Thankful Thursday: Urrrreeeeebbbbbaaaaa

Most of the month of June, I stayed at home in East Texas (while hubs worked eight hours away). We had church clean-up for the month, so I go to stay and help my mom and daughter. Good thing I did, because when we came home from our long road trip in the first of June, I found our old basset, my hero, and hubs' bestie, in sad sad shape.

Mellow was 17 years old, and had been our baby for a LONG time. His 'mellow' approach to life inspires me. This blog is named after my Mellow's attitude. He raised many a child, mine, foster kids, kids I babysat, and lastly the grands.
He was (almost) always very very mellow.
Dear Mellow Yellow, Mellywelly, Smellywelly, Mell, Mellownatar, Melly and on and on. 

Very camera shy Mellow, and Reba 12/10

Melly had quit eating, and drinking, and could barely move.
No AAARRRRRRRROOOOOOOOing.
None at all.  
I decided it was time to honor our (his and my) agreement.
He would go with dignity. (he couldn't even get up to pee)
My very sweet daughter took him in to the vet and held his paw while he passed. 
She sang "Mellow Yellow" to him, and brought his sweet lovingly wrapped body back to me, so that I could bury him in mom's yard.
I'm glad I was there, I'm glad everything went so smoothly.
I'm glad my hubs didn't have to make this choice, or see how bad our boy was.
I'm SO glad my sweet daughter did what I don't think I could have.

Rest In Peace, 
Run Free Our Dear Mellow Jo Santana. 

Your memory will live on.

Forever.

Reba 1/2012

This left his widow alone.  Reba, at seven, has never been alone.  Her whole life, she has always been right by Melly's side.  During the last month of his life, she lay by him, washing his head, and cried.  And cried and cried.  When my daughter took Mell to the vet, she stopped crying, and hasn't since. 
We didn't want to leave her alone, so we decided to try her on the 'road tripping' we are doing, with LadyBelle and LilDog.
Of course, she is not a FULL house dog, and a BAD traveller, but what the hey!

Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

We drove eight hours here, and she barfed very little.
As you can see she caught on to the 'guest house' life fast. 

Camper hounds, Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

Then we drove five hours to the 'camper' and she did even better.
Ms. Reba has never been to the camper before, but, here too, she caught on quick.
(Middle picture are basset eyes in the dark)

Sunset 7/12

The sunset at the lake our camper is at was AWESOME!!
And there was much romping on the part of the pooches.
Gonna have to try taking the girls to the actual water and see what they do.

In the actual camper, I saw this mess, what the hey?
Further inspection showed it to be a
SNAKE SKIN!!!!!!
EEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!
Hopefully hubs is right, that it's a rat snake, and it woke up, shed, realized there is no more mice in the camper (thanks to hubs poisoning:) and it moved on.  Oh, I hope it moved on...*shudder*

West Texas Critters 7/12

Then we drove five hours back to West Texas.
I actually remembered my camera on our weekly drive around the ranch.
These are regular sights, axis (orange) deer, white tail deer, jack rabbits.
Not pictured (yet) are antelope, porcupine, rattle snakes, skunk, fox, and more.
Then we made the drive eight hours back home.  East Texas. 

Grandboy Kale 7/12

We picked up this fella, granddarling Kale, and brought him, hubs, myself, son DJ, AND the three dogs back. 
Reba didn't barf once.  Go Reba!!

Brown nosier...LilDog 7/12

LilDog is always entertaining, and one loves to find scraps and bury them. 
This time in the sand.  Silly dog. 
Thanks to LilDog being SO house trained, she has set the potty schedule for first Lady and now Reba.  Thank you my little dog.

Reba, LadyBelle 7/12

Reba is looking shinier, and hasn't been such a food hog.
 I think we have figured out the carsickness issue.

Reba, LadyBelle, LilDog 7/12

Reba & LadyBelle 7/12

Gangster Reba 7/12

 She is actually playing some.  She has done real well with the house breaking, and is very tolerant of Kale. How thankful I am she was there for our Mellow. And the joy she brings hubby. What a wonderful dog family we have. I am thankful for the 'doggy' people hubs is working for. And, of course, I'm very thankful I got to go home for the weekend, see three of my kiddos, two of my kid-in-laws, and four of my awesome grandkiddos:).


Reba says: enjoy the moment.


Dear Reba has always lived 'in the moment'.