Whispers from the Bridge

Does anyone remember the Last Will and Testament of Silverdene Emblem O'Neill? No, me either. I had to look it up because something was haunting me. I was hearing things perhaps. I listened (my dear fans, you know what, ahem, large ears I have), and I heard my dear friend Leo whispering from Rainbow Bridge. He woofed with happiness and something like satisfaction with a job well done.

This made me think of "Blemie" O'Neill and how he loved his master and mistress. (Isn't that quaint, my dears: master and mistress.)

"Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have another," he said in his Last Will and Testament. The satisfaction I heard whispered from the Bridge may have concerned a foxy little Norwich dog -- just a dog. My dears, you be the judge. Leo is not replaceable. He had the heart of a lion, did he not? The little Zorro is not yet a fox. But Leo sent him so he could love as Leo did and be loved as Leo was.

That is what I heard anyway.

Z

Precious

Mama DiDi has a dear friend in England whose little dog Precious has gone to Rainbow Bridge.

We have both cried over losing our friend Leo, who wrote us a few times in this blog. Now we are weeping for this little being who was found, named Lilly and rescued as a Chinese Crested! The wonderful care given her by Mo and Nobby somehow turned her into a Yorkshire terrier. If that sounds impossible, it was only the first of many miracles.

My dear fans, click on this link to read all about it. Be sure to read the newspaper clippings and see the photos of this beautiful angel in a dog's body.

www.geocities.com/arthurclarke2000

Mo and Nobby lived with three Chinese Crested dogs and this is what they thought they were rescuing. As Precious recovered from her past and her hair grew back in, they realized she was actually a Yorkshire terrier. She was very close to one of her Chinese Crested pals in the Clarke household and when Scary died, Precious often paid respects at the grave and this is how I think of her.

We send our condolences, our love and affection from California to Hellesdon to help our friends over this sad time. We want them to know we are in awe of the love they gave Precious that turned her into such a beautiful and loving animal.

With my paws together I send my own Yorkshire kisses and hugs.

Gone Into the Light

"....Gone into the world of light,

And I alone sit lingering here."

--Henry Vaughan, Ascension Hymn

With great sadness we learned last night that our dear Leo died, valiantly protecting his people from a rattlesnake on Independence Day. Independence describes him. He was also fierce and relentless and more brave than I can describe or fathom.

Bombs went off here all around me and I shook and clung to Mama DiDi all night. Leo would not have been proud of me, but I told myself when the noise stops I will put my paws together for those who loved him and will miss him so much.

And so this morning I went out to the park in the sunshine and thought of falling tears and grieving hearts.

And the famous Welshman, who wrote: "Though lovers be lost love shall not, and Death shall have no dominion."

Independence Day!

Happy Fourth of July to one and all.

When the fireworks start, you will find me under the bed.

Happy to report that Daddy Moose was able to put his big flag out in front of the house. He's sick of one-armed paperhanger jokes, but he's still not so swift with his left hand.

Canada Day

Happy Birthday (yesterday) to Canada!

(hitting head with paw for being late)

Here I am wearing my Maple Leaf scarf, nuzzling my little RCMP moosie.

I don't know what I'll do for Independence Day but I'm sure I'll think of something.

Baby Tess

Guess what, my dears!

I have a new 'grand-niece.' Please look at this sweet face and tell me you could refuse her anything.

Her name is Tess and she is the new 'baby girl' of my niece Karin and her husband Justin, living in Rochester, New York. (Hmmm, very close to my dear friends Abbey Mia and Harper Leshnower.)

Tess will no doubt become a first-rate therapy dog in the medical field there.

Playing Catch-Up

My dears, it has been such a trying month. I told you that Daddy Moose had carpal tunnel surgery on May 13th. He healed extremely well for about 10 days and then he was hit with a huge set-back: a staph infection! This is that nasty one we carry with us and it was attracted to the fresh wound.

Daddy Moose had to have more surgery on June 3rd and was in the hospital for six days. Here he is the very day of surgery, no longer in excruciating pain. We thank his orthopedic surgeons Dr. Hu and Dr. Heater, his Physician's Assistant Kelly, his favorite nurse Allen and all the medical staff at Mercy General Hospital for taking such good care of him.

He came home late on Monday, June 8th, and it was wonderful to see him at last. Since then we have been working night and day to help him get well. We have come a long way. His Home Health Nurse Tracy and the others who fill in sometimes, his Occupational Therapist Melinda and his Physical Therapist Jim have done wonders for him.

More later, my dear friends.