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First I want to say Thank you to all of you that have sent cards to Carol Sharp. They really mean a lot to her. I don't think she is back to reading the drool yet and certainly not up to posting. Posting was always something Pat did.<BR>
We headed to Carol's last week for Pat's memorial this weekend. Several of us droolers stayed at the house. There were a total of 11 hounds.<BR>
Friday we were doing stuff to prepare for folks to visit on saturday after the service.<BR>
Amanda, Wendie ( yes.. from the Bounders) and myself had a list of tasks to accomplish. Wendie was going to mow the dawg yard grass- but the mower needed gas. So I offered to go with her to get some as she is not familiar with the very rural PA where Carol and Pat's house is. I purposely left through the porch gate- as Elvis was on the porch and I didn't want to go down the stairs to the other gate- as he might follow down the stairs. Well... I didn't latch the gate just right. The old crippled, diseased, who can't walk hound must have boogied his butt right over to the gate. A bit of a nudge with his nose and voila~ FREEDOM! A bit later Amanda hears the hounds WOOFING and goes to investigate. Not a critter or a visitor as she expected, but instead four bassets on the loose.<BR>
Her Baby and my Peaches came right back when called. Elvis had gotten to the bottom of the driveway ( that can boy can MOVE when he wants to!) and Carol's old man Sampson was nowhere to be seen. At this point Wendie and I returned. I got the breakout old man back where he belonged and we set out to find Sampson. Did I mention they live in Rural PA. Way more trees and land than houses. Rural...VERY!<BR>
For three hours we walked, drove and climbed hills and brush in the midday sun looking for him. Called his name constantly. No Sampson appeared. <BR>
At some point Amanda and I are back at the house- Amanda printed LOST DOG posters that we were planning to put in people's mailboxes. I happened to glance out a window and there the little booger was peeing on the lawn. Went out and called to him "Sampson- you're back!"<BR>
He came running with his tail wagging. He was sooo happy. He was also filthy. I can't tell you the relief we all felt. Carol was not home for this little scary adventure and we made a pact between the three of us to never ever tell anyone. Then it occurred to us that at some point one of the many people ( mailman twice, newspaper guy and lots of neighbors) might ask Carol if she ever found her dog.... we confessed saturday night. <BR>
I am pretty sure I will never shut a gate without double checking that it did latch. And that old man of mine showed that lack of legs and health sure doesn't diminish his escape skills.<BR>
Angelika<BR> </div></body>
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