Memories

In loving memory of my darling, dear Dog, Misha. Two years ago yesterday.

The last photograph of Misha, two weeks before she passed away.

Always with me xxx

Straight from the Dog's Mouth

Okay, so Mum said that because today is my birthday, I should be the one getting all the attention but she just wondered if i wanted to introduce you to these two...

They're my new kitty brothers, Casper and Pippin. They have been living with us for about three weeks now, but Mum has been busy with this and that and didn't have time to blog about them before. She said I could write this post and I suggested to her that we could give them their very own blog over here, so that way she wouldn't have to worry about keeping everyone up to date because the boys could do it themselves, just like I'm doing now.

So what with the kittens and my human sisters having birthdays just like the Queen, Mum has been quite busy. She said she will tell you all about the last few weeks by going backwards in several posts, starting with my birthday. I'm not too sure thats a very good idea; going backwards is bad for the digestion...

Anyway, Pippin and Casper are very tiny and I have to be careful not to squash them when we play. They remind me of my dear friend and kitty brother, Mowgli. I'm hoping that they stay a little longer than he did though. Mum said she thinks they will be my best friends. I hope so, I've been missing having furry company.

Happy Anniversary

One Year Ago Today

I can hardly believe it, but it is a year since we adopted Rosie and brought her home. The day we collected her seems just a short while ago but on the other hand, it feels as though Rosie has been a part of our family forever.

In her sixteen months of life she has seen many changes; some for the best and some sadly not. She was the 'product' of a money-making breeding exercise at one of those infamous Welsh puppy farms, a Labrador Husky cross. Puppy Rosie, or Nica as she was known then, was bought by a young couple with a baby living in a flat. Surprise, surprise, they couldn't cope and she was given up for adoption to the Four Paws Charity based in South Wales. Thankfully, her original owners did the right thing by giving her to the charity and not simply abandoning her. Hundreds of dogs are abandoned in the UK and Ireland every year. Our dear departed dog, Misha, was abandoned as a puppy. When will some people realise that they cannot treat these lovely animals as little more than trash? It makes me so angry.

But the amazing thing about Rosie is that she never loses her enthusiasm for everything. I guess that is true of all dogs, thats why we love them so much. She learns new things every day and is so smart. My husband thought she was trying to open the car door herself the other day. And when we said our 'goodbyes' to Mowgli, Rosie sat by his grave looking at the spot where he was as if to say her 'goodbye' too.

"Goodnight, Rosie." "Goodnight, Mowgli."

Remembering Her Dearest Friend

I wouldn't say that life with Rosie has been without its ups and downs, but it certainly has been homelier, healthier and most definitely, happier. Thank you, Rosie, for being my friend. 

"Nice view from here, Rosie." "Yes, Sue, very nice!"

Getting Comfortable

Well, here we are in 2011 and life here has become a little less hectic. So I'm taking this opportunity, (the dog is asleep and the cat is sunbathing in the window), to post a blog. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year. I know Mrs Bun has posted some wonderful images of our family festivities so please excuse me if I just jump right into January 2011.

It has taken a little while for Mowgli to get used to Rosie, but now we have a peaceful coexistence most of the time! In fact, I think they will be as close as a dog and cat can be, although they haven't taken to sleeping together yet - just very close!

Rosie is on a waiting list to start training classes so I have been concentrating on the basics. 

She now walks beautifully on the lead with just a hint of a pull when we first leave the house. She sits and lies down on command. Her recall is almost 99%! But she still loves to chase the cat at times and doesn't always want to come back when she is playing with friends. We are working on her not jumping up every time she wants to say "Hello".  And she doesn't really like being left alone in the house and can chew things she shouldn't if she can get at them,  like my welly boots! But this behavior is gradually getting better as she grows to realise that we are not going to pass her on to another home.

Rosie is now just over six months old and full of beans. She loves her food and playing ball. She is happy and lively and about the same age as Misha was when we adopted her. Rosie reminds me of Misha in many ways, but is also very different. She is lean and very active. She has a very strong will, and the most amazingly clear eyes that seem almost impossible to photograph and do her justice! Yes, she is a very bright young thing all round and I couldn't imagine life without her now. 

Shine Rosie, shine!

Introducing Rosie!

I just can't believe that more than a month has passed since I posted the photo of Mowgli in the washing machine!

Well, those of you who follow my Sister's blog will have read her exciting news about the adoption approval. I know Denise and Mr Bun will be superb parents and I am eagerly awaiting becoming an Aunty again to some special little souls. Now that all the children in our family are in their teens or early twenties, it will be lovely to hear the warming tones of children laughing and playing at family get-togethers. How different next Christmas will be! My youngest daughter is the current youngest grandchild at sixteen; when Denise asked her how she felt about not being the youngest anymore, she said: "Oh well, you had all better make the most of it, whilst you still can! Bring it on!"

Talking of adoption, I have recently been approved too, not to adopt a child, but for a bundle of canine fun and energy! Just under three weeks ago, we brought home Rosie.

