This is a picture of our lab mix, Lucy. Lucy came from the local shelter. She had been born in a snowstorm to a mother that was tied up and left outside(with no food or water) when her owners moved. By the time the neighbors called the Animal Control people and they came to the rescue, the mother and 3 other newborn puppies had frozen to death. Lucy and one other pup survived. It was everything we could do to not take them both.
Lucy also goes by the Big Goon and Lucy Goosy. Honestly, if you have a cookie in your hand, she will answer to anything you want to call her. lol
This is Miss Molly McGee [AKA Molly Mayhem]...our Jack Russell Terrorist. She was purchased by my dingbat brother at a pet store for his 2 year old daughter. Anyone who knows JRT's knows they are not good children dogs. Except my brother, who said that the lady who took his 350 dollars said, oh yes---they're great with kids!! (I told him I had a bridge I'd sell him too). He begged and pleaded with me to take her as she was mowing down the toddler at every turn and running away and terrorizing the neighborhood every chance she got to jump the fence. We brought her home 4 years ago, a couple of months after having to put my beloved cocker spaniel Sophie to sleep, due to liver cancer. We live in the country and she runs like crazy here. She's mellowed out a lot in the last year, but she will always be a Jack Russell.
This is little Caylee, back when she first found us and came out from under the back deck. She looked like a little polar bear cub. Also known as Cooder Brown, and Caylee Baylee. She is coming on 2 years old now and is the sweetest dog in the world. She loves the snow, and lays on her back and makes snow-dog angels (I swear!!). She is a barker and a runner and she always kowtows to Molly, who is the Alpha dog. She stays out in the cold for ungodly amounts of time and is a happy happy dogglet. Here's a more recent, grown-up picture of her, playing with her best friend, Lucy:
I guess I've trotted out these pictures because tonight we watched the movie Marley and Me. It was a heartwarming and heartbreaking story. I had to put Sophie to sleep, and I held her until she was gone, bawling like a baby the whole time. That damn movie had me crying my eyes out. Every animal I have ever had that something has happened to, has nearly killed me. And every time I say "That's it! I can't take this!! No more pets...no more..."
So I'm feeling a little melancholy and a little hopeful and a whole lot blessed tonight. Because I have 3 great dogs. And I have had other really great dogs in my life...and there's just nothing like that unconditional love. That trusting, fun, acceptance that you only get 24/7 from your dog. I have had dogs in my life as long as I can remember and I probably always will.
I'm just blessed that way...
