Remembering My Sweet Olivia Rose

Three years ago today I lost darling little Livi at the tender age of only 14 months. I got her as a birthday gift to myself on January 22, 2005. She was a little rescue girl from Puerto Rico. She was five months old when I got her.

The picture that captured my heart on Petfinder

Look at that adorable face!


Sherman and Olivia

Olivia went to work with me every day. She was very frightened of men, but she loved women and went gaga over children. I was thrilled to finally have a dog that liked kids! She became well known at the Champlain Mill where our physical therapy clinic was, and most people knew her by name. I often took her down to the little cafe and leashed her to a post right outside the door (just a few feet from me, but she wasn't allowed in where the food was) and everyone stopped to see her and comment on how beautiful she was. She had gorgeous spots of brindle. Half of her face was white with white eyelashes, and the other was brindle with dark eyelashes. She was very unique in many ways.

Growing more beautiful every day

One day in mid October, Livi started circling and it became more and more prevalent each day. Then it became a frantic circling that she couldn't stop. She also started losing control of her right side and the vet thought she was blind on the right side. My vet referred her to a neurologist in NH for a CT scan, but before I even made the trip with her, she lost ground so quickly that I decided to let her go when she started having seizures. It was only two weeks from the start of her symptoms until I had to let her go. My vet said that with the seizure activity, he was pretty confident that it was a brain tumor.

This was taken only days before she started seizing. Her front legs are splayed out because she was having problems with motor control.

Blind in the right eye, from what we could tell

It still makes me teary to think of my sweet girl dying at such a young age. I took her loss very hard. My vet made me feel better by saying that maybe I was just meant to love her for the short time she had and that at least she didn't die a horrible death on the streets of Puerto Rico.

I love this picture of her smiling

I was very lucky to have her, even though it was for such a short period. I will never forget her love for life, her loving personality, her adorable face....

Happy Birthday / Gotcha Day, Sherman!

Six years ago today Sherman made his way to Vermont via a relay of many wonderful people. I was to drive to Addison Vermont to pick him up for his last leg to his forever home. My home. Little did I know then how lucky I was to have this little being join my family.

Sherman was found as a stray, so we don't really know his actual birthdate, but my vet estimated him as 18 months to two years of age when I got him, so I decided to use his gotcha day as his birthday. I can hardly believe he's eight! He doesn't act it, or look it, or feel it from what I can tell. He and Raeka play and wrestle and run and run and run together. He does have pretty bad arthritis in his little elbows and wrists, but as long as I don't let him jump off the bed, he's fine.

Sherman dressed for Halloween

Sherman is a love. He accepts every living creature that has joined our family since his arrival. Phoebe and Flower, the cats, Olivia, my darling little Puerto Rican rescue dog that we only had in our lives for nine short months before losing her to a brain tumor, and Raeka, who joined us after Olivia died. Another little girl from Puerto Rico. Sherman grieved for weeks and weeks after Daisy died, and again after Livia died. Hopefully, he will never have to suffer such a loss again in his lifetime.

Sherman and Daisy Mae

Sherman and Olivia

Sherman and Raeka

Sherman is challenging in the grooming department. His only fault, really. He will have nothing to do with nail trimming, or the grooming he needs when his coat grows long. Every six months I end up taking him to the vet's where they anesthetize him and monitor him while I trim his nails, shave his coat short, and do anything else that needs to be done. Other than that, he is such a joy. He's a big clown. He makes me laugh every day. He is a snuggler and a snorer, and a nut! I don't know what I'd do without him, and hopefully I won't find out for a very long time.

With his favorite toy, a pink bunny!

Looking for the perfect one

Happy Birthday, my little man. I'm so glad to have you as a part of my life.

A Beautiful Autumn Day

We woke up to temps in the 20's this morning, frost covering everything, the sun shining brightly through the yellow and orange leaves that are left on the trees. Our backyard is surrounded by maple trees and this year they have been spectacular. Many of them are past peak, but it is still amazing to walk out into the backyard as the sun is coming up in the morning.

Our backyard

Guess it's time to put the chairs away

So many beautiful colors

Raeka enjoying the crisp fall day

Sherman, who thinks the piles of leaves are put there for him to pee on!

Daisy Mae April 25, 1992 - October 9, 2004

Four years ago today, I lost my heart-dog, Daisy Mae. She was a Brittany mix that entered my life at the age of six weeks, and left me at the age of 12 and a half. She was the first puppy I'd ever raised and she taught me a ton.


Daisy loved to go for rides in the car, go for walks, and catch a frisbee in her younger days. She loved every living thing she ever met and knew no enemies. She was frightened of children, but would never harm one. She just chose to remove herself from the situation, or look at me with pleading eyes to remove the child, please.



At the Colchester Causeway. Her favorite place on earth, where I've place a letterbox in her memory.

I can't really put to words all that Dais meant to me, so I won't even try. I'll just share with you some of my favorite pictures and tell you that she was everything to me. My friend, my companion, my confidant, my heart and my soul....




Daisy slept with her bunny every night and gave it a bath every morning

Until we meet again, my sweet girl. I love you so....

Taken only six weeks before going to the Rainbow Bridge