A big thank you to the Four Paws charity for allowing me to adopt Rosie, (formerly Nica), and for the wonderful work they do fostering and rehoming hundreds of abandoned  and unwanted animals.

Rosie is a Labrador cross Husky and is keeping me on my toes! She is just five months old, has had very little training so far but is very affectionate and intelligent, and I think she will be the kind of dog that my darling Misha would have been proud to have known and would have loved to play with.

Some people may think that I've rushed into getting a dog again but it felt like the right time for me. At times, such as when Rosie mangled my glasses and pooped at the top of the stairs, I have thought: "What have I done?" But then I remember when Misha, at only a few months older, decided to play catch in the garden with my husband's handheld Palm database - amazingly the Palm survived! 

Quick! Hide me, that dog is coming!

Bless! Rosie, oh soo sweet when she is sleeping!

Ssh! Don't tell that darn dog where I am!

And then there are the times when Mowgli runs up to Rosie and smacks her on the nose. She rises to the bait and gives chase, and yes, I know, the dog is not supposed to chase the cat but sometimes it all happens so fast that I'm left reeling, not knowing which way to turn! Reminding me of  a few years ago, when we were having tea with a work friend of Hubby's. Polite conversation was flowing, cakes were being consumed when all of a sudden we heard an almighty rumpus coming from their back garden. Misha had decided to chase some chickens. They didn't tell us they kept free range chickens! We never did get any eggs.
Oh the joys of having a puppy! More news will follow shortly...

Moving On

Hello there. This is my first venture into blogging and hopefully not my last. If you're reading this then you've found me and I hope you will stay with me whilst I journey through blogland. I am open to suggestions as to how to improve the site, so feel free to criticise.

My sister is a frequent and successful blogger, (http://www.abuncandance.blogspot.com), who has for some time tried to persuade me to start, but somehow I never felt like I had anything worth saying. But a blog was always on my list of things to do.
And on the odd occasion when I thought about starting a blog because I needed to talk about something, I would find after a quick Google search that it had already been covered by someone far more literate than I could ever hope to be.
Then something strange happened to me today. I overslept. I woke up as usual, for a school day, to the sound of my alarm but then I fell asleep again. I was only asleep for twenty or thirty minutes but in my dream, I spent hours and hours.

I travelled to another country. I believed it was an island but I had no recollection of crossing water to get there. This land was a huge open field with a green hawthorn and hazel hedge around it.  In the distance, I could see several dogs. They were all black dogs. Suddenly, my family, my Husband and Daughters and my Mum and Dad, were beside me. I hadn't been aware of their presence until then. We all stood there on the edge of this country looking over the hedge at the dogs strolling and sniffing in the dew kissed grass.  And I could see Misha, my Dog. I called to her and she ran to me and I was so happy. I had found her. We cuddled and then she took it in turns to greet my family members. She came back to me and we cuddled more. I stroked her glistening black fur and she nuzzled into me for more love. Then I noticed that she had something tattoed inside her ear. Strangely it was a list of her dislikes and likes and the places she had visited, all in tiny black script.  "But it says that she has been to Hong Kong." I said. " I don't think it's Misha, after all, but she is so much like her and I can feel the bond."  I turned to my Dad and he just nodded. He didn't say anything but his eyes confirmed that this was another dog. I took that dog in my arms and decided it was time to move on. Misha was letting go.

Misha was a Labrador cross. We adopted her from the RSPCA Bristol Dogs Home seven years ago this month. She was just turning six months old then, full of life and mischief and we were all smitten. We were her third home. Her other homes had said she was difficult to train. Within three days, Misha was house-trained and responding to her name. She was to become my constant friend. 
At the end of June of this year she became gravely ill and was diagnosed a few days later with Immune Mediated Disease, or Canine Hemolytic Anemia. In less than three weeks, she had developed serious complications to the steroids used to control her disease. She was throwing off blood clots in her organs, finding it hard to breathe and a large section of her liver had died. She was referred to the Bristol University Small Animal Hospital at Langford, where the vets tried their hardest to help her. I visited her every day. Most days, my Mum and Dad would visit too; some days my daughters, my Husband  and my Sister came along. I just wanted to be able to take her home again.

Sometimes, when I visited she would seem a little better, more like her old self. I would leave with my hopes high. Other days she would seem depressed and empty and I would cry constantly whilst driving home. Most of the time she needed help with her breathing. On Saturday 24 July, the vet called me in the evening at my Parents' home to say that Misha's breathing had suddenly deteriorated. I had to go to her. My Husband and Daughters came too, driving through the night to be at her side. We sat with her, she rested her head in my lap and nearing to midnight, I asked the vet to put my poor Darling to sleep and stop her suffering. The next day, my Dad dug her grave at the bottom of our garden. He worked for ages in the summer sun to make it just right. It was the first anniversary of his Brother's death and my Dad said: "Rod will be walking her in heaven right now" We all cried. We all loved her. We were all blessed to have known her. Goodbye Misha, my best friend. I will always love you.