Zoe By My Side- Our Journey with Cushings

FLY BY HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xxxxx

One day at a time works wonders.
Hoping that your weather is improving. I see signs of Spring! Tiny purple flowers popping up here and there.

You and hubby and Koko remain on my mind, in my heart and in my prayers.

((((((((HUGS)))))))))
Leslie and the gang

Hi, Addy. Sorry I am late, but,

Happy Belated Birthday!!

Sounds like you had a good day with your mom.

Good Morning and thank you all for stopping by, I love the hugs:)

I have had problems with my shoulder so PT thinks it is too much too fast and has cut back on the weight lifting. I have this lump she says is a muscle knot from using my muscles incorrectly to lift my arm all those weeks. It causes pain everywhere when I have 2 pounds weights:(:(:(:(

Work is crazy busy and I am glad I have Koko or I would be staying late at the office for escape from reality. I have been emailing clients from home in the early morning trying to fix "problems" this week and I can see where this is all going, I did the same thing when I lost my Tinker cat after 21 years. I dont want to make that mistake again so Koko is my savior in that regard.:):):);)

Zoe's birthday is next week but the ground is still frozen so we wont be spreading her ashes yet. I expect next week will be hard. I still cry every day though not as long and I still see her tiny body in that oxygen chamber heaving so, trying to breathe and I get so upset. I find this all still very difficult and expect it will take a very long time before i can cope better with the pain of losing her.

We are trying to decide what upgrades we should make to the house so we can sell it. We have our must do list and we are thinking of upgrading our kitchen counter tops. Our kitchen is a galley kitchen and we are trying to figure out how to make it more appealing. We like it just the way it is but buyers seem to expect certain things these days.:confused::confused:

It is a sunny day and Koko and I got our long walk in this morning. He is such a good boy and he sure seems to enoy "visiting" people.
The other night he had all his toys strewn at the front door. I call our front door his "dog TV".

I have a bit of a sinus infection going on so have not been around much. Some days it is hard for me to come here but then I miss you all so much.

love you all

Take care of yourself. Koko is the best medicine for you. Such a sweet little boy.
Hugs Sonja and Angel Apollo

Addy, big hugs. Don't be too hard on your self. There are going to be days that are particularly harder for you and it feels like you know that, but you also know that it is important to step back and Koko is an excellent reason to be able to do so. When it becomes too much, take some time to yourself.

So, house issues, kitchens and bathroom upgrades usually are the largest return for your money on selling a house. So as far as bigger expenditures, that is where I would concentrate. Anything else could be throwing good money away, if you aren't going to get it back in the sell.

Other than that, touch up like paint and accessory's can make the biggest difference. Before you actually put it on the market for people to come in and look at, stage it. Look at magazines to get ideas, but staging usually involves, removing anything that looks like clutter and personalities. You aren't selling your personality and your home, you are selling the buyer, their dream home, so they need to be able to see that potential when they walk through. I've done a bit a staging for people selling their homes. Neutral colors on walls, use color in accessories. It's interchangeable that way.

That is pretty much my immediate thoughts on home to do lists.

Yikes that shoulder sounds painful.

love
Sharlene

Crikey, we jumping straight to HAPPY SUNDAY this week, got an armful of hugs right here for you... oh and a bacon sammie! xxxxx

We went to price out counter tops and one supplier was giving a free sink- I told hubby I did not want that double basin sink, Koko wont fit in it if he needs a bath, I like the sink I have now or one long rectangular sink.

We get to the car and hubby looks at me and says- but we are moving- the sink is not for you. Why would you turn down a free sink?:confused::confused:

I turned and just stared at him. "I guess I forgot that part":o:o

The sink is not for me??:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

This is not going to go well:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::(:(:(:(

Well, it's not for you, true, but it still has to be functional while you are there. :)

I have seen a double sink, and we have it in fact, where one side is much larger than the other side, making the second side, the like, vegetable cleaning side and the side we have a garbage disposal on.

