Sammy gets snow

First off I have to say that it IS SNOWING here in Central Ohio. This is our second big snow storm of the Fall.  I look out the windows watching the big flakes coming down and thinking to myself how pretty it is. That is until I leave for work at 10:30 PM and drive south on the Interstate 71 towards downtown Columbus with all the trucks zipping past me on ice covered pavement.  Thank goodness I have 4WD or else I would be a nervous wreck.  So I got to thinking to myself why are we getting so much snow so early this year.  Then I realized after looking at pictures of Sammy Doodle that it is his fault.

He has been dreaming of snow since the leaves began to fall.

And to make the Snow Fairies bring his wish, he sacrificed one of his stuffed toys scattering woobie guts all over the floor to appease the Fairies. 

He survived his first professional haircut over at Worthington Woods and was so pleased to prance around the neighborhood with his Da in tow.

But still, he dreams of Snow.  And who could resist this adorable face? 

He got his wish.

Time for more Sammy

It has been seven months since we brought Sammy home to live with us.  I still say this, but it feels like it has been years that our little boy stepped into our lives.  He is such a joy and comfort to both of us.  I think if it wasn't for his happy little self, we still couldn't cope with the grief of losing Frodo, Arwen, and Fiona.  He makes us smile.  He makes us laugh.  He makes us "walk the dog".  I bought a seat belt for him as most of what we had before is way too big for his 18 pound body.  He was so patient has I tried to figure out how to put the harness on him.  Then he sat perfectly still all the time in the car even when we were in the restaurant.

We got a new furnace this week, and we both were concerned that he would bark all the time the service people were here, but he gave a few woofs then settled down next to the bedroom door protecting me while I slept.  Oh yes, that is one of his jobs and he takes it very very seriously.  On my nights off, I sometimes hear him patrolling downstairs and then comes back up the stairs falling asleep (but still vigilant) on the stairs so he can be aware of everything.  He loves to jump and there is no toy he doesn't fall in love with. 

His bedroom is in the studio where he loves to go to bed 15 minutes before I leave for work.  In that room every morning are about 6 little stuffed dog toys surrounding his bed.  I have to chuckle as it reminds me of my sister Cheryl who while a little girl had to sleep with every single doll in her bed.  I bought a package of three little stuff toys from PetSmart for him and upon opening he decided that he wanted all three NOW!

He loves popcorn.  What dog doesn't?  He loves late night walking in the neighborhood making sure Mr. Skunk stays in his area.  He loves sitting at the back fence watching the elementary school children playing in the field.  He loves barking at the squirrels who like to hide their prizes under the grill cover.  He just loves everything. And we love him too. 

MEET SAMMY

I'd like to introduce you to our newest member of the family: 

SAMMY

Afton Trailblazer: Sammy

We were missing having a dog in our home so bad since Fi left us.  We thought about a puppy and had our names on several list.  Barb Zink from DanZin Scottish Terriers, whom I've known since very first getting on the internet, suggested that I get in touch with Pam Williams.  Pam Williams is another member of the Scottish Terrier Club of Greater Dayton.  I met Pam years ago when she first got into showing Scotties.  Pam offered me her 2 1/2 year old retired Champion Scout.  We decided it would be great to have an older Scottie join our family.  So Saturday April 13th 2013, we drove down to the Cincinnati area to Pam's home and picked our new boy up.  Pam's has Afton Scottish Terrier kennel.  We got to me all her girls and the wheaten boys.  It was great to see her again, and spend some time with a pack of loving fun filled Scotties.  The drive back to Columbus was so quiet.  He took quickly to our home and way of life.  And he stole our hearts.

We decided to change his name to Sam Wise Gamgee.  For those who are Lord of the Rings fans, he is named after Mr. Frodo's companion.  But he just didn't see to be a plain Sam...so we named him Sammy.

For my Fiona

It has been over a week now since Fiona passed away.  I still miss her every day & find myself listening for her or the other two.  I know that someday we'll have a new puppy to share our lives with us.

