Carrot of Memories

While doing barn chores this morning I was contimplating on my next topic for today's blog.  I have tons of different things I could write about so I started making mental notes of what they would be.  I had my mind made up on todays topic until I was in the kitchen chopping carrots while the kids were getting ready for school and a chunk of carrot fell to the floor.  In an instant - the dog gobbled it up and memories came flooding back from almost 15 years ago.

Lily's scrapbook.  The only
scrapbook I have successfully
created (my kids are still
blank pages).  

It all started when I worked at a gas station and my friend’s friend had pulled up in a truck with this big, slobbery, wrinkley faced dog in the back.  It was love at first site.  I knew I needed one.  I searched the papers for months and finally found an ad that said “english bulldog puppies - $800.”  I made the phone call and they had one female left and that someone was going to come the coming weekend to take a look at her.  Well...I WANTED her but the problem was I was a poor college student that didn’t have $800!!!  Where the heck was I going to come up with that kind of $ that day??!?!?  It was about 4pm in the afternoon and I got this brilliant idea to call the loan officer at my bank (had done a few loan transactions with him prior with vehicles and I was in good terms with him).  I probably sounded like a crazy lunatic on the phone and explained I really needed this puppy and it would be an investment and planned breed her when she was old enough - I mean if I am paying $800 for one puppy - imagine how much money 10 puppies would bring in (which I never ended up doing - THANK GOD)!!!  Somehow I managed to convince him that she was that important and managed to get a loan for her.  HOLY CRAP - what kind of bank gives a loan out for a puppy and let alone to a 19 year old poor college student!!??!!  So I called the people back and let them know I was coming tonight and where were they located.  I drove an hour and a half away to pick her up.  She was sooooo tiny, cute, rolly and wrinkley.  It was hard to believe that she was all mine and that was the day I became MOM to a 6 week old English Bulldog who I named Lily.  

Sleeping with mom,
best snuggler!

She quickly became my best friend and helped me through such a rough time in my life through the grieving process of the loss of my human best friend.  Lily went everywhere with me - to the bars (yes, I managed to get into bars underage), to late night parties, family events especially to grandpa’s to eat turkey- everywhere.  She even slept with me in bed....under the covers.  She was also a great listener and never told anyone my secrets, she snuggled when I was sad and just know how to brighten my day. 

So many memories from my dad naming her “pig dog” (her pink skin shown through her white fur when she was little) -to cleaning out her kennel and bathing her every day because she liked to poop in her kennel...totally contradicting that dogs won’t poop where they sleep! -to taking her to puppy school where she was beast of energy -to the day she snuck out of the house as a pup in the winter and ended up at the pound -to taking baths with me and LOVING it (I know, I know.....weird!!) -to chewing up a plugged in extention cord at my mom’s house (not sure how she didn’t get hurt!) -to her checking out “the new baby” after coming home from the hospital - to loving to run through mud puddles at full blast.  

Our first Xmas - crazy ears
that stood up.  Figured she
might have had some french bulldog in
her  despite her purebred english papers.

Taking a bath with mom.

She even was my first model in my photography career (not that I knew that I would become a photographer back then).  I used to pose her with things and take pictures, then distibute all the prints to my family members.  To this day, I am pretty sure my mom still has a framed “i love grandma” Lily pic up at her house.  

Now I am sure you are thinking “how the heck does this story relate to a carrot??”.  Lily LOVED carrots.  She discovered them one day while I was feeding the rabbits and after that they became her favorite treat.  I am sure the grocery store clerk thought I was a really healthy eatter when I came through every week buying a 5lb bag of carrots - little did she know they were for the dog!!

YUM! CARROTS!

Posing

Such great memories!  I had the pleasure of having her by my side for 12 awesome years (which is longer than the average lifespan of 8-10 years).  During the last year of her life she started to deteriorate.  She had lost a lot of weight, was diagnosed with lymes and diabetes and then pneumonia.  Towards the end she wasn’t feeling good so one night I made sure the kids gave her lots of extra hugs, kisses and pets.  Before I went to bed, I laid with her and told her she was such a good dog and that I loved her.  I also told her that if it was her time to go, then it was ok - go.  3 hrs later I awoke to her final breaths.  I was heartbroken.  The grieving processed started all over again but in a different way from when I brought her home.  She will always have a special place in my heart - my first “baby”.