[Dailydrool] Hero's List Howliday Cards Thanks

[Kenneth Miller]

First, Bosley wants to send a ton of healing drool to all the hounds  
and slaves in need, and he has more to spare!  I really can only rush  
through the daily drool digest and never seem to have time to post.  
But compared to the knowledge this group has, I feel useless to post.  
So, I only post rarely, but believe me, every hound I read of that is  
sick or gone to the bridge, I cry for you all as well. I know how it  
feels from my first boy, Edsel (ATB 9-02).

Unfortunately, due to my work and time issues, I never can  
participate in the howliday card exchange, I don't even get regular  
cards sent out anymore.

But I truly want to thank all the hounds and slaves for the beautiful  
cards sent to my mother whom I put on the heros list. To offer a  
brief synopsis, my mother is 88 growing blind from macular  
degeneration, and spent the last few months acting as caregiver for  
my father, who passed away at 90 on 22 November. They had been  
married for 63.5 years, known each other for 73 years. He was very  
ill, and the last few weeks were really hard on all of us, but  
particularly her. She is also crippled with rheumatoid arthritis, but  
stuck with my father, and we kept him home, where he wanted to the  
end. My mother is also the workday home to our Bosley during the  
week. Bosley loves her dearly, and has her properly trained.

I felt that perhaps getting some beautiful basset cards might help  
cheer her up, and they do so, even if it is only briefly. So many  
beautiful hounds! She does laugh and smile as she opens the cards, so  
thank you all so much. She cannot believe some of you have so many  
hounds!  It does give her something to look forward to each day. She  
is depressed and lonely, despite having Bosley there.

My mother has been a real trooper, and devoted caregiver, but still  
takes care of Bosley during the week, that way he does not have to  
stay by himself when we are at work. A few days before my father  
passed away, Bosley went in the bedroom, and very gently raised  
himself up and put his front paws on the bed, reached over to sniff  
my father, barely reaching him. My father was not even aware he was  
there. Bosley sniffed, then just as gently lowered himself back down.  
Bos never tried to raise up there again. I think he knew, he was on  
his way.

My father is at the bridge, and probably was greeted by our first  
hound, Edsel, barking for him to take him for his usual walk. Nobody  
else could walk with Ed, my father had infinite patience with him and  
stood waiting while the boy sat resting frequently.

Again, many thanks to all of you who took the time and effort to send  
her a card, it has brightened a pretty gloomy time in her house this  
year as there is no christmas for us. It has brought some cheer in a  
way that I simply could not. Special thanks to Amanda who puts all  
this together as well.

Happy Howlidays and many thanks

Ken, Beth with Claudine (my mother) and Bosley (my calendar day is  
Sept 2, 2010)
with Edsel (ATB 9-02)