I have found my dog's sister...which is really strange

One of our dogs, Spot, who didn't have any spots, died a week ago Tuesday about midnight. I received this nice letter and pictures afterward. This dog, Abbie, looks just like her brother, Spot, only much cleaner. I wish -- as Mrs. Quinlan does -- that we had known this earlier so Spot and Abbie could have met as "adults." ...






Hello,

My name is Allison Quinlan and I read your article about your dog, Spot. I have Spot’s sister, Abbie! We adopted her from the Caddo animal shelter in May of 1995-she developed Parvo the next week and spent the next seven days at Dr. Core’s Animal Hospital. Luckily, she made it through and is the best dog ever! She truly is our first child. My husband and I have had four daughters since we got Abbie. She has been better than any full bred dog that I know! Abbie is in fairly good health, other than her osteoarthritis that she takes Rimadyl for each day! When I saw the picture of Spot in the paper, I couldn’t believe how much they look alike! I am sorry for your loss-I can’t imagine what it will be like for my family without our sweet Abbie-I do not look forward to that day! I am attaching a picture of Abbie and my youngest daughter, Ella Grace! What a small world it is!

Sincerely,

Allison Quinlan

A dog and his boy...

Bogey (left, without hat) and Jonathan Wyche, both of Shreveport, in the summertime.

Reason 462: Why I'm Scared to Ride in a Hot Air Balloon

Missing that one Spot...

Lots of kind mail today, which I appreciate, after people read about good old Spot, our supplemental dog to our older No. 1 dog, Elfie. Spot died late Tuesday night. Elfie continues to wonder where Spot is, though for the past 12 years Spot literally dogged poor Elfie's every step, almost to the point that Elfie needed a nerve pill. I feel bad for him today...

This picture is of Spot in the middle -- he didn't have any spots -- and his two older brothers, 10 years ago. These three had a lot of fun together.

People write letters and send well-wishes when a pet dies because they know the feeling. Anyone's who's had a member-of-the-family pet can relate. Here's one of my favorites; received it today. You'll love it; I did. It's really quite a tale.

Finally, thank you for the notes. I'd hoped it would make you think of your pets, and either bring back a happy memory or cause you to go give your current pet a hug, maybe an extra bone or pork chop today. I think it did that. I know and have known some wonderful dogs and cats, mine and others'; it makes me feel good just to think of them.

And, you'd have liked Spot. He was a sweet guy who always made you laugh and, seriously, never got angry or pushy. He was a good example for me -- except in the area of hygiene. I'm laughing thinking of him right now, rolling around in the leaves and the first...good lord he stayed dirty...

Teddy,

I am sorry to hear that you lost Spot. He had a good life and obviously a lot of love.

My daughter was at school Tuesday watching "All Dogs Go to Heaven."
Her teacher was in a parent/teacher conference so they had a sub for a little while. One little boy, who is rather disruptive blurted out "dogs don't go to heaven." Well at that point it was on. Codi informed him that dogs' bodies don't go to heaven but their souls do.
So Spot is hanging out in heaven.

We had two labs, one black and one brown. We go the black one from animal welfare in Baton Rouge right after we got married. She was from a litter of 12 and an alligator came up from the Tickfaw river and ate seven of the puppies. She was the only female that survived and no one wanted her. We took her, named her Gator and she grew up to be beautiful.

When Ross went off to Memphis to play arena football he got a chocolate lab and we named her Allie. Yes put them together in reverse order of when we got them. She had quite a pedigree but she walked in Gator's shadow like crazy. Couldn't even have a thought without Gator approving it.

We couldn't even bring Gator to the vet without bringing Allie along for the ride and the stay because she would dig out.

Well we lost Gator last November. She had come down with oldness disease and had been going downhill for a while. We took her to the vet and he said her heart was giving out. The first day she was there Allie was fine (we didn't take her that day). The second day she dug out, someone miraculously found her in the middle of Ellerbe Road in front of Holy Angels, called our vet and they picked her up and let her be with Gator.

