A Sad Farewell

It’s a sad day in Moogie’s World.

Elder Daughter and family are in New Orleans for a huge Family St. Patrick’s celebration — it’s been planned for at least a year.  A friend has been house/dogsitting for them. We got the call while enjoying lunch after the local parade — Pippi, ED’s 13-year old Chiweenie, was in serious distress.

We raced to get there. I cuddled with her as I lay beside her on the floor, and told her what a good girl she was as she labored to breathe. Younger Daughter got there to hold her and get ED on speaker phone. Little Pippi Lou Puparoo left us after she heard her Mama’s voice and responded to it. We were all a sobbing, rattled mess.

Tyson, ED’s boxer boy, came home with us because he knows our pups, and will be distracted by them. He’s very confused. (Although, it’s not particularly unusual for Tyson to be confused. He’s more of a lover than an intellect.)  And, he’s a little frightened by the doggy door. I hope our pups convince him it’s not going to get him.

I’ll never forget the vision of a tiny, frisky half-dachshund/half chihuahua months-old puppy prancing toward me with those Dobby ears flying and tail wagging to beat the band the first time I met her. Pepper gave her a taste of his hamburger on that trip to Fayetteville — that was her first “people” food.  We didn’t tell ED for awhile.

Farewell, our Pippi Lou (or “Pickles,” as SIL#1 calls her.) You’ll forever remain in our hearts and memory.  I choose to remember you as that little puppy, and as patiently tolerating your Mother as she took picture after picture of you so that you could forever be our Pippi Rudolph:

Thanks for the love, little Pippi Burrito. We’ll miss you so.