A Creature of habit, three cars called Annie One, Two and Three and three special dogs called Lucy - Part Two

The next Lucy dog came to me in a rather special way, I had ordered a fox terrier puppy from the local SPCA and when I went to fetch him I happened to walk past the cages of the dogs that were waiting to be adopted. All the dogs stood up and came to greet me as I walked past them, each hoping that they would be the chosen one and I was their new Mommy. As I walked past one of the cages I thought it was empty but a casual glance showed me a Staffordshire terrier sitting at the back with a look on her face that said all hope had gone.
Suffice to say, the puppy was not the dog I took home that day, instead I adopted Lucy Staffie. This Lucy was a gentle, barrel shaped, brindle coloured lady. How she ended up at the SPCA I never did find out and I always felt that something awful had happened to her as she was rather timid and often looked afraid when in an unsure situation. Lucy Staffie fitted in well with the family and when we moved to a small farm in the country she seemed to come into her element.
Lucy became a gift giver of note, often on returning home, I would be presented with a dead bird placed proudly on the back doormat and Lucy sitting their wagging her tail at me and smiling as if to say, "look Mom I caught us lunch." I made a point of thanking her profusely and taking her inside to give her a treat and them disposing of the poor birds body while she was otherwise engaged. On especially lucky for me days there would be a dead snake, some of them small but others a good size, waiting ready for my enjoyment on the door step. On these occasions I sometimes found it a bit difficult to give the usual profound thanks but somehow did always manage to find the right words of gratitude for my faithful friend.
Farm life suited Lucy Staffie and she would love to amble along with us when we went for family walks along the dusty farm roads, she would wonder in and out of the fruit trees always making sure that she was with was within eye shot of her family members.
I would love to go walking alone with her as I found her to be a very good listener who never once even thought of interrupting my flow of thoughts and words, instead she would walk along beside me, almost touching, to let me know that no matter what she was always with me. These moments were very special, we were in our own time and space together, the two of us on a dirt road that was our private world.
We had to make sure that the animals were always dipped for ticks and when Lucy fell ill and was rushed to the veterinary clinic we were surprised to hear that she had tick bite fever. Our lovely lady did not come home with us, she went instead to doggy heaven to be with Lucy bulldog. The year was 1992.

to be continued