~Farewell, Fawnie...Til We Meet Again~

Dear Dad, Take good care of my puppies. You now have both of them with you in heaven. Fawnie was so sick. I know that now, he is running through the green fields, ears flying in the wind, with Coconut.

Remember when Tommy saved his birthday money to buy him?? He loved that puppy. sigh.

We are taking time to mourn his loss. He was such good company to me this last year without Coconut. He was always right by my side while I worked. He hated the 'pounding' when I hammered the silver jewelry, though! Maybe Jim will come home from work one nite and meet a new puppy. We'll see!

Katie came yesterday and spent the afternoon with me. It helped a lot. She's a smart cookie for a little Amish girl!!!

For now, I will spend more time with Mom, and take some time to do some traveling. It's the first time in 36 years that I'm not responsible for anyone else: first the boys, then the dogs, then you and mom, then just mom, then one dog....now? I don't like this feeling.

Mom's alzheimer's is still the same: she knows who we are, feeds herself with a little help, can't walk or stand, and still only speaks an occasional word or two. But I know you already know that.
Aunt Grace is there with her, too. She's not doing well, either. They eat all their meals together. It's heartwarming to watch. Who knew they'd both end up there together!

I bet you're golfing everyday. And still rooting for the Browns, and as you used to say, "How 'bout them Indians?"!!!

I miss you horribly, Dad.

xoxoxoxoxox To Heaven and Back~

Your Loving Daughter~xoxoxoxox

~Just Fawnie and Me~

It was quite an adjustment when Jim went back to work on Monday. It was no longer, "Me and the Puppies"....but "Just Fawnie and Me". sigh.

He spent several days looking EVERYWHERE for Coconut: behind file cabinets, under the sofa, and in all Coconut's favorite hiding places. It broke my heart. If it's possible for a pup to be depressed...Fawnie is. He has sad-looking eyes and lays in his bed with his moosh over the side like he's mourning. I guess that's exactly what he's doing.

I took him with me to see my mom at the nursing home on Monday....but Tuesday when I ran to the grocery store....he let out long, high-pitched wails when he saw that I wasn't taking him with me. He's never been 'left' without Coconut, and was used to snuggling with him until we returned.

Finally, today....it looks like he's stopped looking for his brother. He follows me everywhere. In the past, that was Coconut's self-designated 'job'. Fawnie was content to stay put in his little bed in the family room, while Coconut never left me out of his sight!

We are snowed-in here in Ohio. We've had 37" of snow here in the SnowBelt, and are expecting more tonite and tomorrow. It's been a wonderful week of re-organizing and designing new creations in between making pots of soup, chili and home-made desserts. Jim's been enjoying the delicious aromas that greet him each nite after traveling through the 'tundra' from work.

On tonite's agenda: a roaring fire, chili, salad, corn muffins, freshly-baked apple pie....and of course, cuddling with Fawnie on the sofa watching movies. So....wherever you are in the world.....Cuddle-up and stay warm~

~My Coconut Boy~1994-2009~

Dear Dad,

I know that you were there when Coconut crossed the Rainbow Bridge on New Year's Eve. You had such a special relationship with him. I know you loved each other.

He was such a special dog for the 15 years we were blessed to have him. As Jim always said, "He has such gentle eyes. You can see clear through to his soul".

We got him from a 'puppy mill' on Christmas Eve. When we first laid eyes on him, he was a strangly, dirty, 'gray' poodle (so we thought!) in a pen by himself. I didn't care about the dozens of 'new' puppies there. He looked up at me, our eyes locked, and I knew God was telling me to take him home. I told Jim to give the man whatever he wanted for him, because I wasn't leaving without him. (he was a year old...and they were going to use him for breeding) Poor Jim really thought I'd lost my mind.

The day after Christmas I took him to the vet, to find out he was a pure white poodle who had obviously been abused. We washed him til he turned white. The boys named him, 'Coconut', because he looked like mounds of coconut sticking out every which way. Much to the boys' chagrin, he bonded to me....never to leave my side. He was a wonderful dog.

He spent his last day on this earth quietly napping in his bed.....only to get up to follow me into the studio at times. He passed into heaven on New Year's Eve....in my arms. Safe and sound. At home. Exactly where he should have taken his last breaths.

Dad...I kissed him for the last time, and told him to wait for me on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge....with you. I know you will look after him.

Thank you, Dad. I love you. And I miss you terribly.

xoxoxoxoxox To Heaven and Back~

Carol

P.S. Fawn's having a bad time. He is moping around the house. He's loving the extra hugs and kisses, but will be obese if we continue feeding him all these extra treats!!

P.S.S. We had the 'puppy mill' closed down shortly after buying Coconut. The man who was running it was prosecuted and sent to jail.

~The Prize Inside~

Do any of you remember those tantalizing adds on the very fronts of those ‘certain’ boxes of cereal that claimed to have the very best prizes inside….and the best part of all, was that they were ‘free’? Really. They were. Yeah, I know….my mother didn’t believe it either.

Those Saturday morning cartoon shows made sure they covered every single brand of cereal, and were sure to show just how ‘wonderful’ the prize inside was. And to convince all of its kiddie-audience that they really really ‘needed’ the particular magical miniature slate, ring, magic trick or diving frogman. I mean really. You didn’t want to be the only kid in your class that didn’t have one, did you?

My brother, sister and I would put on our very best angelic faces and earnest sounding promises of how we would eat ALL the Corn Flakes in that box. Just because none of us really LIKED cornflakes was inconsequential.

No sooner had that ol’ DeSoto pull into the drive when Mom arrived home from the store, our grubby little hands had reached to the very bottom of that cereal box, grinning as we pulled out ‘the prize’.

When I received a package in the mail from my sister the other day, I smiled as I ripped off the brown paper to find a large box of Honey Nut Cheerios. I grinned. Then giggled as those memories flooded back to me.

The significance of that particular brand of cereal to my sister and me: my two poodle pups, and Kathy’s one poodle pup will pirouette on their hind legs for Honey Nut Cheerios! They LOVE them!

I anxiously opened the box, fully intending to pull out a handful of those sweet little round ‘O’s’……but instead, felt FUR. Uh-oh. I was a little disappointed. And a wee bit leery....but lo and behold,

I pulled out the sweetest bear. With wings. Cranberry-colored velvet ones. As I sat the bear on the counter so I could stand back and admire him…..there on the bottom of his paw was “Angel of Hope” embroidered in cranberry lettering!

Thank you, Toots! I carry him from room-to-room. And that cereal box……I’m never throwing it away. It has a place of honor in my studio. Memories don’t get much sweeter than that. And neither do sisters!