Having a dog makes you stop and look. You will look at things you may never have noticed, whether it’s garbage in the street or the random, half-eated fried chicken leg that Bailey found this morning.
Unfortunately I can never let her eat these fun finds because of her allergic reaction to protein.
I am madly in love with this girl. It was truly love at first site with her, but when I think of how all the many furry people came into my life, my pattern remains the same. It’s always love at first sight. I never take time to think about it. I just know.
Bailey came to me through http://www.petfinder.com. I had an active search going for Border Collies and one day her very beautiful face come into my inbox. That was in June, 2008.
Being a “cat person” my entire life, sharing your life with a dog, as well as Safari, our cat, is much different as I learn each day. Bailey is a rare find and while most people probably say that about their furry children, she truly is.
A day does not go by without someone complimenting her. “She is so sweet, soft, well-behaved.” The list goes on. She truly is a special girl and I am a writer and this online space will serve as her daily journal.
I think of things I want to say everyday when we go out on our many walks…whom we meet, the things we see…it’s always different. She is is always surprising me.
Tomorrow we go to the Farmer’s Market. We go each Saturday and it’s one of her favorite things to do. She sees her other dog friends and helps me pick vegetables by pointing her long nose at certain tables. I am sure I will have more to report tomorrow
Bailey's Journal 
I enjoyed this blog so much. I read it sort of backwards, coming to it from a link on Indian Summers Facebook page. We had a wonderful BC for 11 years, losing her just this past June 18, 2012….so I loved hearing about Bailey.
TINY CRITICISM: the blog is so good, I wanted scroll around, read the beginning or reread some of the parts — but there is no “contents page”. You have to read page by page; you can’t skip to “Chapter 20” or the end, etc. And too many posts to just click through them. That’s a shame. I started reading after you had adopted Joy (who looks like a red version of my dog Sasha, minus the tail), then backwards to hear Bailey’s whole story… poignant as it switched from Bailey in Heaven to Bailey’s quite wonderful life on earth with you (Hey! I want to spend my winters in FLA, too!). Knowing what was coming was so achingly sad, yet it was good to read about what a genuinely wonderful life she had with you — far more than many other dogs experience in much longer lives.
Anyhow, hope you and Joy are continuing to enjoy one another and building happy memories….and think about including some kind of chapters/numbering here. It would really help make it more readable.
Laurel,
Thank you so much for your comments. I am sorry to hear of your loss and I hope in time you can find room in your heart for another companion. Just so you know, if you look at the blog now, I did put in an archive per your suggestion- which I do not know whay i did not have before- so thank you!! If you go back to the beginning of the blog, I started it when she was aiive and well. I started writing it more regularly when we found out she had bladder cancer. Knowing that at some point I would have to let her cross to the Rainbow Bridge, I kept thinking about what I would do about the blog – and then she told me – that we would write letters to each other. I am working on turning this into a book as well – she expects that of me! Bailey was a tenacious girl. I loved her soooo much and vice versa. She was my shadow and I hers. We were constantly together and she promised me that she would find me a perfect dog. My husband asked for 6 months to catch our breath. It was very difficult dealing with bladder cancer. My morning routine was cleaning up tons of pee all over the floor. It became my routine over and over many times a day. At the end she oculd not go 5-10 minutes without having to pee and then she was losing control of her bowels. She NEVER looked sick – she was gorgegous to the end a a true princess – much like Joy – another princess! Bailey was a senior adoption. She was Angels for Animals for a year until I came around – someone had adopted her for 3 weeks and returned her. She was a drop-off there, so I had no prior history of her health. She was 7 when I got her and she ived until 10-1/2 years. She had surgery for the cancer (no chemo) and that got her another year. My vet in FL was fabulous and a friend of his had a male dog on which he operated for the same thing. She did love to go in the car as does Joy. This past winter in FL I was looking at Petfinder and came across Indian Summers and Joy’s story. When we got back just a couple of months ago, we adopted Joy who is just such te snuggle-head and a sweetie except for issues at barking at people whie she is IN the car! She was rescued bY ISBCR from an Amish Puppy mill situation, so she has sme fear issues. She was also there for a year but each day she does better. When we walk at Buhl Park (you wil read A LOT about that if you read more) she does not bark at anyone and actuallly wants to go up to some people and their dogs and say hi. She met some doggie named Smitty the otehr day and the owner and I said, WOW! True love- they were kissing each other al over it was so cute! If you are looking at adoption, I can highly recommend ISBCR. I actually created the Facebook site for her since they did not have one. Dr. Summers has some wonderful dogs looking for homes!!! So that is the short “tail” and I hope I did not carry on too long here, but you were so smart to tell me to make an archive so thank you again, so much! I hpoe that you have a wonderful day. We live in western PA half the year (now) and in FL in the winter. Joy doesn’t know that yet but i think she will really enjoy the ride to FL. In fact, I have already planned to do her blog as well. I have the name I just have not had the time since getting her with all the rides to the park and time she commands – ahh, but that’s all great time spent! Cheers, Sherri Maddick