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For the past two days I’ve talked about people who I’ve adopted into my family after becoming an adult. This post is about those whom we love to distraction and sometimes to bankruptcy, the ones who worm their way into our hearts with soulful eyes and a generous heart.

I’ve been privileged to be partnered with two such individuals in my life. I lost the last partner in 1997 to cancer and simply couldn’t face the possibility of living through that again afterwards.

When I lost the majority of my sight in 1979, I refused to crawl into the nearest closet to vegetate for the next 60 years. I chose to fight for a life in the world on whatever terms were necessary. I was fortunate to have a caring family who would put up with having me around during this period and support me until I could support myself.

After Vocational Rehabilitation, I went straight to Leader Dogs for the Blind to get a partner; my first such pairing. I won’t go into the details of selection, training, etc. It would take a book to do that.

I will tell you that—at least at that school—the trainers pair human with canine by the dog’s standards, not the human’s. I was chosen as a partner for a specific dog because of how what specific needs the dog had. How’s that for learning humility?

The system works, though. The trainers had just spent months learning every nuance about their animals. The people were unknown quantities, factors that could disrupt everything.

I was selected for Penny, a shiny copper-colored Golden Retriever, who was probably as smart or smart than most people I’ve known. She was bred for the program and two years old. I fell in love at first “sight” when was introduced to me.

As all the dogs did at one time or another, she tested me to see if I would allow her to break training. She ran me ragged testing my stamina. She made me the best I could be with her as a partner.

With Penny by my side, I attended university the next Fall term. I did have to take her back to the school before during Spring break that first year because my vet thought she had hip dysplasia which would cause her so much pain, she’d been unusable as a dog guide.

Blessings flowed when the school’s vet discovered, not dysplasia, but a severe withdrawal from antihistamine injections she’d been taking for severe allergies to grass and fleas. I spent the break there getting her back into shape, re-affirming her training, and thanking God each hour that she hadn’t been sentenced to euthanasia.

Penny could read my mind, I know. She recognized danger from a block away, kept me from injury more times than I could count, and acted as everything from best friend and comforter to confessor. She’d become my other half in more ways than acting as my eyes.

One of the most unique qualities was comforting those around me who had need, even when I didn’t. A friend who was terrified of dogs and was forced to by in her company each week became desensitized and had his phobia lifted so that he could leave the fear behind. A friend who was assaulted one night and came to us for safety found her lap filled with eighty pounds of retriever as a warm body to hang onto.

When my mother lay dying of cancer in her hospital bed in the living room, Penny lay beneath the side rail so that she would know if I needed to tend to Mom’s restlessness or pain, in case I dozed off while sitting on the couch. Penny had a special bond with my mother from the day I’d brought her home. The only time she left Mom’s side was for potty breaks and dinner. She grieved as much as I did when my mother died.

A few months later, she escorted me to work each day, got me through my 0 Comments on How Far Can Family Be Extended? as of 1/1/1900

Mist eroded into January dusk as I left my house to walk to the beach and see the day's last light diffusing over the ocean. Sonny, the old husky stayed behind, exhausted from an earlier ramble down the sand. Fifty yards from the house I saw a dark mass moving in the street. I came [...]

Last week, we were TAGGED by two of our blog-friends at bumpyroadtobubba and colliesofthemeadow.  Thanks and cuddles to them from Mom and me.  Definitely stop by and visit their blogs and tell them Cupcake sent you.  They are fun and funny and adventurous and sweet all rolled into one. 

The rules are to answer 10 questions when you’re tagged. Then you can tag someone else to give their answers to the same questions.  Here goes… 

1. Describe yourself in 7 words.

I am cute, funny, energetic, smart, cuddly, sweet, playful, well-behaved, helpful, snuggly, and lovable. Yup, I think that’s 7. 

2. What keeps you up at night?

I stay awake wondering when it will be morning, so I can have breakfast. Sometimes Mom gives me a treat in the middle of the night so I won’t get too hungry. 

3. Who would you like to be? 

I would like to be a ballerina, so I could wear a tutu. 

4. What are you wearing right now?

In reality, I’m wearing my red Martingale collar. I’m my mind, I’m wearing a pretty, pink, ruffly sundress. 

5. What scares you? 

I am afraid of soccer players, balloons, golf carts, cats, the mailman, empty water cooler bottles, wrapping paper, the dark, the car wash,…. And about ten million other things. 

6. The best and worst of blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is talking about myself. I also like having so many dog friends and human friends. There’s NOTHING I don’t like about blogging! 

7. The last website I visited?

Chuck and the Collies was my last website! They always make Mom and me smile. Plus we needed to find the Tag Questions. 

8. What is the one thing I would change about myself?

If I could change one thing, it would be learning to fetch. I keep trying to learn, but I keep bringing the ball on the couch and trying to hatch it like an egg! 

9.  Slankets? 

Slankets sound delicious.  If they are anything like sausages, I LIKE them!! Yum.

10.  Tell us something about the dogs that tagged you.

The collies are mega-beautiful, and very intelligent. We love reading about their adventures, activities, memories of collies past, and history. There’s so much beauty and caring and lots of love love love there.  Bella and Beary are sweet and gentle and furry, and have a little sister named Poppy Grace who is not furry at all.  They live together with their mumma, and they love each other very much.  

*sigh* I love love!

We’re going to tag a couple of my other dog-blog-friends: rumpydog and milkathedane.