MP_the4pack Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 To say that my life was changed forever, would be an understatement. To say I was in shock and my heart shattered, would be an understatement. Eleven years ago today, I lost my silly goofy five year old girl Topaz. She was my second greyhound, who I adopted a year after I got Brindle. I thought Brindle needed a companion. Little did I know that what I did back in April 1996 is today called chipping. What a legacy of white and black girls all named for gemstones would Ow's Topaz leave in her wake . She had liver disease that was caught too late. While though I was told that with meds she could live up to two more years, She was gone within 4 weeks. She had an itty bitty little Elvis smile and a helicopter tail. She was a fruit loop short of a full bowl of cereal. She was happy. She was silly. She got into a lot of trouble. She had a goofy game where as we left my bedroom, she'd stop and playbow. I'd scritch her butt, she'd get up and take a step, then bow again. I'd oblige and scritch her butt. This went on all the way down the hall. It was the longest 15 foot hallway I've ever walked down. She stole a people teddy bear from a friend of mine who was storing some of her belongings in my basement. The bear belonged to her then 2 yr old daughter. She proceeded to get that bear stuck in the dog door one day. When I came home I found Brindle inside the house, but no Topaz. It wasn't until I cleared the breakfast counter that I saw she had "locked" herself outside when she wedged this huge bear in the dog door. This is my favorite memory of Topaz. Once again that same bear left another wonderful memory as I watched her and Brindle playing tug-o-war with it. Being a human toy, not a dog toy, it wasn't meant to be manhandled (um I mean doghandled) and they decapitated it. Topaz ran with the body shaking it vigorously, Brindle did the same with the head. Again, being a people toy, it wasn't filled with big tuffs of cotton/polyfill. It was filled with itty bitty pieces of foam. It was snowing foam in the backyard. It took years for me to finally stop finding pieces of that bear. One unfortunate bunny made a nest in her yard one year. From that point on, she'd go to that hole, dig a little bit, inhale deeply, then go into a puppy upper. A butt scooching, tear-a$$ run. That hole ended up about 6 inches wide but over a foot deep. Topaz squeezed a lot of life into her short 3 yrs with me. And I wasn't ready to give her up. But she left anyway. A few weeks after she left, I was introduced to a little black girl named Onyx. Onyx had a big smile (Topaz had a little one), Onyx's racing name was a gemstone, as was Topaz's. And because Onyx was a petite, young smiley girl who was a bounce and sitting back in the kennel for 1/2 yr, I thought maybe she was supposed to be my next girl. Onyx made up for Topaz's short life by making it at least to 15. She's still with me: But Onyx was no Topaz. For two years I must have checked out and tried to adopt every white and black girl in the US. (in fact, Paula was adopted by a GTer after my adoption of her fell thru). But, I still craved a silly goofy white and black girl. That's when I found Pearl. She was in Fla and her description fit that of Topaz's. Her coloring matched that of Topaz's almost to the inch. So I adopted her. All I know is that Topaz must have sent her to me because 3 weeks after the adoption I suddenly lost my Brindle to hemangio. Pearl became my heart and soul and will forever be my heart and soul. During Pearl's life with me, I still found myself deeply attracted to the white and black girls, and 5 yrs ago, a tiny little white and black munchkin of a girl found her way to my home from Kansas. She was called Devil Spawn by her foster mom, I call her Brat. Opal is still with me. And when my Pearl passed this year, I found another white and black ADHD, CCD, border collie in a greyhound suit tank of a girl, Jade. Thank you Topaz for your legacy: Peek-a-boo! I see you Momma. Here she is in a waist high wheat field chasing Brindle. I don't feel good, I gots a boo-boo The Topaz legacy: Pearl, Opal and Jade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvhounds2 Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 What sweet stories - and great memories. And beautiful girls, too. Quote Barb, Mom to Grey's Tickertape & Grey's McCarthy.Always missing: Wizzie and Desi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinw Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 What a sweet, beautiful girl she was, and they all were Quote Xavi the galgo and Peter the cat. Missing Iker the galgo ?-Feb.9/19, Treasure (USS Treasure) April 12/01-May 6/13, Phoenix (Hallo Top Son) Dec.14/99-June 4/11 and Loca (Reko Swahili) Oct.9/95 - June 1/09, Allen the boss cat, died late November, 2021, age 19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zombrie Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 What happy and beautiful stories to remember her by Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Adrianne Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 What a beautiful story, and what beautiful pups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 What fun you've had with your girls! Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrina Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Topaz Quote Caroline, Mom to Daphne (49B-50215) and Penny (41D-55779)Remembering Bridge Angels Margo and Sabrina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 MP, that is beautiful. Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M, Ebbie, HollyBeeBop (Betty Crocker). Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesiRayMom Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 What lovely memories......you have been blessed. Quote Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gingergrey Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 They are all beautiful! You have great memories. Hugs to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 You taught your momma well, little girl :wub: . Sweet dreams. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heehoo Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 I'm glad you have good memories of her & thank you for sharing them with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies_Dad Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Mary Pat, it is obvious Topaz started you a on a journey and that was her goal. She left early however it appears she truly never left you. One day I have to get me a cow doggie... Quote Kyle with Stewie ('Super C Ledoux, Super C Sampson x Sing It Blondie) and forever missing my three angels, Jack ('Roy Jack', Greys Flambeau x Miss Cobblepot) and Charlie ('CTR Midas Touch', Leo's Midas x Hallo Argentina) and Shelby ('Shari's Hooty', Flying Viper x Shari Carusi) running free across the bridge. Gus an coinnich sinn a'rithist my boys and little girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MP_the4pack Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 sigh Happy Birthday Topaz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fostr_Mom Posted December 22, 2010 Share Posted December 22, 2010 What a wonderful legacy Topaz has left for you. I have read this several times and I just can't seem to get the right words down to convey how I feel. These greyts are so very special, aren't they? Quote <p>Mom to Kyle (Diehard Kyle) & Angel Gracie (KB's Sankey) Foster Mom for AFG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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