| Pace Chronicles Cont. |
| Since our next door neighbor "Tina" started teaching at Pershing Elementary. She also told me Pace was a regular visitor to the school. Pace would most often show up at at the school around eleven o'clock - just in time for the kids lunch break. It didn't take long for Pace to acquire a reputation at the school. She'd wander into a class room, the school kids would laugh and respond with "Hi Pace!" The school principal knew her, the faculty knew her, the whole friggin' school knew her. But she would always be home when I returned from work. Eventually Tina would occaisionally give Pace a ride home from the school. Probably explains why she usually wasn't always hungry at dinner time. |
| Wouldn't you know it, later that evening, I started receiving calls. Some calls were from neighbors that knew her who were just concerned. I thought it funny, but not surprising that I even received calls were from neighbors that I didn't even know . . . but they also knew Pace and they too, were concerned. Eventually I received a few callsfrom high school students that attend Casa Roble High School . . . about three miles away. These kids were saying, "I saw your dog, she came into our wood shop today!" or "I saw her hunting mice in the field by the school." and inevitably. . . "She was in our school cafeteria at lunch time." It just happens that I'd regularly take the dogs to a huge park near Casa Roble High School for dog walks. Pace had a very favorite mouse hunting area there. Before this walk-about, it had probably been at least a week since we had gone there. Guess she decided to make a trip on her own. Now then, to get to Casa Robles High School, she'd have to cross a major four lane road and many busy streets thereafter. I drove the primary routes to the school and saw no sign of her. I was so afraid that I'd find her laying in the street. Again, another night passed without Pace. It was hard to sleep, I'd check for her every hour or so. The next morning, before heading down Hazel Avenue to go to work, I decided to go north on Pecan for another look. Only about two blocks from home, there she was, happily trotting down the road on her way home. I was so mad and so happy at the same time. I hugged and held her, and softly scolded her for being away for so long. I let her ride in the SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utilities District) van with me the rest of the day. Thank goodness for an understanding superviser at the time. |
| Furniture defiance - The dogs (including Pace), know they're not allowed on the sofa. Pace used to sleep on the sofa until about a year ago. But since we moved Conni's furniture in (lot's nicer than what I used to have), the dogs now have some nice doggy beds, and trained them, including Pace to stay off the furniture, she actually paid attention and observed this new rule for a couple of months. This morning when I wandered into the living room, Pace was on the sofa, on the floor below her was a Tupperware container. "Pace what are you doing up there?! What did you bring home?" She was obviously proud of the container of cat food she acquired from somewhere, and certainly felt that she was entitled to a higher level of comfort found only on a piece of nice furniture. After telling her to get down, I picked up the container and took it to show Conni. When I returned to the living room, there she was, on the sofa, again. Guess she still felt entitled to a little more time on some 'people' furniture. Defiant behavior revisited. |
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| Anyone missing a package of Krusteaz Pancake Mix? Just one of may contraband acquisitions. |
| We have your dog . . .It's not just the midnight runs that Pace would go on, she often makes regular visits to the elementary school a few blocks away in the middle of the day, usually around lunch time. I'd come home from work, Pace would either be laying on front the porch, or in a large hole in the dirt that was dug by Daisy years ago, or she'd be sunning herself in the driveway. And quite often, there would be a message on the answering machine. The message would always be something like: "Hello, this is . . . . , with Pershing Elementary School, we have your dog 'Pace' here, please call 989- . . ." |
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| Hot Cocoa anyone? |
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| Bee hunting - She was addicted to bee hunting. Pace would spend hours catching bees or flies for entertainment. It so happens, that bees made a small nest below the tarp. Kept her busy for hours. Catching and eating live bees. Weird. |
| Bathing - As some dogs do, Pace occasionally finds something really foul to roll in. I'm not sure what the hell this behavior is all about, but it's horrible! After feeding her one evening, I noticed some dried goo on the side of her neck, one sniff told me all I needed to know. Dead salmon. Oh gawd! Gag! Pace absolutely hates being bathed. As soon as I mentioned 'bath', she bee-lined the hell out. That was the last we saw of her until the following morning when she showed up at the front door for breakfast. I'll get her in the tub eventually, but it often includes creative trickery and some form of entrapment. Unfortunately, she's pretty good at reading the signs of a impending bath, there's a lot of clues for her to pick up on. So creativity on my part is always key. Usually her first clue is when I close off the doggy door to keep her from getting out of the house. She then starts to panic. Second clue, seeing me put on the river shorts, in the house. Third, grabbing the doggy bath towels. Fourth, removing the bath rugs from the bathroom. . . . . If she had opposing thumbs, she'd be out the door. She'd somehow manage to crawl under the car in the garage or magically gain about one hundred pounds so that picking her up to carry her to the bath was often a challenge. Not only that, she'd struggle all the way. |
