Sad Day, RIP my friends

I was dragging my feet getting out of bed this am. Last night before bed, we got the dreaded phone call that Geoff Armlin lost his battle with cancer and died. Geoff was a student in 2 of my classes at school, he fought the good fight and hopefully is in a better place. 18 year old guys are not suppose to die. We really don't know how lucky we are. I try to live everyday as if it is my last but I am fortunate.....Ive had a great life. Geoff hadn't even lived his yet. I have read a paper that Geoff wrote about his family for me several times since I got to school. I think that I will give it to his parents.
When I got moving this am, I went out to the barn a little before 6am like I normally do and quickly discovered that Laddie, one of our 23 year old Clydesdales had fallen in his stall and cast himself. He couldnt get up even with my help. I knew that Laddie was getting close to meeting his maker and had actually called the vet 2 weeks ago to make the appointment to have Laddie and his younger brother King euthanized together. King is a year younger but King and Laddie were never apart. As part of a 6 horse hitch for 20 years, King and Laddie even walked around the pasture shoulder to shoulder. I "adopted" them several years ago when my friend Bonnie broke apart her 6 horse hitch for other pursuits. I've had a lot of fun with King and Laddie and have taught a lot of people how to drive horses with them. My Clydesdales are members of my family, are on almost every xmas card and Ive spent more time with them over the last 20 years than most of my friends and family. I will miss King and Laddie a lot. I hope that Geoff is waiting for them and maybe they can teach him how to drive a team of Clydesdales.
I really don't feel like going to Miracle on Main Street in town tonight. I will be in the Barber Shop with 3 or 4 of my owls promoting our holiday fundraiser of donation gift certificates and nestboxes for Raptors....Im sure the magnitude of the day will hit me later when I have time to sit down and think.