Suzy
Peg and George Pearce were our neighbors on 18th street. When their Registered Miniature Poodle had puppies, Peg insisted we should have one. We really didn't need the responsibility of a puppy with baby Jim just joining the family. We had just moved to a new home and I had a job at Camp Fire Girls, Inc. But nothing would detour Peg from giving us Suzy--registered as Suzette Bonbon Robertus. We were always glad Suzy came into the family--a sweetheart.
Suzy's Puppies
We had never intended for Suzy to have puppies BUT, accidents happen. There was a Toy Poodle in the neighborhood. He was a lot smaller than Suzy, cream colored, and only had three legs. Darned if that dog didn't mate with Suzy and along came three adorable puppies. We found good homes for two of the puppies but the smallest captured my heart. Bob said, "No." Well, you know how that goes.
Edith
We kept the smallest of the litter. Since she was born during Fire Prevention Week, I named her Edith (Exit Drills in the Home) a program I was active with during my Camp Fire years. Edith remained small, a true Toy Poodle. Where Suzy was the silver grey, Edith was black.
Poodles bark! Anyone who comes to the door causes quite an uproar. Two of them increased the bedlam. Jim and Rob used to love to knock on the wall and holler, "Come in." just to set them off. I dearly loved Suzy, but Edith was my best friend. She was small enough that she could ride in the crook of my arm. Suzy slept with Rob until he grew up; but Edith slept with us.
Suzy and Edith moved with us to Pleasant Dale. Suzy grew old, partially blind and the kindest thing to do was send her off to Pet Heaven. I cried all of the way to the Vets.
A few years later, Edith joined Suzy. I held her until she breathed her last breath. It is always the most humane thing to do when a dog has grown old and is blind or ill; but it chips away at the heart each time we bid one of them farewell.
Cindy's dog Gemini, Joe and Judy's dog Cheri, Mom and Dad's dog Jenny are in the next kennel.
