The Squamidian Report – Apr. 1 / 17
Issue #775
Including:
The Ontarion
Hi All,
I would like to thank those of you who sent your kind thoughts as we
were going through the those hard days of losing Willow. I had been
aware of and dreading that time, but the time had come and for her sake
it had to be done. Willow is no longer with us. The Vet came last
Monday afternoon and helped her to sleep. She can rest easy now. We
also owe the Vet our gratitude. She was wonderful. We had requested a
house call rather than putting Willow through the stress of trying to
drag her into the vet clinic. That can be hard enough on a dog and with
Willow now blind it would have terrified her. The Vet took all the time
necessary for Willow to become comfortable with her and relax. As she
was being treated with her favorite treats, the Vet administered a
tranquilizer and Willow slowly became sleepy, then simply fell asleep
on her cushion. Once asleep the Vet administered the final drug. Willow
was gone startlingly fast, she simply didn't have any inner strength
left. I had endured putting a pet down several times in the past and
some of those times had not gone well at all leaving me dreading having
to go through it again. This time was so much better and such a relief.
The Vet was kind and respectful of and for us. We thank her.
Willow's life started out pretty hard and unfair. She was big and
looked very much like a pit-bull although she wasn't. She spent her
first 3 years chained to a tree in an abusive back yard. When she was
rescued she was starved and injured. One of the injuries was a crushed
back foot that was never treated or dealt with and that foot gave her
problems for the rest of her life. But in typical dog style, she rose
above it and never complained. She then spent a year at the local dog
pound where she was nursed back to health and where she received the
only training she ever got. She had to learn to walk on a leash and how
to get along with other dogs. Sue had just become retired and had
volunteered as a dog walker at the pound. She walked Willow almost
every day of that year and ended up bonding to the point where she
brought her home. In many ways Willow hit the jackpot when she moved in
with us, a nice big fenced back yard, proper and regular meals and most
of all, attention and love. On her first day here she was so excited
about being able to run free in our yard that she jumped right over the
fence and into the neighbors yard. We called her and she jumped right
back into ours. Luckily, she never showed any interest in doing that
again.
One of the heartbreaking things we encountered once she was here was
that several local dog owners took one look at her and outright told us
that a 'dog like that' should never be allowed on 'their' trails and
pathways throughout the forest where everyone walks their dogs. We
endured several instances where Willow was attacked by dogs that were
off-leash only to have their owners try to tell us that it was Willow's
fault and that their dog was nice and friendly. Yeh, right. She was
however hardwired to chase and try to catch small furry critters like
squirrels and rats and cats but that may have been simply the result of
her trying to feed herself in order to survive during her earlier life.
Where Willow amazed all of us was in how tender and careful she proved
to be around the granddaughters. There was nothing they couldn't do to
her including sticking their fingers right up her nose or biting her
tail or pulling her ears or poking her eyes. She contentedly excepted
it all. She was the same with any puppy she met, assuming the puppy's
owner would let her near the puppy. She was instantly mom, or grandma
to the puppies. They could climb all over her, fall asleep on her or
just play with her. She was never happier than when with a puppy. We've
assumed she had some litters early in her life that were taken away
from her before she was ready for them to be taken.
So we've had her since 2010. That makes her 11 or perhaps even 12 years
old. No way of knowing for sure. Age started to catch up with here late
last fall and into the early winter. She started having trouble on our
walks when we would head back up the hill toward home. By the end of
the year we were no longer taking her on walks longer than down to the
corner and back. Then, in early January she lost her eyesight. From
there on it was hard. She needed help with the steps and even
navigating around in the house. We couldn't leave her outside because
she'd get lost in the back yard and end up stranded in a corner
somewhere. Her strength continued to fade and it became time. And that
is so hard.
