Re: Tribute I.D. #27575
J.D. was one special dog. He loved his “Pa” so much. He laid in front of the sliding glass doors for hours on end waiting for that white car to come into sight at which time the ears would go straight up, eyes intent on watching Pa exit the vehicle and then spinning around on his butt to watch for Pa to come in the door. Just the mention of “Pa” caused J.D’s tail to wag his entire body. Sometimes we’d mention “PA” just to see the eyes glow and the ears stand at attention.
Grandma was not allowed near J.D. when Pa was anywhere around. However, if Pa wasn’t on the premises then Grandma could perhaps pet him and love him just a little bit. If Pa went to the bedroom and J.D. was laying on the sofa, J.D. would get so anxious, sit up and stare toward the hallway leading to the bedroom wanting to be taken into where his Pa was. Pa carried J.D. to bed every night like you would carry a baby, carefully placing his body at the foot of our waterbed. If I was nearby he’d growl at me, Harold would generally give him a beloved treat to chew on before retiring for the night.
Often times he would then move into Pa’s place on the pillow making Pa move him – again like a baby – to the foot of the bed. J.D. had chew rags that had to be kept near the sliding glass door as when he saw another animal or person go anywhere nearby he’d grab that rag and shake it for all he was worth. J.D. also kept a chew rag on the patio that he would violently shake when he went out onto the patio when anyone or anything came into his view.
J.D. would get so excited when Pa would take he and his sister, Heather Marie, to Gage Park across the street from our house to run. Pa would kick the tree trunks and yell at the squirrels and J.D. would run over and viciously chew on the tree bark all the time looking up into the tree.
Sometimes they even rode to the park in our limo causing quite a stir among other park goers. But, J.D. and his sister, Heather Marie, deserved only the best. J.D. sat under the dinner table each meal time waiting for any morsels that might fall his way and, of course, some sure did. He would eat anything – lettuce, tomatoes, onions, you name it.
J.D. was an ornery little devil. He had a unique personality that can never be matched. When J.D. first came into our lives Harold wanted nothing to do with him, said we did not need another dog, already had Heather Marie, etc., etc. Well, lo and behold J.D. and Harold became the best of buddies – pals – friends.
Harold keeps J.D.’s pictures on the coffee table and tells him “good morning” and at night time he tells him “good night”. Lordy, how we love that dog – he wasn’t a dog – he was a family member. Our little Dachshound, Heather Marie, is lost and confused now. I finally got up enough courage to tell Harold that when we go to Colorado next week that I can’t stand to stop in any of the “old” familiar spots where we always stopped to let J.D. and Heather Marie out
to run and do their “business.”
I want him to find new potty spots – I just can’t bear the thought of stopping where J.D. loved to run at this point in time. Perhaps later. I’m so happy I told J.D. how pretty he was and how much we loved him a few weeks earlier while he was still so alert. We have Heather Marie now who is 12 years old. I feel like
it’s Harold, Heather Marie and me against the whole world.
I am convinced at this time that once Heather Marie is called to the other side that we will not have another animal even though we have so much love to devote to one but I have a hole in my stomach as big as the State of Texas. I’m 67 years old now, if we got another dog and something should happen to it before something happened to me or Harold I’m not sure the ol’ body could take it.
This past week I was not sure at times that I wouldn’t suffer a stroke or a heart attack. You just can’t imagine how horrible and black this week has been for our household. I’m so worried now that if I’m so devastated with J.D.’s passing, how can I possibly live when something happens to my spouse? Can it be that much worse? The Pet Psychic, Sonja Fitzpatrick, says our deceased animals are around us and I try to feel J.D.’s presence but I have not been fortunate to observe that presence yet. Hopefully, I will real soon. Such unconditional love 7/24 – no matter what you look like, no matter what you do or say, your animals love you and they are there to greet you and not judge you. Just knowing they’ll be waiting at the door makes it worth going home from work or wherever.
I could go on and on forever but I’m sure everyone that is a true animal lover can fully understand where I’m coming from. J.D., we love you. Please wait for us. Pa, Grandma and Sister.
All our Love, J.D.
| Harold and JoAnn Sanstra |