I had been working on this necklace while tending to Fiona when she was ill.  Originally, I was going to call this piece Moonglow.  My friend Cyndy up in Michigan sent me some glass she'd made for my jewelry making.   I glued it down onto a piece of blue Nicole's Bead Backing everything popped out.  Then I chose Rose Opal size 8 seed beads I'd gotten from Out on a Whim along with Topaz lined size 11 seed beads.  I did right angle weave cage technique I've taught myself, and then used some of the new Rizo beads from Out on a Whim.  The middle piece made me very happy, so when I decided to take crystals and make individual blooms using the same technique it was a challenge to puzzle all the pieces together to make a necklace.

Fiona Rose Blossom

Here I am wearing my new necklace

I didn't finish the necklace until last weekend.  Fiona had died by then, and I was going through intense mourning for her.  I put the necklace around my neck on Sunday and felt a sense of calm for the first time in days.  I stroked the blossoms of the necklace and could almost hear a sigh.  Then it dawned on me why I felt so comforted.  I don't know if many people know but Fiona's full registered name is Fiona Rose Blossom.  I realized then then that this necklace was for my Fi.  Whenever I see it or wear it, I'll always remember my gentle old girl who was blessed with an old soul out of the most beautiful canine eyes ever.  I'll never sell this necklace just as I'd never sell the one I made when my SkyeBlue died.  Both necklaces were made at a time when my grief was unbearable, but once completed I had a sense of absolute calm. 

Rizo bead from Out on a Whim

Right Angle Weave caging with embellishment

I still have tears for our three Scotties who've died withing the past month.  I made this necklace called Dorothy's Tear to remind me my love for all three.  We have three boxes of ash on our fireplace hearth.  Each morning when I wake up, I crease each box and say good morning to Fiona, to Frodo, and to Arwen.  Sometimes a tear will glide down my cheek, but more often I'll have a smile remembering my three terrier guardians.  I miss them always.

Dorothy's Tear

Another Angel

Fiona passed away Thursday here at home with Chris.  My heart is just so broken.  I've had so many people write to me with my previous posting about her getting attacked by a hawk.  Fiona was almost 13 and has had a heart murmur her whole life.   She was an April Fool's baby. She was born 4/1/200. She's survived having puppies,  septicemia, a seizure, and pancreatitis but the hawk attack was too much for her fragile old body. She died of congestive heart failure.  

The very first time we saw Fiona

I knew she had to be mine

Chris fell in love with her too

When we first brought Fiona home.

Here are pictures of our Fiona.  I think I've posted some of these before here on my blog.  I love my old girl still, and both of us will miss her forever.

Fiona always knew where the coolest spot in the house was

And she knew how to give me the look to take her for a walkie

But most of all she knew the best places for a comfortable nap

Scottie Angels

I've been a little out of commission these past two weeks & have neglected so many things.  I started my new job on the 7th at Nationwide Children's Hospital.  AND the very first day, my sinus infection got worse, and I wound up getting bronchitis.   My old employer canceled my medical insurance on my last day of work, and I haven't gotten my new cards yet.  So I wasn't able to go to the Urgent Care when I started to spike a fever. Plus, I don't have any leave time for 90 days, so had to keep going in for training.  It was very hard to concentrate, but I managed to make it in and checked off in at least one department.  I called my Doctor's office & because this is flu season, and I go in annually, they called me in a prescription for antibiotics. Thank goodness, as I really felt so foggy and was feeling myself spiraling down with the bronchitis.  The antibiotics kicked in Wednesday and what a difference.  I'm able to concentrate, not cough up a lung, and able to think more clearly. 