Btw, Molly fits into the big side perfectly. hahahaha

I guess they only have one sink style? Maybe you could ask them, if instead of the free sink they want to give you, could they instead, knock off on the price of a sink that you would rather have. :)

This is not an easy task.

love
Sharlene

Addy:
As a licensed Realtor I have to say you are right about the sink. Someone else looking at the house, especially the woman will be thinking the same thoughts. The kitchen is the most important to a woman and usually sells the house for her. If you are thinking that about the sink another woman will surely think the same. Hope you and Koko and hubby are well. Blessings
Patti

I agree with Patti.
My father remodeled their kitchen and opted for a two sided sink with each side equal to the other which made both useless if you needed a lot of room.

I warned him before he did it, but off he went and now he complains too :)

I like the idea of two sides, but with one smaller and the second larger.

Well, just to muddy the waters further ;) :rolleyes:, I love having two equal sized sink sections and wouldn't want it any other way (although we've opted for extra deep sinks in order to give more room to each side). I hate the little, smaller-sized second sinks and think they are a total waste of space. So my point being...there is no way to predict what a future buyer will want, and so you best please yourself and let the buyer worry about making changes later on down the road if she thinks differently. My two cents worth for the day. :)

Addy:
To further the sink debate, I have one big, and much deeper sink. It can handle any job, very tall pots etc. There is nothing I cannot do in this sink. Are you able to tell the place where you are buying it that you will definitely purchase from them if the free sink is the type you want?? Hope you are well. Patti

No comment on sinks:rolleyes:
Just checking in on you.
Hugs Sonja and Angel Apollo

Hi Darl, have not been around much but had to pop in and wish you a happy Friday and hope your weekend is good and you and Koko and hubby have something to smile about.... hmmmm my one good thing for today... well it is only just past 11am so have not been up to much yet... but my BFF rang and we were on the phone for 1 3/4hr solving the problems of the world, man so much catching up to do after not speaking a couple of weeks!! We decided we are going out tonight to a winery for karaoke:D .... we both think we will need quite a bit of wine before we inflict our singing on anyone else! Hugs for you Addy xxxxxx

Addy:
Thinking of you and hoping you and KoKo can enjoy some sunshine outside today. Blessings
Patti

I love how everyone has different opinions on the sink! :) I have one big one...it is perfect for washing a dog. I can see the benefits on a double though I love one big one.
We have been doing quite a bit of work at my parents home to ready it for sale. The trouble for us is as we fix and spruce up one thing then something that looked okay looks old and tired!! We have a tad more outside work to be done and then that's it. The buyers will have to deal with the rest--or that will be part of the negotiations. I just hope we can keep the cover on the pool because it definitely needs some work and I don't want to start that now, it's time to list it and get on with selling!
Hope you all are doing okay and that Koko is enjoying the start of spring.

Barbara

I loved the sink debate:) I would prefer one long one but it will all come down to $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ I think:o:o The equal double basin was 16" gauge and very nice for free. I always pick out the most expensive anything:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Spring was here for a few days, today they predict 1-3" of snow:rolleyes::rolleyes:

This virus has me down and out. I think it was God's way of trying to distract me from Zoe's birthday. I have to be careful my asthma does not flare up from it.

We are doing the best we can. I have been sorting through my mother's belongings stored in my basement. We want to recarpet the lower level family room and it is filled with mom's boxes.

How life changes. One day we wake up and everything is different, our loved ones are older and/or sick, or departed; time keeps marching at a fast pace and we just wish it would pause. I look around my home and remember back to younger days filled with promise and hope and wonder where the years went. They flew by.

Koko is still carrying around his plastic hot dog like a pacifer. Sweet, gentle boy, I think he is a forever puppy. We both so enjoyed the few days of warmer weather. We were briefly rejuvinated. Hubby even went to get charcoal as he thought Saturday was still going to be warm but alas, the temps plummeted so no burgers on the grill for us:(:(:(

Well, I am going to attempt to rally myself and head into the office for a few hours.

I hope you all enjoy your week.

One good thing to day- Koko snuggled next to me under the covers, streched out full length, his head on my arm. He got a good belly rub for that:):):):)

Awwww, doesn't that paint a pretty picture of Koko snuggling with you. :)

We had lovely spring weather here too for a bit, even today, thought rainy it isn't bad, but tonight... *sigh* snow tonight and tomorrow. Good thing is that it's spring!!!!! so it won't stick around, it won't be frigid as it was this winter and it will all melt in no time at all . By the weekend we should be back to seasonal. Maybe you can get the bbq going this weekend!!

