Florida Bound...

Yesterday was a difficult day for both Scarlett and myself. Our friend, Tammy, that lived with us in Tennessee and moved up with us to New Hampshire left for Florida...back to her home town - after ten years of being away.

She will be missed...and so will her baby girl - Venus. I will especially miss Venus!

After all, I was the one who found her at that flea market in Tennessee. We had a booth selling our crafts there and I had taken a break to walk around when some kid yelled at me that he had a puppy to give away. It was the last one and they were "fixin' to leave" and if I didn't take the dog his daddy was gonna drown it.

Well, that's all it took - I grabbed this ugly little brown dog (yes, I said brown - explanation forthcoming) and raced back to our booth -and explained to Scarlett that I just couldn't let this dog die - so, it should be a belated birthday present for Tammy since she had been saying she wanted a dog.

Scarlett agreed and we decided that I should go on home and give the little thing a bath and have it all pretty when Tammy got home from work. As soon as I got in the car - she laid her little head on my leg and fell sound asleep on the trip home.

Four baths later - and an entire bottle of dog shampoo - I discovered a beautiful little BLACK lab. She had been so mistreated that the clay and dirt had embedded itself in her skin and fur so badly that she looked like a brown dog.

She has been Tammy's baby ever since...And she has lived with us in the home we shared in Tennessee and our home here in New Hampshire until last year when Tammy moved to Vermont (about 6 miles away) and I moved from the house.

Venus and I were especially close - since I was the one that was always home - for the last nine years I've been home without having to leave the house for work - so, she and I plus our other two dogs were always hanging out.

It's scary to see her move to Florida - as Scarlett put it - "She's a country/small town dog - and it's so busy down where they are going."

But, I know she will be okay as Tammy adores her...as she should! So, good fortune to both...

You will be missed!

Edited by Sara: 6:42 P.M. - April 12th - Tammy and Venus have arrived safely in St. Petersburg, Florida. They are at her dad's house.