Emma Belle....definitely THIS man's best friend

It was one year ago today that my dog, Emma Belle, gave me sole custody of our chair.

Emma Belle entered my life at the same time K did.  That's because she came with K as a sort of two-fer deal.  We never were sure exactly how old Emma was, but I'm guessing she was around 8 when she came to live with me.  I must say I've never bonded as quickly or as completely with a dog as I did with Emma.  K said more than once, "You've stolen my dog!"

Emma was smarter than one of those road skollers, too.  Together we were almost telepathic.  And unless I was away from home, she never left my side.  Not that I enticed her to follow me....she just enjoyed my company.  (Imagine that!)  If I got up from my desk in the study to go to the den or the kitchen, she would sense I was on the move and jump up from a sound sleep and follow.

She was a little too wide to sit beside me in our big leather chair (or maybe it was me who was a little too wide), so we worked out a deal....I would sit in the chair, but the ottoman was hers.  When I was away she would sit in my seat to keep it warm, but relinquish it as soon as I returned.

She had a temper, and a sense of remorse, too.  If I went somewhere and she wasn't ready for me to leave, she would go in the bathroom and turn over the trash can.  I suppose at some point it would dawn on her she had messed in her mess kit because when I returned she would greet me, not jumping up and down wagging her tail, but with her head down, ears back, and her big brown eyes barely making contact with mine.  I'd say her name like I was upset....Emmmmaaaaaaaa!  Come here!....and she would belly-crawl over to me.  I would ask if she was sorry and she would jump up on me and give me a "hug".  Then all was well, no grudges.

You can't imagine how scared I was when I took her to the vet on her last day.  She had pancreatitis, a common ailment for her breed, and I knew something was seriously wrong and we would soon be parting.  I left her as requested for them to do some tests, and was told to come back in a few hours.  I called K and told her to meet me back there, already having made the decision in my mind to put her down rather than make her suffer a few more days just so I could have a bit more time with my best friend.  She spared me from having to make that decision.  That's how considerate Emma Belle Park was.

Emma with her Christmas present.

Her position on "our" chair, never far away.

I always saved the last drop for her.

I loved her so.  Still do.  Always will.

S