One of my wardens just called.

She's accepting a promotion/transfer to another region, clear across the state.

We've been working together for over ten years now. The warden/biologist combo is the closest this outfit gets to having partners.

Ten years is a lot of time. We probably know things about each other that non-married people shouldn't know. It is probably a good thing that she has the same name as my wife... never had to worry about slipping up with the wrong name during professional or personal conversations.

Guess I won't have to explain myself all the time anymore, as in "so-and-so my wife" or the "warden so-and-so." I'll just be able to use her name, and everyone will know I'm talking about my wife.

Politically, I don't think there is anyone else in this outfit who comes so close to sharing the same opinions and values. Professionally either.

Yes, I have another warden. And I like him a lot. But we are political opposites. He's a born again christian, Republican, card-carrying NRA member. Not that those are all bad, but the combination has led to some really tense trips down the highway.

Only slammed on the brakes to get ready to duke it out once. Not bad for six years.

As I said, I like him, but when we had heeler puppies to sell, the wife made it clear he could not have one. And I agreed. He just isn't heeler people. To him, dogs are just dogs. A tool to use and dispose of, like a motorcycle.

The partner I am losing has the heeler sisters' sister. And another red heeler of her own. They are both welcome here any time, and they know it. And we know she will have them both until they die.

So, I'll have to break in another warden this fall. Haven't done that for a few years. Oddly enough, this is considered one of the lousy parts of the state, so it's not likely anyone will transfer in. We'll get a trainee. A new guy. Of course, in this outfit, that generally means 2-4 years of experience on temporary posts, so they're not really new. And certainly not green.

Know three of the four trainees available. No problems there, and I'll bet number four is just as good. They do a good job of hiring people in this outfit.

But I will miss her.

Suspect her husband will, too. They're already commuting over a hundred miles in their relationship, and the new job is even farther away.

But, as she said, it has more fishing than this desert.