We had to do that with my husbands grandmothers stuff that all ended up in our basement. Some stuff I sent to goodwill, some I mailed to family and some only made it to the garbage. (we just had the whole house shipped to our basement LOL) Some things are still there. Oh well, guess I'll work on that this year or next hahahaha

I don't know where the time goes but if you see it around anywhere, tell it to sit still for awhile. :)

love
Sharlene

Dear Addy
Yes the years go by. You lose loved one, parents aging,dealing with them getting older,while we are getting older also. Koko is such a sweetheart and a blessing for you to get through all this.
Hugs Sonja and Angel Apollo

Thank God you have Koko. He is such a love bug! xxxxxx

Our furry family members are good at making everything better. <3

Hi Addy

Hope your feeling better and have got rid of that virus, so hate being sick... no time for that sort of carry on!! I had my flu injection a couple of weeks back, we are lucky and are all encouraged to get it at work, it is free for all of us. Sore arm for a couple of days though, but I guess that is better than a raging flu!

Did you get to see the lunar eclipse last night, we had such a great view of it here. It started to fade about 6.30 pm,I was at a 60th party at a restaurant at the beach so we had a ringside seat with it over the ocean. It was so beautiful, but not as blood red as I thought it would be, more like a muddy pink. It took over 2 hrs for it to eclipse and then come back to brightness. Hope some of you got to see it!

Hope you have some time off for Easter and get to spend it with Koko and get out and about in the sun! xxx

You were on my mind last night. I hope this virus is gone and that you are finding moments of joy in your memories of Zoe. If it helps, she is missed by many.
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Leslie, I'm down for the count. I had a flu shot so I am not sure what my boss gave me but it is wicked. I had to stay home from work today, my asthma is starting to flare up. This time of year if I get a respiratory bug it can end up causing pneomina and an asthma flare up because my allergies are kiciing in as well. I called my boss this morning wheezing into the phone and said I am NOT coming in. They will just have to deal with it and figure it out. I have been dragging myself to work and I should have stayed home before it got this bad.

I missed the blood moon , Trish it sounds so beautiful watching it on the beach. What a wonderful picture in my head.

I opened up Zoe's memory chest to finally put all the cards we received away. Big mistake, I could not stop bawling. Zoe brought such joy to my heart each and every day. She was a difficult dog, I always worried she would bite someone. Heck, she would bite me:rolleyes: But the good far outweighed the problems she had. I miss her personality, she was always engaged, Miss Spunk. Hubby used to call her the "Hoofer with the Woofer" I dont know what exactly that meant but we would laugh and then she would go do something silly. She liked it when we laughed.

I embrace and hold each memory so close to my heart and I cherish each one of them and they do make me smile. It is the last memories of her that cause so much pain, that last month of her life, the last day of her life, those memories will forever make me cry and break my heart over and over. But I guess that would be the case, as the rest of her life, those memories still bring such joy.

Her "birthday" is tomorrow. I want to smile and remember her as she was that first day she came to her forever home. Maybe I should copy her story here on her thread. Perhaps that would help me feel better.

Oh, Addy, would you please? I'd love that. Zoe left such a big hole in everyone's heart. Miss her so.
Hope you feel better soon so you and Koko can enjoy spring weather.:)

Life Before Zoe:

The family dog along with an array of cats accompanied me throughout my childhood. Candy, our German Shepherd mix, enjoyed sharing my bed. My brother would haul her into his room at night holding her close, wanting her to sleep with him. Patient as she was, she would lay very still. As soon as he drifted off to sleep, his hold loosening, she would escape, run to my room then jump up on my bed. Looking back on it, I had the bigger bed so she had much more room to stretch out. But as a child, I thought it was because she was my Lassie, my loyal, best friend. I can still close my eyes and have a vivid picture of the day my father brought her home. She was a tiny, furry thing, curled up in his left arm. My mother, in her apron, hands on her hips, was having no part of it. My brother and I rushed from the dinner table to grab her from my dad, all the while he was explaining, “But Betty, she’s a SMALL German Shepherd.” There was the month of “Stay in your box!” at night as my father tried to accustom her to our household. He kept her in a box in the bathroom with a blanket and an alarm clock. The ticking was supposed to calm her mimicking her mother’s heartbeat. I loved to crawl into the bathroom and lay next to the box.