Her life here has been a good one. We spoiled her and cared for her and
thats how it should be. She turned out to be one of my biggest music
fans. She just loved when I'd play my guitar and lay at my feet,
falling asleep to the music. Funny though, (well, not funny, actually
quite sad) the first time she saw me pick up a guitar she cringed in
fear, thinking the guitar was a big piece of wood and that she was
about to be beat with it. She soon learned that living here she would
never be beat or yelled at. And she quickly came to view the guitar as
a source of soothing contentment. Now the house is quiet and empty, and
we find ourselves momentarily checking to see if she is ok or if she
needs our help to get around. But she's in a better place and we will
move on. Thats how life works.
doug
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THE ONTARION REPORT
Hello everyone!
With the passing of March in the form of a lion I figure we’re in for a
lovely spring to make up for it. I know the usual statement is that we
can look forward to April showers but after a couple of these during
the first week or so of the month, I feel certain we’ll be in for a
nice warm and sunny April. Let’s hope this isn’t just my pipe dream!
I mentioned a few of my firsts in last weeks Ontarion and I’ll be
darned if I didn’t experience another first the other day when Carole
and I were out to dinner. We were driving along when we were suddenly
passed by a fellow in a Mustang “Convertible” with the top down! Didn’t
I mention that very happening as one of my firsts for the year in last
week’s report? I think I did! Oh well, it’s not a big deal but just
confirms my thinking that I’m not the only one to believe that spring
has sprung! Speaking of spring, Carole and I actually sat outside the
other day in the lovely sunshine and enjoyed a cup of tea. We were
talking about how this winter has seemingly dragged on a bit too long
even though we really haven’t had all that much snow. My comment was
“Well, this is the start of a really nice warm sunny spring being able
to enjoy a sit in the back yard today!” I also had thoughts that the
sunshine would continue along with warm temps at least until we got a
week or so into April. Well, guess what, Thursday and Friday were the
shits both sun-wise and temperature-wise so there goes my theory for
this month! LOL! Oh well, we do need the rain to get the growth of our
gardens and lawns started so Mother-Nature is right on track as usual.
I’m hoping that it does warm up and dry up a tad in the coming weeks so
we can get the yard and gardens all cleaned out to allow the flowers
etc to sprout in a healthy manner as usual. They look so drab after the
winter and it’s always nice to spruce things up as early as possible
once the winter is over! I’m sure it won’t take long for things to perk
up and the drab will be forgotten for another six or so months. Carole
noticed the other day that the spring flyers are arriving in abundance
with fertilizer sales and lawn and garden equipment on the front pages.
That’s a good thing I guess that will get everybody thinking and acting
about getting down to sprucing up their yards so the neighbourhoods
don’t look so dowdy! Of course there will still be the couple beside us
that neglect the outside of their house and property every year. I
don’t suppose that will change in the near future! Oh well, all we can
do is make sure that our place and property are kept at their best
again this year and maybe that’ll take the focus off the mess next to
us!
Oh yeah, one positive thing happened today, the street sweeper actually
came through our neighbourhood and swept up all the refuse at the
curbside that seems to collect over the winter. Now if the city would
only send a crew around to repair the mess the “sidewalk plow” made of
the boulevard beside our house while clearing the snow! Why can’t the
driver of this noisy rig keep it on the sidewalk? He seems to like
pealing up the sod twenty feet at a time with each pass! Maybe if he’d
do the sidewalk clearing during the daylight hours instead of during
“overtime” late night hours he’d be able to see where he’s plowing!
Most years I just get the boulevard grass back in shape in time for the
winter to start all over again! Oh well, what else do I have to do all
summer? LOL!
I think I’ve about said it all for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for now … Greg
PS: Something To Think About>
What is the world’s least populated city?
Vatican City is of course the least populated with a
Population of only 842 citizens. However, it can lay claim to having as
its chief resident the world’s most famous individual “The Pope”!
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Have a good one..
the doug
The Fine Print!
The articles in these issues are the sole property of the persons writing them and should be respected as such.
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