We decided not to put Gator down but to bring her home. She died after midnight and Allie layed right next to her. When we got ready to bury her, Ross dug the hole and we brought Allie to the back corner of the yard and she stood there next to me while Ross buried Gator. We knew she understood, and she's not dug out since.

Allie is now 12 years old and she has a growth on her esophagus which will eventually send her to heaven. For the remainder of her time here we decided to get her a new puppy. We got Dixie Belle two weeks ago from some friends. The mom is a lab, and Dixie looks like a lab but we have no idea who the daddy was. We also have two cats, one rescued from certain death from animal control. Needless to say, we feel your pain and Casey's I'm sure. Saying a prayer that Spot now has the biggest bone in heaven...

Eeeny Meeny Miney Mo...

Here are The Best Playground Games in Playground History...

1. Pick-up baseball, and the game continues all week and the next week you choose sides again. If a kid is absent, too bad: you play shorthanded.

2. Making fun of the kid with the big head who always trips, (above.)

3. ANYthing with the orange bucket ('abover'.) Boy, the days sure flew by when you were one of the first ones on the playground and could get one of the orange buckets before they were all gone.

4. Swingset/Slide Combo.

5. Tackle the man with the ball.

6. Tackle the teacher with the clipboard. (Fun, but you could only play it once.)

7. Tag. Classic.

8. Red Rover -- IF a substitute made you play a stupid 'group' game, which was dumb.

9. Dodgeball, if it rained and you had to go to the gym.

10. Poker.

Yesterday's effort in the paper was about recess, and how an elementary school in Colorado has banned "Tag" because some kids felt threatened and bothered, and probably tired from chasing people and not being able to catch them to make them "It." Sigh...

Here's my favorite email in response...

Enjoyed your column on "No More Tag in Colorado". When I first heard this last week, I had to pull over and wrap my head in duct tape so it wouldn't explode, then I just gripped the steering wheel til my knuckles turned white. I keep asking myself what is wrong with these people and I just dont come up with any logical answers. Thanks for writing about it.

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At home with Mike the Tiger, (who is not talking to the media)

Got these today from my friend "I Can Putt As Good As They Can" in Baton Rouge, including the first one in which the Tiger is about to eat a child. The pics were sent to him from his buddy, with this note...

"I spent about an hour visiting with the new Mike today .... and he's really got some personality. Get the young ones out there to see him .... he absolutely loves kids. Folks have fallen in love with him. He was released into his territory today and he turned into a real ham... He's 2 years old and was in contact with humans on a regular basis at Great Cats of Indiana. He stayed near the windows today as long as anyone was there .... especially small children. While I was there he continued to go back to one window that was packed with about 7 kids .... and stood in the water almost leaning against the window. He's really made a connection with the fans already..."

LSU plays Virginia Tech in Tiger Stadium Saturday (ESPN 8:15 pm, and KWKH 1130-AM)

More of the 7 (and counting) wonders...

From a reader who wishes to remain anonymous so he won't 'date' himself...


Worm's Hilltop House was a great restaurant on Cross Lake. Each table had a lazy susan loaded with food. It was always a treat to go there, as a kid and as an adult.

There was a great Monsour's on Texas Street, but I don't recall if it was the No. 1 or 2. Martha always ordered fried oysters and still says the were the best in town. I got the hot open-faced roast beef sandwich (on a plate). Very good. There was a counter on one side of the room where you could eat and watch the guy shuck oysters. There were tables on the other side of the room, and we sat there. I am tying to think of the right word to describe the appearance - crummy? down to earth? laid back? early 1900s?
No matter, it was pleasant, friendly and had great food. Wish it were still there.

We ate once or twice at the Ravana, but I don't remember the details.

Never went to Saks.

T here used to be an interesting little short-order café in the alley that used to separate the old Journal building and the old post office building (now the library). Had a one-word man's name, but can't remember it! Only a few stools and , I think, a pinball machine.

The good ol' days really were good.

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