Once I started my own family, the cats and the family dog tradition continued. Sassy was a pure bred Golden Retriever, as sweet as could be, loyal to all of us. I took her to obedience training, walked her and fed her, the usual duties that end up falling to the mom. I had no illusions of her being another “Lassie,” she was our family dog. When my husband and I divorced, Sassy stayed with me, my daughter and her cat, a birthday present from her father. Sassy started to sleep in my bed which was fine with me. I liked the warmth. But I did not turn to her for nurturing during my divorce.

After I remarried, an aging Sassy developed health problems so we eventually had to put her down. My family then consisted of me, my new husband and Tinker, my daughter’s tiny, black and white cat. Chris, my rebellious daughter, moved out on her own giving Tinker to my husband. We were happy the tiny cat was not going to room with Chris and a passel of other girls and cats. Tinker seemed to like remaining at home with me and was really attached to Jerry. She became our baby. I rocked her in the rocking chair and sang to her when she was ill. We brought her Christmas presents, birthday presents and went off the deep end. Tinker loved being an only child. We lived happily for many years.

Princess was a yellow and white short hair we found wandering around my employer’s yard. He took her to the humane society, sure that someone would be looking for her. She was the kindest, most loving cat we had ever met. When no one claimed her, we adopted her bringing her back to the factory. The cat was not allowed inside our offices, so she stayed outside in the courtyard with access to the basement through an exterior door in the yard. Since it was summer, she did not seem to mind. Princess hung out in the courtyard during the day, going down the stairs to the basement at night. I rushed to work every morning, my heart in my throat, terrified she would be gone. I would stand at the top of the basement stairs, calling her. There would be a flash of yellow and white as Princess bounded up the stairs jumping into my arms, purring like crazy. I would hold her close, so grateful she had not wandered off. I eventually talked my boss into allowing her to live inside. She became the office cat. Princess loved to sleep on my desk and share my lunch. It was a perfect life, one loving cat waiting for me at work, another loving cat waiting for me when I got home. I adored them both.

The perfect life had to end. I lost both of my girls. They each died in November, one year apart. I knew it was coming. Tinker was 21 years old. I had lived with her longer than any human, which was such an odd thought to me. There was so much history with her. She was an extension of me, really. She was a constant in my life, had always been there no matter what for twenty-one years.

Our veterinarian liked to say Tinker lasted so long because she was so mean. But she was never mean to me or to my husband. Besides, she was the runt of the litter and needed some spunk. It was that spunk that endeared her to Jerry. He loved a feisty girl. She went first. It broke my heart. I could not look at pictures of her, so I found a photo in a magazine of a little black and white cat with a pink nose, slinking through the grass. The picture was the spitting image of Tinker. I still have it hanging in my office today.

Not even the new kitten my boss presented to me one morning as I walked into to work could ease the hurt in my heart. She was a cute little kitten, but I couldn’t allow her to get close. He urged me to take her home to give her a chance. I refused, in tears. Little Luna became by boss’s cat, not mine. I dreaded going home and started spending longer and longer hours at the office. My husband worked most evenings so it seemed there was really no point to go home, home to an empty, quiet, dark house. At least Princess did not haunt me at work. Her picture brought me comfort so I glanced at it many times throughout the day. It was just easier to stay at work. I didn’t wonder why.

This brings me to the start of my story and my life with Zoë, the mutt with the butt, the hoofer with the woofer, the best little thing on four legs I could have ever imagined. But then, I am getting ahead of myself. For I really must start at the beginning; the beginning that finally brought me to an end.


to be continued on Zoe's birthday

Oh Addy, I hope you add Zoe's story, too. That would be so special for us all.

I've been sick all week with a very weird bug, also. It seems to change every day, but I never feel better :(. It started out with some sneezing, then coughing, then GI upset (?), now my ears are plugged. I periodically fill nauseated in between the coughing. And I can't taste anything and have no energy whatsoever. I am so sick of feeling sick...! The worst part is I have just been laying around and then that makes me dwell on things I'm sad about, and then I start crying, and then that plugs me up even worse. :( :(

On a brighter note, even though we had a freeze warning overnight, I don't think it actually froze right here. So hopefully the dogwoods and azaleas will keep on blooming through the weekend. I think it is finally spring here, and hopefully this was our last freeze. :)

I will be thinking of you and our Zoe as soon as tomorrow dawns.