Ceramic heart sent to me by Marti Conrad

 Thursday after I got off work, I was petting Fiona and noticed a huge bump on her back.  At first I thought she had been bit by a spider or some other insect, but the bump kept getting bigger and bigger.  I looked and found a penetration point which looked like a large bird had attacked her.  Several years ago, she'd been attacked by Cardinals, but this was much bigger.  I talked to a couple people and realized that she was probably attacked by the hawks around here.  I cleaned her wound, put cold compresses on the lump, and gave her aspirin.  She seemed to be getting better, but this morning she was lethargic and wouldn't eat anything.  I took her outside and she was stumbling all over the place.  All I could think of was that I could not lose her like we did Frodo and Arwen this Summer.  So I rummaged through my dog medication box and found some antibiotics left over from Arwen.  I gave Fiona another aspirin and the antibiotic. She just lay in a stupor, so I thought it was time to take her to the Emergency Room.  I woke Chris up to help me get ready.  He was upset too.  I hate taking her the the ER as usually that has been a very bad outcome for us.  I kept thinking if I could keep her going until tomorrow when I could get her in to see Dr. Miller.  I poured some milk into a bowl, and thank goodness that she drank it. Then I spoon fed her some canned food which she ate.   Then Chris got out some roast beef which she ate.  I then gave her her insulin and put her back in her bed to watch her.  She slept for about 4 hours, and then woke up hungry and ready to roam around the house.  She's over the crisis, but we are still keeping an eye on her and I'm taking her in tomorrow so the Vet can look at her trauma area which is black and blue and still swollen.  I guess you never think about hawks attacking a 25 pound dog, but others assured me that it often happens. 

Arwen is on the lower left with FalaPink above.  Frodo is on the lower right with SkyeBlue above.

It has been too close to Frodo & Arwen's death to deal with Fiona getting ill.  What really made me think about them was when yesterday, I took Fiona out front to roam around.  There is a woman who has always walked her hound dog through our neighborhood and down the side walk between my & my neighbor's house.  That dog automatically knew when Frodo and Arwen were outside.  It would start barking two houses away, which naturally triggered Fro & Ar to jump up and start their packing up and down the fence waiting to bark back at that dog.  When Frodo took ill, I warned this woman to be aware of ticks as I always saw her letting her dog off leash to go down to the creek.  Well, yesterday, she stopped and asked me if my little dog survived.  I had to tell her that both of then died.  She told me how sorry she was and that she noticed it was so quiet anymore.  Oh yes, those two always made sure no one came near their house.  That got us both thinking about our two lost Scotties.  Maybe that was why I was so upset this morning when I realized Fiona was so ill.  But as I said before, I sometime think I hear them walking around or at times feel them cuddling up with me when I'm sleeping.  I know it is just me wanting them near again.

I have shown this necklace before, but I decided to take more pictures of it this week.  Chris had printed out pictures of Frodo, Arwen, SkyeBlue, and FalaPink.  I had some lenses that we'd gotten at an auction and used these to make cabochons of our four  Scottie angels.  Marti Conrad had sent me this ceramic heart with paw prints crossing it.  I decided to make myself a collar to wear so that I could have my angels with me all the time.  SkyeBlue is above Frodo, and FalaPink is above Arwen.  I know the images are a little small and hard to see, but I KNOW they are there. 

Memories

I was looking through some of my old back up CDs and found pictures of my beloved Scotties that made me smile.  No tears as I've come to the realization that they have really never left me.  The good times will always be there no matter what.  I love them still.  They love me always.  So here are a few pictures I found of SkyeBlue, Fiona, Frodo, and Arwen.  I'm going to have to find a few of my first Scottie FalaPink to share with you later.  He was my lover boy. Not even Arwen was as much a velcro dog as FalaPink was. 

SkyeBlue, Fiona, and Frodo.  This was taken about 2004

Frodo with SkyeBlue.  Skye loved wearing jewelry. She'd prance around the house like she was a princess. 

Arwen is on the top step with Fiona under her. This was taken the first week Arwen came to live with us.  She was about 6 months old when this was taken. 

Arwen would not come down the steps.  We tried everything to get her to come back down.  So finally we offered he a cookie if she came all the way down.  Well, Fiona and Frodo here the "C" word and had to find out what was going on themselves.  So there the three were watching me standing down in the front room trying to make Arwen come down the steps.  Everyone had their eyes on that cookie.

