So there are certain people or things in your life that make a pretty big impact. I want to share a story and if you get weary please feel free to pause and come back.
When I was a kid I don't know what it was I had a HUGE fascination with animals. I was constantly looking for animals whenever we went on trips. My grandmother lived in Montana and 1 time my parents took us through Yellowstone and that was it, I was hooked. I am sure it was before that but I would consistently pester my parents about taking us through Yellowstone to grandmas every time. I am sure my parents got sick of it!!! We also lived with our house butted up to a pasture in Pocatello where a couple old horses were and I was always back there trying to pet them and in the mean time avoiding getting my fingers bit off.
My parents always encouraged my love for animals, they had animals in our house be it a cat, a dog, a fish, and even at times a cockatiel, 2 Iguanas and a Ball Python!!!! I even had my senior pictures taken with the ball python and cockatiel!
Well I then served a mission. My favorite thing was to go visit each and every zoo that was in my area so that I could get my animal fix!
When I got home my parents still had our miniature schnauzers that they had since we had moved to Boise. They were good little doggies!!!
When I got married and moved out of the house I moved with my Snake and my Iguanas. I eventually got married and my dear wife put up with my scaly friends for some time. Well then that fateful day came that Heidi got pregnant and then a "decision" was made.....Snake.....baby....snake...baby. Well its obvious which route we went.
Tyler was born and eventually we moved to Caldwell. While we were there we had an unfinished bonus room but a front room where we usually retired every evening to watch TV or to visit. One night as we were laying there there was a flash of light and something hit our window and our front door! I yelled"HIT THE DECK!!!" I thought for sure we were just involved in a drive by shooting. Well as I cautiously opened the door I came to find out that my door had been the butt end of a teenage prank of a paint ball drive buy. Along with my window and garage door!
Well that night I had nightmare after nightmare. I kept dreaming of people breaking in to my house and harming my family. Well at the time I had not yet met my gun toting good friend Nate so I was not aware what could I do to defend my family. Well a gun was definitely out of the question. My wife at the time was adamantly against guns. An expensive home alarm system seemed ridiculous to me. Then it occurred to me that I could get a dog to scare away any unforeseen threat.
Now as I was a water deliveryman for Idaho Springs Water Company I had a lot of time to think of what breed and what kind I would want. Well as I was coming up to a stop light I noticed a sign attached to a fence that was facing the road that said ST. BERNARD puppies!! That's it!!! That's what I need a St. Bernard puppy! The mere size and bark of such a horse would scare away any unknown threat!!!! So naturally I stopped and saw the little bundles!!! Now to put it in perspective puppies at 6 weeks of age are the size of full grown Shitzu!!! I asked the owner if I could take one home to show my wife.They agreed and I loaded the little...uh big...uh little guy in a box and took him home. Well lets put it this way it was a flight of fancy,I had no fenced backyard, and I didn't have the money.....so I don't know why I was even trying and my wife made that very clear.
Well Heidi and I started looking for a dog and noticed that everything was expensive. We looked at adopting a Irish setter, or something from the pound and we always come up empty.
Well ( I'm wrapping this up I promise!!!) my mom worked with someone who was a lab breeder. He had a lab that he got from someone else who had house, hunt and crate trained. She was awesome she had the cutest little personality. She was a chocolate lab, her owner named her Daisy May Mudpie. She was always there. I would mow the lawn and she was right behind me. I would water the plants and she would be right there. And she was always so obedient and always trying to please. She was smart as a tack!! She went with me on my very first hunt ever. It was for dove and she new exactly what to do. She was a retriever to the max!!!
I loved her very much! We almost lost her twice in her life! Once because of a calcium defincey after a litter and once to a uterus infection.
She always seemed to be smiling and showing her happiness that we were there.
I love you my friend and I will miss you always and forever.
Miss her? Are you saying she died? If so, that's very sad and I'm so sorry for you. That third picture is awesome.
ReplyDeleteSo, I must see this senior picture. When I was a kid, I loved animals and swore I'd have tons of different pets when I had my own house. I didn't know at the time how lazy I would be as an adult.
Andy I'm so sorry! It is the hardest thing to lose a part of the family! Just this past week my dad came home to find that our 15 year old beagle had passed away while he was at work. She died of lymph node cancer. I know she is in a better place and not suffering and hope that you can find that same peace with Daisy. :)
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