The Dixie Chick
our princess kitty
8/13/1999 - 9/14/2003
Dixie was 6 months old when Lisa adopted her from the local animal rescue in February of 2000. She went there looking for a friend for Roscoe, who was tearing her house up from boredom while she was at work all day. She didn't want another solid black cat, nor did she particularly want one as old as Dixie was or a female, but there was something about her that made her take her home.
Dixie was always a hide-a-kitty. She was a ferral kitten and she never did develop much of a desire to be around humans. She didn't like strangers at all, but she would come out to see her momma (Lisa), her momda (Kim) and her daddy (Drew). Some nights, when the lights were off and everyone was asleep, she would sneak onto the bed and curl up against her mama's belly for some loving. She hated to be picked up more then anything, but she loved to have her ears rubbed when she put in an appearance. Dixie had a purr like no other. It was so loud, you could hear her the minute you entered a room. Her meow was a loud and demanding "Squeak" which is why we called her the squeak toy. She loved to lounge in her catnip box and to play with her brothers. She was the only female in the house, our princess kitty, and it will never be the same here without her.
Our Dixie chick crossed the Rainbow Bridge in the wee hours of the morning on September 14th, with her momda holding her. She was a very sick baby, but she went out of this world purring and has been laid to rest in a pretty spot in our yard.
Duke
our best boy
12/31/1994 - 2/9/2004
Duke was a year old when he came to live with Lisa on New Years Eve, 1995. He was obviously abused, but he was so sweet and gentle. He was rescued as a stray by the Duke Power man, hence his name, and adopted to Lisa by the breeders she purchased Lugar from. He had an affinity for Kim from the moment he met her. It was her side of the bed that he chose to sleep on and her that he went to for comfort when the scary thunder came. And when Momda was the one to feed the dogs....hoo boy, he would just about wiggle out of his skin because he knew that, when Momda feeds, there was going to be some GOOD stuff in the bowls.
In all of his life, Duke never met a stranger. He loved everyone, especially children. He was a laid back dog who never got upset or snapped at anyone. When he was 8 years old, it was discovered that he had diabetes. He went blind from glaucoma shortly thereafter. But even then, he was always happy and ready for some loving or a romp through the yard.
Duke crossed the Raibow Bridge early in the afternoon of February 9, 2004. His organs were no longer functioning and it was his time to go. His momda stroked his head as he left us and, to the end, he was a good dog...our best boy forever.
Lugar
our baby
11/24/1995- 3/22/2006
This is our "baby", Sir Lugar of Winston...Lugar to his friends. From the time Lisa was 15 years old, she wanted a rottweiler. When she and her ex-husband bought their home, she finally got her dream dog. He was born on November 24, 1995 and she picked him out of his litter 3 days later. When Kim first came to meet the rotties, she knew exactly the way to Lugar's heart...she fed him an entire box of Marrowbones and he loved her from that moment on.
Lugar had the typical rottweiler temperment, meaning he was extremely protective and loved attention. He weighed in at 130lbs and spent his life trying to convince people that he was a lapdog. *sad smile* He loved riding in the car and laying outdoors when the weather was cool. He was a scardy cat at heart. Thunder would make him run to his Momda and lay as close to her as possible. The noises that George (the bird) made used to send him scurrying to the far corner of the living room. He was a good dog, always obedient (well, except when he saw the opportunity to chase a jackrabbit) and loving.
At 10 years old, he suffered from arthritis and winters were particularly hard on him. In the last few months of his life, he had developed some stomach problems as well, but a few Tums each evening kept those in check. For the last 6 months or so, he didnt particulary like to stand up, but he would lay on his bed and growl to protect the house from the man who was lighting the furnace. On the night of March 21, 2006, he suffered a stroke. His momda and momma spent the night petting him and reassuring him that he was loved. In the morning hours of March 22, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge. He will never be forgotten.
Roscoe
our fat black boy
3/28/1998 - 7/3/2010
Roscoe P. Colekitty (can you tell Lisa is a "Dukes of Hazzard" fan?!) was born in March of 1999. Solid black with green eyes, he looked like a classic witches familiar. He was special to Lisa because, for the first weeks she was living on her own after her seperation from her ex-husband, he was her sole company and comfort. This guy was "Mr. Personality". He was very inquisitive and sociable, always the first to come for his morning and evening "scrubs" in the bed. He loved to take a nibble of people food and was especially fond of fried Spam (he would steal it from your fork if you hestitated between the plate and your mouth!).
Roscoe was not a lap cat...he was a head cat. He slept every night, wrapped around his mama's head, sometimes nudging it off the pillow if he felt the need to stetch out. Roscoe was very paw oriented and would reach out his left paw (yes, he was left handed) to tap Kim when he wanted her attention. Eventually, we started a game where one of us would say "Wonder Twin Powers Activate!" (those old enough to remember the Super Friends will recognize the saying) and he would reach his paw out to touch Kim's left hand.
As he got older, Roscoe developed some health problems and we almost lost him twice. He had surgery in 2009 to reroute his urinary tract due to frequent bouts of cycstitis. He became ill with what the vet believes was a brain tumor or brain infection on July 2nd and we had to let him go the Rainbow Bridge the next day. Lisa held him in her arms as he left this world. Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things she has ever had to do, but she knows he will be waiting at the Bridge when her time comes to leave this world.
Hercules
The littlest Rottweiler
1/25/1996 - 1/10/2011
Hercules was a minpin/rat terrier mix whom Kim picked out of a litter of 3 when he was just a little guy. She wanted a small dog because she was living in a trailer without a fenced in yard and Hercules was just perfect. As he grew up, he led Kim, Lisa and both our sons on many a merry chase when he would scoot out the door and run to explore the neighborhood. When we moved to NC, he had a fenced in yard for the first time. We will never forget the first time we opened the door to let him outside in his yard and he stood there in the living room looking at us like "Is this a trick? You beat my butt when I run out the door." Once he figured out he wouldn't get in trouble, he would run out and patrol the perimeter of the yard, making sure there were no infiltrations since his last time outside.
When Lisa moved to Texas with her two rottweilers, this little guy found himself living in a land of giants and rose to the occassion admirably. Pictured above is Herc in his famous "I'm a deer" pose (one paw held up oh so delicately). He inherited this adorable mannerism from his daddy, who was a purebred minpin. Herc may have only weighed in at 22lbs, but he always thought that he is as large as his rottie brother were. They dont call these guys the "King of the Toys" for nothing! He would stand on the coffee table so he could get right in the rotties' faces to bark at them.
Herc was an amazing dog in many ways. When Duke lost his sight, he became his seeing eye dog. He would put his paws on Duke's chest and then run away barking. He taught Duke not to bump his nose into the fence and, when it was time to come inside, he would stand at the top of the ramp we built to make Duke's life easier and would bark to guide him in. When MopDog came to live with us, he taught him to play with toys, something the severely mistreated Mop had never had before. Herc was diagnosed with congestive heart failure about a year before he crossed the Bridge. He fought a good fight to stay with us but, when his breathing became so labored we were afraid that he might become frightened, we took him to the vet and let him go in peace. He was a little dog with a big heart and he will always be missed.
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
~Author Unknown
Tubes by Happy Bee Pixels
