SHE TOOK MY HEART WITH HER

As you know, my blog is about polymer clay, crafts, friends and animals.  For two years I've been walking my friend's three dogs.  My friend has a bad knee and hip.  The reason she has three dogs is because her husband loved to rescue dogs and so does she.  This started with Beau.

He's a good old boy.  A little bit of arthritis but doing good.

Five years ago my friend saw a dog at the shelter that pulled on her heart strings.  I drove her there to bring this beautiful dog home with her.  The first thing I noticed was her beautiful teeth.

She had been abused by some tall man, and then was adopted only to be brought back to the shelter.

At first, she would bite the back ankle of any man that came in the house.  After much love, attention and many walks with Beau, she stopped being afraid and became a lovable lap dog.

Two and a half years ago my friend's husband was walking dogs for the local small dog rescue lady.  They found a little guy in the Safeway parking lot.  Rex just couldn't leave him there.  So Champ was added to the family.

He definitely is special and funny and cute.

December of 2012 my friend's husband died unexpectedly.  I started walking the dogs a couple months later and it's been my "best job" ever since.

It was pretty obvious that Honey was the leader of the pack, the queen and the lead dog.

A couple years ago Honey started coughing and we found out she had congestive heart failure.  She's been on Lasix and was doing good.  Then she got bit by a coyote trying to protect Champ.  She came out of that with flying colors.

The last couple months her coughing got bad but she still wanted to walk and play with the boys.

Three weeks ago I went to Florida for my mother's 90 th birthday.  I spent time with Honey the day before I left.

This is the last time I saw Honey.  While I was in Florida, Honey's congestive heart failure got really bad and she could hardly breathe or control her bladder.  She struggled to walk and get air.

  I know she was suffering and they did the right thing for her.  I know she loved me because she always sat on my lap and would paw my hand if I stopped petting her.

I feel so bad that I didn't get to say goodbye to her.

The doctor who took care of Honey did everything he could to help her have a good life at the end.  He even sent a carnation to my friend.  She gave it to me yesterday to see if I could do something with it to preserve it.  I sprayed it with PYMII three times to preserve it.  I found a little flower vase that I had made a long time ago.  So I made a plaque that says HONEY and drilled out the clay so the flower would fit.

I'm sorry if this is a sad post compared to my usually funny ones but I wanted to dedicate a writing to Honey, who always showed unconditional love and gratitude for being rescued and loved by everyone that met her.

Thank you Honey for all the wonderful years you let us have you in our lives.