Memories of Cookie

I never thought when I did my first posting 10 days ago that I would log on at some point and have so many comments from people....or, should I say, from new friends! Wow! Thanks to my dear friend, AirmanMom, for putting the word out. I love ya', T!

I haven't gotten back to this because I've been pretty busy the last week or so. My older son moved out on his own about a month ago and I've been busy converting his old bedroom into my office and scrapbooking room (another passion of mine). I've had the carpet cleaned, the walls painted, and moved furniture in. I still have quite a bit of work to do on it, but it's shaping up nicely.

It's been very strange since my son moved out because I'm living on my own -- totally alone -- for the first time in my life. I went from being a daughter living with my parents to being a wife for almost 25 years. Even when my husband and I separated, one or both of my grown sons lived with me on and off for over six years. The younger one relocated to PA about 3 years ago and now with both of them gone, it's very different. I don't even have my sweet dog to keep me company -- she passed away almost a year ago. So even though I'm excited about this new stage in my life, it's also taking some getting used to. There are many, many positive things about living alone -- I don't have to follow anyone's schedule but my own; I don't have to worry about meals because I eat what I want when I want; and I don't have to deal with anyone else's mess. But there's also a great sense of loneliness sometimes, especially in the evenings. I feel restless and itchy to do something, but totally unmotivated at the same time. I guess I'm just suffering from a case of the blahs. Big time!

So, since the anniversary of losing my faithful companion, Cookie, is coming up on Tuesday, I thought I'd write a few things about her. She was a wonderful dog -- a "pound puppy" we saved when she was just 9 months old. She was a mutt, through and through -- a mix between a black lab and some kind of terrier, which we were never able to identify. She had the face of the terrier and the body of the lab....and the perfect personality combination of the best of both breeds. She was friendly to a fault -- not a watchdog in any stretch of the imagination! She was full of energy, even to the end of her life at age 11. And she was the smartest 4-legged critter I've ever known. She understood so much of what we said to her and even what we didn't say. She had some quirky things she would do, like go hide in my bathroom when a thunder storm was approaching. (It was dark in there so she couldn't see the lightning or hear the thunder as much.) She was terrible (or adorable, depending on your point of view) about stealing food from the kitchen counter, especially bread of any kind! She was a big dog -- about 95 pounds -- so it was easy for her to reach up on the counter, grab a bag of bread or bagels, carry it to her bed in the living room and eat it. Of course, this always happened when we were away, so all we ever found was the empty plastic bag and a bunch of crumbs.

Her other passion was chocolate. Yes, I know that chocolate is bad for dogs -- I certainly never planned on her eating it. I guess someone forgot to tell Cookie that it was bad for her! Several times we came home and found that she had gotten hold of some chocolate candy that we thought was out of her reach. Once it was a plateful of truffles from Harry and David (which she then threw up, leaving us a nice mess). Once it was a box of chocolates filled with Jack Daniels that we had just bought at a crafts show. I swear she was walking around crooked after eating those!

I could spend hours and hundreds of pages writing about her escapades....how she would jump up on my bed and dig at the covers and pillows until they were just the right way that she wanted them to be. Or how she would sit and stare at me as I ate -- never begging, but just looking at me with those big, pitiful brown eyes. Or how she would "talk" to me with her whining -- different sounds meant different things. I was so blessed to have her in my life for ten years and I still miss her so much.

Now before you write a comment and tell me to get another dog, let me say that although I miss her with all my heart, there's just no way I can take care of a dog by myself with the crazy schedule I live through the touring season. For example, my first tour of the season has me working 3 12-hour days in a row! Add to that my commuting time back and forth to DC and they are 14-15 hour days. It just isn't fair to leave a dog alone for that long each day and I really don't have anyone who can take care of her while I'm working. Maybe after the tour season is over, I'll reconsider, but not until then.

So, Cookie, this posting is for you. Wherever you are up in Dog Heaven, I just want you to know how much I loved you and miss you. I hope you're busy chasing squirrels, running around in circles, and eating loaves and loaves of bread, all of the things you loved to do here on earth.

Love from "Mom"