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My daughter and I returned last week from our long-planned trip to California. We went to Disneyland—twice—watched stunning sunsets on the beaches of Laguna, kayaked through the sea caves off Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands, and spent five days biking and kayaking in Monterey. I even bought a membership to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which let us visit several times and enjoy it at our own pace.

It took a couple of days at home, and some rest, to fully absorb just how special the trip had been. I absolutely loved spending so much time with Amy. I also got to know her husband, Jon, better. I enjoyed their company; they are fun-loving, grounded people—it was a joy to be around them.

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One day during the trip, I mentioned that I’d been thinking about getting a boy border collie puppy , since losing Beau 2 months ago left such a hole in my heart. I wasn’t sure it made sense—I’m 73 and a half, after all. But both Amy and Jon immediately said I should go for it, especially to keep Jess company, since Hayley is now 14 and a half. Their encouragement meant a lot to me. Honestly, getting that puppy is my heart’s deepest wish, and it felt so good to have them support it.

I’ve decided to wait until the end of the year. That way, Jess and I can spend the summer backpacking—just the two of us—and I can focus on my trip to Indonesia in October. But the dream is alive, and it feels more possible now than ever..

Update: June 20th:When Jess and I went backpacking earlier this week, it felt a little sad seeing her perched alone on the high outcrops. She used to have Beau and Hayley beside her. Hayley’s grown too old for these tougher trips now, and Beau is watching over us.

When we got home, I tried not to, but inevitably started looking at border collie listings. That’s how I found the litter—a set of nine purebred pups posted the day before. The owner got back to me quickly, sent a picture of the parents, and within the hour I was heading east on I-70 to meet my new dog.

Ridge is settling in fast. By his third day here, he’d already figured out how to follow Jess and Hayley through the dog doors and down the cement steps to the cool basement—smart pup. He likes to be held, tags along wherever we go, and is learning some manners from Hayley, who isn’t shy about setting boundaries when he gets too bold. The vet smiled at his round belly, saying he must have been the one who always got to the food first.

My mountain treks with the dogs are a big part of who I am, and what makes me happy. It feels so right that Ridge will be part of them going forward.