That is one of the things that I enjoy about my furbabies - they do not fret what day it is or what time it is - they just enjoy the moment. Maybe that is something more of us should try????
I discovered today that one of my dear friends had a major heart attack yesterday while he was out in his yard with his dog. He was a remarkable person because he was born deaf -then he apprenticed himself to a cobbler at the age of 13 and he became a piece of history in the town of Blacksburg, VA. He was so kind and sweet . I met his family back in 2002 when a friend introduced us because they were looking for someone to help them clean up a little cabin on the lake. There was Harley who was the youngest in his 70's and then his two sisters who were in their 80's -. We cleaned every inch of his little cabin and these folks worked harder than any young person I had ever known. By the end of the day the cabin was clean and I had new friends that inspired me.
A month later Miss Helen called me to see if I would be interested in helping her. What a blessing that was.Helen was an angel and she moved right into my heart. She was so good to me and I treasured her. We had SO much fun together. After I discovered the layout to her home I tried to "out think "her and do little jobs that she would not ask me to do -but she always noticed it. It was very hard to "out think" Helen.
This was a most remarkable family I had ever had the privilege to meet. They were so different from the family I was raised in. They were raised to work hard , be honest and take care of each other. They had a Mother who loved them and a father who worked at the local college and he was their strength.
Helen had gone to see her youngest son in another state and she called me and said she wanted me to go to her house and get the big bag of potatoes that she had bought for me . I told her how much I missed her and would be so glad when she returned. Then the next day I got the call that she was gone. I just could not believe it . Then I realized that the call was her way of " taking care" of me again. That call meant the world to me and it still does -like it reaches out across time and space.
Ruth was the other sister and she moved Harley right next door to her house and she tried everyway she could to make him happy, but a piece of his heart was gone. Helen was the one person in his life that had known him all of his life and she could understand him when nobody else could. The only thing that kept him going was his work. Just when he needed it the most his landlord booted him out of "his shop" so he could rent it to a phone company for more money without ever offering Harley to stay. Harley was so broken hearted and I do not think he would have even tried to get through the days then if Ruth had not got him a dog. Now this was something Harley could relate to - he did not have to explain anything to and she accepted him because she offered him unconditional love. I watched him so often talking to her and only she could understand.
The only problem was that this rescue shelter that had offered her a dog was that Pepper was a BIG dog and she was strong and wild as deer. Harley took her everywhere he went . But one day Pepper got her lease around Ruth's legs and jerked her down and broke two of her fingers. I was so scared for her -worried about her breaking a hip ??? She survived that ordeal -the next one was when Pepper broke loose one day and got hit by a car -the driver never stopped and Pepper was in a bag shape with a broken hip herself . Ruth knew Harley would never understand and would fall back into a depression -so when the vet sent her to the college they did surgery on her and Harley was by her side . She survived that ordeal , but it cost Ruth over a thousand dollars . If only every family stood by each other and loved each other and their friends like this family did - it would be a wonderful world.
I always knew it would be better if Harley could go before Ruth because he would not understand and he would not be able to handle business affairs(you know, like bills and taxes). But I also know this will devastate Ruth. She poured all of her time and energy into taking care of Harley and you get accustomed to having someone in the house with you - so that will leave a terrible emptiness. Ruth will have a birthday this Summer and she will turn 90. I so worry about her - how many times can your heart be broken????
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