April 9, 2009

A PETS TEN COMMANDMNETS & FUZZY

QUOTE OF THE DAY:


"When all other friends desert, he remains." -- George Graham Vest


Hi dear friends,
Mommy has been thinking about her first dog Fuzzy, every since some of you commented that you thought there was a dog between her and my Aunt Pam in the "Wild & Wholly Ricca Girls" picture. It's really sad because Mommy doesn't think they ever had a picture of Fuzzy or she doesn't remember there ever being one. Like Mommy said Fuzzy was special. Before Mommy ever even dreamed of having a dog of her own, Samantha, there was Fuzzy....she was a constant companion, a protector and babysitter of all the Ricca girls but especially the Mommy. She was born the same year Mommy was born but she was about 3 months older than Mommy so that meant she was the boss....Fuzzy not Mommy. Mommy is the only boss I've ever known, so I bet it was fun watching Fuzzy take control of them Ricca girls.
So Mommy is gonna reminisce a little and tell you a few stories about Fuzzy but first.......

Somebody sent Mommy a list this morning of a dogs 10 commandments. Some of you might have already read this somewhere and Mommy had heard some of this before but today it hit her how true it all is. Of course she was crying before she finished the list and when she got to #10 she was sobbing. When Fuzzy had to be put down at 19 years of age, Mommy went with her Daddy but he wouldn't let her in the room while it was done. When Samantha was put down, the Mommy held her and even though it was the hardest thing she had ever done, she couldn't let her gone by herself......alone. So here are the ten commandments. Mommy wishes that everybody in the world would treat all dogs with the respect and love they deserve.






1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.
Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters.

~ We do not have to wait for Heaven, to be surrounded by hope, love, and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has four legs!
The Mommy here......







Fuzzy was the official Huldy street greeter and she always had a smile on her face for any human, doggie or kitty cat she met unless you messed with her girls and then if you did, she would turn vicious. I have looked and looked and can't find a picture of her anywhere but the way I remember her is with a big silly smile on her face like the dog above.

Fuzzy was born 3 months before my birthday. I was kind of a strange little girl and my mother said, Fuzzy was sent by the angels to keep an eye on me to make sure I didn't get in trouble and based on some of the stories I have been told she did just that

I was known to sleepwalk when I was a toddler. I was told that one night Mama came to check on us girls after we had been in bed for several hours and I was gone. I was about 3 years old at the time. She and Daddy looked and looked but I was nowhere to be found. The police were called and the whole neighborhood was out looking for me. They never found me. Mama was frantic and Daddy just knew that somebody had snatched me and I would never be found again. The next morning, Fuzzy came trotting out of her doghouse and I can walking out behind her dragging my blanket, followed by her puppies. After that night, whenever I went missing in the middle of the night, they'd just go get me out of Fuzzy's doghouse.

Fuzzy was what they used to call a "Heinz 57 variety". She was black and white, kind of like a border collie, long and very furry. She had many puppies during her lifetime and they always came out the same, black and white just like her. Daddy said she must have been fooling around with the same dog all the time because the pups were always the same, black and white. Daddy used to tell us girls that her pups would be whatever color the ice cream she ate was. Fuzzy ate lots of strawberry ice cream....more than us girls....because we wanted red puppies. Her pups were always in great demand. Everybody in the neighborhood wanted one of them.

Us girls went to St Anne's Catholic elementary school for the first 8 years of our lives. Dogs were not allowed on school property but that never stopped Fuzzy. She would walk us to school, go home and at 3:30 pm sharp she would be sitting on the church steps waiting for us to come out. As many times as Father Murphy chased her off, she'd still show up. After I while Fr Murphy just gave up. It always amazed us....how did she know what time to be there everyday.

Once when I was around 11 years old and still didn't know what girl and boy doggies were doing when they were doing it.....I thought her boyfriend was hurting her, she was whining after all, & I tried to get him pull him off her. Big Mistake!! He turned and bite me on the wrist. To make a long story short.....Fuzzy almost killed that dog. It was dragging its butt when it managed to get away from her. He never came back and that was the end of her puppy making days.