This is Arwen on the second day she came to live with us.  We picked her up on New Years' Day.  I loved the name Beatrice, so that was her name for two weeks.  I would call her Bea, and she'd come running to me.  But Fiona would come too and then look very confused when I'd reach down to pick up Arwen.  Finally I realized that BEA and FI sounded too much alike. So after much consideration, Chris and I decided to call her Arwen.

Finding the Light Within

I am still grieving for Mr. Frodo.  If I see a picture of him, I break down and let the tears flow.  Also, we are facing the fact that it is time to let Arwen go too.  She's suffering from her bladder cancer, and we know the time is drawing close when we have to say good bye to her too.  But it is so close to losing Frodo that we just can't make ourselves do it.  She won't eat except Milk Bones an an occasional piece of meat.  Her tumor has grown enough to cause her problems and now her Cushings has kicked in so she's got a double dose of disease making our little clown close down.  Every once in awhile, her normal self is back, but it then gets hidden away from us.  We are just taking it one day at a time, but it is going to be soon.  And I think about my Grandma daily.  She was such a big part of our lives once we moved from California back to Southern Ohio.  I can hear her laugh all the time which was one of her favorite things to do. 

So with all this striking me at once, I have felt my heart heavy and broken.  I asked myself what do I done when so heart sick with grief. Do I drown my heart with tears?  Do I build a wall up around it so no one or nothing can penetrate it?  Do I attack it leaving it even more sore and weak?  Do I stab it with an icy pick filling it with holes so the pain can leak out?  I don't think any of these things are healthy.  I believe that all these people and animals and places we have cherished are inside our heart.  They are never truly gone. We carry them with us on this long journey through life.  And when we miss them or want to feel their love again all we really need to do is reach inside and Find the light of their love within ourselves. 

They day after Frodo died which was exactly two weeks after Grandma died, I sat at my work table with a piece of fused glass that a new friend had sent me.  I stared into the glass through teary eyes looking deep into the colors fused into that piece.  I looked up and mysteriously my hands began to find beads and other pieces of glass and vintage crystals to compliment the fused glass.  Then I reached for a bright yellow piece of Nicole's Bead Backing and glued the focal glass piece on it.  Oh my heart soared with the colors forming there on my work table.  In almost a frantic pace, I sewed each bead, each bugle, each spacer, each drop onto the collar not stopping for rest.  At the end of the day, I would lay it down, but as soon as my eyes would open or I had time, I would pick it up working away letting all my grief drain from me.  The bright colors wrapped me with healing powers and the dark metallic spacers with drops of green light poking out through them were there to remind me that there still was a few pieces of dark left for me.  For can we really let all that grief out?  Small pieces cling to the love of that person, animal, place forever because that is just how we have to keep the memory. But that one piece of dark memory is so small that it has become comfortable and easy to comprehend.  I still can touch the dark memory surrounded by the light of losing my Great Grandmother many years ago, or our beloved Lady who we had a funeral for when I was only 8, or the gigantic elm tree blighted by disease and cut down.  It is still there ready to be re-hydrated with our tears.  But the light...oh the light calms us and brings back the smile and the memories.

So when I finished this collar in what I was told a record time, I decided that it would be called: Find the Light Within.  I wore it yesterday even though is clashed horribly with the shirt I had on, but reaching down and stroking the cool glass as I sat calmed me and made me once again smile.  My heart is going to be broken and sore so many more times, and I know soon it will be once again attacked when we lose our little clown, our little Arwen.  But I have delved down and brought the light up once...I know it is there.  And when the time comes, I'll find it again and let it sooth me.

Mr. Frodo

On August 29th, Mr. Frodo lost his battle with a tick borne infection and passed away early in the morning.

