Pepper's New Book & a Reflection on Her

Walk with Me, the book by the woman Pepper guided, is out.

I got the Kindle edition the day the book was released on Amazon. I haven't finished it yet, but I did skip ahead and read the parts about Pepper - it was fun to see Sarah's view of her and to hear about the work they did together.

Want to read the book? It's available in Kindle and paperback here.

Sarah's book talks about Pepper's excellent guiding and the caring that she had for Sarah. And when Pep came to live with us, that devotion was transferred to me. These unpublished photos of Pepper give a glimpse of that devotion.

The back story? I'd been in an Indianapolis hospital for a week having a precancerous mass removed from my pancreas along with my spleen and a lot of lymph nodes. It was the hardest surgery I've ever had. 

The surgery was hard on Pepper, too. Being separated from me for a week, even with Craig home with her and Lisa caring for her when he was with me, was very, very difficult for her.

When I got home, she could not get close enough to me. She even tried to crawl up into my lap but, of course, that was not possible because I had such a large abdominal incision.

And so she curled up on my feet, leaning against my legs, just so she could be close to me. I snapped that picture as she snuggled in against me, and I was grateful to be with her again, too.

As I healed and she couldn't be the lap dog she preferred, she would take her place at my feet, holding one of my legs between her front paws,

or curling up for a snooze, but always, always touching me in one way or another.

Pepper's walk with me is different than the walk she had with Sarah, but to the two of us, it is every bit as meaningful and absolutely full of love and joy. 

I am blessed to have this girl in my life.

Pups, Patterns, & Devotion

My sewing is not always done in the sewing room. On Wednesdays and Fridays when Mama spends the day with us, one of us stays downstairs with her at all times.

She is an elderly girl and while she wants to follow everyone upstairs, it has become more and more challenging for her to negotiate the stairs. Having one of us stay downstairs during her visits lets her have the company she wants without the stress (and sometimes pain) of struggling up the stairs.

Craig and I trade off throughout the day in two hour shifts and we both have learned to have things ready that we can work on downstairs on the days she and Nash visit. 

Cutting out patterns for 18th century clothing is one of the things I save for Mama-days. The dining room table actually works better than my sewing table because it is both longer and wider. I bring down several cuts of fabrics, patterns, pins, scissors, and marking chalk and I get a lot done during my two hour blocks hanging out with Mama.

Until Pepper goes into her Seeing Eye Dog protocols. Then, it's a lot harder to pin and cut the fabric.

Her training is that she should get out of the way and go under the desk, chair, or table where her partner is. So, like any well trained Seeing Eye Guide Dog, that is what she does. (Remember Tate's antics trying to do the same thing at the doctor's office? These dogs know what to do and how to get it done!)

She could "get out of the way" in any place of our home, but of course she wants to stay with me and, as she was taught, be close by and accessible for when I might need her.

And she prefers right under the table and at my feet. And usually right where I'd like to put my feet!

Which means I end up sitting like this and having to make extra efforts to pin and cut my fabric.

The rational thing do do would be to have her move to another place. But I don't. I am very aware that she is trying to take care of me in the best way she knows how. And that means being right under the table at my feet. 

There are three doggie beds and two "yes, Pepper, you're allowed up" couches in the dining and living rooms that she could choose to snooze on. But she doesn't choose any of them. 

She chooses to watch over me.

I have to respect her for that. Honor her, too. Even more, I love her for her devotion to me and for doing what she clearly considers her duty - taking care of me. And so she makes sure she's close by if I need her. 

(Reminds me of when the fire alarms went off in the house and she insisted I follow her and get outside to safety. I knew there was no fire in our home, but she didn't and was adamant that I go with her and out onto the safety of the back patio.)

So, on Wednesdays and Fridays, I get to spend a lot of time with these two sweet girls. Molly cuddles up on a dog bed and sleeps, Pepper snoozes at my feet, ready to help if needed, and I quietly cut out patterns and think about how lucky I am to have such sweet animals to hang out with.