Okay I know I've skipped a few posts but I'm doing the best that I can ;)
My pet that I want to post about was my parents before he was min. I actually had a long line of doges from them or so it seemed. I always had a hard time sleeping while I was single and my Dad thought I might feel safer with a dog, so they kept giving me their rejects. Well one was of my choosing and while she was sweet dog, she was an energetic dog and not a match for a family that was hardly home. Our sweet Angel kept getting into trouble and knocking the boys down when they would venture outside. We adopted a little wienie dog mutt that the boys found at the bus stop. But he followed us out at Halloween and apparently got adopted by another family. My oldest son found that out for sure later on. We had another one for a very short stint, I can't even remember his name, but I told my Dad that he had to come get him. A-bear was the last in this parade of dogs. Dad had named him such b/c he looked like a little bear cub when he ran. He was mostly blue heeler, but was very burly unlike the sleek looking True bloods. Dad probably would have rather kept him but a different dog of my brothers was bullying him and Dad thought maybe the sweet disposition of A-bear might work for me better. He was so right. A-Bear had been taught to shake hands somewhere down the line and would always greet you. He hardly barked which was fabulous. But I also bonded with him when I developed CFS and as on medical leave for three months. He would walk with me or run with me if I biked, back and forth to one of my best friends houses. He was such a trooper. I would talk to him and he'd just look at me with those sad eyes and his tongue lolling and wait to be petted. I'm not an overly affectionate animal owner. It's just hard for me to bond with them. I think they are great for other people and I love petting other people's pets, but I'm not one to be overly emotional if the fish dies or if an animal doesn't work out. When our family dog died, when I was a teenager, I wasn't that upset. He'd had a long life and passed away quietly in the sun. I remember trying to make my sisters laugh b/c they were crying and I guess I didn't know what else to do. They thought I was so insensitive and I guess I was, but I just felt it was his time and it didn't upset me. But when A-bear lay dying, I didn't know what to do, I didn't want to go to work. I asked my brother to give him a blessing. I couldn't stand knowing he'd given me so much and I couldn't give him half as much. He was the BEST dog ever. And I had my brother bury him under my pear tree. I cried and cried and when the boys turned around and wanted another pet right away, I rebelled. My Dad was ready to give me another dog and I wouldn't have it. No dog could have taken A-Bear's place. There wasn't a dog good enough. As I cast my mind around for a solution, I remembered as a kid I had preferred cats to dogs. I had a vet friend take me to a farm that was giving away kittens and I found one that would let me hold her. I named her, Ruth, because she gave me comfort in my time of sorrow. She has been a sweet pet. She plays tag with me and lets the little boys pull her tail. She's been with us now for about 6 years and has been through many family changes. I have to say the only time she really drives me crazy is when she is about her crazy night time escapades and accidentally makes something crash which isn't that often so for the most part she's the cat's meow. Even people that say they don't like cats have a tendency to like her. She's just that sweet. So there you have it. We have had a fish and a turtle too. But that was in the very beginning and another story for another day ;)
