Melodie

The Kombi Van that has been double parked out the front of our house for a while now – has tooted its horn and let Mellie know that its time to go. She’ll be off over the Rainbow – where the grass is green and sweet smelling, the sun is warm, the breeze blows gently, birds sing, butterflies dance and the living is easy.

Mellie was my heart, my baby dog, my special girl – my best girl. Over and over my mind refuses to contemplate a world where Mel doesn’t exist. I just can’t imagine my life without Mel in it.

Mel is the last of our original four dogs that we had from puppies. We got Mel as a playmate for Bailey to stop him driving the older two dogs crazy with his puppy exuberance, energy and enthusiasm.

Mel has been with us through our move from Chapel Hill to Cherry Blossom Grove to the hills at Hope Springs. She’s been a city chick, a beach babe and a country hippy chick. She was there through the boys growing up and through the grand-daughters growing up from babies. She shared biscuits with Shantal and remained sweet and loving through all of the noise and annoyance that children can sometimes contribute to life.

I love all my dogs – very much. But Mellie and I shared a very special connection. She was always Mummy’s girl. She wouldn’t countenance a circumstance where I was home and she wasn’t with me for every second of it.

She jumped the fence each evening when we got home – just to be sure to be with me as soon as possible. Whenever one of the other dogs had to go to the vet, Nurse Mel would greet them when they returned and check what was wrong with them and what sort of nursing ministrations they might need.

She loved certain squeaky toys and would play us a tune each evening before dinner. She had an obsession with me putting on my pants and would always be under my feet while I did so. Right from day one at home, she insisted on sleeping on the couch and would not be contained – she climbed over more boundaries and jumped more fences than I care to remember. She explored areas that our other dogs had not even thought about. She chased rabbits and cats. She hated having her photo taken and would sulk when I tried to do so. She accepted all of the other dogs who have come after her – but sometimes she would get a little jealous and would insist on having her spot right next to Mummy – even if she had to lay on top of another dog to get it. She never did get to be an only dog. But, she did have a great and happy life – she adored us and we adored her.

It feels like a very special part of our lives has finished. Life is always evolving – taking us in different directions, with different people and in different places. Mel has for so long been an integral part of our lives as we encountered these changes – but this time – her loss is the change – and she is not here to help us through it.

With great love – comes great loss – but I wouldn’t have missed a minute of it. Thank you Mellie for being such a wonderful part of our lives for so long.

Peace’n’love my little hippy chick!