a dozen, tonight and Thursday.
  Marion is distressed that she doesn’t have anything to bring Izzy, so I told her I would bring him some biscuits. She told me she loves poetry, so I will bring her some poems. That will be nice.