[PyrNet-L] 10 good things about Marple

[Jane Gill <janegill@fast.net>]

I know I rarely post to Pyrnet, although I lurk like a friendly shark
all the time.

But since most of the people who knew Marple in her salad days do happen
to be on this list, it seemed appropriate to note her passing here.  I
post not to mourn her death, but to celebrate her life.  Here are 10
good things about Marple:

1.  She had a dark mask and beautiful eyes.  The most accomplished
Hollywood makeup artist could not have applied her eyeliner more
perfectly.

2.  Her coat had a certain zany Phyllis Diller quality, which she
delighted in perfecting by decorating it with sticks and leaves.  We
battled a lot over that coat, she and I, and she always won.  She'd just
grow more of it.

3.  She was smart and tough and funny.  She made me laugh every day.

4.  She could open locks and gates and doors at will.  Thank goodness
she decided to stay home with us, and never grew a pair of thumbs.

5.  She loved people, especially young people.  Her favorite holiday was
Halloween, when she would attempt to kiss every face and dive in every
bag.  I took her as 1 of 2 demo dogs to a cub scout meeting one time,
and had to struggle mightily to avoid her breaking her down-stay to
fling herself into the crowd of little boys.

6.  She mothered our kittens even when they had the poor taste to grow
up to be cats.

7.  She taught me much more about dominant bitches than I really wanted
to know.  If she had been my first Pyr, I never would have had the
courage to have another one.  Because she was my second Pyr, I'll never
have anything else!  She was the one that really turned me into a
dyed-in-the-wool Pyr person.

8.  She had a lovely recall, and a riotous stand-for-exam:  feet
planted, tail wagging furiously, occasionally accompanied by eyelash
batting for the judge.  She seemed to feel that flirting with the judge
might improve her score.  In one case I think it did.

9.  She taught baby Weezie right.  At least in her mind.  Marple always
believed that perimeters must be patrolled thoroughly.  We have the
beaten path right next to our hedge and fence to prove it.  Conrad was
always a wash-out at patrolling, but Weezie now has accepted the mantle
and carries on the good work. No bears in our yard!

10.  At the end she was not in pain, she was just old and tired and
vague and frail.  She left me peacefully, cradled in my arms and not
worried about what the vet was doing.  And that's not a bad end for a
12-year old rescue dog.

This is in loving memory of Ms. PB (Pushy Bitch) Marple, ILP, CD.

She will always walk by my side.

Jane Gill
Conrad and Weezie