It has taken me quite a while to be able to write this post. While I was in Sydney at Easter we lost our dear old Jess Dog. I knew when I left she mightn't make it till I returned as she wasn't doing well. There wasn't really any conversation when I received that phone call!
These are a couple of the photos I took of her not long before that. One keeping watch during our spinning group afternoon meeting, in her favourite spot near the back steps lying on the path. She has her eyes open watching me :)
These are a couple of the photos I took of her not long before that. One keeping watch during our spinning group afternoon meeting, in her favourite spot near the back steps lying on the path. She has her eyes open watching me :)
And in almost the same spot, where she sat constantly. She could see anyone who came or went from any direction.
Jess lived with us for 16 happy years. Penny, Tim and I drove about half an hour east of Holbrook to get a puppy from the litter advertised in the local paper early in 1993. Penny was halfway through a uni degree in Canberra and Rick had just started at uni there also. The puppy was for Tim now that his siblings were living away from home. It had been sometime since our old bassett Cleo had gone and a little boy needs a dog! One of the pups jumped up and ripped Tim's shirt and he was quite put out, so we took the quiet one with the pretty face. Tim wanted to call her Cool Guy, but she was a girl so he thought Cool Girl would be ok. We talked him into Jess the same as the dog on Footrot Flats!
Jess was our 'meet and greet' staff for all the visitors who came to the Trout Farm back in those days. Even children who were terrified of dogs seemed to know she wouldn't hurt them and let her say hello to them. She didn't wander out the gate, or chase the birds or bark unnecessarily, she was an all-time excellent watchdog warning us of foxes or something where it shouldn't be. She used to keep us highly amused, chasing and barking at the thunder. Unfortunately as she grew older and became deaf, it frightened her and quite often we'd have to go looking for her as she would take off, we think to hide from it, so storms became a real issue. She became very deaf and couldn't hear us call, and then cataracts caused her vision to grow dim as well. But she enjoyed nothing more than an early morning walk with me, and friend Wendy, round the path at Lake Sambell.
Jess is now at rest in her favourite spot in the front yard, and it is with tears in my eyes and a sad heart that I write, "goodbye dear friend, Jess, you were a good dog!"
Jess was our 'meet and greet' staff for all the visitors who came to the Trout Farm back in those days. Even children who were terrified of dogs seemed to know she wouldn't hurt them and let her say hello to them. She didn't wander out the gate, or chase the birds or bark unnecessarily, she was an all-time excellent watchdog warning us of foxes or something where it shouldn't be. She used to keep us highly amused, chasing and barking at the thunder. Unfortunately as she grew older and became deaf, it frightened her and quite often we'd have to go looking for her as she would take off, we think to hide from it, so storms became a real issue. She became very deaf and couldn't hear us call, and then cataracts caused her vision to grow dim as well. But she enjoyed nothing more than an early morning walk with me, and friend Wendy, round the path at Lake Sambell.
Jess is now at rest in her favourite spot in the front yard, and it is with tears in my eyes and a sad heart that I write, "goodbye dear friend, Jess, you were a good dog!"
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