Losing my Dog and Starting a New Job

Last Wednesday I lost my job at the mattress store and was hired for a
new job that same day, this all happened in one hour. The mattress company
was sold and the existing employees were let go. This was a blessing, I hated
that job! My new job is at Ann Arden under the Roof Home furnishings in
Waynesboro, I started last week and love the job. That gave me six days off
and I spent it cleaning, organizing, and spending some quality time with Elfie,
my 11 year old Bichon Frise. I am so blessed to have those days with him because
he passed away in my arms Friday night. Here is a picture of him with my children
the day we brought home.

He was born in 2005 and had a very good life. Now that I look back at his last days, I
remember him not eating as much food or not eating at all. Sometimes he threw up if
he drank to much water and he had a few soft stools. We did take good walks but he was
sleeping a lot those past days, which I thought was normal because during the day he is
in a crate.

Friday, I left for work as usual. We had a good walk, he did his usual things in the
grass, and he ate his breakfast, all seemed fine. When I came home, he did not great
me with his usual hyper self, I took him out for a walk but he seemed disoriented, and
he came to a stop after doing his business. I carried him back to the house and put some
food out for him and he just went into his crate and starred at me with very sad eyes.
He wouldn't come out of his crate.

   Once I got him to his chair in the den, he seemed tired and I could tell something was
wrong.

These pictures were taken last spring in the old house I was renting. He always
look like a puppy. So cute.

Those are the last pictures that I took of him that night, he had a seizure, threw up
blood and went limp. I was with him till he passed that night. I buried  in my Mom's
pet cemetery. I wish dogs could talk, I am not sure if he had stomach cancer or if it
was because we found out that the old house I was renting had a Carbon Monoxide leak.
I miss him so much, I keep looking for him in his chair. I have had a great loss. The good
news is that I love my new job, so if you need a sofa, come see me.

The Backyard in Bloom and a Lost Dog

We have had a ton of rain which has lead to a yard that
is in full bloom......

The Lamb's Ear that I brought from the other house, I love the soft silver green color
that adds a little texture to a garden.

The Columbine I put in early spring, love the purple.

Spider Wort that came with the yard.

Bearded Iris in two shades, the yard is full of them, a lot for a little yard.

The Bachelors Button that I brought with me by seeds and planted in the Fall.

More of the Ferns, they are going crazy!!!

Good news and bad news about this familiar face. Twice in two weeks my sweet little
Bichon Fise, Elfie, has wondered of and was lost for several hours. The second time it
happened, I thought he was a goner.

This guy is almost 13 years old, I have had him since he was a puppy. He sticks to
me like glue, but as soon as he sees a chance to explore, he is gone. The first time he
was on the porch with me as I was watering my plants. I turned around and he was gone.
The whole neighborhood was looking for him. My neighbor suggested searching down
the hill to a busy area behind my house. As I started down the hill calling him, I heard his
bark and sure enough, there he was, tied to a tree waiting for me at the home of Brian.
I was happy and relieved. Did I tell you that Animal Control was also helping search for
him. Gone time 1 2/1 hours. I started preparing my life with out him.

 Yesterday, I at some I thought this picture above would never had been possible. Because of
all of the rain, the back gate is warped and isn't closing properly. Some time Friday night it
blew open. I let Elfie out when we first got up, he came right back to the door, ate his food
and I let him out again. After a couple of minutes I looked out the window to check on him
and realized the gate was open. I rushed up stairs and got dressed, grabbed his lease and rain
around the neighbor hood searching for him. After an hour I came back, called Animal Control
again and reported Elfie lost. I got in the car and drove every where, even the farmers market
downtown where there are food smells, people and dogs. No Elfie. I came home and got dressed
for work and then gave it one more go around of driving around before I had to go to work. All
that I could think of is that he has been hit or taken, I had him for 13 years and now he is gone.
Why would he leave me, why would he wonder off, am I a bad Mom, do I not show him enough love? And so I went to work and thought Happy Bloody Mother's Day. He ran off at 9 am it is
now 1:30 pm, my phone rings and it is Laurie at Queen City Downtown, "Margaret, what is your
dogs name?" I say Elfie. "There is a lady here with him, is he missing?" And there  it is, he is
found. He was found by the Clock Tower Convenience, he probably walked in the door, they
shut him in the bathroom and asked customers if they new who he belonged to. Luckily one
of the customers rights for the newspaper and wrote about Elfie and I when I had my store
and he was my shop dog. A happy ending to a scary story, Happy Blessed Mother's Day. My
two children sent me Mother's Day texts and Elfie sent me a Mother's Day card via my Mom.