Love, Marianne

P.S. While I was struggling with typing out my little note, I see you've started Zoe's story...Hooray!!! :) :)

Oh boy, I better go and get a box of Kleenex before I start reading Zoe's story as I haven't been able to read one post by Addy without crying since sweet Zoe's passing.:o

Before I finish her story tomorrow- a not so great video but you see Zoe in action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4taodMJAuz0

I hope this works:):)

I cant stop laughing at it. My girl:):):)

How cute! She's telling you to get on with the show already! :p:D:p That would be quite similar to Squirt...right up to the jumping part at which point she would have gone under or around! :p

I love the video of Zoe and Koko!!! They are soooo adorable!!!

I watched that before I even started reading Zoe's story, which I am very much looking forward to.

How such a little girl could have such a huge impact on people all over the world, well, that is mainly thanks to you Addy for sharing her with us and telling what is going on so well. You have a way with words, thats for sure.
I'm going to save the story for tonights read. :)

love
Sharlene

Fab video. Patiently waiting on the next instalment of Zoe,s life :)

Addy:
I so enjoyed seeing your babies together. It is wonderful to have video of Zoe so you can still look at her. They are too cute together. Blessings
Patti

After days of practicing "Zoe and Jump", graduation day approaches. I enlist hubby's help to take the final video. :):) The goal was to have them jump in sync- they were a tad off:rolleyes::rolleyes:

As you can tell at the end of it by my laughter, I am getting much more pleasure out of the exercise than hubby or the dogs!!!!! But that was life with Zoe, lots of laughter and then lots of tears.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ4SqQ5UsZc

The video is ADORABLE!! Thanks for sending me off to bed with a smile. :D

Wanted: one loving fur ball to become a forever friend to sad, anxious human.

My current antidepressant, anti anxiety drug is a small, furry, twenty pound Lhasa Apso named Zoe. I like to tell people how I rescued Zoe from Animal Control. The truth is we rescued each other. I spent a year searching for a dog. Having never lived without a pet, the house seemed so empty and still. I figured I needed a different kind of pet, one that would not be a constant reminder of Tinker and Princess. A dog seemed to be the perfect solution. But was I really ready? Do we ever really know for sure? The only time I am ever really sure about anything is when I making a decision at work. For some reason I cannot adapt that skill to my personal life. It took me 3 months to pick out hardware for my kitchen cabinets and they weren’t REALLY what I wanted. I made do.

A lot of time was spent on my wish list. No puppies, only a female, preferably 2-3 years old, a small dog I could carry around and cuddle; housebroken, spayed, has to like kids and other animals. My husband figured my long list was a sub conscious way of never having to find a dog because I really did not want one. After all, wasn’t I asking for the perfect dog? Who would give up the perfect dog? Apparently, not too many people. Wow, the list of dogs on Petfinder was very, very long. Most of the dogs had issues. I never could make up my mind about any of them and I sure was being cautious, not wanting to pick the wrong dog. After all, she would be my buddy, my friend, my companion. I would tell myself I was not going to act like the people on TV, thinking she was my baby. I wouldn’t go that far. She would be my DOG. Yeah, right, little do we know. We can be so smug and so sure until the little package arrives into our lives. Funny how everything changes, little by little, as your dog looks adoringly at you. My sister in law remarked ”Nobody loves you like your dog.” Well for some of us that ends up working both ways.

There she was, the cutest little Shih Tzu with her head held in such an attitude. Her name was Rosalyn and she was at the local animal control. A rescue group had stepped in to find her a home. I filled out the application, held my breath then hit the send button, leaning back in my chair. I DID IT! I FOUND MY DOG!

Anxiety suddenly flooded through me. What if this was a mistake? What if it didn’t work out? No, no. I thought, don’t go there. Wait and see. I spent two days waiting to see while they checked my references. I was really getting excited and kept looking at Roz’s picture. She was so cute and she was the perfect size. Not really tiny but definitely a lap dog. Then the call came. I was at work so my husband took the call. Roz was adopted; I was second in line so the rescue group was calling to tell me about another dog needing a home. Amy assured my husband that the new orphan, Mokey, was really sweet and she was sure I would adore her. When would we come to meet her? Jerry told me the news and I was devastated. My dog was gone? The one I actually got up enough nerve to call about, try to adopt, was GONE? New dog? What new dog? But I wanted ROZ. “I don’t know about this” I told my husband. “I think I’ll wait and see.”