| April 30, 2002 - Dang! Haven't updated this in quite awhile. Since the last entry, we've received a numerous calls from Pershing Elementary school and she's brought more crap home. A big ol' loaf of garlic bread and tons of trash. At twelve & half years old, she still gets around and is still stirring up a good share of trouble. |
| LOST DOG Black & White Border Collie Mix "Pace" Reward - Please Call! 989- . . . . |
| Lost Dog Episode Waking one morning to get ready for work, there was no sign of Pace. No contraband in the living room, no fast food garbage in the front yard. I began to fear the worst that during her midnight trek, she was trapped somewhere or worse yet, hit by a car. This was probably the first time I seriously became worried for her. Later that day, returning home from work there was still no sign of her, I drove throughout the neighbood posting signs. Looking and searching for her all the while. |
| In Memory Pace - aka Little Meathead January 1990 - September 15, 2006 |
| September 18, 2006 - It's been a long time since I've done any web writing about my little meathead. Our lives have become so busy, but today, in fond memory and through flowing tears, I'm making a final entry in tribute to Pace. On Friday, at approximately 3:45 pm, at the Hazel Ridge Veterinary clinic, Pace received her shot to transition her to doggie heaven. Earlier that morning, it appeared she suffered a major stroke and couldn't get up, lost her her bodily functions and cognition. She had grown so feeble just in the past few weeks. Although only a couple weeks ago, she went with us for a nice long walk at Sacramento State University. She managed to keep up with the other dogs. She played, explored and hunted on her own. Still able to run and keep up with us. On the morning of the 15th, I think Dudley and Cody both knew she was at the end. While she was laying on the floor, they both came up to her and gave her a little sniff then slowly and calmly walked away. We'll always remember her for her defiance and unusual behavior. The neighborhood misses her, Dudley and Cody miss her, and so do we. She lived an awesome doggy life in which I'm sure many dogs would envy. Her passing was painless and peaceful with very little suffering. Bye bye my little girl, have fun chasing mice and stealing more contraband. It was deafiningly quiet that next morning, not hearing your little toenails tapping on the hardwood floors doing your little 'feed me' tap dance. Please say 'Hi' to Daisy and Sara and tell them I miss them so very much, I'm sure they know. Bye bye my little girl, see you at Rainbow Bridge. . . |
| Rainbow Bridge
Just on this side of heaven is a place called � Rainbow Bridge �. When a pet dies. . . one that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge . There are meadows and hills for all our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine. Our friends are warm, comfortable and worry free. All them who had been ill and old are restored with health and the vigor of youth. Those who were abused, hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we would want to remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content except for one thing: they miss someone very special to them, someone who they had to leave behind. That someone, who took the extra step, stayed the extra minute, reached out and touched them with the love they needed so very much. They all run and play together, then a day comes when they suddenly stop and look off into the distance. With eyes bright and intent, their eager body quivers, their tail wagging furiously. Suddenly they run from the group, flying across the green grass, their legs carrying them faster and faster. You have been spotted and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face, your hands again caress that beloved head and soft fur, and you look once more into those big trusting eyes with special love, so long gone from your life, but never from your heart. �Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together�. Author Unknown |
| Conni and I have been doing some really significant remodeling of our home and have been so occupied with our lives that web entries have really taken a back burner. June 2005 - Our little girl is showing signs of her age and is losing her hearing. In concern for her well being, we've done all we can to confine her to the home and back yard. Knowing she wouldn't be able to hear a car coming at her and quite frankly still amazed she has survived this long wandering the streets without getting hit, confirms she has good street smarts. She spends a lot of time sleeping and is pretty comfortable staying home anyways. Although she still manages to escape once in a while to go across the street for some cat food. Her primary objective is food. When we get home from work, she tap dances and herds us to the feeding area. She wants her dinner . . . now! At Christmas of 2006 - We have welcomed in our lives a new addition. Little Baxter - a beagle puppy for Chris. He's a cute little squirt and smart as a whip. Baxter has rejuvenated life back into Pace - they play and bark at each other. Pace, in her limited ability to run, tries to escape from the little Munster (as I call him) and has the best time with him. It's amazing what a puppy can do for an old dog - we can tell she absolutely loves him. June 2006 - Alsheimers? Her age is really showing. Pace will ocasionally escape to go wander and still, amazingly return home later on. But for the most part, she's almost afraid to go outside except to go to the bathroom. She gets real excited when we load up to go for walks at the university, but otherwise we're not sure what's going on in that little head of hers. First thing in the morning at 04:45 when we wake, she's trying to herd us to the kitchen for some breakfast. She does a little tap dance routine and her toenails tapping the hard wood floors always makes us laugh. Aside from driven by food, she'd rather sleep and be left alone. No longer is she the troublemaker or thief of the neighborhood. |