Katie - my furry angel

I'm sitting here watching Katie sleep. She's having a very active dream. Her little head is bobbing and weaving, her ears are twitching, and her legs are going a mile a minute. This is the most active I've seen her all day. When she adopted us, we called her Hurricane Katie. She was only a few months old the night she showed up at our back door saying, "Hi, I live here" and she was full of non-stop energy. Today, taking a running jump to get on the couch for a nap is her version of all out effort. Unless, of course, mom uses those magic words, "ride in the car," or "walk." Then she becomes a puppy again and is ready to take on the world.

It's hard to believe that she's been a member of the family for just over 9 years now. I thank the Lord everyday for sending us an angel in fur. She was there to take us through so many events. She was dad's primary caregiver through his cancer. (I was a close second.) She saw me through his illness and death and has taken me through further events and incidents in both the disaster and adventure categories. When she adopted us she joined a family of felines and was trained and tutored by them. One became her best friend and they played and wrestled with each other. Cocoa was a Burmese cat, large and solid. He thought it was great to have this little pup to bully until one day he realized that he'd stopped growing and she hadn't and now she was twice his size; what a rude awakening. we called it the Katie & Cocoa show. She learned finicky from them (and unlearned it from us). After the animals and I relocated to Oakhurst, she tested and was certified a Therapy Dog. We visit, and she's made numerous friends at, nursing and convalescent homes, senior residences, plus a library where children read to her to improve their confidence in their reading skills.

She's my constant companion and friend and a great little traveler. My Subaru is set up for her comfort and she travels with me across town and down to Fresno. We've traveled to L.A. and to various points up and down the coast. She knows "pet friendly" motels and restaurants from Long Beach to Monterey to Cambria and Morro Bay.

I hope she's dreaming that she's romping in the meadow with friends and not running away from big dogs. I'll bet, like me, she's a young'un again in her dreams. I have to turn the TV down so it doesn't wake her.