I was a loner, liked to read a lot and I always had my nose in a book. It wasn't that I didn't want to play with my sisters and cousins but when I was young, I would burn very easy. That meant I had to stay out of the sun all of the time. They said it was because I was a red head, well so was Frances but she never got sunburned. Most of our summers were spent at the beach and when the girls went to swim, I stayed behind. I was never alone. Fuzzy would go to the beach with the family and she would stay with me. I would pack a lunch, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for me and a soup bone for Fuzzy, and we would find a tree to sit under and I'd read for hours while Fuzzy would work on her bone. Life was good, I had my best friend and a good book. As I was growing up, whenever Fuzzy saw me pick up at book and head outside she would follow along, because that was our special time together.

At our house we had what was called the little house.....actually it was a room connected to the garage that had the washer and deep freeze in it. There was a ladder that lead to the roof, where there was a crosswalk thing that lead to the roof of our house. I would go up onto the roof, across the crosswalk and sit behind the chimney of our house hiding when I wanted to be alone.....told ya I was strange.....but I never went alone. Fuzzy always went with me.

I could go one forever about Fuzzy. After she left, I never wanted another dog. She went to the bridge on 1967 and in 1990 I got my own first dog, Samantha. 23 years without a dog was a long time but Samantha was worth the wait. My two girls, neither will ever be forgotten.

Mona is asleep, so I guess I should go to bed too. Thanks for letting me rattle on.

Mona sends love, kisses & {{{huggies}}} and so do I....... the Mommy




7 comments:

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Those 10 are furry good...Mom has seen them before but they soooo merit repeating!

Mom always tells people that are khontemplating have to let their pet khross that they will know when it is time...that they shouldn't keep 'us' around when we really want to go yet we'll keep trying to hold on our hoomans...and that they need to be there - they owe it to 'us'

She also sends and shares 'Dogs Don't Have Souls Do They' with all those she khan...

ANYWAY, tank woo fur sharing Fuzzy's story! That made us smile!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Raising Addie said...

Oh I wish I could have met Fuzzy!

What a wonderful dog she was! That was sooo sweet that you would go out into her dog house and snuggle with her.

Thank you soooo very much for sharing those wonderful memories.

And that list made me cry.

If these pups could only live forever.

Lots of Luv & Kisses
Addie, Lucie and Staci

Dexter said...

Those commandments always make my momma's eyes leak too because she thinks of doggies that she has had to help cross over the Rainbow Bridge.

Slobbers,
Mango

Molly the Airedale said...

We loved Fuzzy's story! What a special girl she was and how lucky you were to have grown up with her!
Half way through the pet commandments mom had to stop reading and give me a big hug! Thank you for that, Mona's mommy! BTW, Mitch is in the workshop with dad so he missed the hug!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Abby said...

Hi, Mona & Mommy...

I'm back...My mom finally finished those books...OMdoG - I never thought she would get done...

My Mom says that those 10 Commandments made her eyes leak, too..

Thank you for sharing your memories of Fuzzy...We loved it...

Oh...And, I found a spring flower in my front yard today...My Mom is gonna try to get a picture of it for you...

Abby xxxooo

Scruffy, Lacie and Stanley's Place said...

Oh Mona....we loved this post! The Ten Commandments of Dogdom are a voice speakin' for all dogs who aren't lucky enuff to have a hooman who already knows em...and even if they know em they sometimes forget that we totally depend on them...for everything....

As for Fuzzy...oh my...isn't it great how we dogs are just what our hoomans need us to be!!!

We terriers and Mumsie were overjoyed to hear that you received the little dachsie wheelie today!!!! We already saw he was Siskle's clone!!! Dr. Snitchybug in Iowa did some nice work on him...he looks much improved since he left us!!!...he was gimpy before and his ears were sorta funny and she brushed out his fur...she's amazing. I can't remember how old she thinks he is...I know she thought he was an old Steiff...leave a comment on Butchy and Snicker's bloggie...I know she could tell ya more about him!! We know he came from England....Poor dear didn't even have a name here...we're sooooo happy for you to adopt him!!!!!

Sweet kisses to you dear Mona and hooge hugs to the Mommy!!!!

Lotsa love...

Scruffy, Stanny and me, Laciegirlie!

Anonymous said...

The 10 doggy rules are to live by for sure!!!

What wonderful memories of Fuzzy!!! Thank you for sharing. We've had dogs on and off most of our life. I must say I'll never be without a dog. They just complete me!