I’m going through major anxiety right now, because I’ve started leaving Charlie outside for periods of time – he loves it and needs it and I can’t be out there watching him all day long, but I am a nervous wreck. I despise eagles and scan the skies praying they don’t come around here – I went through an eagle-hating phase when Eli was a kitten too. Charlie’s good about staying in one area of the draw where he has a mud hole to play in and a little tamarask tree for shade and tall grass to jump around in, and I check on him so often it’s almost neurotic.

One time when I was watching him from the top of the draw, the horses wandered into the canyon from over the hill. Charlie ran up the draw and straight to the cabin door – he’s scared of the horses – which made me feel better, like he knows this is home and safety. Sometimes, I put him on a long tether for a short period of time, but it still doesn’t ease my anxiety about the whole thing, so usually I end up grabbing my laptop and sitting in the grass with him.