Saying Goodbye to Maggie
Yesterday we had to say goodbye to our Maggie. She came into our lives sixteen years ago on Mother’s Day when she walked past our house with one of my daughter’s friends who had found her abandoned in the bushes down the street. After a week of discussions, she joined our family, and settled right in. It’s difficult to imagine life without her.
She was the cutest ball of energy, but we honestly had no idea what life with a herding dog would be like. She “helped” me keep the kids in line (once going so far as to grab ahold of a backpack attached to a body to keep one from escaping out the front door) and always worked to keep us all close by. I often told her she was “lucky she was so cute.”
Over the years, she made me laugh, challenged me (she mastered” the look” – the one that indicated that no one was the boss of her), and was always there with a comforting paw. Even in her last moments, she turned to comfort me. She was affectionate (on her own terms) and a wonderful snuggler (When she wanted to be). She mastered the art of sitting on our laps (a loophole, as sitting on the couch was forbidden) though as she got older and climbing up became more difficult, she settled for sitting on our feet, or as close to us as she could get.
She tolerated us dragging her on vacations and camping trips and enjoyed hiking and playing frisbee. But she had an attitude about the paparazzi (so many adorable moments went uncaptured as she turned her back just as the shutter snapped.) She loved to play in the snow, and when it was deep enough, created a track in the backyard to race around in. She loved sweet potatoes, pumpkin and broccoli, refused to eat cheese or anything similarly slimy, and was an expert at picking yummy treats hidden under dog food and leaving what she didn’t like behind.
She had her special spots in the yard, where she would sit as a sentry and protect us. She put up with all of our nonsense and loved us unconditionally. She will be greatly missed.
