Ellie Mae

No recipes, no BBQ competitions, no reviews this week.  It has been tough around the Three Dogs household this week.  Unfortunately, we had to send one of our kids, Ellie Mae, across the Rainbow Bridge last week.  So, sit for a spell, and let me tell you the story of Ellie Mae...

We rescued Ellie Mae the week after we rescued Jethro at a PetSmart adoption event.  We stopped by on a Saturday for something Jethro or our lizard Henry needed.  There was Ellie Mae.  Hope fell in love instantly and wanted to take her home.  Hope wanted a female dog that she could bond with since Jethro was a male and female dogs hang with female humans.  Right?  Yeah, right...  She had a limp, possibly from a torn ACL on her right hind leg (it turned out to be a sprain).  We were told that she was picked up in New Castle, PA, rummaging through trash dumpsters, looking for something to eat.  Ellie Mae was given to the local Humane Society and eventually brought to the adoption event.  We had plans, and to be completely honest, I was unsure about adopting a dog that may need surgery.  Yeah, I know, shame on me.  I told Hope, if she was there on Sunday, we could bring her home.  

Needless to say, on Sunday, Ellie Mae was there.  So, the adoption process began and 30 minutes later, for the first time in my life, I had two dogs to take care of at home.  Ellie Mae was Krista when we picked her up, but the lady at PetSmart remembered that we had picked up Jethro the week before and said, "Jethro needs an Ellie Mae."  Truer words have never been spoken.  She was Ellie Mae from the moment we left.  

Right at the start, Hope learned that Ellie Mae would not be her buddy.  Sure, Ellie Mae loved Hope, but it became pretty evident within a day or so that she would be Daddies little girl  Coming home from work was a process.  I came home and got mobbed.  I would change, lay down in bed, and Ellie Mae would jump up and lick my face and cuddle for five minutes or so.  When I went away for business trips, this process was repeated but lasted for at least 30 minutes.  She loved her Dad and I loved her.  She was always there for me.  

Some things I will always remember about Ellie Mae:

I think she was part Amish.  She never liked to have her picture taken.  I was like I was capturing her soul...

She could clean a grill grate better than any brush...

She was an ice hound.  If I needed to know where Ellie Mae was, all I needed to do was go hit the ice machine lever on the refrigerator.  Like a bullet, she was there.  

Ellie Mae also never got the concept of "Three Hots and a Cot"  Her time on the streets must have been tough because she always wondered where the next meal was coming from, even though she never missed a meal or a treat in 11 years.  

But, as all pet owners know, our kids get old and that time creeps up on us.  Sometimes faster than we want.  

Ellie Mae may have gotten gray and slow, but she was always there for me up until the end.  The end came fast and the toughest part of the whole thing was that I was on the road for work when the end came.  I will never forgive myself for that.  Ever...

So, we carry on.  Jed and Jethro are slowly getting over the change.  Me and Hope, not so fast.  But, we carry on and remember.  I do miss my Ellie Mae.  My Pretty Girl is gone...

Thanks for stopping by,

Bill