It's September 30, 2016, and today would have been 3 years since we moved from chester, PA to Philadelphia, PA. Instead of celebrating today with you Pooh, I'm preparing to pick up your cremains from the devon animal hospital tomorrow. I'll never forget the moment you walked into my life. It was the Memorial holiday weekend in 2008.
I was sitting on the sofa, icing down my left ankle which I'd injured. I heard someone shout there was a small dog going up my neighbors alley; these people had several pitbulls they used for fighting in their backyard. I immediately got up and went up the alley and I saw the cutest little K-9 headed in the direction of that neighbors backyard. I reached over and picked up the cutest little fluffy K-9. You got comfortable, nestled in my arms. It was love at first sight. All my dreams came true that day. For you see, I'd lost my first K-9 in July of 2006, after 16 years. It took me a while to go through the grief process. Finally, in late 2007, I felt ready to welcome another K-9 into my heart and my life.
That Memorial holiday in 2008, was indeed serendipitous. I like to say that you, Pooh, rescued me. Pooh you loved me unconditionally and you showed me that I could love again. In turn, I tried my best to give you a stable home because you were abandoned that Memorial day weekend in 2008. I remember the way you were so playful. You liked to pull the socks off of my feet by taking the toe area of my sock in your teeth and pull and pull until my sock came off. You'd then run around the living room with my sock in your mouth. Then, you'd come back to pull my other sock off of my foot. Sometimes you'd take one of my bedroom slippers and run around with it in your mouth and then drop it off on the floor. Then, I remember the time I left my dinner plate on the table in order to get something else from the kitchen and when I got back to the table, you were up on the chair, eating off of my dinner plate; you did like my cooking.
You (Pooh) and me, we were meant to be. There were so many close calls after you walked into my life and captured my heart. It was shortly after you had a home with me, a painter came by the house we lived in at the time to give an estimate. This idiot did not close the gate before coming up to the front door and then he stands in the doorway with the wrought iron screen door wide open and you ran out of the front door and out of the open gate. You ran out into the street and was almost hit by a car coming up the street. I dashed outside as fast as I could in order to get you. I was so relieved that you were safe after that close call. The next challenge we faced was when a contractor was doing some work in the kitchen in the summer of 2008. Neither the contractor nor his employees paid any attention to the proper disposal of some of the supplies and chemical composites used in that project. They spilled one of the composites on a large area of the backyard. One of the areas you liked to walk in and you got some of the composite on your paws. Like so many K-9's, you liked to lick your paws and as a result you were up late that night, vomiting. At the time, you were only 1-year-old. I sat up with you most of the night, holding you, trying to comfort you until I could take you to the veterinarian the next day. We were always there for each other; in times of injury and illness, good or bad, we were there for each other. Whenever I was sick, you'd come over to me and nudge your head under my hand and I felt better; petting you was the best medicine for me. You were of great comfort and support to me in late 2009 and early 2010, when I didn't know if I had a GYN cancer. Pooh you were with me every step of the way. I tried to love and care for you and give you a stable home life after you were abandoned. In turn, you were always my pint-size protector. Pooh, you had so many qualities that I did my best to learn from.
You were playful and always positive, you were determined, you expected things to work out in your favor. After moving to Philadelphia - into an apartment - there were some adjustments we had to make, but we managed to deal with these challenges, side by side. You no longer liked to pull off my socks and run around with my sock in your mouth. You liked to roll around on the rug, that was your signal to me that you wanted to play. If I was in the bathroom, you'd come up and hit the door with your paw until the door opened. I'll never forget the first winter after we moved here to Philadelphia, PA into Lincoln Green Apartments. That winter we had a lot of snow and you liked to smush your nose in the snow then proceed to wriggle around in the snow. I'm grateful for the photos and videos I took of you Pooh. I miss you so much and it comforts me, somewhat, to look at the photos and videos.
I wanted so much to take us on a small vacation to New York; I think you would have loved New york. Then, I wanted to work toward getting another single house with a backyard big enough for you to run around in. There were so many things I wanted to do with you. We only had 8 years together; 8 wonderful years. You were only 9-years-old; you should have lived 7-9 years more. You had no problems until after receiving that last vaccine from that veterinary hospital. I keep replaying over in my mind if there was something I could have done different and avoided your premature death. I cry everyday for you, my Pooh. I named you Pooh because you were sweet like honey which is, of course, the favorite treat of Winnie the Pooh. Hence, I named you Pooh. You were more than a K-9 to me, you were family. I love you Pooh and miss you more than any words can express. Love, Your Pommy Mommy.
