Pepper’s story over laps that of our other furry earth angel, who passed in 2001; Latte’ was her name. They seemed like arch rivals the three years they spent together, but the grief and pain shown by Pepper, taught my ex husband about the real love of pets…
My sweet Pepper was a constant companion to me for the 11 1/2 yrs she gifted me… She got breast cancer, and as much as I wanted, there was no means for me to have it treated, but she was strong, and her heart and soul filled with love and a mission that she was to be my pet guardian, faithful and true til her end…
She started to show she was really getting sicker in the early part of 09, and since we had our connection I knew… So we selected a pup, one that she could teach, and she did a very good job… She showed joy to know that when she left, I would not be left alone and was happy that her replacement was Dapple with one blue eye and one brown, and a willingness to follow her lead…
Her breast cancer went into her liver, and she put up a strong fight for as long as she could. In fact in Aug of 09, it was suggested by family that we should put her down, but in a dream she let me know it was NOT time… Strange sounding perhaps, but that was how deep our connection was, and listened…
Oh that girl had some bad habits… Ate at least a thousand dollars worth of lipstick, and even more in torn up blankets and comforters. In fact at this moment there isn’t a comforter or blanket without holes…
We had a running joke of calling her the black widow rapist, for the destruction, and ummm err habit of humping her stuffed animal victim…
As well she always wanted to play with critters who weren’t interested in playing with her…. One time while I was in the garden, she discovered a baby skunk, and despite repeated warnings by the skunk and me to get away from it, she just had to push her luck… One of those times when a house dog, is not house friendly…
She was so much a part of my son and I’s life, as the other kids had grown and moved away. Through a divorce, sickness, injury and more sickness, she was there, just as I went through her eating mushrooms, causing sickness, and early back problems common in her breed… Plus all the times she managed not to kill her self eating chocolate she would climb counters to get to…
Those were mild annoyances, compared to how serious she took her role as family protector, once she chased and bit one of two intruders that came into our house one fine summer day as well. Never under estimate the protection power of a little ankle biter…
Another time we had a neighboring possum that seemed to think starting a family under our house would be a good idea. This creature thought attacking a family member would be a good idea… Not with Pepper on guard, it lost its life in a very short battle with a little dog smaller than it…
Despite there being three months of healing, my heart and eyes still fill with tears, missing her is so hard, she had a spirit that one can’t describe in proper words…
Sweet Girl I know you still come see us, with all our love,
| Pepper |
| Kate and Noah |