My brother, David, just called this afternoon to tell me that his dog, Zeus, has passed on. Damn, ya’ll, I loved that freakin’ dog! It’s crazy – I haven’t even seen Zeus in over five years (it was May 2003, when my niece, Alex, was born) and yet, I canNOT stop crying! Can’t. Just can’t. I just loved that damn dog.

He was a German Shepherd. I was afraid of German Shepherds, pre-Zeus. Hell, I was afraid of big dogs before I started going out to Liberty Hill to stay with my brother. Those were the good ‘ol days – when my brother lived outside of Austin, TX and I lived in Dallas, TX and I would drive down there, with the kids and spend a few days. And sometimes I went without the kids! Woohoo! Par-tay! Well, if you consider hanging around the house and taking walks on the property a party, that is. And I, for one, totally consider it a PAR-TAY!

He had a neighbor across the road (highway) named Chigger and it was all just so …Country Texas! And I loved it! Then my brother did a dumb thing – he moved to Colorado. Then I did a dumb thing – I moved to Alabama. Now we are TWENTY-FOUR hours apart!! (By car, that is, which is how we normally travel. Hmm… wonder how long the flight is?)

So yeah, see, my brother is an emergency vet with a wicked soft spot for animals. A lot of the animals that are brought into emergency care are surrendered for one reason or another. Sometimes people cannot afford the needed medical care, sometimes people just find animals that aren’t theirs that have been hit by cars, etc. Well, my silly brother and his wife wind up falling in love with a lot of these surrendered animals, who, they know, will meet their untimely passing if not rescued and brought home to live with them.

Zeus was one such animal. He was brought in suffering from, I think, Parvo. During the course of treatment, David just fell for this sweet boy. He had only recently brought him home when I was heading out there for a visit by myself. As my brother and his wife have a lot of animals, the big dogs (and horses, ponies, and goats) live outside and the little dogs and cats live inside. Zeus, however, was still recovering and so, therefore, allowed to do so inside.

While I was there for my visit, Suzie and David would have to leave me to go to work. During these long hours alone, (*oh no, more tears are coming…*) Zeus-y and seriously bonded. It was so wonderful. We would go outside and wander the property and I am telling you, that dog was glued to my hip – he did not budge. If I took a step – he took a step. If I stood still to have a look around, he stayed still to have a look around. Damn, this was one cool dog, ya’ll. Seriously awesome.

I don’t know how to train dogs. This one just came out of the box that way. Man, he was cool!

Then they moved and I didn’t see Zeus for a while. We all took a visit out there – like three cars full of us! And it was great to see him, but, rather chaotic, so I didn’t actually get much time with him! In May 2003, however, I again had some alone time with one of my favorite dogs EVAH.

My mother and I flew out there for the birth of my niece and then Mom had to go back home. I wound up staying for ten days. Yeah…without my kids! Can you believe that?! It was so relaxing…helping Suzie, taking care of the baby, and just hanging out. One day I was the only one home and one of their little dogs, Schnotz (yes, he was named that for a reason) ;) got out of the fence. Though not as rural as their place in Texas was, it is still pretty rural. I was freaking out that a dog got out on my watch, when no one was home, and I proceeded to go out looking for him. I’m across the street from the house in, not necessarily woods, but, sort of ….wilderness, yeah, that’s it. Brush, kind of. It was woods-y enough that you couldn’t see me from the house.

I’m walking around in this brushy area, and next thing I know, there is a dog attached to my hip. Who would this be? My Zeus-y! And he accompanied me in my search, until I decided to give up and go check back at the house. It was just so cool how he just ‘POOF!’ showed up there by my side. He came up all quiet, so I didn’t even hear him coming. So it was like he just showed up, materialized – just like any Rico-suave superhero would do! [Luckily, Schnotz's tag and a nice old man saved him. The man found him across the road, almost a mile away or more and picked him up and called the number on the tag. Nice man! Yea!]

Whoa. I just remembered part of a dream I had last night. I had a dream last night about my deceased cat, Rosco. How weird – and cool – is that? I have a dream about Rosco on the night Zeus dies….

Wow. I bet he was coming to tell me he was meeting Zeus-y at the gate of the Rainbow Bridge.

I love you, Rosco.

I love you, Zeus-y Caboosey.

You guys rock! Keep Heaven warm for us!