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AND IN MEMORY OF TOBY

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I have always had pets. I love animals in a very special way. My animals become like family; my children, my friends, and my companions. Each animal has their own personality, and love their people with a loyalty and unconditional love that can not be matched usually in a human.
I have always had big dogs, never lap dogs. Although I always thought they were cute, I thought big dogs were more fun, and better companions....that is, until Toby came in to my life.

Milo was never much of an animal lover. He hates cats (don't ask me how anyone could hate them), and dogs were okay, but he never had any use for them. When we met, he kind of had to accept Blossom, as she came with the package, lol. Well, it wasn't long, and Milo and Blossom were fast friends, but, that's another story....
When we moved from SC to North Georgia, Blossom of course came along. I wanted a cat, but in this, Milo was firm, absolutely NO CATS! LOL. Well, he's so sweet and understanding about everything else, that I give him his way in this.
One night, out of the blue, Milo asked me how I felt about Pekingese dogs. I answered that they were okay, nothing great...if I was to pick a lap dog, it would probably be a Pomeranian. I then asked "why". He told me about a friend of his, who had a black Pekingese that they needed to give away. She was not allowed in the house, and was outside in a pen with a Doberman. I immediately knew that this dog needed me. Pekingese do not belong outdoors with a Doberman! Well, I thought about it, and said sure. I wasn't sure about taking in a year old dog, but if it needed a home, well, I was going to give it one.
Milo called his friend (come to find out, Milo had thought about it for a week before bringing it up, lol).
The following week, this friend of Milo's came over, with Toby. She took to me right away, and once she looked at me and smiled, I was in love.
Toby followed me everywhere, room to room. She helped me do chores. For instance, I folded the living room lap blankets every day, and there she was, grabbing the other end, tugging, and rolling around in them.
She went to the bathroom in the house maybe 3 times, and learned right away to ask to go out at the front door. She was very smart. She was also lovable and sweet, with the sweetest personality. She was so cute with that little pug nose (I used to think pug noses weren't so cute), and her little grunting noises, that sounded like purring. She loved her mommy, and loved my lap. And if I was in the recliner, she just walked up me to my face to give me a kiss, and then lay down and "purr".
She woke me up every morning, by jumping up and down beside the bed and slapping me with her paws. When I would wake up, she'd give me the sweetest smile, get all excited, and run around in circles.
Toby was with me always it seemed, unless she was laying next to Milo on the couch. Yes, my big tough husband was also in love! He told me later that from the moment he saw Toby in that pen at his friends house, he was hooked. He had reached in and petted her, and that's when his buddy had offered her to us.
Toby loved Blossom. Blossom of course was insanely jealous at first, but within a month, They were pals.
My only problem with Blossom has always been that she would leave the yard, cross the street, and run around. I have never been able to break her of it, I guess it's part of her independence, from having been abandoned and a stray till she found us.
Okay, you know what's coming of course... One day, I let Toby out to go to the bathroom. I didn't always stay outside with her, I would let het out for a few minutes, and then let her right back in. Well, this day, she followed Blossom across the street, and when she was coming back, a motorcycle hit her. I cannot begin to describe my grief! I had grieved over dogs before, and suspected that when it was Blossom's turn, it would hurt bad, but this was the worst I had ever grieved. Toby had become my baby, and I hurt so bad, and missed her so much, that I cried for days! I woke up in the morning, two hours late because Toby wasn't there to wake me up, crying because she didn't wake me! I couldn't fold the couch blankets for days, and the pain of Toby's loss was physical. I had never grieved this hard over one of my animals before, and it shocked me. My husband missed her too, we were about pitiful, let me tell you!


About two weeks after Toby's death, Milo asked me if I wanted another dog. I knew that no other dog would replace Toby, but I also knew that there was a large hole that needed some filling in my heart. I told him I would, but that I wanted a black Pekingese, and he said "what else". We started the search. We looked in the local papers, we looked in the not so local papers, I checked the breeders on the net, no luck. Plenty of Pekes, but no black ones. Come to find out, they are a little bit rare and hard to find. Well, I decided that it didn't have to be black, I just wanted to look into a little pug face again, and we drove to Alabama, and picked up Cricket. I took one look at her little face, and I was in love with her! Let me tell you, I have never ever paid for a dog before, there are so many in the pound and on the street who need a home, but I found myself (and Milo found himself) willing to give the money away. We brought little Cricket home, and she is well loved by us all. Milo has been found talking baby talk to her, "yes, daddy loves Cricket", LOL.
She likes to walk up the length of me and give me little kisses, and she has the cutest little grunting noises.....
But, what gave my heart a big lurch is, the other day, as I was folding the couch blanket, here came Cricket....grabbing the other end, rolling around...grunting. Man, is it ever great to have help folding these dang blankets!



Cricket
more pics of Criket here

Cricket as a baby (12 weeks)

Now, if I can just get her to wake me up a little bit earlier......

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Here is something that I read the other day, that really got to me.

"The Rainbow Bridge"
There is a bridge connecting heaven and earth, it is called the
"Rainbow Bridge" because of its many colors. Just this side of the
"Rainbow Bridge" is a land of meadows, hills, and valleys with lush
green grass.

When a beloved pet dies it goes to this place. There is always food,
water, and warm spring weather. The old and frail are made young again.
Those who are maimed are made whole again. They run and play with each
other.

There is only one thing missing, they are not with that special person
who loved them while they were on earth. So each day they run and play
until the day comes that one suddenly stops playing and looks up. The
nose twitches, the ears are up, the eyes are stirring, this one suddenly
runs from the group.

You have been seen, you and your special friend meet, you take him or
her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again, and again, and
again. You look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then you cross the "Rainbow Bridge" together, never again to be
separated.




I want to thank Legs for giving me permission to copy this from her site Somewhere Down The Road. Be sure and see the page entitled "For Bridget".



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