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Lizzie
started hanging around Rodger's former nursery in 1987 when she was
a young pup, although she belonged to a neighbor some distance
away. In the early 1990s, she was abandoned by the neighbor
who moved to another state. Lizzie was, by this time,
practically living in our yard anyway, having endured mistreatment at
the hands of the neighbor's boyfriend. At one point, one of
Rodger's employees confronted the man, warning him that it had
better cease or there would be repercussions.
 It
was after we were able to coax her inside the house during a
terrible freeze one wintry night that
she gradually became an indoor
dog, happily going off with Rodger every day to the nursery and coming back
home in the evening. Lizzie reveled in her carefree days spent outdoors
- chasing rabbits, birds, squirrels (but never catching anything), lapping
at the water sprinklers and running through them during hot Florida
days and mostly just being sublimely content to lie near Rodger's truck during
the work day. In the evenings, Lizzie would sit or lay
near Rodger's chair, gazing at him with just the most intense stare.
She would fixate upon him -- she was completely devoted to Rodger
and just wanted to be near him.
The nursery closed in the summer of 2000 and so Lizzie
stayed at home, along with the kitties. By this time, she had
slowed down quite a bit and was pretty much content to remain
indoors in the air conditioning.
By early 2004, Lizzie's health was
failing. This sweet,
loving dog's eyesight was dim, her hearing was not good and
for quite awhile, she had been on arthritis and incontinence
medicine. Her jaunts outside had slowed to a unsure wobbly
gait. She had trouble controlling her bladder - she had always
been a proud dog and this was surely not a proud time for her. We tried to make her
last days comfortable ones and I think we accomplished that - but
there came the day when I looked in her eyes and asked her, "Lizzie, is it
time?" And her eyes had such a distant gaze....at that very
moment, I knew, in my heart, that she was ready. Sometimes I
now feel twinges of guilt, wondering if we may have kept her with us a little too long -
but it is so hard to let go of an old friend. In the end, we
had to think of her and her only. On February 11, 2004, we
made the decision and drove to the vet's for her final
ride in her beloved truck. I stroked her
noble head and
told her it would be all right....and she went to the Bridge
peacefully.
Lizzie, we miss you, sweet girl.
But you're healthy and whole and romping around again.....and
waiting for us.
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