For most of my life, I’ve been involved with big dogs. As newlyweds in the sixties we had Huck, a blue tick hound; Sunny, a border collie; and Zeke a black and tan hound of no particular heritage. Those dogs perished together in a car wreck when the driver suffered a seizure and overturned the pickup truck in which they were riding. To say I was devastated is putting it mildly. Barney was a black lab who showed up on our doorstep in Phoenix and stayed. Actually his owner showed up with a rope and took him back, but Barney escaped and made the five mile return trip through downtown Phoenix. That time I didn’t bother calling his owner. It seemed to me that Barney had made a choice and that was that.
Once Bill and I married, big dogs became the order the the day. Golden retrievers, dominated—Nikki and Tess, Aggie and Daph. There was the six-month retirement haven we offered to a platinum golden named Mandy and the half German shepherd/Irish wolfhound named Boney who was with us for eleven wonderful years. Some of Boney’s history is reflected in the Rambo/Lucy character in my recent Beaumont book, Proof of Life. As many of you already suspect, I’m sometimes too lazy to make up everything in my books, so I take a few pages from real life here and there.
So I was a big dog person. Not surprisingly, some of that real life big dog prejudice leaked into my fiction. Beau, especially, didn’t care for small dogs and referred to them alternately as “yappy little dogs” or else as WOFs–Wastes of Fur.
But here’s the thing, somewhere out in the great beyond, Someone is always listening—Someone with a sense of humor. So eight years ago, when my daughter, grandson and I found a WOF abandoned in the street, we had to take her home. And then we fell in love. At the time we found Bella, a longhaired miniature dachshund, she weighed a mere seven pounds when she should have weighed ten. Naturally she wormed her way into our lives—and into our bed and even into my book tours. And when she showed up at signings, people were quick to remind me, “Hey, wait a minute. Isn’t that the kind of dog you used to call a WOF?” Yup, guilty as charged!
So Bella introduced us to the wonderfulness of small dogs. Jojo came into our lives two and a half years ago, and Mary showed up last September. Both are long-haired miniature dachshunds and yes, both are very much “yappy little dogs.”
Today we have workers at the house here in Tucson—a guy from Cox is replacing our old modem with a new one, and the yard guys are outside mowing and blowing. And both dogs are busy pitching their yappy little fit.
Yes, somewhere Someone was listening to everything I said and wrote.
And Karma is a bitch!
Little dogs, big personalities! I live in a condo and feel sorry for all the dogs living here, no space to run, shut inside all the time because of working owners, and a couple short pee breaks daily:( at least my cats can tear up and down the stairway and up and down their ceiling high cat tree. That was the first thing I bought them, it had to be high enough they could see over the top of the patio fence and I keep a table next to an upstairs window so they can sit in comfort and chatter at the birds and geese that visit. Pets make life happier and more satisfying.
I met Bella once or twice at talks in Green Valley, and have heard her story more than once, and absolutely love it! You make a wonderful home/haven for these little creatures and they give you unconditional love, and protection from those workers as well. I love all dogs: we have always had large dogs, now none, but I love everyone else’s dogs, big, small, cute, cuddly, dirty, etc. Here in GV for the winter I am probably known as the lady who accosts anyone walking a dog and have petted many since our arrival in November, from Sisters!
I’m sitting here with a big old grin, remembering when Bella added you to HER life! Life is never the same when these long, little, doggies decide to become part of yours. Yes, Karma is indeed a female dog – and most likely that female dog is a DACHSHUND! LOL They are pains in the rear, but they are full of love and their hearts are 10,000 times their size. God bless your girls for “protecting you” from those invaders!
?
A big smile on my face whenever you discuss your dogs.
I hadn’t heard about the addition of Mary but couldn’t be happier for you.
I do think the little ones are far more content in herds, lol.
We married 48 years ago and had Labs for most of the time. Now we joke that the older we get the smaller the dog. Pretty soon we will be down to a gunea pig.lol The last time when we lost Lil-Bit it just about killed us off.So we waited 2 years and then got Ernie.. We still love big dogs but cannot handle them… I wish you joy .. Just Know WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR NEW BOOK ..Have a GREAT week…Jan
I have loved your books for many years (I’m an Arizona native), I’ve recently introduced your books to my best friend. She is probably one of your newest fans. I even loaned her my Kindle, which holds some of your books. Thank you for sharing your storytelling talents with us. By the way, J P Beaumont is my very favorite charactet, but love them all.
You will have to share Beaumont with me. (and probably countless other women) If I didn’t love my husband as much as I do, I might have to plot a plan to get rid of Mel Sommes. ?
So I am halfway through Remains of Innocence….how come I missed this one ?
I don’t know , but. I am enjoying it.
But now I have to set it aside because I just got two books from the library that are 7 day loaners…so they have to get priority…but I will get back to you as soon as I can.
My wife Mary cannot understand how I can read three books at once.
Probably a bad upbringing !
Len
I’m finding more and more things, we have in common. First the hearing aids, now the dogs. Big dogs have always been for me rather than the yappers. Now my husband and I share our lives with 2 Miniature Schnauzers, both rescued…2 years apart. Love them despite the neverending barks. Love ALL your writings.
Many of us have discovered that that dog size spot in our heart not only expands, it can shrink to fit. Love it. So sorry that the first WOF that won your heart had to cross the rainbow bridge. So glad you have two more to keep you snuggled.
We rescued a 19 pound schnoodle almost 9 years ago whole is king of this castle. He has us wrapped around his “finger.”
He’s a barker and at times the bark has a sharp sound to it that could wake the dead.
Good thing he’s cute.
Liked the new book.
This post made me laugh. Thanks.
I’m a cat person now, but as a child I had a little rat terrier named Spot. He was black with white chest. He had a brown spot above each eye and that’s how he got his name. He spent most of his days with his nose under the corn crib trying to catch rats. Those he caught he left on the ground there and never brought to the house. His favorite treat was popcorn and he’d come running as soon as he heard it popping on the stove. I can’t remember how long I had him before he got hit by a car. My grandpa buried him before I could see his broken body. We had other dogs over the years, but Spot was the only one who was mine.
When I was in the hospital for colon cancer my friend gave me a stuffed care
bear and when I went the 2nd I took it with me. When my friend’s grand daughter
had breast cancer I passed it along to her. I hope your friend will pass it along.