Joy follows heartache.
In about a month, Tillie and I will celebrate our one year anniversary as “Tillie and Mom”. It was a cold, rainy, foggy Tuesday, Thanksgiving week in 2009, when I began the trip from central PA to MABCR in Chestertown, pulling in to Victory Farm at Noon. You and Tillie were in the yard, she just having had a bath, smelling sweet, not quite dry, and looking quite the bedraggled gal. During our chat, and after several minutes of her sniffing me up and down, it seemed something ‘clicked’ with her and with me, and the decision was made, I would take her back to PA. We loaded her into the travel crate in my SUV for the return trip home! For seven hours, I heard not a peep. We stopped several times to stretch, she dutifully doing her business, and then hopping politely back into the crate. I sang and chatted to her the entire trip—quite the experience for me and probably for her!
Tillie, Silly Tilly, or “Tillie Monster” as she has been affectionately called, is a joy. She is a busy body and wiggle worm, loves to snuggle (still wiggling—no change there), and always wants to be part of the action. With firm guidance she has learned to improve her self-control in most situations—we continue to work on her initial meet and greet enthusiasm—it is a challenge. She loves all people, dogs, cats, children, her affection knows no boundary. She is a fairly frequent visitor to Assisted Living to visit my mother—I usually scolding her to simmer down. “Grandma” chiding me for being so tough on her! She recently joined me in the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk—she trotting along beside me the entire way. She now Skype’s with her “Grandpa” putting her feet on my lap, watching the laptop screen intently during the conversation and wagging her tail.
Tillie enjoys playing fetch with any toy, taking walks, and running on her long lead at the Park. She loves to ride in the car and travels everywhere with me, weather permitting. She is particularly adept at Frisbee, catching what seems uncatchable throws and then proudly trotting around after a particularly challenging catch. She receives praise and applause after at all catches, and, at a hand signal from me will return to my side for the next toss, waiting patiently until I hand signal the direction for the next throw. At the end of our play, she understands she is to ‘bring’ the Frisbee into the house—no walking away and leaving toys outside!
November 2009 had been a sad month for me, just having my BC Alex crossing the Bridge after a long illness. Tillie has brought joy, fun, humor, and silliness back in to my life. She has grown into a beautiful and confident girl, and, has become the terrific girl you thought she would be! We will be celebrating her two year birthday on November 1 and I have no doubt, we will do something special!
I cannot thank you and your organization enough for all of your time and assistance in the adoption process -- it was a pleasure to meet and work with everyone--friendships made, that continue now.
Warmest regards,
Nancy
Nancy
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