Since my theme for the A to Z Challenge revolves around my pets, I want to honor the beloved furries I've loved and lost.
loved forever.
Woven into the tapestry of our lives.
Hank. . .the pooch of my youth. I begged for a puppy. Daddy agreed, as long as I could find a pup at the Humane Society that would stay small and wouldn't shed. Hank grew to well over 70 pounds and shed enough fur to stock a mattress factory. But he comforted my teenage heartaches and kept all my secrets. He was my best friend.
Galliano. . .the first pet my husband and I adopted together just a couple months after our marriage. Gally shared our early years. He helped us welcome our first two children. He greeted each of them with a wagging tail and the desire to protect. He was the first dog they knew, and his nurturing helped them understand the love of a furry friend. He even liked the cat.
Ralphie. . .orange Tabby extraordinaire. He joined our family when our son was just 2. Ralphie proved what cat lovers already know: Cats are not aloof, they just have a heightened sense of personal preference. Ralphie was friendly and funny and loving. He enjoyed being with his humans, and even took to snuggling with the dog at bedtime.
Riley. . .joined our family after Gally departed. Like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, Riley possessed a noble heart; like the Lion he was protective and courageous; and like the Scarecrow, funny, joyful, and nurturing. Anyone who has known the love of a Golden Retriever will agree there is little that compares to the gentle spirit of these creatures. Riley joined our family when my son was 7 and my oldest daughter 2. He shared our joy in the birth of our youngest daughter. He is the dog my children felt the closest to during their youth, the one who stuck by them through thick and thin, hot and cold, rain or shine, light or shadow. Lionhearted Riley grew up with our family.
Tasha. . .was an old girl of 7 when we adopted her. A sweet-natured Samoyed, her first family brought her home as a puppy, kept her outdoors, and then opted to give her away because they liked to travel and it was a hassle to board her. Their lack of kinship with this big bear was our gain. Despite her age, Tasha integrated immediately and became fast friends with Riley. She decided living inside a nice warm house with loving humans beat a leaky doghouse any day and she thrived from our attention. She and Riley became best buddies. When Tasha died, Riley became so distraught that the vet recommended we get another dog.
Sandy. . .A funny little rescue dog who chose us. The day we met her she escaped from her foster home and jumped in our car. She knew we would belong to her. Sandy helped us overcome the grief we felt at the loss of Tasha. Years passed, and when Riley began to show his age, Sandy treated him with kindness and compassion (I wrote a story about their friendship, "Sandy Dreams," published in Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers). After we lost our Riley boy to old age, Sandy took care of us. She finally became an old girl herself and joined her pal Riley in a heavenly meadow---stocked, we hope, with an unlimited supply of tennis balls.
You know by now we aren't a family to live long without a dog and cat. . .or two. . .or three. Currently, we have the pets you've seen for Pawsitive Pondering, and will see for the remaining days---our two Lab-mixes, Rigby and Penny; and our three cats, Tabby, Bailey and Luna. The other dogs and cats who have shared their wisdom here are part of the family, but reside with my grown children. No matter. We love them all.
Thank you for indulging me. I hope this post brought to your mind memories of beloved pets of your own. Tomorrow there will be more Pawsitive Pondering!
I owe a huge "THANKS!" to
Wendy at The Frustrated Foodie for bestowing upon me the Stylish Blogger award. Wendy's blog is a delightful mix that includes Caturday (and you know I love that one) and food related posts. She also participates in Book Blurb Friday, and I hope you'll give her blog a visit. Thanks again, Wendy, for this award. I appreciate your encouragement.
The rules are as follows:
1. Thank and link back to the person giving you the award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 10-15 blogs who you think deserve this award.
4. Contact these bloggers and let them know about the award.
Once again, thank you
Wendy! And here are seven facts about me:
1. I have lived in seven states: Arizona, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Nevada, Florida, Texas and Georgia.
2. Romantic comedies are my favorite movie genre, and I've seen "While You Were Sleeping" and "Sweet Home Alabama" more times than I can count.
3. Hugh Jackman is my favorite actor, with Johnny Depp coming in a close second.
4. "The Sound of Music" is my favorite musical.
5. The aisle seat in airplanes is my preference, and I keep my eyes closed during take-off and landing.
6. I'm a serial plant killer. (I either over water, under water, or don't water. It's a curse.)
7. I know how to induce self-hypnosis. My Daddy was a professional hypnotist and taught me self-hypnosis when I was in high school to help me focus during tests. It is also the method by which I delivered all three of my kids without the benefit of anesthesia.
The next step is for me to pass this award along to 10 or 15 other bloggers. What I'm going to do instead is this: There are thousands of blogs out there, and I don't follow every one that I come across. If I follow you, please know that I consider you a worthy recipient of this Stylish Blogger award, and accept it for your very own! All I ask is that you let me know you accepted the award so I may visit your blog and read the seven things about you.
Thanks for visiting Writing in the Buff. I hope you'll be back tomorrow for Book Blurb Friday and more Pawsitive Pondering.
Lisa