Obscot Mystic Ringbearer: Mr. Frodo

Frodo was born in this very house nine years ago.  He was the second puppy that Fiona delivered.  As soon as Chris held Frodo in his hand watching him take his first breath, he knew he wanted to keep Frodo.  At that time we named all of Fiona's boys from characters in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings which is our favorite movies.  Frodo kept that name from second one.  We occasionally called him Fro or FroFro, or Mr. Frodo as terms of endearment.  He was the most loving Scottie boy.  When he was a puppy, he was a little terror making sure we had not one fringe left on any rug.  And once he even ate a hole in a wool rug in the middle of the bedroom when I gave up trying to chase him from under the bed and left him out when I was sleeping.  He was best friends with his litter mate, Andy, and when 15 weeks old and in obedience training, they boys would actually gang up on other poor dogs twice their size for a rollicking good time.  And both were given time out!

Frodo with with his three siblings.  Irene reminded me that both Andy and Frodo had milk beards when they were born

Frodo at 1 year old

Frodo loved his backyard, and always protected us from bunnies.  Unfortunately, those rabbits would live in the evergreen trees on our back lot which was an irritation to Frodo.  He chewed out a big hole in the wooden fence once just so he could stick his head through to bark them away.  He loved Arwen when we brought her home, and would play catch me with her all the time.  When we got laminate floors, he thought it such a fun game to race around the coffee table with his big red stuff dog in his mouth which was almost as large as him.  And Frodo loved women.  There are not a woman that dog didn't fall in love with.  His favorite was hair.  My sister Cheryl had long hair and Frodo would just rub all in her hair sniffing it with pure pleasure.

Frodo searching for those rabbitts

And a squirrel was never out of his sight

Frodo also loved walking the neighborhood.  He would dance with joy when he's hear us take the leashes off the hook.  He would prance and pull, and if one of the girls got even one inch ahead of him while walking, he'd pull until he was first.  He always wanted to be the lead dog.

 Frodo looked so cute in his yellow Lands End coat

He rolled in mulch so I usually cut his skirt off.  He liked the nekkid look

He was a brindle coated Scottie.  His coloring was so unique with the reds and blonde of Fiona mixed with the black of his father Anthony (a Wildwind Scottie).  I would let him grow out and so when he was groomed we'd always admire his brindle coat.  He had a swatch of brown next to his right eye which gave him a very distinguished look.  And when he was young, he had a Bardene white ring around his tale.  He began to get more gray in his beard this year, but that never stopped this high energy dog.  He wasn't afraid of anything!

And he always found the best napping places

A pillow and a chair were always the favorite places

The day my Grandma died, he began to limp.  My Vet thought he'd just pulled a muscle as he always ran with his heart out front.  Then last Sunday, he became lethargic and stopped eating. Last Tuesday, we took him back and my Vet was very puzzled with the symptoms.  She then put it together that he had probably been bit by a tick that had Ehrlichiosis.  And indeed he had as the tick lab test came back positive.  Frodo had a low white count from birth, so his immune system did not have the strength to fight off the infection.  After two more visits to the Vet and adding steroids to his medication, he was doing a little better Tuesday night.  Chris took him for a walk out in the field behind our house.  Frodo was too weak to walk down to the bridge where he loved looking at all the frogs and birds.  I got home and spoon fed him half a can of Pedigree.  He fell asleep in his crate.  The next morning, I found him gone.  The girls were in the chair watching as I sat and cried for my boy.  Both Chris and I were just beyond as even though we knew he was seriously ill, we so thought he'd make it. But alas, FalaPink and SkyeBlue must have decided they wanted him to join them in a rollicking game of chase on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

Frodo's couch.  He had to have it in the center of the room.

Frodo's empty couch

Today I have a beautiful wooden box with Frodo's ashes.  Pet Cremations picked him up yesterday here at home, and then today brought him back.  I have been so blessed to have so many people write to me personally and on Facebook.  So many of us have had to be in this place.  It is a contract we make to that sweet adorable puppy face licking our cheeks.  We love them throughout life, and we care for them when they are sick and elderly.

Mr. Frodo will always be with us

We miss our boy.  The box with is ashes are on the fireplace mantel over top his couch that he loved to dearly.  Good bye our boy...we miss you so much.