Miss Molly

Happy last day of 2008!

This year has gone by so quickly—wow!

Happy anniversary to Molly! I brought her home two years ago today.

“It’s been a great two years, hasn’t it, Molly?”

Well, she’s busy sleeping.

She knew she was our dog and we were her people the moment she laid eyes on us (Roxzi and I).

The brief version of the story goes like this…

I was ready for another dog. Our dearest Dustie had departed in early 2006 at the ripe old age 15. Sheba, Rhett’s angel Husky went to her heaven that September at age 14. Our darling Rosie was getting old and nearing her time too. I was ready.

I was searching on the Internet through the shelters looking for the next perfect companion.
Three days before Christmas… there she was at the Seal Beach Animal Rescue—an absolutely gorgeous, 4-year-old, 80-pound Treewalker Coonhound!

I called immediately.. would have gone down there but my lovely little brother borrowed my car for 20 minutes (which turned into several hours) so no ride.

Roxzi and I were there the next day promptly as the shelter opened. We were paraded past and introduced to so many worthy pups.. but we were there to see Molly (whose name was Moxie at the time). Since Molly is such a big girl, she was all the way in the back of the facility in the big dog runs.

Roxzi arrived first. Molly in all her gracefulness and strength, rose on her back legs to nearly her full height staring Rox right in the eye. Then she looked at me. Our guide was amazed and said she hadn’t ever seen Molly do that to anyone before.

Roxzi knew right away. Molly knew. I knew.

Unfortunately, the shelter didn’t know. I went in to adopt. Filed out more paperwork then I did to buy my house. Waited a long while then the gal in charge informed me that another family was also interested in Molly.

She asked if I could come back the next day with other dog, Rosie, and son Max to make sure we were a good match.

You better believe Rosie, Max and I were there just minutes after the compound opened. It was Christmas Eve.

While we sat on a bench waiting for Molly in the warm December sun, an attendant with Molly in tow, marched right past us and presented her to the “other” family. Molly did stop to greet us, though.

The other family consisted of a mom and dad, three children under 10, a grandma and a nanny. Of course they were all very excited and ooooed and awwwed.

A few minutes later the attendant came over, sat next to me and gently told me Molly would be going with the “other” family. It was a better fit, and this would be their first dog.

I immediately teared up and could not speak. She teared too, and gave me a hug. She offered other dogs, but I would have none of them.. at least not then.

Heartbroken, Max, Rosie and I clamored back in Ella, my ’73 VW orange bug. As I was pulling out, Molly amidst her happy new family looked me full in the eye and perked her ears as she followed our departure. “Hey! Where are you going?” I could see the question on her face so well.

We bravely drove home, and being the mom, I kept comforting both Max and myself by repeating during the 30 minute drive home, “It just wasn’t meant to be. There’s another dog out there for us. It’s okay, we’ll keep looking.”

One week later, on New Year’s Eve, the shelter called. The gal told me that Molly was back and asked if I was still interested?

Oh my gosh! Absolutely!

Now both Roxzi and Max were out of town so I was home alone. I was worried about introducing her to the kitties and Rosie on my own so I asked my favorite fella, Tony, if he would help me out and go with me to collect. He didn’t hesitate to say “yes” and we were at the shelter within an hour. I can’t tell you how excited I was!

The shelter lady ran down all the rules of introducing new pets.. but I’ve been there, done that so many times… I knew there would not be a problem.

She was especially concerned about Molly and the cats being that Molly is an alpha female, and the nature of a hound is to retrieve small animals.

Tony was a darling and endured the lectures and was right there for me and Molly. I renamed her Molly on the way home which she took to right away.

We must have been a sight to see.. this huge dog’s head sticking out of one side of the bug, and her tail out the other.

She drooled terribly all the way home. I was worried about that, but I’ve since learned that she was just extremely nervous. She doesn’t do that anymore.

When we got home, both cats greeted us in the driveway. Molly proved no threat. She got on with Rosie just fine, and it was apparent that she was instantly part of the family.

Molly knew where she belonged.. she picked us.

Dustie and Rosie did too.. but those are other dog tales.

Thank you, Molly! Happy Anniversary!

Bye for now, all you beautiful Bloggers!
Happy New Year!