Thursday, February 12, 2009

Unconditional



This old girl is 13 today, a little more gray than that day 13 years ago,when we discovered her in our garage.

13 years ago my father decided that I was in need of an additional dog, my former black lab (Daumier) was struggling at the age of 17. So, he picked up Daumier for a lunch at the local fast food burger joint and returned her along with a new 9 week old puppy.

Daumier was pretty weak in those days and had to be moved to a lush apartment in our garage, when arriving home that evening I spent time with her, having no idea that there was a small black bundle of fur residing in her bed.

The next morning when Dan left for the office at 400am (tax season) he stepped in dog doo and had this little puppy attack his foot. He came into the bedroom to wake me with "there is a puppy in our garage, I have no idea where he came from, and I'm going to work".

As I lay in bed I knew exactly where that dog had come from, my father was the only one I knew who would do such a thing. In the coming days he tried to deny it but the truth came out in the end.

Dan continued for several weeks with the mantra..."we can not keep her, we don't have time to train a puppy, do not name her, no, I am not go to hold her".

He held true to his word, when all she wanted was for him to pay attention to her. The breakthrough came the day she fell in the water garden when he was doing spring clean up and he had to fish her out.

I like to say that she loves me best, but truth be told she is all Dan's and I blame him for all of her many neurosis.

Happy Birthday Toulouse(aka Toulousee Bella Vista, Lousee Girl, & Bella V), thanks for 13 years of unconditional love, you ol'foot lickin', high jumping, toast eating, black log of a dog.

3 comments:

Bambi said...

Happy Birthday from R& B and Sacajawea and Crazy Horse!!
We know you are enjoying your ice cream sandwich:)

Em! said...

YES! Enjoy the ice cream sandwich!
~Em =)

Poppy said...

I bet you are glad your mom is home! Pearl her holiday dog misses her and keeps checking for her in the guest room.

Happy birthday Toulouse!