These words are so difficult, but I have prayed for so many on this list
that even though it is difficult, I am asking for prayers for my sweet,
gentle Golden Retriever Howie.  He is on his way to a better place tonight
where he will be young and strong and healthy again and hopefully meet up
with the little orange cat he loved so much named Scooter Pie.  Howie was
the most gentle dog I have ever known.  Examples of his gentleness are
many-the time he gently put his huge paw on a cat and held him to the
ground while he rescued the chipmunk from the cat's clutches.  He brought
the chipmunk to me and dropped it in my hand.  I didn't tell him it was
too late for the chipmunk-I just petted him and told him what a good boy he
was.  Or the time he spent hours guarding a downed baby robin-and I mean
hours.  I saw Howie laying out by the tree from my kitchen window.  After
he laid there for awhile, I went out to see what the problem was.  He was
within a couple feet of this baby bird and the bird didn't seem to be the
least bit afraid.  I watched them off and on all afternoon as Howie laid
there-keeping 3 cats that were pacing like hungry tigers away.  Finally
towards evening, the baby made it's way higher into the tree and Howie's
"watch" was over.  I know it lasted at least 4 hours.  Had I been the only
one to witness this, I might allow you to call me crazy, but at least 4
other people saw this too.  He was beyond gentle-even with the ferrets.  My
little girl Hope would climb to the top of his big old head and just sit
there-between his ears!  She must have liked the view from up there and he
would sit perfectly still until she got tired and climbed down.  I kept
saying I was going to get a picture, but I never did and now the chance is
gone.  Howie-wherever you are-know that you are loved and you will be
missed.
 
Della and the Tumbleweeds
Judy Cooke
Tyson, Einstein and Hope
[Posted in FML issue 2939]