Ruger had a bit of a hard start to life. Rick was off on a fishing trip one weekend and drove by a place where he saw a puppy tied to a tree, no food and no water. And it was so hot that weekend. When he went by the next day, she was still there, still tied up, and still no food or water. Now me, I would have just taken her and left, but Rick went up to the house, knocked on the door and asked about the puppy. Rick asked if he could take her home, they agreed, obviously they didn't care at all for this precious puppy.

Now, I was very ill that year, had been for a while, housebound and bedridden most days. Rick came home from his fishing trip and when he came in the front door, he said "Guess what I have?" and honestly I couldn't see him, but I replied "a puppy?" We both laughed so hard. We may have rescued her, but she also rescued me. We shared so many wonderful years together.

Ruger, your mommy and daddy still miss you so very much.

We will see you in our dreams my little one.

Ruger was a faithful eBayer and she loved to show pictures of her visits with her Aunties and Uncles; I loved sharing her with everyone. She was one of the first doggies to have an eBay ID and post on the eBay Discussion Boards. A few of the newly arrived posters actually thought that Ruger was an eBay mascott!

I had so much fun sharing Ruger with my eBay pals on the Discussion Boards and often snagged pictures they had posted, and inserted Ruger into them. We shared so many laughs.

You can see a few of them on her website.

I was so moved when all her eBay Aunties and Uncles said goodbye. The following links will take you to the eBay Discussion Board Threads that I saved.

Canada Town Square Discussion Board says goodbye.

The Park Discussion Board says goodbye.

We lost a special friend today, the kind you can't replace,
And looking at her empty bed, we still can see her face.
We see the endless energy, the sparkling puppy eyes,
Not the tired, fragile friend we had to bid goodbye.

We know she's in a special place our Lord has for such friends,
Where meadows, fields & flowers help make them whole again.
We remember how she'd run to us to play her favourite game,
And how her ears would perk right up when she heard us call her name.

But as those precious years went by and we both aged and grew,
We'd find her often slowing down, though we had still had much to do.
We noticed in the recent times her ears were not as sharp,
Where was our running ball of fur, the years have shown their mark.

She started staying close to us, was this her special clue,
Because she felt the end was near, we only wish we knew.
Our Ruger was a special pup, we know she gave her best,
But as we looked into her eyes we knew it was time for her to rest.

It will truly be a struggle, we don't know how we'll face each day,
We have to let her go we know, but in our hearts she'll always stay.
This special place our Lord has made, health and strength wait for her there,
So with our very special friend we're sending all our prayers.

We know she's watching over us, she'll be with us when we cry,
So with one more kiss on her beloved head, we told our sweet Ruger goodbye.

This video was generously made by our dear friend Frank. Tribute to Ruger Video (17 MB - 5:10 min)

When you click on the link above, it will open up your Windows Media Player.

A very special friend (docwoman) who I met a few years ago on eBay, has held charity auctions through eBay Giving Works each December in memory of my Ruger and has held auctions (100% proceeds) raising funds for animal rescue groups.

She is one very special lady!

Dear God

It's been two years since you have brought my precious Ruger up to you, and I still miss her so much. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her, that I feel an ache in my heart knowing she is missing from my life. She was such a happy puppy and we shared much love and happiness for almost thirteen years, and for that I am thankful.

I know I'm getting better as the years go by, I don't sleep with a pillow against my leg anymore. You knew I did this because the feel and warmth of the pillow felt like her leaning against me. She always slept on the bed of course, stretched out against my legs. It sure was a little hot in the summer, but I never cared.

Each summer, when the grasshoppers are flying around the lawn, I think of her too, how she used to love to play with them. Chasing them all over the yard and then after when she tired, she ate them. Rick and I kept telling her she would have no friends left if she kept eating them. I almost think that was her favourite game and it was great exercise for her, although it didn't do much for her breath!

And whenever the blackbirds came in to raid our bird feeders, I remember her proficient guarding skills. We had quite a few feeders in the backyard and it used to irate me when the blackbirds would swarm in and clean all the seed out. I know they have to eat too, but they left nothing for all my other birds. So we trained Ruger to recognize the difference between our song birds and the black birds. It was always so funny to watch her go flying to the screen door growling and barking at the blackbirds and seeing them all take off. She never once barked at any of the other birds. Of course, she always got a "good girl!" and the proud look on her face knowing she made mommy happy was priceless.

And in the winter, during those big snow falls, she used to love to go out with her Daddy and catch the snow balls he threw for her. When she got tired and a little warm, she would go and wash her face in the snow. I miss looking out and seeing all her tracks in the fresh fallen snow.

She always had to have a pillow under her head, no matter if she was sleeping up on the bed, on the couch, or on the floor. Yes, once in a while, she actually did sleep on the floor. I swear, I never saw her once having a nap without a pillow. It was so cute. I still have all her pillows and they still make me smile and I remember her fondly.

Thank you God for welcoming her so gently and so lovingly into your home and please tell her that her mommy and daddy miss their little girl.

Love,

Ruger's Mom and Dad

For those of you who have lost a special companion and friend

Rainbow Bridge Flash Movie

The second Sunday of September is the Official National Pet Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember our departed companions.

This is a day to honour the memory of a companion who once shared your life.

- share photographs and stories with your friends and loved ones, remembering the love and joy they brought us

- visit their burial site, holding a remembrance ceremony, or creating a living memorial by planting a tree, bush, or flowerbed

- create an online memorial, where we pay tribute to our companions who are no longer with us and who are very sadly missed.

- explore the Internet for pet memorial sites with inspiring stories of love and devotion between people and their companions

- use this day to volunteer at your local animal shelter or a rescue group

- use this day to make a donation in memory of your companion to a local animal charity, shelter or rescue group

All proceeds will be donated to the SquidAid Group for helping critters recover from disaster.

Doesn't that feel good?

This Badge is for Squidoo Fire Aid Challenge lenses that benefit the Humane Society of the United States Disaster Relief Services.