I remember the conversation with the rescue group.” Well, how old is she?” I asked.
The response was “She’s five and she’s really sweet.”
“Ha, I bet she is five going on nine!” I thought to myself. “Well, I really was hoping for a dog about two, maybe three years old”.
“But she’s really sweet”.
Hesitantly, I asked “Well then, what can you tell me about her?” I wasn’t sold yet. And so the story goes: Mokey came in to animal control because her second owner was arrested. Animal control would not give her back. She was raised from a puppy by a previous owner. They had her medical records, her original address, even the name of her vet. The rescue group was not sure how she came to the second owner but it was a few months previously. All attempts to contact her original owner had failed. I did not ask why the second owner was arrested. I did not want to know. “I’ll come tomorrow morning to see her.” I made the arrangements all the while thinking “She’s probably five going on nine.” My husband, Jerry, lobbied hard for Mokey. “Give her a chance, just give her a chance, you might be surprised. Amy said she is really a nice dog and you will love her. And did I tell you she’s really sweet?”

The next day I was a wreck. We drove across town to Animal Control. I was close to tears when I saw the building. Just the thought of what goes on inside was a bit too much for me. I’m just way too emotional. We walked through the doors, and had a seat to wait for Amy. The smell of urine was overpowering. I didn’t want to think of what was behind the door at the end of the hall. But then there she was, leading Amy down the hall. They went into an empty room. We joined them and I watched Amy let Mokey off leash. Mokey was panting anxiously, walking the perimeter of the room, smelling. She would not come to me or to Jerry. She would pant then go stand at the door looking back to us. Why didn’t I think to bring treats? I called to her but she just circled the room again. She was scruffy, dirty and needing a good grooming but there was something in that face, in those eyes. Her eyes were large and dark, rimmed with black. It looked like she had black eyeliner on. My husband saw more than I did. “She’s beautiful! She’s perfect. Oh, Addy, look how cute she is. What a nice dog.” He didn’t stop gushing. Jerry bent down and she actually approached him, sniffing. He reached to pet her head but then she quickly retreated.

“Well, she is cute, but she’s bigger than I thought she would be. What kind of dog is she? She sure doesn’t look like I could easily carry her around. Mokey must be about 20 pounds and about 17” tall, don’t you think? What, a Lhasa Apso mix? Okay, well then, hmmmm.” I wasn’t ready to commit but Amy was seeing it another way, taking her cue from Jerry. She took out her cell phone and made a call, arranging a free grooming for the little dog. “You can pick her up tomorrow afternoon. You’ll love her and she really is very, very sweet.”

On the drive home, I began feeling overwhelmed. What had I done? What if the little dog did not like me? Did I really want a dog? Again the insecurity flooded through me. But then my heart took a leap and the train of thought changed. What do I need? What kind of food should I buy? Does she need a bed? My mind raced on. I have to change her name. I thought I was getting a King Charles Cavalier. At least that had been my hope and I was going to name her Chloe. Mokey did not look like a Chloe. But I had my heart set on that name. I waited more than a year for my Chloe. Chloe. My Chloe. Is that finally you? I started crying and could not stop and I could not tell you why.

We waited for Amy and Mokey the following morning, casually speaking to a rescue volunteer. I cried during most of the drive to the meeting site. Had I logged in about three hours of sleep the night before? Doubtful. My emotions were raw and unchecked. But there we were, Jerry and I, waiting for my new dog. She pranced in ahead of Amy, utterly transformed, so white and fluffy with her honey colored ears and spots, the most beautiful ears and tail I had ever seen. Her eyes were bright as she looked at me. Amy handed me the leash. At that moment it was all over for me. My heart beat hard, love swelling up, catching in my throat. Love at second sight? Yes, definitely. I was head over heels in love with my dog and there would be no going back. MY DOG. My, wait a minute, not my Chloe, she was so not a Chloe. Zoe? Yes, Zoe, impish, a bit naughty, MY ZOE and the love affair began.

