New Chihuahua!

Well, Kevin is home, exhausted. Sleep in a hospital is well nigh impossible, as anyone who has ever spent even one night in one knows. Kevin also is exhausted from the cardiac cath, the drugs, and, although he may not realize it yet, the major upheaval heart disease throws into one's life. Apparently, he has also had low level diabetes for some time now, so that will add new dietary restrictions, too. Betsy will keep him on track, no doubt. Rene keeps asking friends, which sibling wouild you think would be in the hospital-the large,sedentary woman who eats buttre and cheese, or the younger, athletic man who drinks 1% milk and plays racketball regularly?  She will go see him tomorrow, and we'll have more news.

Now The Big News:

We have a new Chihuahua! Her name is Roxy, she is 11 months old, small, light brown and white, and covered with fleas. We count her as a rescue, even though we did pay something for her, because there were a whole bunch of Chi's which needed to go because someone was moving. All had fleas, none had had shots, or been neutered or spayed. I wanted to bring at least 4 or 5 home, but friends intervened, thank goddess.

Roxy is our forth Chi. Miya is our first, given to us because she didn't conform to the standard, even though she has papers. Didn't conform to standards?!? I guess not! Her legs and body are both too long, her head is a funny shape, and she hads a Bob Hope ski run jump nose! I said, oh no, two large women cannot have a dog this small, no way. Within 24 hours that dog had wormed her way into our hearts and lives as if she had always been there. We were hooked. Ten years later she is still with us, excitable and shivering and demanding and protective of us-and she definitely owns us, not the other way around!

Our next Chi was Tia. We had Miya and Missy, a Pomeranian that Rene had had for years, and were happily living with two dogs. Two laps, two dogs, what more could we want? Then our friend Cindi called. She had seen a dog at  a vet's office that we had to take. Oh no, we said, but, like water dripping on rock, she convinced us. . The next day after work I drove 40 miles to meet this dog, She was the saddest, ugliest specimen of an elderly dog I had ever seen, ematiated, complete with warts on her head!. Found wounded and starving in Pachaug forrest by the vet's daughter, she had broken pelvis, walked like a drunk, and had been nicknamed Tia for Tiajuana Streetwalker  She staggered across the room and into my heart. I had to leave her there so they could check our references-no problem because Rene treats her dogd better than some mothers treat their kids. The next day after work I drove back up to get her

Neither Missy or Miya were glad to see her, but she settled into my lap like she had been there for years, and made it quite clear that while Rene was okay,  I was her person.. Within 24 hours she needed $300 worth of dentalmwork, and in rapid succession she needed to be fixed, more dental work, many vet visits, and lots of TLC. It didn't matter, she was MY dog and I was HER person. We had her for almost 4 years, until she got so old and sick that even I knew it was time to let her go. Shr died in my arms, and we burried her in the back yard next to Missy. I still miss her daily.

Eventually it became time to get another dog, so I applied to Yankee Chihuahua Rescue. They directed us to another elderly Chi. This time I drove 2 hours to get her. Her name was Sheila, she was dark brown and greying, bowlegged, and her long time owner had died. I took her home, she and Miya agreed to ignore each other, and she settled in, still obviously mourning her owner. We talked to her, held her  when she would let us, and figured she would eventually settle in. Six days later, while I was out, she had a stroke. Rene rushed her down to the vet, where they did an emergency intervention, but by the time I arrived she was dead. I was devastated. I felt like I had not only lost Sheila, but Tia all over again.

We put Chihuahuas on the back burner. figuring we'd eventually call Yankee Rescue again. Imagine my surprise when my friend Peg called to tell me her neighbor Beth had seen chi's  for sale in a workplace newsletter- and I hardly knew Beth! Nevertheless, Peggy, Beth and I jumped in my car and roared down to scarf up the last female available. Roxy. And I suspect that Beth is on her way back to get one of her own! Eventually, we'll get my daughter Meg to take pictures of both Miya and Roxy so I can put them here to be admired by all!

Margo

picture from  www.weipowa.com/ favorites.html