Pretzel & Pauline
 I would like
to take a moment to tell you all of this "Love Relationship" Mom and Pretzel
has formed. It is truly astounding.
When we first moved Mom to Warrensburg, Mo from Hot Springs, she had to leave her friends of 25+ years and move to the country. Mom had been a in an upstairs apartment and it was very difficult for her to navigate the 16 steps to get back and forth, so she seldom left her apartment. The adjustment was really tough for her when she moved here and she began to talk about getting a Pretzel. She had not had a dog for around 25 years. That was the same time I was adopting my Patch from CCDR. When I drove to Springfield, Mo to get Patch from Karen Laird, who had generously helped in his transport, she was fostering Juliet. Now Mom had this vision of what she wanted her dog to be like. And, Karen was fostering a little girl that fit the description exactly. So we returned to Warrensburg with Patch and Juliet, who promptly got renamed Pretzel. Kisses abounded. The love relationship had begun. Since that day, September 2, 2000, they have formed a bond that is incredible. When Mom is gone, she worries non stop about Pretzel's well being, even though she knows that Pretz is perfectly safe. When she is in the hospital, all the news she wants to hear is how Pretz is doing. Likewise, when Mom is ill, Pretzel will not leave her side. Pretzel seems to know that she is ill and clings to her, comforting her. They spend all day and night with each other. Pretzel doesn't want for anything. Nothing is too good for her "baby". Pretzel recently had to have surgery to remove a loose tooth. My sister was late getting Pretzel picked up, and Mom sat and cried thinking that something had gone wrong during the surgery, and my sister didn't know how to break the news. I had to call the vet at home, to ensure Mom that all was fine. Then she worried and cried that something had to have happened. Then she cried for joy when my sister finally got home with Pretzel. But for 2 hours, I had to try to reassure her that all was fine. Pretzel is spoiled rotten, and both of them are content in that. As you can see, Pretz is always on Mom's lap. This is one ongoing "love story". And it is so gratifying to know that when my sister and I can't be there to make sure Mom doesn't need anything, we know that Pretzel is there for company.
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