Scenes from a Happy Life

October 1994:

Mom: "We'd like a girl puppy. A sweet one that will love the kids."

Nice Lady in Lake Creek who raised Golden Retrievers: "I only have two girls right now. This one is big and feisty and will be a fun dog for the kids. That one over there is the runt of the litter. She's so small, I almost hate to let her go. I don't think she'll make it."

Mom: "We'll take THAT one. She needs us. We need her. She's
perfect."

Ten Minutes Later:

Nice Lady: "This dog is a retriever. So when your Daddy shoots a duck, this dog will be able to swim out into the pond and fetch it and bring it back."

Kindergarten James (in a horrified tone): "My Daddy would NEVER shoot a duck!"


Summer, 1998:

6th grade Amanda: "Mom!! Cinnamon got out of the yard!! The boys are chasing her down the street!"

Mom (on seeing James, Philip, Zac, Reece, Elizabeth, Sarah and Jeffrey running after a delighted dog): "Guys! Don't run after her! She thinks you're racing! Turn around and run this way!"

She still beat them all home.


Christmas, 2001:

Gulf Shores State Park Ranger: "Ma'am, you may not know this, but there's a state law outlawing dogs on the beach. It's a $500 fine."

Mom: "Oh, I apologize, sir. We didn't know. We'll drag her out of the water and take her on home."

7th grade James: "That's a stupid law."


Thanksgiving, 2002:

Dad: "Let's take Cinnamon out to the beach."

10th grade Amanda: "Dad! Remember the $500 fine!!"

Dad: "I'll pay the damn fine if I have to. She loves walking on the beach."

8th grade James: "It's a stupid law anyway."


September, 2005:

Amanda has just left for college. Cinnamon walks into her room, walks around, sniffs, comes into the office and glares at Mom as if to say: "Hello-o-o? Am I the only one who realizes that someone is missing??"


July, 2007:

College Freshman James: "I wish I could freeze some of Cinnamon's blood, so that when I have kids, I could clone her so they could have a dog like mine."


August 25, 2007:

Randy (in an email to our friends): "As a friend of the family, I wanted to let you know that Cinnamon Sugar Reed passed away this morning just six days shy of her 13th birthday. Cinnamon stayed with us long enough to get both of her kids out of the house, and safely to college. I believe that Cinnamon lived a life that many dogs would have loved, and yet still gave much more than she got."


Flashback to 1994:

Nice Lady: "Now, if this puppy doesn't make it, you be sure and come back out here and I'll let you pick out another pup. I want you folks to get your money's worth."


Oh, my. Did we ever.

Come with me to the Emerald City

Amanda and I just got back from our whirlwind tour of the Windy City! WE SAW WICKED!!!! It was stunning. Just absolutely stunning.

I'll finish this later. Just wanted to get the picture up before we leave - TOMORROW - for Tuscaloosa.

Mercy me.