Amy and I sat down on the floor with Zoe between us. I looked at her beautiful long tail. She flipped it up over her back, carrying it high. The silky white hairs reached to the floor. “I was worried you might have her tail cut” I whispered to Amy. She ran her fingers through the beautiful honey colored strands hanging from her ears. “No, I would never do that. You know, her ears are really small under all this hair.” I felt her ears. They were small beneath the long hair. “Thank you for my dog, Amy” I said softly, barely able to get the words out. Amy’s eyes were suspiciously misty. “Addy, when I brought her out of animal control and opened up the door to my car, she jumped up onto the front seat. I had put a towel down for her. She turned in a circle, lied down, licked my hand, then sighed and went to sleep. I think she just wanted out of that place so badly.”
“That’s why she kept panting and going to the door.” I guessed.
“I normally am not a small dog person” Amy continued, “but she’s special and I think misunderstood.”

Amy had a bittersweet look on her face as we said our goodbyes. I think she was going to miss her little friend. Jerry paused for a moment then decided to make an extra contribution to the rescue group. I held the leash tightly as we left the building. Our new family, Zoe, Jerry and I, headed for home. During the ride, Zoe sat quietly on my lap in the car looking out the front window. It was a long drive but she sat still, very keen on watching the world go by. Her new world I thought. We watched the cars go zipping past us, the city in the distance. We passed the mall, driving through the suburbs toward Bayside and our wooded two acres. Then a funny thing happened. Jerry finally slowed the car down, exiting the freeway. We made the turn onto the tree lined, winding lane which led to our home. Suddenly, Zoe got very excited. She jumped up, putting her paws on the dashboard, making little crying sounds. Did it remind her of another place? Jerry and I looked at each other. What was she thinking we wondered? Where did she think she was going? As we turned into our driveway, passing the tall pines, her excitement grew; the whimpering getting louder. Jerry parked the car and came around to open my car door. As soon as the door opened, Zoe leaped out of the car down onto the cement. She sniffed the pavement, and then pulled to the grass, wagging her tail. Her black eyes shone with joy as she looked at us, her mouth parted almost in a smile. “We’re home Zoe, it’s your new home.” Jerry told her as he walked to the front door. He opened the door, smiled and waited. Zoe sniffed the ground again then looked at me expectantly. Heading for the door, I called” Come on Zoe let’s go, let’s go in”. I did not think to allow her to explore her new yard, sniff out all the trees, nor to relieve herself. But as I lead her into the house, I made her a promise. “I will take care of you for as long as you live and I will never allow anything bad to happen to you again.' Together we walked through the door of her forever home.




A few weeks after writing the first chapter of Zoe’s story, Zoe received a tentative diagnosis of Cushings disease. Actually, it was on her “birthday” April 17th, 2010.
During the following almost four years of Zoe’s journey with Cushings, I tried so hard to finish her story but words never came to me. I found myself writing instead, short paragraphs; a moment in time, a brief experience, a poem of joy or of anguish. How is it possible to write it all down, I wondered? I can only manage snippets. Perhaps that is all it should be - the story of my life with Zoe is moments of living in the now, whether good or bad. It may be the only way to do our life together justice; share the raw emotion in a few sentences.

My favorite “short” of my life with Zoe and that which best sums it up is “ Just A Friday Morning”.

So Zoe- Happy Birthday Darling and I thank you - for each day of our lives together was an awe inspiring “ Friday Morning”:

We lay on the floor together, my Zoe and I, in front of the glass door. A refrigerator hums in the background while a TV plays softly; white noise. The drips from the eaves are a steady plunk, plunk, plunk. Cardinals sing their song repeatedly with a crow cawing a chorus. Poplar leaves rustle in the gentle breeze. Two birds fly high over the tall evergreen. A lone mosquito, flies back and forth. We watch Friday morning go by, my pup and me, her breath to mine.

Thank you all for helping celebrate Zoe.

http://www.k9cushings.com/forum/album.php?albumid=204

Oh Addy, what a beautiful story.

Happy Birthday, precious Zoe! Thinking of you and your mom and dad with much love, our sweet baby girl.

You have filled all our hearts and lives with your big, big spirit - and always will.

So many hugs on this special day of honor and celebration ~
Auntie Marianne

Addy:
It seems unreal to me that you and Zoe, the icons of the site would!d not be together to celebrate her birthday. You have many wonderful memories to hold in your heart. Happy birthday Zoe, God bless you.
Patti