Mandy - Molly's great aunt

My sister posted this on Facebook today.  Mandy was truly the greatest dog we ever had (sorry Molly and Bailey I love you both) This made me tear up. I am using it without permission because she was mine also.

Ginny Jackson

Yesterday was the 29th anniversary of "Mandy's" death. Mandy was a Sheltie mix and a great "mutt"!! The secretary at Whittier where Jay was teaching had a neighbor that had a dog who with 10 puppies and she was getting rid of them. The secretary found homes for most of them and Jay brought the mother and 4 puppies home in 1970. 

We found homes for all of them but I couldn't let the last one go. She slept in Jay's room until December 8th when we had our Sheltie "Smokey "put to sleep" due to cancer. I was a mess and that night Jay asked if I wanted Mandy to be in my room. 

She went with me everywhere and shared my life for almost 14 years. She stayed on the dock when we were swimming in Leech lake. Barked if anyone came into our houses but only if I was home; if I wasn't home she didn't make a sound. 

She was a "garbage dog" and if she could get it she inhaled it. Once mom was holding a doughnut, talking and Mandy reached up and took it. She stole an entire loaf of banana bread off the table and ate one of mom's opal earrings. (We think, she was caught chewing/licking one and I wasn't about to check the backyard! 

She even dragged me across a field on the Red River Valley when I lived in Halstedt Minnesota to what I thought surely must be a wild animal only to find some movie popcorn someone had thrown out their car window. She almost died once for eating something she had found in our neighborhood in the days people let their dogs outside without being leashed or fenced in. 

She and I won our dog obedience classes competition but she refused to come when called and led me on many a chase. UNTIL Jay spent some time with her and a leash with treats and "by God she was going to learn to come!" (and she always did....for me. Jay)

She cornered a skunk once but didn't get sprayed, laughed (I think) when I got in the car parked in front of mine and panicked, and forever will be in my heart. She will be at the head of the pack of other dogs who are in my heart when I cross the "Rainbow Bridge."

Addendum.  I asked Ginny for more pictures of Mandy Here they are: (Note the best way to view them is to click on the first picture and then click through to see them all in a sort of manual slideshow.

Pet Memories

 Ginny gave me some pictures that she found of some of our former pets.  First this is Mandy and my friend John B who I taught with at Linn-Mar schools. Mandy was one of a litter of puppies that I found out about and rescued along with their mother.  Ginny wanted to keep her so we did. She was the best dog we ever had....well except for Molly.

 Some friends came down to look at Shelties from a breeder south of town. I went with them and Kelsey the dog on the left was there and he stared at me.  I went home and told the family that I really wanted to get him. I was worried about how he would get along with Mandy but they said go ahead and we called the breeder and they were willing to let him go.  They were using him for stud. I brought him home and he was a great dog. Best dog ever, except for Molly (and Mandy)   We took our dogs on vacation to Leech Lake with us.

This was on the front porch of the cabin we stayed in at the lake.  Mom slept on the porch because she liked to wake up at night and look out at the lake.  I had one of the bed rooms and Ginny the other, which she decorated as soon as we got there.

Look carefully to see Kelsey

 And then there is Bailey.  Who was the best dog ever. (Except for Molly)  He was so tiny he used to sleep on my shoulder.

God I still miss him. My eyes just teared up.

 And then there were the cats.  This is Shadow. I got him at John B's farm one time.  He was a neat cat.  Loved to roam.  We lived next to a field and a railroad track and Shadow loved to go out and hunt. One night he came back with his lower jaw hanging down and bloody.  We never knew what it was but the vet said it could have been a raccoon.  It had to be wired but he (and we) got through it.  And that is why my cats all became inside cats.

 Then there is this one.  She was born with bad legs and had to wear braces when she was little.  She would be sweet at times and then all of a sudden would strike and scratch and bite.  I really hated that but I felt sorry for the cat. She used to get mats in her hair. I think she was taken away from her mother too soon and didn't know how to groom herself.

Another of Mandy and Bailey.  The tree looks nice.  (It wasn't mine this was taken at Ginny's on Christmas morning.)  Perhaps I shall try to have a tree again this year.  I have not had one up for several years.

 And Last but not least another Mollie but this one wasn't ours. It belonged to my Aunt Jo (whose 90th birthday is today).  We used to take care of her once in awhile and I loved her.  She was a sweet dog. When Jon was little and before he could write she passed away and he wrote a song for her. It was in pictographs and was one of the sweetest things I remember about him.

Have a happy Wednesday.  I hope the election came out the way I wanted...It looks like it might be. I am still worried about one race.

A Not So Merry Chase

Click on the pictures to embiggen them.

Today was the day the "boys" went to the beauty parlor. Jon had "disappeared" their leashes so I carried Bailey into the groomer and he was fine. Max was, however, a different story. I borrowed a flimsy leash from them to bring him in out of the car and he slipped out of it and proceeded to walk (Max doesn't run any more - too fat) away from me. He totally ignored my command to "come" or to "Come here Maxie. Good boy" All the crap you say when you want them to come. Knowing full well that he was in deep s*&t he would walk away from me and look back at me over his shoulder.
He walked right out in the street in front of a garbage truck. The man and woman in the truck got out and tried to help me corral him. You know I have a "bum" leg ever since an ankle fusion operation a few years ago and cannot walk fast. They tried to go around behind him and he just kept walking away. He walked all around the block of stores to the East of Under One Woof and then south to the parking lot. There were cars around, etc.

Being the wily person that I am I finally decided to walk away from him.

So I headed back to the groomer and wonder of wonder he followed me. Then he walked right past me and the door to the groomer and started it all over again. Or so he thought. I went back to the car. Got in it and drove it like I was going home. I stopped the car and opened the door and called him over and he came over as if to get in and I grabbed him. This time the leash was secured so he could not get away and for good measure I also grabbed his other collar with my hand and ;jerked" the jerk into the shop.

You can see how beautiful he looks now (I wish I could get him to put his ears up. Bailey was almost perfect. When they let him out to run around so they could catch him to put his collar and (new) leash (I bought two - one purple and one light blue) on he decided he wanted a stuffed toy that was on display close to the floor. So he grabbed it. I told him NO! (It was pink and foo foo) - But you can see they look great. Bailey goes back in 6 weeks and they both go back in 12 weeks. Cost almost $100 with the new leashes and I really don't care because they are so beautiful. But I am seriously considering telling Jon that he has to get up early and take them up there (by 7:30 AM) in 12 weeks. It is too hard on an old man. Now I am off to have lunch with a Brother. He just called and suggested it. I told him I was free until 8:45 tomorrow morning. Ahhh the life of leisure. Hugs. Later, j