When my OH, John, first showed me this website I couldn't help but remember and smile. Labradors do nothing but make you smile. When I was 8 my Mum got a golden lab called Rebel and he lived up to his name totally. I remember coming down the first morning we had him, Mum had kept him in the kitchen and when we opened the door there wasn't anything that he hadn't chewed - even wooden scrubbing brushes were shredded! How we laughed. We had the absolute pleasure of laughing with him everyday for 13 years.
Quite a few, well many, years later a friend of ours rescued a chocolate lab from a breeding farm. She was 5 years old and had had pups every season of her young life. The farm had named her Hussy but we changed it to Fussy. She came to us in bad condition and very withdrawn, not knowing anything after a lifetime in kennels. Slowly over the years she came out of her shell, into her lab coat and lived up to the name we had given her - Fuss by name and adored a fuss by nature. I can remember John saying 'she will never run'. And she didn't...until we took her on holiday to Newquay and we were on the beach. She was extremely wary at first but when I ran towards the water she just took off and didn't stop until she caught me up, splashing in the water, then digging in the sand. The look on her face was beautiful. I think that was the day she found what I call her 'naughty ears' - you know, when they're doing something they shouldn't or something funny, their ears crinkle and their faces say it all. Her company was the utmost pleasure for 5 years when sadly she started having seizures and we made the heartbreaking decision to let her go.
I swore after Fuss I wouldn't have another dog but as I said when John showed me this website all the memories and smiles came flooding back. I registered and visited everyday, my heart breaking at times with some of the stories but also so many times of smiling and laughing. We first spotted a 7 year old chocolate girl called Coco, so I rang Glenys and went with my sister to meet her. I don't know if Glenys will remember but when we arrived she asked me had I had a lab before. Yes I said, seven years ago. Glenys asked seven years, why so long? I told her the year we lost Fuss we had also lost my Dad and Johns Mum it had been a too much heartbreak.
She brought Coco out to meet us and sis and I took her in the garden. She was beautiful. We walked and talked with her but there was something I couldn't put my finger on. We came back to Glenys and as we talked with her she said 'You aren't a hundred percent are you' I didn't even have to say no and she said she could sense it and was sorry she wouldn't let her go. It broke my heart driving away but I was so glad it was Glenys there, following her instinct and saying what she had, because someone who didn't know dogs or labs as well as she does would of let her go with me and it wouldn't of been right.
A couple of months more looking everyday we spotted Treacle, Milly and also Big Mac. John favoured the chocolates after having Fuss and wanted to see Mac. When we arrived Glenys let Big Mac out and I have to honestly say I have never seen a bigger chocolate lab in all my life! He was huge! My youngest son Josh had come with us and as we were stood by the kennels two goldens jumped up, our fingers went through the cage to them, immediately to be nibbled in that oh so typical lab way when they think you've got the tiniest crumb. Josh said I take it this is Milly and Treacle. I nodded and smiled. Glenys let Milly out with Mac. The pair of them bounded round the yard. John didn't look sure at all so Glenys took Mac back in and let Treacle out. Milly flew to him and Glenys asked would we be prepared to take two. Before I could even turn to look at John he had said yes. I couldn't help but smile and Josh’s' face was a picture when we were sorting out the paperwork and I said we were taking the two of them.
I say 'we were taking the two of them' but in all honesty the two of them took us, from day one, utterly, completely and definitely wholeheartedly. The walks, the fun, silliness, affection, caring, love and everything else besides that these two brought with them was something I know only everybody on here can understand.
That was in July 2009. We've had what I feel were a way too short 3 1/2 years but a jam packed full of memories 3 1/2 years.
At what I feel are good ages but nevertheless, to me, tender ages we broken-heartedly lost Treacle, age 12 1/2, on 10th December 2012 due to heart failure. And, with so many tears as I'm writing this, we have now lost Milly, age 10 1/2, on 10th March 2013 due to a tumour. We've barely recovered from the heart-broken loss of Treacle and our hearts are shattered to pieces with the loss of Milly so soon after.
The phrase 'one of a kind' is tantamount to what we said when they first chose us, 'What a Pair!!' because we got two of a kind. From that first nibble they have been a pair that I cannot thank Glenys enough for trusting her instincts and allowing one pair to choose us pair.
Run free...forever my beautiful pair
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
)
