Silent Sunday

 

 

Michelle’s Weekly Pet Challenge – Wk #37

This week I’m spotlighting our little Emmy. She is a Maltese and will turn 14 this year. Back in 2000, we were blessed to have the opportunity to adopt Emmy from Florida Poodle Rescue. We brought her home as a baby. I know! Most animals adopted from rescues are fully grown. Sometimes timing is everything! It was meant to be. Of all our little furry children, she is the oldest and pretty much the smallest (if you don’t count a couple of the cats!).  But she is the matriarch of our animal kingdom. Aw, shucks, she rules this roost!

THAT WAS THEN!

Where am I?

 

Play time! I’ve taken control of Bobby’s toys! (Search site for Bobby to see my Boston)

 

Nap time!

 

THIS IS NOW!

Can you find me?

 

How do you like my new haircut?

 

For more information on participating in this challenge and/or to view additional entries, please click on the logo.

You are not forgotten!

It was just brought to my attention a little while ago that today is National Pet Memorial Day. I just couldn’t let today go by without paying tribute to the many four-legged companions I have had the privilege of spending time with throughout my life. Each contributed so much to my life. As difficult as it always is to say goodbye and let go, I would not trade that time with each of them for anything. When I think of my animals, I am always reminded of the poem, The Rainbow Bridge. I’m a firm believer that all animals go to heaven (not just dogs!). In order of their demise:

HAPPY

Happy was the first dog I had. I was about three years old. I remember my Dad coming home with a puppy and saying he was for me. Interestingly enough, if memory serves (old conversations when I was older) I believe it was his birthday! But for whatever reason, I named him Happy and for ten years he was my constant companion and playmate.

GIGI

Gigi was a funny-looking little scrap of a dog. I kept asking my parents if I could get a dog. It had been about two or three years since I lost Happy. My parents kept saying no, we didn’t need a dog. But, being the obstinate child that I am (yes, I said am, not was), I took my $5 I had saved up, took a bus across town to look at some puppies that were in the paper. The rest, as they say is history. My parents got over their mad and let me keep her. Of course, she ended up becoming more of my Dad’s dog than mine! But only because I was a teenager and we all know how that goes!

CAESAR

Well, after I had been out on my own for a while, I decided I wanted another dog. I was going to go looking for a Mastiff. Then I saw an ad for Great Dane puppies. I went, I saw, I bought. Another good choice! He was not only my best friend, but was an excellent protector! I trained him well (obedience – he didn’t need to be trained for protection, that comes naturally to dogs). It was always interesting to see people’s reactions to him whether we were walking down the street or he was hanging out the side window of my VW Beetle!

PUNKIN (YorkiPoo)
POOKI (B&W Party Poodle)

Years later, I just had to fill that void again. I was living in Dallas at the time. I saw an ad for Poodles and Poodle mixes so I went to look. I did not know what a Party Poodle was but it was love at first sight. I named her Pooki. After about six months, I started feeling guilty about her being by herself during the day while I was at work, so I went back to the lady and bought Pooki a companion. A little Yorki-Poo I named Punkin. More loves of my life!

GEORGE

This is a baby picture of George. I had never owned a cat in my entire life. Suddenly I had three. George was brother to Midge (still living) and Zuzu.

BUG

I had to include little Bug. He wasn’t with us a long time. He was one of those cats that showed up out of nowhere and just decided he was going to keep us. We fed and cared for him but he did not like staying in the house so, much to our chagrin, we let him come and go.

MOXIE

Moxie came as brother to Charlie and Freckles who were recently spotlighted on an earlier post. Both he and Charlie had urinary tract issues as young kittens. We were able to save Charlie (he is the most expensive animal I have) but Moxie did not make it.

BOBBY

We lost Bobby two summers ago to cancer. Bobby a/k/a Psycho. There is something so very special about Boston Terriers. But then I say that about every animal. His passing is still fresh.

ZUZU

My little (really big) kitty. She was part of the trio that were the very first cats I ever owned. She was so loving. She passed away last summer and the pain of her passing, too, is still fresh.

I still miss each of my little friends and I look forward to the day we are all together again.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Companionable

When I saw this Weekly Photo Challenge: Companionable on The Daily Post at WordPress, I knew I just had to post about a few of my little companions. I have had so many wonderful little animals to come into my life and bless me. It would be way too long a post to try and present all of them. So, today I present the most recent. Allow me to introduce Bobby, Emmy and Pippin, our rescues!

Bobby was our Boston Terrier. I’m sad to say we lost him last year to cancer at the age of 13. He was a leap-year baby, born February 29, 2000. Next to him sits our little Emmy, a Maltese we acquired back in 2000 at 3 months old from Florida Poodle Rescue. She turns 13 this fall and gets more ornery and lovable with each passing year! Our Poodle, Pippin, came to us one day about ten years ago out of nowhere. He came to our front door, a skinny, matted little mess and let me bring him in and clean him up. We tried for weeks to locate his owner to no avail. We had people tell us they had seen him roaming their neighborhood a few blocks away from us for the week prior. I was appalled that he could have been left alone for so long. A trip to the vet could not conclusively give his age but he guessed maybe around one year at that time. They share our home with five cats!