Schultz

I have been dreaming a lot about Schultz lately - somtimes it's so nice to see his white face pop around the corner. But I always have the same feeling....this isn't real. But I want it to be real.

In my heart it feels real but I can't make it stay. Some how reality even in my dreams sneaks in to say...you have to walk away now Renee, thats enough. And then I'll look and he will be gone. And its like I've lost him all over again. Except now I have to act normal.

But how do you have normal when normal is no longer what you have? I've tried to trick my mind into thinking that I have a "new" normal. Its not working. I mean just look at that fuzzy white old man face...how can your heart not hurt? Schultzy had a way of getting up every morning with that....ahhhhhhhh GOOD MORNING!!! WORLD... attitude. I always wondered how he managed that. What little secret did he have on life that I didn't know about? In the mornings as we got ready to walk. He would bark and bark and bark and bark and bark. There was no stopping him.

Our neighbor who had moved from Colorado though we were abusing him. And even went so far as to have animal control come to the house....MULTIPLE TIMES. She even sent us a letter on how to work with our dog. One morning while we were out in the yard. I was still in my bathrobe drinking coffee and Schultzy was doing what he did best by the telephone pole. A cop car pulled into the yard. My first thought was that something was wrong with Geoff. Then it occurred to me that he was there because of Schultz. I remember saying out loud..."are you kidding me???" But he was a very nice cop and said that he had to stop by because the call had been made. We talked about living in Kittery Point and how great Schultz looked for an 11 year old dog. He told us to take care and have a good day....it made me chuckle.

When we brought Schultz home he sat on my lap the entire ride. I remember feeling very scared that I would do something stupid like drop him on his head when I got out of the car. Instead he decided he would hump the neighbors bassett hound and proceed to get his head stuck in the fence post. 

At 10 weeks he escaped his pen and was picked up by the police --- in our front yard. We had a birthday party for him every single year....candles and all. 

He didn't become a little lover until his later years. He was the loner dog with a massive case of separation anxiety. Leave me alone but as long as I know your here I'm OK. He hated FEET...and hated it even more if you touched his butt with your feet. God he could melt your heart with just a look.

Even in sleep he still had a set of ears going. A bark that would pierce through your head. Kisses on special occasions only. Ruined the cabinet door under the sink because I put the cookies there for ONE DAY ONLY...and for him that was THE spot. He buried pizza in our water bed and saved it for the following night...And did all the things you want to have as a memory. I love him. And I miss him so very much.