Early this morning (April 13/00) dear, sweet Smiley, after a long and courageous battle with cancer, closed her eyes one final time and crossed over the bridge.

Smiley, 10+ rescue girl, came to me last October/99 from Sallie Cosgrove (who had to repair an injured ear, put her on medication for an old cruciate ligament injury, and discovered that she had thyroid).  I had seen the posting and offered my heart and home for her to retire to.  Rescue Angel, Trish Worden, picked Smiley up in NJ and the following day brought her all the way here to Ontario from PA.

Withdrawn and confused, I sang to her, I held her, told her how treasured and special she was and she slowly came around - her coat grew back, the sores healed.  Her wonderful, cheeky personality began to appear - she bossed the other dogs around and loved to chase her tennis ball.

She started to refuse to go for walks and began to whimper in her sleep and it was discovered that she had a large mass cell tumour in her groin and on the base of her tail - we put her on Ketoprophen to deaden the pain.  Smiley returned to playing and going for long walks with me.

All was well for a couple of months then the whimpering returned and she could no longer get on the couch or get up the stairs without help - we increased the dosage of Ketoprophen but it was discovered that she was in the beginnings of congestive heart failure and kidney failure.  When she had a good day - she loved to try and go for walks with us - a couple of times she just couldn't make it back to the house from the fields, so Tagg and I would come home and get his cart and she would ride back in style! and when she had a bad day - she would cuddle close for comfort.

She taught me about the strength in forgiveness, the joy of living every day and about taking each day as it comes. I rejoice in the knowledge that her final days were filled with love and belonging to a family - mine.  Our time together was much to short and I shall miss that goofy "smile" and the constantly wiggling butt.

Thank you, 'Old Girl', for the privilege of having you in my life, for the chance to show you that you were special and mostly for the unconditional love that you gave.

Early on the morning of April 15th, with the help of my very dear friends Diane and Jan, Tagg and I took Smiley in his cart to her final rest in the woods behind my house, that she loved so much.  A final honour to a fine lady!