[chipperb]

Tony-I have been away for a while, as you know, and just read this Sunday. I took a few days to respond.

I lost my dear Dixie 3 years ago at the age of 14. She was a miniture long haired dauchshund (sp?) and i dreaded to think of her ever passing since I got her at 3 months of age. She had a heart attack at about 5pm and was gone by eleven pm the same day. I cried for days. She was my buddy-You can even see here with her "Dixie" badge that Susan Parham made up for her at the Deep South Cobra Club held at Southern Automotive many years ago.

I was still in grief six months later when we went to a Pet Smart on "Howl" Mill Road in Atlanta. Another minature long haired "doxie" was there, and I started asking her "owner" about her. The "owner" turned out to be a foster mom, and the doxie turned out to be a "cha wienie" > a chihuahua wiennie dog! Her name was Roxanne and we adopted her on the spot (un planned puppyhood) and changed her name to "Trixie" which was my name for Dixie's evil alter ego.

I tell Trixie that I had a big hole in my heart from loosing Dixie, and that she, Trixie helped fill that hole. I told her that she did not replace Dixie, but that she (Trixie) was my new pup.

I am so sorry for your loss.

"Dogs are not our whole life but they make our lives whole" c