My day started off pretty early, getting up at 7am to get the youngest off to summer school. Most of the day I was more or less lazy. It was more comfortable laying in bed than doing anything else. I eventually made it out of bed and into the world, but that didn't seem to last long. I got everyone fed and even did some work on getting the basement a little more picked up, but the energy didn't seem to last.
At 7pm I found the movie Marley-n-Me playing on FX, so the kids and I watched it. It is and absolute must-see movie if you are a dog lover in anyway. The end is pretty sad though as Marley dies, but this is after years of love with the family. Watching Owen Wilson in the room with the dog at the end when the drug goes in and ends Marley's life reminds me of my precious Snicker.
It was 1993 when I found my Snicker at the Fargo, ND Humane Society. She was a Basset Hound/Beagle mix. If I can find a picture I'll post one. She was mostly black with some white and tan. She reminded instantly of a snicker bar and that's why I called her Snicker! They felt she was already a year old when I adopted her. She was with us all the way through June 2006. We had her for 13 years, which is pretty long for dogs. She slept on the bed with me, even under the covers. She was such a great dog. She ended up spending most of her life with my parents due to me moving around and living in places where dogs were not allowed.
I eventually married and had children, obviously, but when we lived in St. James our house had a fenced in yard. I knew I eventually wanted to have a dog and I knew Snicker would finish her time with my parents. A week before Snicker passed away our family added two Basset Hounds, Daisy and Elvis. It turned out to be good timing. We picked up the pups on Sunday and that Saturday the tie had come to let my Snicker go. Even though she had spent the bulk of her life with my folks my dad let me be the one to be in the room when they put her down.
She didn't even know what hit her. I watched the vet get the medicine ready, holding my precious dog who had been a part of my life for the last 13 years and began telling her how loved she was and how much she would be missed. He put the medicine in her leg and within seconds I no longer felt her breathe, she was gone, just like that, instantly, it was over.
Dogs are a very special animal and spelled backwards dog is God! I wonder if there's more to that? They are after all man's best friend! I'm going to leave with some of the final dialogue from the movie:
A dog has no use for fancy cars... or big homes or designer clothes. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor... clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give 'em your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel... extraordinary?
